Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers copy of The Secret History of the Rape Kit by Pagan Kennedy!

This part thriller, part feminist deliverance book was fascinating and informative. The Secret History of the Rape Kit is a well-crafted story with the perfect balance of character study and detective sleuth work. This book is important reading for anyone wanting to learn an important piece of history regarding social justice, the battle against sexual violence and women's rights. The Secret History of the Rape Kit is a thought-provoking story showcasing immense courage and determination of Marty Goddard and is a vital story that should have been told long ago.

“When we drive through a tunnel or climb a flight of stairs, most of us don’t think about who designed the path that we’re traveling and how that person intended to shape our behavior and yet the infrastructure we use every day is constantly feeding us messages about who is important and who is not.” 🧡

For a nonfiction book about an incredibly heavy and triggering topic, I thought THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE RAPE KIT: A True Crime Story was a very accessible book - written in a way that wasn’t too info-heavy and was rather engaging. The narrative was easy to follow and informative, without being too bogged down in data. And yet, it is a frustrating read for multiple reasons.

First, the topic. It’s so frustrating to see how little progress has been made in the prosecution of abusers - regardless of how the science and changes of evidence collection have made it easier to physically link someone to a crime. On that same topic, it’s frustrating to continually see the story of trailblazing women lost to history and to the narrative of mediocre men. The rape kit, originally known, as the Vitullo Kit, was originally credited to Louis Vitullo, a police officer - while in reality, it was developed my Marty Goddard - an advocate, founder of a victims assistance organization, and a sexual assault survivor.

Second, how reality played out. The narrative behind this novel - namely trying to learn more about the woman who invented and heralded the rape kit - felt unfinished; this is largely due to how her live unfolded and the information the author did and did not have access to. It made for an unsatisfying ending - this is certainly not a story of a woman finally getting her due and recognition.

Despite those critiques, I did find the evolution of the rape kit and the education for medical providers, law enforcement, and survivors around its use fascinating.

Interesting fact - very few original collection kits are still in existence and the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History currently has one on digital display, as they try to determine the most thoughtful and respectful way to display it in a physical museum.

I find all books on this topic to be absolutely rage inducing because we just can never seem to believe women. This is such an important book and provided such a great in-depth history and I am so glad to learn about Marty Goddard and her important place in women's history. Despite being a tough topic and a non-fiction work, this book is so compelling. I couldn't put it down.

This is such an important book. Rape is a crime that is rarely prosecuted, for many reasons. Most rapes aren't reported, and when they are, the victims feel hurt and vulnerable, making evidence collection difficult. In the past, victims would have to go to an emergency service like a hospital and wait, possibly for hours, when they were already emotionally spent. The creation of the rape kit made it so the evidence could be collected in a way that preserved both the evidence and the dignity of the victim.
Obviously, there was pushback, as there always is with something new, but rape kits have improved the process so much.
The crusader behind the rape kit, Marty Goddard, didn't take credit for her work and dropped out of sight.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Read if you love:
✨ True Crime
✨ Nonfiction
✨ 20th Century History
✨ Forensic Science

As a domestic violence and sexual assault advocate I knew I NEEDED to read this book.. but every one should. I was blown away by the research by the author and the story of Marty’s life.

The book begins with the inception of the rape kit in 1971, a time when sexual assault survivors had little hope of seeing their attackers brought to justice. Marty Goddard, the woman who revolutionized forensic science and the fight against sexual assault, is driven by a fierce determination to change this grim reality, devised a kit that could collect and preserve crucial evidence from survivors.

Kennedy’s narrative is compelling and deeply human. She paints a vivid portrait of Goddard, a woman whose tenacity and vision were matched only by the obstacles she encountered. The author skillfully weaves together personal anecdotes, historical context, and detailed accounts of the development and impact of the rape kit.

This book explores cultural and institutional resistance to Goddard’s innovation. Kennedy delves into the societal attitudes towards sexual assault during the 1970s, providing a stark contrast to the progress that has been made since.

