Fiction, based heavily on a real life, true crime story, Greenwood delivers a harrowing and heartbreaking account of Sally Horner’s tragically short life. A compassionate, humanitarian look at the victim’s side of this sick crime is intriguing and indelibly sad. You will definitely be thinking about this one long after you put it down.

The book begins in Camden, New Jersey in 1948. An eleven year old girl named Sally Horner is watching the girls in her class during recess. She longs to be a part of this group, and gathers up her nerve during lunch to sit with them. Vivi Peterson, one of the girls in the group, asks if she would like to be a part of their club. All she has to do is steal something from Woolworths.

After school, with the girls waiting on the sidewalk, Sally heads into Woolworths. She nonchalantly walks around and finally slips a notebook inside her sweater. Suddenly a man eating soup at the counter grabs her arm. He tells her that he is an FBI agent and that she is under arrest. And with that, Sally Horner’s life is forever changed.

Frank LaSalle is not an FBI agent, he is a known pedophile who was recently released from jail. He convinces Sally to go with him, because he is going to help her not get arrested. She goes with him willingly, telling her mother that she is going away for the week with Vivi Peterson.

Frank LaSalle ends up keeping Sally for 21 months.

What makes this story even more heart wrenching is that is based on the true story of Sally Horner and Frank LeSalle. Frank really did kidnap Sally Horner and keep her captive for 21 months. It was this kidnapping that inspired the story Lolita.

At the end of the book, the author explains how she wrote and researched the story.

A fascinating read, made all the more tragic by it being based on a true story.

I received an ARC of the book.

3.5 rounded up.

The kidnapping of Sally Horner actually served as the inspiration for Lolita, which I honestly do not know much about. I was incredibly frustrated with so many events that took place but since they are steeped in reality - I really can't complain! Greenwood did a great job of bringing this story to life and I loved the short chapter format and the multiple perspectives. Overall, I just never found myself totally loving the story and was very middle of the line on it, but there were times where I was definitely engrossed, hence the more positive swing in my rating.

Ended up really liking this book. Thought it was a little long and there was a point in the middle that I thought could've been condensed. Overall it was a fresh, unpredictable and awesome book!

Rust & Stardust is a fictional portrayal of the 1948 kidnapping of Sally Horner, the event that inspired Nabokov's infamous novel Lolita. Sally attempts to shoplift a notebook from Woolworth's to join the "secret sisterhood" of some girls in her class, but she is caught by an older man claiming to be an FBI agent. 11-year-old Sally has no idea the man (Frank LaSalle) is actually a sexual predator recently released from prison, and she obeys his command to go away with him to avoid being sent to jail. For the next two years, Frank drags Sally across the country as her family works with law enforcement to find her.
T. Greenwood brings the story of this harrowing crime to life with attention to historical accuracy as well as imaginative fictional characters to fill in some of the blanks. While of course the story is disturbing and hard to read at times due to the nature of the crime, the care shown to Sally by people she encounters along her journey helps to restore the reader's faith in humanity. Rust & Stardust is a powerful and heartbreaking illustration of the impact one event and one person can have on so many lives.

Rust & Stardust is the heartbreaking story of Sally Horner, who was kidnapped by a sexual predator at the age of 11. Sally lived with Frank LaSalle (who was also known by many other names) for two years, and this story is the imagination of the author on what could have taken place during that time. It was obvious the author spent a great deal of time researching the actual case.

Heartbreaking and beautifully written story of a very tough subject; the author handled it very well without going into the sordid details.

Sally Horner touched so many lives and was such an amazing human being.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy; all opinions are my own.

I have never read Lolita. I have never watched the movie either. I know what it is about, but I haven't found the stomach to do it. There is something about pedophiles that I just can't tolerate. Not even in fiction, and let's be honest, I love reading weird, and sick stuff. So, why request this book? Why did I go to NetGalley and begged the gods to get approved? *shrugs shoulders* The idea of learning about the real story got me.

Florence Sally Horner was unknown to me. This innocent girl from long ago had never been on my radar. T. Greenwood's fictional depiction of what may have happened to Sally is written in an eloquent, mesmerizing, and unpretentious. I was transported to an era way before my time, and I felt as if I was a witness to this girl's tragedy. We are presented with a resilient child, who, despite her circumstances, maintained hope, and was able to find joy in the small things. One can only wish it was really that way. I made the mistake half-way through the book to go on a research quest, only to discover her sad fate. Sally Horner didn't have a chance in life. This broke my heart.

