Black Dahlia: Murder, Monsters, and Madness in Midcentury Hollywood

by William J. Mann

Illuminating and captivating, New York Times bestselling author of Tinseltown and Bogart offers the first definitive account of the Black Dahlia murder—the most famous unsolved true crime case in American history—which humanizes the victim and situates the notorious case within an anxious, postwar country grappling with new ideas, demographics, and technologies.

The brutal murder of Elizabeth Short—better known as the Black Dahlia—in 1947 has been in the public consciousness for nearly eighty years, yet no serious study of the crime has ever been published.

Short has been mischaracterized as a wayward sex worker or vagabond, and—like the seductive femme fatales of film noir—responsible for and perhaps deserving of her fate. William J. Mann, however, is interested in the truth. His extensive research reveals her as a young woman with curiosity and drive, who leveraged what little agency postwar society gave her to explore the world, defying draconian postwar gender expectations to settle down, marry, and have children. It’s time to reexamine the woman who became known as the Black Dahlia.

Using a 21st-century lens, Mann connects Short’s story to the anxious era after World War II, when the nation was grappling with new ideas, new demographics, new technologies, and old fears dressed up as new ones. Only by situating the Black Dahlia case within this changing world can we understand the tragedy of this young woman, whose life and death offer surprising mirrors on today.

Mann has strong opinions on who might’ve killed her, and even stronger ones on who did not. He spent five years sifting through the evidence and has found unknown connections by cross-referencing police reports, District Attorney investigations, FBI files, court documents, military records, and more, using the deep, intense research skills that have become his trademark. He also spoke with the families of the original detectives, of Short’s friends, and even of suspects, and relied on advice from experienced physicians and homicide detectives.

Mann deftly sifts through the sensationalized journalism, preconceived notions, myths, and misunderstandings surrounding the case to uncover the truth about Elizabeth Short like no book before. The Black Dahlia promises to be the definitive study about the most famous unsolved case in American history.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, History, Crime, Biography, Biography Memoir

Kindle Edition

Expected publication January 27, 2026

About the author

Also writes children's books under the pseudonym Geoffrey Huntington.

Reviews

[Cheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an exhaustive review and analysis of the Black Dahlia case! I learned so much about Elizabeth Short, the police, the journalists, the suspects, and the families involved. I'd watched a documentary or two about the case but never got the insight into it - and the woman at the center of it - before now.

Such a huge book could have been dry and textbook-like but this wasn't. The author makes it feel like we're friends and he's telling a story. A very detailed story. And though the case hasn't been solved, there's so much to learn in the pages of this book. Real people who lived through it, or didn't...

I absolutely recommend this book for anyone who loves true crime.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ebook.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though knowledgeable of the murder of Elizabeth Short, prior to reading W. Mann’s Black Dahlia, other than news reports here and there and watching short videos online, this reader has never read any long-form writing about this particular murder.

As for content, from the start, it is clear exactly what sort of true-crime book this one will be upon completion. It is not an easy read, full of titillating details or lurid photographs. It is instead a very in-depth and well-researched book centered around the murder of Elizabeth Short in Los Angeles, California, not long after the end of WWII.

Mann includes a study of America during this time to fully envelop and raise the needed societal textures for one to appreciate a serious book on Short and her murder. He describes America and its current culture as it has moved from a time of restriction, sacrifice, and wartime hardship to that of promise and an expectation of a golden American future going forward.

Mann does not turn Short into a figure once ill-defined by a frenzied media and thirsty America, but instead, into a three-dimensional woman whose life was unjustly ended and of a life deserving of justice that she and her loved ones never received.

This book is a careful and fair study of Elizabeth Short, her life, and America. It may not be of major interest to those in search of a treatise on what is believed to be a tawdry tale of lurid happenings and unfortunate sexuality, because that is what it is not.

Sadly, as most already know, there is no closure regarding the depraved person who victimized this woman, but instead, sincerely crafted pages that bring Short to life and most likely paint a truer picture of her, her life, and her untimely demise.

Black Dahlia by W. Mann is recommended to true crime readers who appreciate well-researched and richly detailed books upon factual events, rather than other books more present in the true-crime-like pulp writing genre.

Netgalley provided an ARC upon the promise of a fair review.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

(ARC - out 01/27/26 via Simon & Schuster) An issue that I have with most true crime I’ve absorbed is the sanctimonious attitude the researcher/author/storyteller frequently approaches their investigation with. Their interest in the cases seems to have little to do with actually telling the victims’ stories or studying the societal conditions that lead to so many people living on the margins of society suffering the most from violent crime, but rather with the crimes themselves, the need to be the first to offer up new details, the lascivious nature that some consumers of true crime readily eat up. Saying that, I ended up being pleasantly surprised by how the author approaches the story of the black dahlia. The author truly does focus Elizabeth in this story, pushing aside the misogynistic narratives that clouded the case for decades, and interviewing Elizabeth’s friends and confidantes. He builds a picture of Elizabeth in a way that makes it all the more devastating when you know the conclusion. Elizabeth isn’t painted as a perfect saintly person, because no person is; she’s realized as a woman struggling to make ends meet and surviving in a hostile world, a woman who did not deserve to die, because no person does. This is extremely detailed, to the point where I found myself skimming at certain points, but it does put a more sympathetic, more human focus on a woman who is largely known for the violence of her death and the mythic nature of her life.

