In small-town Texas in 1980, a sleepy suburb is turned upside down after a beloved wife and upstanding member of the community has an affair that ends in brutal murder. The 2023 series Love & Death is based on this true story involving Candy Montgomery; Betty Gore; and Betty’s husband, Allan Gore. Created by David E. Kelley (A Man in Full), the drama stars Elizabeth Olsen (His Three Daughters), Jesse Plemons (Black Mirror), and Lily Rabe (Fractured).

Where can I stream Love & Death? 

Stream it on Netflix now. 

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Who’s in the cast of Love & Death?

• Elizabeth Olsen (WandaVision) as Candy Montgomery
• Jesse Plemons (Black Mirror) as Allan Gore
• Lily Rabe (American Horror Story: Coven) as Betty Gore, Allan’s wife
• Patrick Fugit (Almost Famous) as Pat Montgomery, Candy’s husband
• Tom Pelphrey (A Man in Full) as Don Crowder, Candy’s defense attorney
• Krysten Ritter (El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie) as Sherry Cleckler, Candy’s confidante

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What happens in Love & Death?

Candy Montgomery (Olsen) lives an idyllic life in a sleepy Texas town alongside her husband, Pat (Fugit), and their children. She’s a respected member of her church community and close friends with Betty Gore (Rabe), her uptight, God-fearing neighbor. But Candy’s life isn’t as picture-perfect as it seems. Ignored by her husband, and trapped in the mold of a suburban housewife, Candy is desperate for anything that makes her feel alive. She finds a new lease on life in the most unexpected of places: an affair with Allan (Plemmons), Betty’s husband, who feels similarly imprisoned in his marriage. 

To add insult to injury, Betty is pregnant with the Gore’s second child when Allan cheats on her, but Candy and Allan justify their behavior by creating rules to keep their affair casual and primarily sexual. However, as Candy and Allan begin to confide in each other and grow closer emotionally, their respective partners begin to notice an unmistakable change in them. It’s only a matter of time before the truth comes out, and as the first shot of the pilot hints, it will come with a fatal cost.

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Is Love & Death based on a book?

Yes, Love & Death was adapted from the 1984 book Evidence of Love: A True Story of Passion and Death in the Suburbs by John Bloom and Jim Atkinson. Bloom and Atkinson’s original reporting — the basis for the book — first appeared as a two-part feature in Texas Monthly titled “Love and Death in Silicon Prairie.”

Is Love & Death based on a true story?

Yes. The series is based on the real-life case of Candy Montgomery, who was accused of murdering her friend Betty Gore. Candy’s affair with Allan Gore began on Dec. 12, 1978, while Betty was pregnant with Allan’s second child. The affair continued until shortly after she gave birth in July 1979. 

The fatal confrontation between Betty and Candy occurred on June 13, 1980, while Allan was out of town on a business trip. When Betty didn’t answer his calls, Allan became worried and asked neighbors to check in on her. According to Texas Monthly, the neighbors discovered their infant daughter unattended in her crib and “oceans of blood” on the utility room floor, where Betty’s body was found. Betty had been stabbed 41 times with an axe and the killer only stopped “at the point of utter exhaustion.”

Where does Love & Death take place?

The series takes place in Wylie, Texas, where the real events occurred. 

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