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The Bigamist: The True Story of a Husband's Ultimate Betrayal
In April 2006, Mary Turner Thomson received a call that blew her life apart. The woman on the other end of the line told her that Will Jordan, Mary’s husband and the father of her two younger children, had been married to her for 14 years and they had five children together. The Bigamist is the shocking true story of how one man manipulated an intelligent, independent woman, conning her out of £200,000 and leaving her to bring up the children he claimed he could never have. It’s a story we all think could never happen to us, but this shameless con man has been doing the same thing to various other women for at least 27 years, spinning a tangled web of lies and deceit to cover his tracks. How far would you go to help the man you love? How far would he go to deceive you? And what would you do when you found out it was all a lie?
240 pages, Paperback
First published June 7, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 766 reviews
February 11, 2018
I struggle so much with mustering up sympathy for Mary; but I applaud her courage in sharing her story. I simply cannot understand how SO MANY red flags were repeatedly ignored, especially upon finding concrete evidence of Will's other family. It actually became really frustrating to read - and even at the conclusion, I felt that Mary had immersed herself in a victim mentality with little progress in unearthing why she was so ready to believe the outlandish stories of the man she married.
November 19, 2017
I bought this after going to Jon Ronson's Psychopath Night where he had Mary on as a guest. I was totally intrigued and wanted to know more, but I think the problem with this book is she just isn't an author. It's extremely repetitive, which just adds to the reader's frustration at the fact this went on for six years; I understand how it could happen but the way this book is written does not make for an easy read. I was also a bit horrified by how obsessed she was by finding out everything about him and what he'd done after she knew the relationship was a lie. I think she's brave to write the story, but it just didn't do much for me.
April 17, 2017
At the end of this book, the author declares, "I am not a gullible 'daft lassie' or anybody's fool. I am a strong and confident woman," but it's hard to accept that self-assessment after having just read how she bought her husband's absurd lies for six years.
January 1, 2019
I picked this book up by chance looking for a quick read and was engrossed from the first page. This book is about a lovely, intelligent woman who was conned by a sociopath who had a string of women and children, including another wife and home. It's easy to judge someone as a fool when you hear that they fall for the antics of a conman but after reading this story I realize I would have just as easily have been taken in. Although Mary was eventually set free and Will Jordan was convicted of his crime, it does not replace the £200 000 he defrauded her of, the debt he left her in and the shattered trust or heartbroken kids that were mere pawns in their father's game. I contacted Mary after reading the book and was horrified to hear that although Will Jordan was deported from the UK to New Jersey once released, he immediately went onto an online dating site to get his next victim (under the name Will Allen). The NJ police want nothing to do with it and he is free to destroy lives again. Already another child has been born bringing his number of known children to 13. Read this book, recommend it to your friends and tell the world that Will/Bill Jordan/Allen is out there!
July 28, 2024
gobbled this up in less than 12 hours
a wild ride. cant believe the ways this man managed to manipulate so many women and their children.
did get a lil repetitive in tone and story structure towards the end, but for someone who is not traditionally a writer, the author did a great job recounting her story and including the stories of other women.
a wild ride. cant believe the ways this man managed to manipulate so many women and their children.
did get a lil repetitive in tone and story structure towards the end, but for someone who is not traditionally a writer, the author did a great job recounting her story and including the stories of other women.
May 1, 2017
Awful
I read up to 75% of this book and could not believe anyone would be so stupid it gives women a bad name
I read up to 75% of this book and could not believe anyone would be so stupid it gives women a bad name
January 12, 2018
When reading 'The Bigamist' it's far too easy to think the author must have been incredibly gullible or stupid to have fallen for her 'husband's lies - especially when he starts to bleed her dry for money - but I had the impression that Will was such an expert liar that he really did believe the lies he told and the games that he played.
This is a fascinating read. In the same way that you can't look away from a car crash, it's hard to stop reading as the lies pile up and the layers of deceit are unraveled. Mary TT is not stupid but I could see how she fell into the traps set by her bigamist fantasist 'husband'.
