* #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * #1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER * MORE THAN 2 MILLION COPIES SOLD! A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor—including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother—and how she retook control of her life. Jennette McCurdy was six years old when she had her first acting audition. Her mother’s dream was for her only daughter to become a star, and Jennette would do anything to make her mother happy. So she went along with what Mom called “calorie restriction,” eating little and weighing herself five times a day. She endured extensive at-home makeovers while Mom chided, “Your eyelashes are invisible, okay? You think Dakota Fanning doesn’t tint hers?” She was even showered by Mom until age sixteen while sharing her diaries, email, and all her income. In I’m Glad My Mom Died, Jennette recounts all this in unflinching detail—just as she chronicles what happens when the dream finally comes true. Cast in a new Nickelodeon series called iCarly, she is thrust into fame. Though Mom is ecstatic, emailing fan club moderators and getting on a first-name basis with the paparazzi (“Hi Gale!”), Jennette is riddled with anxiety, shame, and self-loathing, which manifest into eating disorders, addiction, and a series of unhealthy relationships. These issues only get worse when, soon after taking the lead in the iCarly spinoff Sam & Cat alongside Ariana Grande, her mother dies of cancer. Finally, after discovering therapy and quitting acting, Jennette embarks on recovery and decides for the first time in her life what she really wants. Told with refreshing candor and dark humor, I’m Glad My Mom Died is an inspiring story of resilience, independence, and the joy of shampooing your own hair. Read more

A New York Times bestseller—with more than one million copies sold!If you grew up with an emotionally immature, unavailable, or selfish parent, you may have lingering feelings of anger, loneliness, betrayal, or abandonment. You may recall your childhood as a time when your emotional needs were not met, when your feelings were dismissed, or when you took on adult levels of responsibility in an effort to compensate for your parent’s behavior. These wounds can be healed, and you can move forward in your life. In this breakthrough book, clinical psychologist Lindsay Gibson exposes the destructive nature of parents who are emotionally immature or unavailable. You will see how these parents create a sense of neglect, and discover ways to heal from the pain and confusion caused by your childhood. By freeing yourself from your parents’ emotional immaturity, you can recover your true nature, control how you react to them, and avoid disappointment. Finally, you’ll learn how to create positive, new relationships so you can build a better life. Discover the four types of difficult parents: The emotional parent instills feelings of instability and anxiety The driven parent stays busy trying to perfect everything and everyone The passive parent avoids dealing with anything upsetting The rejecting parent is withdrawn, dismissive, and derogatory   Read more

“Once you start reading, be prepared, because you won’t want to stop.” —Oprah Winfrey OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB PICK New York Times bestselling author Lara Love Hardin recounts her slide from soccer mom to opioid addict to jailhouse shot caller and her unlikely comeback as a highly successful ghostwriter in this harrowing, hilarious, no-holds-barred memoir. No one expects the police to knock on the door of the million-dollar two-story home of the perfect cul-de-sac housewife. But soccer mom Lara Love Hardin has been hiding a shady secret: she is funding her heroin addiction by stealing her neighbors’ credit cards. Lara is convicted of thirty-two felonies and becomes inmate S32179. She finds that jail is a class system with a power structure that is somewhere between an adolescent sleepover party and Lord of the Flies. Furniture is made from tampon boxes, and Snickers bars are currency. But Lara quickly learns the rules and brings love and healing to her fellow inmates as she climbs the social ladder and acquires the nickname “Mama Love,” showing that jailhouse politics aren’t that different from the PTA meetings she used to attend. When she’s released, she reinvents herself as a ghostwriter. Now, she’s legally co-opting other people’s identities and getting to meet Oprah, meditate with the Dalai Lama, and have dinner with Archbishop Desmond Tutu. But the shadow of her past follows her. Shame is a poison worse than heroin—there is no way to detox. Lara must learn how to forgive herself and others, navigate life as a felon on probation, and prove to herself that she is more good than bad, among other essential lessons. The Many Lives of Mama Love is a heartbreaking and tender journey from shame to redemption, despite a system that makes it almost impossible for us to move beyond the worst thing we have ever done. Read more

