If you’ve listened to the podcast and/or watched the limited series, you know this story already. It was interesting to hear more of her background and understand more of the coercive control that impacted her decision-making. It was not really groundbreaking but certainly an interesting read.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book.

This was a quick, easy read. I watched the “Dirty John” show on Bravo, but found myself really flabbergasted by the book and the amount of apparent bragging by the author. This was not a great piece of non-fiction, but it’s adequate and entertaining. 3 stars ⭐️. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for access to this book for review.

A harrowing, chilling tale of abuse and survival straight from the victim’s mouth. If you liked the podcast or tv show “Dirty John,” then you must read the real story of Debra Newell and her family, fighting to be free from wretched abuser John Meehan. This book is very well-written, with enough personal detail to help you fully understand Debra and the choices she made.

I hope Debra knows that she beloved by many. I am so glad she survived this ordeal. Ihope to shake her hand someday and thank her for this important story and for helping so many other survivors.

Thank you #BenBellaBooks, #DebraNewell, and #MWilliamPhelps for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I believe that ALL WOMEN need to read Ms. Newell's story. Too often, people point fingers until they end up in a situation like hers. Whether you can identify manipulation or not, you need to brush up on this knowledge. Control can sneak up on you. I felt that this was a blueprint to protect myself and know what to look out for. A reminder. What a brave and courageous woman who raised brave and courageous kids!

Glad to see my very favorite podcast made into a book written by courageous survivor Debra Newell. An amazing, inspirational, educational and riveting read. Five solid stars!

Surviving Dirty John: My True Story of Love, Lies, and Murder by Debra Newell and M. William Phelps was a good read. I had heard about the case and wanted to read the book before watching the Netflix series – and I am glad I did. #SurvivingDirtyJohn #NetGalley

This book was a great read. I was aware of this case before reading the book, as I had listened to podcasts and watched tv shows about it. However I still thoroughly enjoyed this read and this case is still one that fascinates me.

I first learned of Dirty John while listening to the podcast. My interest was piqued and I watched the Netflix series. When I found this book, I knew it was a must read and the book didn’t let me down.

Hearing more of the author’s story added context. The book was well written and provided context for the decisions that were made. I’d encourage anyone who has been in an abusive relationship to read this.

I am grateful to NetGalley for providing a
Complimentary review copy in exchange for honest feedback.

Wow. This is one crazy story of survival. I was not aware of this story prior to reading the book. I could not put this book down once I got it started.

I first heard about Debra's story on one of the primetime television's true crime shows. I did not watch the series on Netflix. What I really like about this book is Debra finally gets to tell her own story. We learn about her tragic history of being abused and we learn about "Coercive Control" as part of an insidious pattern in domestic violence cases (for example, gaslighting and other techniques to create self-doubt in the person being abused). Her co-writer helped amplify Debra's voice and tells a story that was difficult to put down. At the end of the book, she lists resources for other survivors of domestic abuse and has become an advocate to raise awareness about these issues. Hopefully society and the criminal justice system will change to stop asking survivors "why did you not leave?" - as Debra's story aptly describes, it's not that simple and that is not the right question to be asking.
I recommend this book.

This was an interesting take on the Dirty John story actually told by Debra so it gave an interesting perspective. It is so scary how this could happen and a professional woman be taken in by this.

I was given a free copy by the publishers and netgalley but the review is all my own.

A big thank-you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for giving me a copy of this book for an unbiased review.

3/5 - Good read, would recommend.

I think I am in the minority here because I had actually never watched the Dirty John series, nor have I listened to the podcast. I don't know how I managed to miss it - I consume a lot of true crime content and actually lived in Irvine, California, when this all took place.

Debra's story was equally horrific and fascinating. John seemed almost fictional - it felt impossible to believe that such a person could actually exist and sustain a life built on manipulation, lies, and abuse. When reading the first part of the book, I imagined some scary monster-hybrid and was shocked when I got to the section with pictures of him and Debra - he looks so NORMAL. Even the "dirty" scrubs that are constantly being mentioned didn't look that bad. I could completely understand why someone would trust him - most of us would never imagine that a single human being could be so depraved.

