Talk about a gripping book! Only vaguely aware of the Woodward/Capote story previously, I quickly became glued to Deliberately Cruelty and remained riveted until the very end. Though Nonfiction it reads easily like fiction and is about poverty, privilege, passion, power, provocation and possessions. Lifestyles of the rich and famous are often interesting to read about and this certainly holds true here. Seeing and being seen were crucial in the 1940s and 1950s Manhattan.

Evangeline Crowell (then infamously Ann Eden and Ann Woodward) grew up with hardships and had an unusual upbringing but was clever and had a high IQ. She knew what she wanted since she was a young girl and did everything in her power to live a super elite lifestyle. Her marriage to uber wealthy Billy Woodward was not one of love. She shot him one night believing he was a prowler. It was sad to read about her relationships with her mother, children and, of course, her own suicide.

Truman Capote also grew up with similar dreams and achieving his ambitions at any cost. And he got there and was well known in high society. He became a cunning writer and delighted in treading on toes and poking fun at people in his own blatant way. But he pushed it too far when he wrote salaciously about Ann without naming names. But she and others knew.

Woodward and Capote were very much alike, yearning for belonging and the spotlight. They were both successful by their definitions. Interestingly, Ann was not one of Capote's infamous "swans". They publicly despised each other. Capote apparently did not feel remorse for his exposing Ann but rather felt the pain of being shunned socially. Rising to the top was his ultimate goal. He did it but his downfall was swift and hard.

What particularly intrigued me are the histories of each of the people involved, including those of Ann's parents and her unorthodox childhood and rise to stardom.

My sincere thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the privilege of learning more about these fascinating people.

🎁📚 𝓐𝓡𝓒 𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀
3/5 🌟

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑭𝒊𝒇𝒕𝒉 𝑨𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒖𝒆 by Melanie Benjamin, about Truman Capote’s symbiotic but doomed friendships with some of the most famous socialites in the world, is one of my very favorite books. So I couldn’t resist the opportunity to read this true-crime take on the relationship between Capote’s and the scandalous murder of wealthy Billy Woodward at the hands of his wife, Ann, 1955.

I was disappointed to find most of the book flat and dry, a straight description of both Capote’s and the Woodwards’ upbringings and downfalls. Capote and Ann have much in common, and the author does a beautiful job painting their hardscabble upbringings and fight to make it to the upper echelons of high society. Many pages were devoted to Capotes writings, which is certainly deserving of it, but I was hoping to read more about the relationship between Capote and Ann. The Woodward murder ruined Ann’s life, as she was exiled, shunned and eventually died by suicide, and also inspired Dominic Dunne’s classic, 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑻𝒘𝒐 𝑴𝒓𝒔. 𝑮𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒗𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒔 (which is amazing!!).

Though thoroughly researched, I wish there’d been a bit more flow and in the retelling of the incidents; I guess I was hoping this true crime examination would read more like a novel, like Capote’s own 𝑰𝒏 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝑩𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅. Montillo did get the title perfectly right - “deliberate cruelty” seems to describe Capote’s personality to a T.

An intriguing and fabulous topic, but I recommend checking out Benjamin’s or Dunne’s books if you want more entertaining take on the subject.

Thank you to @netgalley and @atriabooks for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book!

Pub date is November 1, 2022.

#biblliophile #stephsalwaysreading #deliveratecruelty#bookreviews #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #tbrlist #truecrime#theswansoffifthavenue#thetwomrsgrenvilles#trumancapote#whatshouldireadnext #netgalley#ARC

Having been an avid fan of Truman Capote ever since I read In Cold Blood back in the 1980’s, I have voraciously devoured (sort of obsessively) anything and everything written about him. But Deliberate Cruelty goes well-beyond Truman’s notoriously brutal, demeaning and uncaring personality. This book shows the exact reason all his so-called friends decided he was a piranha. It is also the story of what seems to have led to his decent into alcohol which ultimately caused his death.

It all started with Truman’s hatred of a socialite named Ann Woodward who was married to banker Billy Woodward. In 1955 Ann either accidently or intentionally shot and killed her husband Billy one night thinking he was a prowler in the house. But because of Ann’s position in society, she was never actually charged with a crime and her punishment was to be ostracized to Europe alone without her two children.

Ann’s upbringing was similar to Truman’s in there was no stable relationship with their parents, they were left to be raised by relatives and grew up very poor. Later in life both would reconnect with their mothers and take care of them. Could this have been the impetus for what Truman did and why? No one will really know.

After Capote hit it big with In Cold Blood, the first non-fiction book ever written, he became not only the talk of Manhattan, but was also invited to every party, lunch, dinner or vacation in which the elite had. He became their entertainment, telling stories and making them laugh. Although Ann Woodward was not one of his admirers.