So why only 2 stars? It's not in ANY way to denigrate the suffering of Mary TT or any of the other multiple women abused by this man. It's just that a great story doesn't always make a great book. This reads like the kind of article you might find in one of those horrible weekly scandal magazines - the 'I accidentally married my cat' or 'How I failed to notice my husband was a woman' articles you see in 'Take a Break' and similar. As such an article it would have been compelling but it's a bit of a stretch as a full book.
There's a good reason that people who've had terrible experiences hire ghost writers because great stories don't necessarily make great books. See, I just did what I'm about to complain about; I repeated myself. And this book IS really repetitive. After the first couple of times Mary arranged to meet up with Will and he didn't show up, you don't need another half dozen examples. After the first time he begged for money and promised to pay it back, you don't need a dozen more examples to show you that he's a 'wrong-un'.
I liked Mary a lot but the book needed some severe editing so that her powerful message of suffering and recovery and her warnings to other young single mothers wouldn't get lost among all the groundhog days of repetitive abuse. Or it needed a professional writer to tighten it up a bit. That said, I kept reading and I was hooked because hers is a fascinating story but we know the ending before we even start and it's all just a matter of watching that multiple pile-up car crash happen on the page in front of us.
I wish her well - and all the other women he abused and (shockingly) continues to abuse - and occasionally wish that justice might be a bit more direct than the system allows. As the old joke about castrating tom cats with two bricks goes "It doesn't hurt so long as you keep your fingers out of the way".
This is a fascinating read. In the same way that you can't look away from a car crash, it's hard to stop reading as the lies pile up and the layers of deceit are unraveled. Mary TT is not stupid but I could see how she fell into the traps set by her bigamist fantasist 'husband'.
So why only 2 stars? It's not in ANY way to denigrate the suffering of Mary TT or any of the other multiple women abused by this man. It's just that a great story doesn't always make a great book. This reads like the kind of article you might find in one of those horrible weekly scandal magazines - the 'I accidentally married my cat' or 'How I failed to notice my husband was a woman' articles you see in 'Take a Break' and similar. As such an article it would have been compelling but it's a bit of a stretch as a full book.
There's a good reason that people who've had terrible experiences hire ghost writers because great stories don't necessarily make great books. See, I just did what I'm about to complain about; I repeated myself. And this book IS really repetitive. After the first couple of times Mary arranged to meet up with Will and he didn't show up, you don't need another half dozen examples. After the first time he begged for money and promised to pay it back, you don't need a dozen more examples to show you that he's a 'wrong-un'.
I liked Mary a lot but the book needed some severe editing so that her powerful message of suffering and recovery and her warnings to other young single mothers wouldn't get lost among all the groundhog days of repetitive abuse. Or it needed a professional writer to tighten it up a bit. That said, I kept reading and I was hooked because hers is a fascinating story but we know the ending before we even start and it's all just a matter of watching that multiple pile-up car crash happen on the page in front of us.
I wish her well - and all the other women he abused and (shockingly) continues to abuse - and occasionally wish that justice might be a bit more direct than the system allows. As the old joke about castrating tom cats with two bricks goes "It doesn't hurt so long as you keep your fingers out of the way".
September 18, 2020
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 who harmed so many women and children.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley. My review is voluntary.
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 who harmed so many women and children.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley. My review is voluntary.
September 20, 2020
You’ve got to be kidding me !
September 26, 2024
You know what the book is about but Thomson, from Edinburgh, writes in such a way that you cannot quite believe it. In Nov-2000 she was a 35-year-old single mum of a daughter called Moran. She had signed up for an online dating site. She had a few dates and gave up, but the site left her profile up and she is contacted by Will Allen who said he was an American but lived in the UK now and spent most of his time in Edinburgh. This is when Thomson’s life takes a drastic turn.
Will Allen turns out to be Will Jordan. Each important stage of their relationship has Will missing. He does not turn up for their wedding or the birth of their daughter. You really need to read the book to see why he has missed them or at least what he tells Thomson. I do not want to give too much away here as it is pretty incredible and not in a good way. ‘It was hard to complain about being stood up, even for the birth of a child, when faced with that explanation for his absence.’
