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Sleeping with a Psychopath: A real-life psychological crime thriller, the unbelievable true story. THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER Paperback – April 29, 2021

by Carolyn Woods (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 1,571 ratings
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THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER

A Divorced Woman. A Dangerous Man. A Devastating Affair.

‘You’re right. It is totally extraordinary. My life is like a film; you couldn’t make it up … But there’s something I have to tell you,’ he confided, as he leaned across the table towards me. ‘I’m not normal.’

Carolyn Woods was living happily in a quiet Cotswolds village when an attractive stranger abruptly arrived in her life.

Introducing himself as Mark Conway, he exuded confidence and to her surprise Carolyn quickly became captivated by this mysterious man. A rich Swiss banker (who later confessed to being a spy), he offered Carolyn companionship and introduced her to an exciting, glamorous world.

In fact, some things were so astonishing she began to question her new lover. Was all as it seemed?

The truth was even harder to believe. For a start, his real name was Mark Acklom, he was wanted by Interpol, and he was rich but for one reason only…

A true-crime story that reads like a thriller, Sleeping with a Psychopath is a blow-by-blow account of the power of manipulation and a testament to the human will to survive.

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Previous page
  1. Language
    English
  2. Publisher
    HarperElement
  3. Publication date
    April 29, 2021
  4. Dimensions
    5.08 x 0.87 x 7.8 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    0008398666
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0008398668
  7. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperElement (April 29, 2021)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0008398666
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0008398668
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.08 x 0.87 x 7.8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 1,571 ratings

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Carolyn Woods

Carolyn Woods

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
1,571 global ratings
True Crime
5 Stars
True Crime
Have you ever fallen for someone that you really didn’t know? They said all the right things. Made you feel so special. Really special. Have you met any conmen? It’s one of the most shocking, and completely terrible life altering things that can happen to someone. And most of the time a person is to embarrassed to tell anyone. I know because it happened to me. I wasn’t free from them until they went to prison. I was one of the lucky ones.I knew very little about this Mark Richard George Acklom. I am obsessed with true crime and I started listening to this right away. The narrator Jan Cramer was great and I thought the author did a good job taking me through this heinous crime. At times its laughable how crazy it got and he always knew what to say. But I feel like we can learn from this. And I don’t think we should be so critical of her decisions. And I commend her for going after him! Shame on you Mark, it’s awful what you’ve done. I really enjoyed this and recommend it.Thanks HarperCollins via Netgalley.
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Top reviews from the United States

Scarf lady
5.0 out of 5 stars Every 10th grader needs to read this book
Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2023
Verified Purchase
An incredible true story of horror, fear, lies, and criminal behavior at its most extreme. WHO DO YOU TRUST? Think again.
One person found this helpful
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A. Wilcox
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting and Recommend!
Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2023
Verified Purchase
I liked the book.
It's a true story that gives you insight as to how this type of thing happens in today's world.
I had to reread a couple parts again after I finished the book as I was flabbergasted.

I recently gave my book to my Psychologist friend as I am interested in her thoughts. I'll update my review once I receive them from her.
One person found this helpful
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Kitties & Kindles
5.0 out of 5 stars True Crime
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2021
Have you ever fallen for someone that you really didn’t know? They said all the right things. Made you feel so special. Really special. Have you met any conmen? It’s one of the most shocking, and completely terrible life altering things that can happen to someone. And most of the time a person is to embarrassed to tell anyone. I know because it happened to me. I wasn’t free from them until they went to prison. I was one of the lucky ones.
I knew very little about this Mark Richard George Acklom. I am obsessed with true crime and I started listening to this right away. The narrator Jan Cramer was great and I thought the author did a good job taking me through this heinous crime. At times its laughable how crazy it got and he always knew what to say. But I feel like we can learn from this. And I don’t think we should be so critical of her decisions. And I commend her for going after him! Shame on you Mark, it’s awful what you’ve done. I really enjoyed this and recommend it.
Thanks HarperCollins via Netgalley.
Customer image
Kitties & Kindles
5.0 out of 5 stars True Crime
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2021
Have you ever fallen for someone that you really didn’t know? They said all the right things. Made you feel so special. Really special. Have you met any conmen? It’s one of the most shocking, and completely terrible life altering things that can happen to someone. And most of the time a person is to embarrassed to tell anyone. I know because it happened to me. I wasn’t free from them until they went to prison. I was one of the lucky ones.
I knew very little about this Mark Richard George Acklom. I am obsessed with true crime and I started listening to this right away. The narrator Jan Cramer was great and I thought the author did a good job taking me through this heinous crime. At times its laughable how crazy it got and he always knew what to say. But I feel like we can learn from this. And I don’t think we should be so critical of her decisions. And I commend her for going after him! Shame on you Mark, it’s awful what you’ve done. I really enjoyed this and recommend it.
Thanks HarperCollins via Netgalley.
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6 people found this helpful
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Champagnedemon
4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent read
Reviewed in the United States on September 7, 2021
An extremely well written book but I honestly failed to see how someone who was supposed to be so intelligent fell for the charms of a psychopath. For me, alarm bells would have been ringing right from the very first meeting but by the end of the book I did have a great deal of sympathy for the writer and the way she was treated by the police etc. At the end of the day it just goes to show you never fully know the person you get involved with.
3 people found this helpful
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Jill Truog
5.0 out of 5 stars I couldn’t put this book down.
Reviewed in the United States on November 8, 2021
I read this book in 3 days, because it was so engrossing. What could be better than true crime? ....the psychology of true crime.
I would love to see this book made into a movie and have this author get richer than ever after she was defrauded by this creep.
I would like to thank the author for being honest about the ugly details.
3 people found this helpful
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JW
2.0 out of 5 stars Would not recommend
Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2023
Verified Purchase
Less of a psychological crime thriller and more of an unfortunate, detailed description about the abuse of an individual who was fully taken advantage of by a con man. This victim states that she had been independent and self-made prior to coming under the influence of said con-man, so it does seem odd that so many of the 'red-flags' --or downright disturbing queues he exhibited--went unchecked by her, as she continued to give up everything she owned, her house and basically transfer all her money to a place he could access. I mean, I've worked in sales before and if some guy came in to my store to buy a coat and 'looked me intently in the eyes' I'd ask him to leave--or if he chain smoked whilst doling out foul rants about all those around him--were these not concerning? But yet she falls under a spell of some sort. On the positive, is that I applaud her honesty, her strength when she finally 'came to' to fight for justice, and overall a reminder that any individual can fall prey to bad actions of others. Just not a redeeming read in my opinion, not so well written, and not quite the story as promoted...
3 people found this helpful
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Michael Henne
2.0 out of 5 stars Wasted my Money on this book!
Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2023
Verified Purchase
Sorry to say that I did not enjoy this book! I always enjoy true crime books ,films ect.so much to my disappointment I found this book hard to believe. How could anyone could fall for this man ? She described him as flighty,full of himself and irresponsible but yet she allows him to take her money and degrade her. If I didn't know better I would think this was fiction because no one could see all the RED flags she talks about and continue on with this man in a relationship!
One person found this helpful
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Anna V. Carroll
5.0 out of 5 stars When Bad Things Happen To Good People!
Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2021
Verified Purchase
One look at a photo of Carolyn Woods, and you cannot imagine a nightmare of this magnitude happening to such a beautiful lady. And she is a lady.

This book will exhaust you on many levels as you read about the depth a man will go to destroy a loving woman's soul.

This happened in a small English town, not Manhattan, Paris or Rome. Carolyn was the entire package, as it were. Educated, two grown daughters, smart, and recently made redundant from a job of many years. In the USA we say, 'terminated' or 'fired' not made redundant. When I lived in London years ago I always found that term worth a few chuckles until it happened to me.

When she first meets Mark she is working at a lovely boutique. He comes in one evening as she is closing shop and hits her like a guided missile. Sorry, but his photos do nothing for me. Not my type.

She meets a very bad man and very bad things happen to her. As I mentioned above, the book will leave you emotionally exhausted. But SHE endured it all! I can't believe she had the strength at the end to get out of bed!

She reminds me of the men & women on Dr. Phil who have been scammed by an on-line lover who takes them for a financial ride. Unlike these poor souls, she actually met this man and had an affair with him for almost a year. I won't reveal the ending because that wouldn't be fair to her or to you, the reader. Just believe me when I tell you this is one heck of a page-turner! You say, "Nothing can top this!" Wait. Oh, yes, he has more deviousness up his sleeves.

