Almost Paradise

A shocking true crime story of wealth, passion, and murder in the playground of New York's superrich. On October 22, 2001, multimillionaire financier Ted Ammon was found bludgeoned to death in his magnificent East Hampton mansion. His wife, Generosa, stood to inherit millions, but her history of violent outbursts and bizarre obsessions made her the prime suspect. Generosa, a talented decorator, had fashioned a lavish lifestyle for her family, divided between Fifth Avenue, the Long Island estate, and an English manor house. However, when she discovered Ted's mistress, her demons were unleashed. She began a very public affair with her electrician, Danny Pelosi, an ex-con with a lengthy rap sheet. In Almost Paradise, New York Times bestselling author Kieran Crowley recreates the three tumultuous lives that intersected fatally in East Hampton that fall. He chronicles Generosa's lonely transformation from an angry, orphaned teenager to a temperamental Manhattan artist and society wife. He follows Danny Pelosi's rambunctious odyssey from privileged son to down-on-his-luck alcoholic and unsuccessful contractor charged with murder. And he tracks the charmed life and tragic death of Ted Ammon, whose money and status couldn't save him from the machinations of those around him. This extraordinary story of a volatile marriage, infidelity, and a brutal demise set in the high society world of the Hamptons will captivate fans of true crime and anyone who read Maria Flook's Invisible Eden.