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Mr. Ugly
A malicious entity roams the country, possessing whomever it pleases and forcing them to kill in the most sadistic ways imaginable. Gertie, a powerful psychic, has been chasing this specter for years. It has taken everything from her, and she'll stop at nothing to end its trail of terror for good.
Janelle is an ordinary teenager until the night she and her friends are attacked by a lunatic on the highway. In the aftermath, the boy she loves begins acting like someone else. At first, she thinks he's struggling to cope with the trauma, but soon learns something far more sinister is at work.
Detective Ray Alverson heads the investigation into the highway attack. Since taking the case, he's been having visions he can't explain. As the body count rises in his once-quiet town, he must embrace the gift he's been running from his entire life-even as it threatens to destroy him.
In the fight against unspeakable evil, these three strangers will sacrifice more than they could ever imagine. But evil has plans of its own, and it is growing stronger...
A fast-paced supernatural thriller from one of the genre's strongest new voices, Mr. Ugly will keep you white-knuckled through the night.
Janelle is an ordinary teenager until the night she and her friends are attacked by a lunatic on the highway. In the aftermath, the boy she loves begins acting like someone else. At first, she thinks he's struggling to cope with the trauma, but soon learns something far more sinister is at work.
Detective Ray Alverson heads the investigation into the highway attack. Since taking the case, he's been having visions he can't explain. As the body count rises in his once-quiet town, he must embrace the gift he's been running from his entire life-even as it threatens to destroy him.
In the fight against unspeakable evil, these three strangers will sacrifice more than they could ever imagine. But evil has plans of its own, and it is growing stronger...
A fast-paced supernatural thriller from one of the genre's strongest new voices, Mr. Ugly will keep you white-knuckled through the night.
326 pages, Paperback
Published June 8, 2022
16 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 26, 2022
Having read Benjamin Allocco's previous novel Deathform, I expected another creepy, exciting, and adrenaline-filled page-turner in Mr. Ugly. Boy were my expectations exceeded.
After a seemingly random and horrific tragedy befalls a group of teens driving home from a summer vacation, the survivors discover that the horror is only just beginning. Allocco unravels his eerie mystery as the characters experience it, allowing the reader to come along for the ride and enticing them to keep turning those pages to see what comes next. Chapters are short but often end with a tantalizing sentence that will keep you reading late into the night, and even if you can finally force the book closed, you may not want to turn off the light.
Allocco's prose is succinct and expertly paced, letting the reader's imagination do a lot of the legwork, and his dialogue natural and smooth. His sentences run long and often forego standard punctuation, creating a chaotic and anxious atmosphere that keeps you on your toes. Deep research and life experience clearly played a big role in this book's completion, as scenes describing police procedures, as well as the small town settings, feel lived in and vibrant.
Horror only truly works when the stakes are high, and that often comes down to caring about the characters. From our main trio to the supporting characters, I found myself dreading everyone's fates and hoping for their survival. Not only that, but I was excited every time Allocco delved into a character's past and showed you how they got to where they are when you meet them. You really get to know these people inside and out, and even when they make the wrong choices, you understand why they made them.
Finally, the monster! "Mr. Ugly," as he's dubbed by the characters, is an original, disgusting, and frightening creature on a mission to cause pain, fear, and irreparable destruction everywhere he goes, possessing a human host to do his bidding. Allocco writes a few chapters from the POV of people possessed by the monster, and you truly get the sense of a losing battle for control as Mr. Ugly incepts his dark thoughts into his hosts' minds.
I finished this book relatively quickly considering my often-packed schedule, and had I more time in the days I'm sure I would've finished it faster. Allocco has written a dark and disturbing page-turner in Mr. Ugly that will stay with you long after you've turned that last page.
After a seemingly random and horrific tragedy befalls a group of teens driving home from a summer vacation, the survivors discover that the horror is only just beginning. Allocco unravels his eerie mystery as the characters experience it, allowing the reader to come along for the ride and enticing them to keep turning those pages to see what comes next. Chapters are short but often end with a tantalizing sentence that will keep you reading late into the night, and even if you can finally force the book closed, you may not want to turn off the light.
Allocco's prose is succinct and expertly paced, letting the reader's imagination do a lot of the legwork, and his dialogue natural and smooth. His sentences run long and often forego standard punctuation, creating a chaotic and anxious atmosphere that keeps you on your toes. Deep research and life experience clearly played a big role in this book's completion, as scenes describing police procedures, as well as the small town settings, feel lived in and vibrant.