[Heather~ Nature.books.and.coffee · Rating 4 out of 5]

~ If you are a True crime fan like myself, then you will definitely want to read this one. After my friend @archie.loves.to.read brought this case to my attention, and we read Sisters in Death by Eli Frankel, I was interested in grabbing this one too. This gives a deep dive look into Elizabeth Short's life, who she was, and lots of information about the case. I thought it a really interesting read and definitely well researched.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

[Megan Reads-a-lot · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first book by William J. Mann. The topic he chose for his book is one that has intrigued people for over a half-century. I first heard of the Black Dahlia aka Elizabeth Smart when watching a true crime doc on TV. As Mann points out in his book, Elizabeth Smart’s story differs depending upon who is telling it. Smart was not only a victim of a heinous crime, but she continues to be victimized in death by the misogynistic narrative perpetuated by the police and media. Mann attempts to right this wrong by gaining the perspectives of the people that actually knew her. In this very thoroughly researched and detailed book, we gain first hand accounts and facts about the case. While Elizabeth Smart’s murder was never solved, there is much to learn from this book. This book was very well written but occasionally redundant. I appreciated the author’s dedication to telling Elizabeth’s story. I have this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. I look forward to more books by this author.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[LyndaIn Oregon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Early in the morning of January 15, 1947, a pair of Los Angeles policemen were dispatched on a “possible 390 down” near the USC campus. Instead of finding an unconscious drunk on the vacant lot in the unusually cold dawn, they discovered the horribly mutilated body of a young woman, setting off a massive manhunt.

The dead woman was identified as Elizabeth Short, a 22-year-old who had come to the Los Angeles area from Massachusetts as part of a wandering path seeking a warm climate, an active social life, and perhaps fame as a model or actress; however, the reality of her life and death was quickly subsumed by the media’s sensationalizing of an already shocking crime, which they dubbed “The Black Dahlia Murder”.

William J. Mann here has set himself the task not to find the killer – which the police never did – but to find the victim under all the media hyperbole, police force infighting, and general hysteria over a series of murders of young women in the area which were neither connected to Short’s death nor, sadly, an unusually high number of killings in a city already more than a little punch-drunk with the aftermath of World War II.

Drawing on public and private sources, he examines Short’s history in Los Angeles, discovering a young woman who was neither the femme fatale that her media-generated title would suggest, nor a party girl in the traditional sense. Short was pretty, vivacious, and undoubtedly manipulative. She survived mostly on her wits, changing her background stories to elicit the most sympathy from casual acquaintances who would offer lodging, loans, and meals. She claimed to be looking for work as a model, but never made any visible attempt to do so, preferring instead to spend her days either at the beach or promenading through various areas of Los Angeles, window-shopping, being admired for her fashionable appearance, and cadging meals from gentlemen at various lunch counters. She dated often, changed boyfriends as often as she changed nylons, loved to dance, seldom drank, and even more seldomly indulged in sexual liaisons, despite her flirtatious manner and coterie of escorts. Mann makes the interesting point that such behavior from a charming, attractive, but feckless male of that age might have been considered “clever”, but coming from a woman, it hinted at something much less socially acceptable.

And though Mann tries very hard to keep Elizabeth Short at the front and center of the story, it’s a heavy lift. The history of post-war Los Angeles is as much a character as any of the named players. The sensation-seeking reporters from the four major LA dailies of the time cut favoritism deals with police, made up “quotes” from Short’s friends and family, witnesses, and even suspects, and fed on its own momentum, offering rewards that drew forth scores of false confessions – all of which investigators had to follow. The police department itself was in turmoil, moving responsibility for the investigation from one team to another, with the inevitable loss of information and follow-through. And it was all capped off by a publicity-seeking, self-styled “police psychiatrist” whose lack of formal education in the field did not for a moment keep him from developing a parallel investigation, selecting a likely suspect, and delivering him to the police who ultimately had to turn him loose for lack of evidence and in the face of a threatened civil lawsuit for false arrest.

No, Mann doesn’t conclude his definitive study of the most famous unsolved case in American history by standing up, pointing a finger, and saying “That’s the killer, right there!” He does build a compelling case for assigning guilt to one of the main suspects, though admits there was never any solid evidence on which to base charges, then turns around and speculates on something none of the investigators seem to have even considered.

