Hometown Betrayal by Emily Benedek is a gripping true crime audiobook that delves into the dark secrets of a remote Mormon community in Clarkston, Utah. The book follows the harrowing story of Valarie Clark Miller, a woman who appeared to have the perfect life but was secretly battling the trauma of childhood abuse. Benedek meticulously pieces together Valarie’s story, exposing the systemic failures that allowed her abusers to escape justice. The audiobook, brings the emotional weight of Valarie’s experiences to life, making it a compelling listen for those interested in investigative journalism and survivor stories. The book has received praise for its raw and powerful storytelling, with readers describing it as both devastating and necessary.

I always find it a bit hard to review true stories and true crime in the sense that I find the material important to read but I don't find enjoyment in the suffering of others - therefore assigning a star rating can be challenging. That being said this book was well done and I felt like it handled the heavier topics well - including CSA and all of the effects it can have on someone's life + the generational impact.

I originally applied for this ALC because I enjoy true crime and wanted to learn more about what happened in this situation and in this rural Mormon community in Utah. Unfortunately there is never a shortage of true crime and the monstrous acts of others. These people exist everywhere and are usually the ones we least expect. Things like this happen in our backyards and in our neighbourhoods.

Hometown Betrayal was a very sad read and I still feel upset with how quiet everyone had been when there were so many dangerous people around. It really drives home how important it is to believe the victims of SA and what happens to people when you don't. My heart goes out to Valerie and her family.

If you are interested in true crime, like small town secrets or want a moving read, this is the story for you. I want to thank Netgalley and the author for an advanced listening copy of this book. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

A deeply painful read, this book dives deep into Valerie’s horrific abuse and the lifelong trauma she suffered, as well as how the effects of that trauma rippled out to affect her community and loved ones. The book is well researched with tons of first hand interview accounts, and does a good job of handling Valerie’s story respectfully.

My biggest issue with the book though is that it felt like it spent a very long time detailing all of the suffering Valerie and her family endured, and not enough time on the mishandled investigation. I also wish there had been more emphasis on the broader structural issues that led to her abuse and its subsequent coverup.

Thank you to NetGalley and Greenleaf Audiobooks for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Hometown Betrayal tells the heart breaking story of Valerie Clark Miller who concealed years of abuse she suffered as a child.
A powerful story that confronts the hard truths of abuse.

This book is not for the faint of heart. My heart broke for these victims over and over again. Valerie suffered for years before she even spoke about her abuse. This book takes the reader on a journey through her trauma and how it affected her for the rest of her life.

The way the story is told isn’t in a traditional timeline. We learn from Valerie’s trauma. I enjoyed the way the author described events and people. This is a topic that can trigger people, and she did it well.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.

This book shows great research into the lives of those in the story and the history of the town. I am not from this community nor religious, so I appreciated the backstory of Mormonism and how the positions of power are allowed within the church. Mormonism places a lot of emphasis of women's actions and roles and that was exploited here to the max.
Benedek writes with skill and compassion while giving us the facts of the story. I appreciated her skill in handling delicate matters and how she made Valerie a whole person, not just a victim.
This is a shocking and thought provoking account of abuse with excellent narration.
RIP Valerie, you didn't deserve any of what happened to you.

thank you to NetGalley, the author Emily Benedek, and Greenleaf Audiobooks for my ARC of this audiobook.

Too often, perpetrators of sexual violence fail to be held accountable. This is a well documented reality, despite efforts to improve advocacy and support for victims and survivors. Even more often, the contributions of culture and communities that allow sexual abuse to continue unchecked are downplayed or ignored. In Hometown Betrayal, Emily Benedek exposes not only the men who actively harmed Valarie Clark Miller but the community that turned a blind eye, supported abusers over victims, ostracized victims who tried to speak up, and systematically covered for dangerous men who caused significant harm. We need more of that.

Not a fun read by any means but very well-researched, including a brief look into the history of the Mormon church and how the culture created by early church leaders has led to men feeling entitled to use and abuse women and children, and church leaders today needing to protect the church's image above all else.

I listed to the audiobook version, narrated by Maria Mcann. The book was read in a no-frills manner, appropriate to the material. Diction was clear, consistent, and well-paced.

This book is incredibly heartbreaking, but also such an important story to share. I applaud the bravery of both the family and those willing to come forward to share their stories. For the actual writing itself, Benedek did a great job of capturing the reader through interviews and diary excerpts, whilst also pushing forward a shocking narrative of patriarchal and societal pressures that resulted in such tragedy. I think this book is such an important read for so many people, and I hope it reaches those in the communities largely impacted and effected to open their eyes to something that seems to largely be ignored or considered common place. A difficult read, but one I would gladly do again.

Having lived in Utah for a long time and grown up Mormon, a lot about this book really hit home for me, though I never experienced anywhere close to what Valarie did. So much in this book was truly horrific but so important to talk about so no more children are abused in such horrible ways. I did think the latter half of the book was organized a bit weirdly, and thought a lot of that information could have been inserted in the narrative of Valarie's life and flowed a lot better. I did find the ending when some form of justice was brought about very satisfying. It's definitely a hard but vital book.

Over 50 years.

That’s how long these men continued to get away with unthinkable, horrific crimes, and even then, justice still wasn’t properly served.

I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did a good job. She was easy to listen to and carried the story well.

As for the story itself, it’s hard to put into words how I felt. For starters, poor Valerie just had such a rough life. It’s heartbreaking. It’s no surprise that she eventually struggled with addiction.

It’s great that, after all this time, people are finally trying to bring the truth to light — but for Valerie, it feels like a “day late, dollar short.”

She was a victim of so many awful circumstances. It’s also fascinating how the brain can suppress memories that later resurface, often triggered by another traumatic event.

A lot happens in this book. Honestly, it’s almost too much. Part two was harder to follow. There are a lot of names, a lot of terrible people, and a lot of details packed in. While it’s very well researched, I found myself getting a little lost at times.

One thing I feel the need to call out: some of the things people said in interviews were absolutely maddening. One relative said something along the lines of, “If only any of us knew,” in reference to the abuse Valerie endured as a child. This was shortly after we hear about her having a huge bleeding gash on her head from one of the men. So… no one asked a 13-year-old girl what happened? You can’t convince me no one knew. They just ignored it.

Then later, a man said something like, “She didn’t act seductive or wear revealing clothes, she didn’t deserve this.”

I know he was trying to defend her, but… what if she had? Would that have made it okay? That kind of mindset is part of the problem.

That said, I’m glad the author kept those in.

Overall, this was a heartbreaking listen. I hope it helps other victims. I also hope it helps some people rethink the way they view abuse, blame, and justice.

Overall, a really good book. I won't sugarcoat it, in the beginning it was really hard to follow with all the characters. The book flowed more like a story, not a memoir like I was expecting, but I did enjoy it!

This book is hard to rate because it’s not fiction but wow wow wow. I listened to this whole thing today and I probably should have taken some breaks because once I got finished I felt sick to my stomach. This book is a tough one to get thru because it’s such a heavy story. Valerie went thru so so much. This book highlights the impact that child sexual abuse has on not only victims but their family members as well. This story being shared gives Valeria some of her power back and hopefully gives her family some of theirs back as well. My heart broke for them all. Valerie had things happen to her that should never have happen. Especially to a young child. Things happened at such a young age and continued to happen throughout her young life. She hit a point in life where she just suppressed the things that happened to her. Almost 20 years later it all comes back to her and it ultimately leads to the decline in her mental and physical health. She truly could not catch a break.

This is a very hard and heavy read. I should add #metoo.
I loved the beginning where they talked about Valerie's childhood, her family history, the horse, and Clarkston. I love that they mentioned Elizabeth Hay, someone I have research for Weber County Heritage Foundation. It connected me to Valerie and had me ready to read the heavy stuff.
But it was heavy and hard for me. I felt like I owed her my attention to this story.
The narration was wonderful. In the end I felt glad that my dad made an off handed remark about all religion existing to control the masses. Although, I do believe our Valerie found comfort in her beliefs during her belief, at least I did not feel like I was chewed bubblegum or ruined in anyway. I just felt, and still feel, angry.
This is a wonderful book full of interesting histories of the Mormon Faith and a lot of really heavy stuff.

his was a hard one to read and review. On the one hand, the subject matter was hard and you should absolutely look at the trigger warnings before jumping in.

