Ron Miscavige, the father of the Scientology leader David Miscavige, is publishing a memoir about his estranged son, titled Ruthless: Scientology, My Son David Miscavige, and Me, available on May 3. The book, to be published by St. Martin’s Press, promises to be a “riveting insider’s look†at the controversial leader and organization. The Miscaviges joined the church in 1971, and by the age of 16, David had joined Sea Org, the organization for the most hardcore members. Ron officially left the church in 2012, which, according to Scientology, means he has been effectively excommunicated from his son.
The two definitely have a rocky relationship: The Los Angeles Times reported that David spied on his father for 18 months after Ron left the church. One of the private investigators, who was arrested in July 2013 and found with guns, thousands of rounds of ammunition, and a silencer, told the police that the Church of Scientology had hired him to spy on Ron Miscavige. And we’ll just have to see whether Ruthless addresses the stories of David Miscavige’s physical abuse, his relationship with his star acolyte Tom Cruise, and, of course, whatever happened to Ron’s daughter-in-law, Shelly Miscavige.