
The Boy in the Cellar
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Narrated by:
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Oliver J. Hembrough
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By:
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Stephen Smith
About this listen
Stephen Smith is the boy who did not exist. Born out of wedlock in the early 1960s, Steve's parents - both devout Catholics - had felt so 'shamed' by their son's illegitimate birth that they hid him away from the world by locking him in the cellar...for 13 years. Apart from a few admissions to hospital as a result of his 'imprisonment', Steve remained in the coal cellar of the family home where he was deprived of daylight, his childhood, school and human contact until he'd reached his teenage years.
Starved and beaten, the little boy's world was a darkened room that measured just 8 feet by 10 with a single makeshift bed, a bare light bulb and a solitary table. Steve would spend his days conjuring up an imaginary world full of monsters he would draw to try to block out the physical and mental torture inflicted on him by his brutal father. Locked away like an animal with a bucket to urinate and defecate in, the only human contact he received was from his father, who'd regularly beat him with a shovel and whip him with a belt.
Eventually, he escaped only to fall prey to the instigators of two of the worst cases of institutional abuse in the UK at Aston Hall hospital and St. William's Catholic School.
A horrifying true story of torture and cruelty that reveals a human's full capacity to fight for survival and search out happiness and hope.
©2019 Stephen Smith (P)2019 Bonnier Books UKListeners also enjoyed...
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Story
Sophie Jenkins is living a happy life in the idyllic Dorset countryside when she meets Martin Brett, the man who will go on to abuse her and haunt her dreams for years to come. A momentary act of neglect leads to a horrible series of events that leaves her changed forever. Badly let down by the adults entrusted to care for her, Sophie’s life begins to spiral downward. However, Sophie’s message is ultimately one of hope and empowerment. She is in the process of rebuilding her life when fate leads her to encounter her childhood attacker once again.
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Narrator choice ruined it for me.
- By P. Stein on 09-10-20
By: Kate Skylark, and others
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A Family Secret
- My Shocking True Story of Surviving a Childhood in Hell
- By: Maureen Wood
- Narrated by: Rachel Atkins
- Length: 7 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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Abused from the age of eight by her older brother and then her step-father, Maureen Wood quickly became numb to the constant suffering. But Maureen’s world crumbled when her own mother started to abuse her too. A Family Secret is the harrowing true story of how one little girl survived sickening abuse by the people who should have loved her most and how an innocent baby finally saved her.
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Bravery in Spades
- By Mama of Roses on 03-22-21
By: Maureen Wood
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The Convent
- The Shocking True Story of Surviving and Evil Nun's Care Home from Hell
- By: Marie Hargreaves
- Narrated by: Dorothy Lawrence
- Length: 8 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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When a fancy car pulls up outside six-year-old Marie's home in 1959, her dad tells her she is going on holiday. But little does she know she will not see her home again for four long years. Her family cannot afford to keep her at home. Marie tells the story of how she was taken away from a poor but happy and loving home life to live in a convent - away from everyone and everything she holds dear. Her hair is bluntly chopped, her clothes are taken away and her name is changed. Then a horrific ritual of physical, sexual and mental abuse begins.
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Stunning Book
- By madameEmily on 10-09-21
By: Marie Hargreaves
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Violated: A shocking and harrowing survival story from the notorious Rotherham abuse scandal
- By: Sarah Wilson
- Narrated by: Chloe Massey
- Length: 7 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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The shocking first true account from one of the young girls who lived through and survived the Rotherham sex abuse scandal. In the summer of 2014, the Rotherham sex abuse scandal sent shockwaves through the nation. A report revealed that since the 1990s, up to 1,400 young girls in the town had been regularly abused by sex gangs, predominantly comprised of Pakistani men.
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Horror Story and shocking to think this happened in modern day Britain.
- By Darkangel on 08-13-15
By: Sarah Wilson
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My Prison Without Bars
- The Journey of a Damaged Woman to Someplace Normal
- By: Taylor Evan Fulks
- Narrated by: Em Eldridge
- Length: 16 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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My Prison without Bars is a courageous and harrowing journey through the catacombs of hell, from the mind and voice of a little girl, living with her own monster underneath her bed. Written in first person, this novel is not a memoir, but more a psychological thriller based on true events; chronicling one woman's attempt to claw her way out of the darkness of Child Sexual Abuse, while struggling to find normal, in a not-so-normal world. It is poignant, dark and graphic; not for the faint of heart.
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My life
- By PMOUSAABR on 03-08-16
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Call Me Tuesday
- Based on a True Story
- By: Leigh Byrne
- Narrated by: Allyson Ryan
- Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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At eight years old, Tuesday Storm's childhood is forever lost when the death of her older sister Audrey sends her family spiraling out of control into the darkest of dysfunction. In the wake of the tragedy, Tuesday's mother, distraught and looking for a scapegoat, singles Tuesday out from her siblings to take on the blame for Audrey's death, and then targets her for unspeakable abuse.
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loved it, so glad she shared her story.
- By Olivia Telles on 05-01-16
By: Leigh Byrne
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Broken
- The Most Shocking Childhood Story Ever Told. An Inspirational Author Who Survived It.
- By: Shy Keenan
- Narrated by: Judy Mason
- Length: 10 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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I was born and broken in Birkenhead, abused from infancy by a network of every kind of pervert from ‘thinks it’s love’ to ‘show it hurts’. I was unwanted, beaten, sold, swapped, photographed, filmed, left for dead, corrupted, blamed, betrayed, ignored and orphaned. But I was also born with a fire inside me. I call it my Phoenix Fire. I am no victim—that word only describes what happened to me. Nor am I a survivor because that implies I am over it. I am a Phoenix—a work in progress. This is my story....
