About the Book

Book: The Purple Nightgown

Author: A.D. Lawrence

Genre: Christian Historical Suspense

Release date: March, 2021

Marvel at true but forgotten history when patients check into Linda Hazzard’s Washington state spa in 1912 and soon become victim of her twisted greed.
Book 10 in the True Colors series—Fiction Based on Strange-But True History

Heiress Stella Burke is plagued by insincere suitors and nonstop headaches. Exhausting all other medical aides for her migraines, Stella reads Fasting for the Cure of Disease by Linda Hazzard and determines to go to the spa the author runs. Stella’s chauffer and long-time friend, Henry Clayton, is reluctant to leave her at the spa. Something doesn’t feel right to him, still Stella submits herself into Linda Hazzard’s care. Stella soon learns the spa has a dark side and Linda a mean streak. But when Stella has had enough, all ways to leave are suddenly blocked. Will Stella become a walking skeleton like many of the other patients or succumb to a worse fate?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

A.D. Lawrence makes her home in Northeastern Nebraska. She has been passionate about writing and true crime for years, and her two obsessions melded into the goal of authorship. She is an active member of the ACFW, writes a true crime blog, won the 2019 Crown Award and was a 2019 First Impressions finalist.

More from A.D. Lawrence

Times have changed. And like so many things, health retreats have experienced their own metamorphosis. Sure, they’ve always catered to people with both spare money and time, but aside from similar clientele, the face of the health spa is nothing like its early 20th century sister.

If you could afford a getaway to a modern-day health spa like The Golden Door, you’d be treated to the luxury of rest. Yoga on the beach. Deep tissue massages. A much-needed break from technology and life’s constant pressures. Mental well-being is valued almost as highly as physical health, and the two are thought to be connected. After days or weeks of pampering, you would return home relaxed, recharged, and ready to dip back into the hustle of the real world.

In 1911, during the time of The Purple Nightgown, the medical community took a diametrically different approach to health. Weight equaled health.The prevailing assumption was that any ailments were directly connected to weight. Thus, ‘fat camps’ grew in popularity. Men and women checked into sanatoriums where the aides put them through grueling exercise regimes and provided them with just enough food to sustain life. No coddling. Not many of us would subject ourselves to the treatments early health spas required.

In this era of already extreme health measures, Linda Hazzard made her mark in Washington State. Obsessed with fasting, she ran her patients through an unfathomable course of ‘diet and exercise’ that proved the undoing of many. She did give massages though, which you’ll learn more about when you read The Purple Nightgown.

Although it’s fun to long for a simpler time while reading historical books and watching shows like Little House on the Prairie, there are some modern ways of thinking and advances in human comfort I’d rather not give up. One of those is the vastly superior spa experience we have today. Somehow, a facial with soothing background music sounds much more appealing than running mile after mile every day with nothing to look forward to but a glass of orange juice or a bowl of canned tomato broth.

Hot stone massage anyone?

My Thoughts

The Purple Nightgown By: A.D. Lawrence is a Christian Historical Suspense Book. This is also book 10 in the True Color series. The True Color series is a series that is written by multiple authors that are based off true stories. I have read every book in the series and have enjoyed each and every one of them. I have learned so much from these forgotten/not spoken of much events. After every book I have read in the series I go and read up on the historical event. Each author has put in a lot of work to ensure historical accuracy.

This is the first book that I have read by the author, A.D. Lawrence and boy - she has a lot to live up to with her next book. The Purple Nightgown is a book that you will want to read all in one sitting. This book is set in 1912 in Washington state. This story is all about Linda Hazzard and her sanitorium where she claims she can cure people of their diseases. Heiress Stella Burke is suffering from horrible headaches. She reads one of Linda's publications and knows that she needs to check herself in there. However, she finds out shortly after arriving that all is not what it seems to be. Stella’s chauffer and long-time friend, Henry really does not want to leave her at the spa. He could feel something was off. Stella is a strong heroine. She really relies on her faith to get through the evil she is facing. When she wants to leave, she is blocked. She trusts God will see her through.

Full of Suspense, faith sprinkled in and romance this is a must read. I hate that there are only a few more books in this series for I have been enjoying them.

I received a copy of this book through the Celebrate Lit blogging program - all thoughts are my own.