The Bigamist

WOW!
i just sat and read through this whole book and honestly cannot believe what the author endured for six long years! So glad she was able to get away from such a sociopath and a great warning to other young women about the dangers of internet dating.
4 stars because the editing wasnt my favorite and some sentences started with lowercase letters.

What did I just read? It's hard to believe this is a true story, it's so convulted and hard to follow! At times I found the story hard to follow because of all the detail the author goes into. This is not to say that I doubt the veracity of the story, just that the detail often gets in the way of clarity and ease of reading.
I'm glad that Mary Turner Thomson got out, along with several other women who were conned by Mr. Jordan. Thanks for sharing your story, Ms. Turner Thomson. I wish you all the best!

With thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the digital ARC.

"The Bigamist" was exactly the type of true crime story I live for.

While I'm practically addicted to reading true crime books and documentaries, their most common denominator is a serial killer which, although chilling to the bone, makes people think that one would have to be really unlucky to encounter such a monster. On the other hand, accounts of psychopaths of con men are a different type of story - a scarily realistic one. In this memoir, Mary reveals how she found out that the man she had been married to and had two children with actually had another wife and five more children. Her husband, Will Jordan, was not only a liar and master manipulator, but also a man who solicited £200,000 from Mary, a smart, educated woman.... just like you and me.

That's the thing, while killers or rapists are the most despicable trash of our society, nobody frowns upon people who simply date, marry, have children and use their spouses' money. I think this was the most incredible part of this memoir - that any woman could have been Mary as long as she dates and looks for love and acceptance. Like just about anyone.

4 big stars for this winner. It would have been 5 for me if it was written with more suspense, so that it would read like a thriller.

*Thank you to the Publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was such an insane book to read. Mary Turner Thompson went through a serious ordeal and she worded it so beautiful. I'm excited to see it come back to publication with a new look and feel.

I raced through this book as I couldn’t actually believe that it was a true story.
You see stories like this in newspapers and they seem so extreme, however this book made it so relatable. I can understand why Mary was taken in and trusted him when you find out the full story.
An interesting and unique read that I would recommend.

In short, The Bigamist is the true story of Mary Turner Thomson's relationship with serial liar and cheat Will Jordan.

I was a few chapters into this book when I realised I'd heard this story before (most likely an interview on This Morning!). However, it didn't spoil the storyline, and I finished the book in three days - which is quick for me!

I wasn't expecting to enjoy this as much as I did... it was a real page turner. The lies kept building and I had to know what elaborate stories he would come up with next. I liked the way the book was written... at first it is told chronologically throughout their relationship, followed by an overview of Will's past, and then finally bringing the reader up to present day.

In the beginning I was in disbelief that Mary continued to forgive and make excuses for him. However, by the end I felt incredibly sorry for her... it must have been so worrying, and absolutely terrifying at times.

I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys reading shocking real-life stories in magazines! I'm glad that Mary found the strength to tell her story and rid herself of this awful man!.

This is a genuinely terrifying true story. It plays on everything each of us hold dear, family, love, trust, and tears them apart. I cannot imagine how strong the author has had to be and I am incredibly impressed by her bravery and courage.

I kept reading because I had to know what happened but the entire time. I wondered how someone could really just shell out money to a conman and listen to the lies. I mean mind blown.

This is a very sad tale of how easy it is to believe the lies being told by someone we love. From the onset you can see where this is going, the lies, missing dates or events of importance, but that is because we read the description. Would we have seen that quickly if we had not known?? This story made me mad while I was reading it also in one sitting. I obviously had empathy for Mary and the children. The lies are unbelievable but what have we all done in the name of love. Accomplished liars have gotten away with horrendous acts and most people are easily conned into accepting them as truths. Look at our leaders in government for examples throughout history. I am glad Mary was able to break free and move on to build a new and better life for herself and children,

Review-The Bigamist.
💍
The Bigamist is the true story of Mary Thomson's(the author) relationship with serial liar,Will Jordan.
💍
This story gave me chills. The terrifying account of being married and in love with someone who lives a whole other life with a whole other personality-it blows my mind. Not only was it bone-chilling but also genuinely emotional.
💍
Reading about the author building a relationship with this man,who is actually a huge psychopath,from scratch,and reading as she finds her trust irrevocably broken,is bound to jerk a few tears from all readers. Highly recommended to not only all true-crime fans,but to everyone in general.

A true story a marriage that turned into a nightmare.Mary thought she had finally met the man of her dreams.Happily married or so she thought till she gets a phone call from a woman claiming to be his wife the mother of his children.Mary discovers she’s married to a true psychopath and her life is a nightmare..Unputdownable shocking scary a book I raced through,#netgalley#thebigamist

4 stars
The Bigamist by Mary Turner Thomson
This is a fascinating book about the true account of the bigamist and convicted pedophile Will Jordan. It is unfathomable to me how this many women fell for his lies and manipulation; however, I have never been in their position. I do believe it is human nature to believe whom you love so this book makes more sense looking at it from that perspective.
The author has written an utterly compelling tale of her time being conned by this man while truly believing she was building a family and a life with him.
I do recommend this book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. The views given are my own.

Imagine falling in love with the man/woman of your dreams, marrying them, having two children, then discovering that they were married and in relationships with many others. Hard to believe, but this actually happened to Mary Turner Thomson. Believing he was a CIA agent, Turner Thomson endured six years of elaborate lies and numerous absences, including missing their original wedding day and the pregnancies and births of their two children. Originally published in 2008, this new edition has a revised title and features the real names of the author's three children.

This is the second book I've read recently about women falling for men who aren't what they seem (the other being Stephanie Wood's Fake). I've discovered that despite getting pulled into these stories and lapping up the details of the lies and deceit, I get bored once the true identity of the jerk is revealed and then the aftermath is examined for the second half of the book. I just get so frustrated with how an intelligent, confident person could fall for this. If your lover regularly disappears or stands you up and asks for money, that's a deal breaker. Stating that the reason they're absent is because of their job in the CIA, well, that's the icing on the bullshit cake.

