Pink Neon

by Megan Stockton

Tansi, a young sex worker still finding her footing in a world she never imagined being part of, unwittingly forms an unexpected bond with a female client who claims to be a serial killer. Believing it to be no more than a twisted fantasy, she indulges the woman's dark stories—until her curiosity ignites a deadly chain of events. What begins as a harmless conversation quickly spirals into a relentless bloodbath that puts not only the men she despises but everyone she comes into contact with in grave danger​. The mysterious woman's insatiable lust for violence has now been unleashed and once her appetite is stimulated there's no turning back; Tansi fights to survive the increasing threats from the men who seek to control her, using her body as their paycheck and her spirit as their conquest. With no one to trust and no way to stop the carnage she's inadvertently triggered, she must navigate this dangerous world of power, violence, and her own demons before it’s too late.

Genres: Horror, Thriller, Splatterpunk, Dark, Crime, Fiction

Unknown Binding

First published January 15, 2025

About the author

Megan Stockton is an indie author who lives in rural Middle Tennessee with her husband and two children. She primarily writes, horror, thriller, dystopian, and science fiction/fantasy novels that are character-driven and immersive. She is known for delivering works that are raw, thought-provoking, brutal, and cinematic.

Reviews

[Pisces51 · Rating 4 out of 5]

PINK NEON [2025] By Megan Stockton
My Review 4.0 Stars

This recent novel from Stockton is at first blush a tragic myopic of the sex workers who eke out a depressing existence beneath the pink neon lights of Sin City. It is a character-driven story which showcases the trials of three female sex workers with the focus on the youngest and most attractive named Tansi. The author does an effective job of depicting the network of criminals whose livelihood consist of peddling the flesh and life's blood of young women. A colorful and creative touch is splashed across the otherwise dismal canvas in the form of a beautiful female serial killer who fixates on the curious Tansi. The sadistic torture killer sets her sights on taking out the entire network of men who are responsible for running the girls. The ending was not unsurprisingly unpredictable. It was an entertaining story line with Stockton's trademark originality.

I liked the hot pink Cover Art and might add that although I liked this latest installment from Stockton, it seems to be a signature at this point (a sad or sorry ending every outing).

[amerie ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

i really hate the way this ended

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can one book rip out your heart, turn you on, test your gag reflex, and leave you breathless with anticipation? It can if Megan Stockton writes it! This book is bleak and incredibly dark. However, it's infused with enough hope to keep you going. The setting is filled with bright colors amongst seedy backgrounds. The characters are easy to love or hate, and as per usual, Megan kills with abandon. You will be devastated by some deaths, elated by others. I highly recommend going on this emotional roller coaster.

[Kristi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am so confused, it feels like I'm missing part of the book because the ending isn't an end?! Like I can assume where Elijah is, and what happens to Missy, but Tansi just falls to her knees in pain... and that's it? it feels like there's chapters missing to give some sort of resolution?

But aside from the end feeling unfinished, I absolutely loved this book and would have given it 5 stars otherwise.

[Mort · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stockton creates empathy for those who are usually looked down on and powers through the hardest of circumstances until you are part of their world.
And then the carnage starts.

[Bailey · Rating 2 out of 5]

enjoyed the book till the end… felt unfinished and v unsatisfying

[Francesca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ooooof, that was bleak.

[Dawn Schock · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is no way anything I can say will do this book any justice. The story is dark, gritty, visceral, and emotional. It was simultaneously jaw-dropping and had me tearing up. It's one of the few books that I've had to put down and walk away from so I can recover from a chapter of. If it hadn't been on my Kindle, I might have put it in the freezer. 😅 It's equal parts depravity of man and revenge horror, which I absolutely love.

