"Behind the Door: The Dark Truths and Untold Stories of the Cecil Hotel" by Amy Price
Review by Lori Atack-Smith, Senior Library Assistant, Forest Heights Library
This book tells disturbing yet true stories of the Cecil Hotel and its transformation over many decades, with personal accounts of Amy Price’s experiences. 
After what was supposed to be a three-day stint as an interior decorator for the hotel, Price becomes the manager. She is tasked with making the space more welcoming despite its history and proximity to Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles, California.
After developing a friendship with Pedro, the janitor of the hotel, she learns of many troubled souls who have passed through the doors. She recounts deaths by suicide, serial killer residents (such as Richard Ramirez and Jack Unterweger) and other challenges faced by the guests with obvious care for those who have suffered.
Over 80 people died in the hotel during her decade-long career, including Elisa Lam, whose tragic death became the subject of a Netflix documentary series called "The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel." Price conveys her compassion and care for the residents, guests and staff by telling their untold stories.