It is easy to say that "this would never happen to me" though. These criminals prey upon the most vulnerable for a reason - in this case, single mothers - when they may be at a stage in their lives where they are feeling lonely, isolated and craving some attention. As Thomson admits: "I had little choice other than to believe him. The alternative was just unthinkable".

The Bigamist is not a bad read and would no doubt be a comfort to people who have been duped, ghosted and cheated. It also serves as a warning to those embarking on online dating for the first time.

Thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

WOW. If this story wasn’t true, it’d be entirely unbelievable. I read some reviews stating that readers disliked it because they could not understand how Thomson missed SO MANY red flags and found it difficult to sympathize with her for that reason. However I think the purpose of this story is to explain WHY she disregarded so many red flags - I mean, this guy didn’t show up to their wedding or the births of any of their children together!! Those are not small flags, and there obviously were a series of lies and manipulations that resulted in her choice to believe him and stay with him for so many years.

I found this story to be intriguing and a quick read. I didn’t dislike it at all, in fact I thought it was fascinating. That said, I also was surprised that I never got emotionally invested in the story, which is a “yard stick” I use to rate books. In short, I neither disliked nor loved this one, hence my three star rating.

Thank you to #netgalley for the ARC of the newly edited version of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Bigamist by Mary Turner Thomson. Hard to believe that the author was so trusting and naive. That she had the courage to share her experiences is admirable. However, the narrative is repetitive and hard to follow at times.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

Well there are some very strange people in this world, and this poor woman was completely taken in by one of them. It is all too easy to wonder what on earth she was thinking, but as she explains when you are tired, wanting to make a success of a relationship and manipulated by a master liar it is very difficult to see straight. Hats off to her for telling the story and exposing how criminals can come in all sorts of guises.
The prose was a bit clunky - but in a way this added to her voice, she is matter of fact and does not dress up what happened to her.

The Bigamist is almost unbelievable: that a man could be that manipulative and that women could be that naive. Thomson fell for one of the best con men that I've ever read about. She had two children with a man who was allegedly infertile and who kept disappearing for long stretches. He used the classic employed by the CIA line. He was a first rate scumbag, user, narcissist, liar who was very skilled and adept at impregnating numerous women while fleecing them out of their money. The author was extremely gullible to believe his perpetual lies and kept scrambling to get him his money he demanded, something I couldn't understand. Why these women kept trusting this liar when they found evidence to the contrary.

Sometimes life is weirder than fiction. Mary Turner Thomson ´met´ Will Jordan on an online dating site. She, a single mother of one, he an attractive American. She fell in love with him, got married, and had two children together. Happily ever after, isn´t it?




Well, there are some little details missing: For instance, that Mr. Jordan insisted that he is a CIA agent with secret missions in Israel and Palestinian territories and he even was a life witness of the confrontations betweeen the Israeli Army and the Palestinians in Jenin (no offense, but the author took too much as truth what the leftist UK media said about the conflict, particularly The Guardian, but this is another part of the story). Mr. Jordan disappears for long periods of time, even after they married. Then, he started to ask money, a lot of it, until his wife sold her house and her life insurance and ended up living with her mom. ´Every week, there was a new emergency, another need for more money´.

Until, it comes the moment of truth, a very painful one. For instance, Mary Turner Thomson will discover that he has another family with many children. Initially, he told her that this is part of an arrangement of the agency. In fact, he fathered many other children in the UK and US. He was no CIA agent, but a con artist that took advantage of Mary and other women. He also had a couple of prison experiences part of his CV and a conviction of paedophilia. What exactly happened with the money was not sure, as it was also unclear his mental health situation, but in the end, he will be put on trial and sent to spend some years in prison.

Hurt, Mary Turner Thomson is trying to figure out not only the entire network of women that were Jordan´s victims - and there were many of them, both in the UK and US - but also how was it possible to happen to her. How was it possible to be so blind for six years and not see the truth, ending up heartbroken and bankrupt? She, an educated woman with a successful career and professional experience behind, with a close knitted family and a simple daily life, was conned for years by a man she was in love with.

For such a long time, he succeeded to build a very convincing story that excused - in Mary´s eyes, at least - his erratic behavior. ´It was like living with Superman: how could you complain about him not turning up to dinner when he was holding up a collapsing bridge and saving lives?´.

In a way, it was a story hard not to believe because why someone will lie at such an extent? Mary Turner Thomson was unlucky enough to deal with such a pathological case, but for the sake of her children, she was strong enough to grow out of this den of lies and live her life in dignity. The book - which can be also read as a warning to women at a crossroad in their sentimental life - is a testimony of her recovery.

A devastating account of lies, deception, betrayal and coming to terms with the past. Very intriguing.

Thank you for giving my the opportunity to read this book. I am really enjoying this book and so far I would recommend it to others! I will update my review once I am finished the book.

This was a super interesting book and I enjoyed reading it a lot. It's unfortunate that there are people like Will Jordan exist and do these terrible things to others. However, there were parts of the book that I found repetitive and some instances of jumping around in time for no reason - it didn't make the timeline easier to understand. The writing was good, though, and made it so much easier to get through a somewhat convoluted tale.

I wish that Mary had found the answers to some of the less relevant (though most interesting) questions, like how Will knew about those videos before they were released to the media. Those little things really intrigued me. I liked Mary's writing style, if she ever writes any fiction I'd be happy to give it a try.

What would you do if you found out your husband was actually a CIA agent? And then you found out he was actually just married to someone else and that was a cover - or was it? This book is legit crazy - I cannot believe this guy got away with all of this .Disgusting and yet beautifully written. I am glad this woman got her life back. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

What an incredible story. Really makes you consider whether you would have believed all the lies Mary did if you had been in the same position. It is tribute to exactly how evil and manipulative her husband was when at the end so many women came forward to tell their side of things and that they had also been conned.

I’ve already recommended this book to my sisters and my friends as it’s just so different to books I would normally choose. I hope Mary is back on her feet and think it was very brave to have this book published. A real thinker long after you’ve read the final page!

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.

