Daddy Was the Black Dahlia Killer : The Identity of America's Most Notorious Serial Murderer--Revealed at Last

Rating:
Summary: believable??
Review: As I read this story, and the author accused more and more people of sexually abusing her, I had a really hard time believing what she said. Most accounts of Beth Short have been very specific on one point; she was sexually immature, her genitals weren't fully developed. Now, because of this woman's book, we are supposed to believe that, not only was the Black Dahlia a promiscous whore, but that her father was also Beth Short's baby's father? There was no evidence mentioned in the autopsy report of her having recently been pregnant. I find Janice Knowlton's book very graphic, and maybe she did see her father murder someone, but she hasn't proved to me that the person he murdered was Beth Short.

Rating:
Summary: lmplausible
Review: I do beleive that Miss Knowlton was abused by her father..but as for claims regarding Elizabeth Short, I just can not believe it. There is no evidence and the lengthy murder description that she 'witnessed' was excessive and wholly implausible. The book is heavy on the gore and not much on anything regarding evidence. I consider myself well read on the subject having develeoped a fascination for the case in my teens and just can not digest anything this book has to offer. Also the 'deformed/infantile genitalia' is a popular misconception/urban myth, and in fact she could (and according to Red Manley-mind you that is only his word) have intercourse, but could never give birth or have a proper period, but other than that everything was of the norm.

Rating:
Summary: DISTURBING BUT NOT WELL FOUNDED
Review: I have read the book based on the subject matter, the Black Dahlia murder, which I am very interested in since it was never solved. Although I do believe that Ms. Knowlton was defintely abused by her father, there is no proof that he has committed the Black Dahlia murder or any other. There is no direct evidence that would convince me that has committed the murders that are mentioned in the book. I do feel for Ms. Knowlton and her suffering, however, many of the things that she mentions about Beth Short (the Black Dahlia), do not meet the facts that are known about her. For example, Ms. Knowlton mentions that "Aunt Betty" had sex with her father (George Knowlton)and was a well known prostitute. Beth Short had a deformed sex organ that did not enable her to have intercourse with men. This was a fact that was kept out of the news papers in order to identify the true killer if they ever confessed. the picture that Ms. Knowlton paints of Beth Short is as sadistic babysitter and a tramp, as if to say in indirect words, that the Black Dahlia put herself in a position that caused her death and suffering. The abuse is too well described and I had to put the book down many a time because of its disturbing content. I am sorry to say that this book is not one that I would recommend to people who never heard of the murder of the Black Dahlia. It is full of rumors that could have been overheard over time and facts about the murder that could have been taken out of back issues of newspapers that were printed in January of 1947, when the murder took place. I hurt for Ms. Knowlton, but do not believe that her "facts" are well founded.

Rating:
Summary: Disturbing/Lousy Read
Review: I read this book on recommendation of another person, without checking out anything on it prior to purchase. I feel like I wasted my time and money. The book was a lousy, jumbled read. The ideas were haphazardly thrown together to outline a poorly scripted idea (the Dahlia) surrounding the memories of surviving sex-abuse victim. While I have no doubt that Ms. Knowlton endured the abuse described within, it lended little to the story of the Black Dahlia. Both stories leave too many unanswered questions for the reader. The Dahlia tale is confused and befuddled amid a graphic and disturbing tale of abuse. I do not recommend this book to anyone.

Rating:
Summary: Disturbing/Lousy Read
Review: I read this book on recommendation of another person, without checking out anything on it prior to purchase. I feel like I wasted my time and money. The book was a lousy, jumbled read. The ideas were haphazardly thrown together to outline a poorly scripted idea (the Dahlia) surrounding the memories of surviving sex-abuse victim. While I have no doubt that Ms. Knowlton endured the abuse described within, it lended little to the story of the Black Dahlia. Both stories leave too many unanswered questions for the reader. The Dahlia tale is confused and befuddled amid a graphic and disturbing tale of abuse. I do not recommend this book to anyone.

Rating:
Summary: I hate even giving it one star
Review: Please I beg you do NOT read this book!! It's disgusting and will give you nightmares...we do not need to hear every detail of how life was in George's house of horrors. Not for anyone interested in Beth Short and not for anyone who has a weak stomach. AGAIN LEAVE THIS ONE ALONE. Hey can we burn the remaining copies now???

Rating:
Summary: Read It Only As Entertainment
Review: Please I beg you do NOT read this book!!!!!!!!!! It's disgusting and will give you nightmares...we do not need to hear every detail of how life was in George's house of horrors. Not for anyone interested in Beth Short and not for anyone who has a weak stomach. AGAIN LEAVE THIS ONE ALONE. Hey can we burn the remaining copies now???

Rating:
Summary: Daddy was the Black Dahlia Killer: The ID of the America's M
Review: This book is GARBAGE!!!! The author presents flashbacks but no persuasive evidence! She had no recollection of the events until the 80's and you know what most of the "recollections" of the 80's were...JUNK SCIENCE. I could not believe the items that they provided as persuasive; she had a "Flashback" about a woman named "Elizabeth with black hair"! Can you imagine how many women in that part of the country named Elizabeth in those days??!! I read the book by Detective Hodel and his presentation was far more logical. At least he had some evidence, pictures and addresses that match the Dahlia murder and other like murders. His father was even a surgeon, which makes more sense than Knowlton's father; a hunter and wastral. A very disturbed women in her own right and trying to blame her father for her problems. Hey, get your head straight and leave your parents out of it...there is a thing called, "initiative and self-drive". We are all responsible for how we end up, don't try the, "cop-out".

Rating:
Summary: Daddy was the Black Dahlia Killer: The ID of the America's M
Review: This book is GARBAGE!!!! The author presents flashbacks but no persuasive evidence! She had no recollection of the events until the 80's and you know what most of the "recollections" of the 80's were...JUNK SCIENCE. I could not believe the items that they provided as persuasive; she had a "Flashback" about a woman named "Elizabeth with black hair"! Can you imagine how many women in that part of the country named Elizabeth in those days??!! I read the book by Detective Hodel and his presentation was far more logical. At least he had some evidence, pictures and addresses that match the Dahlia murder and other like murders. His father was even a surgeon, which makes more sense than Knowlton's father; a hunter and wastral. A very disturbed women in her own right and trying to blame her father for her problems. Hey, get your head straight and leave your parents out of it...there is a thing called, "initiative and self-drive". We are all responsible for how we end up, don't try the, "cop-out".

Rating:
Summary: not the best book you'll read this year!
Review: This book is not a book I would suggest to a reader who is squeamish. It has many unnecissary scenes of explicit sexual abuse and mutilation. Janice shows very good evidence in making her sexual, physical, and vocal abuse as a child believable. This book seems more of a auto biography rather than an allegation of the murder of the Black Dahlia. Janice Knowlton and Micheal Newton put much more emphasis on the horrific experiences she is put through instead of specifically addressing the issue at hand. I believe that one of the worst downfalls to this book is the very detailed accounts of what Janice experiences,that in some cases did not pertain to the Black Dahlia case.
Because of these things I can understand where some speculation would be brought up. I do not doubt at all the account of any abuse that occured in the Knowlton house. Many people doubt her accounts because of the fact that they are repressed memories. She has many points in the book that support these memories though, such as Janice have authorities dig up a skeleton of a family dog that had been shot and buried by George during one of his spells of rage. Overall, this book is a pretty good book but I must say is is definately a gruesome account of her life.