Speechless

An Autobiography of Child Murder and Rape

By: Robert Ben Mitchell

Narrated by: Aven Shore

Length: 2 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's Summary

Robert Ben Mitchell's terrifying story of growing up in a family where extreme physical and sexual abuse were the norm. Detailing his childhood and teenage years, he tells how his father raped him from when he was a toddler until six years of age, how his mother subjected him to bone-breaking beatings, and how all of this culminated in a tragic episode when he was 17 years old that almost cost him his life. He also explains how his parents were able to hide their actions, including the murder of a sibling, due to his father’s high position in a US spy satellite program. 

A survivor of extreme child abuse, he shares his story so that others who have survived such horrors will know they are not alone, and he ends with hope and help for those who want to tell their own speechless stories. 

Today, he is an osteopathic physician who works with people who are addicted to pain medications and heroin, as well as helping individuals who are recovering from child abuse.

©2018 Robert Ben Mitchell (P)2019 Robert Ben Mitchell

Speechless

This is a sad story full of pain and torture but also a story of survival. It claims to be an autobiography of a young man who lived through hell and made it out alive. Some of what is in the book is hard to believe but even any part of this story is horrible. We all know that there are abuser out there that do these things and get away with it more times than we would like to see. I am glad that the author survived and was brave enough to tell his story. Not enough light is shown on child abuse or any abusive for that matter. This is a hard story to listen to and it breaks my heart that a child had to endure this kind of thing and many may be doing the same right now. I would have liked to know what happened to the parents and the brother after all that they did we can only hope that in some way they got what was coming to them. Narrator Aven Shore does a good job of keeping the story moving at a good pace.

I received this audiobook at my request and I voluntarily wrote a review.

Courageous.

Having the strength to tell this story is incredible. Mr. Mitchell I truly hope you continue to heal. Thank you for using your life to help others.

Excellent and shocking.

Great book. Only wish there was more story after the last diner event. Highly recommended. Shows the strength of over coming past abuse.

Speechless Too

This is an incredible story. First I want to applaud the author, this could not have been easy. Having a background somewhat similar I know how easily this can be truth. I love that this is not just a story, it delves into how an abused victim does see themselves. As nothing. I could so well understand the self esteem levels noted in this book. When you are treated as worth nothing, you believe you are nothing. Low self esteem is too high to reach.
To the narrator, wow! Well done. She had the perfect tone, the perfect gravity, perfect distance....
if a reader really wants to touch base with an abused victim listen to, or read, this book! Amazing! I to found distance from ‘family’ to be the best option for me.

And?!

I can only imagine how hard it would be to disclose a life like this to the world but I would have liked to know the end result. What happened to the Father? The Mother? The Brother?? Were there ever any charges filed?? Not really the ending I was looking for.

Sad but important story well told

I admire the author for sharing his story. Loved the realizations shared throughout the book. I had never heard of the gold cross boys. A moving account of a real life secret world that protected the people who harmed their own and others children when they had money and power.

Very confronting, an not an easy listen

as the title suggests, this autobiography will leave you speechless. Robert's Story of his childhood and growing into an adult is very confronting. I can't even begin to imagine how difficult it must've been to put his traumatic upbringing into words. My only hope, is in doing so he might be able to find some peace and belonging, surrounded by Friends and loved ones. I love all of Aven Shores work, an this is the best so far. The fact that a woman was tasked with the job sets it apart from everything else. There is one particular spot when you can actually hear the Panic in her voice as she describes a terrifying scene. Both the audio Version of this book and the narration both deserve five stars. Robert was in my thoughts an prayers for days after this audio journey. Many thanks to Robert Ben Mitchell for sharing his story with us. To Aven Shore for her outstanding narration, and to everybody else for making this book possible

Extremely graphic, but gripping and compelling

I like real-life crime stories, so I thought I'd give this one a try. I wasn't really prepared for how graphic and explicit the story actually was. At parts, I did have to pause the book with sheer shock and caught myself noticing my dropped jaw and cringing face in my rear-view mirror.

Despite how brutal it was, the storytelling and narration were excellent. I'll admit, the storytelling was so good, that I began to doubt whether or not it was actually a true story, and had to look up the author. I was able to find multiple sources that reference him as a real person (and a doctor), who looks like an older version of the boy on the cover.

So I had to confront the uncomfortable truth that this actually happened. That there really are people who are cold, evil, uncaring monsters. And this poor boy was born into a family of them. I know the author doesn't want pity, but god it's hard not to feel for him.

My biggest criticism of the book is that it is too short. Not that I needed to hear more brutality, or more details. Rather, after hearing the incredibly horrific upbringing this child had, you're rooting for him. You want to hear the good things too. And while the story ends on a somewhat positive note, we know he eventually became a drug addict/dealer, but somehow beat all the odds and actually became a successful doctor. I bet that is one hell of a story as well.

I requested and received this audiobook for free and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

didnt really like the book.

wasnt a fan. yhe book didnt serm to catch my attention to want to finish listening to it

Horrifying but such a good read

This was so detailed and graphic that it was a little difficult to listen to at times, but I do think it is an important thing to hear if you are interested in true crime. It feels deeper than most of the other murder tales, perhaps because it is a child, but honestly, this was so well done.

*I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.