Surviving Dirty John: My True Story of Love, Lies, and Murder

Written by Debra Newell and M. William Phelps

Narrated by Debra Newell

"Debra Newell's journey, her tale of survival and her openness in sharing her story, is awe-inspiring." -ERIC BANA

Debra Newell is nothing if not a survivor. By the time she met John Michael Meehan online, she had lived through a near-fatal childhood illness, an attempted rape in her twenties, the traumatic death of her sister at the hands of her brother-in-law, and multiple failed marriages. But despite those tragedies, she seemed to have it all: adoring children, a successful business, and a fabulous penthouse apartment.

Still, to her, there was something missing: the blinding, all-consuming love she first read about while passing time in her childhood sickbed. And she thought she found that love for real with John Meehan.

Debra's story is one of trauma, heartbreak, and deception. But it is also a relatable, inspirational, and hopeful story of forgiveness and, most of all, love: the boundaries children and parents cross to protect and save the people they love; the love one must find for oneself; and the ways the illusion of love can be used to manipulate and harm.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Oct 5, 2021
• ISBN: 9781666146080

Reviews for Surviving Dirty John

[Elizabeth Ireland · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I don’t know what the majority of reviewers listened to but I have literally done this audiobook in one sitting!! It’s incredible.

Debra is inspirational and to see people casting aspersions is really gut wrenching and totally unnecessary. I think she narrated the book extraordinarily well for someone who doesn’t do it for a living. There are a couple of moments where she makes some minor slip up but dang you really have to look hard for them.

To deter people from benefiting from this book with snarky reviews is shameful. If all you took away was you just need to watch mini series and listen to Podcast then you really didn’t open your ears before posting the reviews. The fact is that both were based very much on a lack of knowledge about coercive control and also much of the mini series was fiction and Debra sets the record straight on that she also says that the Podcast hosts have said had they known what they do now they would have approached the narrative very differently.

Debra has been pivotal in changing legislation to help prevent and protect others from the ordeal Debra and her family endured.

Don’t hesitate, listen to this book get all the young women in your life to listen because what is contained in this book is incredibly valuable information and could save lives.

Terra you are an absolute rock star and a hero!

Liz is an inspiration, her tenacity and capacity to put aside anger at her Mom to answer the pleas for help shows unbelievable empathy.

Debra did everything right according to Laura Richard’s formally of New Scotland Yard in the UK and her reputation in this specific area of research and prevention is unparalleled.

[salkatzos · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Debra Newell claims to have written the book because it would add insight into her situation. I think the miniseries and pod cast pretty much nailed the situation, the book didn’t offer anything further in the way of understanding the choices she made. In fact, it was more surprising she stayed with him as long as she did.

The narration is stilted and halting, many words are mispronounced, such as anesthesiologist. About a third the way through the book there is a passage where you can hear her struggle to pronounce it properly. I don’t know if it’s a regional accent or what, but America is pronounced “Ameeerica” field becomes “filled”, and many others, which became like nails on a chalkboard experience for me.

If you are a Dirty John fanatic as I am get the book and forgo the audio version

[Gina Ashley Roberson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Always great to hear the story from the survivor! Great read.

[Steph Brown · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book needed to employ a professional narrator. Debra appears to struggle with timing, tone and literacy.It was like she was reading something she had never read or even seen before, making it a struggle to listen to.

She places herself as a survivor, but paints herself as the ultimate victim, Never truly taking responsibility for her own choices and actions.A woman absolutely desperate to be loved, so much so, that she puts her children through traumatic experience after traumatic experience, in order to find it. I have a deep understanding of coercive dynamics, but it is not a blanket explanation to absolve oneself of all consequences.

I truly hope Debra is in intensive therapy and that she spends the rest of her life, making it up to her children. The men she forced on them were bad, but the fact she seemed to seek them out and ignored the needs of her own children, is worse. Those kids told her time and time again they didn't like her choices of spouse and felt unsafe and she ignored them, time and time again, placing her own need to be romanced, above their right to safety (and yes I recognise theyre adults but she forced these men into their lives and expected them to play happy families).

Narcissism isn't just deeply ingrained in the men, here.