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The Ugly Truth
WHAT ARE THEY HIDING?Every day, millions of people lie to each other. Deception can be a shield of comfort, the root of one's rage, or a means of manipulation. But regardless of what each untruth devolves into, every lie is a choice.
Howard Oates is trying to make good. After a run of horrible luck and selfish decisions turn his picturesque life into a depraved nightmare, in his mind, there is no path to redemption. It takes some unusual inspiration for him to realize that the consequences of his heinous choices have traveled far beyond his victims. All Howard wants is to face them, but will he be strong enough to?
Martha Lorraine Mosley thinks the whole world's lying to her cheating boyfriend, her stupid job, all the powers that be. And the fact is, she's right. But what feels like a slow painful burning inside starts to fire on all cylinders when she learns the secret truth. Looks herself in the eye. And shines a new kind of blinding light that the world will never forget.
Royce O'Riley sees himself as the ultimate truth. He believes he will shepherd the world to a utopia filled with enlightened, honest people. But while recruiting acolytes to join him on his private island and seeking vengeance on those spreading vicious rumors about him, Royce is forced to realize that even he isn't immune to the power of lies. Especially the lies we tell ourselves.
Three of horror's darkest minds unite to bring you three interconnected tales of treachery. When all the lies are finally exposed, prepare yourself for The Ugly Truth.
This volume contains 15 interior illustrations.
This book contains graphic content. Reader discretion is advised.
Howard Oates is trying to make good. After a run of horrible luck and selfish decisions turn his picturesque life into a depraved nightmare, in his mind, there is no path to redemption. It takes some unusual inspiration for him to realize that the consequences of his heinous choices have traveled far beyond his victims. All Howard wants is to face them, but will he be strong enough to?
Martha Lorraine Mosley thinks the whole world's lying to her cheating boyfriend, her stupid job, all the powers that be. And the fact is, she's right. But what feels like a slow painful burning inside starts to fire on all cylinders when she learns the secret truth. Looks herself in the eye. And shines a new kind of blinding light that the world will never forget.
Royce O'Riley sees himself as the ultimate truth. He believes he will shepherd the world to a utopia filled with enlightened, honest people. But while recruiting acolytes to join him on his private island and seeking vengeance on those spreading vicious rumors about him, Royce is forced to realize that even he isn't immune to the power of lies. Especially the lies we tell ourselves.
Three of horror's darkest minds unite to bring you three interconnected tales of treachery. When all the lies are finally exposed, prepare yourself for The Ugly Truth.
This volume contains 15 interior illustrations.
This book contains graphic content. Reader discretion is advised.
- GenresHorror
214 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 28, 2025
17 people are currently reading
194 people want to read
About the author
Aron Beauregard
86 books3,388 followersAron Beauregard was born and raised in Central Falls, Rhode Island. He's been writing horror since the 6th grade and has now released over 25 books. An avid supporter of horror art and illustration, Aron has made it his standard to hire illustrators for every book that he puts out under his brand AB Horror.
His writing is dark and without boundaries. Known for creating a stir, his work has gone viral on several occasions. He's won the Splatterpunk Award twice after garnering four total nominations. As an independent artist, Beauregard's book "Playground" has achieved #1 Bestseller status under the category of horror on both Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, his work has been translated to multiple languages.
To get the latest updates about upcoming releases, signed books and merchandise, film news, and so much more, visit his website:
www.ABHorror.com
To subscribe to his free newsletter, join the AB Horror Maggot Mailing List at:
https://aronbeauregard.substack.com/
His writing is dark and without boundaries. Known for creating a stir, his work has gone viral on several occasions. He's won the Splatterpunk Award twice after garnering four total nominations. As an independent artist, Beauregard's book "Playground" has achieved #1 Bestseller status under the category of horror on both Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, his work has been translated to multiple languages.
