My latest article for Crime Reads relates to The Alaskan Blonde, and expands much more on what’s in the book about “Perry Mason” author Erle Stanley Gardner, whom the Wells family asked to recommend a private eye who could look into Cecil’s murder. Gardner’s choice was “Bud” Bodell, a cigar-chomping PI with an amazing story of his own…
Monthly Archives: December 2025
Crime on the Titanic, Halloween Murders in LA, and the Xmas Tree King….
My articles for CrimeReads are about crime on the Titanic, several Halloween nights when trick-or-treat turned deadly in LA., the 1929 murder of LA vintner Frank Baumgarteker (his body was never found but the case was investigated for years), the love triangle murder that entangled the San Diego “Xmas Tree King”, and about Lucille Parker and Alexander Mackay, two young lovers who committed dozens of robberies in LA in the early 1930s: she was called “the red-haired bandit queen”!
100 Years of the Cecil Hotel – the most infamous hotel in LA history
The Cecil Hotel in downtown LA is infamous for murders and suicides – plus the “Night Stalker” stayed here, and tourist Elisa Lam was found dead in the roof water tank. I wrote about the Cecil Hotel recently celebrating its 100th birthday, and how one man is trying to make a difference…. https://www.sfgate.com/la/article/cecil-hotel-la-priest-20059489.php
I talk to LAist 89.3FM about Strange and Bizarre Museums in LA
Recently I appeared on LAist 89.3FM to talk about six undiscovered and unusual museums in LA – including the Museum of Death in Hollywood! You can read my article about it here
Hagning out with @spookyfoodie at The Wolves in downtown LA
It was great fun meeting SpookyFoodie at her Spooky’s Restaurant Club – the place was packed with lovely people who liked LA history, ghosts and crime: my type of people! Here are some pics…
This daring LA robber wrote King Edward VIII to save him from the noose…
My latest article for SFGate is about America’s first Bonnie & Clyde – robbers Alexander Mackay and Lucille Walker – whose gang terrorized LA in the early 1930s. Mackay ended up in San Quentin, condemned to death after a failed escape, and he decided to get help. Being a British subject (born in Scotland), he wrote King Edward VIII for help…
https://www.sfgate.com/california/article/california-crime-couple-bonnie-clyde-21069355.php
DISCOVERED! The grave of actress Elsa Lanchester, the “Bride of Frankenstein”!
My recent piece for the BBC about the discovery of the resting place of actress Elsa Lanchester (famous for playing The Bride of Frankenstein) is here.
Gourmet Ghosts 