Horror only truly works when the stakes are high, and that often comes down to caring about the characters. From our main trio to the supporting characters, I found myself dreading everyone's fates and hoping for their survival. Not only that, but I was excited every time Allocco delved into a character's past and showed you how they got to where they are when you meet them. You really get to know these people inside and out, and even when they make the wrong choices, you understand why they made them.
Finally, the monster! "Mr. Ugly," as he's dubbed by the characters, is an original, disgusting, and frightening creature on a mission to cause pain, fear, and irreparable destruction everywhere he goes, possessing a human host to do his bidding. Allocco writes a few chapters from the POV of people possessed by the monster, and you truly get the sense of a losing battle for control as Mr. Ugly incepts his dark thoughts into his hosts' minds.
I finished this book relatively quickly considering my often-packed schedule, and had I more time in the days I'm sure I would've finished it faster. Allocco has written a dark and disturbing page-turner in Mr. Ugly that will stay with you long after you've turned that last page.
July 24, 2022
This was a delightfully grotesque, squirm in your seat thriller - enjoyably horrifying and compelling. I loved the villain - unlike anything I’ve read before. Don’t read it at night before bed unless you’re prepared for nightmares. Looking forward to more like this from the author. Bravo!
February 5, 2023
One of my favorite horror books I’ve read in recent years. Brilliantly conceived and excellently realized. This would make a fantastic mini-series.
September 22, 2022
Double Wow
Now that is worse than a monkey on your back. That was a great read. It was straight forward Ugly. Thumbs up to the author.
Now that is worse than a monkey on your back. That was a great read. It was straight forward Ugly. Thumbs up to the author.
October 10, 2022
Want to read something for Halloween
This is definitely it! Or any dark and stormy night if you have the courage. Looking forward to more scares.
This is definitely it! Or any dark and stormy night if you have the courage. Looking forward to more scares.
July 22, 2022
When four teens on their way home from a trip come across a stranded stranger, their lives take a horrendous turn for the worse. One of the teens was murdered, two were left in shock, and the fourth became possessed by Mr. Ugly, a sadistic entity that takes over his whole being. Now being pursued by both a powerful psychic and a Fairfield detective, the possessed teen launches onto a path of destruction. The hunters working together will have to sacrifice everything in order to stop this unspeakable evil.
Mr. Ugly is a page-turning supernatural horror from author Benjamin Allocco. This fresh approach combines the possession and slasher genres while also stylized as a crime drama, making it a thrilling read. Allocco’s descriptive prose and agile pacing add to sustaining the overall gory sensation throughout the novel. As the scenes intensify, so does the pace of the book, leaving the reader on the edge of their seat. The main characters’ back stories, including the callous origins and motivations of Allocco’s antagonist, add to the complexity of their competing impulses. Horror fans looking for a new voice look no further than Benjamin Allocco and Mr. Ugly.
This review was originally published at https://manhattanbookreview.com/produ...
Mr. Ugly is a page-turning supernatural horror from author Benjamin Allocco. This fresh approach combines the possession and slasher genres while also stylized as a crime drama, making it a thrilling read. Allocco’s descriptive prose and agile pacing add to sustaining the overall gory sensation throughout the novel. As the scenes intensify, so does the pace of the book, leaving the reader on the edge of their seat. The main characters’ back stories, including the callous origins and motivations of Allocco’s antagonist, add to the complexity of their competing impulses. Horror fans looking for a new voice look no further than Benjamin Allocco and Mr. Ugly.
This review was originally published at https://manhattanbookreview.com/produ...
January 20, 2023
A big yes! Kept me turning pages even when I was afraid to! The Mr. Ugly character is about as horrific a creature as you'll find in horror fiction. Makes your skin crawl (read the novel, you'll see what I mean.)
The beginning had me a little confused about who was who, who was in a relationship with who, and where they were coming from and going to. But once the story kicked in all was well. As well as it can be in a horror story!
Great characters (Greta!) and a strong story-line. Highly recommended.
The beginning had me a little confused about who was who, who was in a relationship with who, and where they were coming from and going to. But once the story kicked in all was well. As well as it can be in a horror story!
Great characters (Greta!) and a strong story-line. Highly recommended.
December 8, 2022
Absolutely brilliant!
June 24, 2024
I was hooked on “Mr. Ugly” from the first page to the last and had a hard time putting it down. Suspenseful and dark, the book is beautifully written and every character so richly developed.
This is a must-read for anyone who loves a good horror novel or supernatural thriller. It’s the kind of book that will stay with you long after you read it. I can't wait to see what's next from Benjamin Allocco.
This is a must-read for anyone who loves a good horror novel or supernatural thriller. It’s the kind of book that will stay with you long after you read it. I can't wait to see what's next from Benjamin Allocco.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews