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Alone: Orphaned on the Ocean
Terry Jo Duperrault was 11 when her family was murdered at sea aboard a chartered sailboat off the coast of Florida. She jumped overboard just in time to escape. Surviving four days on a cork float in the middle of the ocean, Terry Jo’s rescue pictures graced LIFE Magazine soon after she was found.
This is the first time Terry Jo, now known as Tere Duperrault Fassbender, has been able to fully tell her story. In September 1988 Oprah Winfrey reunited her with the freighter captain who saved her but, even then, she was not healed enough to reveal what it took to survive for four days adrift and alone at sea.
Co-authored by psychologist and survival expert Richard Logan, readers delve into the details of how a little girl survived the murder of her family; the gradual collapse of the small cork float she used to keep afloat while guarded by a small pod of whales; and the aftermath and the reclamation of life.
ALONE is the ultimate inspirational tale of good.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
487 people are currently reading
5191 people want to read
About the author
Richard Logan
1 book3 followersRichard D. Logan is a nationally recognized expert in the psychology of solitary survival.
Logan is a retired professor emeritus of Human Development (Anthropology) at University of Wisconsin -Green Bay.
A self-professed adventurist, Logan has appeared on A&E and Discovery Channel programs on survival.
Logan has taught at the University of Nairobi, Vassar College, the University of Kent in England, and the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
He holds a PhD in human development from the University of Chicago and an AB in anthropology from Harvard University.
Logan is a retired professor emeritus of Human Development (Anthropology) at University of Wisconsin -Green Bay.
A self-professed adventurist, Logan has appeared on A&E and Discovery Channel programs on survival.
Logan has taught at the University of Nairobi, Vassar College, the University of Kent in England, and the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
He holds a PhD in human development from the University of Chicago and an AB in anthropology from Harvard University.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 437 reviews
January 2, 2016
The first part, where the boat is lost is very technical. If you don't know about sailing - masts, the rigging etc. it must be impossible to see exactly what (was said to have) happened. I do know because I was a sailor (and hope to be so again) but that kind of makes it worse. I don't want to read a technical book. I want to read how an 11-year old girl survived at sea alone and everyone else was killed.
September 7, 2010
A pity that such a compelling true story could not have been written by a professional writer. Mr. Logan might be a good therapist but he is a horrid writer. His hagiographic tone is so saccharine and absurd in his description of Terry Jo and her family, that I rolled my eyes many a time, and on occasion closed the book in disgust. I finished the book because I was curious about what happened to the adult Tere Dupperault.
May 24, 2022
As tragic as this story was, the story felt incomplete leaving out many details and leaving a host of questions unanswered.
A true crime story of a little girl named Terry Jo, survived for 4 days on a small dinghy in the sea after her mother, father, and siblings were murdered on a chartered yacht called the Bluebelle. The Bluebelle was then set fire to by the Captain of his own ship. The murderer, (Harvey) is a formerly decorated military officer and hero. When his story doesn’t make sense and he is under suspension found to be a lying, Harvey, who is a narcissist, commits suicide by literally slicing himself up. (And leaves a tip for the maid on account of the big bloody mess.)
The story focuses a lot on Harvey’s former life. What kind of person before his death… his failed marriages… his stint in the military.
It almost feels this story is more about Harvey, then the victims. Yes, eleven yr old Terry Jo did survive this terrible crime and time alone at sea. She recounts what she can remember the night about her family’s murder….but there is nothing about the 4 days at sea.
Terry Jo follows up story with life as an adult, dropping the “Jo”, only wanting to be called Terry. She had/has light to moderate PSTD and survivor’s guilt but has a very strong support system.
A horrible event for anyone to experience, especially a child, but unfortunately, the book was overrun with details that simply didn’t matter to the story.
A true crime story of a little girl named Terry Jo, survived for 4 days on a small dinghy in the sea after her mother, father, and siblings were murdered on a chartered yacht called the Bluebelle. The Bluebelle was then set fire to by the Captain of his own ship. The murderer, (Harvey) is a formerly decorated military officer and hero. When his story doesn’t make sense and he is under suspension found to be a lying, Harvey, who is a narcissist, commits suicide by literally slicing himself up. (And leaves a tip for the maid on account of the big bloody mess.)
