Pretty Ugly Lies is a domestic noir that gives an inside look into the households of four different women. Each woman has her own daily struggles from parenthood, housekeeping, a professional career, and being a supportive wife. This novel takes the lightness of domestic fiction and pairs it with the darkness of a suspenseful noir to create a unique hybrid illustrating the low points women can reach and what can push her to snap.

I was sucked in immediately, but shortly after that I got confused because there's so many characters. Four points of view and each are tricky to separate from one to the other. At first I thought this was intentional, to show the reader how chaotic it can be to assume the role of wife, mother, and independent woman, but overall it made the story cumbersome and difficult to follow.

I liked connecting with each of the four women, and getting a look into their daily lives, and how each story may lead to the big twist. My issue with these four women was that each story was detailed enough to be its own novel. I was invested in each woman, but there simply wasn't enough time to delve into her story enough to get the depth and detail required to really connect with them.

Where do I start? Other than to say what a rollercoaster ride this story is, with drama filled moments that made this book pretty addictive. The opening alone sets the reader on a very dark path it makes a brilliant start as I was so curious as to what will happen. Pretty Ugly Lies follows four women Jo, Ellie, Shayla and June who all have the so called picture perfect lives but what really lurks below the surface. Along the way we see the different reasons that the characters may be teetering on the edge.

This story shows us that even though from the outside everything looks rosy there could well be secrets, lies and infidelity waiting to be discovered. As the story progresses you get to know the characters along with their flaws all experiencing family life both the good and the bad. I was left feeling quite emotional at times as I saw the way that everyday things can get bottled up which can set off a chain of events, in this case coming to an explosive conclusion.

The way that Pamela Crane wrote this story was perfect at keeping me on my toes I must have changed my mind numerous times over who I thought would commit murder. Nothing is as it appears to be which I thought worked really well at keeping the suspense and tension levels at a high. It really is an explosive story that pulled me right in.

If I could only use three words to describe Pretty Ugly Lies they would be Dark, secretive and shocking!

Four stars from me!

With thanks to Sarah at Bloodhound Books for my copy.

Pretty Ugly Lies centers around the lives of four very different women, but yet their situations are all too similar. What they all share in common is the constant sacrifices they have made for their families, the endless responsibility, feelings of being underappreciated and unloved, and the realization that they have given up their lives and careers for the sake of their family. When it becomes all too much to handle, one of these women finally snaps leaving a deadly path of destruction that rocks the entire community.

We start off with the murder of a husband and children, but we are left in the dark as to whom the killer may be and we are left wondering why and how a mother could do this to her family. Here starts our journey into the unknown and into the lives of each of these four women as we try to determine which one of them has lost their grip on reality.

I get it, I really do. Having a family is a sacrifice, but it can also be very rewarding too. I may not have any children, but I do have two sisters. I am twenty years older than both of my siblings and they completely tortured me when they were young. Evil spawns who were determined to make my life miserable. So, I can understand the frustration and how easily it can be to snap. It also led me to the realization that I do not have a maternal instinct. Hence, why I have no children or the desire to have any children. It doesn't mean that I don't like children, I just like them when they aren’t mine. I also had the one thing these four women didn’t. I could leave any time I wanted as they were not my children. These women were stuck with kids, a husband, and responsibilities from the time they woke up until the time they went to sleep. Day after day after day...over and over again. This can take a toll on any mother at any time. So, I can sympathize with some of the thoughts and feelings each of these women are going through.

“But darkness hid behind closed doors, climbed up the walls, wove a web that would eventually entrap them in misery. I’d been caught in that web”

Pretty Ugly lies is told through four points of view. Each mother, while seeming to have their lives under control to the outside world, harbor deep and deadly secrets. Pamela Crane really did a fantastic job giving these women a unique voice that made them realistic and relatable. Crane has also given us a story that could have been ripped from the headlines. She gives us a glimpse into the Andrea Yates and the Susan Smith’s of this world. The story just grips you from the first page and as we get to know each of these women, you realize that figuring out who murdered their family is not as easy as it seems. Crane throws these red herrings out at us and slowly reals us in to the point where we think we know who did it, but we are so so wrong. You are completely left in the dark until the very end. I was floored and completely shocked with the reveal.

Pamela Crane has a deadly grip on domestic noir at the highest level. Pretty Ugly Lies is a twisted tale that delves into the lives of seemingly normal women and veers off into secrets, lies, and a chilling conclusion that will take you through the intricate layers of a psychological thriller that often times blurs the lines of reality. Although this is the first book I have read by Pamela Crane, it certainly will not be the last. Pretty Ugly Lies is a five star read and one that I thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish.