[Barby Helena Messorem · Rating 5 out of 5]

This expertly written and heartwrenching story of “working girls” and a brutal serial killer who believes the only good man is a dead one left me practically salivating for more from Megan Stockton. After reading “Bluejay” and having some mixed feelings on it, “Pink Neon” has solidified this author as a great one for me. There is nonstop action, drama, tragedy, and dread sprinkled throughout these pages, and it may just be one of my new favorite books in the world.

I developed an intense affection for the girls in the book- I wanted Tansi, Alice, and Lucy to make it out of what I knew was a hopeless situation. I felt for them, and was genuinely disgusted by the majority of the men in their life and the ordeals they would be forced into. Even for someone as squeamish as I am, it’s hard to feel sorry for a lot of the male characters who have these awful and descriptive things happening to them. The gore is there, and it is disturbing- but then once you consider who it’s happening to, it is STILL difficult to find empathy for them. This book explores the darkest of the human psyche- on every end of the spectrum- and presents a front row view as to what happens when a man who believes he is of the “better” sex is broken down to his balls. Literally.

Does this mean I think that the orchestration of these crimes is moral, or righteous? Absolutely not. As I’ve said, the gore is disturbing, the processes are nightmareish. They are just arguably happening to the worst people in the world- until they aren’t. I’ll leave the rest for you to uncover for yourself, because if you haven’t read “Pink Neon,” I firmly believe that you are missing out.

This story humanizes a group of people too often dehumanized and looked down upon. We don’t just hear about the sex workers’ “escapades.” We are reminded that they are real people, and can be manipulated, hurt, brought to injustice. We are reminded that they have real emotions and real limits, most of which will be tested throughout this gripping and eventful story. And we feel along with them- we celebrate their triumphs, we WORRY about them when a chapter has closed and we are uncertain of their fates, we weep when them when we are sure that matters cannot get any worse. But then they do, and we are brought to our toes again.

Or at least, I was. And I hope a lot of people have a similar reading experience. This is one of the books that truly sweeps you away; it makes you fixated on getting back to its pages, regardless of the mundane, real world tasks you have to complete.

“Pink Neon” is a soul crushing account of violence, unconditional love, evil, and the lines that blur each and every topic. I’m honestly upset that it’s over. If you’re looking for a read that will pull you in, chew you up, and only spit you out when you feel like your guts have turned to a heaping pile of mush on the corner of the floor - please look no further. Major trigger warning for just about everything in the book, but if you can handle that, you’d be doing yourself a disservice to NOT read this.

Absolutely phenomenal.

[Danielle Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Scream as loud as you want; I love it. This is my wilderness and, baby, I’m the big bad wolf in this story.”

Holy Cannoli. Stockton came into 2025 swinging with this one… and she absofuckinglutely nailed it. 🤌🏼

Pink Neon sucked me in from the start and left me saying WTF at the end. There’s scenes that will make you nausea. Lines that will make you gag. Parts that put you in your feels, and times when you’re air punching over a “GOOD FOR HER” kill scene. 👏🏼

Stockton curated some amazing characters here. The development was top tier. I ended up loving the ones I didn’t think I would, and side eyeing others. Oh, and a female serial killer? Yah, fucking amazing. Forgot to mention that twisty betch. 💅🏼

My only critique would be that comparing a crusty dick piercing to a martini glass should be fucking illegal. 😩😭😂

I usually start with one of my favorite quotes, but for this review I’m going to end with one too. It’s just too perfect…

“Find that madness, the mania that makes this shitshow worth it. When it’s time to get into that black car to leave at the end of the day, whatever it is that makes you smile as you pull away.”

On that note. I recommend the fuck out of this one once it releases. To everyone. Stockton is a queen in this community and not only is she an amazing human, she’s an incredible writer as well. 🫶🏼

Five gleaming pink hearts for this gem!!!

🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷

[Nicki Thoirs · Rating 3 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed this story, but what was with the ending?
Talk about a cliffhanger. This left me feeling unsatisfied and frankly upset.
I do believe Stockton may have done this intentionally to symbolise Tansi's life experience, but I need to know what the outcome is!

