BETRAYED – Amazon/ Goodreads/Audible Reviews – Feedback

The relentlessly fascinating, sometimes hilarious and often jaw-dropping true story of two American women who became unwitting drug mules by driving a hashish-laden campervan from Stuttgart to Bombay, then later to Australia, where they were arrested and jailed.

Published 1 June 2022

Think of the two most unlikely drug dealers you can imagine and you’ll probably come up with the Drug Grannies: Vera Hays and Florice Bessire, who were 59 and 61 respectively in 1977 when Vera’s nephew, Vern Todd, persuaded them to drive a campervan from Germany to India, then on to Australia.

Little did the women know that Vern and his accomplices had packed two tonnes of hashish into the campervan in what was a creative but ultimately destined-to-fail drug trafficking attempt that would go down in Australian history.

Betrayed is the shocking, real-life inside story of ‘Toddie’ and ‘Beezie’ – as they were known – drawn from journalist Sandi Logan’s experience reporting on the ground at the time, combined with intensive research, including access to the women’s own diaries. It chronicles their wild ride across continents and oceans to our shores, where they were busted by Australian Federal Narcotics Bureau agents, arrested and jailed, including what came after.

Were the Grannies none the wiser to the highly lucrative – and highly illegal – cargo they transported here, as they claimed? Were they set up and betrayed by Vera’s nephew? Or could they have been the unlikely masterminds behind the entire plot?

Now, 45 years after they set out on their ill-fated journey, it’s time to tell their story.

Order now

Betrayed is also available to order via Amazon US and Amazon Australia
For UK/European pre-orders:
Pre-order for December release via
Amazon UK, Waterstones, Foyles, Blackwells and Bookshop.org

Reviews

This is a GREAT book!

I have just finished reading your book.

That is a GREAT book!!!

And how do I know that it is a GREAT book? Well, I have a few measures that have to be met.

The subject matter must appeal to me in some fashion.
It must be written in a chronological order, if applicable.
If it is non-fiction, it has to have credible people who were there and personally knew the subject.
(And this becomes the most important aspect of whether or not it meets my criteria for being great) When I am away from the book, inevitably doing other things throughout the day, am I thinking about the book? Am I saying to myself “Only three more hours until I can go home and read my book?”.

This book meets all of those requirements.

I liked the clarity in your writing and your choice of words.

I think Toddie and Beezie were just people who wanted to believe that everything was going to work out. (Can you imagine anyone who is going on a huge drug expedition telling all their neighbours to look after their dog, house and pay all the bills until they return? Not a chance.) They could never have seen themselves being behind bars.

I am so glad, after hearing about this story that you were able to get it all down.

It really is a cautionary tale.

Dan

Goodreads reviews

Audible Reviews

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
Performance: 5 out of 5 stars
Story: 5 out of 5 stars

Anonymous User
25-06-2022

An incredible true story

I have just read this book! Oh my goodness: my Facebook friends, please either read or listen to this book! “Betrayed” is a true recount of “The Drug Grannies” from 1978! Most of us were only 15-years-old when these two friends aged 58 years old and 60 years old (who trusted a nephew) to drive a campervan across the world for a “trip of a life time”. They did not realise what they were carrying in the campervan! The rest is history and thank goodness for Sandi Logan who played an intricate role in assisting these women to be released and deported back to their home!

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
Performance: 5 out of 5 stars
Story: 5 out of 5 stars

Anonymous User
04-07-2022

Untold truth revealed.

Excellent book. Well researched, produced and presented. Thoroughly recommended to all true crime readers

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
Performance: 5 out of 5 stars
Story:5 out of 5 stars

Christopher Steel
05-07-2022

Recommend

A gripping non-fiction story of travel, deceit, the narcotics trade and two women caught up in it all. After just finishing the novel I now feel that I almost know the strong protagonists, Beezie and Toddie, as if they are my aunts. Recommend.