The Secret History of the Rape Kit

Reviews

"Pagan Kennedy’s book is astonishing in every way that matters. The Secret History of the Rape Kit is the story of hidden genius and the centuries-long fight for women to simply be recognized and heard. Marty Goddard as a footnote in history takes her rightful place as a visionary thanks to Kennedy’s relentless investigation. This book is gripping, vulnerable, assured and way overdue.”
—Rachel Louise Snyder, author of Women We Buried, Women We Burned and No Visible Bruises

“In The Secret History of the Rape Kit, Pagan Kennedy deftly weaves genres to create an absolutely compelling book that melds true crime, memoir, biography, social history and a personal, impassioned quest. I raced through it, gripped from start to finish.”
—Kate Moore, New York Times bestselling author of The Radium Girls and The Woman They Could Not Silence

"The Secret History of the Rape Kit is stunning: part thriller, part feminist reclamation, part personal journey, fully a page-turner. How did we not know about Marty Goddard? How have we not recognized her crucial role in establishing rape as an actual crime? I finished this book angry and inspired, but mostly grateful to both Marty Goddard and Pagan Kennedy for their brave and brilliant work."
—Peggy Orenstein author of Girls & Sex and Boys & Sex

“The Secret History of the Rape Kit” is a relatively slender book, but it packs a punch. It’s an important investigation of a complex inventor, her flawed but revolutionary technology, and how it has never been allowed to live up to her hopes for it.”
—The Washington Post

“Heartening . . . Kennedy might not have been able to find Goddard but avenge her she has. This book (and a quick internet search where the invention of the rape kit is now correctly attributed to her) is proof.”
—Boston Globe

“There is an underlying anger to [The Secret History of the Rape Kit] that snaps and sparks in the pages—for good reason . . . Kennedy’s tale is far more than a screed. It is a mystery, a complicated history, a compassionate story of struggle and loss, and a deeply moral inquiry . . . Kennedy deftly pulls these threads together, leading us to her primary point—that when asked to defend women from male assault, our justice system is reluctant at best and hostile at worst. And perhaps that, as she eloquently reminds us, is the real true crime, the secret we do not want to acknowledge, the failure at the heart of this story.”
—Science Magazine

“Powerfully eye-opening . . . Vivid and informative . . . The Secret History of the Rape Kit is fundamental reading for anyone who wants to understand something about social justice, women's rights, and what the real struggle against sexual violence is. Resilience, courage, and the pursuit of truth-it's highly recommended!”
—Suspense Magazine

“Exhilarating . . . Part historical detective story and part vivid character study of a pioneering feminist, this is a page-turner.”
—Publishers Weekly [starred]

“Kennedy’s tenacious sleuthing reveals a surprising portrait of a defiant, troubled, and mysterious woman. Absorbing detective work.”
—Kirkus Reviews Expand reviews