[McKenna Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m giving it a three because I honestly thought it was really entertaining. The body horror was decent especially at the beginning and middle. I feel like the plot fizzled out in the last third of the book which was kind of disappointing but that’s alright. I would have preferred a better ending with some more closure. All that aside, it was a fun and fast read!

[bookmarksandbarbells · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was zoned in, baby!
Love a good fem rage. Would have loved some further backstory on all of the ladies but for the amount of pages in this, incredible story.
I am slowly accepting that a large chunk of these horror stories don’t have happy endings 😅 DONT COME FOR ME.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t think of a better way to finish Women in Horror month but with Megan Stockton’s newest book, and boy, is it a doozy. Protagonist Tansi and her fellow sex workers “lived in a world where guys didn’t like anyone: not in that pure way, not in the way that you grew up fantasizing about. Men liked satisfaction, no matter how brief. When you weren’t easy and you weren’t providing them with some kind of pleasure, you were disposable.” But when Tansi crosses paths with a sadistic female client who offers a way of evening the playing field, it's too tempting of an offer to refuse.

Tansi’s nightmarish experiences churned my stomach in some places (note: a curling iron scene will be seared into my brain for life) and welled up my eyes in others, and that is to Stockton’s credit: she creates characters who are empathetic no matter how different they appear to be from the reader. The ending of this one I never saw coming.

[Paige Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Idk where to even begin with this review. Megan really outdid herself with this one. Not a detail was missed an everything was executed flawlessly. The ending was abrupt but it just worked. You have to read this for yourself because I just cannot do this one justice. Not even close.

Pink Neon is a dark exploration into prostitution and really shows what it’s like from the girls perspectives. Each girl plays a significant role in this story and the men behind this operation are absolute scum of the earth. The girls are used to picking up men but when our FMC Tansi picks up a woman for the night, this is where our story really starts to head a different direction.

This story is 100% foot to the pedal that never lets up for a second. You’ll go through all of the emotions with this one too. So, buckle up buttercup. You’re in for a hell of a ride!

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book more. It really had me for about 75% of it. The characters were great, it had steady pacing, I liked the different perspectives. The ending just felt so rushed. The overall book was a "good for her" kind of vibe. I just wish the ending had a little more to it.

[Stefanie Duncan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story but I felt like something was missing to make it a 5 star read for me. More depth of the main characters for sure. They felt kinda flat to me. I wanted so much more of Missy.

Tansi is a working girl. She lives with another working girl named Alice and Lucy shows up from time to time. Times are hard, but they are about to get worse. Tansi meets Missy and Missy is on a mission. She kills men. Missy is a serial killer.

[Olen 😻 · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS is how you do a woman serial killer without making her seem like a *toxic piece of shit*. This was so fucking gritty, straight to the point, & 0 punches were pulled.

The gore in this was outright shocking (the curling iron 🥲) & at times hilarious (looking at you gun blowjob 😂) but fuck brace yourself because this is a ride.

From the bond Tansi had with her roommates to the appalling things men did, this was just such a well written book & baby that endinggggggggg 😮‍💨😮‍💨

[LJ🥀👻 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know what this says about me but I friggin loved this book. And I enjoyed reading about the dudes getting exactly what they deserved. Though there were some other heartbreaking deaths involved. But justice was served on a silver platter with all the fixings.
Missy is a dang legend, and you can’t change my mind 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Amanda Orr]

Excellent revenge read

Well... That ending hurt. This story really draws you in, connects you emotionally to the characters, then crushes you over and over again. I loved it and am now empty & carved out inside.

[Kirsty Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was hard to put down this book as I felt fully immersed in the life of Tansi. I enjoyed how the lives of the girls is portrayed, not a woe this is us story but more of a we're in this together and just need to get on with it.
Different aspects are played out as we follow Tansi in her day to day and night to night interactions as a sex worker. A chance encounter with a man in a club takes Tansi by surprise, as does a new female client who appears to be a bit of a weird one.
It's a non stop rollercoaster of a story that leaves you desperate for more, you can't leave us hanging! More more more please!!!