The instant New York Times bestsellerEnd the struggle, speak up for what you need, and experience the freedom of being truly yourself.Healthy boundaries. We all know we should have them--in order to achieve work/life balance, cope with toxic people, and enjoy rewarding relationships with partners, friends, and family. But what do "healthy boundaries" really mean--and how can we successfully express our needs, say "no," and be assertive without offending others?Licensed counselor, sought-after relationship expert, and one of the most influential therapists on Instagram Nedra Glover Tawwab demystifies this complex topic for today's world. In a relatable and inclusive tone, Set Boundaries, Find Peace presents simple-yet-powerful ways to establish healthy boundaries in all aspects of life. Rooted in the latest research and best practices used in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), these techniques help us identify and express our needs clearly and without apology--and unravel a root problem behind codependency, power struggles, anxiety, depression, burnout, and more. Read more

An insatiable need for sex and love. Periods of overeating or starving. A pattern of unstable and painful relationships.Does this sound painfully familiar?Trauma counselor Kelly McDaniel has seen these traits over and over in clients who feel trapped in cycles of harmful behaviors-and are unable to stop.Many of us find ourselves stuck in unhealthy habits simply because we don't see a better way. With Mother Hunger, McDaniel helps women break the cycle of destructive behavior by taking a fresh look at childhood trauma and its lasting impact. In doing so, she destigmatizes the shame that comes with being under-mothered and misdiagnosed. McDaniel offers a healing path with powerful tools that include therapeutic interventions and lifestyle changes in service to healthy relationships.The constant search for mother love can be a lifelong emotional burden, but healing begins with knowing and naming what we are missing. McDaniel is the first clinician to identify Mother Hunger, which demystifies the search for love and provides the compass that each woman needs to end the struggle with achy, lonely emptiness, and come home to herself. Read more

From experienced family therapist Dr. Karyl McBride, Will I Ever Be Good Enough? is an essential guide to recovery for women with selfish, emotionally abusive, and toxic mothers—designed to help daughters reclaim their lives.The first book for daughters who have suffered the abuse of narcissistic, self-involved mothers, Will I Ever Be Good Enough? provides the expert assistance you need in order to overcome this debilitating history and reclaim your life. Drawing on more than two decades of experience as a therapist specializing in women’s health and hundreds of interviews with suffering daughters, Dr. Karyl McBride helps you recognize the widespread effects of this emotional abuse and create an individualized program for self-protection, resolution, and complete recovery. Narcissistic mothers teach their daughters that love is not unconditional, that it is given only when they behave in accordance with maternal expectations and whims. As adults, these daughters have difficulty overcoming feelings of inadequacy, disappointment, emotional emptiness, and sadness. They may also have a fear of abandonment that leads them to form unhealthy romantic relationships, as well as a tendency to perfectionism and unrelenting self-criticism or to self-sabotage and frustration. Dr. McBride’s step-by-step program will enable you to: (1) Recognize your own experience with maternal narcissism and its effects on all aspects of your life (2) Discover how you have internalized verbal and nonverbal messages from your mother and how these have translated into overachievement or self-sabotage (3) Construct a personalized program to take control of your life and enhance your sense of self, establishing healthy boundaries with your mother and breaking the legacy of abuse Warm and sympathetic, Dr. McBride brings a profound level of authority to Will I Ever Be Good Enough? that encourages and inspires you as it aids your recovery. Read more

