This nonfiction title is heavy and difficult reading. Hometown Betrayal by Emily Benedek shares the story of Valarie Clark Miller and her sexual abuse found after her long-repressed memories surface. She was a woman who seemed to have it all, popular in school with friends and several suitors, family that loved her, and eventually a family of her own. But even with all these blessings, her memories haunted her and led her to crumble. Living in a remote Mormon community, she was raised close to men who had different ideas of how women should be viewed, one even teaching his children to mistreat the neighbor children "as that's what's they are for, our pleasure" (That quote is close to what I remember in the book, it was so gross that I think my brain wants to forget it!) Due to this connection, her perpetrators are seen as upstanding community members, and her story is just her memories playing tricks on her. Her story is before the #MeToo movement but is another reason to keep believing women and working to remove these threats from communities. If you have any history with this religion, being abused, or other trauma, protect your heart before reading this one, or have some softer reading handing when you need to take a break. Remember to help your young women both children and friends and don't assume men are good and godly. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me this ALC in exchange for sharing my honest review.

Emily Benedek’s Hometown Betrayal is a powerful and unsettling true crime narrative centered on the tragic life of Valarie Clark Miller, whose experiences of childhood abuse in a small Mormon community are both heartbreaking and compelling. The first part of the book, which focuses on Valarie’s story, is gripping and emotionally resonant, drawing readers into her world and the culture that enabled her suffering. However, once her narrative is fully explored, the book shifts to broader issues within the town and the generational impact of abuse, which, while important, slows the pacing and can feel overwhelming in its detail. Although the latter sections lose some momentum, Benedek’s commitment to justice and survivor advocacy is clear throughout. Overall, I found the book tragic and engrossing at first but ultimately a bit too long once it moved beyond Valarie’s story, so I would give it a solid 3 out of 5 stars.

By the time NetGalley approved this ARC, I had one day to read this and the copy was archived. Disappointing. Wish I had more time to read this one.

Hometown Betrayal takes us to the back yards of Clarkston Utah and the author cultivates pieces of Valarie's story bit by bit and her story will enrage you and sadden all at the same time.

I really appreciated the time and the fact finding the author Emily went through to make sure she got it right and portrayed not only Valaries story , but the life of a Mormons wife and the long stemming child physical abuse that has deep roots and trying to find an end to put these sick men behind bars.

It must have been a very difficult novel to write and so traumatic at times discovering all these awful truths...SO MANY MONSTERS out there who are hidden in everyday ordinary clothing , and could be your next door neighbor or a family member .

I found the section where the narrator took us back in time so fascinating , the history of how Clarkston came to be and when the first settlers arrived in the mid 1860's and how they built their community as they felt it made them stronger and safer as one .

This story is a harrowing afflictive novel and will not be for everyone , but is a story that needs to be told and we need to stop being so blind and naïve that sexual abuse is still happening right in plane view and instead of looking the other way... we need to unite and stop it .

Thankful there is more resources for victims to reach out to , to start the healing process and live a strong , confident life.

Thank you Netgalley, Greenleaf Audiobooks and Emily Benedek for this Audiobook .

This was such a heartbreaking story, and, like Elizabeth Smart said in the foreword, one that needs to be told and to be believed. I will say the writing was a bit more clinical than I expected, but overall the story was so gripping and well told. It's so awful that she spent her whole life battling demons and no one believed her! Thank you to Emily Benedek for bringing this story to light.

This is the kind of book that you feel in your bones. The kind that makes you feel the emotions evoked so deeply, that you react viscerally. It's not an easy read. It's not a read that you will likely want to do more than once. Trauma, especially towards children and young girls, is life altering for generations. Valarie's story showcases how precisely, honestly, and with gentle care for those impacted.

Valarie Clark Miller was raised in the Mormon church, in a small, secluded, and insular town. The kind of town that keeps all its own secrets and protects its own, no matter the cost. She experiences assaults so vile and traumatizing that she literally blocks them out of her memory. As she enters her adult years, becomes married, and starts a family of her own, she lives her life unaware of the reasons behind some of her 'quirks.' When a tragic event alters the life of one of her own children, her body is triggered into remembering for her, though she can't quite connect the dots in her own brain. Through therapy, she recalls the horrors of her youth, which leads to a domino effect of more spider webbing hurt and community uproar that leaves her wondering if healing is possible.

