Diane Fanning Signing Books in the Atomic Secret City

On Saturday, December 6, 2014 Diane Fanning will be a guest of the American Museum of Science and Energy signing copies of her latest novel, SCANDAL IN THE SECRET CITY, from 2-4pm Eastern. The museum is located at 300 S Tulane, Oak Ridge, TN.

Scandal in the Secret City

Eastern Tennessee is an area filled with the beauty of the Great Smokey Mountains, clear creeks, and vibrant cities like Knoxville and Chattanooga. In 1942 the US Government selected a rural area between the ridges to create the “Secret City,” Oak Ridge. The location was quickly built to develop materials for the Manhattan Project and the purification of uranium for use in the bomb that eventually fell on Hiroshima.

The population rose from around 3,000 to 75,000 by 1945 as workers were recruited for employment not knowing what the specifics of their jobs would be, and not knowing where they were going. Known as the Secret City, Oak Ridge never appeared on any maps, hidden in plain view from the rest of the world.

The main character in Diane Fanning’s SCANDAL IN THE SECRET CITY, Libby Clark, is one of the government hired chemists for the secret operations at Oak Ridge. Libby Clark embarks on a mission to do her part to end the war and avenge the death of her cousin at Pearl Harbor. Clark is an idealistic, yet strong character, the only female chemist in the secret operation.

In true Fanning style, Libby Clark is caught up in solving a murder mystery when authorities refuse to properly investigate the dead body of her roommate’s sister. Searching for truth and justice is Clark’s underlying mission as she also struggles with the hardships of a woman living and working within the confines of World War II era issues. Strong-willed and highly educated Libby Clark feels like a stranger in a strange world of secrets, but courageously grapples with doing the right thing.

American Museum of Science and Energy, Where History and Science Come Alive

The American Museum of Science and Energy opened in 1949 in an old wartime cafeteria. It was originally named the American Museum of Atomic Energy. Its guided tours took visitors through the peaceful uses of atomic energy. The present facility, opened in 1975, continues to provide the general public with energy information. The name of the museum was changed to the American Museum of Science and Energy (AMSE) in 1978.

The museum has created several educational programs along with daily tours of the facility. There are permanent and temporary exhibits at the museum which teach visitors about the subjects of science, energy, the history of Oak Ridge, and the Manhattan Project.

The Discovery Gift Shop carries science related souvenirs, toys, and books where visitors can purchase a copy of SCANDAL IN THE SECRET CITY. The museum regularly hosts speakers, lectures, and authors to commemorate a time and place where history and science converge.

Diane Fanning is one of America’s premier Crime novelists and True Crime authors. At the top of a genre that often gets a rap in the literary world, Fanning brings esteem, doing due diligence when presenting a criminal case in book format.

Diane Fanning best-selling author

Nominated for an Edgar Award by Mystery Writers of America
Received the Defenders of the Innocent award from the Downstate Illinois Innocence Project for her part in exonerating a woman wrongfully convicted of murdering her son. (Written about in Diane’s book, Through the Window)
Appeared on The Today Show, 48 Hours, 20/20, The BBC, The Biography Channel, E!, Justice with Judge Jeanine, Forensic Files, Deadly Women, Behind Mansion Walls, Crime Stories, Snapped, Joy Behar Show, Nancy Grace, Issues with Jane Velez Mitchell and other programs
Recently participated in the 100th episode of Deadly Women, the Lizzie Borden special

To learn more about Diane Fanning and a complete list of her books, please visit her website.