I think watching the movie killed my experience of this book. Centered on the unsolved case of the Black Dahlia, this same name book is narrated by Dwight "Bucky" Bleichert as he stumbles his way along in attempting to solve this murder. It's written in classic crime noir, but not nearly as entertaining as some others I have read in my lifetime. It's slow and toes the line of outright boring. The storyline and how things tie together is ridiculously convoluted for no other reason then to keep the reader from solving the mystery. However, I will say although I was spoiled by watching the movie, the explanation presented in the book is a bit different, but not as gratifying for me. Maybe it would have been better if I hadn't watched the movie, but the pacing of this book makes me doubt it. I do like how the Dahlia is presented as an obsession, but for the middle of the book, the obsession is relegated to the backseat is a bunch of other storylines, plots, issues are handled. I didn't like, and can barely finish it.