The story focuses a lot on Harvey’s former life. What kind of person before his death… his failed marriages… his stint in the military.
It almost feels this story is more about Harvey, then the victims. Yes, eleven yr old Terry Jo did survive this terrible crime and time alone at sea. She recounts what she can remember the night about her family’s murder….but there is nothing about the 4 days at sea.
Terry Jo follows up story with life as an adult, dropping the “Jo”, only wanting to be called Terry. She had/has light to moderate PSTD and survivor’s guilt but has a very strong support system.
A horrible event for anyone to experience, especially a child, but unfortunately, the book was overrun with details that simply didn’t matter to the story.
February 8, 2012
This book is worth reading for the story alone. I couldn't help but admire Tere/Terry, and I was fascinated by the description of Julian Harvey -- a psychopath who was very, very good at putting on a normal facade. However, I don't think the book was well-written. I mean, it wasn't terrible, but it wasn't good either. I found the writing amateurish and repetitive -- I lost count of how many times the author reminded us that Harvey was a war hero.
I would still recommend this book, in spite of the way it was written, simply for the fascinating tale it tells.
I would still recommend this book, in spite of the way it was written, simply for the fascinating tale it tells.
May 2, 2011
There must be something about the appeal of horses and boats that accounts for a greater incidence of stories about being conned than any other subject matter beside true crime?
A good con is hard to find because no one suspects they are being conned til it is too late. By the time someone figures out they've been 'had', they are often too embarrassed to report or share what happened to the authorities or their own friends.
Tere Duperrault Fassbender's memoir of a charter trip gone terribly wrong .
Not so much a survival story (due to the Tere's youth at the time of the incident) but an exploration of human character and interactions, Tere's memoir offers a glimpse into several lives and events shaped by post WWII's unique times leading up to and including the early sixties.
This memoir also offers the reader an opportunity to reflect on many aspects of reputation, survival, investigation, and ultimately the question of how people determine whether success or capitulation will come on the heals of personal failure.
Interesting Factoid: The Epilogue's Legacy Two tells us that the Coast Guard's Investigating Officer on the Bluebelle case recommended in 1962 that the body of buoyant apparatus, life rafts and life floats be painted or otherwise colored international orange.
Tere's ordeal, nearly invisible -alone at sea on a tiny white raft, may have helped hundreds of others lost at sea to be found. 30+ years later the argument for international orange will continue in Tony Farrington's Rescue in the Pacific: A True Story of Disaster and Survival in a Force 12 Storm where the rescuers and some of the stranded will wonder why all the sailboats decks are painted white or gray and wish they'd been orange.
For me this book's a "2" because the quality of my audio edition through overdrive was terrible. The structure and third person narrative of Tere Duperrault Fassbender's story are not well suited to an autobiographical memoir. The facts and circumstances of the story itself kept me going, but overall this memoir does not have a natural momentum, message, or voice.
A good con is hard to find because no one suspects they are being conned til it is too late. By the time someone figures out they've been 'had', they are often too embarrassed to report or share what happened to the authorities or their own friends.
Tere Duperrault Fassbender's memoir of a charter trip gone terribly wrong .
Not so much a survival story (due to the Tere's youth at the time of the incident) but an exploration of human character and interactions, Tere's memoir offers a glimpse into several lives and events shaped by post WWII's unique times leading up to and including the early sixties.
This memoir also offers the reader an opportunity to reflect on many aspects of reputation, survival, investigation, and ultimately the question of how people determine whether success or capitulation will come on the heals of personal failure.
Interesting Factoid: The Epilogue's Legacy Two tells us that the Coast Guard's Investigating Officer on the Bluebelle case recommended in 1962 that the body of buoyant apparatus, life rafts and life floats be painted or otherwise colored international orange.
