Surviving Centrepoint: My years in New Zealand’s most infamous cult

by Rachel C. King

Shortly before I turned 13, my life changed forever when my family moved to the notorious Centrepoint Community on Auckland's North Shore, then at its peak. Centrepoint was founded by Bert Potter, its 'spiritual leader'. He called himself God. During my four years there I was pressured into inappropriate and often frightening situations by many of its adult members. Like so many others, I have lived with the trauma and shame of these memories, but I have survived. This is my story.
In this intimate and harrowing account, Rachel C. King tells her story of the years she spent in New Zealand’s notorious commune, Centrepoint, and life there under the rule of its cult leader and founder Bert Potter.
Through the eyes of her young self, Rachel exposes the truth of life at Centrepoint — a hippie dream turned nightmare — with its bizarre rules, hierarchies and social controls.
It was a place where children were given drugs, where free sexuality was mandated, including between adults and children, and where to resist was actively discouraged.
She describes the fear and confusion of growing up in a corrupt world where wrong was right, and the grief of losing her childhood. She takes us inside the police case and court battle against one of her abusers, and the historic action that ultimately saw Potter and others charged with drug and child sex abuse crimes, and Centrepoint shut down.
Surviving Centrepoint was first published under the pseudonym Ella James. Now, using her real name for the first time, Rachel shares her journey from physical hurt and emotional pain to the reality of survival and the healing power of telling the truth.

Genres: Nonfiction, Cults, Biography

238 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 4, 2021

Reviews

[Jessica Cleghorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

"My intention behind publishing my story was to reach one, just one, other person who had been through something similar and was losing the ability to continue... I thought that if I could reach that one person and tell them that, Yes, this stays with you, but life can also be good, then I will have won."

[Emily Ryder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much Penguin NZ for a final copy to review!

Surviving Centrepoint is a haunting biography by Rachel C. King that delves deep into the horrors of her time at the Centrepoint Community, and how it has had everlasting effects on her mental and physical health. Her story is heart-breaking, but her determination to seek justice and seek closure is brave and inspiring.

I flew through this book. Read in two sittings and could not stop reading. I was so disgusted by some of the events King describes, and shocked to the point of disbelief. Imagining these things happening, in a place mere kilometres from where I live, is so scary. I had never even heard of Centrepoint until I had seen this book in bookshops – definitely some history I’m missing.

King writes with a mix of first and third person, delving into certain events with clarity and then stepping back. I found this captivating to read.

I had some minor problems with some of the physical writing, hence 4/5 stars – only in a sense that I felt some more editing could have benefited the reader in terms of explaining who certain people were when introduced simply by name, or explaining certain events and relationships more clearly.

[Michael Spiteri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was unrelentingly horrifying. The pain described was palpable and I was struck with real fear throughout this reading. The writing lacked formality and made it difficult to follow events in some places, but that sort of added to the disorientating nature of the traumatic memories recounted by King.

Edit: Months after reading this book, It still flashes into my mind like a childhood nightmare.

[Ruby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a powerful testimony. The collective brainwashing is frightening. I hope Rachel is able to find peace and healing, as much as is possible. I hope that the reckoning they requested doesn’t fall on deaf ears, and that people work to acknowledge the past.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Rachel, my dear friend, for your honest telling of your experiences. It’s this book that told me for the first time that I was not alone when I read it in 2017, and reading the new version now in 2022 I am again astounded by your courage. Thank you, my dear, for paving the way for others to finally have the courage to start the difficult process of breaking through the silence.

You are simply awesome.

[Melissa Sowden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rachel is one brave lady. This was a difficult read at times but a good one.

[Anastasia Shulgina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly insightful. Written in small chunks which is very accessible and massively reflected how the author’s experience has remembered her past