Mann’s research here is meticulous, and his style keeps the people and events at arm’s length – an absolute necessity when dealing with the horrific details of the crime itself. The details of the murder are not for the faint of heart. He unbends only slightly at the conclusion, reminding readers that the tragedy was “it was her death, not her life, that people remember,” that “she was human, with all the faults, frailties, and inconsistencies of human beings,” and that “her life still mattered.”

[Casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book takes a different approach than other books on the subject of the murder. It develops her as a different type of person and attempts to make her more respectable. It is a detailed narrative of the months before the murder, but in the end is no more conclusive as to who did it. An interesting change of pace for those who are intrigued by the case.

[Nicole Perkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

William Mann's "Black Dahlia" s an interesting and informative (if gruesome) book. I don't read a lot of true crime, but this was definitely a good one to dive into. Mann's research is meticulous, and cleared up some misunderstandings I had regarding this cold case. To begin with, I was under the impression that Elizabeth Short was an actress; she was neither an actress nor a model, in fact she was a drifter, perhaps seeking to make her way in Los Angeles but not knowing how. I was also unaware of the details of her murder; horrific doesn't begin to describe it. Despite evidence to the contrary as found by the coroner, I hope she passed quickly. Elizabeth Short's murder has yet to be solved, it probably never will be. A major contributing factor to this is politics. Detectives in the LA Police Department spent hundreds of hours investigating, only to have the county Sherriff's department run roughshod over their investigation, tamper with evidence, pay off witnesses, and leave a grieving family without closure. Detectives Harry Hansen and Finis Brown are the heroes of this story: they gave their all despite the roadblocks the Sheriff's office placed in their way. That they never solved the case bothered them long after their retirement.
I appreciate that Mann doesn't set out to solve this case. In his own words, this is an examination of Elizabeth Short's life, what may have led up to her death, and what happened after. He may have his own thoughts about who the culprit was, but he doesn't say. He lets his readers make their own decisions. I am also very grateful that William Mann doesn't engage in any victim blaming, as the press did all those years ago when Elizabeth Short was identified as the victim. He approaches Short's actions as a witness himself, describing the people she met and how she spent her time. He questions what may have made her make some of her decisions, but never once implies that her death was her own fault. It's a refreshing change.
The world may never know who killed Elizabeth Short, but William Mann's "Black Dahlia" makes sure that it will never forget who she was.

[J Earl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Black Dahlia: Murder, Monsters, and Madness in Midcentury Hollywood, by William J Mann, works to both humanize Elizabeth Short as well as put the entire unsolved case into the context of that particular time and place. For the most part Mann succeeds quite well.

What I appreciate about this book, and others that do the same for other cases, is the avoidance of sensationalistic writing and exploitation. The parts that come closest are really just pointing out how the case was covered in the press and tabloids and the continued willingness of people to milk Short's death for podcast after podcast and other morbid activities under the guise of "true crime aficionado." Yes, Mann is making his buck off the case too, but put in the legwork to understand the victim and do considerably less screwball speculating just to get clicks before coming up with another scheme to profit off of a person's death.

That isn't to say he doesn't posit a suggestion but I don't know how serious it was since it seems like it has already been investigated and dismissed. There was nothing new that convinced me his possible culprit was the one.

In addition to less sensationalism I think what makes this an enjoyable read, unless you prefer sensationalism, is how the environment in LA at the time contributed to both the opportunity for such crimes and the likelihood that such crimes would go unsolved. In this way it is also about Hollywood/Los Angeles as a character in the story.

It has been almost 80 years since the murder and even with the additional research Mann did there is only so much we can truly know about Elizabeth Short as a human being. No doubt some of his speculation may not be perfect, but it still helps to think about the why of what she was doing rather than viewing every act she did as something directly related to her death. She was a young woman who made a decision to try to break into modeling or acting and found herself in a harsh environment and tried to survive. Some will simply blame her for what happened, that isn't uncommon, especially when the victim is a woman not conforming to what some might think she should be doing. Technically, every crime can be blamed on the victim if you want to say that by living their lives they put themselves in that place at that moment. Funny though how it is usually only given voice when it is a woman. There is a difference in acknowledging all of the little things that contributed to a crime, distributing responsibility minutely over every little action of every person, and in blaming someone. To the extent there is actual blame, that rests solely with the murderer. Nothing she did makes her the one to blame.

I would recommend this to true crime readers who want some kind of humanity in their true crime, who care about the victim as a person and not just every gory detail of the crime. Like many of us, you have probably read other books, listened to podcasts, watched documentaries, and maybe even tried to organize all of the information logically to see if it might make some kind of new sense. There will be some new information here for you, but mostly you will learn about the person Elizabeth Short and the environment in which she was trying to survive and which ultimately contributed to both her murder and the inability to solve the crime.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.