This was not a book I could read on a sitting. I had to stop, process, and breathe at times. I can't say that it was an easy read, but it was worth to be read. It demands to be read. Sally Horner deserved a voice. Even when she was never given the chance to share the journey herself. Sally's story reminded me of why I chose the field of work I'm in. I'm glad I live in a time when CPS and 911 exist and all we need is reasonable suspicion to report abuse and prevent weirdos like Frank La Salle to roam around as much as possible. I hope he's rotting in hell. I don't have a clue on how or why would Nabokov turn something like this horrible story into some kind of controversial romance, but to each its own.

I hope there is an afterlife and that this girl found some peace in death. Excellent read...and that cover!

If true crime interests you, then you will definitely want to read this book, plus the writing is superb. It is a work of fiction, but based on the gut wrenching true story of little 11 year old Sally Horner’s abduction by mechanic Frank La Salle in 1948. It then inspired author Vladir Nabokov to write the 1955 novel Lolita (which I haven’t yet read, have you?).
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I loved that this story gave Sally a voice, along with her family members & others involved in the case, revolving the narratives of each. I went into it knowing only that it was about a true child abduction & I’m so glad I knew nothing else about the harrowing case. I read this book all in one sitting - it was just that good!

I finished this on Saturday and honestly it has messed with my sleep a bit. This is the story of Sally Horner, an 11-year old girl who steals a notebook from a store to try to join the “it group” and then finds herself in a complex web with a man named Frank LaSalle who impersonates an FBI agent to gain her trust. While she keeps waiting for her to bring her to court, she is being kept by him and away from her family. I am not going to say more about the plot, because despite this being based on a true story from the 1948, I was not privy to it going in and I don’t want to spoil anything for you either. The true story on which this is based was also the inspiration for the book Lolita (which I haven’t read… and honest need to wait awhile to read after how haunting this book was for me).

The book switches perspectives, mainly just between Sally, her mom, and her sister. We never see inside Frank’s head directly, and honestly I think this makes it a bit more terrifying. We are learning about the horrible actions he is doing based on how they are interpreted by an 11-year old girl. He uses Sally’s naivety against her and it made me physically ache for her. The story is written very well, you can easily see yourself in the different character’s shoes. I would definitely read more by Greenwood in the future and will definitely be giving my girls extra big hugs!

Rust and Stardust is the fictionalized telling of the true crime story of the kidnapping of Sally Horner by Frank LaSalle. It brought the people affected by that crime to life and insight to what it might have really been like for Sally. I originally expected this novel to suck, but it was actually pretty decent. Since it was based on a true story it really horrified me at times, that monsters like Frank are real. This is not just another thriller for entertainment. 

The characters were all a bit naïve, which is partly due to the time period. I think that contributed how Frank was able to kidnap Sally in the first place, but I also had to remind myself that she was only a kid. I really feel for Sally, but also admire her. In this novel she was able to find bright spots in the absolute darkest of times. It was remarkable how resilient she remained. 

The plot didn't follow the normal story arc that you would expect, because this was based on a true story. It did follow Sally's life when she was kidnapped, her family's life during that time, and the investigation to find her. I would have thought that more of the story would be about the investigation, but it wasn't, it was about Sally. I'm glad the novel brought her life and told her story.

The writing was good, but not exactly compelling. The book didn't keep me up late or have me dying to know what happened next. This is a sad, but true story that deserved to be told. It was well researched, but not really a fun read. It is sobering to know that these events really happened. I would recommend this book to those who like true crime stories, but not necessarily the for mystery fanatics.

I totally enjoyed reading this book. The way the author wrote each chapter through the eyes of one of the characters in the story was really well done. You would think this is so much more than a fictionalized story based on an 11 year old girl, Sally Horner, who was kidnapped without knowing it from her home in Camden NJ in 1948. You really empathize with Sally's mother, sister and family and the author does a great job of portraying how this one event changed so many lives. Thank you netgalley for the opportunity to preview this book.

Wow! Wow! Wow ! I would love nothing more than to pick up the phone and tell T. Greenwood how absolutely amazing this book was and how I cannot even begin to find the words as to how important this book has become in such a short period of time.

