What do you think?
Rate this book
JANE DOE #9: How I Survived R. Kelly
In January of 1995, 17-year-old Lizzette Martinez met Grammy-winning musician and record producer R. KELLY at Aventura Mall in Florida where he was performing. At first, it seemed that her hopes of becoming a professional singer were about to come true when he offered to help boost her career. However, this mentorship quickly turned into sexual grooming, leading to years of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
After struggling to free herself of the relationship and rebuild on her own, Lizzette’s successful new life, far away from the entertainment industry, was interrupted in 2017 by allegations against R. Kelly by other women. This led her to coming forward to the authorities with her own history of abuse by the music icon.
In January 2019, she participated with other survivors in a documentary series with Lifetime called “Surviving R. Kelly.” It should have been a healing experience but instead left them feeling abandoned and fearful for their lives.
In August 2021, Kelly went on trial in New York on racketeering and sex trafficking charges.
In JANE DOE #9 by Lizzette Martinez and Keelin MacGregor, readers get a no-holds-barred look at Martinez’s relationship with Kelly, her efforts to break free and pursue her dreams, and courage to take on her abuser and seek justice.
After struggling to free herself of the relationship and rebuild on her own, Lizzette’s successful new life, far away from the entertainment industry, was interrupted in 2017 by allegations against R. Kelly by other women. This led her to coming forward to the authorities with her own history of abuse by the music icon.
In January 2019, she participated with other survivors in a documentary series with Lifetime called “Surviving R. Kelly.” It should have been a healing experience but instead left them feeling abandoned and fearful for their lives.
In August 2021, Kelly went on trial in New York on racketeering and sex trafficking charges.
In JANE DOE #9 by Lizzette Martinez and Keelin MacGregor, readers get a no-holds-barred look at Martinez’s relationship with Kelly, her efforts to break free and pursue her dreams, and courage to take on her abuser and seek justice.
Kindle Edition
Published October 26, 2021
18 people are currently reading
554 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 8, 2022
How does one rate this ? I can’t rate someone’s experiences like this. Bravery for this woman 5. Hope for her, 5.
Bravery for these women 5.
All of them.
I had to skip some stuff bc he’s a monster. This is one of the worst and most sickening things …
I watched the entire documentary series.
Surviving R. Kelly. His ex-wife, the ones that came forward, all I can say is yes. #Timeisup
#MuteRKelly
If you support the music, you support the man. Don’t be ignorant. He is a sick, sick man. No, not man. Gag.
#BGM
So glad he is incarcerated and that it is coming out but this took too long. Should not have. All of these talents, gifts, of these women and girls … and the suffering of the families…
Bravery for these women 5.
All of them.
I had to skip some stuff bc he’s a monster. This is one of the worst and most sickening things …
I watched the entire documentary series.
Surviving R. Kelly. His ex-wife, the ones that came forward, all I can say is yes. #Timeisup
#MuteRKelly
If you support the music, you support the man. Don’t be ignorant. He is a sick, sick man. No, not man. Gag.
#BGM
So glad he is incarcerated and that it is coming out but this took too long. Should not have. All of these talents, gifts, of these women and girls … and the suffering of the families…
October 29, 2021
This was a very real and gut wrenching read from a survivor of J. Kelly and his predations going back a very long time. It details how he enticed and then attacked the then-underaged Lizzette Martinez. Along with how he strung her along by promising to help her with her music career. This is a very timely book in light of Kelly’s recent conviction on racketeering & sex trafficking charges in late September 2021.
October 21, 2021
JANE DOE #9
This is an unforgettable memoir, Lizzette Martinez’s shares her story about how she had a hard upbringing with no stability or security coming from either of her parents and sexual abuse from when she was young. In January of 1995 Lizzette was 17-year-old and has hopes of becoming a professional singer. She has no idea how truly devastated her life would end up after she meets Grammy-winning musician and record producer R. KELLY at Aventura Mall in Florida where he was performing. Kelly invites Lizzette to meet him and promises her he will help boost her singing career, but it comes at a heavy cost as Lizzette feels the aftereffects of being rapped, made pregnant, and then beaten by her boyfriend Kelly over a period of years.
As time and years go by Lizzette found herself struggling to free herself of the relationship and rebuild her own life without Kelly. Lizzette then starts to realise how many people truly where affected from the ripple effect of one person who preys on young underage people for their own gratification.
In August 2021, Kelly went on trial in New York on racketeering and sex trafficking charges and was found guilty of all charges.
Lizzette writing is both sympathetic, and painfully truthful, and I feel after reading her book that her story deserves to be told.