I am sure when Thomson was writing this she must have wondered how she did not see that this whole situation was odd but when you are in it and living it you are blinded and she certainly was. Will was constantly absent and needing money. ‘He was that good; that clever at controlling people and persuading them that the fantastic story he was telling was the only possible explanation for the bizarre events unfolding around them.’
Of course, you know it will all unravel at the end, but it is still quite shocking what this lying conman got up to and did. Thomson tried to find out as much information on his past nefarious deeds as she could which makes the ending all the more amazing in a shaking of the head ‘what the hell’ kind of a way.
Will Allen turns out to be Will Jordan. Each important stage of their relationship has Will missing. He does not turn up for their wedding or the birth of their daughter. You really need to read the book to see why he has missed them or at least what he tells Thomson. I do not want to give too much away here as it is pretty incredible and not in a good way. ‘It was hard to complain about being stood up, even for the birth of a child, when faced with that explanation for his absence.’
I am sure when Thomson was writing this she must have wondered how she did not see that this whole situation was odd but when you are in it and living it you are blinded and she certainly was. Will was constantly absent and needing money. ‘He was that good; that clever at controlling people and persuading them that the fantastic story he was telling was the only possible explanation for the bizarre events unfolding around them.’
Of course, you know it will all unravel at the end, but it is still quite shocking what this lying conman got up to and did. Thomson tried to find out as much information on his past nefarious deeds as she could which makes the ending all the more amazing in a shaking of the head ‘what the hell’ kind of a way.
March 17, 2022
4,5 stelle
Un libro autobiografico che ti conquista dalle prime pagine, quanta sofferenza e verità raccontate in queste pagine, seppur non avendo mai vissuto tutto ciò mi sono subito sentita vicina a Mary, una donna che non ha abbassato la testa e ha avuto il coraggio di raccontare quello che le era successo, cosa che non tutte sono disposte a fare più che per vergogna che paura. Consiglio assolutamente di leggerlo.
Un libro autobiografico che ti conquista dalle prime pagine, quanta sofferenza e verità raccontate in queste pagine, seppur non avendo mai vissuto tutto ciò mi sono subito sentita vicina a Mary, una donna che non ha abbassato la testa e ha avuto il coraggio di raccontare quello che le era successo, cosa che non tutte sono disposte a fare più che per vergogna che paura. Consiglio assolutamente di leggerlo.
February 22, 2017
I got through this pretty fast, and it was an absorbing read.
It's very easy to sit back and say "Just how gullible was she?" but having lived through a daughter having a relationship with a sociopath, it's equally easy to see how this can happen.
My only quibble would have been why she allowed it to go on for 6 years, but he had her held by fear for most of that, and he was able to keep her under control using that fear, and just ramping it up when she asked questions.
I'd hate to be walking a mile in her shoes, that's for sure.
It's very easy to sit back and say "Just how gullible was she?" but having lived through a daughter having a relationship with a sociopath, it's equally easy to see how this can happen.
My only quibble would have been why she allowed it to go on for 6 years, but he had her held by fear for most of that, and he was able to keep her under control using that fear, and just ramping it up when she asked questions.
I'd hate to be walking a mile in her shoes, that's for sure.
April 8, 2018
As someone who has been through an experience like this, so few understand what you are feeling and what you are going through, it’s nice to know someone else understands. I’m glad to know that this type of crime is finally being talked about and others are being warned. No I did not experience bigamy but the manipulation emotionally, physically, and financially I did. The stories that you go through are so unbelievable when you talk about them no one believes you. And it’s also nice for others to know that the women who are victims in this aren’t stupid women, these are smart women who are independent and not easily convinced yet they are manipulated but masters of manipulation. It’s a horrible experience but hopefully speaking out will save others the same fate.
February 17, 2019
Before I write my review I want to make it clear that the stars I have given are not reflective of my views about Mary's experience. She and the other women involved (and still involved) have been abused and treated appallingly. Sadly however, I don't feel this book has been written well and at times I felt there was too much emphasis placed on minor facts which just confused the story. At times this book had a very clinical feel to it and lacked emotion. I would have liked to have heard more from Mary about why she believed some of Will's lies - some of them were so unbelievable I don't think it was all down him being a convincing liar. I'm pleased to hear that Mary has her life back together and as decided to tell her story.... I just think it coukd have been better written.