The hardest stories to write are the ones based on the truth. I had absolutely no idea that Nabokov's Lolita actually had a real life muse named Sally Horner. That Sally was kidnapped and her story captured a nation's attention in the summer of 1948. This is an extremely difficult book to read(no need to sugarcoat) and I strongly must point out that this book includes a young girl repeatedly beaten and raped by a predator. My heart ached for Sally and all that she endures. T. Greenwood does it all with the utmost respect and does not go into a lot of descriptive detail(thankfully).

Instead, each chapter is taken over by another character in the story which helps the reader to see through the eyes of Sally, her mother, sister, school friend, brother in law, and several other characters that will encounter Sally and her captor over the years. I couldn't put this book down, I felt so desperate to reach the end. I needed to know that Sally would be rescued. That the police would find her and a bad man would go to jail. Again it's all in part to T.Greenwood that I kept turning those pages. Rust & Stardust is not the type of book that a reader will soon forget.

“(Had I done to Dolly, perhaps, what Frank Lasalle, a fifty-year old mechanic, had done to eleven-year-old Sally Horner in 1948?)” — from _Lolita_ by Vladimir Nabokov

This is a true-crime novelization of the kidnapping case that may have been the inspiration for _Lolita_, one of the most lauded and most controversial books of the 20th century. I read Lolita for the first time when I was in high school; I have read it once or twice since, as an adult. The novel is lyrical and deeply disturbing—Rust & Stardust is, fittingly, much the same.

The story concerns the real-life abduction of Florence Sally Horner, a NJ girl who was kidnapped from a Woolworth’s in Camden, NJ, in 1948,when she was 11 years old. Frank La Salle was her abductor; he kept her captive for two years, during which time he repeatedly raped her as they traveled cross country to evade authorities. La Salle was a lifelong criminal who had already been jailed for sex crimes against children; he had been out only a short time when he kidnapped Sally.

Do yourself a favor — don’t run to Google just yet. Read the story. Google later. It’s what I did, and it created a richer experience. YMMV, of course,

Greenwood does an amazing job with this harrowing tale. It’s not an easy read, I warn you—the story is told nearly100% from Sally’s point of view, and her pain, confusion and fear is palpable (stunning work on the author’s part). There are brief moments of hope that are snatched away from the reader, further cementing us in Sally’s ordeal. Some of those moments were so brutal, I gasped out loud—again, incredible work on Greenwood’s part. This story grabs you by the heart and holds tight, like a fist squeezing deep inside your chest. It hurts. It should.

This is a deeply affecting novel, and I will likely follow it up by reading Sarah Weinman’s _The Real Lolita: The Kidnapping of Sally Horner and the Novel that Scandalized the World. It was actually an essay Weinman wrote on the subject for Hazlitt that inspired Greenwood to write her own novel, so the upcoming book (out 9/11/2018) seems like the logical next step in my endless “To Read” pile.

A dark and riveting novel about Sally Horner. a 12 year yr old kidnapped and held for years by a convicted rapist. Yes, dark and tough to read in parts. Although a novel, Sally was an actual person though the details are not. Sally's experience influenced Nabokov as he wrote Lolita.

Unfortunately I had to move this novel to my DNF pile. While the novel deals with some pretty powerful material (a much older man sexually abusing a ten-year-old girl, loss of innocence and childhood), there was very little levity to the book. I just wanted a moment or two to breathe.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️3.5 stars for Rust & Stardust: A Novel by T. Greenwood

This novel is a work of historical fiction based on the abduction of Sally Horner in 1948. It opens with a bright, but lonely, 11 year old Sally, desperate to fit in amongst a girl gang. The girls offer to let Sally into their clique if she steals an item from the local convenience store. Upon stealing a notebook, Sally, is confronted by an older man who threatens to put her under arrest, claiming to be an FBI agent. Thus kicks off a 2 year saga of lies, kidnapping, rape, exploitation, and cross country travel.

Sally’s story broke me into a million pieces. I felt like screaming at her not to be naive, I cried for her pain and exploitation, I begged her to just ask one person for help. Most of all, I was sickened by the number of adults who failed her.

I confess I have never read Lolita, didn’t realize Sally Horner was Nabokov’s inspiration, and was not even aware when I picked up Rust & Stardust that it’s based on a true story. It is this type of historical fiction that I love the most, the kind that is accurate to time, place, and society, but takes creative liberties to build the storyline and fill in the known gaps. I loved that honest and raw moments of joy, even amidst the darkest of situations. I believed the sincere portrayal of pain, insecurity, and judgment. The characters were human, they were real.