If I could only write two words for this book it would be: ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT. Talk about hooked from the start! Once I'd read the opening page, I simply couldn't put the book down until I found out whose family had been killed and why.

What an absolutely jaw dropping start to a book: a woman holding her dead husband's hand whilst her other hand holds a knife covered with the blood of her children. WHAT!?!? Who is this? Who lives at 15 Oleander Way? Well I couldn't read fast enough to find out and as we peep through the curtains into the lives of four women we realise that any one of them could be our killer.

Jo Trubeau is hiding a secret from her past that comes back to haunt her when her youngest daughter is abducted from the playground. It soon becomes clear that Amelia was chosen because she's Jo's daughter and Jo must decide exactly how much her secret is worth keeping. As tension mounts between Jo and her husband, Jo is very close to breaking point and if Amelia is not found, who knows what she might do.

Ellie Harper has given up everything to be a wife and mother but her family treat her like dirt. Her 11 year old daughter, Darla, acts like an insolent teenager and her 9 year old son, Logan, has been expelled from school for biting. Both children treat Ellie like a slave and when Ellie finds lipstick on her husband's collar, it really could be the straw the broke the camel's back.

Shayla Kensington is suffering from bipolar disorder and has an affair in her manic state which she soon regrets, but by then it's too late. When her son, Arion, finds Shayla with her fancy-man he transforms from a 'wet noodle' (as Shayla calls him) to a stick of dynamite. If Shayla wants to stop Arion from telling her husband, she has to take matters into her own hands.

Our final suspect is June Merrigan. We are introduced to June as she is hiding in a closet (a wardrobe to those of us this side of the Atlantic), desperate to escape her autistic son, Austin. Also in the closet is a shoebox with a gun inside and June has very vivid fantasies of putting that gun to her head and pulling the trigger. What secret is she hiding that would make blowing her brains out preferable to it being revealed?

Each woman became my prime suspect at one time or another and because of their juicy stories, any single one of them could have killed their family. The way the whole story is put together is simply sublime; it's like doing a jigsaw with a missing piece and only when that piece is slotted in, can the whole picture be revealed.

The gripping, gruesome opening scene reminded me of the TV show Damages and Liane Moriarty's Big Little Lies, where you see the end of the story and can't watch or read fast enough to find out how the characters got there. I loved how the woman in Chapter 1 could easily be any one of the four women we are introduced to. Their stories are quite heartbreaking when you delve into them despite each of them having the appearance of a Stepford Wife. One of these women is a murderer...will you guess which one?

Pretty Ugly Lies is what domestic noir is all about; gripping, shocking, surprising and absolutely brilliant. If you like Liane Moriarty, you will LOVE Pamela Crane. Take my word for it: Pretty Ugly Lies is pretty freaking great!

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

A heart-pounding and gloriously addictive thriller, Pretty Ugly Lies will grab your attention from the very first sentence and keep you on the edge of your seat until the final jaw-dropping twist. If you loved Gone Girl and Big Little Lies, then this breath-taking chiller should go straight to the top of your must-buy list.

Four women whose lives couldn’t be more different and who seem to have absolutely nothing in common find their worlds intersecting and entwining in ways they never imagined before. It is absolutely impossible not to be jealous of Jo’s picture perfect life. She is the envy of all her friends and family and people seemingly cannot help but be envious of her and wish that their life was as rosy as hers. However, Jo’s idyllic life is shattered into a million tiny pieces when her daughter is abducted. Jo would move mountains to find her missing daughter and ensure that no harm comes to her. There seem to be no clues as to where her kidnappers might have taken her, however, could the perpetrator of this heinous crime be somebody Jo knows? Could the clue to her daughter’s disappearance be linked to Jo’s shocking past?

Ellie’s life revolves around her family. A devoted wife whose entire world centers around her perfect marriage, Ellie thinks that she has a lot to be thankful for – until cracks start showing in her perfect marriage. The relationship that meant the world to her was built on a foundation of lies and deceit and when she discovers the pain of betrayal there is only one thing occupying her mind: revenge! Ellie is determined to exact vengeance and will stop at nothing to achieve her goal – even if it means going down a dark and twisted path that will cost her everything!

Shayla is a party girl who seems to lead a carefree existence, but nobody knows better than her how to keep her demons at bay and the scars hidden from the light. Despite all the chaos she has endured, Shayla thinks that she is managing well – until she is forced to make an agonizing choice that could wreck everything for her. What will Shayla do? Will her impossible choice manage to destroy her life? June is well acquainted with suffering and anguish, but smiling enables her to wear a serene patina that ensures that any pain she endures is kept secret. However, secrets do have a habit of getting out…

When fate unites these four women and brings them together, they find themselves drawn deeper into a web of danger and deception where nobody is safe…especially as one of them is a killer!