[Holly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping this new novel would bring more conclusive and previously undivulged information that would suggest closure in this very cold, but interesting case. The author certainly spent a good deal of time doing his research, working up a picture of Elizabeth Short's brief life in Los Angeles leading up to her murder. But so many of those who came to know Elizabeth in LA are long gone, and the information gathered appears to have been second or third hand from surviving family members or friends who might or might not have remembered information that was factually correct. But at least we do get a picture of this woman's brief existence in LA before her death. There is however, a lot (and I repeat, a lot), of background information about too many players that seemed wholly unnecessary and I found myself skipping paragraphs and then pages.

Elizabeth is presented to us as a naive and impulsive young woman from a small town in Massachusetts who arrives in Los Angeles almost penniless, but with a dream of becoming a model. Unfortunately she has no real understanding of how to achieve that goal. And, the more I read, the more I struggled not to be judgmental. Elizabeth gets to LA in what appears to have been a period of significant crime and exposes herself to the invitation for a crime to be perpetrated against her by her chosen lifestyle. She has no idea of how to live on her own and never manages to support herself by getting a job. She lives on the street and spends her days wandering around window shopping, or sitting in the seats of local cafes hoping to snag some simple soul who will provide her with a roof over her head for the night, or a free meal. She falls into a pattern of a reliance on others and regrettably, and for the most part, those others were a lot of men she met on the street or in those cafes. She seemed particularly attracted to servicemen returning home from WWII. Elizabeth Short was an accident waiting to happen.

While the author believes Elizabeth was not a "professional" sex worker, he also seems to suggest she was not offering sexual favors in exchange for places to sleep for the night or a free meal. I find that difficult to believe. She is characterized as canny and intelligent enough to manipulate her benefactors and she certainly managed to turn one night stays into weeks or months with the seriously gullible. But her manner of choice of day to day survival seems to suggest to me that perhaps she was canny and manipulative, but not particularly intelligent.

In the end, Elizabeth was a victim of her own life choices and superbly unlucky in her final choice of a companion of the moment. The perpetrator she met on that fateful day was no ordinary man, but a true psychopath with a serious case of misogynistic hatred. The sick things done to her body after her death show that clearly enough. Sadly, although it was interesting to get a picture of this young woman's life before her untimely death, I found her superbly irritating. And, I sense no closure from the book. I don't necessarily agree with the author's suggestion of a possible suspect. I came away with a strong feeling that this crime was not perpetrated by someone Elizabeth had fouled or offended. It seems to smack of a crime of opportunity by a seriously sick individual.

[Curtis Edmonds · Rating 5 out of 5]

BLACK DAHLIA references the old "Dragnet" radio show (later, of course, to be a TV show, and then a Dan Ackroyd vehicle, which was bad enough to keep anyone from revising it) and this is, for the most part, a book that would warm the cockles of Joe Friday's heart. Author William J. Mann is about sifting what facts we have about Elizabeth Short from the considerable pile of fiction created in the wake of her brutal, unsolved murder. Following in the tradition of Gerald Posner's CASE CLOSED, Mann follows Short on her will-o-the-wisp wanderings through Southern California, tracing the erratic path that led to her miserable end, alone, naked and bisected in a Los Angeles vacant lot.

To the extent that Mann follows the just-the-facts-ma'am approach, BLACK DAHLIA is a winner, pasting together a sympathetic biography of Short, who spent her last months jobless and effectively homeless, dependent on the kindness of strangers. It was an aimless existence, punctuated by various on-again, off-again relationships (all of which would come back to plague said strangers, who would be transmuted into suspects soon enough).

Unlike Posner's retelling of Lee Harvey Oswald's life (which is extraordinarily well-documented), Mann frequently has to throw up his hands and explain, hey, we just don't know what Elizabeth Short was doing sometimes--not least because she was a bit of a fabulist herself. Faced with this central difficulty, Mann retreats into sociology, lecturing at length about post-war Los Angeles and other contemporaneous goings-on. (I will admit that at one point, I shook my head and asked, "Exactly why is he going on about Paul Robeson?") There is also, unavoidably, a good bit here about the yellow press, who were not only embedded in the case up to their eyeballs, but who immortalized Short by giving her a nickname that has resounded through the ages. (Apparently there was a movie out called "The Blue Dahlia," and Short had black hair, and that did it.)

Mann also sporadiacally adopts the first-person-plural approach here, which also detracts from the more clinical approach--it's more than a bit off-putting, as he comes across as chummy and ingratiating when he does it, and it's unnecessary. What Mann does most effectively is critiquing the LAPD when the investigation goes off-track, cataloguing an almost-unbelievable set of circumstances that kicks off with a letter from a nutball and ends up with the complete b0llixing-up of the case by the lead psychiatrist.

The other primary drawback in Mann's analysis is that he can't get hold of certain facts about the investigation, especially those regarding his primary suspect--the LAPD still has the case open and won't share its case file, and the FBI stonewalled a FOIA request for what appears to be no good reason. Again, Mann has to throw his hands up here; the drawback of just-the-facts-ma'am is that you don't have all the facts. But he has assembled the facts that we do have into a coherent, readable, and compelling narrative, and power to him.