[Tez · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

🐕🐕

[Java · Rating 5 out of 5]

So Egregious yet so Epic!!…

[Wordy Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Another AMAZING book by Megan Stockton. The ending upset me greatly.

[Derek Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I 100% love this book!!! Megan never disappoints, I love every single one of her novels, and it seems like her most recent is always my favorite of hers. Pink Neon is exactly that, my new favorite book by one of my favorite authors.
The character development is so perfect, I could feel what each person was going through. Whether they experienced rage, fear, power, or lust, I was right there with them. I was cheering so hard for some, and scared of others. The MC, Tansi, a good human with a good heart, though she was surrounded by and working in the filth that is the underbelly of the town of Sunning. And I’ll admit it, I was crushing on her pretty hard as her story developed.
The atmosphere of the town was raw and gritty. My mind could see the trash on the streets, smell the exhaust as the johns idled surveying the women, the darkness of the alleys and the neon glow of the signs hanging over dark and dirty clubs that line the street. It felt like I was quietly hanging out on a landing in front of one of the buildings, having a smoke (I don’t smoke anymore), and watching it all go down.
Then there’s the story. It’s complex and interwoven brilliantly, brutal and beautiful, full of tension and even a little hope. It is violent and gory; one particular scene will stay with me for a long time. Megan exposes some ugly flaws of humanity, and it isn’t pretty. It isn’t meant to be.

[Maritza · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really fun, intense book!

It gave me femme fatale vibes and I was here for it.

That ending made me drop a whole star, though. 🤣

[dana cunningham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first heard about Megan Stockton last year when a friend/member of my favorite Facebook group Books of Horror recommended one of her books called Quiet Pretty Things. I started reading and immediately knew I'd hit pay dirt. I was so excited to have a new author to read. I immediately searched and found two more and devoured both of them. I was given an opportunity to read Pink Neon and I jumped at the chance. I had been in a reading slump, and hadn't been able to read anything for about a month. Nothing I picked up was holding my attention. As soon as I started reading this, I knew my slump was over. I wanted to read all through the night and finish the book in one sitting but I couldn't. I knew people were going to die, and I was terrified to lose the people that i'd grown to love in just those first few pages. I put the book down several times to gather my composure, to get ready for what I knew might come. My heart was ripped out more than once. But I do it all over again in a heartbeat. The way the characters come to life is just flawless. You feel everything they feel. You root for them, want them to get their happily ever after. Or you dispise them and hope for a suffering death. I was not disappointed in that category. Get ready for an emotional roller coaster. It's so very worth the ride.

[paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a wild ride from start to finish! Tansi’s life as a young sex worker working the streets is already tough (to say the least), but when she crosses paths with a mysterious female client, the life she knows begins to spiral out of control. The story is dark, intense, and thought provoking. Tansi is such a raw, real character and you’ll be rooting for her the whole way. Her story is an exploration of power, trauma, and survival in a world that often seems determined to break its most vulnerable.

[Paul Preston · Rating 4 out of 5]

raw, vile, and hopeful

This book is so much more than what is on the surface. A female serial killer just sets the stage for the reality that too many women live with. This is hope. This is despair. This is horrific.
The feelings are just so real. The hesitations and hitches all make up moments where you forget to breathe. Megan Stockton knows how to effectively portray the vileness of humanity, but here, she lets a beam of light shine through, a glimmer to reach for, even if it is a dim haze through a grimy window of Pink Neon.

[Bryan Moyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brutality and violence fill the pages of this amazing story. The storytelling is fast-paced and emotionally gripping while being populated with a cast of fully realized characters. Megan uses her talent to hook you from the start and keep you invested abs feeling right up to the very least word.