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Daddy Was the Black Dahlia Killer: The Identity of America's Most Notorious Serial Murderer--Revealed at Last
by
It is one of the most enduringly fascinating crimes in American history. On January 15, 1947, passersby made a grisly discovery in a vacant lot in Los Angeles: the body of a naked young woman, cut in two, and savagely mutilated. The victim was identified as Elizabeth Short, a struggling Hollywood actress. Nicknamed the Black Dahlia by a headline-hungry press, her lurid dem
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Start your review of Daddy Was the Black Dahlia Killer: The Identity of America's Most Notorious Serial Murderer--Revealed at Last
So I’m right in the middle with this book. Some parts were incredibly interesting and gruesome but others quite nearly put me to sleep from boredom. I loved the gory descriptions of the murder but that was about the only thing that held my attention. I also thought the whole thing was kind of unbelievable so that did affect my enjoyment a bit a think. All in all it was entertaining for the murder parts but other than that, not so much.
Janice Knowlton's story is (was) most surely one of "false memory syndrome". I picked up this book on a Dahlia reading craze knowing the likely-hood that this book would have "the answer" was slim to none. I was of course, right. There were way too many inconsistancies with what we already know about the Black Dahlia Murder for anything she writes about to be fact.
That being said, I found this book fascinating as someone who is studying to be a clinical psychologist. The amount of emotional di ...more
That being said, I found this book fascinating as someone who is studying to be a clinical psychologist. The amount of emotional di ...more
This is a sleazy book about the "true" accounts of Janice Knowlton's fathers murder of Elizabeth Short aka Black Dahlia. This unsolved murder has spawned many novels, true crime books and movies/tv shows. This book is a disturbing read if any of it is true. The author apparantly was outed as a fraud and maybe her father was a sex offender, but this is really a bizarre book.
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One star for the title alone. Fabulous title. Appparently, the author (now deceased) had some severe emotional issues. Let's just leave her be.
There is no way the stuff in the book could have happened as she claims...lots and lots of inconsistencies and impossibilities.
But, wow, what a title, huh? ...more
There is no way the stuff in the book could have happened as she claims...lots and lots of inconsistencies and impossibilities.
But, wow, what a title, huh? ...more
This woman's story is completely fascinating.
I personally believe that Janice Knowlton is suffering from False Memory. I do believe, however, that she suffered abuse, but I do not believe that the Black Dahlia connection is real. It's not that I think she is lying, I just think her fractured psyche is attempting to make sense of the abuse she suffered and is linking it to something that was prominent in the news during that time.
Nevertheless, if you're into the whole Black Dahlia thing (and I ...more
I personally believe that Janice Knowlton is suffering from False Memory. I do believe, however, that she suffered abuse, but I do not believe that the Black Dahlia connection is real. It's not that I think she is lying, I just think her fractured psyche is attempting to make sense of the abuse she suffered and is linking it to something that was prominent in the news during that time.
Nevertheless, if you're into the whole Black Dahlia thing (and I ...more
Obviously this woman has some issues to work out so I'll leave my critique of her alone.
I think that a lot of their "hard" evidence supporting her claims is just too broad to be convincing. The main things they focus on are murders in the general areas of where the family was living at the times. But to say that every woman beat to death in the area was him is just a little on the vague side as (unfortunately) that's a pretty common murder method. And the parts that detail the Black Dahlia's ...more
I think that a lot of their "hard" evidence supporting her claims is just too broad to be convincing. The main things they focus on are murders in the general areas of where the family was living at the times. But to say that every woman beat to death in the area was him is just a little on the vague side as (unfortunately) that's a pretty common murder method. And the parts that detail the Black Dahlia's ...more
I can't really decide whether or not I believe this is someone's pathetic attempt to cash in on one of the most notorious unsolved crimes ever or if this poor lady actually believes her dad was a monster. (And here I thought I had parental issues!)
In any event, I thought her recalled memories of watching Dad do horrible things were far-fetched and the entire theory circumstantial.
I do have a passion for true crime books and there was a lot of information regarding the Black Dahlia murder, but I' ...more
In any event, I thought her recalled memories of watching Dad do horrible things were far-fetched and the entire theory circumstantial.
