Dinner for Vampires

By: Bethany Joy Lenz

Narrated by: Bethany Joy Lenz

A deliciously witty and inspiring memoir by One Tree Hill star Bethany Joy Lenz about her decade in a cult and her quest to break free.

In the early 2000s, after years of hard work and determination to breakthrough as an actor, Bethany Joy Lenz was finally cast as one of the leads on the hit drama One Tree Hill. Her career was about to take off, but her personal life was slowly beginning to unravel. What none of the show’s millions of fans knew, hidden even from her costars, was her secret double life in a cult.

An only child who often had to fend for herself and always wanted a place to belong, Lenz found the safe haven she’d been searching for in a Bible study group with other Hollywood creatives. However, the group soon morphed into something more sinister—a slowly woven web of manipulation, abuse, and fear under the guise of a church covenant called The Big House Family. Piece by piece, Lenz began to give away her autonomy, ultimately relocating to the Family’s Pacific Northwest compound, overseen by a domineering minister who would convince Lenz to marry one of his sons and steadily drained millions of her TV income without her knowledge. Family “minders” assigned to her on set, “Maoist struggle session”–inspired meetings in the basement of a filthy house, and regular counseling with “Leadership” were just part of the tactics used to keep her loyal.

Only when she became a mother did Lenz find the courage to leave and spare her child from a similar fate. After nearly a decade (and with the unlikely help of a One Tree Hill superfan), she finally managed to escape the family’s grip and begin to heal from the deep trauma that forever altered her relationship with God and her understanding of faith.

Written with powerful honesty and dark humor, Dinner for Vampires is an inspiring story about the importance of identity and understanding what you believe.

©2024 Bethany Joy Lenz (P)2024 Simon & Schuster Audio

Cult behavior

Amazing how these sort of people are living out in the open and have no ideas what goes on behind peoples closed doors.

Were we in the same cult?!

This book was so relatable. From meetings held in basements that were intended to “help” someone (and really just ended up with person crying and gaslighting themselves) to being told to die to your dreams so you could learn and grow spiritually to having money stolen or being used as free labor, Joy’s story is honest, raw, and real. If she had been in Vermont instead of Idaho, I would have thought we’d been part of the same group. I cried over it, laughed with her, and was healed in ways because of her telling her story.
She reads the book herself, which means it feels like sitting down with a friend and having her just tell you about her life. After all, this IS her life.
Highly recommend to anyone coming out of a high control group or abusive family dynamic.

I can't stop listening!

Joy does such an amazing job painting the scene for the reader (or listener). Absolutely captivating from start to finish. I completed this in 2 days! Popping my headphones in while I clean, organize, or fold laundry has had me looking forward to my home duties! I now understand how Joy brought Haley to life so well. I hope Joy writes more about her childhood, her interests, her love life. I will listen to it all! This woman is gifted with words and so many other talents! I'm grateful she has gotten away from all those who have tried to use or stifle these gifts for their own selfish desires.

Fascinating

This was an amazing read/listen. Joy is an amazing actor, writer, singer, and person. I have been in an abusive marriage. Unless you have been there you do not know what it is to be in one nor get out of one. I never knew she went through these experiences. I am so glad she made it out and with her beautiful daughter. Thank you Joy for sharing your story.

I enjoyed how real and raw her story was!

I never knew anything about Joy being involved in a cult for all those years she was on One Tree Hill. It was interesting to learn her story and I really enjoyed hearing it told be her! I’m happy she has come full circle and is happy with her daughter on the other side of things now!

Beauty in the transparency

Joy leaned on honesty and left it all on the table when she wrote this book.
I felt like I was completely consumed chapter after chapter.
Standing ovation from me!
…. And please…. Someone get this girl on broadway to play Belle! Even for one night!!!!

I could feel how she felt

The fact that Bethany Joy Lenz read the book herself helped bring out how she felt during her time with her "family". Although I was not in a cult, a lot of what she went through resonated

I loved the different voices for the different people in the book.

Engaging story! Captivating. I finished it in one day. Joy did a wonderful job keeping the audience entertained.

Amazing!!

Joy's story is sad and lonely. What she has endured is crazy and it's amazing to see her resilience to what has been done to her.

Compelling and Brave

Real and raw. Truthful. Incredible storytelling of the harsh reality of a life in a cult.