*This is a review of an arc from NetGalley*

The Bigamist is a tragic story of so many lives torn apart due to the selfish acts of one man. Mary’s life was turned upside down by Will, a man who appeared to be everything she could ask for, and more. Although some things didn’t quiet add up, Will was always quick to explain and the explanations seemed kinda plausible. But there was much more to Will than met the eye: more lies, more wives, more children, and much much more trouble.

I’m giving this book a 3/5 because although the story was well told I found the writing a little troubling.


I found it difficult to read about all of the positives Mary saw in Will, but perhaps it was solely to help the reader understand why she felt the way she did about him? I know Mary has had much longer to process her life than the reader, but knowing the end of the story and seeing anything positive about Will made my stomach turn. Overall, I thought the book was a little slow and focused too much on the early relationship with Will. Honestly I would enjoy knowing more about Mary and appreciated Part 2 of the book far more than Part 1.

HOLY MOLY! This book is crazy! The writing is fine, but it wasn’t the style I expected. This is a first person narrative of crazy town!!! I couldn’t step away from it because the more you read, the more bizarre it becomes.

Throughout this book I just kept thinking how badly I felt for what the author endured during those 6 years. I also wanted to yell run, get out!
She believed everything that her husband told her, even when I was thinking how could you believe that? I needed to remind myself that this was someones real life that got taken over and was a victim of lies and manipulation from someone that they loved. Love does make us blind to peoples faults
I flew through this book needing to know what happened to Mary and also hoping that the psychopath got put behind bars for a long time.
I will definitely be reading the follow to this called The Psychopath when it is released next year!
Sadly this isn't just a really well written fiction book but real life, this can definitely be taken as a cautionary tale.
Thanks to netgalley and the author/publisher for the free arc in exchange for an honest review

I greatly enjoyed this book, thank you for giving me a preview copy. The plot was interesting and fast paced and I sympathised with the characters. This is the first novel I have read by this author but I hope it will not be the last!

What a totally intriguing read, I wanted to think she was daft at the beginning and couldn't believe she fell for all his lies, but reading on I realise how manipulative Will was, a really great read

Well, I wasn’t expecting that! I don’t know what I was expecting but this blew my mind. The Bigamist is one of the best true crime novels I’ve ever read. Mary Turner Thomson tells her devastatingly sad story with passion and pride. Yes she was seriously taken in by a wicked man, but it shows just how easily anyone can be controlled without knowing it. I’m thankful for Mary telling her story and I have huge respect for her.

Hard to believe this is a true story, a thoroughly good read, very thought provoking and extremely well written.

Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

With so many scammers being seen. on dating sites I think this book had to be told.
Was a though provoking book with some good advice at the end.

Thanks to the publisher, net galley and the author for an early release of this book.

I received The Bigamist as part of a NetGalley giveaway.

Mary Turner Thomson is a single mother when Will Jordan appears in her life. Dashing, charismatic, and involved in covert operations for the CIA, Mary is soon swept up by the mysterious American, marrying and having two children with him. However, their happiness is short-lived, as Will is constantly away from the family on mysterious missions, perennially short of money, and supposedly being targeted by shadowy forces in the intelligence world. The truth, however, is even harder for Mary to accept--that the man she married and built a life with--was a liar, fraud, scammer and probable psychopath.

This was an enthralling read that I gobbled up in less than a day. Reading it, I couldn't believe that someone wouldn't have just said "Screw this" and thrown in the towel long before she did, but it's really a testament to how powerful psychological manipulation is. I was disappointed that we never found out quite what Will's deal was--how he knew the information he did, how he produced the supposed proof of his identity, and how he kept his multiple lives straight for so long. It's quite a ride.

This book details the true story of the author's betrayl by her bigamist husband. It gets to the heart for how much do we trust someone who seems too good to be true and how long do we believe in love when your gut tells you otherwise.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! I really don’t know where to begin with this book.

I went into it knowing nothing about the story, having been very young when it happened and was in the news. The book, although very true, read like a fiction, I think this is in part due to how crazy and unbelievable some of the things that happened are.

I struggled to put it down as I just wanted to know more and more.

I cannot fault this book in any way, the way it is written is so gripping and I did have to take a minute to remember that it is real, which is incredibly hard to do.

My only comment is I don’t understand why this is the third time this book has been published? I haven’t read the others so I am not sure if they are materially different, but I doubt that they can be given it’s a true story?

An absolute must read. Absolutely shocking, I had to keep reminding myself this was a true story. The absolute hell Mary Thomson has been through is abhorrent. Such an incredible read and humbling to see how truly brave she was.

This was a very intersecting read. It’s based on a true story of the author’s real life experience with a con man. Mary is a single mother in Edinburgh who has a supportive family network, owns her own flat, has a good job but longs for a relationship.
She decides to give online dating a try which is where she meets Will. He’s single, an attentive listener and a great communicator. From the beginning of the relationship Will proves to be unreliable. Mary dismisses this based on the great connection they have. Despite some red flags Mary presses forward with the relationship that begins a journey that will change her life forever.

I was immediately captivated by this story. I found the writing easy to follow and felt myself having to put the book down to call a friend to discuss what had transpired or ask would you call for that if a man said or did something similar to the acts described in the novel. At times I found myself judging Mary without mercy but in a situation we often see what we want to see , what we want to believe. I felt the book was pretty fast paced until the section where Will gets arrested. This is where I felt the pacing slowed a bit. The introduction of the other wives and the telling of their experience was interesting as well as scenes where employers told how Will had dupe them out of thousands of pounds. If felt some of the retelling I’d Wills escapades was redundant in the later section as it was done with the same level of detail when it was originally told from Mary’s point of view. The trial and recovery sections were great at bringing closure to the whole saga. With the proliferation of social media as a tool to interact and possible meet others, this story is a cautionary tale advising to exercise caution as you may not really know the person as well as you thought. I’d recommend this. It’s timely and entertaining.

A cautionary tale that is relevant in these modern times. Intriguing and horrifying; based on a true story of the author's own experience with a scheming con man. The Bigamist is the story of how one man's selfishness and deceipt had devastating consequences for the women that fell for his charms. Engaging and thrilling; a fantastic retelling. Highly recommend for lovers of true crime. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to review this ARC.