To get the latest updates about upcoming releases, signed books and merchandise, film news, and so much more, visit his website:
www.ABHorror.com
To subscribe to his free newsletter, join the AB Horror Maggot Mailing List at:
https://aronbeauregard.substack.com/
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
December 17, 2025
So many body parts exploded. 3.5 stars!
October 5, 2025
Three different stories but they interconnect. I absolutely LOVED Aron’s story! It was so good.
June 22, 2025
This is a book containing three tales from three different authors. Two of which I have had the pleasure of reading before and one, John Skipp, I'm reading for the first time.
All three of the stories interconnect with one another seamlessly, making for a brilliantly different, yet completely connected tale highlighting ugly truths, and uglier lies.
The first story is MAKING GOOD By Aron Beauregard….
Wow, this was powerful and shocking. Trauma and lies, so many lies. Lies that were to be the undoing of a broken man. A man who wants to make good on his past mistakes...
Lies and the tangled webs they create, spiralling out of control, one lie leading on to another, more people unwillingly being drawn into the fray.. seeking retribution and resolution.
There's a warm depth to this story, as there always is with Aron's work, it'll pull on your emotions as it drip feeds you the horror! And then smack you full pelt in the face with the most shocking, abhorrent, act of revenge!! Ultimately leaving you reeling….
"The pain is what lets us know we've evolved. Embrace it. Follow it like a roadmap. And when it's finally gone, your journey is over.”
The second story is YOU'RE GETTING WARMER By John Skipp….
This is my first read from John Skipp and it is FIRE!!!! 🔥
Brilliantly descriptive, with a really fun narrative that reads as smooth as butter. It's also gnarly as hell, fast paced and addictive.
A young woman surrounded by lies and liars, who just wants to find her true self..
Liar, liar, (more than just your) pants on fire.
"I WILL IGNITE THE LIES INSIDE YOU.”
And last but not least is PANTS ON FIRE By Shane McKenzie….
The true ugliness of lies and ugly truths are revealed…. savagely and sadistically.
A man intent on birthing a new world, a world purged of lies.
Mckenzie has a real knack of conjuring up the most gruesome images with his narrative, a narrative that also chills you to your very core.
"To live in lies, is to live in filth.”
The way each author progresses the story is unique and captivating, and the culmination of the three tales was brilliantly done. I didn't see it coming. Lots of amazing twists and turns to keep you on your toes throughout, I highly recommend this book!
All three of the stories interconnect with one another seamlessly, making for a brilliantly different, yet completely connected tale highlighting ugly truths, and uglier lies.
The first story is MAKING GOOD By Aron Beauregard….
Wow, this was powerful and shocking. Trauma and lies, so many lies. Lies that were to be the undoing of a broken man. A man who wants to make good on his past mistakes...
Lies and the tangled webs they create, spiralling out of control, one lie leading on to another, more people unwillingly being drawn into the fray.. seeking retribution and resolution.
There's a warm depth to this story, as there always is with Aron's work, it'll pull on your emotions as it drip feeds you the horror! And then smack you full pelt in the face with the most shocking, abhorrent, act of revenge!! Ultimately leaving you reeling….
"The pain is what lets us know we've evolved. Embrace it. Follow it like a roadmap. And when it's finally gone, your journey is over.”
The second story is YOU'RE GETTING WARMER By John Skipp….
This is my first read from John Skipp and it is FIRE!!!! 🔥
Brilliantly descriptive, with a really fun narrative that reads as smooth as butter. It's also gnarly as hell, fast paced and addictive.
A young woman surrounded by lies and liars, who just wants to find her true self..
Liar, liar, (more than just your) pants on fire.
"I WILL IGNITE THE LIES INSIDE YOU.”
And last but not least is PANTS ON FIRE By Shane McKenzie….
The true ugliness of lies and ugly truths are revealed…. savagely and sadistically.
A man intent on birthing a new world, a world purged of lies.
