At the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, which took place April 18–19, 2026, authors Claire Hoffman and William Mann joined journalist Christopher Goffard to explore the deeply mythologized histories of two infamous women in early twentieth-century Los Angeles: evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson and murder victim Elizabeth Short, widely known as the “Black Dahlia.” Both writers detailed their efforts to pierce through decades of sensationalism to uncover the genuine human complexities behind the headlines.
Hoffman discussed her research into McPherson, framing her as a pioneer of modern Christian entertainment who built America’s first megachurch. Hoffman recounted McPherson’s stunning 1926 disappearance and eventual reappearance with a bizarre tale of kidnapping. Addressing the massive media spectacle and ensuing grand jury proceedings, Hoffman highlighted the intense toll that early fame took on the evangelist. Rather than painting her strictly as a saint or a grifter, Hoffman emphasized McPherson’s complicated nature, noting that the pressure of becoming the most recognizable woman in the city profoundly distorted her life, even as she stubbornly maintained her kidnapping story until her death.