Tere's ordeal, nearly invisible -alone at sea on a tiny white raft, may have helped hundreds of others lost at sea to be found. 30+ years later the argument for international orange will continue in Tony Farrington's Rescue in the Pacific: A True Story of Disaster and Survival in a Force 12 Storm where the rescuers and some of the stranded will wonder why all the sailboats decks are painted white or gray and wish they'd been orange.
For me this book's a "2" because the quality of my audio edition through overdrive was terrible. The structure and third person narrative of Tere Duperrault Fassbender's story are not well suited to an autobiographical memoir. The facts and circumstances of the story itself kept me going, but overall this memoir does not have a natural momentum, message, or voice.
December 6, 2011
I read it in a day. It was quite a story! I truly can not imagine how this young girl physically survived this ordeal. A lot of details of the "mystery" will never be answered, but the book does a good job of investigating from a number of sources. The survivor gives voice to much of the book too.
I slightly hesitate to give it 4 stars--the writing is not stellar, but the story is so amazing--to see the sprit of an eleven year old girl--that is why I gave it 4 stars.
I slightly hesitate to give it 4 stars--the writing is not stellar, but the story is so amazing--to see the sprit of an eleven year old girl--that is why I gave it 4 stars.
January 2, 2017
I gulped this down in a couple of hours. It's a fascinating, horrible story of a family lost at sea for reasons that may never really make sense. It's also a testament to the human ability to pick up the pieces -- sometimes very few pieces -- and move on. Don't miss this one if you liked And the Sea Will Tell, Black Wave: A Family's Adventure at Sea and the Disaster That Saved Them or Fatal Forecast: An Incredible True Tale of Disaster and Survival at Sea. This story is more frightening than any of them, if you ask me.
December 4, 2016
The blurb for this book intrigued me. I had not heard of this case prior to the book. The case itself is very compelling and interesting. The book? Not so much.
First of all, the first 30 minutes of the book was all the acknowledgements and thanks. As someone who went into this not knowing anything about the case, the names didn't mean anything to me. I felt like this section belonged at the end, after the reader learns who the players are and why the thanks are meaningful.
Second, the book was written in an inconsistent style. For the most part, it was a very stiff report of events that almost read like a psychiatrist's file or a police report. Occasionally, it would lapse into overly poetic descriptions of the sea or of people. It was inconsistent and odd, to me.
While I was listening to the book, I looked up pictures and additional information about the case. Those were very helpful and many of the pictures I found may have been in the print version of the book.
I was disappointed in Terry's choices in her adulthood .
I was hoping the book would be more like an Erik Larson, in which we hear the story and details and glimpses into the future are revealed as they become relevant. Instead, everything is presented in a very clinical way. I guess I should've expected that since one of the co-authors is a professor. I have been spoiled by listening to excellently produced true crime podcasts and reading non-fiction histories that are written in a fictional style and peppered with references and facts.
Overall, I found myself frustrated with the book. It didn't help that I did not enjoy the narrator's voice, which was very nasal and had an accent that I struggled to place. The Rs were very hard, almost like a British person trying to mimic an American accent. His character voices were strange. He made people who lived in the Midwest sound like New Yorkers.
First of all, the first 30 minutes of the book was all the acknowledgements and thanks. As someone who went into this not knowing anything about the case, the names didn't mean anything to me. I felt like this section belonged at the end, after the reader learns who the players are and why the thanks are meaningful.
Second, the book was written in an inconsistent style. For the most part, it was a very stiff report of events that almost read like a psychiatrist's file or a police report. Occasionally, it would lapse into overly poetic descriptions of the sea or of people. It was inconsistent and odd, to me.
While I was listening to the book, I looked up pictures and additional information about the case. Those were very helpful and many of the pictures I found may have been in the print version of the book.
I was disappointed in Terry's choices in her adulthood .
I was hoping the book would be more like an Erik Larson, in which we hear the story and details and glimpses into the future are revealed as they become relevant. Instead, everything is presented in a very clinical way. I guess I should've expected that since one of the co-authors is a professor. I have been spoiled by listening to excellently produced true crime podcasts and reading non-fiction histories that are written in a fictional style and peppered with references and facts.