Mckenzie has a real knack of conjuring up the most gruesome images with his narrative, a narrative that also chills you to your very core.
"To live in lies, is to live in filth.”
The way each author progresses the story is unique and captivating, and the culmination of the three tales was brilliantly done. I didn't see it coming. Lots of amazing twists and turns to keep you on your toes throughout, I highly recommend this book!
September 8, 2025
3 intersecting stories from 3 brilliant authors. What more can I say? Just read the damn thing!
November 22, 2025
Pretty good, the last story was the most interesting but still lacked informations. I felt almost like I missed some pages at the end
August 10, 2025
this book is 3 stories that correlate about lies. Aron's story was about a man who witness his parents deaths at a young age and lied to cover up his shame. in the end, he wanted to make right for his actions with the family members of those he hurt. I loved it.
John's was about a girl who was tired of working hard, having a dirt bag boyfriend, and tired of lies. turns out she can spark the truth right of you.
Shane's story was about the truth speaker Royce O'Riley who could hear people's inner thoughts. what ensues is gory, nasty, culty goodness
John's was about a girl who was tired of working hard, having a dirt bag boyfriend, and tired of lies. turns out she can spark the truth right of you.
Shane's story was about the truth speaker Royce O'Riley who could hear people's inner thoughts. what ensues is gory, nasty, culty goodness
June 22, 2025
John. thank you, from the depths of my soul. for writing a splatter story on my hometown mall LMFAO
June 10, 2025
𝑰 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒔𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒕𝒉 𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒘𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒕 𝒖𝒏𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒕. 𝑨𝒏𝒚 𝒓𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒂 𝒔𝒆𝒘𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒍𝒊𝒆. 𝑰𝒕'𝒔 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆. 𝑰𝒕'𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒔. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒂 𝒉𝒖𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒓𝒖𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒔, 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒉𝒆'𝒔 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆. 𝑳𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒂𝒄𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒄𝒐𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒔~𝑵𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒚 𝑭𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒆𝒓
The reasons for lying are endless--we want to avoid an unpleasant consequence, spare someone's feelings, or just indulge in the thrill that deception can bring. These three related tales bring to light the utter destruction that duplicity can bring.
In "Making Good" by Aron Beauregard, Howard Oates is trying to atone for all of the horrible things he's done. From his bleak childhood to his hellish existence as an adult, Howard is well acquainted with suffering. With the courage from a self-help book and its charismatic author, he attempts to right his wrongs.
"You're Getting Warmer" by John Skipp features one of my new favorite female rage characters, Martha Lorraine Mosley. If you've ever felt like the whole world--your partner, your friends, the government, infomercials--is all lying to you and you're sick of it, this is the story for you!
"Pants on Fire" by Shane McKenzie closes out this collection with Royce O'Riley, who sees himself as the leader of the new utopia. This one hit uncomfortably close to home as fiction often does and shines a light on the whole savior and acolyte trope that's playing right now in a nation near you!
I purchased a limited edition signed hardcover from Aron's site. He's got a huge selection for horror lovers to choose from!
The reasons for lying are endless--we want to avoid an unpleasant consequence, spare someone's feelings, or just indulge in the thrill that deception can bring. These three related tales bring to light the utter destruction that duplicity can bring.
In "Making Good" by Aron Beauregard, Howard Oates is trying to atone for all of the horrible things he's done. From his bleak childhood to his hellish existence as an adult, Howard is well acquainted with suffering. With the courage from a self-help book and its charismatic author, he attempts to right his wrongs.
"You're Getting Warmer" by John Skipp features one of my new favorite female rage characters, Martha Lorraine Mosley. If you've ever felt like the whole world--your partner, your friends, the government, infomercials--is all lying to you and you're sick of it, this is the story for you!
"Pants on Fire" by Shane McKenzie closes out this collection with Royce O'Riley, who sees himself as the leader of the new utopia. This one hit uncomfortably close to home as fiction often does and shines a light on the whole savior and acolyte trope that's playing right now in a nation near you!
