Marrying the Hangman: A True Story of Privilege, Marriage and Murder

The account of the murder of Diane Whitmore Pikul describes how her wealthy and violent Wall Street husband murdered her and then won custody of her children while under indictment for her murder.

"A young mother, so full of promise, is killed by the 'perfect' husband. Sheila Weller takes a domestic tragedy and reveals every nuance so that we see the compelling anatomy of a murder in slow motion, from the dynamics of a marriage to the crime itself, to its chilling aftermath. Powerful reporting of an unforgettable story." - Vincent Bugliosi Read more Continue reading Read less FROM KIRKUS REVIEWS
Third book on the 1987 murder of Diane Pikul by her millionaire stock-analyst husband, this one the most intimate; by the author of the so-so novel Hansel and Gretel in Beverly Hills (1978) . Previous tellings of this story include Richard T. Pienciak's exhaustively detailed spellbinder, Deadly Masquerade (1990) , which focused largely on the murderer, Joseph Pikul; and Rafael Yglesias's novelization of the murder, The Murderer Next Door (1990) , which was less satisfying but a strong read all the same. Weller once met Diane Pikul and was a close friend of Diane's best friend, who with others had long advised Diane to leave her violent husband. In the year she was murdered, Diane, 44, had worked as a publisher's assistant at Harper's magazine for seven months in an attempt to become self-supporting and had renewed her efforts to become a writer by attending a writing class led by Allan Gurganus. Weller focuses her story on Diane rather than on the crime, giving the victim as much or more space as Joe, and has interviewed many of Diane's fellow workers and writing-class members. The author's Diane, while still tied to Joe by her low income, two children, and ongoing divorce suit, is less the shrill and greedy woman of Pienciak's version, more of a sophisticate struggling to stay sane while bound to a madman. Joe comes through, as ever, as an almost mythic nut: an abused child who later became a cross-dresser, a brilliant student, and an early millionaire; then, a failure and a recovering alcoholic on the rebound financially; later, a wife- beater but loving father of two children; and, finally, an AIDS- ridden psychotic murderer released on bail and given custody of his kids--which had Manhattan in an uproar. This story is hardening into legend, with Diane here a worthy and moving foil to the outsized ego of her husband and his mishmash fantasy life. -- Copyright 1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. FROM PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In 1987 Diane Pikul, assistant to the publisher of Harper's magazine, was murdered in her Long Island, N.Y., summer house by her husband, Joseph Pikul, a Wall Street analyst with a penchant for cross-dressing. It's a uniquely urban tragedy, told brilliantly by Weller, who covered the trial for Ms. magazine. Diane, originally from Indiana, came to New York City in the '60s, to transform herself into a sophisticate. Managing difficult men was part of the process. When she opted for a wealthy husband she chose Pikul, and their lush lifestyle hooked her to a man she grew to hate. Weller has uncovered an amazing amount of detail. The portrait that emerges is so finely drawn that one can almost hear Diane laughing as she relates to friends the latest indignities she has suffered from her spouse. Shortly before her murder, Diane told friends that her estranged husband might kill her to get custody of their two children. The book shows how cockeyed laws allowed him that privilege while he was free on bail. He died of AIDS in 1989. Don't miss this one. Literary Guild alternate; author tour.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
SHEILA WELLER is the author of the acclaimed memoir Dancing at Ciro���s and the New York Times bestseller Girls Like Us: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon���and the Journey of a Generation, among other books. She is a contributor to Vanity Fair, The New York Times Book Review, and Glamour, and has written for many other magazines, winning numerous awards for her articles. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. FROM LIBRARY JOURNAL
In the fall of 1987, New York City was shocked by the brutal beating death of Lisa Steinberg at the hands of her adoptive father. Pushed to the back pages of the city newspapers was another murder case equally shocking, one that had implications for child custody laws. Forty-four-year-old Diane Whitmore Pikul, who had finally decided to divorce her abusive husband, had been strangled and bludgeoned to death by Joseph Pikul, a Wall Street securities analyst who saw murder as the easiest way to retain custody of his two children. Although he had been arrested wearing women's underwear (he later died of AIDS in prison) and although he expressed no remorse in confessing to Diane's murder, Pikul was allowed sole custody while he was free on bail. In this compelling book, journalist Weller, who covered the Pikul case for Ms. magazine, explores Diane's self-destructive youth, her tragic attempt to break away from Pikul, and the child custody and domestic violence issues that arose from her murder. Strongly recommended for all true crime collections. Patrons may also be interested in Rafael Yglesias's fictionalized version, The Murderer Next Door ( LJ 8/90) . Literary Guild Alternate Selection.
- Wilda Williams, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Read more Continue reading Read less