Wow! I could NOT believe that this is a true story. It is a truly mind-blowing account of how dangerous some people can be and the lengths they can go to in order to deceive and ultimately destroy other people.

From the blurb:

From whirlwind romance to gaslighting campaign: this is truth far stranger than fiction.

When Mary met Will Jordan online, she was a single mother who’d given up trying to find Mr Right. And yet here he suddenly was: articulate and attractive, with a fascinating background. Soon they were in love, and when he proposed after a month it seemed recklessly romantic.

Caught up in a whirlwind, Mary accepted that Will’s work often took him away from home, out of contact. She was his rock, supporting him emotionally when a misunderstanding led to criminal charges, and even selling everything when blackmailers threatened to kidnap their children. Together, they took on the world.

And then one day the phone rang, and a woman introduced herself as ‘the other Mrs Jordan’…

WAIT! What? The OTHER Mrs Jordan...this is where the book title kicks in.

For a book that is a true account it's written so well that you will devour it like a novel, I could not stop reading this book as more and more it just got so incredibly intense and I had to keep reminding myself this was not fiction. What Mary Turner Thompson went through and her survival is nothing short of commendable. This is a story that could happen to anyone. You sure need to be careful on those dating sites! You have been warned.

I don't want to reveal too much about Will and his secrets. I can say that they will absolutely blow your mind. The level of deceipt and cruelty is phenomenal. The book created a lot of emotions in me from shock to great empathy and anger. This is a book to just grab and lock away with. Escape from the world and enter this world of the ultimate betrayal(s). I can't rave enough.

Whether you like true stories, true crime or a darn good novel this will keep you fascinated and shocked from page one. I am eager to read the sequel to Mary's book which follows on from where her story leaves off in this book. A solid five stars for such a well-written account of her horrendous journey and her ultimate escape through things that would break so many. A must read!

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy. All review opinions are my own and totally unbiased.

This book blew me away! I was unable to but it down. Perfect, dazzlingly, very well written. The details the author described throughout the book was so amazing. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

My heart went out to Mary and she was certainly brave to put herself out there and write a book about her experience. I think she was a little naive and gullible and maybe a little lonely. Will certainly took advantage of her vulnerability...and she was a sucker for it. I don't mean to put her down but seriously? I am not sure how someone <b>AND</b> their family could fall for this. When the money situation had become so bad she should have known right then and there he was too good to be true and to fall for it <b>TWICE</b>? Maybe she wanted to believe...no one knows what goes on in someone else's head.

With all that being said...it was a well written account and such an interesting read. I understand that Mary has other books published and I look forward to enjoying those as well. Kudos to Mary for her strength and resilience to go forward and I wish her and her children all the best.

I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are min

I picked this not realising this was based on a true story - WOW - this is an incredible read
Still can't get over the fact that this is a true story - an absolute must read

This book was good but at times confusing. I think the main problem with this book is that Mary wasn't an author in the typical sense before setting pen to paper - she had no practice and a very specific, wandering, convoluted story to tell. I do feel bad for her and the other victims of Will. I am also interested in reading her new book, The Psychopath - I'm hoping that that one will flow a little smoother. 3.75 stars, rounded up to 4.

I am sitting in shock. It is horrific how one person can convince so many people that his lies are true. Will / Bill caused so much mental anguish. Mary is brave telling her story. She has been through so much and her story needs to be heard.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

A compelling page turner. Absolutely unreal, yet very real at the same time. The reader's sympathy is there from the start. We are rooting for her! I will definitely recommend this title.

Interesting enough, I suppose. But it seemed to me she not only had a lot of clues something was wrong with him but she picked up on it. It's not that I dont have sympathy but it seemed so obvious he had someone else.

That said, it was entertaining to read.

I remember reading about this in the press a few years and being keen to know more. This book was astonishing - how on earth did William Jordan keep ever keep all of his lies straight? How he managed to dupe so many women with his lies and not feel any remorse for anything he did is devastating to the women and children left in his wake. My heart breaks for everyone left behind. It was such a twisting and turning tale to read that no longer Mary was taken in for so long. Definitely recommended for anyone considering internet dating.

Having read quite a few psychological thrillers this was different as it is real,you can hardly believe this man did this,a real insight into the world of ‘the bigamist’,although at times I did think surely she must have guessed....always easier to say that looking into a situation of course, a good read

I wrote my review in bullet points as they came up in the book. It helped me work out my thoughts.

I understand the honeymoon phases of a relationship and I got into the book and requested it because I wanted to see if it was easy to be tricked. One of my biggest fears is being tricked like this or being tricked into joining a cult and this book was very eye opening.

The excuses were plausible until he said he worked with the CIA, which I would have laughed at when someone told me that but I understand that love is blind.

The hardest part about this book for me was that it’s non fiction, at some points I was rolling my eyes because it was so soap opera ish but this was someone’s life so I am trying to be fair with the review. I do feel for the author and she took so many steps to make sure her daughters life was entangled with some strange man.

Wow! A very interesting premise - and this book turned out to be even more so.'

Was Will really everything he displayed to Mary - or was he a fantastical liar?

A true story that I can believe. In love, as Mary was, she tended to overlook the other person's (Will's) faults. He still displayed a lot of positives for Mary...But being late, a no-show date, seemed to be Will's major faults. However, when Will really describes his job to Mary, she still feels a niggle of doubt. No?

This was a read that was difficult to put down - especially due to the fast pace and wild characters!

RECOMMEND!

Many Thanks to Little A, Seattle & NetGalley for a great read.

