I received an Advance Copy of this book through NetGalley and Simon & Schuster, thank you for allowing me to read this book and give honest feedback.

I am a huge true crime fan and the Black Dahlia murder has always fascinated me.
This is finally the case told from the perspective of Elizabeth Short's friend and family, those who knew her best. Not the speculative media or police.

This was written so well and so well researched. Nothing was left out. I feel like there was almost too much information, which in a criminal investigation is never a bad thing. I never found myself bored or disinterested.

I definitely want to read more from William J Mann as his writing style is excellent and very informative.

I have read several books about the Black Dahlia murder, but this one is by far the best. The author gives information about a case I have never heard of, and presents the facts in a way that adds more intrigue to an already intriguing case. Well done.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my review.

This was my mom’s true crime case that she thought about constantly. She (at least during my childhood) talked about Elizabeth Short “the black dahlia” so much that I thought it happened during her time. So, I had some awareness of the case but not any significant knowledge beyond that.
The author does a great job of laying the facts out for you, starting with her last few months, and moving on from there. But also what’s important to note here is how much he humanizes her, and shows the reader who she really was.
Some of the “I wonder if..” type musings/questions got excessive for me, but otherwise this is a very informative but also humanizing account.

FINALLY, THE TRUE STORY OF ELIZABETH SHORT. Let me start by saying I have listened to podcasts, read books, and watched shows and movies about the Black Dahlia case over the last 20 years or so. The one thing I realized after reading this book was all those other cases were sensationalized and used for personal gain, career advancement or notoriety. Mann’s telling of the Black Dahlia case shows who the young murder victim was, and that was Elizabeth Short. Mann put to rest the myths and sensationalism associated with this case. He presented “just the facts ma’am” about the woman, Elizabeth Short. Mann shows a young, beautiful and naive girl, who came from a small town and thought she knew how to survive in a big city. It is a story that happens every day, a young girl sets out on her own and is lost to violence or the streets. That’s the real story of Elizabeth Short; the Black Dahlia is a made-up version of a young girl that sold papers and books.

Mann’s writing style kept me entertained and interested. He starts the story in 1945 when Elizabeth arrives in Los Angeles. He takes you through the course of her life there, who she stayed with, her friends, her dates, how she got food and housing without ever having a job. We learn a lot about Elizbeth and her habits around the time of her murder. We also learn the habits of the police, investigators, the police psychiatrist, the newspapers, and all the others that involved themselves in the case. We learn about corruption, how the newspapers and the police work together (that would never happen now) and how these factors changed the course of the story and may have affected their ability to solve this case.

Let me just say that of all the Black Dahlia information I have consumed, this was the most thorough, well thought out, detailed and in my opinion, accurate so far. I enjoyed learning about other key players from the story and looking them up, looking up the addresses provided in the book, and I really enjoyed the author ending with a “where everyone ended up” section. If you are a true crime fan and have enjoyed following the Black Dahlia case, you need to read this book! Highly recommended.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is an interesting and very in depth look at Elizabeth Short, one of true crime's most famous unsolved murders. The author dispels some of the most common rumors about the case and humanizes Elizabeth in a way most people don't. She was more than her tragic end, and the author takes pains to remind the reader of that. A good addition to any true crime library.

Thank.you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

Interesting take on one of the most interesting true crime cases I’ve ever encountered. I’ve read a lot about this case already, but enjoyed the fact that it focused more on her , rather than trying to ‘prove’ who killed her. Writing style was a bit overdone at times, but enjoyed it overall.

A Good book, very interesting, and worth a reread. I read the whole thing in one sitting while at work as a guard