This was a deep telling of the complex relationships and cover-ups in small town, (often) religious communities and unfortunately, not an untold story coming out of Mormon communities.

Valarie’s story is heart-wrenching. On the surface, she embodied the ideal Mormon wife—beautiful, smart, part of a prominent family—but behind the façade, she was battling a darkness few could imagine. Benedek’s writing captures the complex emotional layers of surviving and confronting long-buried abuse with stunning empathy and precision. She weaves Valarie’s individual journey into a larger narrative about the deeply entrenched systems of denial and protection that exist in tight-knit communities like Clarkston, Utah.

The author handled these difficult topics delicately, with multiple trigger warnings at the onset of chapters but it was still hard to hear how horrifically this story was mishandled.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Greenleaf Audiobooks for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest review. Maria Mcann does a solid job narrating this story!

This is true crime at its finest! The cult of Mormonism will hopefully one day very soon be fully exposed for the sexual perversions of its members and original founders. This is another heartbreaking story of a young woman who was a victim of sexual assault at the hands of those that should have been protecting her. The title for the book is perfect as Valerie's entire town let her down and betrayed her trust and her mental health.

Maybe if more people read true crime prior to joining this cult, it would help save a few others.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 Stars (Outstanding)
Setting: Clarkston, Utah
Genre: True Crime; Memoir; Biography

Hometown Betrayal is a raw, powerful, and necessary book that left me both devastated and deeply grateful. As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, I found this story incredibly difficult to read at times—but also profoundly validating. Emily Benedek does not shy away from the brutal realities of Valarie Clark Miller’s life, exposing not only the personal trauma she endured but also the chilling community-wide silence that enabled it.

Valarie’s story is heart-wrenching. On the surface, she embodied the ideal Mormon wife—beautiful, smart, part of a prominent family—but behind the façade, she was battling a darkness few could imagine. Benedek’s writing captures the complex emotional layers of surviving and confronting long-buried abuse with stunning empathy and precision. She weaves Valarie’s individual journey into a larger narrative about the deeply entrenched systems of denial and protection that exist in tight-knit communities like Clarkston, Utah.

What struck me most was the courage it took for Valarie—and for others like her—to speak out. Hometown Betrayal is a bold reminder of why telling our stories matters: because silence protects no one but the abusers. While I did find myself wishing for a more satisfying conclusion, the ending felt honest to the lived experiences of survivors. In real life, justice is rarely neat, and believing survivors remains an ongoing fight.

This book is not an easy read, but it is an essential one. Benedek handles the subject matter with great care, giving voice to countless individuals who have long been silenced. Hometown Betrayal is both a heartbreaking and empowering call to action—and one I will not soon forget. #netgalley #hometownbetrayal #booked_this_weekend

Wow 😭😭😭💔

Firstly I find it difficult to rate such a book with stars due to the context however what I am rating is the delivery, the detail and the impact this audiobook had on me because personally I don’t feel it is my place to review the subject matter based solely on this 1 piece of work.

With that being said my first thing is when someone is abused the worst thing is for them not to be believed and for all that is expressed in this audiobook that Valerie endured to not be believed and labelled as psychotic or sociopath etc is exceptionally hard to hear! It’s very easy for those in the wrong to turn a blind eye and do such things or even those in denial who can’t comprehend such wickedness in this world but due to the nature of this particular story being that of living in a Mormon community where it’s stated this particular community turned a blind eye then isn’t any wonder Valerie ended up with various ailments later in life as she had next to no support when she was coming to terms with what actually happened to her! When she needed to be cared for and loved the most is when she found herself in a battle as her husband believing he was doing right by her tried to begin legal proceedings.

