The Oracle's Daughter: A Woman's Escape From Her Mother's Cult

by Harrison Hill

On a cool autumn night in 1999, twenty-six-year-old Sarah Green crept out of her house and ran for her life. She was escaping not just the Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps, a paramilitary religious cult operating out of the New Mexico desert, but also the cruelty of the cult's leader-her mother, Deborah.

In The Oracle's Daughter, Harrison Hill traces the fascinating beginnings and violent end of ACMTC, from its early days as an outgrowth of the hippie movement, through the conspiracy-theorist 1990s and into the present day. It follows Deborah, the group's founder and self-proclaimed oracle; Maura, one of its first members; and Sarah, Deborah's daughter, among the cult's primary victims.

With a propulsive, deeply researched narrative, The Oracle's Daughter illuminates the strange world of religious cults-and how more vulnerable we are to extremism than we might like to think.

Genres: Nonfiction, True Crime, Cults, Religion, History, Audiobook, Biography

347 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 9, 2026

About the author

Harrison Hill grew up in Charlottesville, Virginia and lives in Brooklyn, New York. He received his MFA in nonfiction from Columbia University, where he also taught undergraduate writing. His journalism and essays have appeared in The Cut, GQ, Vogue, Travel + Leisure, AFAR, The Guardian, and The Threepenny Review. The Oracle’s Daughter is his first book.

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC for review. To be published April 7, 2026.

4 stars

Oh, yes, y’all! It’s another cult book for me! October is my birthday month so I guess the fates decided to gift me with a little something! How kind!

So, this is about the Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps who first operated out of Sacramento before they moved to New Mexico. It’s also about three women: Lila/Deborah, the cult leader and the mother of Sarah, Maura, one of Lila’s only friends and a cult member, and Sarah, Lila’s daughter who eventually left the cult. Oh, and this is non-fiction. I had never heard of these people or this group before.

As usual it’s a fascinating and sad look at a charismatic leader and a group of people entirely too willing to be lead. There is also information about other famous cults and the role of the evangelical church in modern society. I enjoyed reading about the relationships between the primary characters. Recommended if you are interested in cults.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps was founded in California in 1981, initially operating out of a set of neighboring houses. Its leader is Deborah Green, who believes she is an oracle and wants to bring her version of paramilitary religion to the world. After some legal trouble, the cult’s headquarters moved to rural New Mexico. In 1999, Sarah Green (Deborah’s daughter) escaped in the middle of the night, leaving her children behind. Sarah is key to this story, having grown up in the cult but eventually wanting more, including an education.

Reading about a cult is intriguing, baffling, and disturbing. So much control, isolation, and abuse are involved. Is the cult leader a con person or a true believer? How are certain activities justified, even child trafficking? Why is it so difficult to prosecute crimes committed by the cult leaders or even to enforce monetary penalties decided on by the courts? What does growing up in a cult do to a person, and how does that person leave and rebuild? This was a fascinating read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for allowing me to read an ARC of this title.

[Heather~ Nature.books.and.coffee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always find cults so interesting to read about, and this one was crazy. This is a Non-fiction book about three women and their connection to the Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps (ACMTC). The abuses, such as child abuse and SA, within the cult are horrible to read about but also so important to learn about it. The extreme fascism that's going on right now in America has made me even more intrigued about cults and this one grabbed me immediately. It almost felt like a fictional book. It was really good.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

[Suz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A masterpiece!! I could not put this extraordinary book down. The writing is propulsive. The story is heartbreaking. The reporting is thorough and expansive. I can’t stop thinking about the real lives on these pages. Hill handles the story and humanity of it all with such care and beauty.

[Dave G · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted this to be a better rating than it is, but I just can’t justify a higher one. This book started off pretty good, with an interesting topic, but it quickly became tedious like school work. The author kept interjecting into the story the history of cults from the past, talking about cults that they arose at the same time as the one discussed in the book, but in such a way that it made it disjointed.

