The Real Lolita: A Lost Girl, an Unthinkable Crime, and a Scandalous Masterpiece

Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita is one of the most beloved and
notorious novels of all time. And yet, very few of its readers know that
the subject of the novel was inspired by a real-life case: the 1948
abduction of eleven-year-old Sally Horner.
Weaving together suspenseful crime narrative, cultural and social history, and literary investigation, The Real Lolita restores
Sally Horner to her rightful place in the lore of the novel's creation.
Drawing upon extensive investigations, legal documents, public records,
and interviews with remaining relatives, Sarah Weinman casts a new
light on the dark inspiration for a modern classic.