While the story does not have a happy ending for Carolyn, her book is enormously readable. How many women out there reading this will, in some small or big way, relate to the age-old story of love requited? A custom-made wedding dress still hangs on a door. Her life and finances in ruins, she turns to British law enforement. It's like that cartoon where the rabbit says, "Step aside. Kindly tep aside." Men just cannot understand a crisis like this that happened to Ms. Woods and the magnitude of the debris left behind for her to clean up.

You simply MUST read this book! The story is a tsunami of emotions. You really want to be her friend. I wish I lived around the corner from her and knew her well so I could have offered her a bedroom in my home or a nice cuppa and Scottish Shortbread when things got really gnarly. Alas, this did not happen. But I can cheer her on from my sofa in NYC, a Campari and Tonic by my side.

Your heart will break reading this and you will want to yell, "Don't take that trip, Carolyn. He is going to stand you up again!" But she can't hear you.

I am so glad Air Mail published a couple of chapters recently so I could get a picture of the enormity of her situation. Could not wait to order the book and read it. And I did! Now it's your turn. Order it right now from Amazon! You won't be disappointed, I assure you.
4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

MiraD
5.0 out of 5 stars Won't disappoint. Beautifully rounded narrative.
Reviewed in Canada on September 6, 2023
Verified Purchase
I appreciate this woman's strength and willingness to come forward and put her story to words. One of my favourite lines in the book, was when she describes how everyone had looked at her like a stupid woman who had been dumped until a business man had come forward to say on record he as well has been taken by this psychopathic conartist. Then suddenly, people took it seriously. She was just a dumb woman, but if A MAN could be conned then oh this is serious. Sister you hit it on the head there. It's an excellent true crime read, and I wish this woman to hit that best seller list so her dreams can come true & she can buy her home she so rightly deserves. Read this book.
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anastasia
5.0 out of 5 stars Intrigue and deception in equal measures
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 20, 2023
Verified Purchase
One thing I have to mention is the title of the book. Didn't seem to be any sleeping with... He was only showing up for 10 minutes at a time (her words!) and no action! I remember telling my grand daughter when she started dating "if a guy ever asks you for money, just dump him!" It was a good read and I think why a previous reviewer said it was repetitive is because in a way it was. But because the con man kept to the same script all the time while squeezing the money and life out of her. The Police weren't very helpful either, or sympathetic - maybe because of the amount of money she'd given him.
Worth reading as it shows how an articulate intelligent woman can be taken over in a very short period of time. It should serve as a stern warning to women in similar circumstances. Keep your money!!
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Eleanor
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating, disturbing, hard to put down
Reviewed in Germany on September 14, 2021
Verified Purchase
This is a fascinating and disturbing book about the author's devastating involvement with an adept and callous conman who had absolutely no conscience in taking her for every penny and more. The book is well written and I found it hard to put down. Anyone tempted to blame her for being gullible and who thinks it could never happen to them is already vulnerable. Thinking you're too smart to be conned is the first step to being conned. I had a comparatively mild brush with a conman a few years ago. Luckily, I became suspicious early enough not to lose money, but he was very convincing, did dupe me initially and it was a close thing. I discovered online that many people had quite reasonably trusted what they'd been told, and ended up seriously out of pocket. It's not nice to admit to being fooled, or realise that some people can lie to your face very adeptly and this experience shook my confidence in my own judgment, especially around financial matters. Carolyn Woods' experience was so much more serious and financially and personally destructive, I think it's extremely courageous of her to have gone public in the way that she has and a tremendous achievement to have not only faced Acklom in court and brought him to book but put her story down on paper and so eloquently. I hope that even if she isn't active online herself the people around her will try to keep up publicity around Mark Acklom, her interviews and book so that when he is released from jail, and most likely straight goes back to doing what he does best, his targets have a greater chance of being forewarned.
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Judith Hull
4.0 out of 5 stars compelling read
Reviewed in Canada on March 27, 2024
Verified Purchase
Fast paced and unapologetic. I liked how the author added research about psychopaths. Definitely a page turner and informative at the same time.
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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully written ,and Im in total awe of what this lady has been through, but yet she never gave up until justice prevailed .Bravo may you go from strength to strength and find peace ,happiness,and above all contentment x
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 23, 2024
Verified Purchase
I loved this book so much ,and felt I was there in the room with her willing her along !
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