--- product_id: 535847755 title: "Deliberate Cruelty: Truman Capote, the Millionaire's Wife, and the Murder of the Century" price: "€ 23.46" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.hr/products/535847755-deliberate-cruelty-truman-capote-the-millionaires-wife-and-the-murder store_origin: HR region: Croatia --- # Deliberate Cruelty: Truman Capote, the Millionaire's Wife, and the Murder of the Century **Price:** € 23.46 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Deliberate Cruelty: Truman Capote, the Millionaire's Wife, and the Murder of the Century - **How much does it cost?** € 23.46 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.hr](https://www.desertcart.hr/products/535847755-deliberate-cruelty-truman-capote-the-millionaires-wife-and-the-murder) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Deliberate Cruelty: Truman Capote, the Millionaire's Wife, and the Murder of the Century [Montillo, Roseanne] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Deliberate Cruelty: Truman Capote, the Millionaire's Wife, and the Murder of the Century Review: It's deja vu all over again - If you're as fascinated by the "Woodward Saga" and its larger implications as I've always been, you'll like this latest addition to the collection. Nit-picking aside (alright already, Sarah C's a granddaughter, not a daughter, something that affects neither Ann nor Truman's tragic trajectory), this particular re-hash is reminiscent of Thorton Wilder's "The Bridge of San Luis Rey" with its star-crossed protagonists destined to meet in fate's whirlpool. It's happened many times before, no doubt -but asking "why, after all those years?" is, like quibbling over minor points, beside the point. Things are never "put to bed" until everyone's dead -and not even then. I first fell under this story's hypnotic sway (and it's got it all!) after reading Dominick Dunne's "The Two Mrs. Grenvilles" (and thrilling to the TV miniseries) decades ago and I've since come to see how it's affected American pop culture ever since it happened. Ann Woodward weathered any number of storms at the time, being confronted with herself everywhere, in everything from "Confidential"-style scandal rags to thinly-veiled films like Diana Dors' "The Unholy Wife" (original title "The Lady And The Prowler") and Arlene Dahl's "Wicked As They Come" -so why (because it's human nature to ask) did it take so long for everything to come full circle? Like Truman Capote, the French author Gustave Flaubert got his inspiration for "Madame Bovary" after reading a newspaper article detailing the sordid "domino effect" tragedy of one Delphine Delamare. Many years after Flaubert's book was published, the real-life "Rudolphe", a "veritable Cain, emigrated to America, then came back and killed himself on a Parisian boulevard, possibly from remorse. This cannot have been part of Flaubert's intention." Nor Capote's, but turning trash into art can come at a price for those involved, even decades after the fact. It's deja vu all over again no matter how long the passage of time. Ms. Montillo's account of the time leading up to Ann Woodward's fatal overdose is fairly sympathetic, all things considered, but Truman Capote's "Answered Prayers" does leave an unanswered question that's certainly in the realm of the possible: Unlike attempts, actual suicides are rarely spur-of-the-moment and Ann had most likely been contemplating her exit for quite some time but, that said, could she, after learning an excerpt of Capote's roman-a-clef was soon to be published in "Esquire" magazine, have decided to take him to the grave with her, metaphorically speaking -a revenge she'd never live to see? "Vengeance from beyond" is fairly common, in fact. For instance, before actress Lupe Velez killed herself and their unborn child, she left a suicide note laying the blame at her lover's feet and, like Gene Tierney's end in "Leave Her To Heaven", if Ann Woodward had already killed once... This book is highly recommended for those who, like me, were (and still are) smitten by it all and can't seem to get enough, "nit-pickers' and "purists" be damned. A "breezy" read, too, and yes, a "page-turner", to boot -when's the next one coming out? Review: Marriage and Murder Among the Rich - This narrative in this book, although nonfiction, runs along the same lines as Dominick Dunne’s novel, the two Mrs. Grenvilles. In both, the murder is believably portrayed as a premeditated act by a troubled woman, possibly to prevent a ruinous divorce. But there is a third book on this case, available only in mass market paperback, which is more thoroughly reported and gives a more nuanced look into the circumstances and characters involved. The more thorough reporting done there makes the portrait of the grasping social climber pictured here seem somewhat forced. Both Dunne’s book and this one offer her as a clear villain and virtually ignore the equally shallow character of the playboy husband. I get it - the story becomes a digestible morality play that lets us feel superior to those rich people, and supplies a satisfying conclusion. For those who want to get more of a flavor of the complex reality of these lives, I recommend instead “This Crazy Thing Called Love” - if you can find it at a reasonable price. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #92,063 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #178 in Author Biographies #192 in Murder & Mayhem True Accounts #584 in U.S. State & Local History | | Customer Reviews | 4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars (983) | | Dimensions | 5.5 x 0.9 x 8.38 inches | | ISBN-10 | 1982153741 | | ISBN-13 | 978-1982153748 | | Item Weight | 12.8 ounces | | Language | English | | Print length | 320 pages | | Publication date | June 20, 2023 | | Publisher | Atria Books | ## Images ![Deliberate Cruelty: Truman Capote, the Millionaire's Wife, and the Murder of the Century - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71nFqAf1fbL.jpg) ![Deliberate Cruelty: Truman Capote, the Millionaire's Wife, and the Murder of the Century - Image 2](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71GLOEsq8DL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ It's deja vu all over again *by M***T on September 10, 2023* If you're as fascinated by the "Woodward Saga" and its larger implications as I've always been, you'll like this latest addition to the collection. Nit-picking aside (alright already, Sarah C's a granddaughter, not a daughter, something that affects neither Ann nor Truman's tragic trajectory), this particular re-hash is reminiscent of Thorton Wilder's "The Bridge of San Luis Rey" with its star-crossed protagonists destined to meet in fate's whirlpool. It's happened many times before, no doubt -but asking "why, after all those years?" is, like quibbling over minor points, beside the point. Things are never "put to bed" until everyone's dead -and not even then. I first fell under this story's hypnotic sway (and it's got it all!) after reading Dominick Dunne's "The Two Mrs. Grenvilles" (and thrilling to the TV miniseries) decades ago and I've since come to see how it's affected American pop culture ever since it happened. Ann Woodward weathered any number of storms at the time, being confronted with herself everywhere, in everything from "Confidential"-style scandal rags to thinly-veiled films like Diana Dors' "The Unholy Wife" (original title "The Lady And The Prowler") and Arlene Dahl's "Wicked As They Come" -so why (because it's human nature to ask) did it take so long for everything to come full circle? Like Truman Capote, the French author Gustave Flaubert got his inspiration for "Madame Bovary" after reading a newspaper article detailing the sordid "domino effect" tragedy of one Delphine Delamare. Many years after Flaubert's book was published, the real-life "Rudolphe", a "veritable Cain, emigrated to America, then came back and killed himself on a Parisian boulevard, possibly from remorse. This cannot have been part of Flaubert's intention." Nor Capote's, but turning trash into art can come at a price for those involved, even decades after the fact. It's deja vu all over again no matter how long the passage of time. Ms. Montillo's account of the time leading up to Ann Woodward's fatal overdose is fairly sympathetic, all things considered, but Truman Capote's "Answered Prayers" does leave an unanswered question that's certainly in the realm of the possible: Unlike attempts, actual suicides are rarely spur-of-the-moment and Ann had most likely been contemplating her exit for quite some time but, that said, could she, after learning an excerpt of Capote's roman-a-clef was soon to be published in "Esquire" magazine, have decided to take him to the grave with her, metaphorically speaking -a revenge she'd never live to see? "Vengeance from beyond" is fairly common, in fact. For instance, before actress Lupe Velez killed herself and their unborn child, she left a suicide note laying the blame at her lover's feet and, like Gene Tierney's end in "Leave Her To Heaven", if Ann Woodward had already killed once... This book is highly recommended for those who, like me, were (and still are) smitten by it all and can't seem to get enough, "nit-pickers' and "purists" be damned. A "breezy" read, too, and yes, a "page-turner", to boot -when's the next one coming out? ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Marriage and Murder Among the Rich *by S***J on April 4, 2026* This narrative in this book, although nonfiction, runs along the same lines as Dominick Dunne’s novel, the two Mrs. Grenvilles. In both, the murder is believably portrayed as a premeditated act by a troubled woman, possibly to prevent a ruinous divorce. But there is a third book on this case, available only in mass market paperback, which is more thoroughly reported and gives a more nuanced look into the circumstances and characters involved. The more thorough reporting done there makes the portrait of the grasping social climber pictured here seem somewhat forced. Both Dunne’s book and this one offer her as a clear villain and virtually ignore the equally shallow character of the playboy husband. I get it - the story becomes a digestible morality play that lets us feel superior to those rich people, and supplies a satisfying conclusion. For those who want to get more of a flavor of the complex reality of these lives, I recommend instead “This Crazy Thing Called Love” - if you can find it at a reasonable price. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Interesting *by D***E on June 10, 2025* I didn't know Truman Capote's history, his life in high society and his death came as new and surprising info. Very well written and organized. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.hr/products/535847755-deliberate-cruelty-truman-capote-the-millionaires-wife-and-the-murder](https://www.desertcart.hr/products/535847755-deliberate-cruelty-truman-capote-the-millionaires-wife-and-the-murder) --- *Product available on Desertcart Croatia* *Store origin: HR* *Last updated: 2026-10-08*