Overall, I found myself frustrated with the book. It didn't help that I did not enjoy the narrator's voice, which was very nasal and had an accent that I struggled to place. The Rs were very hard, almost like a British person trying to mimic an American accent. His character voices were strange. He made people who lived in the Midwest sound like New Yorkers.
February 17, 2019
This was a difficult book to read. It’s an inspiring story of survival and integrity, but it’s also a story of a mentally ill narcissist and possible serial killer. He was a war hero who may have cracked in Korea, and she was a little girl who found that she was strong. When Terry Jo was 11 years old, her family’s dream vacation at sea turned to tragedy. She was awakened in the night, found her brother and mother murdered, and barely escaped with her life. She spent four days alone on the ocean with no food or water, and, against all odds, she managed to survive. This is her story: a thorough account of the events that led to that horrible night, and a glimpse of the dreadful aftermath.
June 7, 2017
I wanted to read a story of survival, but the author's voice drowns out the story. Also the audiobook narrator chews the scenery like he has been starving at sea too. I skipped forward frequently, trying to locate a good story. I will move on to something else instead of finishing. I'm actually offended by the author's poor story-telling.
May 21, 2025
I really wanted to read this old book but could never get my hands on a copy, even second hand. When I stumbled upon an audiobook version on Libby and thought that will have to do. However I’m not into audiobooks so don’t know if it was ‘good’ or not in some ways. This type of book I like to race through the pages. Instead, I had to take it at a slower pace than I would have liked, taking in a lot of factual information and descriptions of boating and the mechanics. This was all very relevant to the story but it might have been details I would have skimmed past myself, had I been reading.
The story is horrific. Here it is told from a journalistic pov so felt to be missing the emotional insight. It was interesting and shocking but the storytelling was lacking something.
The story is horrific. Here it is told from a journalistic pov so felt to be missing the emotional insight. It was interesting and shocking but the storytelling was lacking something.
August 16, 2020
Survival at sea
This is a fascinating story about the Bluebelle disaster and it’s survivor(s). It’s interesting to note that the coast guard recommended color change of life preservers to an international color of orange was a direct result of this incident. The indomitable will to survive; from this little girl is inspiring and life affirming
This is a fascinating story about the Bluebelle disaster and it’s survivor(s). It’s interesting to note that the coast guard recommended color change of life preservers to an international color of orange was a direct result of this incident. The indomitable will to survive; from this little girl is inspiring and life affirming
September 30, 2010
Fast read. True story. A family takes a vacation in the Bahamas. The boat goes down and the captain survives to testify about it...during his testimony news arrives that the 11 year old girl has just been found alive (after 4 days alone on the ocean on a raft that probably wouldn't have survived another few hours). The captain commits suicide and we hear the girl's story. This book is co-authored by the girl--now a grown woman, who took truth serum to see if she remembered accurately what really happened. The first half reads great...second half is a little more awkward...but still interesting.
November 20, 2021
2.5 rounded up
This is an incredible story about an incredible woman. The book is not written well; it reads like a history book in places, i.e., a list of dates and then the event but in paragraph form. It is all over the place and it really does a disservice to this brave child's story.
This is an incredible story about an incredible woman. The book is not written well; it reads like a history book in places, i.e., a list of dates and then the event but in paragraph form. It is all over the place and it really does a disservice to this brave child's story.
September 11, 2010
I had to keep reminding myself that this is a true story. It's amazing that this little girl survived, alone, on the ocean for four days.
November 12, 2010
This was a very sad but interesting book. It's a true story although I had never heard of this girl.
April 1, 2020
A compelling true story that was written horribly, unfortunately.
January 9, 2022
First book read of 2022! I’m being very generous by giving this book four stars… it’s more of a three star read for most folks, but my son gifted it to me so I added a star because he’s such a sweet kid and always tries to find interesting things for me to read.
My son came across Tere’s story a few years back while reading about amazing stories of survival. He was the age Tere was during her ordeal so I think her story stuck out to him as he was able to envision what it would be like to go through such a life altering event at such a young age.