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Unbelievable Story
- By Amazon Customer on 09-07-23
By: Shy Keenan
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Nowhere to Hide
- By: Hannah Morgan
- Narrated by: Una Byrne
- Length: 10 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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A shocking true story that reveals how one woman was tormented to the very depths of despair by her husband through coercive control and continual physical and sexual abuse. Broken in mind, body and spirit and completely isolated from the rest of the world, Hannah thinks she’ll never find the strength to escape, until one day an opportunity arrives....
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AS THE ADULT DAUGHTER OF AN ABUSED MOTHER
- By Kathy Weber on 04-23-21
By: Hannah Morgan
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Just a Girl
- By: Scarlett Jones
- Narrated by: Jane Trentham
- Length: 6 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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Just a Girl is the shocking true story of Scarlett Jones, who was abused by her loved ones, groomed and trafficked by a gang, all the while fearing for her life. Scarlett is just 8 years old when the horrific abuse at the hands of her father begins. It creates a world of shocking normality, one that she can only escape in her mind. Little Scarlett dreams of a time when she can be free... and then she meets Ed. Groomed and trafficked by her boyfriend, Scarlett realises she has been primed for abuse ever since she was a child. This is her harrowing story.
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Parents treating and ignoring a child horrible
- By Annette Chatel on 01-23-25
By: Scarlett Jones
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The Hospital
- By: Barbara O'Hare
- Narrated by: Charlie Sanderson
- Length: 8 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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Barbara was 12 when she was admitted to the psychiatric hospital Aston Hall in 1971. From a troubled home, she'd hoped she would find sanctuary there. But during her stay, Barbara was systematically drugged and abused by its head physician, Dr Kenneth Milner. Somehow, eventually, she started to campaign for answers. This is a shocking account of how vulnerable children were preyed upon by the doctor entrusted with their care.
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Horrific childhood. Almost too bad to believe.
- By Suzy L. on 01-04-19
By: Barbara O'Hare
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The Redhead of Auschwitz
- A True Story
- By: Nechama Birnbaum
- Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert
- Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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Rosie was always told her red hair was a curse, but she never believed it. She often dreamed what it would look like under a white veil with the man of her dreams by her side. However, her life takes a harrowing turn in 1944 when she is forced out of her home and sent to the most gruesome of places: Auschwitz. Upon arrival, Rosie’s head is shaved and along with the loss of her beautiful hair, she loses the life she once cherished.
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It’s so real…
- By Diane Findley on 07-02-22
By: Nechama Birnbaum
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The Baby
- By: A J McDine
- Narrated by: Tamsin Kennard
- Length: 8 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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The day I was told I’d never be able to have a child, my world came crashing down. My husband says he still loves me, but I lie awake at night, wishing we could have a family. One morning, my husband’s side of the bed is cold and empty. I hear a noise and head downstairs. In the middle of the rug in my living room is a wooden drawer. Swaddled inside, with perfect rosy cheeks and beautiful round blue eyes, a baby gazes up at me.
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Great Thriller!
- By Kathy on 10-16-24
By: A J McDine
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Girl Hidden: A Memoir
- By: Jesse Rene Gibbs
- Narrated by: Lessa Lamb
- Length: 10 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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Echoing among the Blue Ridge Mountains were the cries of newborn babies that disappeared into the night. The screams of children nearly drowned out by the sound of crickets. A girl, hidden and waiting to be found, terrified, and confused. The fireflies sparkling in the woods, bringing light to darkled places.
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Beautiful Story
- By JMAR001 on 04-13-22
By: Jesse Rene Gibbs
What listeners say about The Boy in the Cellar
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- jocelyn ackerman
- 01-08-20
great book, horrible story
This book was hard to listen to, especially at first as the details are incompressibly deranged. With that said, it is written very well. It is a very good book but be ready to hear about humanity at it's worst.
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11 people found this helpful
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- Ashley
- 07-05-20
Excellent abuse survival memoir
This is an excellent abuse survival memoir. Very gripping I could not put this one down.
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9 people found this helpful
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- Susan Bearden
- 04-18-20
Heart wrenching but so inspirational
What an amazing writer and narrator! The book had me on the edge of my seat with tears the entire time! It truly makes you wonder how there can be so many evil people in this world. It is so wonderful that he had the courage to write it! That is awesome. Strongly encourage others to read this survivor’s story.
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7 people found this helpful
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- paige king
- 05-08-20
must read for anyone with cptsd
the strength of the human spirit is awesome. I really enjoyed this listen. what a survivor story
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2 people found this helpful
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- lorraine
- 11-28-21
A very hard listen
this book will tear at your soul. the amount of abuse is so painful. yet, this man is still a shining light. cannot say enough of how wonderful this story is for the triumph it imparts
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- Marion
- 12-09-21
A travesty
Oh that people have learned something from what Stephen and others endured. Speak up and out!
Thank you Stephen your strength is amazing.
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- codi walters
- 11-17-21
so sad but a good story
great narration, heart breaking story but a great one . all my love to the author .
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- Meredith
- 12-05-21
Masterful!
A masterfully written story detailing this brave boy’s/man’s life story of survival. The performance was superb. Total 5 despite the disturbing details of abuse.6
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- Amazon Customer
- 01-18-22
riveting and heartbreaking
loved it, it angered me that such evil exists. praise God Stephen was able to rise above it
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- D
- 01-08-22
heartbreaking but amazing story.
Heartbreaking but amazing story must listen to. Take the time. Will not regret it.
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