Erik Larson’s Thunderstruck (2006) is a narrative nonfiction book intertwining two dramatic early 20th-century stories: the groundbreaking development of Marconi’s wireless communication technology and the notorious London murder case involving Dr. Crippen. Set against the backdrop of Edwardian London’s fascination with science, the occult, and rising tensions before World War I, the book explores themes of ambition, deception, and fate. Larson details Marconi’s relentless pursuit of wireless innovation alongside the dark unraveling of Crippen’s troubled marriage and murder cover-up. Wireless technology plays a key role in capturing Crippen, linking these two seemingly unrelated tales. The book balances meticulous historical detail with complex characters, highlighting how technological progress and sensational crime stories shaped public imagination at the time.
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