I've only ever read the Black Dahlia book by Ellroy, so I've got no idea if all non-fiction works about her are like this. Who knew that a book about the murder of a femme fatale involving 1940s Hollywood, corruption, scandal, sex, and violence could be so bloody boring.
Elizabeth Short herself gets lost in this meandering book that's not really about her murder at all. It's a book about the corruption within the LAPD in the 40s and their connections with organised crime - and the Dahlia murder just happens to be sort of linked with these themes.
There's a very brief look at Short's life, and some interesting sections about the way women and female sexuality were treated in society and in the movies. I also think that Eatwell's suspect is a very strong one, as well as her suggestion of the location of the murder. Unfortunately, these sections did not make up for the rest of the book.
I've read a lot of True Crime, so I know you have to take time to set the scene, bring in the bit players, and discuss contemporary events, but this book is just stuffed with complex stories of scandal and double-crossing that has almost nothing to do with the Dahlia. Also, so many footnotes that are there for no reason, and the pictures used are really boring and add nothing to the story.
A major letdown. I'd rather read the James Ellroy book.