There are secrets all around us. Mysteries from the past that some would prefer stay buried. This is one of those stories that, despite living in Washington for almost 20 years, I've never heard. And, the book that pulls back the curtain on a madwoman will absolutely stay with me.
Before I read this book, I had never heard of the little town of Olalla. It's an unincorporated community on the Kitsap Peninsula, a long way from where I live. I had also never heard of Dr. Linda Hazzard. But, the author of this book lives there now and when he heard about Dr. Hazzard and the old sanitarium she ran, he dove deep into the secrets of this community.
Early in the 20th century, two wealthy British sisters found themselves under Dr. Hazzard's care. She had written about fasting and how abstaining from food from long periods of time could cure almost any ailment. The sisters weren't sick, per se, but had money and time and were fascinated by this method. As soon as they came under her care, their health declined and it took extreme circumstances to bring Dr. Hazzard's methods into light and, ultimately, into the criminal justice system.
This book is fascinating in its detail and research. It's a troubling look at life at that time, in that remote part of the country. It gets tedious at times as every detail is recounted, from initial starvation to a criminal trial. Still, it's a compelling read on a haunting subject, as you try to imagine these two helpless sisters, literally starving and cut off from the world.
It also leaves open the possibility of so many more victims who came under Dr. Hazzard's spell.
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