September 19, 2020
This was a doozy of a story. I was intrigued, but I found Mary’s explanations of how she was swindled to be a bit silly. Will just didn’t sound like that great of a liar. She throws around “psychopath” a lot, but meh, I don’t see how that fits. Allegedly he is this amazing conman, yet if she had done even the smallest amount of fact checking, his lies would’ve been evident. He was a great liar only because Mary never bothered to investigate his claims. She likens this to us trusting a taxi driver has a driver’s license and not questioning it. Except she was marrying the guy and having his children and living with him! Perhaps do a bit more due diligence than one would do with a taxi driver.
September 5, 2020
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.
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.
August 6, 2020
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.
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.
June 16, 2019
Unbelievable
After reading this book I coulnt believe that someone would be that desperate. We have all had failed relationships and we have all been lied to. What I find so hard to believe is at no stage did the writer ever doubt this man or check out any of his lies. This leads me to wonder,, if the money had of kept coming in would she have kept up her ignorance of the situation. Why write a book about this awful experience, if as she states she is only concerned about her children's welfare why put them through this embarrassing book. I'm sorry this book does not ring true and I believe this "lady" should have been charged with conspiracy
After reading this book I coulnt believe that someone would be that desperate. We have all had failed relationships and we have all been lied to. What I find so hard to believe is at no stage did the writer ever doubt this man or check out any of his lies. This leads me to wonder,, if the money had of kept coming in would she have kept up her ignorance of the situation. Why write a book about this awful experience, if as she states she is only concerned about her children's welfare why put them through this embarrassing book. I'm sorry this book does not ring true and I believe this "lady" should have been charged with conspiracy
January 23, 2025
Obsessed with these real life stories I've been reading this month...
What an insane story. It's mental how much someone can lie to you and how long for and feel absolutely no remorse for it.
What an insane story. It's mental how much someone can lie to you and how long for and feel absolutely no remorse for it.
May 15, 2025
men are SICK
Read
January 10, 2021this 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 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. but 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.
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 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. but 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.
October 28, 2018
.Wow. Four stars for bravery. One star gone because the editing was poor. Toward the end, there were a number of sentences that started with a lowercase letter. I wonder if this is because I read the kindle version and not a hard copy? I don't know. The whole book was missing commas where needed.
That said, the story was gripping and I couldn't put it down. It flowed easily. Another goodreads commenter said that it read too much like an article in a magazine, but I liked that. Maybe because I was reading it on my phone and I never read books on my phone, so it felt like reading an article already. All I know is, I was hooked from the sample on Amazon and I had to finish, and I'm excited for the sequel. I'm so sorry for what Ms. Turner Thomson went through, and I am immensely impressed with her bravery and honesty. I also appreciated the way she told the story. I liked it precisely because she wasn't writing a story; she was telling her story. The emotion was left out. It was presented as it happened, and it felt like a friend sitting on my couch recounting it for me. Nothing dramatic, no flowery prose, just a true and horrible story that she bravely shared because no one else does and she wanted to help others. Points all around for that.
That said, the story was gripping and I couldn't put it down. It flowed easily. Another goodreads commenter said that it read too much like an article in a magazine, but I liked that. Maybe because I was reading it on my phone and I never read books on my phone, so it felt like reading an article already. All I know is, I was hooked from the sample on Amazon and I had to finish, and I'm excited for the sequel. I'm so sorry for what Ms. Turner Thomson went through, and I am immensely impressed with her bravery and honesty. I also appreciated the way she told the story. I liked it precisely because she wasn't writing a story; she was telling her story. The emotion was left out. It was presented as it happened, and it felt like a friend sitting on my couch recounting it for me. Nothing dramatic, no flowery prose, just a true and horrible story that she bravely shared because no one else does and she wanted to help others. Points all around for that.
December 11, 2017
Wow! Just Wow !
You have to read it to believe it! It is definitely worth your time to learn of the devious nature of a true sociopath. It's frightening and riveting to learn how enmeshed people become.
You have to read it to believe it! It is definitely worth your time to learn of the devious nature of a true sociopath. It's frightening and riveting to learn how enmeshed people become.
