A Legacy Of Evil Vs. One Of Love

Reflections on a crime podcast, family dysfunction, and choices we all face

Photo by Greg Nunes on Unsplash

I used to think I was a weirdo because true crime fascinates me. Not any more. The genre is having a moment. Once upon a time, I had to wait for the latest from Ann Rule to hit the shelves. Now, there’s a never-ending supply of podcasts. Some are put together by amateurs with more enthusiasm than skill. Others are professional both in content and production.

I entertained myself on a recent drive to Seattle by taking in most of the episodes of Root Of Evil and was pulled right in. Not just because of the cold case of the murder of Elizabeth Short, the infamous Black Dahlia; although that’s fascinating, too. No, I was drawn to the family history of George Hodel, the likely murderer. Especially George’s granddaughter (and possibly daughter), Fauna Hodel.

Root of Evil: The True Story of the Hodel Family and the Black Dahlia

My purpose isn’t to review or recap Root of Evil or the related (but more fictionalized) TNT miniseries, I Am The Night. Give the podcast a listen though. You can do that at the link above. I can’t…