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Severed: The True Story of the Black Dahlia Murder
The Black Dahlia murder hit post-War Los Angeles like a bombshell and this impenetrable mystery was the haunting crown jewel of LAPD's unsolved murders. Even before her savage death, beautiful 22-year old Elizabeth Short, an aspiring starlet and nightclub habitué, was known as the Black Dahlia. Since her horrible demise, she has become a magnetic icon in American pop culture, a mythical symbol of noir Hollywood. In this new, expanded edition, John Gilmore plumbs to the dark core of this terrifying story that he argues can never be truly solved and delivers to us the real Elizabeth Short, the girl who became the enigmatic Black Dahlia. He ushers the reader into her world and her life in intimate, searing, explosive, first-hand revelations.
"The most satisfying and disturbing conclusion to the Black Dahlia case. After reading Severed, I feel like I truly know Elizabeth Short and her killer." —David Lynch
"The most uncanny evocation of LA during and after the war... His portrait of Elizabeth Short as a strange, unknowable somnambulist sleepwalking through that unique junction of time and space is permanently haunting." —Gary Indiana
"The most satisfying and disturbing conclusion to the Black Dahlia case. After reading Severed, I feel like I truly know Elizabeth Short and her killer." —David Lynch
"The most uncanny evocation of LA during and after the war... His portrait of Elizabeth Short as a strange, unknowable somnambulist sleepwalking through that unique junction of time and space is permanently haunting." —Gary Indiana
238 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
115 people are currently reading
2106 people want to read
About the author
John Gilmore
80 books38 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads data base.
John Gilmore was born in the Charity Ward of the Los Angeles County General Hospital and was raised in Hollywood. His mother had been a studio contract-player for MGM while his step-grandfather worked as head carpenter for RKO Pictures. Gilmore's parents separated when he was six months old and he was subsequently raised by his grandmother. Gilmore's father became a Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officer, and also wrote and acted on radio shows, a police public service (the shows featured promising movie starlets as well as established performers like Bonita Granville, Ann Rutherford, the "jungle girl" Aquanetta, Joan Davis, Hillary Brooke, Ann Jeffreys, Brenda Marshall and other players young John Gilmore became acquainted with. As a child actor, he appeared in a Gene Autry movie and bit parts at Republic Studios. He worked in LAPD safety films and did stints on radio. Eventually he appeared in commercial films. Actors Ida Lupino and John Hodiak were mentors to Gilmore, who worked in numerous television shows and feature films at Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, and Universal International studios. During the 1950s, through John Hodiak, Gilmore sustained an acquaintanceship with Marilyn Monroe in Hollywood, then in New York, where Gilmore was involved with the Actors Studio, transcribing the lectures of Lee Strasberg into book form. Gilmore performed on stage and in live TV, wrote poetry and screenplays, directed two experimental plays, one by Jean Genet. He wrote and directed a low-budget film entitled "Expressions", later changed to "Blues for Benny." The film did not get general release but was shown independently. Gilmore eventually settled into a writing career; journalist, true crime writer and novelist. He served as head of the writing program at Antioch University and has taught and lectured at length.
John Gilmore was born in the Charity Ward of the Los Angeles County General Hospital and was raised in Hollywood. His mother had been a studio contract-player for MGM while his step-grandfather worked as head carpenter for RKO Pictures. Gilmore's parents separated when he was six months old and he was subsequently raised by his grandmother. Gilmore's father became a Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officer, and also wrote and acted on radio shows, a police public service (the shows featured promising movie starlets as well as established performers like Bonita Granville, Ann Rutherford, the "jungle girl" Aquanetta, Joan Davis, Hillary Brooke, Ann Jeffreys, Brenda Marshall and other players young John Gilmore became acquainted with. As a child actor, he appeared in a Gene Autry movie and bit parts at Republic Studios. He worked in LAPD safety films and did stints on radio. Eventually he appeared in commercial films. Actors Ida Lupino and John Hodiak were mentors to Gilmore, who worked in numerous television shows and feature films at Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, and Universal International studios. During the 1950s, through John Hodiak, Gilmore sustained an acquaintanceship with Marilyn Monroe in Hollywood, then in New York, where Gilmore was involved with the Actors Studio, transcribing the lectures of Lee Strasberg into book form. Gilmore performed on stage and in live TV, wrote poetry and screenplays, directed two experimental plays, one by Jean Genet. He wrote and directed a low-budget film entitled "Expressions", later changed to "Blues for Benny." The film did not get general release but was shown independently. Gilmore eventually settled into a writing career; journalist, true crime writer and novelist. He served as head of the writing program at Antioch University and has taught and lectured at length.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
April 29, 2023
Why I chose to read this book:
1. I recall hearing about "The Black Dahlia" back when I was a teenager, but I never really knew who she was, what she did, and how she was murdered; and,
2. April 2023 is my "True Crime" Month.
Praises:
1. one would think that author John Gilmore was obsessed with Elizabeth (Beth) Short, aka The Black Dahlia. He was extremely thorough in his research, including:
- various interviews with people who were acquainted with Ms. Short, even the most telling one from #1 suspect, Jack Anderson Wilson;
- several black & white photos (some are very graphic/disturbing);
- the autopsy report, in which troubling details about her anatomy were revealed;
- how some police officers were diligent in the investigations, while others were accused of police corruption, especially regarding their questionable methods obtaining confessions; and,
- how the press often complicated the investigation.