The writing is, at times, quite repetitive but as this was non-fiction and a very quick read it didn’t bother me excessively. You can definitely tell that this was written by a professor.
If anything is to be learned from this book it’s the following:
1- Children are incredibly resilient and given a safe place where they are nurtured and loved, may overcome horrible tragedies. Tere was blessed to have such people in her life after her entire family was murdered.
2- Wolves in sheeps clothing are all around us. Do your due diligence before entrusting your family’s safety into the hands of another. This tragedy took place in 1961 when it was still fairly easy for someone to play at being someone they weren’t. WWII had ended only 16 years prior and was still fresh in the minds of many. Harvey used his questionable status as war hero to work his way into unsuspecting peoples’ lives. This could be compared to someone of today’s time saying they helped save people from the 9/11 terrorist attack. Does that automatically mean we should trust them? Does that mean they are without evil intentions? It’s hard to ponder these thoughts but they are important and essential questions to ask if you’re about to hire a boat captain to charter your family through the Caribbean for a year.
I love starting my reading year off with a good non-fiction and this did just fine. Not a great read, but a good read for sure. More so, it pleases me to know that Tere has made a good life for herself despite the unforgivable losses she suffered at the hands of a psychopath.
My son came across Tere’s story a few years back while reading about amazing stories of survival. He was the age Tere was during her ordeal so I think her story stuck out to him as he was able to envision what it would be like to go through such a life altering event at such a young age.
The writing is, at times, quite repetitive but as this was non-fiction and a very quick read it didn’t bother me excessively. You can definitely tell that this was written by a professor.
If anything is to be learned from this book it’s the following:
1- Children are incredibly resilient and given a safe place where they are nurtured and loved, may overcome horrible tragedies. Tere was blessed to have such people in her life after her entire family was murdered.
2- Wolves in sheeps clothing are all around us. Do your due diligence before entrusting your family’s safety into the hands of another. This tragedy took place in 1961 when it was still fairly easy for someone to play at being someone they weren’t. WWII had ended only 16 years prior and was still fresh in the minds of many. Harvey used his questionable status as war hero to work his way into unsuspecting peoples’ lives. This could be compared to someone of today’s time saying they helped save people from the 9/11 terrorist attack. Does that automatically mean we should trust them? Does that mean they are without evil intentions? It’s hard to ponder these thoughts but they are important and essential questions to ask if you’re about to hire a boat captain to charter your family through the Caribbean for a year.
I love starting my reading year off with a good non-fiction and this did just fine. Not a great read, but a good read for sure. More so, it pleases me to know that Tere has made a good life for herself despite the unforgivable losses she suffered at the hands of a psychopath.
March 15, 2023
Powerful story and touching. She fought hard to survive her whole life. Very well written
January 7, 2024
A compelling story, but told in a very plain and unemotional way.
May 9, 2018
Unreal story of survival! A must read if your a fan of survival at sea. Could be a fiction book written by Gillian Flynn. Crazy murderous story.
September 2, 2016
Wow. What a story. But how to rate a book like this. With an exciting story but not very well written. Even though that is the case I still very much enjoyed reading it.
A couple of years ago I was reading a true crime book with short stories and in there I read about this girl. Then I googled and discovered this book which has been on my wish list for a few years.
Finally managed to get a copy and it was a very quick read. (It says it took me 4 days but I was reading 3 books at once)
It is hard to get deep with this story because the girl this happened to was so young.
Fire in my house
A few days ago I was having trouble with my ears (so I did not hear the flames I think) and suddenly I smelled smoke to look up and see my curtains and a lamp were on fire. Not just a little bit either!!!
There were real flames so what I did was while running to the kitchen calling out "Help, Fire "Fire! opening my front door so people could hear me. But while in panic mode I still did what I had to do. I did not go running next door to my neighbours to save me or anyone else but instead looked for a bucket found a small one and from the kitchen run back to the living room trying to get the fire out. It was scary every time I had to go way from the fire worried it would be worse. In the meantime my windows were open, my front door was open, it was a hot summer evening 9 O'clock and all 3 of my fire alarms were going of and they make a hell of a noise and guess what....
