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.

This book is two books in one really. We have the first half which actually deals with the history and inventor and then the second half has a lot more graphic depictions of SA that I found a bit triggering of my own SA. It just overall felt out of place when I thought I was delving into a fully history book rather than more of a memoir that I wasn't in the best headspace to be reading. It did talk more about Marty Goddard's life in the second half eventually but I would have preferred this book to have kept to the main topic in the history and implementation in law enforcement and hospitals than the depictions of assault that only served to make me more upset at the injustices done to these women and for what was done to me.

Wow the story of Marty Goddard is so impactful and Kennedy has done a wonderful job weaving it together along with thoughtful and expansive research.

I worked in an interpersonal violence prevention program while in graduate school and I thought throughout reading this book how much I wish I had had it to show to my students in that program. Because so much of the work being done in that sphere is thankless at best and dangerous in its own right at worst. And Marty Goddard's story reflects all of that, and yet her legacy is still so profound.

I appreciated learning not just about the history of the rape kit and how much work it took to get it instituted in the first place, but also what the future of sexual assault forensic evidence collection looks like. I was glad to read that there are strides being made to protect survivors in more thoughtful and inclusive ways.

I am so glad I read this book and now know Marty Goddard's story.

This was quite interesting to me. I am slightly curious/interested in many crime shows and podcasts, serial killer documentaries etc, and figured this would be informative and related to the content I sometimes listen to. I was kind of surprised by some of the things I read in here.

It was really interesting to learn about Marty Goddard and the history surrounding the invention of the Rape Kit. However, there were various points throughout the book when I felt that the author went off on tangents that took away from the focus of the book. On the same note, I felt that the author's personal sexual assault story would've been better served as an Author's Note. Overall, it's a worthwhile read.
3.5 stars, rounded up.

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for allowing me early access to the ARC ebook edition of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley and Vintage books for this digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is the nonfiction narrative story of the life of Marty Goddard, the mostly unknown inventor of the rape kit. It is an expanded on article originally published in the New York Times in 2020. The story mainly unfolds from our author as she goes on a journey to find out the history of not just this woman, but how she came about the invention in 1971 Chicago.

I found this book really easy to read, and I was really intrigued by Goddard's unusual life and how she came up with this idea, as an outsider to the police department. Of course, she saw a desperate need for woman to get justice, who were often dismissed in SA cases. They were mainly dismissed, because there was no way to provide evidence. When Marty suggested collaborating with the hospitals, police, and attorneys, to come up with a kit that could provide evidence but be collected by trained nurses in hospitals, she was also dismissed. But Marty was a determined woman who didn't really take no for an answer.

I appreciated the author's thorough history of the kit and she even delved into the issues of it today. Which I hadn't even considered. I did not love how much the story meandered in ways, and this writing very much felt like a long news article. Not much nuance I feel like was added onto the original text.

All this to say, this is such an important story that needs to be heard.

This book was so informational and much more in depth than I had even imagined. The release of this book is definitely timely and very needed in the current state of the world!

This book examines the generally unknown history of the rape kit and its uncredited creator. Marty Goddard saw a need for change in the criminal justice system, primarily regarding sexual assault cases that were commonly seen as a waste of time to pursue.

The author was unable to connect with the recently deceased Goddard, which for me, created a strange dynamic where it felt like the author was making a lot of assumptions about the how Marty viewed the world and her experiences. The author clearly idolized Goddard which I thought might’ve led to an idealized version of the woman.

My other issue came with the different styles of writing. While I enjoyed both part 1 and 2 of the novel, I don’t think the true crime history meshed well with the author’s own memoir style writing. I think the author’s retelling of her own experience with sexual assault would have fit better in her own memoir.

Regardless of my few qualms, I'm glad Goddard's story was told and she was finally given credit for all the good work she did.

Thanks to NetGalley and Vintage for the ARC of this title.

I devoured this over the course of a day - commute, lunchtime, commute - and it was a great read. The best type of true crime, this started as a magazine piece and fleshes itself out just enough in the places it needs to in order to find depth and further connection to both the author, the subject, and its importance.

This book had so much potential, but did not succeed in execution. I feel like this should have remained an article instead of a book. It felt disjointed. The sections about Mary Goddard were very interesting, however.
I did not expect the parts where the author discussed her own experience with sexual assault. I feel that they would be better served as its own book.

The Secret History of the Rape Kit is packed full of historical information about the inception, creation, distribution, and implementation of this tool commonly used/referred to by police and medical professionals when working with victims of SA. It is also infused with personal stories of the author and the main subject throughout, which are graphic and may be challenging to read for some.

I admittedly am the furthest thing from a history buff, but I do like to learn. I had no idea the extent of the corruption and abuse of power that permeated Chicago for so many decades, having deep and long-lasting impacts on black and brown folx, women, and LGBTQ+ people. This book dove into everything and gave a clear picture of the state of society, as well as the city, as Marty Goddard fought tirelessly to bring the kit we all know of now to fruition. There is also some underlying mystery, as the end of Marty's life is very obscure, causing me to speculate just how much we DON'T know about her.

At times I felt the narrative of this history was a bit rambly, but it generally stuck to a chronological timeline and referenced only relevant players throughout, which I appreciate. This is definitely not a book for everyone, but if you enjoy non-fiction and/or have a particular interest in this tool/supporting SA reporting in general, consider checking it out!

CWs: sexual assault of both adult and children, police brutality, mishandling evidence, strained familial relationships, abuse by a parent, racism, misogyny

Thank you to the Author Pagan Kennedy, publisher Vintage, and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

(A review post will also be made on Instagram @BostonKatReads within the week)

This was a well-organized, perfectly paced overview of the history of the rape kit, particularly the atmosphere into which it was born, and the woman who championed it. Information is given in manageable pieces and the more I learned, the more curious I became about Marty Goddard and her life. The book does a good job staying focused on its subject and does not veer into long tangents. While it is a fast read, it does impart tons of knowledge. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn more about the origins of the rape kit, the tireless efforts of Marty Goddard, and how attitudes from long ago (whether that's the 1660s or the 1960s) still have an influence today.

It is clear that Pagan Kennedy has committed considerable time and effort to researching this topic, and her passion for this story is evident. With that being said, I don't think she was the right person to tell this story. Her constant interjections (and at times her very confusing - and even illogical - conclusions) dragged the story down irreparably. This would have been better as an essay in a relevant essay collection - something along the lines of Not That Bad edited by Roxane Gay.. I don't think there was enough content here to really draw this out into a book and that was why Kennedy had to add so much personal analysis. I appreciate and commend her effort to bring this story to life but I don't think this book is well written. It could have been half as long and needed a better editor. I would still recommend this book to someone extremely interested in the subject matter because it is interesting and insightful but I wouldn't recommend this book to the average reader.

*Thank you to Net Galley for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts expressed in this review are my own.

This is an absolutely brilliant book that will amaze you, open your eyes to things you never knew nor expected, teach you, and ultimately, it will break your heart [that last paragraph? GREAT. GOOGLY. MOOGLY. I am tearing up just remembering].

I had no idea how deeply this book would affect me, but even now, hours after I have finished , I am sitting in my own memories and wondering if I will ever find/make peace with my own past and I pray that all who struggle themselves, find the peace that will help them heal. May we all find that.

Brilliantly narrated by the amazing Claire Danes, this book tells the story of the woman [Marty Goddard] who saw a need, created the first rape kit, and then faded into obscurity [while a man took credit and gave it his own name. Of course. *EYE ROLL*]. And it is about a woman [the author] who becomes obsessed with this woman and all she accomplished and became determined to tell Marty Goddard's story and in turn, be able to tell her own. Well done Ms. Kennedy, very well done.

Thank you to NetGalley, Pagan Kennedy, and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor/Vintage for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Detailed information on the development of the rape kit, as well as the personal history of the woman who created it (as well as other people involved). The author includes personal history that explains her interest in the topic, which I felt added a unique perspective.

Overall, I did enjoy this book as the vision to get rape kits started in Chicago was visionary and took much work to achieve. Martha “Marty” Goddard certainly deserved credit and praise for her role in this. It is wonderful that she is finally getting that. However, the book wanders a bit and since this was originally a magazine article it seems perhaps the author was trying to add content when she really didn’t have additional information. She never knew Marty and doesn’t give too much information from those who knew her that expands on this story. She does describe a rape Marty lived through and have to wonder if the very detailed description of this crime would have been something Marty would have actually wanted. I think this should have been considered more.

Thank you NetGalley, Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor, and Pagan Kennedy for a copy of this book. I always write reviews of books I read.