Reality can be far more surreal—and cruel—than fiction. This is the heart-wrenching true story of Erin Gray, who was lured, held hostage by, and eventually escaped from a serial predator. Broken Butterfly delves into horror-movie territory in this retelling of a young woman’s spiral into drug addiction after prolonged exposure to brutal physical, sexual, and mental torture. Told by her mother, Wanda Gray, this first-hand account follows Erin’s journey through violent trauma, complex PTSD, drug addiction, recovery, and relentless relapses.

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While retracing her daughter’s tragically cut-short young life, the author also reckons with herself as she tries, over and over, to help Erin recover and live a full life. Told in dual point of view, Broken Butterfly follows the twists and turns of two women navigating a dangerous and terrifying road fraught with trauma, loss, and grief. Yet this cautionary tale is also full of hope and a celebration of Erin. Inspired by her daughter to write this profoundly personal memoir, Gray shares the ups and downs, fleeting triumphs and naive mistakes, and overwhelming joy and devastation. 

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Parts elegy, true-crime chronicle, and self-help manual, Broken Butterfly removes the stigma from drug addiction, reminds those suffering through similar experiences that they are not alone, and provides practical resources for support amid a growing global drug-addiction crisis. It’s also a love letter to Erin Gray, the guiding light who helped write this book in spirit.