[Dahlia · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who has been fascinated by the Black Dahlia case since moving to Los Angeles as a teenager, and an avid true crime reader, I can honestly say this is the book on the case I’ve been hoping would be written for years. Black Dahlia is the first treatment of Elizabeth Short’s story that feels both serious and deeply human. William J. Mann approaches the case not as a lurid mystery to sensationalize, but as a meticulously researched portrait of a young woman whose life—and tragic death—have too often been reduced to myth.

Mann’s work stands out for its compassion and rigor. He brings Elizabeth to life as a real person: ambitious, flawed, and full of longing, rather than a tabloid caricature. His careful attention to her family, particularly her strong and resilient mother, adds emotional depth and context that’s rarely found in true crime. The book also examines the social climate of 1940s Los Angeles—the bureaucratic dysfunction, the media circus, and the pervasive misogyny that shaped both the investigation and its public narrative.

This isn’t a book for readers looking for a fast-paced, sensational “whodunit.” Mann doesn’t claim to solve the murder, but he does make compelling, evidence-based arguments that help rule out certain suspects while providing a sobering look at how the case was mishandled and why. Occasionally, the detail can feel dense, but it’s a small trade-off for the clarity and fairness he brings to such a mythologized crime.

My only wish is that the finished book might include photographs or visual materials—especially given how powerfully the story evokes time and place.

Black Dahlia separates fact from fiction in the best possible way—thoughtful, respectful, and unflinching. For readers who want substance over spectacle, and for anyone tired of exploitative takes on this case, this is essential reading. I don’t give five stars lightly, but this book was a wonderful surprise.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Bargain Sleuth Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily. Content warning: Graphic descriptions of mutilated body!

I remember watching a documentary about the Black Dahlia murder some years ago, and instead of focusing on who could have killed Elizabeth Short, they focused on the false narrative of who the public believed she was as well as the details of her gruesome murder. This year has seen two books being published about the unsolved murder; I have already reviewed one book, (click here for review) and now I’m tackling a forthcoming book, Black Dahlia: Murder, Monsters and Madness.

One of the good thing about both of these books, but especially this one, is that readers get a clearer picture of WHO Elizabeth was instead of WHAT HAPPENED to her. Back in 1947 and the years since the murder, she has been portrayed as a Hollywood starlet, a “loose” woman, etc. These misogynistic attempts at victim-blaming have worked, yet William J. Mann breaks down those misconceptions bit by bit. Elizabeth Short was not a saintly woman, but that does not mean she “got what she deserved,” which has been the sexist narrative for almost eight decades.

I appreciated the author’s attempts to remain objective and present the list of major suspects in Short’s murder and let the reader decide who could have possible killed her in such a brutal way. However, despite claiming objectivity and a “I’m just presenting the facts,” there are a few times where the author comes right out and says, let’s take this guy off the suspect list. So, no, this is not a totally objective book, but it’s the closest thing I’ve seen regarding the Black Dahlila case.

[trop_de_livres · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you say that the murder of Elizabeth Short is one of the most notorious cold cases in US history I would hazard a guess that most people would be confused. Say “the Black Dahlia” and you would get a different reaction. This is indicative of what happened to Elizabeth: a horrific tragedy was turned into a legend, suited for tabloid journalism. The real young woman behind the moniker became lost to time, her short life turned into myth.

I have read several books about this case, each with a different theory about what happened. The latest is Black Dahlia: Murder, Monsters, and Madness in Midcentury Hollywood, by William J. Mann. What makes this one different is the lens in which Mann views the facts. Taking into account the societal changes, and especially the social, cultural, and psychological aspects of gender, this is a fresh approach to viewing Elizabeth’s life and the lives of those affected by her fate. Mann uses this lens to analyze the actions of the police force as well as of the journalists. This makes for a much more nuanced, humane look at everyone involved. Mann has written this with the greatest empathy for the victims and survivors of the many events of these turbulent post-war years.

Perhaps that makes this sound like a textbook, but it most definitely is not. It is beautifully written and well-researched. There is new (to me) information that makes me think that the author is on to something. Even though this crime will probably never be solved, at least this book humanizes Elizabeth. I would highly recommend it to those interested in post-war history, the history of Hollywood, and true crime.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for letting me read this in exchange for an honest review

[Deanna Lynn Sletten · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Black Dahlia: Murder, Monsters, and Madness in Midcentury Hollywood, William J. Mann delivers a masterful work of nonfiction that rises well above standard true-crime fare. Thoroughly researched, elegantly written, and steeped in historical context, this book offers a chilling yet measured exploration of the Elizabeth Short murder while illuminating the darker undercurrents of postwar Hollywood.

What makes Mann’s approach so effective is his refusal to sensationalize. Instead, he situates the crime within the cultural, social, and psychological landscape of mid-century Los Angeles—a world shaped by celebrity obsession, moral panic, institutional failures, and hidden violence. Hollywood itself becomes a character: glamorous on the surface, deeply troubled beneath. Mann’s portrait of the era feels authentic and grounded, reflecting a careful respect for history and for the people whose lives were irrevocably altered.

Mann’s prose is confident and restrained, allowing the narrative to unfold with clarity and purpose. He examines suspects, investigators, and long-standing theories with a critical eye, separating documented fact from decades of rumor and mythmaking. Just as importantly, he restores dignity to Elizabeth Short, presenting her not as a lurid symbol but as a real young woman caught in a brutal convergence of circumstance and cruelty.

Black Dahlia: Murder, Monsters, and Madness in Midcentury Hollywood is exemplary narrative nonfiction—thoughtful, disciplined, and deeply engaging. It will appeal not only to true-crime readers, but also to those who value historical integrity and careful storytelling. Mann demonstrates that the most enduring investigations are those that honor the past while seeking truth with patience and care.

[Sara Bechtol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre 📚: Non-Fiction, True Crime, History
CW ⚠️: Descriptions of torture, murder, mutilation, assault, grief
Rating ⭐️: 4/5

The Black Dahlia murder of 1947 is a case I’ve long known, ever since I first heard of it in a documentary. I was around twelve at the time (probably too young to be watching that kind of content, but eh 🤷‍♀️) and it definitely stuck with me. The story, the images, and of course, the name. But that was one ten-minute segment. I never knew the full story, until I found this book.

William J. Mann explores the case the way I like all true crime cases to be — with the utmost care and respect. He starts talking about the victim Elizabeth Short and her life, reminding readers that she was a person and not just the Black Dahlia. We learn about her family, her friends, her difficult times in LA, all leading up to the actual murder. And the way it’s written, you really grow to care for her and feel the full weight when she’s found dead.

From there, we experience the media frenzy, the pressure on law enforcement, and a deep dive into numerous suspects. It’s not an easy read, especially after getting to know Elizabeth Short. Especially knowing that the case, to this day, is unsolved. There’s no closure, and it sucks to think that we may never get that. But I’m glad I read this, for the same reason I’m always eager to look into cases, sensationalized or obscure. Because they shouldn’t be forgotten.

**Much thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Black Dahlia: Murder, Monsters, and Madness in Midcentury Hollywood will be released on January 27, 2026.

[Kari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I’ve read multiple books by this author and have found them engaging and thoroughly researched.

The Black Dahlia is a more nuanced take on the Elizabeth Short case, looking at how the media and culture of the 1940’s twisted and remade the facts to meet their own theories. Mann takes this misinformation and parses out the “truth” of Elizabeth Short’s life, death, and the subsequent decades-long murder investigation. Overall, he succeeds in dispelling rumor and and bringing humanity back to the tabloid portrayal.

One of my reasons for not giving this book more stars is the “thoroughly researched” aspect. I felt like it got bogged down in backstory and information on every single person who had any interaction with Elizabeth Short. After a while it felt like a slog to get through someone’s mini-biography, only to have another one show up not many pages later.

On the other hand, I especially liked the depth the author took in receating Elizabeth Short’s life before her unfortunate end. It helped to humanize both Beth and those in her orbit. I knew there wasn’t going to be any new information related to the murder and investigation because…unsolved, so the laser focus on her life in the beginning of the book helped provide much needed context.

Overall, The Black Dahlia was an engaging entry in the true crime sphere, humanizing an horrific crime that had long taken on mythic proportions.

[Ashley Wiker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an extremely detailed account of the information we had at the public’s disposal regarding The Black Dahlia murder. The character descriptions and timelines were extremely informative. The author was able to tell the story, including very descriptive background in an engaging and compelling way. He was also able to give several details around each of the suspects and why they were originally suspected and ultimately ruled out or there was not enough evidence to pursue the suspect aggressively.

The only part of the book that seemed to bother me a bit was that the author seemed fairly convinced that Elizabeth Short was fairly “innocent” or that when she did do things that were immoral, she had a reason to do them. It seemed from the authors own storytelling, that Elizabeth Short may have been exactly as she appeared with her multiple boyfriends and chronic male manipulation. I found it odd that it seemed like excuses were made for her risky behaviors. Of course I don’t say that to victim blame as obviously no one deserves the fate she met, but we do need to acknowledge she engaged in high risk behaviors and put herself in dangerous situations which increased her overall risk of harm.

Overall, this book was absolutely fascinating and well written. It was incredibly informative and an extremely interesting read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Spinster · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of William J. Mann's book Tinseltown, which covers the story of William Desmond Taylor and offers a plausible theory about who exactly killed him.

