The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise

Content Warning: This section of the guide discusses domestic abuse, sexual assault, and gun violence.

Louise Wilt, previously known as Patricia Nichols, is one of the protagonists of the novel. She is 84 years old at the start of her adventure with Tanner and living in Atlanta in the home that she shared with her now deceased husband, Ken. She has a somewhat predictable life: going to her bridge clubs, attending church, going to physical therapy after she broke her hip tripping over a rug. However, she has a wildly unconventional past. Forty-eight years ago, Louise and her best friend George robbed the Copley Plaza Hotel and successfully pulled off a massive heist of $3 million worth of cash and jewelry, including the infamous Kinsey Diamond. Louise also kidnapped Jules, the daughter of mafia boss Salvatore D’Amato, and raised her as her adopted daughter. Louise adopted her alias after kidnapping Jules to keep them both safe from Salvatore. George and Louise gave away the money that they made from the heist to various women impacted by domestic violence; prior to the heist, they ran a whisper network that helped to get women out of abusive relationships. Through the disparity between Louise’s present life and her past life, Colleen Oakley suggests that elderly people should not be underestimated.