A tense and terrifying page-turner best read with the light on, Pretty Ugly Liars is as juicy as your favourite box set. This nail-biting thriller redefines the word unputdownable and once you start reading this dark, twisted and jaw-dropping tale you will find yourself completely mesmerized and won’t be able to stop reading until you reach the last page.

Pamela Crane has penned a compulsively readable thriller that is first class! Pretty Ugly Lies is a well-written, thought-provoking and captivating read that is sure to keep you glued to your sun lounger this summer! Don’t miss it!

Oh.....my.....word!!! I was not expecting THAT! Granted I didn't read the blurb of Pamela Crane's novel, but if I had I really don't think that the storyline would have shocked me as much. I really do think that this book needs to be read with the minimal amount of information known beforehand. I am gobsmacked!

As soon as the story starts, the author shoves her readers into the deep end whether they like it or not - such a memorable and spine tingling opening to a novel, but one that filled me with extreme nervousness from the get go. I will hold my hands up and say that I was a bit unsure after reading the beginning of the book, purely because I wasn't sure whether I would be able to cope with the story unfolding before me. Obviously, I did continue, yet that sense of nervousness stayed with me for the duration of the book. And no, not in a bad way. I suppose I didn't realise how invested in 'Pretty Ugly Lies' I had become, nor did I realise just how vivid the authors words would relay into my mind.

I would have to say that the only real downfall for me was the fact that there were a lot of characters to keep tabs of, as well as the chapters not being as well-defined as I would have liked, especially when character headings didn't match to the character in the firing line at that particular moment. I did get a bit confused which meant that I had to take time to work out the character family tree before I continued. But, as I say, that was my only little irk regarding the book - I loved everything else! Well, that makes me sound like a creep now doesn't it! I didn't love the events, just to clarify - I'm not thattttttt sick haha. I just loved the high level of intensity, the gritty suspense, and the fact that the entire storyline was making the hairs on my arms stand to attention.

I am not going to go into detail about particular events in the book as, to be perfectly honest, it isn't my place to judge. However, I am utterly flabbergasted by what took place in the storyline, and I am in awe of Pamela Crane's ability to make everything appear very realistic. 'Pretty Ugly Lies' is such a gritty and dark read which, despite being slightly out of my comfort zone, ticked all of my boxes due to its extreme suspense and cleverly woven storyline. I may have not long finished reading this, but my poor heart still hasn't calmed down yet! Chilling!

What causes a woman to just murder her husband and kids? How could someone just snap like that? Pretty Ugly Lies is a psychological thriller that explores just this situation, but the twist is that it could be one of four different women. There are four women’s stories that weave together in this dark novel and it will leave you guessing, “Is she the one?!” at the end of each chapter. Pamela Crane brings new meaning to the genre of domestic noir.

This is a thought-provoking read that scares me more because of the reality of it being true. I have seen many of my friends display signs of marital and maternal unhappiness from time to time. And how they just feel trapped. But that’s all it is, right? Everyone succumbs to those pressures and picture-perfect expectations, don’t they? Surely THEY will never snap and murder their family… right? But that’s what gets me with this book. I would have never fully suspected anything to happen here that elevated more than the “woe is me” moments, tawdry affairs to numb the pain, writing dark and honest thoughts in a diary, etc.

Pamela Crane creates a “Desperate Housewives meets Kate Chopin’s The Awakening.” All the bourgie suburban fun of the hit TV show mixed with the pressures of motherhood and what a women should be and how she should act. It throws matrimony, motherhood, ambition, and disdain in a giant blender for the reader.

My main issue with the book was I thought there was a little too much whining and self-deprecation going on. These women and moms are all caught up in themselves and being some fake, better, cookie-cutter version of themselves or having affairs and they wonder why things come crashing down? Honesty, y’all! And if your kids are weighing you down, there’s certainly no reason to have 4+ of them! We all know how these things happen… lock it up!

In the end I will give this a 3.5 out of 5 star rating. I thought the book was fast-paced enough and kept me wondering what was going to happen. I got a little lost at times with all the names that seemed to start with ‘J’ but that could just be on me (woopsy!) Thank you to NetGalley and Bloodhound Books for this free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

From the first chapter the author knows how to grab the readers attention and hold onto it.

