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.

What’s even better than rewatching One Tree Hill? Reading a true story full of the same tense drama, high stakes, and coming-of-age character development—not to mention a real live cult!

Bethany Joy Lenz might be best known as Haley James, the sweet, wholesome “good girl” of CW teen drama One Tree Hill. But while the ups and downs of Haley’s love life captivated audiences on screen, Lenz was starring in a very different kind of drama off-camera, where a manipulative pastor enticed her into a cultish Bible study group that would eventually eat up her confidence, her self-determination, and a staggering amount of her salary. Dinner for Vampires tells the gripping story of Lenz’s fight to free herself and her daughter from the cult’s clutches and take back control of her own life.

I’ve never thought of myself as someone who would join a cult, but after reading the admirably open and honest account of Lenz’s experiences with the Big House Family, I can see exactly how easy it would be to fall prey to such a situation. But fear not, readers: if you ever find that you’ve become an accidental cult member, I promise Bethany Joy Lenz will show you the path out with humor, grace, and a touch of Hollywood sparkle along the way.