What a journey reading this book was. I loved it and read it in one sitting staying up to the early hours to finish it. Seeing how easy it is to be taken in by a con man who is able to manipulate women and be so believable I think that this should be available to girls in school before they leave so that discussions could be held with friends and teachers to hopefully help them to avoid these menaces.
After I read this and the notes at the back I did some research of my own and discovered that after prison here, Bill/William was deported and did exactly the same to at least one American young lady. He needs locking up and the key thrown away To protect the society That he chases. Single parents with young children have enough to cope with without someone like him around.
Fantastic book, well written, characters and all situations so clearly documented. I found that all the way through I was trying to think about myself and would I have fallen for these lies. I am a very strong, well educated lady who as an IT Director for a large company should be more savvy but I cannot say that I would not have fallen for this set of circumstances. I do however wonder how many other conmen might hea4 about this story and think it a great idea to copy.
As a final note I have to say that I have already ordered copies of this book for the girls in my family so that they are prepared a bit for this type of man. I have also told all my friends about this and recommended that they encourage their female family members to read it.

The motto must be “Ladies Beware!”

You have to read this book. Reading it you think naw this is just fiction but it's not. It's so fascinating to read an account of something you would never expect to happen to you. The writing is spot on. I highly recommend it. Happy reading!

This true story feels like reading a fictional story. Will Jordan is a professional conman, and he knows exactly what he's doing and what kind of woman he's going to con next. This book is Mary's story about her time with Will, it goes into detail about her six years with him and also how she dealt with the awful situation he left her in.

This book is a fascinating look into just how a sociopath/psychopath (I'm not an expert, and not sure which category Will Jordan falls into) can completely upend a person's life. This true story hooked me from the beginning, thinking "how can this woman be falling for this?!" The author (and therefore the reader) have hindsight on their side and aren't wading through the emotional fog of falling in love which lets this story unfold with a certain amount of candor or objectivity. I would definitely recommend for those who like a peek into how smart people get sucked into the vortex of someone like Will Jordan.

This is the third edition of Thomson’s memoir of her marriage to a psychopath. Her story is a wild ride. Reading other reviews, I knew everyone would ask, “how could she not know?” but all of us can be deceived by people we love. Yes, she had a lot of red flags thrown at her but she thought she had evidence of the “truth” he was telling. Plus, psychopaths like Will are really good at manipulating people’s emotions. I wish she would have described more her state of mind and the time period each “incident” took place so the reader could be more sympathetic. There is so much going on in this book and it’s a fast paced read so all the warnings the reader sees, and Thomson can see in hindsight, Thomson could easily overlook especially with three small children. As a reader, it is frustrating to see her go through everything she did, to lose everything she had for him. I wish the end had more information about where Thomson is now. Especially since it’s the third edition, it’d be nice to have more information.

This autobiography follows Mary Turner Thomson, a single mother who signed up for an online dating site and believed she had met her soulmate in Will Jordan. Unfortunately, the man she fell in love with was all that he first appeared to be. Will would disappear for long periods of time with no way of contacting him. Eventually, he revealed to mary that he was working for the CIA. This was only the start of what would snowball into years of manipulation, abuse, and thievery.

Mary has a very strong voice, which carried this book and kept me intrigued even when I felt like the story tended to get repetitive. This book read like a true crime and/or thriller novel and there was something oddly fascinating about watching Will try to string together this outrageously tangled web of deceit.

I think the greatest thing this book has to offer is its ability to elicit empathy from its reader. While listening to Mary’s tale, you may find yourself wondering how she found herself in this situation. "I would never do that," you may think. "God, how could she have been so stupid? It’s so obvious!" I know all these thoughts ran through my head at one point. Nut mary explained it best when she said that such a thing could truly happen to anyone. Will figured out her weaknesses and exploited them deftly. He was such a master manipulator, Mary didn’t realize how low she’d sunk until she was sitting at the bottom of the pit.

The Bigamist is the captivating and shocking true story of William Jordan, who had two wives, several girlfriends, and at least 13 children. He led many lives, defrauding his wives and girlfriends and bilking them out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The author, Mary Turner Thomson, was one of his wives. She explains the web of lies and deceit that Jordan spun, and its aftermath, better than anyone else could.

Readers of true crime stories should check this one out. It will leave you speechless and horrified at the selfish and cruel acts of this man which harmed so many women and children.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley. My review is voluntary.

This is a true story. I was fascinated by this book. At first I had doubts I’d get into it but I’m glad I stuck with it.

Book Review for the Bigamist by Mary Thomson Turner.
The Bigamist is an unbelievable true story of Mary's life and how one man turned it upside down. Will Jordan, Mary's ex husband portrayed himself as loving partner, protecting his wife and children from the horrors of his work. But after some years of marriage, Mary receives a life altering phone call.
.
.
My heart broke for Mary throughout this book but at the same time I was in total awe of how strong she was and how she managed to keep going through all the mayhem!
.
.
I usually feel uncomfortable rating memoirs/true stories because I don't feel like it's my place to rate someone's life. Saying that, I had no trouble giving this book 5 stars. Mary relays her story with precision and clarity. She explains so well how she fell for Will and why she stayed with him. Not only that, but she let's us know the impact of Will's actions on the lives of others, while respecting their dignity and voice.
.
A five star, fascinating read that I would definitely recommend and this is out now!
Thank you to Netgalley for this ebook in exchange for honest review.

Wow -
Couldn’t put down! I was caught between feeling horrible for the main character,
And also intrigued by what would happen next! We all think that “it can’t happen to us”, but love is a crazy thing! Book really makes you think!

Wow! This is the first thing I can say to describe this book. I devoured it in 2 days. It was fascinating but it also brought out a lot of other emotions. I felt anger and rage at Will, I felt frustration at Mary, I felt annoyed with Mary's family and friends who didn't notice what was going on but most of all I felt sad for Mary. Not in a pity way but just that people can treat others in this way. It was a very interesting and fantastic read. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Thank you very much to the author Mary, the publishers and Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. Definitely a 5 ⭐ read

Oh My God. How do people who go through terrible things in life find the strength to be brave and walk out of pain? The book was so painful to read. I can only imagine how Mary Turner must have undergone. Thanks for sharing your story with us. The book needs to have one final edit before being out in the market. Some errors and punctuations need to be rectified. Thanks to NetGalley and the author for giving me this book.