In this box set, you get the best-selling book Out of the Fog, and you get Start Here included as a bonus.The audiobook Out of the Fog will help you get out of the of confusion and into the clarity that you are looking for.FOG is an acronym that stands for "Fear, Obligation, and Guilt". These three emotions are often at the core of manipulation and are often how narcissists, sociopaths, and other types of emotional manipulators go about controlling their targets.However, this type of destructive manipulation isn't just limited to narcissists and sociopaths. There is no shortage of people with well-intended bad advice out there who unintentionally fall into the FOG as well, and push targets of abuse into keeping the relationship going.The FOG is one of the main reasons that people stay "stuck" in emotionally abusive relationships for so long, why they continue to get involved with abusive people, why they feel that they are the problem, and why they tend to feel that the abuse is somehow their fault.When a person is being manipulated they have a hard time figuring out who has the problem, what is normal, what is problematic, and if their wants, needs, and feelings are valid. The disastrous effects of being lost in the FOG are confusion, crazymaking, people-pleasing, and erosion of boundaries.What makes this well-intended bad advice so damaging is that, on the surface, it seems like good advice - especially if it's coming from people who seem to have our best interests in mind, such as friends, family, church members, support group members, or a therapist.Some examples of this well-intended bad advice that comes from other people is:"Who are you to judge?" "No one is perfect". "You need to forgive them". "She's your mother, you need to have a relationship with her...she's not getting any younger you know". "Commitment is forever".What can be so crazymaking for targets is that they are often getting two very different messages. On one hand, they are told that they need to work towards a solution, and on the other, they are told that need to leave a partner who lies, cheats, steals, hits, yells, or belittles them.This audiobook compares and contrasts of these concepts so that targets of any type of manipulation and abuse can make a more empowered decision.Some of the concepts covered are:Who are you to judge vs. being discerningNo one is perfect vs. tolerating abuseYou need to forgive them vs. keeping yourself safeA parent vs. a predatorCommitment vs. CodependencySelf-love vs. selfishnessA person acting the part vs. a person actually changingGut instincts vs. hypervigilanceA friend vs. someone being friendlyCaring vs. caretakingBeing in love with them vs. being in love with who they pretended to beWorkable behavior vs. deal breakersAcceptance vs. allowanceGoing through so much together vs. being put through so much by themSincerity vs. intensityHealthy bonding vs. trauma bondingInsincere remorse vs. sincere remorseReacting vs. respondingAnd many more.Plus, as a bonus, you’ll also get Start Here: A Crash Course Guide to Understanding, Navigating, and Healing From Narcissistic Abuse to help you understand all of the concepts, terminology, and FAQs surrounding narcissistic abuse. In this bonus offer, you’ll discover terms such as "Flying Monkeys", "triangulation", "projection", "covert narcissist", "parentification", and dozens more. Read more

An accessible, step-by-step resource for setting, communicating, and enforcing healthy boundaries at home, at work, and in lifeWe all want to have healthy boundaries. But what does that really mean – and what steps are needed to implement them in our daily lives? Sought-after therapist and relationship expert Nedra Glover Tawwab presents clear explanations and interactive exercises to help you gain insight and then put it into action. Filled with thought-provoking checklists, questions, writing prompts, and more, The Set Boundaries Workbook is a valuable tool for everyone who wants to speak up for what they want and need, and show up more authentically in the world. Read more

If you grew up with an emotionally immature, unavailable, or selfish parent, you may recall your childhood as a time when your emotional needs were not met or dismissed—and you may have lingering feelings of anger, loneliness, betrayal, and abandonment. As an adult, you have fought hard to establish your own sense of self, and heal the wounds caused by your upbringing.But what about other emotionally immature people (EIP) in your life? As an adult child of an emotionally immature parent (ACEIP), you may be particularly vulnerable to EIPs. If you're tired of being emotionally hijacked by EIPs, this handbook can help you avoid common traps, build confidence, and stand strong.This guide provides solutions to help you manage relationships with any emotionally immature person. You'll find practical insights and explorations into the most common challenges ACEIPs face, and practical guidance to help set boundaries and establish healthier relationships. You'll learn to handle difficult interactions with EIPs, understand their responses, and transform your relationships.With this handbook, you'll understand how EIPs function, shift your own perspective, and stand up for yourself. Read more

In this sequel to the New York Times bestseller, Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents, author Lindsay Gibson offers powerful tools to help you step back and protect yourself at the first sign of an emotional takeover, make sure your emotions and needs are respected, and break free from the coercive control of emotionally immature parents. Growing up with emotionally immature (EI) parents can leave you feeling lonely and neglected. You may have trouble setting limits and expressing your feelings. And you may even be more susceptible to other emotionally immature people as you establish adult relationships. In addition, as your parents become older, they may still treat your emotions with mockery and contempt, be dismissive and discounting of your reality, and try to control and diminish your sense of emotional autonomy and freedom of thought. In short, EIs can be self-absorbed, inconsistent, and contradictory. So, how can you recover from their toxic behavior? Drawing on the success of her popular self-help book, Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents, author Lindsay Gibson offers yet another essential resource. With this follow-up guide, you’ll learn practical skills to help you recognize the signs of an EI, protect yourself against an emotional takeover, reconnect with your own emotions and needs, and gain emotional autonomy in all your relationships. This is a how-to book, with doable exercises and active tips and suggestions for what to say and do to increase emotional autonomy and self-awareness. If you’re ready to stop putting your own needs last, clear the clutter of self-doubt, and move beyond the fear of judgment and punishment that’s been instilled in you by emotionally immature parents, this book will help you find the freedom to finally live your life your way. Read more