Religion has been known and spoken of often as a way of conditioning, grooming and thereafter abuse however it isn’t the same for everyone who is of any religious belief as in I don’t believe all Mormons necessarily live this way it’s the same can be said for anything in life there is good and bad in all walks of life in all different towns and countries.

What is absolutely abhorrent is the fact this appears to be known about even spoken about in whispers regarding the perpetrators and yet nobody does anything it was accepted and the 2 in Valeries life simply were not deemed to be the monsters that they were to the point even her husband found himself battling with how to handle the whole situation making it a difficult sad situation on the whole family in the long run.

Abuse doesn’t only affect the victim as this audiobook expresses so well it impacts families from the inside causes destruction to children even to the point of death. The loss of Valerie’s child Erin ultimately was down to all the past events that had occurred in her mums life although this was never her mums fault by any means it shows the impact such tragedy has on the family as a whole. Generational trauma continues on and history can repeat until someone stops and breaks the cycle which is a very difficult path for anyone.

This audiobook is extremely hard hitting, it is raw, emotional, brutal, disturbing and difficult to listen to but when you think your listening to this you realise this family and so many more have lived through this it humbles you! I wish anyone and everyone who has ever had any experience of abuse peace and I also commend the family for allowing this story to be shared as it may help so many others in their healing and even to break free from any situations they may currently be in!

Lastly this was well narrated that you definitely could sense the emotion and severity of the authors intended words.

Rest in peace Valerie & Erin & God Bless the rest of this family may you continue to heal from all that you endured 🙏🏽❤️

With huge gratitude to NetGalley & Greenleaf Audiobooks for the opportunity to listen to this ELC 📚❤️🙏🏼

Wow, apparently even some present-day townsfolk in this Mormon Utah valley are going to be rocked by allegations uncovered in this book. This was a riveting, albeit difficult, story to read. The sexual abuse that was known about and overlooked, ignored, downplayed and allowed to continue is staggering. The fact that it was perpetrated by seemingly upstanding Mormon temple-goers, law enforcement and others is even more difficult to grasp. The well-documented, long-lasting, horrific effects of abuse on survivors is on full display here. The life of Valarie Miller and all that happened to her and her family is almost surreal if it hadn't been fully witnessed by many. I can't speak to the teachings of the Mormon church, but thankfully today more procedures are in place to help stop these cases before they escalate to this proportion.
I found the narration to be adequate for the telling of a serious case. The writing is sometimes textbook-like in its repeating of facts, but I guess there is no softening of these accounts in literary prose.
There will be a swift reckoning for these monsters on Judgment Day.
Thanks to NetGalley and Greenleaf Book Group Press for this ARC. All opinions are mine.

A thorough investigative report on a disturbing instance of child sexual abuse, the failure of community leaders to address it effectively, and subsequent attempts to conceal the truth. Please note that this story contains disturbing content and cover-ups, and consider checking trigger warnings before proceeding.

This book was just heartbreaking. So much pain and sadness that entered this woman’s life. I am happy that it is out in the light but it was very hard to listen to. Much needed though. The narration was perfect.

Thank you so much for this ARC.

Hometown Betrayal is a heartbreaking yet essential read. Emily Benedek masterfully unravels the tragic story of Valarie Clark Miller, exposing the systemic failures that allowed her suffering to go unchecked. The book is deeply researched, emotionally charged, and impossible to put down. As a woman, reading this was especially painful—because it reinforces a sad reality: women are too often treated as having less value, their voices silenced, their pain dismissed. Benedek’s work is a powerful reminder that justice is not guaranteed but must be fought for. A must-read for those interested in true crime and social justice.

I thought this book was so wonderfully done. I appreciated that Valerie's story wasn't sugarcoated and emphasized the small town politics that went in to covering up the atrocious crimes. I loved hearing from Valerie's partners and even their children. This story is so important on why we must start by believing.

This is a hard read, a story that you'll wish never happened. Hometown Betrayal is the story of Valarie Clark Miller who seems to have it all. Valerie is smart, beautiful, married to a wealthy, successful husband together raising a growing family. Valarie, to outsiders, appears to be the picture-perfect Mormon wife, but inside dark secrets abound. She was crumbling from the pressures of long-repressed memories of a childhood filled with sexual and physical abuse.
Author, Emily Benedek brings readers behind the closed doors of the remote Mormon community of Clarkston, Utah. She unveils what happened to Valarie, as well as the conditions and culture that allowed it.
Narrator was a no frills reader appropriate to the nature of this very serious story.
Truly a heartbreaking listen. I hope this candid account helps other victims.
This is perfect for readers who like true crime stories set in a small town harboring dark secrets.

Title: I feel the title, despite not matching what Valerie herself would have used for her book, is very appropriate. I wish it could encompass even more than it does what Valeries hometown did to her, and others.

Story: This story was powerful, infuriating, heartbreaking, stomach nauseating and resilient.

I don't can't even begin to think of how to articulate my anger that I have for Valarie and all the other girls who were victims of these disgusting men in this community...matter of fact, the entire community this poor woman was from for knowing and doing NOTHING! How can you know such horrible things are being done to CHILDREN and WOMEN and do NOTHING and feel no shame?!

The story is equally heartbreaking as it is boiled wrath inducing. I am so mad for Valarie and all that she endured, and that no one helped her, fully, ever...until she died. This woman endure and endured and in the end, she lost everything she loved and simply existed. She deserved so so much more. It makes me so sick.

This story is one that covers so many important topics that no one ever wants to truly look at and be honest about, and it does so quite gracefully, all things and subject matter considered. It's very gentle with the victims, and harshly honest where the perpetrators and their accomplices are concerned.

I love the opening from Elizabeth Smart, I think her statement is accurate and powerful – that we must believe women when they speak up about their abuse and shame the assaulters, not the assaulted. I feel so sad that Valarie never got to read this opening passage, and never know that complete strangers saw her, understood her and believed her.

I also think the book was tactful in being very honest about what happened, but not too grotesquely in detail...but all the same, at points I did have to pause and take a break...the content and reality of what was done to these girls...these CHILDREN, was just too much. It made my stomach turn and my eyes misty. I wanted to find a way to protect them, but I couldn't...the damage was far past already having been done...it's why we have this story.

This story also provides a clear and vivid insight into what generational trauma looks like, how it tears loved ones and families apart and how the trauma that is passed down isn't always done in malice or as a result of narcissist or the like – as I sometimes think we as a society assume. Sometimes trauma that plagues families and is passed down starts from a victim unhealed, lost and scared...unaware fully of what is happening and what they're doing to others – and how that can lead to more guilt and shame for the individual who is already struggling.

I don't know what else to say other than the fact that this book broke my heart, made me so angry for Valarie, other children in her community and her family for all that was done against them. I hate that she never got to see her wrong righted at all. She deserved to have seen someone held responsible, to be apologized to and have the vindication that she's believed. She never got to heal.

I hope that everyone will read her story and learn to be more compassionate, understanding, empathetic and empowering of victims, not their assailants. I hope that even if Valarie didn't get to feel the results and success and weight of what her story has done and will do, that her living children, and all those close to her will, at least. I hope they are able to heal, because they deserve it.

Writing: The writing for this was quite good. I felt it flowed well, and the information that was shared to tie all of the elements and timeline of events together was logical, thoughtful and done in digestible portions. The sensitive matter was treated as such and warning for the very heavy and heard to hear content was shared at appropriate times and with clear understanding of what was to come so you could at least try to brace yourself. I was a little stumbled up at the very start when we were learning of Annie and her accident – and then shifted into Valaries past, as I didn't fully grasp why it was all connected, but once we kept going I sort of forgot to be confused about Annie's story and then once it was tied together as the PTSD trigger that lead to Valarie really spiraling, it all made sense...I would say that might be the one thing I'd liked to transition a bit better or have more clarity upfront..something. Otherwise, well written.

