reading & read | cmr

Blow Fly, by Patricia Cornwell

Some of you may not be aware of this, but I am a crime freak. I love reading about serial killers, investigators, forensics, etc. I'm not on the brink of a mass murder; I just get fascinated. Since this fascination has been festering, I've found two authors that can satisfy my need for brain candy. One is Elizabeth George, and the other is Patricia Cornwell.

Patricia Cornwell writes a whole series about a female forensic pathologist and Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia, Kay Scarpetta, an italian cook (there's even a Scarpetta cookbook). I love these books. My sister Joey and I can't get enough.

The two latest are Blow Fly and Trace, the latter of which I have yet to read (still only in hardcover).

Blow Fly takes place after Scarpetta's love has been dead about 6 years, but only to her. Her two closest friends, Lucy (her niece) and Marino (her secret admirer and fat cop in crime) know that Benton (the love) is actually alive, but pretending to be dead for her sake. The man who "killed" Benton is now in jail, on death row, while his handsome brother is out and about in Louisiana, killing people like crazy. The plot thickens!

Definitely not the best I've read, but it was the brain candy I was searching for. Thanks, Pat. You're a real pal.

posted by christen roberts @ 3:34 PM 3 comments  

Black Dahlia Avenger, by Steve Hodel

I've read many a book over this brief period of time, that I can only sum up quickly here.

After Harry Potter, I'm pretty sure I read Black Dahlia Avenger by Steve Hodel. This book was, again, recommended by my dear friend and avid reader, Alice. An excellent read when you harbor fantasies about being the victim of a great crime (but only if you're the leading actress in a popular TV series), Black Dahlia Avenger reminds you that this shit really happens. It's fucking macabre (I always wanted to use that word but feel ridiculous saying it out loud).

The Black Dahlia (Crimelibrary.com is a great source for entertainment, but don't take too much of it as fact) was murdered in 1947, bisected in half, and had a slit from each corner of her mouth up to her ears. She was young, pretty and, by the end of her reign as the victim of one of Los Angeles' most fantastic serial crimes, a whore beyond imagination. Her death made her famous, but it also made her appear to be a rotten basket case.

Steve Hodel investigated the case himself after being an LA detective for 30-some-odd years and in retirement, making up with his father, found one of her pictures in his recently-deceased father's belongings. He also met James Ellroy, who wrote the semi-fictional account, The Black Dahlia, believing that whoever killed Elizabeth Short also murdered his [Ellroy's] own mother. What's the crazy part and makes this all so Hollywood? Steve Hodel discovered that HIS father--Dr. George Hodel--was the Black Dahlia murderer, lipstick killer, and more.

Four thumbs up and one big toe.

posted by christen roberts @ 3:13 PM 2 comments