The House of My Mother by Shari Franke

The House of My Mother

A Daughter's Quest for Freedom

Shari Franke

Gallery Books · Print & ebook · October 27, 2026

INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “Heart-wrenchingly personal…dizzying.” —Rolling Stone From eldest daughter Shari Franke, the shocking true story behind the viral 8 Passengers family vlog—now the subject of a Hulu docuseries—and the hidden abuse she suffered at the hands of her mother, and how, in the face of unimaginable pain, she found freedom and healing.

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Who it’s for
Readers interested in firsthand accounts of family abuse and survival
Themes
Family abuse, Survival and healing, Influencer culture
Genres
Child Abuse, Personal Memoirs, Religious Lives

About this book

INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “Heart-wrenchingly personal…dizzying.” —Rolling Stone From eldest daughter Shari Franke, the shocking true story behind the viral 8 Passengers family vlog—now the subject of a Hulu docuseries—and the hidden abuse she suffered at the hands of her mother, and how, in the face of unimaginable pain, she found freedom and healing. Shari Franke’s childhood was a constant battle for survival.

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Her mother, Ruby Franke, enforced a severe moral code while maintaining a façade of a picture-perfect family for their wildly popular YouTube channel 8 Passengers, which documented the day-to-day life of raising six children for a staggering 2.5 million subscribers. But a darker truth lurked beneath the surface—Ruby’s wholesome online persona masked a more tyrannical parenting style than anyone could have imagined. As the family’s YouTube notoriety grew, so too did Ruby’s delusions of righteousness. Fueled by the sadistic influence of relationship coach Jodi Hildebrandt, together they implemented an inhumane and merciless disciplinary regime. Ruby and Jodi were arrested in Utah in 2023 on multiple charges of aggravated child abuse. On that fateful day, Shari shared a photo online of a police car outside their home. Her caption had one word: “Finally.” For the first time, Shari will reveal the disturbing truth behind 8 Passengers and her family’s devastating involvement with Jodi Hildebrandt’s cultish life coaching program, “ConneXions.” No stone is left unturned as Shari exposes the perils of influencer culture and shares for the first time her battle for truth and survival in the face of her mother’s cruelty.

Who it’s for

  • Readers interested in firsthand accounts of family abuse and survival
  • Readers interested in the perils of influencer culture

Where it sits

Child Abuse63%
Personal Memoirs47%
Religious Lives30%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Religious Lives
  • Personal Memoirs
  • Cults & New Religions
Authors
Shari Franke
Publisher
Gallery Books
Published
October 27, 2026
Format
Print & ebook
Theme
Family abuse · Survival and healing · Influencer culture
Reading lane
Religious Lives