Niggles:
1. occasionally, Gilmore's writing style confused me, especially when several thoughts and descriptions seemed disjointed and didn't smoothly fit into the narrative; and,
2. I found it odd how many words were italicized for emphasis when it wasn't required.
Overall Thoughts:
This book answered all my questions and more! If you are interested in a comprehensive look into this highly publicized, yet unsolved murder case, this book should fit the bill.
1. I recall hearing about "The Black Dahlia" back when I was a teenager, but I never really knew who she was, what she did, and how she was murdered; and,
2. April 2023 is my "True Crime" Month.
Praises:
1. one would think that author John Gilmore was obsessed with Elizabeth (Beth) Short, aka The Black Dahlia. He was extremely thorough in his research, including:
- various interviews with people who were acquainted with Ms. Short, even the most telling one from #1 suspect, Jack Anderson Wilson;
- several black & white photos (some are very graphic/disturbing);
- the autopsy report, in which troubling details about her anatomy were revealed;
- how some police officers were diligent in the investigations, while others were accused of police corruption, especially regarding their questionable methods obtaining confessions; and,
- how the press often complicated the investigation.
Niggles:
1. occasionally, Gilmore's writing style confused me, especially when several thoughts and descriptions seemed disjointed and didn't smoothly fit into the narrative; and,
2. I found it odd how many words were italicized for emphasis when it wasn't required.
Overall Thoughts:
This book answered all my questions and more! If you are interested in a comprehensive look into this highly publicized, yet unsolved murder case, this book should fit the bill.
April 24, 2012
This book was the one I settled on to satisfy the Elizabeth Short portion of my ongoing fascination with Noir and True Crime and I am really REALLY glad I did. I've skimmed through some of the others, including those written by people who to me seem to be simply trying to cash in on the timeless mystery and open/unsolved status of the case by propping up all kinds of wacko confessions and stories. But this one comes from a completely different place altogether.
First of all, of all the people claiming to have had some sort of firsthand knowledge or acquaintance with Elizabeth Short, Gilmore's account is the only one in which I have any confidence. His fleeting encounter as a child with the woman who would later be one of the most famous murder victims in the country if not the world was not sensationalized in any way and really conveyed the "chance" nature of the encounter, through relatives, or six degrees of separation if you will.
The book then takes the reader deep into Elizabeth's life, including her stint in the medical corps, later attempts to make it in Hollywood, the quirky way in which she became affected with her attire and ultimately her moniker, the effects on her of her lack of success in Hollywood including the poverty she lived with daily and her desperate attempts to keep up appearances and fit in with the postwar somewhat sleazy yet darkly glamorous West Coast underground in crowd. Other books skim the surface but this one really helps the reader see the portrait of this girl as she was underneath all of the pomp both of the time and after her legend was made.
There are many photographs of Elizabeth in the middle of the book, and they cover pretty much her whole time period. Of course all the way through the pictures that the more morbid of readers would want to see, which are the infamous crime scene photos (from several angles) of her severed body as shot in the overgrown lot she was found in. It goes several steps further by showing the actual pictures of the body again from several angles as it lay on the autopsy table. These pictures are completely raw, and are horrific - showing in stark and frightening detail the savagery of some and the dehumanization suffered by others at their hands. One look into Elizabeth's lifeless unfocused eyes; one look at what was done to her face. These are images I will never ever forget as long as I live.
The book covers everything up to the day she disappeared sort of in a third person reviewer perspective using witness statements on her whereabouts, comings and goings, remembered conversations and verifiable facts. It jumps from that to the crime investigation and is extremely thorough with it, recounting the torrent of publicity the case received and the difficulty and desperation with which the LAPD tried to solve it. Sifting through tons of publicity seekers and fake confessions; seems that everyone wanted to be associated with the mystique. The police theories ran all over the place as the pressure mounted and comparisons were drawn between Elizabeth's death and the death of Georgette Bauerdorf, and that is where this book sets itself apart.
It tells the story of the man who did this, how he confessed, how the police skipped him over until they received the confession, told from a third party heresay perspective, and how this man ended up avoiding arrest. His description contains so much detail it is impossible that it was not him. And through his stated reasons why he picked her, a revelation about Elizabeth is made that completely changes every belief and rumor about what she really was and outlines just how tragic her story was before she ever set foot in the area of 31st and Trinity.
This is a truly awesome book, and after reading it, every time I did my yearly Noir tour of L.A. and ended up walking this ground where her life was lived (downtown) and where it ended (near what is now USC) I can almost feel her and see her.
First of all, of all the people claiming to have had some sort of firsthand knowledge or acquaintance with Elizabeth Short, Gilmore's account is the only one in which I have any confidence. His fleeting encounter as a child with the woman who would later be one of the most famous murder victims in the country if not the world was not sensationalized in any way and really conveyed the "chance" nature of the encounter, through relatives, or six degrees of separation if you will.
The book then takes the reader deep into Elizabeth's life, including her stint in the medical corps, later attempts to make it in Hollywood, the quirky way in which she became affected with her attire and ultimately her moniker, the effects on her of her lack of success in Hollywood including the poverty she lived with daily and her desperate attempts to keep up appearances and fit in with the postwar somewhat sleazy yet darkly glamorous West Coast underground in crowd. Other books skim the surface but this one really helps the reader see the portrait of this girl as she was underneath all of the pomp both of the time and after her legend was made.
There are many photographs of Elizabeth in the middle of the book, and they cover pretty much her whole time period. Of course all the way through the pictures that the more morbid of readers would want to see, which are the infamous crime scene photos (from several angles) of her severed body as shot in the overgrown lot she was found in. It goes several steps further by showing the actual pictures of the body again from several angles as it lay on the autopsy table. These pictures are completely raw, and are horrific - showing in stark and frightening detail the savagery of some and the dehumanization suffered by others at their hands. One look into Elizabeth's lifeless unfocused eyes; one look at what was done to her face. These are images I will never ever forget as long as I live.
The book covers everything up to the day she disappeared sort of in a third person reviewer perspective using witness statements on her whereabouts, comings and goings, remembered conversations and verifiable facts. It jumps from that to the crime investigation and is extremely thorough with it, recounting the torrent of publicity the case received and the difficulty and desperation with which the LAPD tried to solve it. Sifting through tons of publicity seekers and fake confessions; seems that everyone wanted to be associated with the mystique. The police theories ran all over the place as the pressure mounted and comparisons were drawn between Elizabeth's death and the death of Georgette Bauerdorf, and that is where this book sets itself apart.
It tells the story of the man who did this, how he confessed, how the police skipped him over until they received the confession, told from a third party heresay perspective, and how this man ended up avoiding arrest. His description contains so much detail it is impossible that it was not him. And through his stated reasons why he picked her, a revelation about Elizabeth is made that completely changes every belief and rumor about what she really was and outlines just how tragic her story was before she ever set foot in the area of 31st and Trinity.
This is a truly awesome book, and after reading it, every time I did my yearly Noir tour of L.A. and ended up walking this ground where her life was lived (downtown) and where it ended (near what is now USC) I can almost feel her and see her.
August 19, 2011
This is a must read for journalists and people working in the justice system. I was both amazed and horrified by how incredibly unorganized things were when it came to piecing together a case. Forensics did a piss poor job documenting the crime scene, there was tons of corruption and it was a jurisdictional nightmare.
Apparently, journalistic ethics at this time were optional. Reporters ran with whatever unconfirmed rumor story they felt like. One especially disturbing part of this book details a reporter calling Short's mother, pretending to be a beauty pageant judge with news that her daughter had won first prize. When he finds out the personal information that he needs, he then tells Short's mother his true identity before heartlessly notifying the woman that her daughter has been brutally murdered.
As disturbing as it was on many levels, I very much enjoyed this book. The author, John Gilmore was very young when this murder took place, but he is more than qualified to tell this story. Not only was his father working on the case at the LAPD, but Elizabeth Short had once visited his house and talked to him about magic when he was 11 years old. Later in life, as a journalist, novelist, screen-writer and Hollywood native, he reviews the research conducted by the LAPD, reviews the stories written by the media during the time of the investigation and picks up where the case had dead-ended. His recount of his interactions with the believed to be murderer (in the Afterword) sent a chill down my spine.
"Severed" does its best to recount the story of Elizabeth Short's life, from her childhood to the ins and outs of her life as a kind of transient, living solely off of the kindness of her friends and the very plain, ordinary men who found her to be beautiful. Gilmore also does a fantastic job recreating the tone of what it must have been like to watch this investigation to unfold.
I was especially intrigued by the transcribed interviews with individual suspects and witnesses and the authentic reports by the criminal justice professionals working at that time.
Apparently, journalistic ethics at this time were optional. Reporters ran with whatever unconfirmed rumor story they felt like. One especially disturbing part of this book details a reporter calling Short's mother, pretending to be a beauty pageant judge with news that her daughter had won first prize. When he finds out the personal information that he needs, he then tells Short's mother his true identity before heartlessly notifying the woman that her daughter has been brutally murdered.
As disturbing as it was on many levels, I very much enjoyed this book. The author, John Gilmore was very young when this murder took place, but he is more than qualified to tell this story. Not only was his father working on the case at the LAPD, but Elizabeth Short had once visited his house and talked to him about magic when he was 11 years old. Later in life, as a journalist, novelist, screen-writer and Hollywood native, he reviews the research conducted by the LAPD, reviews the stories written by the media during the time of the investigation and picks up where the case had dead-ended. His recount of his interactions with the believed to be murderer (in the Afterword) sent a chill down my spine.