As a survivor myself, Emily Benedek expertly shared the fall out and feelings of assault victims. The ups, downs, and general roller coaster of reactions and triggers not only for the victim, but for those who live beside them.

There is no "getting over" such violent traumas, there is only learning and healing to find a way forward.

This story will shake you, but it's one that needs to be heard to help in the protection of little girls and women who are too scared or brainwashed to speak out for themselves.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a copy of this audiobook in exchange for sharing my honest review.

Devastating because of the unimaginable trauma Valarie endured and the ripple effects it had across generations. Powerful because it brings to light the deep, lasting damage caused by child sexual abuse—not only to the victim, but to everyone connected to them.

Valarie’s story is heartbreaking, yet it’s also a reclaiming of power—power stolen by her abusers, now returned through the act of telling her truth. This book is essential. It reminds us that sexual abuse isn’t some distant tragedy limited to developing countries or true crime stories—it’s happening close to home. For me, that home is just 20 miles away from where these events took place.

My heart aches for Valarie and the Miller family. I know some of the people mentioned in this book, and learning what they went through is devastating. Having lived in Utah, particularly within the context of Mormon culture, it’s easy to look away from uncomfortable truths. But we must do better. We need to educate ourselves, speak up, and create safe spaces where victims are believed, supported, and heard.

This story needs to be read. And more importantly—it needs to be believed.

Loved the audio here. Such a sad story, but I love "true crime" audio. Would recommend to others who like similar.

This book is a powerful reminder of how prevalent child sex abuse is and how it can affect not just the victim, but families and whole communities. It is the story of Valarie Clark, a young woman who had everything going for her except her proximity to three horrible men in her community. She went through horrendous abuse and she never received justice during her lifetime. And she wasn’t alone. The community of Clarkston is a tiny Mormon town in Utah where secrets were kept to protect the guilty. This happens in all places, but there were many reasons why this particular town had a plethora of injustices. The book explains these reasons thoroughly and also deftly explores how the initial investigation into Valarie’s case was egregiously handled.
The biggest takeaway I got from listening to this book is that questions about possible abuse need to be explored and not ignored as soon as they arise. Assuming that you could be wrong is not the way to go. At the very least, ask questions and get involved. The pain the victims experience only compounds with time if left unaddressed. Valarie was a sad example of this. I hope her story is read by many.
Thanks to NetGalley for the audiobook I received in exchange for a review.

This was a really upsetting and heartbreaking story. I felt so bad for Valerie and everything she went through and how the Mormon faith ended up hurting her more than helping. I understand not everyone In that religion is as staunch or right winged about it but it’s hard to understand how many blind eyes were turned just because a man “goes to service on Sunday” the forward written by Amy Smart was really powerful and also amazing how it all tied together.

This is an investigative style of storytelling that worked really well on audiobook. The story centers around one woman, Valerie, and her story is heartbreaking in many ways. This book does more than simply tell Valerie's life story--it digs into the root causes: environmental factors, patterns of sexual abuse, generational trauma, and the pervasiveness of these themes within the Mormon church, in these small towns in Idaho, and within families. It's a difficult book that is well researched and interesting.

This book was good but I had to DNF due to the emotions it was giving me. It was well researched and I liked that Elizabeth Smart did a forward. I think it was a little longer than needed as there was some padding but overall I would recommend it to those interested.

Wow... this book is incredibly difficult to rate. I don't want to say I enjoyed it; that definitely is not the right word. I think this book was well researched, written, and delivered for the audiobook (although I think it was a little longer than it needed to be). Devastatingly heartbreaking and sickening.

I only listened to a few chapters in this book, but it’s my fault for not really finding out what the book was about. I thought it was a story of a Mormon community, maybe one of the communes. Instead it was a story of rape and sexual abuse. I don’t enjoy reading true life stories like this. For anyone who likes true life stories like this topic, the book is written in an interesting manner, with multiple point of views of different people in the town. There are a lot of people and names mentioned in the book, and at points it was hard to keep track of everyone. My heart is broken for what the main woman and others like her had to go through, and I just could not keep listening.

