The Revenge of the Radioactive Lady

The Revenge Of The Radioactive Lady is a novel by Elizabeth Stuckey-French. The story follows a woman who decides to exact revenge on the man who secretly poisoned her over forty years ago.

Plot summary

Marylou Ahearn temporarily moves from Memphis, Tennessee to Tallahassee, Florida to take an extended vacation. In actuality though, she's really there in order to find and murder retired doctor Wilson Spriggs. It's explained that in the 1950s, Dr. Spriggs was in charge of a medical experiment where pregnant woman were unknowingly given a vitamin cocktail with radioactive iron as part of a secret government study. Marylou was one of the patients who was given the cocktail in 1953. Though she did not know this until years later, the effects of the iron caused her to develop several health problems. Including for her daughter, Helen, to die from cancer at only eight years old.

Once she get's to Tallahassee, Marylou goes by the pseudonym Nancy Archer, and moves into a house on the edge of Dr. Spriggs neighborhood. But she soon discovers that Wilson is now suffering from dementia, and has been re-located there to live with his daughter, Caroline. Deciding she needs a new approach, Marylou befriends Caroline's daughter and Wilson's youngest grandchild, Suzi, and soon get's to know the rest of the family. She then decides that instead of killing a man who no longer members his crimes, she should ruin his entire family.

It turns out that Marylou won't have to make much effort. Caroline is going through a mid-life crisis, and is estranged by her husband, Vic. Their oldest daughter Ava has Asperger's; along with a severe obsession with Elvis. Otis, their son, spends most of his time working in the family shed, and Suzi, the seemingly noraml child, feels neglected in her own home.

Marylou first takes Ava to a professional photographer since she wants to be on America's Next Top Model, and convinces her to take nude photographs for her application. She then tricks Suzi into going to a fundamentalist church run by her neighbor, Buff Coffey, as a way to encourage her to become a devout christian. After seeing some of the experiments Otis is conducting in the shed, Marylou decides to report him to the EPA.

Over time, Marylou begins to grow close to the Sprigg's family, and regrets the ramifications of her actions. Suzi ends up getting molested by Buff, who also tried to make advances against her sister. Ava's naked pictures are uploaded online by the photographer. And Vic's work project is put in jeopardy when he and Marylou catch his employee Gigi tampering with their research findings. Caroline eventually discovers the truth about Marylou's real identity through old files about her father's research, and confronts her. Marylou explains that while she did intend to destroy their lives, she abandoned that idea because she realized that they were innocent people.

Sometime after this, Buff regains support from the church for what happened with Suzi. Causing an outraged Marylou to give him a pineapple upside down cake mixed with poison. She then takes Wilson back to the clinic where they first met in hopes of jogging his memory. During the trip, she and Wilson form a connection over the past. When Caroline tracks them down, Marylou and her father tells them that they've decided to get married.

Characters

Marylou Ahearn- Marylou is the main protagonist of the story. She was pregnant about three times in her life(the first two being miscarriages) before having her daughter Helen. Right before Helen's death, Marylou realizes that the medicine given to her by Wilson Spriggs could have caused her illness when she sees him at the same hospital where Helen is staying. Her idea is later proven true when she and dozens of other women are given settlements from the government. The money Marylou receives allows her to retire from her job as a teacher.