Nobody came!! I live in the Netherlands were we all live close upon each other.
While running I was gliding because there was also a lot of water on the floor, but I kept at it and finally managed to get it out. (There was so much water on the floor it took me another hour to remove it.)
Looking back I was lucky because I discovered that the fire had just begun burning my blanket which was lying over my couch.
Anyway I was proud afterwards that even though I was so scared I did what I had to do.
It is very hard to think when you are scared shitless but apparently there is something that makes you do what is needed to survive.
Now I already knew from other incidents that strangely (because I am an emotional chaotic person) I am good in scary situations but this made me feel proud of myself.
My 2 friends both have told me when they were in danger they ran away and let their children handle it. I do not judge them because you cannot help how you act in such situations.
So this young girl acted and had something in her that made her survive.
If you are interested in survivor stories I say read this book.I recommend this book but perhaps borrow it from a library. What to rate? a 3 for the writing and a 4 for the story. I give it 3.5 stars.
A couple of years ago I was reading a true crime book with short stories and in there I read about this girl. Then I googled and discovered this book which has been on my wish list for a few years.
Finally managed to get a copy and it was a very quick read. (It says it took me 4 days but I was reading 3 books at once)
It is hard to get deep with this story because the girl this happened to was so young.
Fire in my house
A few days ago I was having trouble with my ears (so I did not hear the flames I think) and suddenly I smelled smoke to look up and see my curtains and a lamp were on fire. Not just a little bit either!!!
There were real flames so what I did was while running to the kitchen calling out "Help, Fire "Fire! opening my front door so people could hear me. But while in panic mode I still did what I had to do. I did not go running next door to my neighbours to save me or anyone else but instead looked for a bucket found a small one and from the kitchen run back to the living room trying to get the fire out. It was scary every time I had to go way from the fire worried it would be worse. In the meantime my windows were open, my front door was open, it was a hot summer evening 9 O'clock and all 3 of my fire alarms were going of and they make a hell of a noise and guess what....
Nobody came!! I live in the Netherlands were we all live close upon each other.
While running I was gliding because there was also a lot of water on the floor, but I kept at it and finally managed to get it out. (There was so much water on the floor it took me another hour to remove it.)
Looking back I was lucky because I discovered that the fire had just begun burning my blanket which was lying over my couch.
Anyway I was proud afterwards that even though I was so scared I did what I had to do.
It is very hard to think when you are scared shitless but apparently there is something that makes you do what is needed to survive.
Now I already knew from other incidents that strangely (because I am an emotional chaotic person) I am good in scary situations but this made me feel proud of myself.
My 2 friends both have told me when they were in danger they ran away and let their children handle it. I do not judge them because you cannot help how you act in such situations.
So this young girl acted and had something in her that made her survive.
If you are interested in survivor stories I say read this book.I recommend this book but perhaps borrow it from a library. What to rate? a 3 for the writing and a 4 for the story. I give it 3.5 stars.
September 7, 2010
Alone is a true story about an 11-year old girl who goes on a sailing trip in 1961 with her family and becomes the sole survior of a gruesome crime at sea. The skipper has killed everyone else on board the boat, has sabotaged the boat, leaving it to sink with young Terry Jo aboard, and escapes in a small motorized dingy. Terry Jo manages to retrieve a flimsy cork-and-canvas float from the ship right before it sinks. She floats upon the vast Carribean Sea for four days and nights without food or waters. A Greek frieghter miraculously sights her and pulls her aboard, tettering on the verge of death. She survives, but the skipper commits suicide when he discovers that she has survived.
The story is a facinating tale of good and bad and survival. It took me several pages to fall into the book. I knew it was non-fiction, but at the first of the book the author spent some pages describing the beautiful sea life, the wind swept waves, etc.and inserting them into the thoughts of the characters. I knew this was fictionalized, because he could have never known what these deceased people were thinking of at that moment in time. I know he was just trying to add color to this real life story, but it distracted me. It also bored me--I wanted to get to the meat of the story, not read about the colorful streaks of blue upon the fish by the side of the boat, or whatever.
Once the story got underway, or he delved into the personal backgrounds of the characters, I liked it.
It was a facinating tale. I would recommend this book to those who love to sail, or just like tragic true stories that are hard to comprehend how they could ever happen
The story is a facinating tale of good and bad and survival. It took me several pages to fall into the book. I knew it was non-fiction, but at the first of the book the author spent some pages describing the beautiful sea life, the wind swept waves, etc.and inserting them into the thoughts of the characters. I knew this was fictionalized, because he could have never known what these deceased people were thinking of at that moment in time. I know he was just trying to add color to this real life story, but it distracted me. It also bored me--I wanted to get to the meat of the story, not read about the colorful streaks of blue upon the fish by the side of the boat, or whatever.
Once the story got underway, or he delved into the personal backgrounds of the characters, I liked it.
It was a facinating tale. I would recommend this book to those who love to sail, or just like tragic true stories that are hard to comprehend how they could ever happen
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2017
True event
I can not imagine anyone leaving for the vacation of a lifetime at the tender age of eleven only to find that it will change the circumstances of her life forever. I can not imagine how Tere survived other than surely God had a plan and purpose for her life beyond that day at sea.
In part maybe to help many others whose family was a victim of Harvey's years before Tere and only now do they know truth. Or possibly to stop him this time for good,or maybe it was so her own family lived on because Terry Jo refused to die too. A remarkable child faced with horrific tragedy lives on to become a remarkable reminder that love triumphs over hate, hope over despair and good over evil!
I can not imagine anyone leaving for the vacation of a lifetime at the tender age of eleven only to find that it will change the circumstances of her life forever. I can not imagine how Tere survived other than surely God had a plan and purpose for her life beyond that day at sea.
In part maybe to help many others whose family was a victim of Harvey's years before Tere and only now do they know truth. Or possibly to stop him this time for good,or maybe it was so her own family lived on because Terry Jo refused to die too. A remarkable child faced with horrific tragedy lives on to become a remarkable reminder that love triumphs over hate, hope over despair and good over evil!
January 4, 2019
The story itself is compelling and fascinating, and Terry Jo is a hero for what she survived. But it’s poorly written, with emphasis placed on the technical details that don’t interest most readers, and little emphasis placed on the human elements that do. Still, my hat is off to Terry Jo for surviving and thriving after such horror.
September 18, 2025
Alone tells the harrowing story of a young girl who saw her family murdered and who then spent four days alone on a small cork float in the ocean. It’s an amazing story of resilience and survival.
Terry Jo Duperrault was the middle child in her family, which consisted of a mother, a father, and three children. The Duperraults lived in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and father Arthur, an optometrist, dreamed of taking his family on a sea cruise in warmer waters. He had served in the Navy in World War II and loved the sea. The entire family was athletic and loved to be outside.
Unfortunately, they picked the wrong man and the wrong boat for their adventure. Julian Harvey was a supposed war hero with a shady past. He captained the Bluebelle, sixty feet long and fifteen feet wide. Unknown to the family, Harvey had a history of crashing planes and boats. His fourth wife also served on the Bluebelle.
The trip started well, until one morning Julian Harvey was seen by another ship on a dinghy, towing a raft containing a drowned Rene Duperrault. He claimed there had been a terrible accident. A squall had damaged the boat, ruptured gas lines had started a fire, and all the other passengers were injured and trapped. He was the sole survivor, he claimed. A few days later, 11-year-old Terry Jo Dupperault was found stranded in the ocean on a small float, sun burned, dehydrated and near death. No one knows exactly what happened, not even Terry Jo, but she had seen enough to know that Harvey’s story was a lie. Harvey committed suicide soon after.