Are you tired of reliving the same painful patterns in your relationships, wondering why each connection seems to bring familiar anxieties, fears, and misunderstandings?You may be tired of replaying familiar patterns in your relationships, feeling stuck yet unsure how to change. Each new connection seems to leave you craving deeper bonds but uncertain about how to truly connect with others.Anxious, Avoidant, and Disorganized Attachment Style Recovery is a healthy relationship workbook that seeks to help you understand not only the roots of your attachment patterns but also the tools to reshape them. You will gain powerful insights into your relationship dynamics that echo the imprints of childhood—shaped by who loved you, who let you down, and how those experiences live on in your heart.The book will help you:Discover how anxious, avoidant, or disorganized attachment styles impact the ways you relate to others and find new paths toward authentic connectionLearn actionable techniques to reframe old patterns, cultivate emotional safety, and build trust within your relationshipsUncover methods to nurture self-awareness, self-acceptance, and compassion, transforming the relationship you have with yourselfGain effective tools to identify and change the unconscious patterns that hold you back, opening up new possibilities for love and connectionAnd much more.This journey goes beyond simple labels, revealing a path toward secure, enduring, and healthier connections. Unlike other books on attachment, this therapy workbook goes beyond theory, offering interactive exercises and practical techniques that you can immediately apply to every area of your life—from romantic relationships to family, friendships, and even your relationship with yourself.Embrace the journey of self-discovery and unlock the keys to creating and sustaining meaningful relationships. Read more

The groundbreaking guide to self-healing and getting the love you missed “Years ago, I was on vacation and read The Emotionally Absent Mother. That book was one of many that woke me up. . . . I began the process of reparenting and it’s changed my life.”―Dr. Nicole LePera, New York Times–bestselling author of How to Do the Work Was your mother preoccupied, distant, or even demeaning? Have you struggled with relationships―or with your own self-worth? Often, the grown children of emotionally absent mothers can’t quite put a finger on what’s missing from their lives. The children of abusive mothers, by contrast, may recognize the abuse―but overlook its lasting, harmful effects. Psychotherapist Jasmin Lee Cori has helped thousands of men and women heal the hidden wounds left by every kind of undermothering. In this second edition of her pioneering book, with compassion for mother and child alike, she explains:Possible reasons your mother was distracted or hurtful―and what she was unable to giveThe lasting impact of childhood emotional neglect and abuseHow to find the child inside you and fill the “mother gap” through reflections and exercisesHow to secure a happier future for yourself (and perhaps for your children). Read more

From the author of the New York Times bestseller, Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents, comes the guided journal, with self-reflective writing practices to help you heal from the past, set intentions for healthier relationships, and reconnect with your true self. If you grew up with an emotionally immature, unavailable, or selfish parent, you may recall your childhood as a time when your emotional needs were not met or dismissed—and you may have lingering feelings of anger, loneliness, betrayal, and abandonment as a result. As an adult, you have likely fought hard to establish your own sense of self, and heal the invisible wounds caused by your parent. Now, let this compassionate journal guide you even further on your journey toward self-development and personal growth. Based on Lindsay Gibson’s self-help hit, the Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents Guided Journal offers soothing, self-reflective writing practices to help you process your emotions, heal the invisible wounds of growing up with an emotionally immature parent (EIP), and set intentions for building healthier and more reciprocal relationships now and in the future. With this empowering journal, you’ll explore how your relationships and overall well-being have been negatively impacted by EIPs, grow beyond these negative effects to live a more expansive life, and cultivate a deeper connection with your true self. The simple act of putting pen to paper affirms the importance of your thoughts and feelings. When you write about your inner experiences—your thoughts, feelings, and wishes—you connect emotionally with yourself. Journaling can be an encounter with your soul—your own spark of absolute individuality. The reflective practices in this journal will help you forge a more authentic connection to your spark—who you really are. Written by renowned mental health and wellness experts, New Harbinger’s Journals for Change combine evidence-based psychology with proven-effective guided journaling techniques to help you make lasting personal change—one page at a time. Read more

Instant New York Times BestsellerFrom the bestselling author of Set Boundaries, Find Peace, a road map for understanding and moving past family struggles—and living your life, your way. Every family has a story. For some of us, our family of origin is a solid foundation that feeds our confidence and helps us navigate life’s challenges. For others, it’s a source of pain, hurt, and conflict that can feel like a lifelong burden. In this empowering guide, licensed therapist and bestselling relationship expert Nedra Glover Tawwab offers clear advice for identifying dysfunctional family patterns and choosing the best path to breaking the cycle and moving forward. Covering topics ranging from the trauma of emotional neglect, to the legacy of addicted or absent parents, to mental health struggles in siblings and other relatives, and more, this clear and compassionate guide will help you take control of your own life—and honor the person you truly are. Read more