I do have a passion for true crime books and there was a lot of information regarding the Black Dahlia murder, but I' ...more
LOL.. every father living in California at the time was Ms Shorts killer.
The book was very interesting at times, but also mind-numbingly-boring at times. To be clear: I don’t believe the theory presented at all, and much of the information presented in this book are not consistent with the facts of the case. I also found the author’s description of Elizabeth Short — the victim in this case — so disgusting; she literally described Short as a cheap prostitute, who would sex-traffic children for money in her own pocket. Further, the author theorized about a cover-up by
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Lurid, but not believable. I'm sure Janice Knowlton faced some childhood trauma that she's channeling, but I don't think it's what these "memories" show.
I bought it because I thought it was maybe written by the sibling of another author who's book I read, Steve Hodel (who also claims his father, another George, was the Black Dahlia killer) who wrote the very compelling, evidence filled "Black Dahlia Avenger". I had forgotten that authors name at the time, and they are obviously unrelated.
It's ...more
I bought it because I thought it was maybe written by the sibling of another author who's book I read, Steve Hodel (who also claims his father, another George, was the Black Dahlia killer) who wrote the very compelling, evidence filled "Black Dahlia Avenger". I had forgotten that authors name at the time, and they are obviously unrelated.
It's ...more
Not a good book at all. It would've been better if I came at it to read it as just a fictional novel--as a "true" story, it's terrible. The author's number one claim throughout the entirety of the read is, "My dad was a total f*cking psychopath, and all this graphic stuff really happened...but all the evidence to prove it has either been lost over time (such as her supposed documents to show she was absent from school due to her father taking her on his killing sprees with him), or changed by th
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This is the only book I have ever started that I have been unable to finish. I have to give it 5 stars- it was fantastic, however, I couldn't do it. This is the easily most graphic book I have EVER read/heard of. Throughout the book, Janice knowlton is telling about her childhood experiences with rape and abuse. It was terrifying to read.
I picked up this book in intention of a gross murder tale. But, this book wasn't a murder tale. It was drowned in incest and rape.
If you're going to read this ...more
I picked up this book in intention of a gross murder tale. But, this book wasn't a murder tale. It was drowned in incest and rape.
If you're going to read this ...more
I got this book for fairly cheap at a used book store, and I am glad I didn't pay more than a dollar for it. I was not impressed with this book at all. I mean, anything is possible, but I am just not buying this story. Perhaps the author did suffer from False Memory, as some other reviews suggest. Parts of this book were really interesting, and made me believe that she believed what she saw. Other parts of it were just terribly dull. I do not recommend.
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This was a very hard book to read, not only because of some of the very graphic images of murder, but also because there is a lot of information and history and sometimes it was hard to keep up with who was whom and what relationship they had to each other. I think giving the history and background of people that only appeared briefly made it harder to follow. It is however and interesting story.
A fascinating read! The author explains that an operation that changed her hormones around caused her to cough up the repressed memory of witnessing the murder of Elizabeth Short. I raced to buy this after seeing Oprah interview her. Very hard to put down and one of the most entertaining I-know-who-REALLY-killed-the-Black-Dahlia stories out there.
Holy crap what a terrible childhood the author had if this book is to be believed. Being based on "recovered memories" makes me a little suspicious, and maybe just the horror that is portrayed makes me not want to believe that any of it happened. Definitely not for the squeamish or tender hearted.
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If true... Wow and sick.. But I have my serious doubts... All seems a wee bit far fetched... And if untrue... A sad attempt at fame by making money off a poor lonely aspiring actresses terrible demise.
I gave this book 4 stars because it was a good read. However, I highly doubt that Janice Knowlton's father actually killed Elizabeth Short.
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a bit goofy, but okay.
Not Impressed
I like books like this. A background of a killer!!
Feb 05, 2008
Chong
added it
Very dark and disturbing.
I read this book years ago. I don't remember it clearly, but I remember I enjoyed it. I think it may have started my interest in true crime stories.
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very sad,very explicit book...i almost wonder if its true...but then truth can be stranger than fiction
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