So, when years later Truman decided to write a book about Ann killing her husband, no one understood why. But write he did and not only about Ann, but about all those friends, all women he had met and seduced into telling him their secrets. These women were known as his “swans” and they took him everywhere, on vacation, to lunch, to parties. They gossiped to him about the people at those places and about the intimate details of their own lives, thinking Truman was a true friend.

But Truman had no interest in secrets. He had more interest in celebrity. So, as he was writing the book, he received an offer from a magazine to excerpt some of the juicy details he had been writing about which included Ann and unbeknownst his female friends, them.

Ann Woodward heard about Truman’s magazine story and never read it. She killed herself just before it was published. Truman never up until the day he died understood or blamed himself for her death. He also lost all of his swans as their juicy bits of gossip were printed and although their real names were never used, the veil as to who they really were was not very high. The embarrassment they all lived through would change many of their lives forever, again with Truman never understanding what he actually had done.

Without his flock, Truman became a shell of himself and although he tried to make amends with a few of them, he was dumped from their society never to return. And thus, his spiral began in earnest.

Deliberate Cruelty is the perfect title for this story. In Capote’s life he ruined many a friendship and relationship, but it seems, to keep his fame he would destroy lives, even if it meant someone’s death without an iota of regret.

Thank you #NetGalley #AtriaBooks #DeliberateCruelty #RoseanneMontillo for the advanced copy.

So good! Reads like fiction - the story of Truman Capote and Ann Woodward. I did not know the story of Woodward and although came into reading this knowing a bit about Capote, I soon learned that I had only scratched the surface. Thoroughly-researched and written in a way that captivated me, this was well-paced and kept me turning pages all afternoon. Pick this one up. Go in cold so you’re surprised at the turn of events. Thanks to Atria Books for the advanced copy! Loved it.

An interesting book on two people who I have read many stories about.
Their humble beginnings were new to me and gave me a different insight on them.
I recommend this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

Great dual storyline in this very interesting book! First, there is the story of Ann Woodward who grew up poor in Kansas and was bound and determined to move to New York City and find herself a rich husband. Ann succeeded in marrying William "Billy" Woodward who was heir to a wealthy New York City banking family. Ann never really quite fit in with the other socialites who were born into wealth. One night after partying and retiring for the night, Ann thought she heard a noise, looked out into the dark hallway and fired a shotgun killing her husband, Billy. Ann was acquitted but people were divided as to her guilt and she was shunned even more and sent off to Europe by her mother-in-law who despised her.

The second storyline is about the life of author Truman Capote who was born in New Orleans, grew up poor and went to New York City in search of fame. He authored the book "In Cold Blood" which made him famous and he was very popular with the "in crowd" of New York City. He befriended a lot of the socialites who confided all their scandalous secrets to him, but he was known to be a gossipy tattle-tale and often divulged everyone's secrets. He referred to these socialites as his "swans." Truman went on to publish articles where these socialites identities were thinly-veiled and their secrets published which in turn led to Truman being shunned by his "swans" ultimately leading to his downward spiral.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC of this fascinating books that kept me mesmerized from start to finish.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

In Deliberate Cruelty, by Roseanne Montillo, the reader enjoys two stories, both of which have been written extensively in the past. The first is about socialite Ann Woodward who shot her husband in the dark, thinking (or not) that he was an intruder in their home. The story of her rise from a poor country bumpkin childhood to living in multiple dwellings with a wealthy husband and thoroughbred horses. We are talking about a surge from showgirl to doyenne of society. But be careful what you wish for…all that glitters is not gold. Then, you have the story of Truman Capote. He came from the same background and made it into the inner circle of high society, including Mrs. Woodward, and wrote In Cold Blood which became a legendary book and put him in the top 1% of the social hierarchy. But Truman needs to come up with another novel, so he writes about his swans, like Jacquie Kennedy-type ladies, including Mrs. Montgomery and a host of other high society mavens. When a magazine publishes ONE chapter of Truman’s upcoming novel, the swans lose their collective
sh!t and turn on Truman Capote so fast he doesn’t see it coming. Writing the inner secrets of high society gets you banished and quickly. I have read various versions of this story and liked them all, but I felt this book was accurate and well-written. Truman finds out that being cruel will cost you, friends. The song says, “Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.” Truman should have quit while he was ahead. #highsociety #socialite #newyork #wealthy #fortunes #scandal #murder #secrets @atriabooks @netgalley @roseannemontillo #deliberatecruelty #trumancapote #netgalley
Publication date: November 1, 2022.
💰

I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books and the author for the opportunity to read this book.