Thanks to Wildblue Press I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
This is an unforgettable memoir, Lizzette Martinez’s shares her story about how she had a hard upbringing with no stability or security coming from either of her parents and sexual abuse from when she was young. In January of 1995 Lizzette was 17-year-old and has hopes of becoming a professional singer. She has no idea how truly devastated her life would end up after she meets Grammy-winning musician and record producer R. KELLY at Aventura Mall in Florida where he was performing. Kelly invites Lizzette to meet him and promises her he will help boost her singing career, but it comes at a heavy cost as Lizzette feels the aftereffects of being rapped, made pregnant, and then beaten by her boyfriend Kelly over a period of years.
As time and years go by Lizzette found herself struggling to free herself of the relationship and rebuild her own life without Kelly. Lizzette then starts to realise how many people truly where affected from the ripple effect of one person who preys on young underage people for their own gratification.
In August 2021, Kelly went on trial in New York on racketeering and sex trafficking charges and was found guilty of all charges.
Lizzette writing is both sympathetic, and painfully truthful, and I feel after reading her book that her story deserves to be told.
Thanks to Wildblue Press I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
March 21, 2022
This book hit me hard with Lizzette’s personal experience. I wanted to hug her the whole way through! I think it’s so incredibly important to know what she went through, and that she finally got her chance to speak the truth. As someone who enjoys documentaries, I was appalled with her experiences with these companies while filming. All she wanted to do was speak out and help others, and all she got in return was further abuse. It takes a lot of strength to talk about your story in the first place, and she deserved to be treated with more respect. This is a tough and powerful story that I highly recommend you pick up and read!! Hopefully some proceeds from this book will help her to find a stable situation to finally rebuild her life. Very glad I read this, and I highly recommend it to everyone!
November 2, 2021
This is heartbreaking! I have followed the story as it as come to light but reading this book... nothing compares! She is a survivor of something she should never have had to go through! My heart breaks for all the victims!
August 9, 2024
Raw, Heartfelt, Courageous
Like most everyone not living under a rock or outer space, I'd heard of R. Kelly and have heard several of his songs. So of course, when he was charged with sexual assault and abuse, involving minors and others, I heard about that too. As an older woman who is also a survivor of abuse and eventually filed suit against my abuser, I have to applaud Ms. Lizzette Martinez and all of Kelly's other victims/survivors for speaking out and coming forward! I KNOW it takes tremendous courage to do so against anyone but it must get even MORE complicated when it's someone in the public eye who has fooled people for far too long!
This book will definitely capture the reader's attention and hold fast to it. For me it stirred up a lot of feelings -- I found myself wishing I had been in that mall when Lizzette met R. Kelly and he started grooming her so I could have told her "Stay away hon, he's acting like a predator!" But they don't tend to show those behaviors early on because it defeats their purpose.
I am APPALLED by the way Lifetime treated the survivors! These women who had been egregiously harmed when they were most vulnerable, made themselves vulnerable so they could do these media appearances, share their truth and HELP other survivors only to have to do without security, LEGITIMATE psychotherapists NOT connected to Lifetime, expenses paid etc. The powers that be at the time should be ashamed of themselves! And WHY would they push Lizzette into not wearing a skirt, or jeans so she was covered and comfortable? It sounds like a slimey move to make someone appear as "less than."
The one criticism I have of the book is taking God's name in vain. I think that is wrong and offensive and, it also makes the one using it look bad. Other than that, a good read!
Like most everyone not living under a rock or outer space, I'd heard of R. Kelly and have heard several of his songs. So of course, when he was charged with sexual assault and abuse, involving minors and others, I heard about that too. As an older woman who is also a survivor of abuse and eventually filed suit against my abuser, I have to applaud Ms. Lizzette Martinez and all of Kelly's other victims/survivors for speaking out and coming forward! I KNOW it takes tremendous courage to do so against anyone but it must get even MORE complicated when it's someone in the public eye who has fooled people for far too long!
This book will definitely capture the reader's attention and hold fast to it. For me it stirred up a lot of feelings -- I found myself wishing I had been in that mall when Lizzette met R. Kelly and he started grooming her so I could have told her "Stay away hon, he's acting like a predator!" But they don't tend to show those behaviors early on because it defeats their purpose.
I am APPALLED by the way Lifetime treated the survivors! These women who had been egregiously harmed when they were most vulnerable, made themselves vulnerable so they could do these media appearances, share their truth and HELP other survivors only to have to do without security, LEGITIMATE psychotherapists NOT connected to Lifetime, expenses paid etc. The powers that be at the time should be ashamed of themselves! And WHY would they push Lizzette into not wearing a skirt, or jeans so she was covered and comfortable? It sounds like a slimey move to make someone appear as "less than."
The one criticism I have of the book is taking God's name in vain. I think that is wrong and offensive and, it also makes the one using it look bad. Other than that, a good read!