The sad story of the Bluebelle and the Duperrault family was a celebrated case when it happened in 1961. I wasn’t born yet so I was not familiar with it. Author Logan has done a good job of pulling together the known facts and speculating on what might have happened that ended with Harvey’s wife and four members of the Duperrault family dead. The book is very readable and the author weaves together backstory with information about the tragedy. (My one complaint is that the narrative makes a lot of Harvey’s stammer and “lazy eye,” neither of which indicates that someone might be a psychopathic narcissistic murderer.)
Although published in 2010, this book feels like it was written in the 1960s. I’m always glad to see libraries acknowledged for their assistance with research, and a number are listed in Alone’s bibliography. If you like to read true crime and stories of resilience and survival, you might want to check out Alone.
Terry Jo Duperrault was the middle child in her family, which consisted of a mother, a father, and three children. The Duperraults lived in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and father Arthur, an optometrist, dreamed of taking his family on a sea cruise in warmer waters. He had served in the Navy in World War II and loved the sea. The entire family was athletic and loved to be outside.
Unfortunately, they picked the wrong man and the wrong boat for their adventure. Julian Harvey was a supposed war hero with a shady past. He captained the Bluebelle, sixty feet long and fifteen feet wide. Unknown to the family, Harvey had a history of crashing planes and boats. His fourth wife also served on the Bluebelle.
The trip started well, until one morning Julian Harvey was seen by another ship on a dinghy, towing a raft containing a drowned Rene Duperrault. He claimed there had been a terrible accident. A squall had damaged the boat, ruptured gas lines had started a fire, and all the other passengers were injured and trapped. He was the sole survivor, he claimed. A few days later, 11-year-old Terry Jo Dupperault was found stranded in the ocean on a small float, sun burned, dehydrated and near death. No one knows exactly what happened, not even Terry Jo, but she had seen enough to know that Harvey’s story was a lie. Harvey committed suicide soon after.
The sad story of the Bluebelle and the Duperrault family was a celebrated case when it happened in 1961. I wasn’t born yet so I was not familiar with it. Author Logan has done a good job of pulling together the known facts and speculating on what might have happened that ended with Harvey’s wife and four members of the Duperrault family dead. The book is very readable and the author weaves together backstory with information about the tragedy. (My one complaint is that the narrative makes a lot of Harvey’s stammer and “lazy eye,” neither of which indicates that someone might be a psychopathic narcissistic murderer.)
Although published in 2010, this book feels like it was written in the 1960s. I’m always glad to see libraries acknowledged for their assistance with research, and a number are listed in Alone’s bibliography. If you like to read true crime and stories of resilience and survival, you might want to check out Alone.
August 30, 2022
This was an unexpected surprise for me! I honestly didn't read any overview / blurb, and that might have contributed to my enjoyment. During the first half of the book, I found myself asking, "why am I reading an entire book about a sailboat?" But...once it got to the true crime aspect, I was hooked! This nonfiction book tells the story of Terry Jo, an 11-year-old girl that lost her entire family when the boat they chartered sunk. She survived four days alone on a cork-float, and when she was finally able to tell her story, she told a very different one from what the only other survivor, Captain Julian Harvey.
I was a bit disappointed by the ending, since I was so eager to hear about Terry Jo as an adult. The ending was abrupt.
I was a bit disappointed by the ending, since I was so eager to hear about Terry Jo as an adult. The ending was abrupt.
July 23, 2018
Measuring the amount of grit a person possesses, no matter the age, is challenging. Witness Terry Jo (Tere) Duperrault, a 13 year old survivor of the sinking of the Bluebelle in Bahama waters in 1961. This true story, based upon a Green Bay family, details the main characters' exploits concerning that event. Readers will walk away with contrasting emotions: on one side, admiration of the guts and moxie of the girl who outlasts blistering heat, cold, nature's whims, and starvation; on the other hand, the diabolical shadow of a handsome captain who crafts a plan of deceit. A short book but an interesting account.
December 4, 2017
WOW. What a truly remarkable story. Tere is an unbelievable human being who made me tear up with that reflection piece of hers at the end. Her strength and courage is astounding. So glad I decided to read this.
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