Narrator: I was provided an ARC of the Audiobook – the narrator was okay. I found her to read very slow and for her to space the words in her sentence out in an odd way that left weird gaps in sentences. I had to speed the audio up for it to feel like the book was being read at a normal pace. I am grateful I did, because I cannot imagine the horror of listening to some of the terrible things Valarie and other children endured in a slow and drawn out dialogue. Not my favorite narrator.

Overall: This is a heartbreaking story of betrayal, lies, victim shaming and suppression, the truth of what it means to not be believed, heard or understood and how trauma transcends far deeps and beyond what most can imagine – it can and will plague your mind, body and soul, and then spread into those you love as well, if no one knows any better. I think everyone should read this, those who believe victims and understand the honest and raw truth, and those that don't. I think there is something we can all learn from Valarie's story, and given that she never was seen or heard, I think she deserves for it to be heard and believed, finally.

Thank you NetGallery for an ARC of the Audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Greenleaf Book Group Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This was such a heartbreaking and difficult story to listen to. It was very written and you could feel the care the author put in to tell Valarie’s tragic story. It is very shocking to see the traumatic reach one horrible act can have on a family and community. It’s scary how some very evil people hid behind their religion and twist it in a way to make the victims feel like they are the ones that have done wrong.

This was incredibly heartbreaking. A very interesting look into the individual and generational trauma that occurs after repeated childhood sexual abuse. As a victim of CSA myself, this book was incredibly difficult to read at times, and I really appreciated the individual chapters having their own trigger warnings if necessary.

The origin of this book is a little bit odd, from my understanding the author was asked by Valarie's former husband to write this book after law enforcement failed to hold her abusers accountable. Because of that, I think that the one thing glaringly lacking in this book was a frank and in depth discussion about how Mormonism and many organized religions perpetrate abuse and victim blame. However, I do think that there was enough subtext in there for you to reach your own conclusions.

Overall, I think that Valarie's story is incredibly important and unfortunately not as uncommon as we all wish to think. I hope that the men responsible for what happened to her rot in hell. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book, and please check trigger warnings before picking this one up.

This is a deep dive into Mormonism, the history and culture, as well as the ways that isolation has impacted this religious community through today. It also discusses, in graphic detail, physical and sexual abuse. I was so saddened to hear of the suffering that Valarie, then her family endured from the generational trauma. There were parts that were too graphic for me to read, but the book is a well-researched, thoroughly investigated and important work. This is something that victims may find solace in, knowing that they are not alone and should be believed. My hope is that it changes peoples' view of victims of abuse.

I highly recommend this book, and the audiobook version (the narrator did a great job reflecting Valarie's wispy voice vs. some of the men's gruff voices). I also really appreciated Elizabeth Smart's foreward, and her poignant words on the matter.

This book is tough to read/listen to, but is important for changing the way we help people.

I find it challenging to review true stories and true crime because I find the material important but not enjoyable in the suffering of others, making it difficult to assign a star rating.

This deeply painful book delves into Valerie’s horrific abuse, lifelong trauma, and its impact on her community and loved ones. Well-researched with firsthand interview accounts, it respectfully handles Valerie’s story.

However, the book spends too much time detailing Valerie and her family’s suffering and not enough on the mishandled investigation. I also wish it had emphasized broader structural issues that led to her abuse and its coverup.

Hometown Betrayal was genuinely one of the hardest listens I’ve picked up in a good long while. Ever since I had my daughter 2 years ago, I’ve significantly cut back on listening/watching/reading true crime. This book made reminded me why! It was wonderfully written and a fascinating, heartbreaking story, but it was so hard to finish!

A powerful, devastating read that will leave you wondering how a community could fail its people – and especially it’s children – so deeply.

Side note: I did have to fast forward in one particular chapter because I just couldn’t listen. (There is fair warning at the beginning of that specific chapter.)

Thank you to NetGalley, Greenleaf Audiobooks, and Emily Benedek for the free ARC in exchange for my review!

this was absolutely so well written, but also so completely heartbreaking. I think a lot of us live in a sense that ‘it couldn’t happen to me’ or if we don’t know anyone it’s happened to directly then we turn a blind eye.

