Dark Ugly Places

by

Ashley Mansour

Unbearable grief becomes a bid for revenge in this riveting psychological thriller.

Dark Ugly Places by Ashley Mansour is a riveting tale of loss, grief, mental health, and vengeance that will have readers on the edge of their seats, anxiously awaiting the final resolution. When a hit-and-run accident takes the life of her husband, Ben, and leaves the bodies and spirits of Nicola Holiday and her teenage daughter dashed on a LA street, their lives are forever altered. Six months later, due to mounting bills, they’ve lost even more: their house, car, and income, and still the perpetrator remains at large, the only witness being Nicola herself. But as their lives shrink and desperation grows, she begins to remember small details she noticed about the driver and the car before it left the scene. But when she suddenly realizes she’s come face to face with the man one day, something inside her, something long forgotten, pushes its way to the forefront of her consciousness, and that something is ready to take control and exact vengeance for what he’s done to them on its own terms. 

What an eerie, frightening, and compelling take on this riveting story of grief, mental health, and revenge! Nicola is the damaged wife and mother who saw her husband die before her very eyes, and her daughter and herself left for dead, and is living with one overriding emotion: an all-consuming rage. But what initially appears to be a long-running internal dialogue with herself, talking her through her day and her challenges, quickly becomes something else entirely. Nicola is also Martha, a long-suppressed alternate personality who is strong, decisive, and ready to take matters into her own hands. 

The story unfolds from multiple points of view: Nicola, Martha, and Bambi Renfern, the professional model-wife of famous film star and reckless driver Jason Renfern. As the women’s paths cross, the story becomes one of serendipitous connections and opportunity. The resolution is surprising but fits the twists and turns throughout the tale. 

I recommend DARK UGLY PLACES to readers of psychological thrillers and suspense. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.