It would have been a better read if he stuck to the plot. Adding a little, and I mean a little, history or background if fine. History and background can add color and perspective to the story. But adding paragraphs and pages of material that may only be partially relevant to the current theme just thinned out a possibility good story. I guess I get it on some level. My version of the book is 276 pages. Without the added dicta the book may have only been 150 pages. Certainly not enough for a full length book. The book could have been a sold three stars if he just stuck to topic.

[Janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that is extremely relevant today. In our times of white nationalist Evangelical Christianity, it is important to understand its roots and its dangers. The book provides an historical context for the evangelical roots in America. I found this helpful, interesting and historically accurate. However, the book focuses on the extremism Evangelical Christianity can take when people seek answers strictly from God. The history and definition of cults in this book was also very helpful, interesting and accurate (having read Cultish, this book added to previous information I knew of). Sarah Green’s story is heartbreaking; the vileness of her mother’s cult and how they treated its members was awful. That behavior wrung from one woman’s perverted belief she knows better, she knows what everyone needed begs the question we ask today: Who made these people God? I couldn’t put this book down. Highly recommend. I thank NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this ARC.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Narrated by the author, this chilling record of cults across decades and centuries is informative and chilling. I use deliberately use chilling to describe the book twice as the details in multiple instances were quite sobering. The titular case of abuse and cruelty was horrific. and the background and aftermath are both maddening and enlightening to understanding current events.

[Dee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't love each chapter jumping from character to some other event/cult-related research to yet another character. Writing in the last few chapters seemed drawn out at times, with rhetorical questions and reflections.

[Aubri D · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, I found the premise of this book very interesting. I enjoyed learning about the lives of the cult members and how they got to where they are today. I do feel the story was extremely broken up due to all of the added general information about cults and religion. I wish it had more closely followed the "plot". I also felt the title was slightly misleading as there was almost as much focus on the other characters as there was on Sarah, the Oracle's Daughter. I also wish there had been trigger warnings. I know there is often abuse when it comes to cults, but reading about child abuse or sexual abuse is very difficult. I also felt the author had clear anti-Christian, anti- religion undertones.
The book did make me dig deeper into other big cults and I will be reading more about them in the future.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-1/2 stars. With The Oracle’s Daughter, writer Harrison Hill does something I haven’t experienced in the many, many accounts of people’s experiences in cults / high control groups I’ve read and/or heard. 

Hill contextualizes the events and experiences of the women whose stories he shares within the larger tendency toward extreme belief systems that is a fundamental part of who we are as a nation in the United States of America. After all, we’re currently very obviously being run by the cult of MAGA / Trump loyalists. 

Once upon a time, decades ago, the overt efforts to force Christian Nationalism down our throats was considered fringe, extreme, alarming behavior. Now it’s just another day in the U.S.

Hill treats his subjects with respect, but doesn’t shy away from the hard questions. His meticulous research and commitment to accuracy are readily evident throughout the entire work. 

I’m not going to try to tell you there is a lot of hope to be found here, but Hill has a unique gift for teasing it out wherever it can be found. 

I don’t know if our nation will survive our foray into overt Christian Nationalism, but strongly believe we have a responsibility to learn about it and push back in any way we can. 

This book, out today, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, is a solid addition to anyone’s library on the subject.

[Chet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been fascinated by cults since I was young, which isn’t that surprising since I grew up in 1980’s America, where “satanic panic” gripped the nation and Jonestown became a major news story. Then we moved into the 90’s with the Branch Davidians, Heaven’s Gate, Scientology and others coming into the public eye. It’s always been interesting to me how people become involved with cult movements and since I don’t want to actually join a cult, reading is a great way to learn. I’ve read books on all of the aforementioned cults as well as others, but I didn’t recall having ever heard of the Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps (ACMTC) so I was excited to run across The Oracle’s Daughter.