"Severed" does its best to recount the story of Elizabeth Short's life, from her childhood to the ins and outs of her life as a kind of transient, living solely off of the kindness of her friends and the very plain, ordinary men who found her to be beautiful. Gilmore also does a fantastic job recreating the tone of what it must have been like to watch this investigation to unfold.
I was especially intrigued by the transcribed interviews with individual suspects and witnesses and the authentic reports by the criminal justice professionals working at that time.
February 6, 2017
Elizabeth Short seemed like a promiscuous and lonesome wanderer, whose grey, shadowy eyes foretold an early death. She had certain secrets that would only be known after her death. L.A-based writer John Gilmore gives us a satisfying yet incoherent look into the Black Dahlia case. It's fresh in its evidence, but not entirely engaging in its literary style.
September 22, 2012
I feel sorry for the people that are so invested in John Gilmore's crack theory and who on reading this book feel that for them, the Black Dahlia Murder is solved. Not only does he show ZERO respect for Elizabeth but he doesn't offer you any concrete evidence to back up his theories.Lots of anectodal stories but nothing of real substance. There are so many holes one could poke if they had actually done some research before reading this book. There is no plausible way that Anderson had the surgical skill to bisect Elizabeth in such a manner, absolutely none. Read about the nature of the bisection, the clean manner of the cuts and the skill it would take to accomplish something like that and then honestly tell me you believe that thievin' drunk Jack Anderson was the man who REALLY killed Elizabeth Short.
It's no secret that I'm a firm believer in Steve Hodel's theory and I would direct anyone who hasn't already done so to read his books on the subject. I will say though that I do not subscribe to his theory in Most Evil that his father was also the Zodiac killer, that is just too far fetched for me but the other murders outlined in the Most Evil are incredibly plausible. Plus, his father was the only man with any kind of surgical skill capable of such a bisection. (unless you subscribe to Larry Harnisch's theory and believe it was Dr. Leslie Audrain while ignoring the fact that he was a man in his 60's with a bad heart)
All in all, read this if you really feel you must, obviously, I myself felt compelled to do so but, please, take everything you read with a HUGE grain of salt. Do your research about the subject and read some other books before deciding on what the truth is for you.
It's no secret that I'm a firm believer in Steve Hodel's theory and I would direct anyone who hasn't already done so to read his books on the subject. I will say though that I do not subscribe to his theory in Most Evil that his father was also the Zodiac killer, that is just too far fetched for me but the other murders outlined in the Most Evil are incredibly plausible. Plus, his father was the only man with any kind of surgical skill capable of such a bisection. (unless you subscribe to Larry Harnisch's theory and believe it was Dr. Leslie Audrain while ignoring the fact that he was a man in his 60's with a bad heart)
All in all, read this if you really feel you must, obviously, I myself felt compelled to do so but, please, take everything you read with a HUGE grain of salt. Do your research about the subject and read some other books before deciding on what the truth is for you.
September 21, 2021
Well, I really don't know what to write about this story. I admit I'm quite suspicious of this author's information/take on this notable unsolved crime. I think I've been to a website that is factual and disproves many of the myths and misconceptions surrounding the case. The site also disproves or at least disputes much of this author's "information".
January 15, 2020
Well....... holy shat. This girl REALLY pissed someone off. If you know any women that like to run around being a "prick tease", you may want to suggest they read this book. Playing with people's hearts is a dangerous game. It just might get you cut in half. Elizabeth Short was a pretty girl that floated through life by taking advantage of people's kindness and using her looks to manipulate men. And paid the ultimate price. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying she got what she was asking for or deserved. I'm saying if you play with fire, you might get burned. Or forced to eat crap before you're carved up. This is NOT a book for the faint of heart. There are some very graphic pictures of her postmortem. It's a horrible story with a pretty valuable lesson to be learned by people that use others to get what they want. If you hurt the wrong person, you will get hurt. Treat others like you want to be treated. There is a lot of crazies out there, no need to give them a reason.
April 19, 2024
I think that, (as with Jack the Ripper also) books that profess to have solved the Black Dahlia murder need the word 'True' scribbling out of the title. For as well as facts, there exists a lot of theory, guesswork and as is accused of Gilmore's book some misinformation also. But bearing that in mind, it is interesting to read different hypothesis on the crime. The Black Dahlia case is very intriguing and mysterious. Also even though Gilmore gives a lot of time to Elizabeth Short as a person and not just a body she still somehow seems very enigmatic and far away. He does not paint a particularly flattering picture of her but despite any inferred faults or flaws the poor girl did not deserve that tragic and horrific fate. I found Gilmore's book an intriguing read but even if he has identified the actual murderer, I still don't feel any closer to knowing either who Beth Short was or who really killed her or why. I guess we never truly will know.