August 2, 2022
I had so many emotions why reading this book! I'm really not even sure where to start with this review.
The story was so compelling....It sucked you in from the very beginning.
You could truly feel Lizzette's thoughts, feelings and emotions with every word. This is definitely a story that I will remember. It was heartbreaking.
In the first part of the story, I instantly felt sorry for her. R. Kelly was definitely a manipulator. He charmed Lizzette (and many other girls) into his life, only to treat them like shit.
My heart broke for Lizzette. She could not catch a break. She was dealt a rough set of cards in life.
For the second half of the book (after she was completely done with Robert) things did not look for her like I hoped.
I gave 4 stars because the writing style was not for me. The writing made me think a teenager wrote it.
The story was so compelling....It sucked you in from the very beginning.
You could truly feel Lizzette's thoughts, feelings and emotions with every word. This is definitely a story that I will remember. It was heartbreaking.
In the first part of the story, I instantly felt sorry for her. R. Kelly was definitely a manipulator. He charmed Lizzette (and many other girls) into his life, only to treat them like shit.
My heart broke for Lizzette. She could not catch a break. She was dealt a rough set of cards in life.
For the second half of the book (after she was completely done with Robert) things did not look for her like I hoped.
I gave 4 stars because the writing style was not for me. The writing made me think a teenager wrote it.
April 19, 2022
This makes me so sad. I was definitely a fan of r.kellys when I was younger. And alot like lizzette and the other survivors suffered sexual abuse at a young age. I watched the documentaries and it makes me so mad that the women were further abused by the industry. I am so proud that despite all the difficulties they endured they still spoke up and I am hoping that his sentencing on the 4th of may sees him sentenced to the maximum penalty for all of his crimes .
January 3, 2022
A must read!
I stand with you Lizzette. I admire your bravery. It is extremely difficult to stand against your abuser much more so when he is rich and famous. I pray for you and all the women that suffered abuse from this "man". God bless you for sharing your story with us and helping other women by standing strong and helping convict this pedophile and abuser.
I stand with you Lizzette. I admire your bravery. It is extremely difficult to stand against your abuser much more so when he is rich and famous. I pray for you and all the women that suffered abuse from this "man". God bless you for sharing your story with us and helping other women by standing strong and helping convict this pedophile and abuser.
March 30, 2022
Lizzettes story was compelling, thought provoking and honest. She truly was raw with her truth and for that I have a lot of respect for her. Lifetime was crazy for what they did! I don’t know if this will be her only book, because I’m now a fan.
R.Kelly was/is truly a monster.
I’m proud she survived.
R.Kelly was/is truly a monster.
I’m proud she survived.
July 11, 2022
A BRAVE YOUNG WOMAN
I feel it was a good read. A very young lady is telling her truth. It should not have happened in the first place. Because this man was rich and famous, he can to any high school and pick up under aged children.No one checked Rob or looked out for those children because they were African American girls, that's why.
I feel it was a good read. A very young lady is telling her truth. It should not have happened in the first place. Because this man was rich and famous, he can to any high school and pick up under aged children.No one checked Rob or looked out for those children because they were African American girls, that's why.
January 25, 2022
As a survivor, this is a riveting and triggering read. I felt so deeply for Lizzette and I admire her so much. It's hard to imagine how she managed to get through this experience. I wish her all the happiness in the world. She deserves it.
March 10, 2022
This book had me hooked. She didn't deserve what she went through. Broke my heart.
May 13, 2025
Heartwrenching. Triggering to some! Well-told. I truly hold the author funds healing in telling her story in her way. Need an example of resilience personified? Read this!!!!
October 24, 2022
I have seen the docuseries numerous times. But to hear a more in-depth version was so compelling. As I read this book, I drew a connection with Miss Martinez. I went through a similar situation. It feels assuring that I am not the only one who was not only abused but also suffered the aftermath. But I am she has found the courage to tell her despite the Nah-sayers.
If you have been SAed, please read this book. I will give you hope and perhaps make you a stronger person.
If you have been SAed, please read this book. I will give you hope and perhaps make you a stronger person.
January 7, 2023
a decent read…
I commend her on her bravery to tell her truth. I’m so sorry for all that she experienced. This story was very long, and I wish it included a lot more details.
I commend her on her bravery to tell her truth. I’m so sorry for all that she experienced. This story was very long, and I wish it included a lot more details.
May 5, 2022
I feel wrong in saying I enjoyed this book as what this poor girl went through was absolutely disgusting and a total abuse of power by a predatory male who was repeatedly allowed to get away with this type of behaviour! Those in his entourage should also hang their heads in shame also. It’s a testament to how strong this lady is (even if she doesn’t think she is!) that she got through it all.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews