New York Times bestselling author Laurence Leamer is a leading biographer of the rich and scandalous, including Capote's Women, Madness Under the Royal Palms and The Kennedy Women, among many other books. He lives in Washington, D.C., and Palm Beach, Florida.
The real-life stories behind the female friends he gossiped about in his final, unfinished novel - who include Jackie Kennedy's sister - make for a wicked read in the hands of the gifted Laurence Leamer. * Irish Examiner * 'A glittering insight into the high society world of Capote's swans. The ruthless betrayal of the muse by the artist leaves you breathless.' * Anna Pasternak * Engagingly gossipy, Leamer provides extensive behind-the-scenes peaks into Capote's tangled social life. * Kirkus * Leamer showcases his knack for telling a rattling good tale in this vivid look at Truman Capote's failed attempt to write 'the greatest novel of the age.' . . . This juicy story delivers. * Publishers Weekly * In this delicious dissection of the writer and the women he befriended, Laurence Leamer uncovers what it meant to let Capote into your inner circle, how each of these women found friendship and frustration with him, and what happened when he committed the ultimate betrayal. * Town & Country * Babe Paley, Slim Keith, C.Z. Guest... they were the stars of '50s and '60s society. They were also the women Truman Capote loved, flattered - and betrayed. A fascinating look at their world. * People * 'He writes with considerable panache.' * Telegraph * By weaving the details of Capote's life in and out of the fascinating origin stories of the most admired women of the 1950s and 1960s, Leamer reminds us that beauty, wealth and privilege-not to mention talent-aren't enough to guarantee a happy ending. But oh, what fun can be had along the way! * Melanie Benjamin *