The Make-Believe by Hannah Murray

When Magic Turns to Madness — A Jaw-Dropping Memoir of Fame, Belief, and Breaking Free

In The Make-Believe: A Memoir of Magic and Madness, acclaimed actress Hannah Murray (Skins, Game of Thrones) delivers a raw, lyrical, and utterly gripping debut memoir about the seductive pull of a wellness cult, the fragility of reality, and the long road back to herself.

At twenty-seven, after years in the spotlight, Hannah was searching for healing. She was drawn into a shadowy wellness organization that promised magic, secret knowledge, and transformation. What began as hope quickly spiraled into something far more dangerous. She fell under the spell of its charismatic leader, surrendered her grip on reality, and ultimately suffered a psychotic break that led to hospitalization and a bipolar diagnosis.

With breathtaking honesty and poetic precision, Murray recounts the blurred line between belief and delusion, the intoxicating power of “make-believe,” and the painful, necessary work of reclaiming her mind. This is not a conventional celebrity memoir. It is a searching exploration of mental illness, the dangers of unchecked belief, and the radical empathy required to heal — both individually and collectively.