Found this book absorbing and mysterious. How can one woman be taking in by such a devious man. But not only one but many, he managed to throw the balls in the air and not drop them for many years, until one day he made a mistake. How did such intelligent women get taken in by this man? He had children all over the place and never seemed to provide for them only steal from then. This true story is a large lesson in life. Very disturbing. The Bigamist. https://www.netgalley.co.uk/catalog/book/1986

This is the third edition of this true story. In the earlier editions, all the names were changed except for those of the author and Will Jordan. In this edition, the real names of the children have been used on their insistence.



The book begins in April 2006, when an unknown caller tells Mary that she has been married to Mary’s husband, and the father of her two younger children, for the last 12 years and that they have 5 children together. This shocking revelation is only the first. Recovering from her shock, Mary embarks on her own investigation to find out the truth behind Will’s deception.

With this introduction, Mary takes us back in time, to their courtship and their wedding and their life together. We start in November 2000 and slowly come to April 2006, where I, for one, felt relieved at the thought that the truth would set her free. But the truth is far more complicated than Mary could have imagined.



It was November 2000 when Will Jordan first reached out to Mary Turner Thomson through a dating site. Mary was then a divorced single mother, with a good job, and her own home. She had the support of her mother, and was doing a great job of raising her little baby girl.

Will and Mary met in December 2000. Slowly they fell in love, and Will informed Mary about his work. He told her that he was a CIA operative, as an explanation for his sudden disappearances and long absences during which time he left her with no clues about what he was about. He even failed to show up to his own wedding.

During those initial years, he told her that he was infertile, as a result of a side effect of mumps which he suffered as a child. He was madly thrilled when Mary conceived their first child, a girl they named Eilidh.

In May 2002, she was forced to incur debt, first to pay for Will’s mother’s hospitalisation bills in the US, and then to buy a car for him to drive members of the CIA around. This was because he had given up active service in the CIA at her behest, but the CIA would not let him go without a fight. So he had to do these mean jobs or else they would not release his salary. He never gets paid his dues, and Mary’s finances get strained further, as Will makes frequent calls pleading for money to pay the CIA.

In all, he dupes her of over £200,000 pounds and leaves her feeling desperate and broken.



As readers, we feel an impotent sense of annoyance at Mary for allowing herself to be taken in. We feel that way because we have no idea what it must be like to be victimised by a sociopath. I don’t think Mary was more gullible than we would have been in her place.

She deserves to be commended for her courage in admitting her foolishness and making it her mission to expose his lies and save other women rather than choosing to keep quiet in the interest of salvaging her pride.

Mary comes across as sensible and good-hearted, if a little too trusting and willing to give a loved one the benefit of the doubt. Even though his secretiveness and his behaviour upset her, she doesn’t give up on him. And it is this kind nature that Will takes advantage of.

In most cases, she stuck with him, incurring more debt, because the truth was hard to stomach, and reality nothing but outright misery. When she is completely broke, and no longer has any money to give him, she feels a strange sense of relief.

The fact that Will seemed to have so much information about things that didn’t even show up in the news until days later helped him gain Mary’s trust.

The author gives us a lot of detailed information to bolster her story.

There were many times when I was furious with Will for the way he treated her. He not only didn’t show up for his own wedding the first time the ceremony was planned, he didn’t turn up for the birth of his two children either.

Through it all, I was pleased to see that Mary’s commitment to her three children never wavered. Nor did her family, especially her mother, ever stop offering her support and strength.

Not only was he not infertile, Mary learns that Will has had more than ten children by different women. And even this number might be under-reported.

Learning of the deception that she has suffered, Mary is determined to get to the bottom of it. And she does.

The book takes us through Mary’s investigation as she diligently follows up clues, and talks to people to piece together the story of the man she thought loved her. A man who had been conning women and spinning tangled webs of lies for over 27 years. A man whose deception began in the US and continued in the UK.

I can only hope and pray that Mary gets the justice she deserves and that Will pays for the lives he has destroyed.

Mary Turner Thomson shares the details of her journey through the nightmare of marriage to a sociopathic bigamist. I shook my head many times in dismay at what I read, unable to comprehend the elaborate ruses and stories the bigamist used to ply his trade. I wished for more background on MTT, to help me understand if there were aspects of her upbringing, demeanor, and past that made her vulnerable and more susceptible to his machinations. The author tells her story and outlines the aftermath including the trial and sentencing of the bigamist. I would have liked more information on the recovery actions she took for herself and her children.
The Bigamist would make a compelling book discussion selection.
3.5
I received my copy through NetGalley under no obligation.

"I would like to know someone well before getting into a relationship" yet one month after meeting Will Mary accepts his marriage proposal. Admittedly they wait 2 years as an engaged couple but this probably because he is leading his separate life as a bigamist a liar and an 'imagined' role within the security services.
I have a friend who was married to a bigamist. He was a lovely caring unassuming man. She is a smart perceptive woman. Yet she was fooled. Alongside the book I checked up on the author who appears (twice latest May 2020) in interviews on Good Morning to tell her tale. She is bright, educated and takes on board how she was duped and that the book hopefully (along with the testimonies of so many other women duped by Will Jordan) will raise awareness that this can happen to anyone.
It's not a sort of memoir I normally read but because of a personal interest I stuck with it. There are many children involved too for Mary and the other women he conned. Claiming he was infertile was the least of his lies. Human nature and vulnerability are exposed her in detailed manner. Brainwashing control from the early days of internet dating to the wider challenges of escaping the police and fleecing your victims.
"There is a perception of idiocy when a person has been deceived by someone they love and trust". Couldn't happen to me you cry! Beware it can. Better than I thought but does it really need a third edition? I do hope her life is better now

Wow, what an unputdownable read this turned into! I devoured this within a matter of hours as it was soooo good! Sadly though it was a true story & although I do feel for the 'wives' & their innocent children, who were strung along by their husbands lies, infidelity & bigamy, I also question why would you fall for something like this?