BUT this is happening and it’s happening in our neighborhoods and to people we know and people we don’t know.

This story was handled with so much care, and the way that Valerie’s story was told was done in such a caring way while also shining light on how childhood sexual abuse could impact not only the individual but also entire generational line up.

I listened to this as an audiobook, and it was absolutely so captivating. My heart broke for the entire family and i was so fuming at the officers that allowed this to happen.

We need to be putting more light onto this. We need to make people uncomfortable to help stop this.

This was such a sad story. I can not imagine how Valarie would have felt not to be believed when she had told her story. For the entire town to not believe her and to hide what vile men they had in their town. Hopefully with this book more people will see that it's important to believe the victims.

I just finished listening to the audiobook "Hometown Betrayal," and it left a profound impact on me. The story delves into the life of Valerie, a mother navigating the complex, often challenging environment of Utah’s Mormon community. It’s a deeply poignant account of her struggles, illustrating the internal battles she faces as she tries to raise her children in a setting that can be both beautiful and confining.

Valerie’s journey is not an easy one. The audiobook captures her relentless fight against societal expectations and personal convictions, and my heart went out to her as she grappled with her own beliefs while trying to provide a sense of normalcy for her children. Growing up in such a challenging atmosphere must have been incredibly difficult for them, and the way the story portrays their experiences is both heartbreaking and inspiring.

The narrator did an exceptional job bringing this poignant story to life. With sensitivity and grace, she navigated the heavier themes while also capturing the moments of lightness that Valerie finds amidst her struggles. It couldn’t have been easy to communicate the weight of these circumstances, but the narrator’s skillful delivery made the emotions resonate deeply within me.

"Hometown Betrayal" is a powerful exploration of resilience, faith, and the unbreakable bond of motherhood. It’s a story that will stay with you long after the final chapter, shedding light on the complexities of life in a tightly-knit community. I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a thought-provoking and deeply moving audiobook experience.

Thank you Netgalley for this audio edition of Hometown Betrayal by Emily Benedek.

TRIGGER OF TRIGGERIEST WARNINGS: I would say that this counts double if you grew up in the LDS church, by why would it? Abuse is abuse and its terrible and angering no matter the who's and where's of it. But for real, enter this book duly cautioned.

This is a whole host of stories, told through the lens of one woman who suffered deeply at the hands of men, leaders, friends, and even law enforcement that she should have been able to trust. But deeper then that, it addresses the systematic issue of abuse in fundamentalist religious areas, how it is swept under the rug, and how the victims continue to be victimized by the very systems that are meant to protect them. It's a really upsetting read, but it's books like this that might prevent further harm, especially in insulated communities like this one.

This story was very important and a difficult read. I think Emily Benedek did a great job of telling Valarie's story in an honest and powerful way. It did feel that in the second part of the book, there were so many names and people's stories being told that it was hard to follow. Of course, these stories are also important, but the way they were laid out made them hard to fully recognize in the way they deserved. This story gave me a similar feeling to watching a true crime documentary, so I'd recommend it to fans of true crime after checking the content warning. In a town that kept so many secrets, it's very profound for the truth to finally be shared in such a substantial way as this book.

This book was so informative. An interesting look into the underbelly of what seems to be a wholesome community. Brings to light the suffering that so many women quietly endure, and touches on MANY topics, including how, even now, people in this community are asking themselves if a 13 year old could have "asked for" what happened to them. Disturbing, but important material.

4.5 stars

It is so frustrating to read about women not being believed and Valerie Clark Miller’s experience is no different. This novel follows Valerie’s troubled life and the generational trauma that spans from her assaults. The second part of the story is focused more on justice.

This was really well done and powerful. It felt caring towards Valerie and not exploitative. It is clear the author and Miller family care about Valerie and having her claims be validated. I recommend this to readers of true crime.