Kennedy’s writing is both accessible and authoritative, making complex forensic concepts understandable without oversimplifying them. Her ability to convey the emotional weight of the survivors’ stories, alongside the technical details of the rape kit’s development, creates a narrative that is as informative as it is moving. The book is a testament to the power of one individual’s determination to effect change and the ripple effects of that change across society.

“The Secret History of the Rape Kit” is a must-read for anyone interested in true crime, forensic science, or the history of sexual assault advocacy. This book is both a tribute to a pioneering woman and a call to continue the fight for justice and support for survivors.

Thank you to NetGalley the author and publisher for the eARC of this book.

#bookreview #bookstagram #newreleases #truecrime #triggerwarning #forensicscience #nonfiction

I think the "true crime" byline was maybe a bit overzealous on this one. It is more appropriately the story of Marty Goddard and her early work in establishing the rape kit and spearheading its dissemination throughout the United States. The historical portions of the book were interesting. It was fascinating to hear of women actually putting hard work and determination behind their protests against the police force and bureaucrats not acknowledging rape victims at all, let alone helping to find their rapists. We've thankfully come a long way, but there still seems to be lots of stereotyping and dismissals of certain types of victims/survivors. I totally understand that feminism was a driving force behind this proactive movement, but it was just stated over and over again. The repetitiveness was just a little off-putting to me.
Like many other reviewers, Kennedy's own accounts of sexual abuse seem a bit contrived or forced...I guess she wanted to have a tie-in for a reason to actually have researched. I don't know that it was necessary.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and Vintage but also chose to later listen to the audiobook by Claire Danes. I felt she did a good job.

I felt like the content of this book was very well researched and I learned a lot, but I wasn't a huge fan of the presentation of the information. I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting, but I felt lost at times.

Often times short nonfiction books like this do not tell a complete enough story to leave the reader satisfied, to be more than a sampler on the topic. Kennedy manages to do so beautifully in this work which was originally published as a long form piece in a publication whose name escapes me as I write the review. She could have told just the generic story of this evidence gathering tool but I do not think that any reader would have gotten anything out of that. Instead, Kennedy gives this story heart and depth by also telling the story of the woman who created this tool, a woman that history almost forgot. I found this book to be highly impactful and to also have a lot of unfortunate resonance with the world we live in and the events unfolding around us.

The Secret History of the Rape Kit is an important text and I'd definitely recommend it to everyone! It showcases how women have always had to fight to be believed over injustices thrust upon their bodies and how rape had gone not convicted since there was nothing to tie the perpetrators to the crime if there were no witnesses. This is definitely recommended reading.

3.5 stars, but I round up.

I agree with some of the other criticism of this book, in that during the part of the book in which Kennedy describes her own sexual assault, the book feels a little disjointed.

I disagree that her own sexual assault is not an important part of understanding the reason for the book and her own perspective, which admittedly, is routed in feminism (particularly white feminism) and therefore, shows a bias. But i don't think that, when describing a forgotten female figure in the history of what would become the "Me Too" movement, it is a problem to approach this with a feminist perspective. And I think that Pagan also tries, with varying success, to include people of color and their own experiences with sexual assault into this narrative.

This book really shines when explaining the life and times of Marty Goddard, a name that would have been lost to history. I find it especially powerful that Marty's whole story appears to be her noting a problem, doing research and becoming knowledgeable about the issue, and then working within the system and outside of it to create a solution. From a macro-social work perspective, Marty is a name to be studied. Inherently flawed, as any human being is, Marty created the rape kit at great personal expense (developing alcoholism later in life). She also created the rape kit by noting the time that she was living in, gathering stake holders, and working with unlikely sources.

This book tells the story of the true creator of the rape kit, Marty Goddard, and what inspired her to stand up for victims so relentlessly, despite every possible obstacle.

The statistics on rape and the ignorance and misinformation surrounding it are eye-opening. The author presents the case well for the need for change and justice for victims, something still being slowly turned around.
This book is for all fans of true crime, and for anyone who wants to learn the truth behind the rape kit and its dire need in America, especially throughout the last few centuries. And also to learn about the hard-working inventor of the kit and her advocacy for victims.