ACMTC was the life’s work of Deborah Green, a former hippie who decided that she was a prophet and could talk to God, which is pretty much how all these cults start. She abused children and adults for decades before finally being imprisoned, though at the time of this writing it appears that she and her husband Jim are inexplicably free. The Oracle’s Daughter explains in detail how the cult formed, kidnapped children, physically and mentally abused adults and children and even killed children by denying medical care and nutrition. It’s amazing how these groups come to be and even more amazing that they manage to recruit and maintain members. Still, it happens and continues to happen even here in 2025: Scientology is a huge cult, Children of God (now called The Family International) are still active and MAGA has somehow taken hold of a significant portion of Americans. Clearly people are searching for something out of life and cults seem to offer it to them despite the negative actions of the leaders and members. So, how do people become involved in these cults and why do they stay even with the abuse and violence? The answer isn’t always clear, but we can start to gain some understanding through books like The Oracle’s Daughter. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I’m not going to go into detail on just what happened with ACMTC and let you discover that for yourself.

Author Harrison Hill has written an awesome book that, quite honestly, reads like fiction. When I first started reading The Oracle’s Daughter, I had to stop reading and go do some Google research to make sure that this was nonfiction. It’s not on the same level as some other stories as there are no mass suicides and no shootouts with the government, but there is plenty of insanity in these pages. From what I can gather, Hill began his journey by writing an article for The Cut about Sarah Green, the daughter of cult leader Deborah Green, and Sarah’s escape. Hill then decided to expand the article into a book, which turned out to be a fantastic idea. Hill is a great writer and, as I mentioned, this reads like fiction and is often hard to put down. I’ve even found myself checking news articles for updates on the story as the legal battles are still ongoing in the case. If you’re interested in cults and religious extremism, you will not be disappointed by The Oracle’s Daughter: The Rise and Fall of an American Cult.

At it’s core, The Oracle’s Daughter is a story about redemption, courage and survival because it is, after all, about those who escaped. But it’s also a book about the dark underbelly of Christianity and religion in general as well as the evil that humans will perpetrate in the name of God. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone because, ultimately, it is about being human and the failures and triumphs that go along with it. I would like to thank Harrison Hill, Netgalley and Scribner for allowing me to read an advance copy of the book. I enjoyed it very much.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this debut from Hill. His reporting is both meticulous and empathetic; while his subjects committed heinous acts, Hill avoids harsh judgment, choosing instead to explore the complex reasons that led to their choices. The narrative flows like a novel, though the reality of the story is truly stranger than fiction. I loved the inclusion of specific, grounding details (like Josh sending Johanna an email with a Puff Daddy music video, or teenage Sarah using her freedom in the Philippines to eat food court sugar and watch MTV) which made the surreal world of the book feel startlingly human. I was struck by the central tenet: that cults are often the wrong answer to the right question. It’s a poignant reminder that we are all simply searching for deeper meaning, connection to our community, and the basic comfort of home.

[Shannon Kingett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Completely and utterly gripping. I struggled to put it down. Harrison Hill strikes a perfect balance between a narrative, personal tone, and a detailed, nuanced journalistic approach. The result is a book that fascinates with its detail and wider context, but ultimately keeps you engaged because of your desire to see out the stories of our main characters.

As someone with a particular interest in cult related books and media, at many moments this reminded me quite a bit of Under the Banner of Heaven - a true story, but so narrative in nature. If you loved that (either the book or the TV show starring Andrew Garfield), this book is for you.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a word, brilliant! The Oracle’s Daughter had me captured from start to finish. From the beautiful prose to the thoughtful storytelling, the author weaves the fascinating and complicated history of not just another cult but the messy, beautiful, and astonishing stories of the people who were caught up in it. Add this to your TBR!

[sam]

wild

[Bryher · Rating 4 out of 5]

wack.

[Dawn Michelle]

With thanks to NetGalley, Harrison Hill, and Scribner for providing this ARC, it is with deep regret that even though I read this book in its entirety, I will be unable to provide a review for this book at this time. I thank you for your understanding.

[Ashlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

More like a 3.5-3.75 but still really good

[Chelsea Newson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant and haunting.

[Natalie · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5⭐️ Infuriating. That is the only word to describe this book. Every adult in this book and the American (federal and local) law enforcement/ justice system were infuriating to read about. The level of child abuse that took place at the hands of Lila (or Deborah depending on the era being referenced) was insane and how these adults, Sarah included, in the cult allowed it to happen made me so ragey at times, I had to put the book down.

As a person fascinated by cults, I was happy to read about a new one, but the author did not do a good job of actually laying out the group’s beliefs other than at a high level. I also, generally did not enjoy the author’s writing style. All in all, this was fine.

[C. Jane Swick · Rating 5 out of 5]

My brother was a member of this cult. The story was familiar and horrifying to me. There was much back history I didn't know. Harrison Hill is a skilled and crafted writer. He brings life to the story in a way that makes you take pause. He aptly weaves in the history of religion in the United States - a fascinating and at times, disturbing picture of our country's faith. I gobbled this book up with great curiosity.

[Jamie Jones Hullinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Susan W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!!! Hill expertly weaves the history of extremist religion in America with stunning personal accounts. The depth of his research and reporting is astounding. It’s vivid and shocking and powerful. Such beautiful writing!! Highly recommend!

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Oracle’s Daughter tells the story of the Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps (ACMTC), a paramilitary religious cult. The title of the book is a misnomer, as the book is primarily about Deborah Green, the founder and self-proclaimed oracle. While the book begins with Deborah’s daughter’s escape, it also includes the story of many other people who both left and remained in the cult. One of the other main characters was Maura, one of the earliest followers and an old friend of Deborah’s when she was known as Lila, who left after suffering horrific mistreatment. Deborah controlled the lives of those in the ACMTC, including telling them who they could marry and who must leave their current spouses and homes. The cult, and particularly Deborah, was eventually accused of abuse, both physical and sexual, and kidnapping, among other things.

The author clearly did a lot of research. The book traces the history of American religious life and the boundary between what is considered mainstream religion and those that are fringe or cults. What defines a cult? Some might define what is going on today in the United States with abject devotion to the current administration, no matter their misdeeds or blatant corruption, as a cult. What makes a person follow someone they consider a charismatic leader, even when it is clearly not in their best interest and when they continue to suffer abuse? What would make someone agree to kidnap a child to grow the cult just because the leader said to? Can you ever recover psychologically after escaping from a cult? According to the book, the oracle’s daughter, Sarah, has struggled, especially since she has had no contact with several of her older children who were left behind when she escaped.

The title states the book is about the rise and fall of an American cult. However, this particular cult never really rose above approximately 30 people in the United States, although Deborah and her husband Jim would maintain that they had millions of followers throughout other countries. That information could never be verified. While the cult leaders “fell” and were found guilty of crimes, they also were released from prison early, primarily due to mishandling of the cases on the part of the prosecutors.

While the book had a lot of interesting information, it was not well written and could have used a good edit. At times it was repetitive, reiterating background information on some of the people who joined, like Mike Brandon who changed his name to Peter Green. There were also words left out. My biggest complaint is that the author often changed tenses within the same chapter. Most of the book was written in the past tense but would suddenly change to the present tense for no intentional reason. My rating reflects the quality of the writing and editing.

[Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always been fascinated by religion, cults, and the ways they intersect within American society. This novel perfectly weaves all three together.

4.5 ⭐️

Harrison Hill does an excellent job blending compelling storytelling with the facts of this case. While much of the credit belongs to his writing, Sarah Green and Maura also deserve recognition for the vulnerability and honesty with which they shared their stories. The combination of research and narrative not only keeps the story moving but also emphasizes the ways high-control groups can fundamentally rewire the thinking of their members. I have no doubt that even readers unfamiliar with cult dynamics will come away understanding how these women can be both victims and, at times, perpetrators within the same system.