December 19, 2017
The Black Dahlia case has always mystified me. It's such a tragic and dark case. To think a case like this hasn't been solved is upsetting too. Because of the crime and the lack of evidence it's all jumbled and a lot of true fact's about the case are lost to history. Even some fact's in this book. But out of all the far fetched book's out there. I honestly think this has the most likely truth to it. What Happened to Elizabeth Short was absolutely Horrific and should never be forgotten.
February 8, 2011
I've read several books on this subject and this is my favorite.
John Gilmore's painstaking research is evident. It is very aparent throughout this book that this case holds more than an ordinary journalistic interest for him.
Reading this book for the first time gave me a sense of Elizabeth Short as a real person and not just a dark, mysterious alias or a crime scene photograph. She became a person.
Some of the book is written in a prose style. I'm sure there is plenty of conjecture and a little artistic license used, but this just adds to the depth of the story we Black Dahlia-obsessed freaks can't get enough of.
It's a riveting read. There's stuff in here I've not read anywhere else, and photographs I've never seen before.
If you even have a passing interest in true crime or famous murders, or if you're a Dahlia die-hard (expecially if you're a Dahlia die-hard,) you have to read this book.
John Gilmore's painstaking research is evident. It is very aparent throughout this book that this case holds more than an ordinary journalistic interest for him.
Reading this book for the first time gave me a sense of Elizabeth Short as a real person and not just a dark, mysterious alias or a crime scene photograph. She became a person.
Some of the book is written in a prose style. I'm sure there is plenty of conjecture and a little artistic license used, but this just adds to the depth of the story we Black Dahlia-obsessed freaks can't get enough of.
It's a riveting read. There's stuff in here I've not read anywhere else, and photographs I've never seen before.
If you even have a passing interest in true crime or famous murders, or if you're a Dahlia die-hard (expecially if you're a Dahlia die-hard,) you have to read this book.
January 3, 2025
Though I'm a big fan of True Crime, I prefer to read about crimes with a clear and concise solution. Jack the Ripper is interesting, but more so for the time and place. Same with The Black Dahlia.
The first chapters of the book propose what Elizabeth Short's final days might have been like. Even though True Crime authors take some amount of artistic license when contextualizing their subjects, Gilmore portrays Short's inner thoughts and emotions. Frankly, the only person who knows what Elizabeth Short was thinking and feeling was Elizabeth Short.
Otherwise, the book was pretty good. I loved Raymond Chandler and James Ellroy and this book fits in with their depictions of the seediness and grit of Post-war Los Angeles.
Years ago, I tried to read Black Dahlia Avenger which was a DNF for me, since I feel like it's pretty easy to pin a murder on someone who is a) your estranged father and b) dead.
Any book purporting to be the "True Story" of any unsolved crime--especially those of the "landmark" variety"--should change the subtitle to "The True-ish Story of [insert name here]."
The first chapters of the book propose what Elizabeth Short's final days might have been like. Even though True Crime authors take some amount of artistic license when contextualizing their subjects, Gilmore portrays Short's inner thoughts and emotions. Frankly, the only person who knows what Elizabeth Short was thinking and feeling was Elizabeth Short.
Otherwise, the book was pretty good. I loved Raymond Chandler and James Ellroy and this book fits in with their depictions of the seediness and grit of Post-war Los Angeles.
Years ago, I tried to read Black Dahlia Avenger which was a DNF for me, since I feel like it's pretty easy to pin a murder on someone who is a) your estranged father and b) dead.
Any book purporting to be the "True Story" of any unsolved crime--especially those of the "landmark" variety"--should change the subtitle to "The True-ish Story of [insert name here]."
March 26, 2017
A very confusingly structured book. It reads like one long footnote until the last few pages of the afterword. There's just a bunch of facts and people being quoted from interview and little narration or guiding of basic facts or events between all the points. You don't even get what year it is past halfway point of the book as the investigation was going along. It reads like a book for people already with the expert knowledge of the case. The entire book I was not sure of how good a grasp I was getting the overall story of what was written without being an expert.
Despite that, you somewhat get to know what she was like and how she lived. She was a all over the place and never resided at one address or even city for very long. She also seemed a bit like a con artist in her manipulation of men but what she got so little from her act? and it was always just some petty cash or some clothing so it didn't reduce sympathy you have for her destiny. It would have been nice to get a commentary or some other perspective on the way she lived as speculation from the author since he has spent so much time with her life but the book does not go there at all. It's just the facts which is admirable but as a non-expert I kind of need the author to spotlight something, anything that the reader should give more consideration. For example, was the police investigation inept or weakened by the media? Some of the interviews say something along those lines or that some evidence was missed but it just goes on to the next interview there's no follow-up.
The book went into another gear suddenly when you get to the awkward shift to the Jack Wilson/ Arnold Smith interviews toward the end. This part just appears out of the blue with no build up. It's the most important part of the book and it's just there with no introduction. Wilson/Smith, seems to be a solid candidate for the murder. One point that doesn't seem to match though is how she ended up in his company. Compared to those who were interviewed for the book, he was way outside the lines of normal comparatively to the people she met. He was out there and a ex-con. The men she dealt with seemed to be quite normal, but she was always semi-homeless so easy prey for a killer. On the pro-Wilson argument, St. John's feeling that the guy's ego couldn't let it go unsaid that he had done something so monumental rings very true, especially from a long-time detective.
