4.0 (1 rating)
Sleeping with a Psychopath
This is an epic true story of love and deception told by the woman whose life was destroyed by a seductive conman, Mark Acklom. The British Dirty John. Over eighteen months Carolyn - an educated, elegant woman in her early fifties, who was rebuilding her life in the Cotswolds after a job change and divorce - endured a hellish rollercoaster of emotions as the man she thought would become her second husband, a man she was led to believe was successful, wealthy and fascinating, proved to be anything but. By the time the scales fell from her eyes she had lost her home, her clothes, possessions, GBP850,000 of savings, and nearly her sanity. As gripping as a crime thriller, this is a blow-by-blow account of a master of fraud at work, a detailed study of the power of manipulation and coercive control, and the devastating effects it can have on the innocent. This book will reveal how an intelligent, confident woman fell for the charms of one of the most calculated fraudsters of all time - a man who convincingly claimed to be a rich Swiss banker and MI6 agent when in fact he was nothing but a crook. But when suspicions were aroused and the devastating truth came out, despite her world being torn apart and on the brink of suicide, Carolyn along with Acklom's other victims found the strength to go to court and watch the man she thought she loved go to prison for five years. A page-turner, made all the more compelling by the knowledge every word is true. This is an explosive true crime story that shines a light on both the frailty and strength of human nature.
Pages: 336
ISBN: 9780008398668
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Available in: Paperback
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4.0
1 rating
Rachel S.
Apr 6, 2026
When I first started reading this, I thought the meeting between Carolyn and Mark was odd, the way he talked and how she described the scene would have pinged up a lot of red flags for me immediately. However, we have all been fooled by someone in one way or another and people do tend to give others the benefit of the doubt.
Less than 18 months was the length of the relationship but in that time, Carolyn was duped, that is for sure, Mark had the charm and charisma to get away with it and he was a master manipulator and had set everything up so well that I am sure anyone could have let their guard down eventually with him. He managed to get inside her mind and a lot of it was uneasy to read. Yes, I did think Carolyn, you are naïve, get out of there! But I can also understand that when it is actually happening to you and you are caught up in the bubble so far and every time you question things you are given an answer that could be believable due to his “job” and have no one to voice your worries because he has managed to isolate you and you are under his spell completely.
I am so glad eventually Carolyn saw sense and started to rebuild her life while fighting tooth and nail to get Mark arrested and exposed for what he had done.
I’m not so happy about missing information that the police “lost” it sounded very strange and frustrating.
Overall, it was a good but uncomfortable read, this really happened and it shows that abuse in a relationship is not always physical.
I am glad Carolyn found the courage to write this book and share what happened to her, and I hope it gives help to other people in similar situations.
Less than 18 months was the length of the relationship but in that time, Carolyn was duped, that is for sure, Mark had the charm and charisma to get away with it and he was a master manipulator and had set everything up so well that I am sure anyone could have let their guard down eventually with him. He managed to get inside her mind and a lot of it was uneasy to read. Yes, I did think Carolyn, you are naïve, get out of there! But I can also understand that when it is actually happening to you and you are caught up in the bubble so far and every time you question things you are given an answer that could be believable due to his “job” and have no one to voice your worries because he has managed to isolate you and you are under his spell completely.
I am so glad eventually Carolyn saw sense and started to rebuild her life while fighting tooth and nail to get Mark arrested and exposed for what he had done.
I’m not so happy about missing information that the police “lost” it sounded very strange and frustrating.
Overall, it was a good but uncomfortable read, this really happened and it shows that abuse in a relationship is not always physical.
I am glad Carolyn found the courage to write this book and share what happened to her, and I hope it gives help to other people in similar situations.