Black Dahlia takes on another crime from Old Hollywood, this one even more notorious: the murder of Elizabeth Short, a.k.a. the Black Dahlia. Ever since her body was discovered in a vacant lot, myths and falsehoods have sprung up and successfully obscured the real Beth. There's an entire cottage industry of books about her, several of them by one wingnut who says his dad not only killed Beth Short but was also the Zodiac. Sure, Jan.

Anyway, Black Dahlia does a good job piercing some of these falsehoods as the author attempts to paint a portrait of the real woman behind the gruesome myth. There's a lot we still don't know about Beth--including, tragically, the identity of her killer--but she seems more like a real person here than she does in the vast majority of coverage. And as Mann points out: her death made her infamous, but her life is what was valuable.

Mann, per usual, provides a colorful cast of characters: the press, the police, the ex-soldiers and single women populating LA in the 1940s. The scariest character in the book might be the psychiatrist who provided an early profile of Beth's killer. Highly recommended for anyone who likes historical true crime.

[Dani Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

I first became aware of The Black Dahlia at some point when I was a teen, likely due to my brother being a fan of the band of the same name. My knowledge in regard to the murder of Elizabeth Short was limited to what little I read on the internet. Eventually I listened to a couple episodes of the podcast “Most Notorious” and read the book “Black Dahlia Avenger” and while interesting in definitely felt like the author was manipulating the facts to fit his case.

This book is not that. William J. Mann looks at all the information and facts as presented and debunks the myth, legend, and newspaper lies of the last 78 years since the murder happened. He does all of this while also being compelling, not dry. I often found myself sucked into the book as if it was fiction. The author places the murder of Elizabeth Short within her historical and cultural context as well, painting a picture of what post WW2 America, specifically Los Angeles, was like in particular for women.

He spends some time debunking popular suspects while also presenting one of his own but very carefully, not manipulating facts to serve his theory.

I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in true crime, and more specifically the Black Dahlia case.

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw the title Black Dahlia and knew I wanted to read this book but didn’t immediately know why. I finally remembered that I had seen a movie on her life many years ago (best guess is that it was the Luci Arnaz film “Who is the Black Dahlia”).

This awesome book tells Elizabeth Short’s story in a very respectful way. You learn about her whereabouts in the months leading up to the still-unsolved crime and get to hear the perspectives of her friends and others with whom she had contact.

Certainly Hollywood in the 1940’s was a different place than the Hollywood we know now. Not everyone mentioned in the narrative comes across well. I was mortified to read about the actions of the press as they jostled to have the best coverage of the investigation.

The crime was horrific and there were many suspects. Mann does a great job walking us through the major players in the investigation and lays out reasoning as to why some of them were unfairly blamed.

True crime junkies will love this book. I’ve already watched two documentaries on the case and hope to see a few more.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for providing me the opportunity to read Black Dahlia. The above opinions are my own.

[Adam‘’s book reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Black Dahlia: Murder, Monsters, and Madness in Midcentury Hollywood by William J. Mann explores the life and death of Elizabeth Short, the Black Dahlia, within the context of 1940s Los Angeles. The book combines historical background, biography, and investigative detail to reconstruct Short’s life and the world around her. Mann describes the investigation in depth, going into the devastation of the crime, the identification process, and the suspects, while situating the case alongside other contemporary crimes. He moves between Short’s early life in Massachusetts and California and the procedural details of the case, providing a vivid portrait of the city and its culture at the time.

I’ve been intrigued by Elizabeth Short since seeing her story on Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack in the late ’80s and early ’90s. I appreciated how Mann humanizes her, showing her as a real person rather than just a victim. The book is detailed and immersive, and I found the historical context and social background fascinating. Mann also addresses myths about Short, offering a clearer sense of who she was and the life she led.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing an advance copy.

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never thought - especially given that it seems Larry Harnisch's long-awaited book will never be finished or published - that I would ever read a good account of Elizabeth Short's life and death, let alone a great one. But here we are with the most comprehensive, respectful, and well-written account so far. Mann does an excellent job showing why the various serious suspects cannot have been the killer, in particular the one posited in Piu Marie Eastman's dreadful "Black Dahlia, Red Rose".

I appreciate Mann's attempt at giving us a fuller picture of Elizabeth Short as a person, not just a murder victim, difficult as that is after so much time and with all the false stories she told throughout her brief life. I would have like more information on how common her lifestyle, drifting through LA/San Diego with no job, relying on the "kindness of strangers", was in post-war Southern California. It doesn't appear it was wildly out of the ordinary, since her friends and acquaintances don't seem to have commented much about it. But I'm still curious about her utter lack of interest in finding a job to support herself, given that she had prior work experience. As much of a PITA that a job can be, it just seems exhausting to be constantly scrabbling for meals and a place to stay.