I purchased a limited edition signed hardcover from Aron's site. He's got a huge selection for horror lovers to choose from!
June 1, 2025
The Ugly Truth is three interconnected stories of profound and graphic horror about lies, treachery, and the ugly truth behind them. In the real world, deception and dishonesty cause pain, destruction, and horrors every day. In this book, splatterpunk masters Aron Beauregard, John Skipp, and Shane McKenzie unapologetically shine a cruel light on the realities of it all.
Each of these stories is impactful and horrifying in its own right. The authors brilliantly combine psychological horror, chilling societal mirroring, and grisly sequences into compelling tales that literally and figuratively clench your insides. But together, these three stories create a vicious and visceral narrative of terror, torture, horrors, and pain, of lies and truth and intent and consequences both immediate and rippling that will grip your mind and challenge your perspective.
A 5-star highly recommended read, but splatterpunk and extreme horror fans only, please.
A Bibliophilia Templum review
https://bibliophiliatemplum.wordpress.com/2025/06/01/the-ugly-truth/
Each of these stories is impactful and horrifying in its own right. The authors brilliantly combine psychological horror, chilling societal mirroring, and grisly sequences into compelling tales that literally and figuratively clench your insides. But together, these three stories create a vicious and visceral narrative of terror, torture, horrors, and pain, of lies and truth and intent and consequences both immediate and rippling that will grip your mind and challenge your perspective.
A 5-star highly recommended read, but splatterpunk and extreme horror fans only, please.
A Bibliophilia Templum review
https://bibliophiliatemplum.wordpress.com/2025/06/01/the-ugly-truth/
August 28, 2025
“Was it those people I’d sought vengeance on who’d really torn my family to bits? Or was it me?”
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A collection of three loosely interwoven stories from three different authors, this book gives each voice just enough room to flex what makes them unique before moving on to the next. This leads to a lightning quick narrative pace that culminates in an excellent finale, and more than a little room for interpretation, which I personally love. I particularly enjoyed the reveal of the final POV character, and the exploration of ‘truth’ as a concept that ties each story together. There isn’t too much for me to wax about (partially because I think giving away any of the scant plot details would be a disservice), but this book is a ridiculous and fun ride that I couldn’t put down and should definitely be on your reading list if you are a splatterpunk enjoyer.
-
A collection of three loosely interwoven stories from three different authors, this book gives each voice just enough room to flex what makes them unique before moving on to the next. This leads to a lightning quick narrative pace that culminates in an excellent finale, and more than a little room for interpretation, which I personally love. I particularly enjoyed the reveal of the final POV character, and the exploration of ‘truth’ as a concept that ties each story together. There isn’t too much for me to wax about (partially because I think giving away any of the scant plot details would be a disservice), but this book is a ridiculous and fun ride that I couldn’t put down and should definitely be on your reading list if you are a splatterpunk enjoyer.
June 25, 2025
Three interconnected stories from three generations of horror! This anthology brings together one of the original splatterpunk icons of the 1980's with a cornerstone of the Deadite Press era of the 2010's and a master of the 2020's modern extreme. Sick, chaotic and fun.
August 3, 2025
Three authors, three stories about how greed, corruption and mind control rule and ruin the world.
July 8, 2025
In the end, living a life of lies only leads to regret and pain”
The ugly truth behind deceitful minds and human behavior,
3 interconnected stories.
Each one disturbingly entertaining and well done.
The stories come together perfectly.
This was a fantastic read!
The ugly truth behind deceitful minds and human behavior,
3 interconnected stories.
Each one disturbingly entertaining and well done.
The stories come together perfectly.
This was a fantastic read!
December 27, 2025
This collection of three stories was beautifully written. All the stories could stand on thier own and when you get them all together you get an amazing book. This book showed what lies can do and how they can effect you and others in the most disturbing and choatic way that these three authors can tell.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews