What is the main message of Thunderstruck?

The main message of Thunderstruck is the intersection of science and crime.

Who is the author of Thunderstruck?

Erik Larson is the author of Thunderstruck.

History

Thunderstruck Book Summary - Thunderstruck Book explained in key points

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Thunderstruck summary

Name: Thunderstruck
Rating: 4.4 (40 reviews)
Author: Erik Larson

Erik Larson

One of the Greatest Criminal Chases of All Time

4.4 (40 ratings)

18 mins

Brief summary

Thunderstruck by Erik Larson tells the true story of the intersecting lives of Guglielmo Marconi and Hawley Crippen, culminating in a thrilling murder trial and revolutionizing the way crimes are solved.

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Literature Change & Evolution England History

Table of Contents

Thunderstruck
Summary of 7 key ideas

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Key idea 1 of 7

What’s in it for me? Murder, love, and one of history’s most suspenseful criminal cases.

The story of Thunderstruck takes us through the interwoven relationship between a very unlikely pair.

The first of these two men is Guglielmo Marconi, a brilliant inventor. At the age of 20, he does the impossible: he creates a radio wave–based wireless telegraph system. But Marconi is more of an ambitious entrepreneur than an altruistic scientist and his ambition knows no bounds.

The second man is a bit less remarkable. Meet Dr. Hawley Crippen, a man who makes his living selling lucrative “miracle cures.” But when the government steps in and starts shutting down the patent medicine industry, Crippen begins to get desperate.

Despite their differences, these two men do have some similarities. Both fall in love with beautiful young women. Both make terrible husbands. But only one ends up a murderer.

In this Blink to Erik Larson’s Thunderstruck, we’ll take you through the rise of wireless communication in the age of Tesla and Edison all while following one of the most exciting criminal chases of all time. And, as most murder stories go, there’s a rather grim description of the crime in section five … so if you’re a bit squeamish, keep that in mind.

With that, if you’re ready, buckle up for a wild ride.

Section One: Two Men with Nothing In Common

How did the invention of a seemingly magical form of communication technology coincide with the flight of an unlikely murderer in the early twentieth century?

It starts with a love story. Dr. Hawley Harvey Crippen, already a widower at the age of 30, has the misfortune of being visited by a seductive young woman, Cora Turner. At 17, Cora harbors dreams of big-stage stardom as a singer. But she endures excessive pain on a monthly basis. As a result, she has her ovaries surgically removed leaving the couple forever childless and herself with a massive scar along her belly. This is a crucial detail for later in the story.

Crippen is a smallish man with slight features. He’d been brought up in Coldwater, Michigan in a family that was well-known and respected. The Crippen family has invested heavily in building a Methodist church and is devoutly religious.

The medical profession hasn’t always been a lucrative one, but by the time Crippen enters it, doctors have begun to gain respect and social position. In fact, Crippen has been finding his fortune in the world of homeopathy which, at the time, is recognized as a respected form of medicine.

Eventually, he starts to work for a company that sells “miracle cures.” But, in 1893, a recession slows down his income and prevents his new bride from pursuing her dream of living in New York and becoming a famous stage singer. She refuses to move with Crippen to London and stays in New York. That, paired with her propensity to flirt with other men, causes Crippen a great deal of unhappiness.

While all this is developing, in another part of the world a 20-year-old man named Guglielmo Marconi has learned of the amazing work of German physicist Heinrich Hertz in transmitting electrical signals wirelessly. What Marconi doesn’t know is that the respected minds of the time aren’t even considering using this for long-distance transmission. That’s understood to be impossible. Had Marconi been told that, he may have left it at that.

Instead, Marconi dedicates years working on the invention of a long-distance wireless communication device. Thinking his idea is fairly unoriginal and being simultaneously pursued by others, Marconi works at a frantic pace. Not being a scientist, his experimentation is a matter of simply trying everything until something works. His mother is supportive but his father isn’t.

In the end, Marconi prevails. He packs up his machine and travels with his mother to London. As soon as he gets off the train, the police confiscate his device thinking it might be a bomb. They promptly destroy it.

Section Two: A Tale of Two Ambitions

It turns out Cora Crippen can’t cut it in New York. She ends up moving to London to be with Crippen and pursuing show business in Britain’s version of vaudeville. So while she begins chasing her new dreams in England, Crippen stays busy pursuing business and trying to turn a blind eye to his wife’s indiscretions.

But when Cora finds herself a new love, he can no longer look away. But he can’t cut her loose, either. For reasons unknown, he continues to pay for her lifestyle, even occasionally paying for her nights out with Bruce Miller – the man she’s professed to be in love with. She and Crippen agree to keep their marriage intact publicly but feel no obligation to comfort each other in private.

Section Three: Honor Among Frauds

There was a time when miracle cures, or patent medicines, were legally sold as basic medical treatments. Manufacturers could make any claims they wanted. But that time was now nearing an end.

The government is shutting down company after company and Crippen finds himself forced to change jobs and he earns less and less. Even with that, he’s far from poor. He needs a new house, one that will give Cora the space she needs but at a lower price than he’s currently paying.

Section Four: Lies, Lies, and More Lies

It doesn’t take long before Cora Crippen’s friends begin digging a little deeper into the mysterious circumstances of her death. Dr. Crippen’s answers just don’t seem consistent or specific enough. One pair of friends, John Nash and Lil Hawthorne go to a friend of theirs who happens to be in charge of Scotland Yard’s recently established murder squad. He listens to their story and dispatches Detective Chief Inspector Walter Dew to look into the situation.

At first, Dew doesn’t think there’s anything to it. It seems like a perfectly typical case of a man in an unhappy marriage quickly moving on with his receptionist after his wife’s death. Maybe not a pretty circumstance, but certainly not criminal.

Section Five: Getting Away With Murder

Dr. Crippen tells a convincing story about how, in order to avoid scandal, he lied about his wife’s death. His story works because he has indeed been lying. Now, he’s also lying about his motive, which he claims was to avoid scandal so he could be with his mistress, Ethel.

Ethel has also been lied to. Inspector Dew reveals the lie to her and sees that her surprise is genuine. Crippen makes nice with his Ethel while continuing his deception. He tells her that the truth will soon be out – that Cora is still alive. And that they’ll have to run away if they’re to escape the scandal.

Section Six: The Heat Is On

There are times when technology advances before the criminal understands it. Imagine the first murderer to be caught due to fingerprints or the first speeding ticket given out by traffic cam. That’s how the rest of this story goes as well.

While the whole world is finding fascination in Marconi’s wireless communication, very few people have actually considered its full implications.

Final Summary

In this Blink we’ve learned about two men – Marconi, the brilliant young inventor turned wealthy entrepreneur, and Crippen, the small, quiet doctor who’d do anything for love.

We’ve also seen how the invention of a new technology crossed paths with a daring escape and created one of the most exciting criminal chases in history.

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What is Thunderstruck about?

Thunderstruck (2006) is the true story of two seemingly unrelated people, an inventor and a murderer. Set in Edwardian England, the lives of the men intersect in one of the most suspenseful criminal cases in history.

Thunderstruck Review

Thunderstruck (2006) by Erik Larson is an intriguing blend of murder mystery and scientific discovery, making it a captivating read. Here's why this book is definitely worth your time:

It intertwines the fascinating story of Dr. Hawley Harvey Crippen's infamous crime with the groundbreaking technological advancements of Marconi's wireless communication.
With meticulous research and attention to detail, Larson seamlessly combines true crime and scientific history into a gripping narrative that keeps you hooked.
The book presents a dual storyline that offers both an absorbing murder investigation and an understanding of the impact of wireless communication on society.

Who should read Thunderstruck?

History buffs
Narrative nonfiction lovers
Erik Larson fans

About the Author

Erik Larson is the award-winning author of six New York Times best sellers including The Devil in the White City and Dead Wake. His books have collectively sold over nine million copies in more than 20 countries.

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