Sarah is an incredible witness to a horrifying story, demonstrating exactly how a cult can transform a victim into someone capable of harming others. From her own experience with childhood sexual assault to her role in the kidnapping of Trinity, Sarah’s story illustrates how deeply indoctrination can influence behavior and decision-making. Maura’s story similarly reveals how easily high-control groups can reshape a person's worldview and responses. Despite previous years of recognizing troubling behavior from Lila and Jim, she was still conditioned to blame herself during the emotional and physical abuse she endured in her final months within the group. Hill presents these experiences with nuance and compassion, helping readers understand the complexity of victimhood in ways that are not always reflected in media portrayals.

Deborah and Jim Green are horrifying figures who used religion as a tool for control. While I do not doubt that they believed their own teachings, I found myself wondering how much they ultimately indoctrinated themselves—similar to the way some critics have speculated about the founder of Scientology. I appreciated that Hill never attempted to make them sympathetic, yet still portrayed the contradictions and manipulation that defined their leadership. Deborah’s apparent eating disorder, in particular, seemed to reflect a profound need for control, one that she ultimately imposed on the lives of those around her.

I also found the book’s exploration of Evangelicalism in America especially compelling. As someone with more than fifteen years of experience in evangelical spaces (more or less), I found much of the cultural and religious context fascinating.

Above all, I hope that all of the Greens’ victims are able to find peace, healing, and acceptance.

[Brendan (History Nerds United) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listen, I love a good cult book. Chances are, if the author does their job even slightly well, I am going to have a good time. That said, Harrison Hill's The Oracle's Daughter is going to go down as one of my favorites. What sets it apart is going to sound like I am damning it with faint praise, but the best part is the simplicity. Hill just tells the dang story. Simple but effective.

Hill chronicles the story of the Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps (ACMTC) which might be the worst cult name of all time. For the sake of clarity, I am going to refer to people in the book by the name that is used for them most often in the book. Yes, this is one of those cults where they keep renaming people. I wish that was the worst thing they did, but it is still annoying all the same. Anywho, the main characters are Deborah, the head cult leader, her daughter Sarah (the titular Oracle's Daughter), and Maura, one of the original believers who started the downfall.

Hill just sticks to the story of these three. There are a few short chapters in between the action where he adds some more sociological understanding around American cults, but they serve as additional information rather than a thread. (Bonus point: Hill has the best definition of a cult I have seen.) Otherwise, it's Deborah and Maura and then the narrative moves over to Sarah. Crucially, Hill does not make excuses for his characters even when they are clearly the heroes of the story. Sarah, specifically, makes some choices that I know I personally was enraged by. Hill doesn't shy away from these issues and makes it clear he is seeing them right along with the reader.

Readers should be aware that there is material in here which you should expect from any out-of-control cult (e.g. sexual assault, child abuse, etc.). Hill is never gratuitous with the events, but they are central to the story and thus need to be told. Like everything else, Hill gives you precisely what you need to understand this story. It's a must-read.

(This book was provided as a review copy by NetGalley and Scribner Books.)

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so well researched and Harrison Hill does an excellent job outlining how Deborah Green starts the Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps (ACMTC). It is so disturbing how she recruits her friend, Maura who is searching for a better way of life. She plays on her goodness and idealism. As time goes by the group becomes more and more extreme and there is physical, psychological, and sexual abuse. The group is not allowed to think for themselves and is deprived of food, care, and independence. One is made to think you can not possibly leave the group since that is evil and you would not survive. It is all about a Charismatic Deborah and an absolute need for Power and Adulation. I have such a hard time understanding how anyone can behave this way, yet the author does an excellent job tying in other cults. Also, currently the thin line between an Extremist Cult and many Mainstream Religions is occurring. That is terrifying.

I was happy to read that both Sarah and Maura get away from the group. Yet, children are left behind who suffered severe abuse. It was terribly sad and yet the authorities never really did much to stop this for decades. I think many are reluctant to get involved in Violating a “Religions” Fundamental Freedoms, so just ignore the problem. The Group Members are brainwashed as well, so often deny abuse that is occurring.