I received this ARC from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are solely mine and do not necessarily reflect that of the author or publisher and its affiliates.

I wanted to read this book because I don’t know anything about who created the rape kit or why. It’s one of those things that just exists, and one doesn’t wonder how they came to be. So I was pretty interested in learning the history.

However, this is not exactly what I expected. I don’t read a lot of true crime, so I wasn’t aware of the differences in story structure and telling. This book was just written in a way that I didn’t really enjoy, and made it hard to get into. The parts about how the creation of the kit, what drove the creator to make it, and the search for that person were interesting. I feel like the book should have stayed with the history and the search. The author’s memoir sections were woven awkwardly into the rest of the text, and I think should have been a separate book.

But I do think this is an important book to read, and a great starting point to dive deeper into this topic.

A solid 4 star read. I thought that the book could be edited down just a tad bit. I learned a lot about the history of the rape kit. As expected many things that the author told the audience was very jarring and sickening. I do think that everyone should read this book, because unfortunately it is entirely too relevant to our culture.

Equally informative and emotional, this was an intriguing and at times intense read about the development of the rape kit.

The Secret History of the Rape Kit is an informative short read that sheds light on one of the most important contributors to our criminal justice system (yet a name most probably aren’t familiar with): Martha “Marty” Goddard. This read provides in-depth history of Marty, her research, the creation of the rape kit, and her many other contributions to survivors and women’s rights.

This powerful read blends (largely ignored/forgotten) history with the author’s own experiences with sexual assault, and delivers a compelling unique look into the American criminal justice system.

Thank you to Pagan Kennedy, Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, & Anchor, & NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

I was rather disappointed in the angle of Pagan Kennedy's The Secret History of the Rape Kit. If you are looking for an in-depth history into the creation and history of a tool that was much needed to further women's safety, this may not be what you are looking for.

Kennedy does cover the creation of the rape kit, but rather more of the book is spent covering the brilliant beginnings of Martha "Marty" Goddard and then her sudden mysterious disappearance into seclusion. Kennedy's book also chronicles her own experience with sexual assault. She explains why Goddard felt the need to create the rape kit; law enforcement didn't always take rape claims seriously. They figured in some cases, that there was no way even a rapist could hold an angry fighting woman against her will. Kennedy also covers the versions of the rape kit that have tried to come after, the ones that tried to modernize and help future victims.

Is this a necessary read? No. Should you still consider it? I would say yes. It gives background to something essential, and why it still is needed and further training for law enforcement should be implemented, as how things are handled even in this modern day leave a lot to be desired.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Vintage books for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book is as eye-opening as it is enraging. Pagan Kennedy delivers a deeply researched and compelling narrative about the creation of the rape kit—something that should have revolutionized how sexual assault cases are handled. Instead, we get a disturbing look at how bureaucracy, negligence, and systemic misogyny turned an essential forensic tool into a symbol of justice delayed (or outright denied).

✔ Meticulously researched, but reads like a thriller
✔ Profiles the brilliant, largely unrecognized nurse behind the kit
✔ Calls out the failures of law enforcement and the justice system

Claire Danes’ narration adds a quiet urgency to the audiobook, making the story feel even more immediate. If you’re interested in true crime that focuses on justice rather than glorifying perpetrators, this is a must-read.

Final thoughts: The Secret History of the Rape Kit is infuriating, essential, and a call to action.

This was a fascinating and emotional look at the history behind the development of the rape kit by Marty Goddard, combined with a memoir of Kennedy's own experiences with sexual assault. This wasn't easy reading, but it was very informative.

I always love learning about trailblazing women and Martha Goddard was certainly that. Her story has both triumph and tragedy, and her impact on the criminal justice system is still seen today.

There is a lot of the author’s personal story intertwined throughout which I found an interesting decision given that she did not know Goddard and was not from the same generation. I commend her for being so open but did feel it took away from the flow and focus of the book.