Review: “Sister’s In Death” offers something for every type of true crime fan

Sisters in Death, the first book written by acclaimed television writer and director Eli Frankel, is a gripping read, bolstered by its strong connection to UMKC.

The story attempts to connect the horrific slaying of 22-year-old Leila Adele Welsh, a resident of Kansas City in 1941, to the infamous “Black Dahlia” murder that took place in January 1947 on the other side of the country in Los Angeles, California. The characterization of each of the leading ladies is strong, evoking an almost overwhelming sense of empathy before their tragic ends. 

While the book is hard to put down, and the argument is compelling, it goes so far as to claim to have solved the crime on the cover. The conclusion feels incomplete.  The solution never feels quite right, possibly owing to the age of the crime and the fact that all the actors in the story are now dead. Some of the evidence is compelling, for instance the suspect was confirmed to be in both places during the dates of the crime. Other aspects fall flatter though, like the killer (or killers) marking each body with an illegible autograph in blood.

“Eli’s perspective on the book is that it’s an open debate,” said Chris Wolff, manager of the UMKC bookstore and a large contributor of research for the book. “You’re never going to solve this, there’s no DNA, all the physical evidence has been lost.  He’s just presenting his case basically, and if you find holes in it, let’s talk about it.” 

Wolff is also commonly referred to as “the campus historian,” an unofficial title he earned through his deep fascination with the school. He even wrote a book on the subject in 2015. The narrative’s connection to UMKC is an interesting high point in the story. The detail is evident every time the school or the city comes up. They did their homework, even highlighting some of the less journalistically ethical writing that used to take place in Roo News’ predecessor, U-News. 

Regardless of resolution, the journey itself is a thrilling one, riddled with the numerous unexpected jolts from the narrative that are inherent in tracking the real-life exploits of young adults. The writing will keep the reader guessing right until the finally lays out the full theory. 

Fans of true crime or gore should revel in the shockingly quick read. While campus or city history fans will appreciate the intricacies of post-prohibition Kansas City governance and details of what life was like in the late 1930s on campus. 

So, did Frankel solve the murders of the Prairie Heiress and the Black Dahlia?

“In crime, there’s kind of a maxim that there are no coincidences. This would have to be the grandaddy of all coincidences…” said Wolff, going on to hint at further possibilities for the future. “There are things that aren’t discussed that didn’t make it in the book that convinced me more, actually. We’re continuing to make discoveries about this case afterwards because when you do historical investigation, just the smallest little thing can open up a whole new world of possibilities.”

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