My Friend Anna: The True Story of a Fake Heiress

Rachel DeLoache Williams

Jul 2019 · Simon and Schuster · Narrated by Rachel DeLoache Williams

About this audiobook

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER​
ONE OF TIME’S 100 BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR

Sex and the City meets Bad Blood and Catch Me if You Can in the astonishing true story of Anna Delvey, a young con artist posing as an heiress in New York City—as told by the former Vanity Fair photo editor who got seduced by her friendship and then scammed out of more than $62,000.

Rachel DeLoache Williams’s new friend Anna Delvey, a self-proclaimed German heiress, was worldly and ambitious. She was also generous—picking up the tab for lavish dinners at Le Coucou, infrared sauna sessions at HigherDOSE, drinks at the 11 Howard Library bar, and regular workout sessions with a celebrity personal trainer.

When Anna proposed an all-expenses-paid trip to Marrakech at the five-star La Mamounia hotel, Rachel jumped at the chance. But when Anna’s credit cards mysteriously stopped working, the dream vacation quickly took a dark turn. Anna asked Rachel to begin fronting costs—first for flights, then meals and shopping, and, finally, for their $7,500-per-night private villa. Before Rachel knew it, more than $62,000 had been charged to her credit cards. Anna swore she would reimburse Rachel the moment they returned to New York.

Back in Manhattan, the repayment never materialized, and a shocking pattern of deception emerged. Rachel learned that Anna had left a trail of deceit—and unpaid bills—wherever she’d been. Mortified, Rachel contacted the district attorney, and in a stunning turn of events, found herself helping to bring down one of the city’s most notorious con artists.

With breathless pacing and in-depth reporting from the person who experienced it firsthand, My Friend Anna is an unforgettable true story of “glamour, greed, lust for power” (The New York Times), and female friendship.

Ratings and reviews

Where to start...I wouldn't have picked this one up if it wasn't for this being a book club pick. I've seen it around and had it on a backlist but wasn't in a rush to read it. I struggled with giving this one a 2.5 to 3 starts but ended up at 3 for overall performance and captivation. I am not sure if it is just me, but I honestly have a hard time with believing the author's story 100%. On one hand she works in a major industry and has a great job. She is obviously smart and capable enough to thrive in a harsh industry. Then on the other hand, she claims deniability as she was blind-sighted by Anna and her treachery...and had absolutely no idea that something was horribly wrong until it was too late. At one point it is said by the detectives in the case she should have considered being an investigator. Hmmmm...really? How is that even possible when she so obviously lacks the fundamental capability of how to read a person and a situation... Now don't get me wrong...I am in no way discounting what she went through and could not imagine being swindled in that manner and left out to dry the way she was. I just don't believe that she didn't, on some level, know Anna wasn't who she said she was and at some level enjoyed living the "high" life enough that she chose to ignore the situations and signs that pointed to Anna's true self. The audio is read by the author and she does a great job with it. If you have heard of this story, I would say give this a go and decide for yourself. Let me know what you thought and let's discuss! Find me on Instagram: @bookn.all.night

About the author

Rachel DeLoache Williams was born and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee, and is a graduate of Kenyon College. In 2010, she moved to New York City and landed her dream job in the photo department of Vanity Fair, where she helped produce photo shoots, including those for the annual Hollywood and New Establishment issues, and worked with the magazine’s leading photographers and iconic subjects. My Friend Anna is her first book.