Fallen Angels: Chronicles of L.A. Crime and Mystery by Marvin J. WolfMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
A nice true crime compendium. Each short telling concludes with one or more map locations in case you want to make a grisly road trip.
The tales are chronological from a failed burglary caper that was the State of California's first crime in 1847 to the 1983 murder of Vicki Morgan; prostitute and dominatrix to business and political elite circling around the Ronald Reagan "kitchen cabinet".
Other high points include Walburga Oesterreich's bizarre 10-year affair with attic-dwelling Otto Sanhuber in her own homes plural. Then there is the downfall and Detroit suicide of boxed Kid McCoy who these authors are convinced gave birth to the phrase "The Real McCoy". In researching the murder of Marion Parker, the authors uncover a ghost story, so that is cool. Women are perpetrators here, too, like "Tiger Woman" Clara Phillips. Also standing out is the sad and pointless death of Carl Switzer, known for appearing in the Our Gang short subjects series as Alfalfa.
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