Warning about those pictures in the book. It flipped open the page and the first pictures I see were the most horrific.
Despite that, you somewhat get to know what she was like and how she lived. She was a all over the place and never resided at one address or even city for very long. She also seemed a bit like a con artist in her manipulation of men but what she got so little from her act? and it was always just some petty cash or some clothing so it didn't reduce sympathy you have for her destiny. It would have been nice to get a commentary or some other perspective on the way she lived as speculation from the author since he has spent so much time with her life but the book does not go there at all. It's just the facts which is admirable but as a non-expert I kind of need the author to spotlight something, anything that the reader should give more consideration. For example, was the police investigation inept or weakened by the media? Some of the interviews say something along those lines or that some evidence was missed but it just goes on to the next interview there's no follow-up.
The book went into another gear suddenly when you get to the awkward shift to the Jack Wilson/ Arnold Smith interviews toward the end. This part just appears out of the blue with no build up. It's the most important part of the book and it's just there with no introduction. Wilson/Smith, seems to be a solid candidate for the murder. One point that doesn't seem to match though is how she ended up in his company. Compared to those who were interviewed for the book, he was way outside the lines of normal comparatively to the people she met. He was out there and a ex-con. The men she dealt with seemed to be quite normal, but she was always semi-homeless so easy prey for a killer. On the pro-Wilson argument, St. John's feeling that the guy's ego couldn't let it go unsaid that he had done something so monumental rings very true, especially from a long-time detective.
Warning about those pictures in the book. It flipped open the page and the first pictures I see were the most horrific.
June 17, 2021
I bought this book years ago when it came out (1994)because I heard my parents, when I was a kid, discussing it.
I found the book fascinating, the crime very creepy, and the writing superb. Well, a few days ago, I decided I wanted to read some true crime that wasn't recent, so I went into the back shed (where I have over 50 boxes of books stored) and found it. I brought it (and a few other books) into the house and dived right in.
Now mind you, when I first read the book, I was 37 years old and I was a teenager when I overheard my parents talking. As a "young" adult, I found the book interesting but it didn't stay on my mind for long. (Real life has a way of doing that). Now, at the age of 64 with time to think at leisure, I found the book terrifying but strangely compelling.
The first thing that struck me was that law enforcement has not solved the mystery of who killed and chopped up Elizabeth Short. One would think that DNA analysis today could solve the mystery and clear it up in a matter of months. So, then I began thinking things like "why hasn't anyone tried?" and "Was it a mafia or political hit?" and "Did someone in power want her dead", "did law enforcement not want to draw the public's attention to this case for some reason?" and finally "were there other bodies killed in the same way and found but not connected?" So, this book left me with more questions than it answered.
Still, it was well written. The pictures were a bit gruesome though they were in black and white so you don't see the full effect as you would if they were in color. For as far as the book goes, the information given was excellent but it didn't go far enough and the readers need an update.
Still, if you like true crime, I think you will like this book.
I found the book fascinating, the crime very creepy, and the writing superb. Well, a few days ago, I decided I wanted to read some true crime that wasn't recent, so I went into the back shed (where I have over 50 boxes of books stored) and found it. I brought it (and a few other books) into the house and dived right in.
Now mind you, when I first read the book, I was 37 years old and I was a teenager when I overheard my parents talking. As a "young" adult, I found the book interesting but it didn't stay on my mind for long. (Real life has a way of doing that). Now, at the age of 64 with time to think at leisure, I found the book terrifying but strangely compelling.
The first thing that struck me was that law enforcement has not solved the mystery of who killed and chopped up Elizabeth Short. One would think that DNA analysis today could solve the mystery and clear it up in a matter of months. So, then I began thinking things like "why hasn't anyone tried?" and "Was it a mafia or political hit?" and "Did someone in power want her dead", "did law enforcement not want to draw the public's attention to this case for some reason?" and finally "were there other bodies killed in the same way and found but not connected?" So, this book left me with more questions than it answered.
Still, it was well written. The pictures were a bit gruesome though they were in black and white so you don't see the full effect as you would if they were in color. For as far as the book goes, the information given was excellent but it didn't go far enough and the readers need an update.
Still, if you like true crime, I think you will like this book.
June 3, 2013
The gruesome story of the 1947 Black Dahlia murder is a disturbing, true tale that includes the shiftless drifters of a Jim Thompson novel, dysfunctional familial pasts of Faulknerian dimensions and ghoulish slaughter of horrific intensity. As with Gilmore's previous titles on the Manson Family (Garbage People also on Amok) and Arizona fiend Charles Schmid (The Tucson Murders, Dial), the author's own story is woven into that of the victims and low-lifes here through meetings both chance and arranged. These rootless drifters (killer and victim) are set in a shifting background of a nation mobilized for war and a time of exciting music and seedy dives. Severed is an easy read and revelatory tale of a sordid example of human weakness that is as engrossing as it is grotesque. I read the tome in a single reading during an unsettling windstorm. I feel that is the best recommendation I can give because, honestly, I cannot remember the last book that so drew me in.