TW/CW: Drinking, miscarriages, infertility, rape

*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
Valarie Clark Miller seemed to have it all. Smart, beautiful, and athletic, with a wealthy, successful husband and growing family, Valarie appeared to be the picture-perfect Mormon wife. But it was all a façade. Inside, she was crumbling from the pressures of long-repressed memories of a childhood plagued with sexual and physical abuse.
Release Date: April 2nd, 2025
Genre: Non-fiction
Pages: 314
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

What I Liked:
1. Elizabeth Smart doing the forew

What I Didn't Like:
1. Info dumping for padding

Overall Thoughts:
{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}

Oh for God's sake why did I need 10 pages of being told about the land in Utah?? What did that have to do with her story?


I can't keep going with this book. I respect the story for what it's worth but I'm not here for what color the leaves were in 1925.


Final Thoughts:
I know that we have to set the base for the book and learn who everyone is but there are seriously people who don't matter being talked about. I am so bored and I am only 50 pages in and I am pulling the plug. Such a shame I wanted to know who this amazing person was but this book is so weighed down with padding and things that don't do anything for the story.

IG | Blog

Thanks to Netgalley and Greenleaf Book Group Press for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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Hometown Betrayal is one of those difficult stories to hear but is also one that is so important to get out there for people take notice so it doesn’t happen to someone else.

Author Emily Benedek details the life story of Mormon, Valerie Clark Miller, who experienced extreme highs and lows throughout her life while dealing with the trauma of persistent childhood abuse at the hands of those in authority or who should’ve protected her as a child.

Benedek leaves no stone unturned as she details not only the abuse, but the recovery of Valerie’s memories and the subsequent devastation to her life the trauma continued to bring her.

Told him a very sympathetic and respectful way, I feel that this story helps show the true effects victims go through in such devastating circumstances.

The audiobook narration by Maria Mcann was a perfect match for this subject, and she delivered the material in a frank and feeling manner. Some of the moments were very difficult and Mcann dealt with the subject with the respect it deserved. As for narration in general, her voice and cadence was easy to listen to, and she provided a good pacing for the book.

I just finished a good audiobook. Hometown Betrayal by Emily Benedek was very entertaining. It's available now.

Check your trigger warnings!

This book covers the horrific abuse Valerie Clark experienced growing up in a LDS/Mormon small town growing up. The small town community was very patriarchal and as a result wasn't set up well to help her. The descriptions of what happened to her were intense. Be prepared when reading.

A great book to read but please check your trigger warnings.

This book goes into depth of the life of Valery a Mormon that went through extreme trauma within her Mormon community. It also explains how she tried to cope and the long term effects it had on her and her family.

There is various research and insights into her life from many perspectives to help understand the trauma. And the ending is somewhat satisfying but not really. This book will for sure stay with me in a good way. I would highly recommend it to everyone as we all need to understand this subject/trauma as it can happen to anybody.

I love all things Mormon/LDS, so when I spotted this audiobook on NetGalley I hit request straight away.

The book starts with an introduction from Elizabeth Smart, a Mormon, who was famously abducted, repeatedly raped and held hostage for 9 months. She sets the tone, the belief and the understanding behind this closed community.

One of the repeated comparisons mentioned in this book is the idea of offering someone a pre chewed piece of chewing gum. You wouldn’t want it and that’s how females who have had premarital sex were seen, so regardless if it was consensual or not, your future and chance to reach the celestial kingdom were tarnished.

This book explores how these little towns breathe so much sense in fraternity, self regulation and god fearing people. Valerie Clark kept her abuse secret, until the trauma of her daughter’s accident unearthed it. We see how the community uses denial and slander and how the stress caused Valerie towards addiction, two divorces and her children finally fighting for justice.

Although this book is set in the past, I was not exactly shocked when one of the cast members on Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Mikayla shared her experience of sexual assault/trauma and how her mother didn’t believe her, reconfirming this culture/society/closed group haven’t moved much farther.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Greenleaf Book Group Press for this copy