The Black Dahlia

I've just finished James Ellroy's semi-fictional account of the real-life murder mystery, The Black Dahlia. In reality, the 1947 unsolved murder of 22-year-old Elizabeth Short shocked California. She disappeared one night in January. Her body was found cut in half and drained of blood in a vacant lot in the south of the city.

The book blends facts and fiction, and I honestly don't know much about the real case so I can't comment on how and where, but the story twists and turns, much like the reader's stomach once the murder details are revealed throughout the investigation. A love triangle, an obsessed young detective and a few other brutal murders create a rich tapestry of violence and police work. The 50's jive talk is easier to get through with google at your side- the average dictionary won't clear up confusions about long-gone dialect. There are a thousand reviews for this book out there. It's great. If crime mysteries are your thing, this is for you.

There are meetups happening in the city: Young Professionals in Manchester are meeting at The Wharf in Castlefield: perfect for a warm Saturday evening. There are plenty more if you search the site.