Thank you to Amazon Publishing and Netgalley for my copy!
The Bigamist is a true story account of a woman's betrayal by one of the biggest fraudsters I have ever known!
It's easy to read this book and think OMG how stupid can you be to believe all that?! But this is the reason they say Love is Blind.
It always easy to look from the outside in and I'm sure if Mary herself read this book she wouldnt believe it either. But can you imagine living a life you thought and it turning into your worst nightmare?!
This book had me gripped from the beginning and at points I was frustrated with Mary and at other times felt so sorry for her! The fact that Will had made up a whole life was extraordinary!
Would definitely recommend this book and hopefully it can help other people in similar situations look at their lives and see exactly what is real!
A gripping read!

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of The Bigamist by Mary Turner Thomson.

This is a true story about Mary, a hardworking single mother, who has just met the love of his life, Will. Will is well spoken, charismatic, and head over heels for Mary. Will is also a psychopath and pathological liar. After scamming Mary and her family an inordinate amount of money, Mary begins to dig into Will's life, his past, and his never ending trail of deception.

I really admire and applaud Thomson for being willing to tell her story. It would be so hard to look back at all the ways you were scammed for so long. But we are ALL vulnerable, especially to people who know all the right words to say, and how to say them. Although Mary's experience was certainly unique, it still serves as a good cautionary tale about red flags to look for when dating and befriending anyone. This was a concise and clearly written memoir about a difficult experience.

The true story of Mary and how she met William, who she fell in love with and had 2 children for him. But for the 6 years they were together, he spun her a web of lies and left her on the brink. He claimed to be a CIA agent and she, Mary had to live under the radar and put up with his unexplained absences. He took every penny from her and it was not until his “other” wife phoned Mary that she realised she had been had. She then found out he was also a paedophile. Mary missed so many clues and was fobbed off with William’s lies. Even her family did not take to him. I personally cannot see how Mary was so gullible. This story reads like an overlong article from the Sunday newspapers.

Wow, what a mind blowing story written by a strong and amazing person.

I heard about Mary Turner Thomson's story in an article a few years ago and wanted to read her book ever since. I'm glad she published another edition as it gave me the chance to finally do so (and thanks to NetGalley for the copy).

Although I've heard similar stories told by survivors like Mary about conmen like Will, this book gives a unique POV from the survivor's perspective on how an intelligent, strong and independent woman falls for a conman who manipulate her with a web of lies about him being a CIA secret agent, infertile single man, and eventually giving him all that she had, emotionally, physically and financially.

Mary is not a stupid or gullible person and she is questioning Will's actions every step of the way, but as she writes in the book, she always chose to believe her husband as it is "the difference between all or nothing - hope or despair". Even after she finds out about the other wife, children, fiancees and lies, she is still not sure who or what to believe. It was overwhelming reading this story so I can't even imagine how it was like be her, finding all the puzzle pieces bit by bit and realizing nothing you thought in the past few years is real.

True Crime is one of my favorite categories to read. I can not believe this story is true! How scary. Such a great read. The message it sends about being careful with internet dating is good. Everyone should read this to understand what could happen.

Wow! This was a tough read! I couldn’t believe the amount of emotional abuse one person could handle and I feel deeply for what the author went through at the hands of her husband.

The story was emotional, and while it seemed a bit repetitive at times, the emotion and stress experienced certainly comes through in the writing.

This was a autobiographical account of Mary's marriage to Will who she found out later was a bigamist. A fairly fast read but quite monotone in style. I can't say I found any great crescendos or exciting points. I did like the start when Mary met Will but found the middle part quite tiresome. There were so many references to his job and excuses why he was not coming home that I was getting frustrated on her behalf.

I wanted (as I suspect many who read this type of book do) to find out how someone can manage to lead a double life like this without other parties becoming suspicious but this was so extreme that it was plainly obvious.

Interesting story line and amazing that this type of thing can happen today.
I found it a bit slow and repetitive.

This man callously preys on women and to think that he is continually operating in the same way today. Mary has produced a wonderfully frank decription of how for six years she was married to this bigamist. He has operated in the USA and England, jailed in both countries, but is now free and using his psyopathic ways to charm his way into innocent woman's lives.Beware.

This book is a informative account of Mary's live with hime and the outcome of such an exsistance.
Well worth a read, could help a lot of women who might be in a similar situation.

The Bigamist by Mary Turner Thomson tells the story of a woman whose life is turned upside down when she discovers that her husband is a bigamist. This book tells the story of a young single mother manipulated by a sociopath. Not only does "William Allen Jordan" engage in bigamy, he absolutely drains Mary of her hard earned money. This story retells the sequence of events over the 6 year relationship between Mary and William. Although, the story is quite believable, I found this book to be redundant and slow, and difficult to follow at times. It is important for books such as these to be published in order to help other women see that they too can break the bonds of a difficult/destructive relationship and not only survive, but thrive. Although, I felt that the book was too long and drawn out, I do appreciate the message that is conveyed, it is possible to rise above your adversity and create a new, meaningful life. I thank the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

Unfortunately, I wasn't a fan of this novel.

I felt that the content that was being shared and the way in which this was written was more of an attack on Mary's husband and a request for pity than a way for Mary to effectively share her experiences.

Mary seems to contradict herself by outlining all of her husband's lies but also stating that she's not a gullible or foolish woman, which makes the real purpose of this book unclear to me.

I do not at all think Mary (or anyone) deserves to be taken advantage of by their loved one(s) in such a way, but I also think this turned out to be more of an airing of dirty laundry than a functional novel.

Thanks to Netgalley for the early copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

I got 10% in and I’m not going to read this one. This woman knows from day one that this guy is a shady piece of crap and decides to stay with him.

I am not usually a fan of memoirs however this was a great read about a woman taken in my a con man who was married. An interesting read and I enjoyed it

Wow this was quite a story. While I was intrigued, I found Mary’s explanations silly. The word “psychopath” is thrown around constantly without much support. The husband is described as a conman but that’s only because Mary never pushed him on his stories. I feel bad but also lack sympathy for her at the same time.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of the book exchange for a fair review.

The book was rough around the edges. I felt like I was reading a very long text message from a friend rather than an intense story.

I found this book incredibly difficult to get through. It was poorly written and did not hold my attention. While I think the subject matter is important and I have vast amounts of empathy for the author and her story, It just was not a captivating read.

