Frank H. (perryfran) reviewed on 4/21/2020 + 1223 more book reviews

This was a very compelling noir novel that digs deep into the underbelly of post-WWII Los Angeles and is framed around the gruesome Black Dahlia murder case. The heart of this novel focuses on the murder of Elizabeth Short, a young woman who came to Hollywood looking for possible stardom or love and who winds up as a prostitute, pornography star, and murdered. She was tortured, cut in half, and her body dumped in a vacant lot in Los Angeles. The protagonist of the novel, Bucky Bleichert and his partner become obsessed with the murder and he continues to investigate it years after the case has gone cold. He must piece together the final days of her life which leads him to confront powerful members of both law enforcement and the business community but also his own demons. The case has so many twists and turns that it will leave you breathless right up till the end.

This was ultimately a very disturbing novel that kept you turning the pages. It is a very plausible telling of the unsolved case and although the killer is revealed at the end, the overall descriptions of violence, corruption, and sexual depravity leave a very lasting impression. This novel was made into a movie directed by Brian De Palma in 2006. I'll most likely be looking out for it.

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