March 14, 2018
This book reads like a choo-choo train it goes on and on and on without taking a break not physical break but imagine reading a sentence that's 10000 words long without punctuation marks there there's an example for you.
It's rather perplexing. So hold on tight if you're keen on reading up on her account. It's a life story. It's not good and neither is it a bad story. It is what it is and she took a leap of faith and committed to this book which is necessary in today's world. I truly admire her guts for baring her "initial stupidity" for the world to see and leaving this book for her children to read someday. If you were a victim yourself, do you think you'd have as much courage and patience as she did, by sharing what actually happened, by talking to the other wives and girlfriends?
Your answer is NO. It will be a no. Mary deserves the 5 stars.
Online dating is dangerous, but in limited cases, it's magical in a positive way. People who were once afraid to approach others for a social chat can now be a dog behind the screen and drum up the courage to talk to another human being.
But people who abuse this new age privilege should be condemned to life without parole. And they should be left to die in Alcatraz because no governments should be responsible for keeping these scumbags alive. This Will/Bill got 5 years, and will be out in less than 2 or 3 tops for possible "good behaviour". Does Britain have a law that prohibits sex offenders from living within a certain radius from children? I don't know. Does Britain have a law that prohibits conmen like Will from remarrying? I don't know.
But 5 years, is a joke. He has fathered more than 10 children (probably) and no longer supports them. He is out of their lives. He's a compulsive liar who took advantage of other people and fucked up their lives. Forever.
Calling this book "The Bigamist" is misleading. It's like a title for some erotica that grazes Kindle's lock-page for no reason. I hope the author (OK, who am I kidding, I meant the publisher) will consider renaming this book so that it will send a much more serious message to anyone out there who has access to the Internet and who are using it to meet people.
I'm glad I wrote this review. Because I'm too disgusted not to and this isn't the first time I came across similar stories. You can never be too careful.
Lastly - Seriously, the CIA? the Defense Department? the KGB? Whatever it is, call them up and tell them you're dating someone who claims to be so. Easier said than done with all the "invisible threats" from a manipulative lying SOAB. But now you've read this review/book, it's not that scary now, is it?
It's rather perplexing. So hold on tight if you're keen on reading up on her account. It's a life story. It's not good and neither is it a bad story. It is what it is and she took a leap of faith and committed to this book which is necessary in today's world. I truly admire her guts for baring her "initial stupidity" for the world to see and leaving this book for her children to read someday. If you were a victim yourself, do you think you'd have as much courage and patience as she did, by sharing what actually happened, by talking to the other wives and girlfriends?
Your answer is NO. It will be a no. Mary deserves the 5 stars.
Online dating is dangerous, but in limited cases, it's magical in a positive way. People who were once afraid to approach others for a social chat can now be a dog behind the screen and drum up the courage to talk to another human being.
But people who abuse this new age privilege should be condemned to life without parole. And they should be left to die in Alcatraz because no governments should be responsible for keeping these scumbags alive. This Will/Bill got 5 years, and will be out in less than 2 or 3 tops for possible "good behaviour". Does Britain have a law that prohibits sex offenders from living within a certain radius from children? I don't know. Does Britain have a law that prohibits conmen like Will from remarrying? I don't know.
But 5 years, is a joke. He has fathered more than 10 children (probably) and no longer supports them. He is out of their lives. He's a compulsive liar who took advantage of other people and fucked up their lives. Forever.
Calling this book "The Bigamist" is misleading. It's like a title for some erotica that grazes Kindle's lock-page for no reason. I hope the author (OK, who am I kidding, I meant the publisher) will consider renaming this book so that it will send a much more serious message to anyone out there who has access to the Internet and who are using it to meet people.
I'm glad I wrote this review. Because I'm too disgusted not to and this isn't the first time I came across similar stories. You can never be too careful.
Lastly - Seriously, the CIA? the Defense Department? the KGB? Whatever it is, call them up and tell them you're dating someone who claims to be so. Easier said than done with all the "invisible threats" from a manipulative lying SOAB. But now you've read this review/book, it's not that scary now, is it?