Could the nightmare happen to you? Edifying😯

Though certain aspects seemed repetitive, this true experience account of the anguish and tumult caused by a smooth conman kept me reading and marvelling over the sheer power the author's bigamist husband held over her during their six year relationship.

Yes, I kept wondering why she did not suspect his lies sooner but that's part of the fascination. I could hardly fathom the audacity of Will/Bill's tall tales and manipulative ways. But he obviously knew how to pick emotionally vulnerable targets and keep them believing.

As her account progresses, layer upon layer of deceit are revealed. So many victims, so many lives affected by his emotional and financial cons.

I'm glad I picked up this book. This is a cautionary tale deserving renewed attention.

Thanks to publishers Amazon UK and NetGalley for providing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

Found this book quite difficult to get through.
Some of it seemed a bit drawn out.
Whilst her story is obviously very personal and terrifying, it could have been written or edited in a more professional manner.

You really couldn’t make this up! I find it hard to think that people are taken in by so many lies, but obviously they are. It shows how intelligent women are manipulated at their most vulnerable and can fall victim to such a conman.

What struck me was that he was messing so many people around no wonder he wasn’t able to have a job as such. I wonder how he managed to keep the CIA spin on it for so long, as to me this was the most far fetched aspect of the story.

Such a brave woman to have to deal with all that, three young children and bankruptcy too. It’s a lesson to everyone that people are not always what they seem.

Interesting book. True story that makes it even crazier. Single mom falls in love and marries a very convincing con man. This leads to bankruptcy, legal issues not to mention a host of other issues. Heart goes out to this woman, and her children, and all the other women duped by this man.

The books is a memoir, but it is written devoid of emotion, almost to the point of being boring. I found myself getting frustrated with the writer for ignoring so, so many warning signs. She was ghosted so many times, did not check out anything he said...some lies, especially his work stories, were completely over the top, and willingly took money needed to feed her family, and gave it to him. The hardest for me to understand was when she heard he was a pedophile, she still allowed her around her/their children. Yes, I understand that it’s easy for me to say this when I’m on the outside looking in, and know what’s going on. I can only assume that ‘Will’ found her most vulnerable and used that to his advantage. But, in some ways, she allowed it to happen and escalate.

Thanks to Ms. Turner Thomson, Amazon Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.

I pick this back up by chance looking for a quick read and was quickly in engrossed right from the first page! This book is about a lovely intelligent woman conned by a sociopath. It’s easy to judge someone when you hear how you fall for a conman but when I read this I realised that I too could easily be taken in. It’s an extraordinary story

I picked up this book as I was reading a similar book called Twenty Years a Stranger, in both a woman’s life is blown to pieces by a call out of the blue. Having being in an emotionally abusive relationship myself I have a particular interest in reading about other people’s experiences. Here Mary receives a telephone call that tells her that her husband Will Jordan has been married to another woman for fourteen years and they have five children together. This is a fascinating insight into how deceivers like this work and how they wear their partner’s down. Will has been doing this for 27 years with several different women. It makes us think about the people we trust and whether we can truly know the person we live with. We always think that we are intelligent, strong women who wouldn’t be taken in like this, but it can happen to anyone of us.
It was a hard read. I was glad that he was caught and put in prison for his crime Mary was still left in terrible debt and bringing up his children alone. I was horrified and frustrated to know that when released from prison he changed his name and went straight back to a dating site looking for his next victim. It also worried me that Mary had gone to some length to find this out. I worried that she might always be influenced or defined by this experience rather than becoming her own woman. I imagine the book was very cathartic to write and I think that’s what it was truly for.

This book was a memoir of sorts about an extreme version of gaslighting. She had her life taken control of by a smooth psychopath. Instead of just being taken in completely, she finally fights back and writes this book as a way to educate others about the dangers and to educate about what is possible. There were parts in the book where I definitely questioned her sanity and thought that she was somehow just weak and a push over. I am glad the last part of the book went back and described the techniques used and how she even questioned herself, I thought the book was well written and extremely shocking. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

Got to the half way point but didn’t continue. Repetitive but worst of all, how can someone be so gullible and not even check anything out. More flags flying than a village fete! Yes you can feel for her up to a point but she would’ve saved herself an awful lot of trouble and money had she been a bit more “canny” and a little less lovestruck. It also reads as a self published book which isn’t to say there’s anything wrong in that but this book needs to be condensed by about two thirds.

Sadly The Bigamist just wasn't for me. I couldn't connect with the characters and DNF before the halfway mark .

You want to believe that nothing like this could ever happen to you. It only happens to women who are desperate and don't know any better than to let a man turn their lives into a 20/20 headline. Then you read Mary Turner Thomson's story and have to think "could it have been me"? Her story is incredible. As we read the stories Will Jordan told her and the consequences he faced when caught, you have to wonder.
A fascinating read that will keep you turning pages, right up to the disbelieving end.

What a shocking true story. I commend Mary Turner Thompson for being so brave to share this. Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC!

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book.
I have very mixed feelings about The Bigamist. I appreciate Mary Turner-Thomson sharing her experience of finding out that her husband is a con man who had another family. However, I can't for the life of me figure out how she was able to ignore the numerous red flags that were right in her face. I started off feeling a lot of sympathy for her then became irritated that she continued to want a relationship with this man even after she found out about his other life and that he had wrecked her financially. It's an interesting story/cautionary tale about not believing everything you see.

Never got the chance to read and review before it had been archived but still have this included in my TBR!

I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. This is a book every woman should read, very well written

A wife's worst nightmare - finding out her husband has another family...and a few more. Part of the reading is frustrating - you just want to keep screaming, "RED FLAG! RED FLAG!" But, who is to say you would see all of these things when you are in the middle of the situation. It is an interesting and absorbing rad.

This was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it. thanks for letting me have an advance copy. I'm new to this author.

An excellently written account of a truly horrible situation. I can't believe Mary Turner Thompson lived through this and was strong enough to share it with the world. I hope if helps other people who may find themselves in a similar situation.

This was interesting and intriguing and dealt with some difficult subjects. It evoked some mixed feelings in me towards the characters and I wasn’t sure what I thought at times