Finally, I can't say that I'm convinced by Mann's not-quite-endorsement of a particular suspect as the probable killer, based on the logistics and the suspect's later life. It's certainly more plausible than any of the others offered up in previous books, but I'm not sold on him. Still, this is a remarkable achievement and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in this case.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so excited to read this book because, while I’m very interested in true crime, I feel like everything I’ve learned about the Black Dahlia case is always very surface level info and no one really dives deeply into it.

This book definitely dives very deep into it. Like almost too deep at times.

I did love the amount of focus that was given to Elizabeth as a person, and not just as a murder victim. That was great. But I feel like I didn’t need to read the biographies of everyone she met in LA unless they ended up being a suspect.

I also feel like I didn’t need such a deep dive into the culture at the time and the whole history of crime statistics. Crimes like this have happened to women since the dawn of time and they’re still happening today. It’s always misogyny in some form. I don’t think WW2 or the changing gender roles played a role in it, but I digress.

I ended up having to skip paragraphs and sometimes a page or two, which I always hate.

Overall, this book was good at teaching someone who was new to the case more about Elizabeth Short and the brutal ending of her life, but it also had too much filler.

[QueenRelan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I’m in a unique position with this book, having had a fixation on the Black Dahlia case for years and already knowing quite a bit about it. Because of that, nothing here felt totally new to me—but that didn’t make it any less captivating to read.

Mann’s approach is both illuminating and humanizing, stripping away decades of sensationalism to present Elizabeth Short as a real person rather than the myth she’s been turned into. I especially appreciated how he contextualized the case within postwar America—the anxieties, shifting gender expectations, and cultural upheavals of the era add depth to a story that’s often flattened into lurid headlines.

While readers already familiar with the case might not find major revelations, the meticulous research and reframing make this a definitive and worthwhile read. For those less versed in the Black Dahlia, this would be an excellent starting point that avoids the exploitative tendencies so common in true crime.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

[Pamela Sewell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Net Galley eARC. On a cold January morning in 1947 one of the most heinous unsolved crimes in the annals of unsolved crimes began to unfold. A young woman's severed body was discovered in a vacant lot in Loss Angeles. When a cub reporter called her the "Black Dahlia" in an early article a legend was born and a young woman's life and identify became lost. Most people recognize the legend but few remember Elizabeth Short a young woman who came to California following a dream as so many before her. Countless pages have been written speculating who she encountered and what ensued that led to her brutal torture and murder. Mann's narrative was one of most unbiased and informative that I have perused. He seemed to have no horse (suspect) in the race just presented an informative and well researched and documented report. It was a refreshing focus on the victim as the normal young woman she was in life. Seven decades on we will probably never have answers but the myth of the Black Dahlia will live on. A compelling read.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many years ago I attended a reading by James Ellroy where he asked a question about the afterlife. One thing he said was if one existed he wanted to meet Betty Short and find out who killed her. Her murder is one mystery I had hoped to see solved by now, and after reading Mann's survey of the case I remained confirmed in my belief that she didn't deserve her fate.

What I like about "Black Dahlia" is that it is not a sensationalist tale like other books about this case. Where Ellroy's fictional account focused on the detectives assigned the murder, Mann's book gives us as exhaustive a biography of Short as possible, dispelling the myths that outlasted the victim. That Betty was never known by or called the Black Dahlia stands out for me. Different sources portrayed Betty as an aspiring actress or sex worker, when in truth she was likely a naive young woman trying to figure out her future. Mann's style of writing is straightforward and meticulous, and reads as concerned more for the victim than the hype.

[Megan Beech · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most tragic unsolved cold cases of mid century United States history is resurrected in this true crime upcoming book: Black Dahlia. The tragic and brutal end to Elizabeth Short's life is one of the most horrific ways to die and she didn't deserve to have her young life snatched away in the manner it was. Her story has been the fuel to many controversies and conspiracies that no one truly knows who would do such a heinous crime.

This book is heavily researched and I love the fact that the author made her a human being as she was and not someone who was murdered in a penny dreadful story. She deserves to be treated like the lady she was and not into the character Hollywood made her out to be

This book is definitely made for readers who are either familiar with this case file or anyone who enjoys reading true crime cases.

I would love to thank the author, publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC book in exchange for an honest review.

[Nancy Bruen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elizabeth Short, now known as the Black Dahlia, was beautiful, talented, and mutilated.
Famous biographer of Elizabeth Taylor and Humphrey Bogart, William J. Mann goes above and beyond to explore this gruesome American murder.

For almost 80 years, this murder has remained unsolved. What do we know about the victim and the case? We know Elizabeth was born in Boston, and eventually ended up in California in search of an acting career. We know she stumbled into the sex worker industry. We also know that she was brutally mutilated.

Although many have tried, William J. Mann has come closer than ever to finding the answers to this mystery. You do not want to miss his extraordinary findings! Brilliantly written and filled with new information, Black Dahlia was made for all true crime fans.