My Friend Anna: The True Story of a Fake Heiress recounts the dizzying rise and turbulent collapse of Anna Delvey, a puzzle box of a young woman whose relentless drive and bottomless opportunism allowed her to swindle dozens of people out of thousands of dollars. Rachel DeLoache Williams delivers a raw and harrowing true story of friendship, betrayal, and everything in between. Is Anna a well-meaning idealist in over her head, or a cold, calculating sociopath? Is she an anti-establishment icon or an audacious thief? Williams paints a portrait of her relationship with Anna that is both nuanced and electrifying, crafting a compelling real-life thriller full of shocking twists. The memoir is neatly structured into three distinct parts. In “Part One,” we are introduced to Anna through the eyes of the author, providing a glimpse into why someone like Williams would fall into a friendship with someone like Anna. The second portion details the disastrous fallout of that friendship with the chest-tightening realization that Anna is not—and possibly never was—who she pretended to be. The propulsive last third of the book is impossible to put down as Williams does everything she can to trick a trickster and overcome the nightmare scenario she finds herself in at the hands of Anna’s broken promises. It’s a searing exploration of what happens when charm and deception collide, and diving into the psychology of a socially adept narcissist has rarely felt more intimate. Williams proves to be a sympathetic and compelling narrator, capturing both the glamour and darkness of her story. Her emotionally resonant and evocative prose makes her story not just a recounting of events, but a visceral experience. The memoir also contains a blistering epilogue and a scathing afterword, offering a withering takedown of clickbait culture and online celebrity. Williams reminds readers that people show who they truly are through their actions, and that “conflict is inevitable if your every action is founded in self-obsession.” Ultimately, Williams’ storytelling is a masterclass in tension and vulnerability, making this memoir an unforgettable page-turner. Fast-paced and utterly mesmerizing, My Friend Anna is a must-read for fans of true crime and New York highlife. —CANREADS VANCOUVER BOOK REVIEW