July 20, 2017
Just finished this today and to be fair I'm surprised it received so many good reviews, I found the first half of the book slow and rambly, it gives you a good idea of what sort of person Elizabeth was not that it exactly casts her in a positive light, but it spent more time painting that picture then actually discussing the case and theories about who actually murdered her then the last 60 - 80 pages were an outright slog where I kept losing the plot and didn't really feel I was getting any closer to a conclusion anyway, considering this is not a long book it took me a long time to finish it and I'm glad to be done shame because it's an interesting case that a boring writer made actually made boring.
April 4, 2018
#11 A book with your favorite color in the title
This is one of the cases that I actually knew almost nothing about. It was interesting to learn these facts for the first time and I may read other books about this subject in the future.
The case itself is very interesting. There were so many people involved with her that it would have been nearly impossible to meet them all and figure out what happened. It's amazing the impact she had on the entire town even before the sensation of her murder.
I had a guy come into the library who claimed that she was his aunt and that he knew who killed her, but after reading the remainder of the book after he left, I can confidently say that he was just making things up off the top of his head. You get crazy people like that sometimes.
This is one of the cases that I actually knew almost nothing about. It was interesting to learn these facts for the first time and I may read other books about this subject in the future.
The case itself is very interesting. There were so many people involved with her that it would have been nearly impossible to meet them all and figure out what happened. It's amazing the impact she had on the entire town even before the sensation of her murder.
I had a guy come into the library who claimed that she was his aunt and that he knew who killed her, but after reading the remainder of the book after he left, I can confidently say that he was just making things up off the top of his head. You get crazy people like that sometimes.
November 19, 2017
I thought the book was interesting and informative. I don't know if the author's conclusion holds up as I know there are alternate theories as to who killed her, but nevertheless he backs up his theory pretty well
February 3, 2012
Ok style, horrific story, disappointing end.
March 31, 2021
Overall: 3 stars. This is a biography of the Black Dahlia first and a true crime story second, but I appreciated that humanizing focus.
This is an interesting approach to true crime in that the book really, really focuses in on the life of the victim, Elizabeth Short aka the Black Dahlia, before her murder. There’s a little bit about the investigation and its unsolved status, but this is really a story about Short and about LA in the 1940s, pre- and post-WWII. What I found most compelling about the book is Short as a person: she seemed to be a bit of a free-spirit and a drifter, which is very unusual for a woman of the 1940s, and it’s interesting how no one interviewed seemed to really know her: she was a bit of an enigma.
As much as I liked this book, it’s still a 3 instead of 4-5 star rating for me because the writing was a bit dense and hard to slog through: I feel like a good editor could parse this out into a higher rating, but as is, the prose makes this a solid 3 stars for me.
CW: my edition included some pretty graphic autopsy photos, so watch out for that
This is an interesting approach to true crime in that the book really, really focuses in on the life of the victim, Elizabeth Short aka the Black Dahlia, before her murder. There’s a little bit about the investigation and its unsolved status, but this is really a story about Short and about LA in the 1940s, pre- and post-WWII. What I found most compelling about the book is Short as a person: she seemed to be a bit of a free-spirit and a drifter, which is very unusual for a woman of the 1940s, and it’s interesting how no one interviewed seemed to really know her: she was a bit of an enigma.
As much as I liked this book, it’s still a 3 instead of 4-5 star rating for me because the writing was a bit dense and hard to slog through: I feel like a good editor could parse this out into a higher rating, but as is, the prose makes this a solid 3 stars for me.
CW: my edition included some pretty graphic autopsy photos, so watch out for that
December 31, 2021
Excellent! I learned so much they never talked about. The story was so detailed and informative.
January 21, 2023
John Gilmore's father was a cop with the LAPD at the time of Elizabeth Short's brutal murder. She was cut in half and the case remains a mystery , even though it occurred in 1947. The film, The Blue Dahlia was popular and Liz was well known in the L.A. area for dressing in black and became known as the Black Dahlia.
The first half of the book deals with Short's nomadic and grifting lifestyle. At twenty-two, the young woman had been through numerous boyfriends and "dates" with men, apparently in exchange for money.
The autopsy determined the cause of death as a bludgeoning and possible strangulation before the dissection of her body. Graphic photos of the severed girl are included at the end of the book. The killer also cut her mouth to give the appearance of a permanent smile. The pathologist also reported of an unusual formation of the victims genitalia.
The Keystone Kops and a quack police shrink abducted a clearly innocent man and mercilessly interrogated the poor shmuck for several days in 1948. This was pre Miranda and it was a common practice by police departments across the country.