Cutting ties with a toxic family member is a crucial step away from a legacy of dysfunction and toward healing and happiness. This compassionate guide will help you embrace your decision with a sense of pride, validation, and faith in yourself; and provides powerful tools for creating boundaries, coping with judgment, and overcoming self-doubt.Do you have a toxic family member? Do you feel like cutting ties with this person—even as painful and scary as that may sound—would dramatically increase your well-being and improve your life? You’re not alone. Severing ties with a family member can be devastating; and cutting this toxic person out of your life may bring up feelings of guilt and uncertainty—especially if you feel judged by others regarding your decision. Fortunately, you can free yourself from this toxic family member in a healthy, responsible, and liberating way.In Adult Survivors of Toxic Family Members, psychologist and toxic-family survivor Sherrie Campbell offers effective strategies for setting strong boundaries after ending contact with a toxic family member, and provides powerful tools to help you heal from shame, self-doubt, and stigma. You’ll find the validation you need to embrace your decision with pride and acknowledgement of your self-worth. You’ll learn how to let go of negative thoughts and feelings. And finally, you’ll develop the skills needed to rediscover self-care, self-love, self-reliance, and healthy loving relationships.Whether you’re ready to sever ties with a toxic family member, or already have, this book will help guide you, every step of the way. Read more

When your parents are pathologically self-centered, manipulative, or emotionally abusive, the pain they cause is deep and often difficult to put into words. You may experience anxiety, depression, complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD), low self-esteem, addiction, or other mental health conditions as an adult. But it was not your fault, and there are tools you can use to heal the trauma caused by your childhood.This compassionate guide will help you gain a greater understanding of what happened in your past; transform deep pain into emotional resilience; and build the loving, meaningful relationship with yourself that you deserve. You'll also learn to set boundaries with others, assert your needs, and overcome emotional avoidance to develop warm, loving relationships with others.Author Sherrie Campbell offers powerful skills drawn from a range of evidence-based treatments, including mindfulness, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), self-compassion, lived experience, and body-based practices to help you heal from the past and reconnect with your authentic self.Let this book guide you on the path to healing, wholeness, and self-discovery. Read more

Instant New York Times and USA Today nonfiction bestseller!A New York Times Nonfiction Book to Read this FallA People Magazine Best Book of SeptemberThe Week Five Riveting Books to Take You Through SeptemberMary L. Trump grew up in a family divided by its patriarch’s relentless drive for money and power. The daughter of Freddy Trump, the highly accomplished, dashing eldest son of wealthy real estate developer Fred Trump, and Linda Clapp, a flight attendant from a working-class family, Mary lived in the shadow of Freddy’s humiliation at the hands of his father.Fred Trump embodied the ethos of the zero-sum game and among his five children, there could only be one winner. That was supposed to be Freddy, his namesake, but Fred found him wanting—too sensitive, too kind, too interested in pursuits beyond the realm of the real estate empire he was meant to inherit. In Donald, Fred found a kindred spirit, a “killer,” who would stop at nothing to get his own way.Even after Freddy’s short-lived career as a professional pilot for TWA came to an end, he never stopped trying to gain his father’s approval. Finally, at the age of forty-two, he succumbed to Fred’s lethal contempt and died alone in an emergency room, with no family by his side.In WHO COULD EVER LOVE YOU, Mary L. Trump brings us inside the twisted family whose patriarch ignored, froze out, and eventually destroyed his own. Freddy Trump’s decline into alcoholism and illness, along with Linda’s suffering after their divorce, left Mary dangerously vulnerable as a very young girl. Inadequately and only conditionally loved, there were no adults in her life except for the father she loved, but lost before she could know him; and a mother abandoned by her ex-husband’s rich and powerful family who demanded her loyalty but left her with nothing. With searching insight, poignant detail, and unsparing prose, Mary L. Trump reveals the cold, selfish cruelty that has come to define the Trump family thanks in large part to her uncle, whose malignant ambition has riven our nation and threatens the world. Read more

