What do you think?
Rate this book
Don't Murder Me
The year is 2001.
On her way out of work on a frigid October night, two inebriated thugs assault pregnant Ashley Ferguson as she goes to get in her car. She is knocked unconscious and is taken to the field behind the shopping center where 23-year-old Ashley is brutally raped. This horrifying event devastates her emotionally, not only for obvious reasons, but also because it comes in the wake of her husband's tragic death.
Down and out as well as broke, talented abstract painter Ashley is forced to moved back home with her mother. Claire Whittaker, who is retired, does not want the responsibility of having to take care of Ashley's baby. Even though she loves the child dearly, it shouldn't be her job.
Then one day, after peeking in her daughter's diary, Claire is shocked to learn that Ashley is hearing voices, which are telling her to commit suicide with the .22 caliber revolver that she had supposedly bought for protection.
So who will save her? Who will save Ashley from the drugs and alcohol that begin to control her life? Who will help her become the responsible parent that her baby deserves?
Could it be Troy? The supermarket employee who had chased away the rapists? And with whom Ashley had fallen in love with? Would he accept not only her, but also her and Peter's child? Ashley hopes so, because without someone to love, life doesn't seem worth living.
On her way out of work on a frigid October night, two inebriated thugs assault pregnant Ashley Ferguson as she goes to get in her car. She is knocked unconscious and is taken to the field behind the shopping center where 23-year-old Ashley is brutally raped. This horrifying event devastates her emotionally, not only for obvious reasons, but also because it comes in the wake of her husband's tragic death.
Down and out as well as broke, talented abstract painter Ashley is forced to moved back home with her mother. Claire Whittaker, who is retired, does not want the responsibility of having to take care of Ashley's baby. Even though she loves the child dearly, it shouldn't be her job.
Then one day, after peeking in her daughter's diary, Claire is shocked to learn that Ashley is hearing voices, which are telling her to commit suicide with the .22 caliber revolver that she had supposedly bought for protection.
So who will save her? Who will save Ashley from the drugs and alcohol that begin to control her life? Who will help her become the responsible parent that her baby deserves?
Could it be Troy? The supermarket employee who had chased away the rapists? And with whom Ashley had fallen in love with? Would he accept not only her, but also her and Peter's child? Ashley hopes so, because without someone to love, life doesn't seem worth living.
382 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 8, 2019
464 people are currently reading
148 people want to read
About the author
John Meany
50 books14 followersA native of the New York-New Jersey Tri-state area, John has published multiple works of fiction. Most of his books are a distinctive blend of horror, suspense and fantasy.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 16, 2019
Sad
One of the shallower books I have read. Way too much silly description and the name dropping...is he getting paid by advertisers?
One of the shallower books I have read. Way too much silly description and the name dropping...is he getting paid by advertisers?
March 8, 2021
I thought this book had promise at the start. It threw you in at the deep end with a traumatic experience that shocked you but I think that’s were my interest ended really. I try not to give up on a book do I persevered with it. The ending was pretty anti climatic. You follow the life of Ashley who is the victim of the traumatic experience. You meet her mother and love interest along the way with a few twists and turns here and there but nothing that really grabs your attention. One thing that did irritate me as I was reading was the fact Ashley had a child who’s name was Kimberly but they kept referring to her as ‘the baby’. If you’re looking for a dark thriller this isn’t it, I’d say it was more of a love story. Not my cup of tea I’m afraid.
October 24, 2022
The story was good...
Don't Murder Me: A Dark Thriller is a good story, but I wouldn't call it a dark thriller. I didn't find it particularly suspenseful or dark.
The story was also poorly edited. The use of the non word "unparticular" irked me. Plus, continuity of character was off. Brad and Eve are the brother and sister-in-laws not the mother and father-in-laws. Yet this changed a few times in the story.
The book was, overall, a good read. Careful editing would have made it much better.
Don't Murder Me: A Dark Thriller is a good story, but I wouldn't call it a dark thriller. I didn't find it particularly suspenseful or dark.
The story was also poorly edited. The use of the non word "unparticular" irked me. Plus, continuity of character was off. Brad and Eve are the brother and sister-in-laws not the mother and father-in-laws. Yet this changed a few times in the story.
The book was, overall, a good read. Careful editing would have made it much better.
July 22, 2025
The first thing I have to say is this book needs a serious edit! The style of writing was somewhat juvenile and the errors including incorrect language and punctuation were further exacerbated by incorrect character names. This is unfortunate as the story started off with promise but then became a hodge podge of main character Ashley's life, her love interests, and relationship with her mother. It certainly isn't a thriller. 2 stars at most.
March 1, 2021
Yeah, his book was pretty bad. The details were a bit too much and the depth and plot were lacking.
August 31, 2021
Would not recommen.d
Struggled to get through this book. Wanted to tell son characters to "get on with it". Acted like love sick teenagers
Struggled to get through this book. Wanted to tell son characters to "get on with it". Acted like love sick teenagers
October 21, 2020
Trauma can completely destroy a person
Superb. I couldn't out the book down once I'd for into it. Through heartache and adversity life finds a way of striving onwards. Ashley endures the loss of her childhood sweetheart husband and is then subjected to the most horrific sexual assault but falls into the abyss where self medicating with prescription painkillers and alcohol threatens to scupper her chances of finding a way to survive and rebuild her life. Definitely a 5* read
Superb. I couldn't out the book down once I'd for into it. Through heartache and adversity life finds a way of striving onwards. Ashley endures the loss of her childhood sweetheart husband and is then subjected to the most horrific sexual assault but falls into the abyss where self medicating with prescription painkillers and alcohol threatens to scupper her chances of finding a way to survive and rebuild her life. Definitely a 5* read
January 6, 2020
The writing was very, for lack of a better word, simplistic. I skipped over loads of passages. Too many silly details that weren't pertinent. (Why would I need to know someone bought their blouse at Kohls?) The story line was interesting and could have been treated in a more mature manner. Oh well, it only took me a few hours to read and it was a freebie on my Kindle.
February 7, 2021
Sadly i did not feel the emotions flowing from the pages like i thought i would. Some one dealing with not one but several horrendous traumas in life and trying to over come them with the help of others, but she does it her self when she breaks free, heart breaking but she survives by a whisper!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews