A review by natlbugz
There Is No Ethan: How Three Women Caught America's Biggest Catfish by Anna Akbari

emotional tense medium-paced

3.5

TLDR: Even with its length, this is an insanely compelling read. It’s jaw-dropping, infuriating, and surprisingly empowering—a story about resilience, revenge, and uncovering one of the most audacious scams imaginable. If you’re into true-crime vibes, investigative drama, or just love a good group of pissed-off women working together, There Is No Ethan delivers. Highly recommend for those who love being nosy and enjoy a little chaos in their non-fiction.
I cannot believe this is a true story. Equal parts fascinating and absolutely terrifying, this book dives headfirst into one of the most unhinged catfishing sagas I’ve ever read about. The sheer audacity of Ethan, the chaos he created, and the tangled web he spun? Absolutely wild and diaobolical.

What made this stand out wasn’t just the drama (there’s plenty of that—it’s messy in the best way). It’s the camaraderie between the three main women he targeted. Watching them connect, share their stories, and ultimately team up to take Ethan down was incredibly satisfying. I love a strong group of women taking no bullsh!t, and their determination to expose him was the perfect blend of empowering and maddening (seriously, they are better than me because I would have done way worse).

The investigative journalism style also worked really well for me. The book includes the original emails and chat logs between Ethan and his victims, which made the story feel raw and real. Akbari’s approach immerses you in every detail, and I loved getting into the nitty-gritty of how Ethan pulled off his manipulations. Hearing all three women’s perspectives on how they got entangled in his lies added so much depth to the narrative.

That said, I do have some gripes. It’s way too long. While the stories of the other women outside the main trio added context, they took up way too much page time. At a certain point, it became clear that Ethan used the same tactics over and over again, and the repetition dragged down the pacing. I found myself skimming through some of these sections, wishing the focus had stayed more on the main three women and their journey to bring him down.
Accept and close

By using The StoryGraph, you agree to our use of cookies.
We use a small number of cookies to provide you with a great experience.

Find out more