#bookaddict #booksofinstagram #bookstagram #bookstagramer #bookshelf #booksbooksbooks #readersofinstagram #reader #booklove #bookreader

Very well researched, thought out and written book.

Ann Woodward live a very hard life and scratched her way to everything she had always wanted. A terrible accident ended all she had achieved.

Truman Capote started life in much the same ways as Ann. He wrote his way into the upper classes and also lost it all the same way.

I received a review copy from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

In reality this is probably a 3.5 star book for me. Although an interesting tale that was well researched and well written. What dropped this down for me was that I could tell the author had a hard time finishing up the narrative. That was my only draw back on this. In truth it was an interesting story and gave me a delightful insight into Truman Capote and Ann Woodward.

Deliberate Cruelty
Truman Capote, the Millionaire's Wife, and the Murder of the Century
by Roseanne Montillo
Pub Date 01 Nov 2022
Atria Books
True Crime



I am reviewing a copy of Deliberate Cruelty through Atria Books and Netgalley:


Ann Woodward shot her husband, banking heir Billy Woodward, in the middle of the night in 1955, changing her life forever Though she claimed she thought he was a prowler, few believed the woman who had risen from charismatic showgirl to popular socialite. Everyone had something to say about the scorching scandal afflicting one of the most rich and famous families of New York City, but no one was more obsessed with the tale than Truman Capote.




Truman Capote acclaimed for his best selling nonfiction book In Cold Blood, Capote was looking for new material and followed the scandal from beginning to end. Like Ann, he too had ascended from nobody to toast of the town, but he always felt like an outsider, even among the exclusive coterie of high society women who adored him. Truman Capote was looking for new material and followed the scandal from beginning to end. Like Ann, he too had ascended from nobody to toast of the town, but he always felt like an outsider, even among the exclusive coterie of high society women who adored him.


I am reviewing a copy of Deliberate Cruelty five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

Deliberate Cruelty is the fascinating yet tragic story of Ann Woodward and Truman Capote.

Although I was familiar with both stories I did not realize the connection between the two and how it effected both their lives.

The author does a fantastic job of hooking you into both their stories and the sadness of them.

After the shooting be it accidental or murder and an article that Capote had written is published the consequences are far reaching.

Ann commits suicide and Truman is ostracized by all his friends.

The research was extremely well done and has me going down a rabbit hole on Truman Capote.

Deliberate Cruelty is a book that I will think of often.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for a compelling read.

"This glittering, "wild romp of a story, boldly and beautifully told" (Neal Thompson, author of The First Kennedys) explores the darkly intertwined fates of infamous socialite Ann Woodward and literary icon Truman Capote, sweeping us to the upper echelons of Manhattan’s high society - where falls from grace are all the more shocking.

When Ann Woodward shot her husband, banking heir Billy Woodward, in the middle of the night in 1955, her life changed forever. Though she claimed she thought he was a prowler, few believed the woman who had risen from charismatic showgirl to popular socialite. Everyone had something to say about the scorching scandal afflicting one of the most rich and famous families of New York City, but no one was more obsessed with the tale than Truman Capote.

Acclaimed for his bestselling nonfiction book In Cold Blood, Capote was looking for new material and followed the scandal from beginning to end. Like Ann, he too had ascended from nobody to toast of the town, but he always felt like an outsider, even among the exclusive coterie of high society women who adored him. He decided the story of Ann’s turbulent marriage would be the basis of his masterpiece - a novel about the dysfunction and sordid secrets revealed to him by his high society "swans" - never thinking that it would eventually lead to Ann’s suicide and his own scandalous downfall.

"A 20th-century morality tale of enduring fascination" (Laura Thompson, author of The Heiresses), Deliberate Cruelty is a haunting cross between true crime and literary history that is perfect for fans of Furious Hours, Empty Mansions, and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil."

Thanks to Ryan Murphy we must all become obsessed with Truman Capote right now. Although I already was...

I thought I was familiar with Truman Capote; I've read his books and watched the movies. However, Roseanne Montillo puts Capote in a different light with her well-researched book. The author draws a distinct line between socialite Ann Woodward and Capote and the ever-shifting rule of high society. Woodward killed her husband, and Capote killed his career by writing about her. But it's not that simple, as Montillo points out. Both came from similar backgrounds, struggled to fit in with New York society and then were discarded. Woodward committed suicide after Capote used her as a barely disguised character in a story that spilled all the secrets of social "swans" who found Capote entertaining. He heard it all from his close circle of "friends," who turned on him in a heartbeat. The little man who wrote "In Cold Blood," who befriended the rich and wicked, turned out to be just another sad story.