I would not recommend this novel for anyone who is trying to avoid a difficult book or who could be triggered by the content. I found myself thankful for technological advancement (ie cell phones), Amber Alerts, and nationwide manhunts, because I’d like to naively believe this couldn’t happen today. Unfortunately, of course it could and if you look up human trafficking statistics, you realize how much more there is to do to keep children safe in this world.

Thank you to St.Martin's Press and Netgalley for a copy of the eARC in exchange for a fair review..


Disclaimer this book is based on real events, continues sexual abuse and other violence.


Second Disclaimer I am very sad to say that I had no idea who Sally Horner was before reading this book... Also the ending reminds me very much of I know my first name is Steven.... Heartbreaking.


Sally is finishing up 5th grade when her new friends dare her to steal something from Woolworth's. The year is 1948 and when Sally is caught by a man who claims to be with the FBI she doesn't know any better so she doesn't say a word. When he tells her he has to take her away to jail for a short time she gets her mom to give her permission to go with a friend to the shore.


It is only after being gone nearly a month that her mother and sister put together that something is really wrong. Once the police are involved they soon find out that Mr.Warner isn't really Mr.Warner but Frank LaSalle a convicted child rapist. Who had also kidnapped and married another young girl.


Somehow, Frank stays one step ahead of the police moving across county with Sally.


I was so angry reading this, and I cried at the end. I am not going to ruin it, but if you are familiar with the case then you will already know how it ends. I mean I have no words, I can't express myself. I don't want to say I loved this book because it was so dark. I love dark books but I am often cushioned by the knowledge that it is all fake. A good portion of this is fiction, but the main characters (some of them) are real and that made it hit home.


I will say this, this book is important and the takeaway is something beautiful to remember a brave little girl who endured and came through so much and still tried to shine.

Rating: 2.75/3. Obviously the subject matter for this book was heavy and depressing but it was also so frustrating. So many times you want to shout at characters to open their eyes and see whats happening in front of their face.. While some of the decisions made by the characters can be chalked up to the time period of the late 1940s early 1950s other times they seemed so stupidly naive. Overall, I could never say I enjoyed this, being what it was about but It did have that true crime element I like. (It's based on true events) Also I'm not a huge fan of the writing style of the author. There were just too many points of views and many from characters I didn't care about or who added nothing to the story. I've read another of their books and they always start off intriguing but end up being way to long with nothing happening for a majority of the book.
I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Rust and Stardust by T. Greenwood has some big shoes to fill. According to the description, it’s “based on the experiences of real-life kidnapping victim Sally Horner”, a case which “inspired Vladimir Nabokov to write his controversial and iconic Lolita”. I went into this with soaring expectations and this book flew up to meet me them all.

Usually knowing something is based on a true story makes me like a book more, but this was just so much harder to read knowing that this actually happened to a little girl. Not even halfway through the book I was already so heartbroken and disgusted. Part of me wasn’t sure if I could read further, the other part had to push through and acknowledge this little girl’s tragic story, a story I hadn’t heard about before picking up the book. Needless to say, this required a lot of mental health breaks.

The only word I can think of to describe this is heartbreaking – for everyone involved. The horrors and trauma and abuse that Sally Horner went through is sickening, but the guilt and responsibility and fear and blame and shame that all the other people involved, and other people who Sally and her kidnapper came across, is also heartbreaking. And it’s so hard to read about how close Sally was to being saved a few times, how so many people had an opportunity to do something and didn’t, or didn’t even know something had to be done. Just heartbreaking.

I really enjoyed this story, but that is what it is; a story. There are fabricated characters and creatively licensed events to fill in the gaps of the factual timeline. This isn’t a true crime novel and never claims to be, but it does make me wonder whether I would have preferred reading something I knew was entirely true, or if the added flourishes and people and imagined circumstances round out this awful story enough to give the full idea without the sharp edges that I know would cut even deeper than this did.

Greenwood showed a lot of empathy and class when writing this. She gave Sally justice by including the horrible things, but didn’t glorify the opportunity by giving endless details about the abuse and trauma. I thought everything was handled delicately and I did enjoy seeing the other sides of the story, the other characters that were brought into it, whether their reactions were based on fact or not. Like I said, this was a heartbreaking read and my heart aches for this poor family.

This is a beautifully written story of horrific events. Based on the true crime of the kidnapping of Sally Horner, Greenwood masterfully imagines the inner workings of Sally’s experience. This novel was hard to read at times and the subject matter heavy yet, Sally’s hope and the love of her family shine through. Highly recommended.