Black Dahlia Avenger

The True Story

By: Steve Hodel

Narrated by: Kevin Pierce

For 56 years, the Black Dahlia murder case remained one of the most notorious and high-profile unsolved crimes of the 20th century. Now, Steve Hodel, a 24-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department, believes he has finally solved the case. On January 15, 1947, 22-year-old Elizabeth Short - "The Black Dahlia" - was found dead in a vacant lot in Los Angeles, her body horribly mutilated, bisected at the waist, and posed in a bizarre manner. The horrific crime shocked the country and commanded headlines for months as the killer taunted the police with notes and phone calls. Despite the massive manhunt, the murderer was never found.

Hodel began working on the case after he retired from the LAPD when he chanced upon an intriguing piece of evidence that led him on a trail that he had no choice but to follow - since it pertained directly to him. As he dug deeper, he came to believe that the killer was also responsible for over a dozen other unsolved murders in the Los Angeles area around the same time. He also found copious evidence of corruption at the LAPD, leading him to accuse the department top brass of covering up the Black Dahlia murder in order to conceal a deeper conspiracy involving crooked politicians and gangsters.

Despite a lack of physical evidence (which had been destroyed), Hodel is able to connect numerous dots and make a plausible case, complete with lurid tales of wild orgies that were attended by celebrities such as the artist Man Ray, the director John Huston, and a host of other Hollywood elites. He also discloses his killer’s obsession with the Marquis de Sade and Jack the Ripper and how he modeled his own crimes on their behavior. In particular, there is a disturbing connection between the work of Man Ray and the horrific circumstances of Short’s murder. It is doubtful that this will be the final word on the Black Dahlia murder - too much myth surrounds it and much of his evidence is circumstantial - but Hodel’s labyrinthine tale adds much to this intriguing case.

©2003, 2011 Steve Hodel (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

great book

wow, he did as thurough of a job as one can expect. when he went into his conspiracy i thought "you lost me!" but then he had decently compelling evidence even on that...well done! i consider it solved.

Thorough!

Having been interested in the Black Dahlia murder since seeing several documentaries and movies about Elizabeth Short, I wanted to read Steve Hodel's book concerning his father George Hill Hodel as her murderer. I believe he made his case.

CAn we say horrid?

This is such a conglomeration of conjecture and making pieces fit together that it's so unlikely that it happened that it must be true that it did happen. I was waiting all through the book for one "nail in the coffin" and there just isn't one. Disappointed that it really is conjecture and coincidence; disappointed in so many police/law enforcement officers being so lax and downright evil. I almost quit listening several times because there's just nothing of consequence there-nothing substantial to build on. The crime itself was horrid but so was everything else in this story except Elizabeth Short who was shortchanged throughout the entire sequence of events.

Real life super villain.

You’ve never, in real life heard of a character more impressive or more malevolent then the Subject of this investigation and book. First read it in 2019 and this story hasn’t left my mind for a single day since.

Fascinating story!

An absolutely compelling story that is tremendously fascinating. It's almost hard to believe that all this ACTUALLY happened. The evidence that Steve Hodel provides definitely has me convinced that George Hodel was the Black Dahlia avenger. If you are fascinating by Elisabeth Short's murder then this book is a MUST read. Only bad thing is the narrator is a little too dry in my opinion. He reads with no energy, and reminds me of the most boring high school teacher you might have had. However, the content is very interesting and kept me going all the way through.