In essence, true crime stories need two things to be successful: interesting cases and good writing. One without the other is a recipe for disappointment. Fortunately, Chip Jacobs’ latest work does more than fulfill both. The Darkest Glare: A True Story of Murder, Blackmail, and Real Estate Greed in 1979 Los Angeles is a tightly written and meticulously researched piece of journalism. Jacobs has a remarkable talent for descriptions; the way the author balances facts with dialogue to create a nonfiction novel reminds me very much of Truman Capote’s classic In Cold Blood and Erik Larson’s Devil in the White City. Additionally, Jacobs does a fantastic job of constructing the narrative in a way that builds suspense without loss of momentum. The book was an absolute page-turner. All in all, a fantastic book and one I'd recommend to fans of Dave Cullen, Michelle McNamara, David Grann, and the aforementioned Capote and Larson.