October 10, 2021
Wow! I believe we are all vulnerable to this, given the right circumstances. A tough read, but very informative.
October 8, 2017
Mary Turner Thomson is not a daft woman. She found herself in a dreadful relationship where she was subjected to six years of the most appalling treatment by a sociopath who surrounded her in a web of lies. It is easy as an outsider with the benefit of hindsight to judge her and say 'I would never have fallen for it'. However, Will had convinced so many people, women, business people (including the office of the deputy prime minister) and Mary's family. Whilst his excuses seemed far fetched, he had evidence to back them up (such as knowing current affairs in advance in advance of them being broadcast). This seemed to give credence to his back story of having inside intelligence.
It is a fascinating story and, I could understand how Mary fell for Will's tall tales and once committed to the relationship found it so hard to get out.
I would suggest this as a recommended read as a tale of caution for anyone entering the online dating scene or questioning the veracity of their current relationship and as a book that shows that one can survive and indeed thrive after a terrible relationship.
It is a fascinating story and, I could understand how Mary fell for Will's tall tales and once committed to the relationship found it so hard to get out.
I would suggest this as a recommended read as a tale of caution for anyone entering the online dating scene or questioning the veracity of their current relationship and as a book that shows that one can survive and indeed thrive after a terrible relationship.
September 17, 2012
Tja, wat moet ik hiervan zeggen. Het verhaal klonk nogal onwerkelijk en je gelooft bijna niet dat een vrouw daar in trapt. Als het een roman was geweest zou ik dit boek geen voldoende geven. Het leest wel lekker weg, maar de schrijfster beschrijft iets te veel hoe geweldig haar man is en hoe anders hij is dan anderen, dat het op een gegeven moment irritant wordt. Misschien komt dat ook omdat je weet dat hij een oplichter is.
Omdat het een waargebeurd verhaal is, vind ik het toch iets indrukwekkender. Want hoe kan zo’n normale vrouw in al die leugens trappen? Het lijkt veel te onwerkelijk. Daarom geef ik het boek net een voldoende. Maar ik zou het niet aanraden om te gaan lezen als ik heel eerlijk ben.
Omdat het een waargebeurd verhaal is, vind ik het toch iets indrukwekkender. Want hoe kan zo’n normale vrouw in al die leugens trappen? Het lijkt veel te onwerkelijk. Daarom geef ik het boek net een voldoende. Maar ik zou het niet aanraden om te gaan lezen als ik heel eerlijk ben.
February 9, 2018
Mary Turner Thomson is a bad ass.
This book was an honor to read. Mary has flipped that 6 years of abuse, depression, financial hardships, and heartbreak on its head. She's taken the pain and used it for only good. I'm so inspired by the strength she had to mother 3 small children alone while enduring this nightmare- and do such an incredible job! Then she gives her story to all of us which I'd a huge blessing. There are more and more people being born with no souls everyday. We have to be educated and know the signs if one was ever to cross our paths. The education is in this book. If Mary can be manipulated yo this degree it no doubt can happen to anyone. She's brilliant.
This book was an honor to read. Mary has flipped that 6 years of abuse, depression, financial hardships, and heartbreak on its head. She's taken the pain and used it for only good. I'm so inspired by the strength she had to mother 3 small children alone while enduring this nightmare- and do such an incredible job! Then she gives her story to all of us which I'd a huge blessing. There are more and more people being born with no souls everyday. We have to be educated and know the signs if one was ever to cross our paths. The education is in this book. If Mary can be manipulated yo this degree it no doubt can happen to anyone. She's brilliant.
June 25, 2012
Read this book! I originally bought this book because at the time it was 0.89 for the Kindle & I had just finished watching Sister Wive's and found their non-traditional lifestyle interesting and a bit appealing (from a sharing of duties point of view). I didn't quite understand what this was about. In this case Mary Turner Thompson spends 6 years of her life married to a man who has another family that she is completely unaware of. He explains his frequent time away as being in the 'CIA' and the lengths that he goes to, to deceive her are disturbing and incredible.
This is a true story, but reads like a novel. I 100% recommend it.
This is a true story, but reads like a novel. I 100% recommend it.
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