Definitely, recommend reading this book. It is entertaining and you want the best for those struggling to get free from this life. It also makes you outraged and deeply disturbed that a group such as ACMTC could exist at all. The best protection against falling victim to cults, I think is knowledge. This book provides that.

Thank you NetGalley and Scribner for providing a copy of this book. I always leave reviews for books I read.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

"It can be comforting to think of one's self as invulnerable to cults. But for decades researchers have studied the membership of extremist groups. Not just cults but terrorist cells and other similar factions. And for decades many researchers have come to a similar conclusion. No clear personality profile exists. All of us are vulnerable."

This started a little slow for me but once Hill got into the formation of the ACMTC (Aggressive Christian Military Training Corps) and Lila (aka Deborah) Green's leadership this really had me in a chokehold.

Lila Green was/is an extremist Christian leader who, along with her husband Jim, persuaded others to follow their teachings. They led a very rigid, brutal lifestyle, founding compounds in several places and eventually landing in New Mexico, just outside of Albuquerque. Lila dictated marriages and divorces among her followers, encouraged belief in bizarre conspiracy theories and fostered skepticism and paranoia amongst her followers. Lila was eventually arrested and imprisoned on multiple charges after her daughter, granddaughter and former members testified against her but has since been released. Her whereabouts are currently unknown.

This book is very well researched but what really sold it for me was the historical timeline that Hill describes with the relevance of what is happening in society and with other cults at the same time. This context really helped me get a version of the bigger picture, and made this feel informational in a historical context. It was also interesting to think about cultism as it applies to society today.

"Jim and Deborah Green had always embodied the most extreme version of important sociopolitical trends and movements in America. By the mid 2020s however, whole swatches of the culture had caught up to them."

[Britt Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very excited to read this book and it did not disappoint. In fact, it offered so much more than I expected. In addition to painting an interesting and thorough picture of ACMTC (its founding, rise, and practices, etc.), Hill expertly weaves in thorough research that offers broader context on why cults come to be, how ACMTC fit into the broader social narrative of the 70s and 80s, and the fine line that can exist between cult and religion. Political perspectives, psychological research, and historical context complement the in-depth story of ACMTC with Hill asking the reader to apply these insights to our world today in ways I wouldn’t have expected.

While I like non-fiction, I rarely plow through it at the same speed as fiction. This book was an exception. I truly couldn’t put it down. Often staying up late for “one more chapter.” I attribute this to Hill’s engaging storytelling and the conversational tone of the more “educational” chapters.

I’d like to give a special nod to the fact that Hill does not exploit the trauma of those who lived through ACMTC. He offers only the details needed to tell a thorough story, most notably leaving out specific accounts of child abuse that could have sensationalized it all. This is not a book meant to capitalize on the experiences of ACMTC members. Instead, it informs, educates, and champions those who have decided to share their story.

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book. Immensely. While reading it, there were a couple of moments when I debated about not finishing it, but please know that was only related to the content (not the writing, not the author, etc.). There is mention of extreme abuse, of almost every kind you can think of: physical, mental, emotional, verbal, spiritual, and even a bit of sexual. None is told in graphic or gratuitous detail, but it's still hard to read at times. HOWEVER, it's so worth it because the book is gorgeously written, the story is radically compelling, the cruelty is almost unimaginable, the hope/sheer human will to keep going is inspiring.
Having left a cult (much less intense than this one) myself, I related a lot to the people who left. Leaving is hard, no matter what - the cult has become everything you know. Leaving feels like failure. The thing that hurts you is the thing that nurtured you (possibly even saved you) at one point. I loved the way Hill discussed the survivors and their feelings.
I loved the way Hill wove in the history of cults to the history of this specific cult and histories of these specific people.
If you have any interest in cults, true crime, complicated/complex stories, messy humanity and/or just great writing, PLEASE give this book a try!!