I mentioned early on that Eatwell gives a lot of data and that stayed true to theme to the very end of this book.
It's been over 70 years since her body was discovered that fateful morning in Los Angeles and it's still fascinating today as it was then but I knew that going into this book I was going to get some of the same information that has already been divulged to the public but what Eatwell did, and fantastically, is give her theory and not embellish the theories of others.

With her research firm in hand, Eatwell did not hide her opinion on who the killer was and the intricacies involved, the lies and deceit from police department and investigators, nor the darkness that shrouded Los Angeles but used it all to fuel the case and murder of Elizabeth Short.

This won't be last book on Short, but it's definitely one of the best nonfiction I've read in a long time regarding Short

Solid, smart, well researched.

This is a fascinating, meticulous and heartfelt retelling of the 70 year old (and officially unsolved) Black Dahlia murder case, packed with great detail about both the investigation and the state of Los Angeles and the USA at the time. It’s sensitively handled and packed with a rich cast of characters that the author seems to have really taken the time to get to know. The victim, Elizabeth Short, remains a cipher, but the personalities of those caught up in the aftermath of her death are richly and memorable described.
The author comes to her own conclusion about the perpetrator, and it was in the final few chapters where the narrative switches to her present day investigations, that the book most came alive for me.
I’ve not read much true crime, but what struck me most about this book was the emphasis on the people rather that the crime. It’s never titillating or ghoulish (as I, perhaps wrongly, imagine much true crime writing is) but rather a suitably somber analysis of a tragic and brutal death.
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Started off well but got bogged down in "who was where when" details as is common in True Crime books.

Solid, well-written account of one of the world's most famous unsolved crimes. If I had to recommend a book for a beginner to the case, this would be the one. It's easy to follow, logically arranged, and includes comprehensive footnotes and reference information. The solution is, as in many true crime books, somewhat overstated however.

(If other would-be confessors could pick up information from associates linked to the underworld and / or the PD, why not Dillon? Who knows what rumors he heard while staying at the Aster after the murder, for instance. There is no time spent considering other ways Dillon could have answered the 'secret questions', let alone the likelihood of his being just another fantasist. Similarly, his mortuary experience is made a lot of; the reality was that he only spent three weeks at it, if that. The ability to drain the body aside, there is no discussion of his ability to perform the bisection which was generally believed to indicate some level of surgical skill. Etc, etc, - I'm sure you get my point.)

The book only glances over rival theories and solutions, but it gives the reader a good grounding in the chronology and basic facts. If you're new to the case, my advice would be to start here and branch outwards. If you're already well versed I would still recommend reading. There is nothing particularly new here, but it's a good clear read and the historical and social context is particularly well done.

I greatly enjoyed Black Dahlia, Red Rose by Piu Eatwell. This non-fiction book covers the horrific murder of Elizabeth Short in January of 1947 and the subsequent cover-up.
I appreciated how meticulously researched this book is. I really loved the author’s writing style and how well she brought to life the world of 1940s Los Angeles. I was shocked and horrified by how corrupted the LAPD of the 1940s/1950s was. I was also surprised by how Elizabeth Short was slut-shamed after her death when it came to light how many boyfriends she seemed to have had. I am glad the author does not fall into that trap and showed great respect for the victim.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys true crime or has a particular interest in the Black Dahlia case.

Book Riot Read Harder 2018 Challenge - True crime book

I liked it, as a micro-history of crime in Los Angeles in the 40s and 50s. There's only so much we know about the Black Dahlia case since evidence has been lost to time and...ah, other means. Having read quite a bit about the subject, I didn't come away with an aha moment, but the author gives the story a nice Dragnet style to follow.

I loved this book. I was captivated from the get-go.


I first read about the murder of Elizabeth Short when I was 15. I didn't quite understand the scope or scale of the case then, but I've definitely realized it over the years.


I've listened to many podcast episodes about the case, watched documentaries, read articles and books, but none of them compare to this.


Eatwell goes into detail about the case like nothing I've seen before. From start to finish, I was learning something new. The fact that a suspect I'd never even heard of before was such a prominent figure astounded me. And I devoured every detail.


At times, I felt like I was being bombarded with information - there are a significant amount of repetitive footnotes. But it still read like a noire mystery all the same. I kept waiting for the "A-ha!" moment where the bad guy gets caught and the rough and tumble cops enjoy a beer at the bar. Of course, that moment never comes. Not really, anyway.


I loved learning about this case all over again. This kind of in-depth, well-researched, deep dive is the kind of thing I could only ever dream of partaking in myself. I look forward to reading more of Eatwell's work!

Black Dahlia Red Rose, by Piu Eatwell, is a re-examination of a brutal murder that occured seventy years ago in America which has never been officially solved. Told as a true crime story it offers a snapshot of Los Angeles, its police department and citizens, in an era that will be familiar from film. As the author writes in her preface:

“This era is commonly visualized through the movies, as the era of film noir: a time of corrupt cops and gun-toting gangsters, cynical heroes, and bottle blondes doling out deadpan one-liners. But the slick film noir repartee belied the brutal inequalities of reality. In truth, it was a tough time after a tough war in a tough world.”

This tough world was being navigated by beautiful young women with stars in their eyes who descended on Los Angeles looking for fame. What they found instead were predatory men who viewed the aspiring starlets as expendable game.

The Black Dahlia was twenty-two year old Elizabeth Short, whose body was found dumped on waste ground in an LA suburb. She had been beaten, slashed, bled out and cut in two. The newspapers of the time were allowed access to evidence and potential suspects that would be unthinkable today. Often it was the journalists who moved the case forward. As evidence mounted it seemed that key figures within the police wished to stifle the investigation.

Unusually for the time, the LAPD employed a forensic psychologist, Dr Paul De River. He produced a profile of the killer and was subsequently contacted by a man who appeared a potential fit. There were other suspects but the most likely had powerful contacts who routinely paid the police for their cooperation. Corruption ran deep throughout the city and the Black Dahlia was one of many murders in a society that regarded its young women as objects whose purpose was to provide pleasure for others.

The story is structured in narrative form but is written using facts gleaned from documents produced throughout the original investigation. The LAPD continue to refuse to release key evidence, some of which has mysteriously disappeared. The book provides a detailed account of the crime and those tasked with apprehending a murderer. It is a search for the truth, suppressed on the remit of powerful individuals, now dead.

From the discovery of the body through to the case being finaly shelved, the reader is offered insights, fully cross-referenced and explained in footnotes, a bibliography and detailed endnotes. The story told is a lesson in the sham of 1950s supposed values, and in the lack of value placed on certain lives. The photographs at the end, drawn from evidence, are chilling.

The author has studied this evidence, consulted with experts, and drawn a conclusion as to the likely killer. As a lawyer she is well placed to undertake this task. She offers a cinematic retelling of the case that is evocative and compelling. An example of fact being even more shocking than fiction.

My copy of this book was provided gratis by the publisher, Coronet.