Evidence of Love: A True Story of Passion and Death in the Suburbs

By John Bloom and Jim Atkinson

Book Overview

The "fascinating" true story behind the HBO Max and Hulu series about Texas housewife Candy Montgomery and the bizarre murder that shocked a community (Los Angeles Times Book Review).

Candy Montgomery and Betty Gore had a lot in common: They sang together in the Methodist church choir, their daughters were best friends, and their husbands had good jobs working for technology companies in the north Dallas suburbs known as Silicon Prairie. But beneath the placid surface of their seemingly perfect lives, both women simmered with unspoken frustrations and unanswered desires.

On a hot summer day in 1980, the secret passions and jealousies that linked Candy and Betty exploded into murderous rage. What happened next is usually the stuff of fiction. But the bizarre and terrible act of violence that occurred in Betty's utility room that morning was all too real.

Based on exclusive interviews with the Gore and Montgomery families, Edgar Award finalist Evidence of Love is the "superbly written" account of a gruesome tragedy and the trial that made national headlines when the defendant entered the most unexpected of pleas: not guilty by reason of self-defense (Fort Worth Star-Telegram).

Adapted into the Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning television movie A Killing in a Small Town--as well as the new limited series Candy on Hulu and Love and Death on HBO Max--this chilling tale of sin and savagery will "fascinate true crime aficionados" (Kirkus Reviews).

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1504049527
• ISBN13: 9781504049528
• Release Date: January 2018
• Publisher: Open Road Media
• Length: 386 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Very good!

The fact that the authors interviewed so many people involved including Candy and Allan really makes a huge difference in all of the details included in the story. It really keeps you engaged throughout this fascinating story.

Crazy as hell!

You won't believe the ending!

OMG - just so good!!!!!!!

I’m a True Crime fanatic and this is one of my all time fave books!! So utterly engrossing. Buy this book. You won’t regret it!

Crime Scene photos

I was in a criminal law class in Texas and saw the crime scene photos. The instructor was the ex-da for Collin County and his good buddy was Effibaugh, the original crime scene investigator. Very gruesome to say the least. I know there are photos out there, however, I don't understand why they didn't put any in the book. I recommend this book for any true crime buff. I've read it several times.

Update on one of the characters

Candy Montgomery's defense attorney, Don Crowder (the man who got her off of the murder charge) committed suicide recently. Shot himself. I have to wonder if the guilt of knowing that he freed a guilty person finally got to him. This book is still relevant and just as riveting today. Read it again.

Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction

I bought this book many years ago, after reading an excerpt in Cosmopolitan magazine. I remember when this happened, because I live in Texas and it was in the newspaper. I have re-read the book many times, hoping to finally understand things from Candy's point of view, such as it is....This book is well-written and spell-binding. I don't feel that the authors were "sympathetic" to Candy; they seemed quite objective to me. There was no need to be sympathetic anyway, she did what she did, and she was very lucky she got the jury that she did. I do wish very much that this book had photographs. And I wish that I knew what happened to everyone in the book years later. I read somewhere a long time ago that Pat and Candy had moved to Georgia and had separated. And that the Gore children (grown now)still resent Candy, needless to say. I just wonder how Candy thinks about the killing in her own mind, every day....It probably doesn't bother her much since she simply went about her business afterward and had no plans to reveal what happened. "I did not hold off because of the prints." Amazing. Update - Candy lives in Atlanta, Georgia and goes by Candace Wheeler. She is a MS, LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor) specializing in marriage counseling. She probably thinks she's an expert since she was bored in her marriage and had an affair - I bet she doesn't tell her clients, "By the way, I killed the wife of the man I was having my affair with - with an axe. And I left her little baby in her house alone screaming her lungs out, sitting in a dirty diaper for 12 hours or so. I just went on about my business as if I hadn't done anything, didn't know anything about it...don't you trust my advice now?" Candace Wheeler has got some nerve, but then, she always did. Bethany and Alisa's maternal grandparents got custody of them after Allen and Elaine began abusing them. Allen and Elaine later divorced. Allen sent one of the girls a card once (signing it with only his first name), but he never called or visited them, probably scared of their grandfather who threatened him after Elaine started pulling out Bethany's hair. Alisa is married with a little boy and Bethany is in college. They both feel that Candy did not tell the whole story. Don Crowder committed suicide in his den, narrowly missing his third wife with a test shot through the door. She said he didn't feel needed any more by his kids.

Wonderful True Life Crime

This is one of the best true life crimes I have ever read. You feel as if you know these 2 women. I could not put the book down. It will give you goose bumps will reading. I was just living 5 miles away from where the murder took place and know many of the people who are mentioned in the book. The murder is still the talk of Wylie, Texas. Let me tell you nothing has been left out. Read it if you can find a copy you won't be sorry!