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 📚❤️🙏🏼