Elizabeth Short, a Hollywood actress, was found dead in Los Angeles, CA, her corpse tortured and mutilated. This case, highly publicized due to the harsh press, held her up to be a promiscuous man-chaser, a woman with a ruined reputation. To this day, no one has been charged. This case racked the headlines of the country with its terrifying story, made into a scandal. The mysteriousness of this story made it even more intriguing, and to learn more about it, here are three of the best sources with different perspectives. 

1. Childhood Shadows: The Hidden Story of the Black Dahlia: Mary Pacios

• Mary Pacios, the author, was a close friend of the victim, and this book combines personal experience with in-depth research. It opens up different speculations about who the killer may be and brings a distinct, new perspective to the case. Pacios emphasizes that despite the media portraying Short as a wild woman or prostitute, she was just a beautiful woman who had her life taken from her too soon. It goes in depth into her theories on who killed her, as well as specific and thorough research to support it. 

1. The Black Dahlia (film):  

• This neo-noir crime thriller film received huge criticism for how it was played out and how it didn’t come all together at the end, and for the poor writing and bad directing. It had the potential to be an interesting watch, but the production along with the loose ends made it unpopular among viewers.

1. Root of Evil: The True Story of the Hodel Family and the Black Dahlia

• With 4.2 stars out of 17.2k reviews, this podcast is highly recommended by the majority of true crime lovers. Many believe Dr. George Hodel was the killer because of  an investigation by Hodel’s own son. But murder is only part of the Hodel family story, one filled with shocking, horrifying secrets that stretch through many generations. Now, through never-before-heard recordings and first-time interviews, the Hodel family opens up to reveal their story.