This is such an engrossing story with two main characters (Truman Capote and Ann Woodward) who were both raised without means in less than desirable family circumstances. Both made their way to New York City and advanced their societal status, him through his writing and uniquely charming persona and she by marriage to one of New York’s wealthiest bachelors.

Ann Woodward finds herself an outcast from New York’s upper crust after mistaking her husband for an intruder and killing him. Her mother in law had disapproved of her from the beginning and was more than happy to take her children away and banish her to Europe. Truman Capote decides to make Ann and the rest of his socialite friends the subject of one of his books which leads to his downfall from the same jet setting Uber wealthy group.

I was familiar with Truman Capote‘s life story but this was a great deep dive into his life and his collection of socialite friends which he called his “Swans”. I found this book very informative and enjoyable but felt that there was a good bit of repetition and sometimes the transitions between stories was a little bit bumpy.

4 stars and highly recommended! Many thanks to Netgally and Atria for this ARC.

I have an unhealthy fascination with Truman Capote. I have read several things about him and his "Swans", but this added lots of information. About Ann Woodward, I knew she had killed her husband and eventually committed suicide, and I knew Capote had ostracized all his friends with his Esquire article, but I didn't realize the two events were connected.

It is not a long book, but all the pertinent info is there and the comparisons made between Ann and Truman are fully supported. It's a compelling story. I kept reading and reading until suddenly I was at the acknowledgements

While I enjoyed this book I thought it was too long and slow. I had heard of Truman Capote and his In Cold Blood before but did not know a thing about him. This book did give me a better understanding of him and I learned about Ann Woodward. Both Ann and Truman had similar childhoods and they both wanted to be accepted into high society. It was good to see how their lives interconnected through high society, otherwise one would think how does this story have two people who are completely different, connect.

No one loved dish or gossip more than Truman Capote.
In 1955, banking heir Billy Woodward was shot and killed by his wife Ann, thinking he was a prowler. Known for his love of high society women (his swans), Truman became obsessed with the scandal of this showgirl turned socialite turned murderess.
Looking for material for his next book, Truman followed every detail of this case. He identified with Ann who came from meager beginnings and rose above it all to wealth and prominence. This story of Ann and New York’s high society would be his masterpiece.
When Truman wrote an article for Esquire magazine revealing stories about the murder and the gossip shared with him by his ‘swans’, confidences were broken and his swans disappeared from his life. Ann would commit suicide in 1975 when learning of Truman’s intentions and his favor would begin to slip away.
A true crime, wonderfully executed story that captivated from cover to cover.
Thanks to NetGalley, Roseanne Montillo and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely loved this book! I read it in one day, as I just couldn't put it down. I loved how the story told both the complete stories of Ann and Truman, before and after their encounters. The research and details is amazing, it reads like a novel, while being nonfiction. One of the best books I've read in a long time.

Ann Woodward and Truman Capote had a lot in common from their need to be liked in the ward to be with who they considered the important people. Even though EN “accidentally“ murdered her husband it was rude an accident and so she never went to court but it gave more reason for those who already judged her and made her feel like an outsider to do it even more. Truman Capote on the other hand made friends with celebrities what would cause his own wedge by entertaining the gossip papers and in my opinion was a real self sabotage her. Having said that he was still very talented and this book was so very interesting. Despite what people say they love a human tragedy and essentially that’s what Truman Capote in and Woodward were in by evidence of this book Still Are. This is one of the most comprehensive books or not only a childhood and grown-up life but what she did prior to the shooting another and I had never heard anything about Truman Capote‘s childhood until I read this book. I truly enjoy historical True Crime and I don’t know if that’s exactly the genre does falls under because it mainly has aspects of biographies but either way this is a book I highly recommend and found so interesting. I received this book from NetGalleyShelf the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Truth is stranger than fiction is the phrase I would use to describe Deliberate Cruelty by Roseanne Montillo. Having read fictionalized versions of the Woodward matter and Capote’s swans, I truly enjoyed reading the truth about all the individuals who were involved in these situations. While Ann Woodward was never tried for murder and Bill’s death was ruled an accident, she certainly paid the price by being ostracized by the same people she tried to impress and desired to be a part of. Truman Capote was also shunned for his sharing of everyone’s secrets in print. It was interesting to me how alike Ann and Truman were in their upbringings and their desires to achieve and an almost pathological need to belong and to be accepted. I usually do not read nonfiction, but I found this book, (which reads like fiction) to be informative, enjoyable and a deep dive into what makes us what we are. Very enjoyable book which I would recommend to my friends.