She Survived: Melissa

by M. William Phelps, Melissa Schickel

From the bestselling author of The Killing Kind, a woman shares her story of survival after an attack during a home invasion.A few days before her twenty-sixth birthday, Melissa Schickel returned to her Indianapolis home and went to bed. An hour later, she was yanked from her dreams into terror. An intruder held her down, brutally beating and stabbing her.Melissa fought fiercely. The assailant fled, leaving her to face a long road to recovery from deep-seated fear and post-traumatic stress. She tells her exclusive true story as part of a compelling narrative by bestselling crime expert M. William Phelps. Her strength and courage will inspire all women with similar experiences to think of themselves proudly as survivors—not victims.Praise for New York Times bestselling author M. William Phelps“One of America's finest true-crime writers.” —Vincent Bugliosi, New York Times bestselling author of Helter Skelter“Phelps is the Harlan Coben of real-life thrillers.” —Allison Brennan, New York Times bestselling author of Tell No Lies“Anything by Phelps is an eye-opening experience.” —Suspense Magazine“Phelps is the king of true crime.” —Lynda Hirsch, Creators Syndicate columnist

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction

173 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 30, 2014

About the author

Crime, murder and serial killer expert, creator/producer/writer and former host of the Investigation Discovery series DARK MINDS, acclaimed, award-winning investigative journalist M. William Phelps is the New York Times best-selling author of 30 books and winner of the 2013 Excellence in (Investigative) Journalism Award and the 2008 New England Book Festival Award. A highly sought-after pundit, Phelps has made over 100 media-related television appearances: Early Show, The Today Show, The View, Fox & Friends, truTV, Discovery Channel, Fox News Channel, Good Morning America, TLC, BIO, History, Oxygen, OWN, on top of over 100 additional media appearances: USA Radio Network, Catholic Radio, Mancow, Wall Street Journal Radio, Zac Daniel, Ave Maria Radio, Catholic Channel, EWTN Radio, ABC News Radio, and many more.

Phelps is also a member of the Multidisciplinary Collaborative on Sexual Crime and Violence (MCSCV), also known as the Atypical Homicide Research Group (AHRG) at Northeastern University, maintained by NU alumni Enzo Yaksic.

Phelps is one of the regular and recurring experts frequently appearing on two long-running series, Deadly Women and Snapped. Radio America calls Phelps “the nation’s leading authority on the mind of the female murderer,” and TV Rage says, “M. William Phelps dares to tread where few others will: into the mind of a killer.” A respected journalist, beyond his book writing Phelps has written for numerous publications—including the Providence Journal, Connecticut Magazine and Hartford Courant—and consulted on the first season of the hit Showtime cable television series Dexter.

Phelps grew up in East Hartford, CT, moved to Vernon, CT, at age 12, where he lived for 25 years. He now lives in a reclusive Connecticut farming community north of Hartford.

Beyond crime, Phelps has also written several history books, including the acclaimed, New York Times bestselling NATHAN HALE: The Life and Death of America’s First Spy, THE DEVIL’S ROOMING HOUSE, THE DEVIL’S RIGHT HAND, MURDER, NEW ENGLAND, and more.

Reviews

[Misty Marie Harms · Rating 4 out of 5]

Melissa Schickel woke up in the middle of night being stabbed by a stranger. When she started fighting back the stranger fled. She had to have her jaw wired shut for 10 weeks and underwent numerous surgeries. The assailant was caught several months later after he tried to attack numerous other women. This is one woman's journey of survival.

[Jeanine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scary story.

[Gaynor Spanswick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book ,it just wasn't the right time for me to read it.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Victim’s Recovery

Melissa was a very strong woman emotionally or she never would have survived. I read her story with great interest. To know that someone can be strong enough to survive such a horrible attack gives me a sense of hope. At the same time to read some on the warped laws in her state tells me that our judicial system needs some major overhauls.

This book was well done and certainly gives you something to think about.

[Lisa Millett · Rating 5 out of 5]

True crime from victims point of view

I love all of M. William Phelps books but this book is extra special as it is from the victim's point of view. Melissa is a very brave young lady who went through hell and came out the other side as a survivor. I highly recommend this book and can't wait to read more in this excellent new series.

[Lorie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Refreshing

To read about a true crime case with a good ending. I felt so bad for Melissa, not just what she went through and continues to live with, but that no one helped her move out of her apartment after the attack! All I could think was I would have helped her and she wouldn't have even needed to ask first.
I like this series, where the victim wins, and fights back.

[Koren · Rating 4 out of 5]

A master of the true crime genre has written a trilogy of short books about women who survived brutal attacks. In this one the victim, Michelle, almost died but managed to hang on until an ambulance came. But she didn't let her attack define her. What the attacker is charged with will surprise you. It was a good book but one star deducted for being fairly repetitive.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Letting the victim speak

It was well written. I felt bad for Michelle, glad she was able to tell her story. Good insight on how it feels to be in the victims shoes. It was a learning for me as to what happens emotionally, legally etc.

[Peggy Norton · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring

The story could be told in one chapter and that would be everything you needed to know, but this was painfully drawn out repeating the same thing chapter after chapter. What a waste of time.

[rachel a thornberry · Rating 4 out of 5]

The lady with strong will.

It being a true story and she was so brave throughout out the attack even with doubting detectives & policemen.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written

Very well written. I thoroughly enjoyed this true crime book. M. William Phelps is an outstanding author. This is an incredible series.

[Bobbi Wylezik · Rating 5 out of 5]

She survived melissa

And another awesome book by the man himself. As always interesting, informative. A page turner. And I am off to my next book by him

[Sparklin C Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Waking up to someone attacking you. You can only imagine the horrific ordeal Melissa went through.

[Mancman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series are quick reads, but powerfully show the shortcomings of some legislature, and the long term effects of traumatic attacks.
Certainly not easy reading, but compelling.

[Kelly]

The resilience of the human spirit never ceases to amaze me. Melissa Schickel, a young adult, was brutally attacked in her own home and beaten to within an inch of her life. It's a wonder she survived. This book talks about what happened after the attack and how she coped with such devastation. She's a remarkably strong young woman whom I admire greatly.
This book also talks about our justice system, which is terribly flawed. It seems that laws are designed to protect the perpetrator, not the innocent victim. However, despite this, Melissa carried on.
It's a short, easy read that will leave you in awe of this young woman.