One Day She'll Darken

The Mysterious Beginnings of Fauna Hodel

By: Fauna Hodel, J R Briamonte

Narrated by: January LaVoy

Length: 10 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

The inspiration for the TNT series I Am the Night.

The Black Dahlia Murder is near-legend in the annals of true crime. But behind the shocking case of a young actress’ gruesome slaying lies the story of another woman.

Was Fauna Hodel the child of incest and the catalyst for a sensational trial that left her well-to-do family scarred by scandal, even as the accused sexual predator walked free? Taken as an infant from her teenage mother, Fauna was placed in the care of a working-class black woman who raised the white child as her own.

Together, as a close-knit mother and daughter, they weathered years of poverty and bigotry, alcoholism and sexual abuse, pregnancy and even death - until the time came for Fauna to seek out her real mother and uncover her lost past.

But as Fauna will learn, some truths don’t want to be told.

©2008 Fauna Hodel, J. R. Briamonte (P)2019 Graymalkin Media, LLC

Better than Fiction

While I’m enjoying the new series, I am the Night, I find this true story to be much more fulfilling. I knew about this book and Steve Hodel’s books for years, and while I remain on the fence as to whether or not George Hodel killed the black dahlia, Elizabeth Short, the TV show started a renewed interest in this entire story. I wish so much that we could have seen the movie Fauna tried to make with Jill Clayburgh, but maybe one day a more accurate Lifetime movie starring Jill’s daughter, Lily Rabe will happen, I am suggesting. If you want to know the real story, I highly recommend this book.

Amazing!

This book was very well written and the story really grabs you from the beginning. Remarkable.

Is she half black? Or not?…

(As posted in GoodReads)
It's an interesting story, and it really made me wonder about the Black Dahlia – although that's really not a part of this story at all. In the end, there were really no answers; I realize that it was real life and true, and in real life there are often no real answers, but it seems to defy the whole point of the book - although I suppose that the fact that she was loyal to Jimmi (sp-audiobooks do not provide spellings) to the end could have been the point. ...and I couldn't tell what the ending situation was with Billy. Now I have to read about Black Dahlia.

Intriguing!

This story is a must read! It really isn’t explainable! It is true life. Couldn’t put it down!

Not your typical true crime

Unfortunately the crimes were never avenged in a usual legal justice fashion. The one really serious point is that small children are so easily victimized, even in some cases by those who don't realize that they're committing a crime. I know all of the events described here are still being committed to current generations of children, though hopefully DNA has eliminated one element of this story. Not that it would have helped, as the child would have suffered as much or more if left in her original situation, though the book might never have been written.

On another subject, I couldn't help thinking that all the adults could have used a little adult supervision themselves. Children need more protections under the law, and this book is a strong argument for that.

can't put it down but exhausting

this book is so well written and the performance by the narrator was so well done dedicate keeps you intrigued to the end but you're exhausted after you listen to it all excellent book

So good!

So many more questions now! This story was written and narrated extremely well. Such a fascinating and shocking story, I couldn't stop listening. But now I want to know more!

Very slow to start

I wanted to hear Fauna's story after hearing the podcast "Root of Evil", and it did not disappoint. Although the first 1/4 was a bit slow, I found myself needing to hear all I could. What an amazing woman!!!

amazing

the makes the second time reading and hearing this book. fauna hodel will always be a rock star in my book

So good, but abrupt ending.

I really loved this book! The story is fascinating, and the near ration was excellent. The only reason I subtract a star is that the ending was a tiny bit disappointing. It ended very abruptly and felt a little incomplete. There is an up a log that helps with this feeling, but I still wish the story in and of itself had more closure.