Debra is courageous and vulnerable in sharing her story, which I think is an important one to share. Her whole life seems to be consumed by hardship - from the murder of her sister at the hands of an abusive husband to a string of relationships with abusive men - and yet she offers an unflinching examination of her experience, despite the judgment it may evoke in some readers. Of course there are choices in her narrative that I might disagree with, but I hardly think this is relevant, because the reality is - none of us know how we would act in her specific situation, given her upbringing and her past. What's important now is sharing this story, along with misunderstandings we might have about domestic violence, and with highlights of how police systems don't do enough to protect victims of abuse until it is too late.

The only reason I did not rate this book higher is because I often found the narrative a bit confusing. I had not known anything about this story before, so I often found myself getting lost. It was as if the book had been written with a target audience of people who knew this story and just needed Debra's side of it. Still, I do think this is a very important book and I would strongly recommend it.

This book was a page turner from beginning to end. Things are not what they seem and will have you guessing until the end. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

What a story! It could have happened to anyone. This was very well written and it was obvious from the accounts that it was not as easy to write as one would think. I am grateful the author shared her story with us and survived.

Definitely a must read.

Whew. What a story. Most of us know the story of “Dirty John”. This book gives more information as well as the psychological explanation of what the author/victim experienced. Not only is the author’s story horrific, I was also struck by the familial notions she had about being a “wife” and the role her faith played in betraying her gut instinct on so many red flags. I truly hope the family cycle is broken. Fascinating look at our judicial system and I also kept thinking about how most women in abusive relationships don’t have the money to access hotels and apartments in which to hide nor do they have money for attorneys. What a tragic, gaping hole in our judicial and social services system. Thanks to BenBella Books for the copy of this book.

I've listened to several podcasts, watched the tv series and I really enjoyed getting more info from the book! Glad to have had the chance to read and review this book!!!

I had seen and read many things regarding Debra Newell prior to this book, and didn't put the connection together until about chapter 3. I did remember his fingernails being filthy. The most difficult part of this read is not judging Newell. She mentions red flags so to speak and all the times she went against her instincts., and the monetary value on everything. A medical anesthesiologist would not have filthy fingernails, that was her run ticket.

The story is typical . Newell put herself above her adult children, while professing she wasn't over a man she knew for 2 months. Her adult children did have her best interest at heart. Fortunately for Newell and any person who read her story, the adult children did not give up, laws were changed, and I have to believe they saved the life of someone they didn't know.

My takeaway is both parties, John and Debra, were ill in mental processing, priorities, and multitasking life. The book does give places to receive help. Law enforcement is numb to coercive control, and another area where they need trained.

Thank you NetGalley for accepting my request to read and review this book.

#NetGalley
#JohnMeehan
#DebraNewell
#CoerciveControl
#MWilliamPhelps
#BenBellaBooksInc
#SurvivingDirtyJohn

Even if you think you know this story, read this book.

This is from Debra's POV, not a podcast's POV, not a TV producer's POV, but from the victim herself. Every retelling of her story has focused on John rather than Debra, now she tells her side. She makes a point early in the book that a mini-series (meant for ratings) could never delve into her history, her person, her decisions which were not as naïve as we might think.

The writing isn't always stellar but it's the story that matters.

An interesting real life account of what Debra Newell went through with her psychopath husband “Dirty John”. Alongside the story of what went on between them it also gives an interesting insight into her previous relationships and family history and encourages any women going through any even slightly similar relationships to get the help they need.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Surviving Dirty John
by Debra Newell, M. William Phelps
Pub Date: August 31, 2021
BenBella Books

Now that articles, podcasts, newsmagazines, and miniseries have had their sensationalistic say, Debra Newell, the one woman who truly knows what it was like to survive “Dirty John” Meehan shares the full story—the reality—with the world for the first time.
Thanks to BenBella Books and NetGalley for the ARC.
This book is packed with educational facts and resources for her readers or anyone else put in this situation.

What Debra went through was a pure nightmare that no woman should have had to go through. There is no doubt in my mind that this experience has made her so much stronger than she had ever been before.

4star