Book Lovers pt 5: Never Saw Me Coming

By: Jay Dee, MPH

Never Saw Me Coming written by Tanya Smith

Let me tell you—this isn’t just another crime memoir. This is the true story of Tanya Smith, a woman who scammed the banking system for $40 million without ever walking inside a bank. Yes, you read that right. And baby, it all started when Tanya was just a kid.

She was brilliant from the start—while most kids were playing hopscotch, Tanya was calling the electric company pretending to be an employee “locked out of the system” so she could secretly restore power for families. Tanya really did have a big heart! That’s not just clever, that’s criminal genius in the making.

And then came the turning point: one day at school, an older woman, embarrassed but desperate, approached Tanya begging for help to save her home from foreclosure. That moment? That’s when the “monster” Tanya talks about in her book grew into something unstoppable.

Now, here’s the tea I couldn’t ignore: one common denominator with women in white-collar crime—men are always their downfall. Tanya, for all her brilliance, was absolutely a dumbass when it came to men. But when it came to money and strategy? Her mind was operating on a level most people can’t even reach. But if I'm being honest, spending money recklesslessly and on men probably wasn't a big deal when millions were a keystroke away! Still, I ain't buying no man who never 'spennanight' with me a Jaguar..kiss my ass thangya!

The best part for me was how unapologetically she wrote about the stash, the location of the money, and her children’s future once she was released from prison. It’s raw, it’s bold, and it makes you shake your head while also saying, “damn, she really did that.”

I highly recommend this book if you love true stories that read like a scandalous thriller. And guess what? Hollywood already knows this is gold—Janelle Monáe is set to star in the film adaptation, currently in the works. You know I’ll be front row for that premiere.

Happy Reading,

The Vagina Liberator