From the author of the New York Times bestseller, Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents, this essential guide offers daily, practical ways to help you heal the invisible wounds caused by immature parents, nurture self-awareness, trust your emotions, improve relationships, and stop putting others’ needs ahead of your own. If you grew up with an emotionally immature, unavailable, or selfish parent, you probably still struggle with anger, sadness, resentment, or shame. As a child, your emotional needs were not met, your feelings were dismissed, and you likely took on adult levels of responsibility in an effort to compensate for your parent’s behavior. Somewhere along the way, you lost your sense of self. And without this strong sense of self, you may feel like your own well-being isn’t valuable. In this compassionate guide—written just for you, not them—you’ll find tips and tools to help you set boundaries with others, honor and validate your emotions, and thrive in the face of life’s challenges. You’ll discover how to protect yourself from hurtful behavior, stop making excuses for others’ limitations, forge healthier relationships, and feel more confident in your life. Most importantly, you’ll learn how to stop putting others’ needs before your own, and manage daily stressors with competence, clarity, and optimism. Self-care means honoring and respecting the self. But when you grow up with emotionally immature parents, you are taught that setting limits is selfish and uncaring. You are taught to seek approval instead of authenticity in relationships. And you are taught that empathy and emotional awareness are liabilities, rather than assets. But there’s another way to go through life—one in which you can take care of yourself, first and foremost. Let this book guide you toward a new way of being. Read more

NATIONAL BESTSELLERFrom licensed therapist and popular Instagram relationship expert Vienna Pharaon (@mindfulmft, +683K followers) comes a profound guide to understanding and overcoming wounds from your Family of Origin—the foundation of how we relate to others, ourselves, and the world around us.None of us had a perfect childhood; we are all carrying around behaviors that don’t serve us—and may in fact be hurting us. But it doesn’t have to be that way, says licensed marriage and family therapist Vienna Pharaon. Our past might create our patterns, but we can change those patterns for the better...with the right tools.In The Origins of You, Pharaon has unlocked a healing process to help us understand our Family of Origin—the family and framework we grew up within—and examine what worked (and didn’t) in that system. Unhealed pain (or “wounds”) in that Family of Origin will manifest in our adult behaviors in surprising ways, from work challenges to interpersonal struggles. But the good news: armed with the knowledge about our past, we can actually rewire our programming to meaningfully improve our relationships and our lives, right now and in the future.It doesn’t matter whether you’ve been in therapy for decades, or whether therapy isn’t for you. It doesn’t matter if you had a great childhood, or a terrible one. You can create change and resolve things from the past that need your attention. Complete with guided introspection, personal experiences, client stories, frameworks for having difficult conversations, and worksheets to complement each chapter, The Origins of You will teach you how to break family patterns and help you liberate the way you live and love. Read more

An immersive exploration of the mystery that gripped internet sleuths and bloggers and inspires an avid online following to this day—the bizarre disappearance of the Jamison family in the rugged Sans Bois Mountains—from a contemporary master of true crime journalism.“There’s dark stuff up there, sir. You know that, right? Cults and such.” That’s what Starlet Jamison told the Sheriff after her son and his family went missing. On October 8th, 2009, Bobby Jamison, his wife Sherilynn, and their six-year-old daughter Madyson, set off for a drive from their home in Eufaula, Oklahoma, to the nearby Sans Bois Mountains. They didn’t return that day, or the next. A week later, their truck was found abandoned on a mountain road. Inside was their dog, malnourished but alive, the family’s cell phones, wallets, and $32,000 in cash. The ensuing eight-month search was the largest in Oklahoma history, but it yielded little evidence. Online, bloggers and web sleuths put forth dozens of theories, fueled by the Jamisons’ strange, trancelike behavior on a CCTV video. Some claimed the family was abducted by white supremacists or a religious cult. In 2013, there was a tragic break in the case, when deer hunters stumbled upon the skeletal remains of two adults and a child in the Smokestack Hollow area of Panola Mountain. Forensic testing confirmed the Jamisons’ identities. But the mystery was only beginning. Had the Jamisons been planning to abandon their lives and raise Madyson alone in the wilderness—and if so, why? What happened to the briefcase and handgun that Sheryilynn was seen putting into the car? And why were no arrests ever made? Investigative journalist Jake Anderson draws on police notes, interviews, and exclusive evidence to piece together the Jamisons’ last days and weeks, weaving together startling material with his own personal insights. The story is one of dark, paranoid obsessions, but also of real malevolent forces residing in those shadowy mountains—and a compulsively readable account of a true murder mystery whose chilling impact continues to be felt. Read more