Thank you to NetGalley and Greenleaf Audiobooks for access to this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

This was a horrible excellent read 💔

Emily Benedek's "Hometown Betrayal" is an unforgettable journey into the devastating power of misplaced trust. From the outset, Benedek crafts an idyllic world, only to dismantle it, brick by painful brick. The shock isn't just in the act of betrayal, but in the painful realisation that the very foundations of what you believed were solid were instead built on quicksand. You feel Valarie’s disbelief, anger, and profound sense of loss – not just of a relationship, but of a perceived reality.

This book is a chilling reminder that sometimes the greatest dangers lurk in the faces we see every day, in the hands we shake, in the voices we trust. It’s a story that will make you question, make you hurt, and ultimately, make you reflect on the fragility of human connection and the devastating consequences of deceit. "Hometown Betrayal" isn't a light read; it's a profound, often painful, journey through the landscape of a broken heart and shattered trust, leaving a lasting mark.

Thank you #netgalley, #greenleafaudiobooks and Emily Benedek for the ARC of #hometownbetrayal in return of my honest review.
Hometown Betrayal by Emily Benedek feels like a biography of a Mormon mom and wife, and the abuse she suffered and how it impacted her and those who loved her lives, even after her death. Though a feel of biography, it's actually a true crime deep dive of sexual abuse and Mormon religion and culture and the search for answers. It does speak of Valarie's mental health and health struggles. It was such a deep read that I recommend.

The people in Valarie's life failed her. Failed her monumentally. This was truly heartbreaking and absolutely made me so enraged. So many times throughout this book, you just want to find Valarie at any point in her life and lead her out and away, to anywhere else but where she was, physically and mentally. And sadly and tragically, she wasn't the only victim that was targeted.

This was evil at the core set in a small town that made way too many excuses. The book detailed plenty of different events throughout Valarie's life as well as the events beyond just her. It was a storytelling project, not an in-depth research, but it did enough to make you emotionally hyped with rage and fury. And beyond that, just simply feeling sorry for Valarie and the other girls. The girls never stood a chance. Proceed this book with caution, and it's something that needs to be spotlit so the perpetrators could be hunted down and rightfully punished, because this was most likely still happening.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this. All opinions are my own.

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.

Hometown Betrayal: A Tragic Story of Secrecy and Sexual Abuse in Mormon Country by Emily Benedek (book cover is in image) is the story of how an entire town and community with ties to the LDS church, was aware of the abuse Valerie Miller suffered and looked the other way. I anticipate that there will be some challenges with how this book will be received, since Valerie's memories were recovered using the unconventional and unreliable method of hypnosis.

This book is a very challenging read because it is about sexual assault, so I recommend that readers be sure they research all of the trigger warnings before diving in.

The narration by Maria Mcann was good but not great, feeling uneven in pacing at times. The writing overall is great, but it does read more like non-fiction true crime reporting that a biography. Nonetheless, I do really recommend this book for those who liked Scout Camp by James Remer or The Tell by Amy Griffin.

Thank you Greenleaf Audiobooks | Greenleaf Book Group Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this ALC. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: Apr 01 2025

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Hometown Betrayal is a powerful and unsettling true account of trauma, survival, and the dark undercurrents that can lurk beneath the surface of seemingly idyllic communities. Emily Benedek masterfully weaves together Valarie Clark Miller’s harrowing personal story with broader investigative journalism to expose systemic abuse and institutional cover-up within a tightly knit Mormon town.

The audiobook format enhances the emotional intensity of the story. The narrator’s delivery is clear, deliberate, and respectful—capturing Valarie’s vulnerability without dramatizing her pain. Her voice lends weight to the testimonies and interviews, which are handled with care and gravity.

While the book tackles difficult subject matter, it does so with compassion and journalistic integrity. The pacing occasionally slows during the deeper dives into background context and legal proceedings, but these sections are important in illustrating the broader cultural forces at play.

This is not an easy listen, but it's a necessary one. Hometown Betrayal is a courageous chronicle of one woman’s fight for justice, and a chilling reminder of how silence and power can shield abusers. Highly recommended for listeners interested in true crime with a social conscience.