An astonishing true story, Sex and the City meets Catch Me if You Can in MY FRIEND ANNA (Gallery Books; July 23, 2019; Hardcover) by former Vanity Fair photo editor Rachel DeLoache Williams. This is her firsthand account of being seduced by Anna Delvey's friendship and then scammed out of more than $62,000.
When Rachel first became friends with Anna Delvey, a self-proclaimed German heiress, Anna 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.
Anna's arrest in 2017 garnered widespread interest, which continued through her trial and then conviction in late April 2019. With upcoming HBO and Netflix adaptations, the public remains fascinated with this viral true crime tale. Rachel's story is breathless and in-depth, making MY FRIEND ANNA an unforgettable story of money, power, greed, and female friendship.
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.