Gilmore names a suspect who knew some of the details of the murder. George Hodel is never mentioned and his son, a former cop, wrote a book accusing his father of the crime. Both authors make good points and after reading the two books, I am left as curious as ever.
The first half of the book deals with Short's nomadic and grifting lifestyle. At twenty-two, the young woman had been through numerous boyfriends and "dates" with men, apparently in exchange for money.
The autopsy determined the cause of death as a bludgeoning and possible strangulation before the dissection of her body. Graphic photos of the severed girl are included at the end of the book. The killer also cut her mouth to give the appearance of a permanent smile. The pathologist also reported of an unusual formation of the victims genitalia.
The Keystone Kops and a quack police shrink abducted a clearly innocent man and mercilessly interrogated the poor shmuck for several days in 1948. This was pre Miranda and it was a common practice by police departments across the country.
Gilmore names a suspect who knew some of the details of the murder. George Hodel is never mentioned and his son, a former cop, wrote a book accusing his father of the crime. Both authors make good points and after reading the two books, I am left as curious as ever.
March 1, 2016
Loved this book! I felt like I really got an inside look at the life of Elizabeth Short. I had always thought she had a glamorous life & would have been famous if she had been able to live. After reading this I have an entirely different outlook. I feel sorry for her and think that her life was one disappointment after another. She never seemed to have a grasp on reality or a realistic view of the world. I think she had been told she was beautiful & was perfect for Hollywood and expected everything to just fall into place if she just showed up. It appears she never really TRIED to make it in Hollywood. She just expected everyone around her to "take care" of her & unfortunately that is not how things are done. I feel that the only people who would help her were not looking out for her best interest & were just low life types that thought they could use her in someway.
August 6, 2019
I think the story of the Black Dahlia Murder is interesting and this book is, I believe, the definitive account. However, I don't think the book is put together very well. The account of Elizabeth Short's life leading up to her murder is exhaustive to the point of being tedious. Other than a quick account of the discovery of her body to set the scene at the beginning, the reader is more than half way through the book before she's murdered. The investigation meanders and when the likely suspect is discovered years later, that portion of the book is repetitive and confusing. I can appreciate that the author spent 20+ years researching the case and he wants to honor that effort, but a tighter account would have made for a better read.
April 1, 2018
Although this true crime book started out very exciting and interesting, the book de-evolved the further you read. As chapters went by it was very difficult to understand the context of each and the writing just seemed to become very abrupt and sloppy. Mid book towards the end, it was very confusing who all the newspaper reporters, detectives, police brass, etc that were involved were and their roles. Was it assumed that one would have a background on the case or the task of trying to solve it; or were the chapters severely edited and became quite choppy and cumbersome. Either way, it was very disheartening to invest so much time and interest for it to dissipate so quickly!
February 27, 2016
After reading the author's recounting of Elizabeth Short's wanderings in California, Chicago, and Baltimore, I was not really surprised that she was murdered. Elizabeth lived hand to mouth, borrowing a few bucks here and there from acquaintances to make ends meet. She readily went out with men she met in bars and cafes. She did not deserve to be murdered, but she was easy for the murderer to find. This is a sad story about a sad, lost woman who met a reprehensible end.
June 2, 2008
I went through this period of Macabre and this satisfied my curiosity. This book is less of a read and more of a flicker through morgue reports and actual photos of the crime scene. Keep in mind the pics are EXTREMELY GRAPHIC and made me feel stone cold after reading it piece by piece--no pun intended.
June 1, 2012
I’ve always been fascinated with the “Black Dahlia” case and have seen so many different cold case programs on this story. I was glad to finally be able to read the book and was very intrigued. This book provided a lot more detail than any TV show I’ve seen. I also enjoyed the uncensored pictures in the book and was not able to put the book down!
March 19, 2019
Well-Researched and Depressing
Jack Gilmore does a very thorough job in presenting the facts of Short's life and death. Gilmore presents a picture of Elizabeth Short that isn't unsympathetic, but unromanticized and honest, also. Gilmore's recounting shows how high-risk the Dahlia's life was. A sad story.
Jack Gilmore does a very thorough job in presenting the facts of Short's life and death. Gilmore presents a picture of Elizabeth Short that isn't unsympathetic, but unromanticized and honest, also. Gilmore's recounting shows how high-risk the Dahlia's life was. A sad story.
December 5, 2019
John Gilmore was full of shit and anyone will tell you so, particularly anyone who has seriously studied the Black Dahlia case. Ask Larry Harnisch and check out his extremely well researched and documented Dahlia blog while you’re at it.
This is my second full-of-shit Gilmore book, and I guess I’ve proven to myself that the first time wasn’t a fluke.
This is my second full-of-shit Gilmore book, and I guess I’ve proven to myself that the first time wasn’t a fluke.
January 23, 2016
ANOTHER book introducing a new suspect and claiming to solve the case once and for all. As usual, the author makes his point well and convincingly. It may be correct and it may not. This book tells you every gory detail of the evidence they had to work with. Poor Betty!
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