The story starts off with a murder scene. We don’t know who it is. The story is told through four women’s point of view. Each of them tells us about their mundane lives. I could understand how family life can be draining but I really wanted to shake some of these women.

A lot of people would envy these characters lives. They have it all yet they aren’t happy.

A well written read that will have you thinking about the life you’ve got and what you make of it. Will definitely be reading more from this author.

I am very conflicted about this book. On the one hand it landed you straight into the middle of the action from the first couple of pages which I liked but on the other there was a lot of whining from the majority of characters which annoyed me quite a bit. There are some good twists in the plot that keep the reader intrigued and the story was sound but my issue was with the characters. It is rare I dislike characters enough that it affects my enjoyment of a book but I did here - the women seemed extremely fake and materialistic.

The story is told from 4 differing POV - all women who are wives and mothers. They each seem like normal protective mothers and family orientated individuals but this is merely a facade. Beneath this fake exterior lies women who are expert at hiding their secrets. None of the mothers were likable but I did feel sympathetic towards their situation at certain times throughout the book. At its heart, this story is about the difference between what we really feel and what we show to others - that what we seem like on the exterior can be hiding a dark and secretive reality.

Well written and interesting with a plot that keeps you guessing the whole time. I would recommend this to those who enjoy reading womens fiction/chick lit or chick noir. This is one domestic noir that I didn't particularly enjoy but as reading is subjective I can imagine this attracting a large audience who will love it. This is just my opinion so if you like the sound of the blurb - give it a go! I plan to purchase other Pamela Crane books to read over the summer months and I hope I appreciate them more than I did this one.

Many thanks to Bloodhound Books for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Pretty Ugly Lies
Pamela Crane
Available: July 18, 2018

Thank you to NetGalley.com for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
I will forgive the purblisher for the re-release of this book and trying to pass it off as new – only because the story itself was so fricken good! I could not put the book down because I was dying to figure out who committed the murder and I wanted to see how it all played out.
What I loved: The honesty of the women for their feelings about their families (Ironic because of the title, right?). No one truly has the Pintrest perfect life out there no matter how much someone tries to keep the ugly out – these 4 women just take their feelings to the absolute extreme.
What I didn’t love: The ending/afterword was a little too perfectly ties up with no loose ends - I’m not sure if I would have that level of forgiveness in my heart and be able to move on like that. While I’d like to think I am a strong person, I’d also like to think I would lose it for a while if that happened to me.
What I learned: Gun safes and lithium – two things really needed by these ladies..
Overall Grade: A-

www.FluffSmutandMurder.com

This is a must read book! The twists, turns and spine chilling suspense of these four women will have you questioning everything. As a mother, it may be surprising how many of these same thoughts you may have had at one point or another. Loved it!

This story is told from 5 different point of views; one is minor. The 4 major POVs are married women with children. We learn how they are tired and fed up with their lives. They all have secrets and those secrets will make or break them.
This book sucked me in and I was upset when I had to stop reading and go to work. It’s a very quick read but you are fully endorsed in these women’s world. This author knows how to hook a reader.
Be sure to read the short at the end. It’s written by her daughter and is hilarious.

This book felt like it was trying to be Desperate Housewives. 4 women in a supposed affluent neighborhood each dealing with their own issues, or secrets as the reader is continually told. These women are simplistic caricatures, none for whom I developed any sympathy. They all seemed to have done a good job of bringing their own woes down on themselves. In fact, of of the stories lines was so annoying, I cringed every time I saw it was a chapter dealing with her. I debated skipping them all together but thought perhaps I might miss something. Overall, the story has 2 main plots: the abduction of a child and a family massacre. You would think there would be a lot of drama and suspense, but everything felt sanitized and watered down. Like a mystery being told in monotone.

Pretty Ugly Lies is narrated by 4 women in interchanging chapters. The book starts with a gruesome murder scene. A family has been butchered in their home. We don’t know by whom or why. The story unravels as we learn about each woman and her “woes” and “secrets”.
The book was well written albeit excessively poetic. The bloody bang at the beginning makes you continue to read to learn more.

But, and there is a big BUT…

The names of the characters were confusing. Jo. Jay. J. Janyn. June. Jude. Really???
There was too much melodrama. Too much whining that halfway through became nauseating.
The soliloquies of the women became boring and repetitive.
Listening to these women, one would think they are living in a third world country, force-married to some abusive man 3 times their ages who impregnates them once a year.
I know life can suck. I know it could become unbearably boring or distressing. I traveled miles away from my country and family to marry. I had no friends in the new country. I didn’t understand the language they were speaking. When I had my baby, my mother had cancer and couldn’t travel. I was alone and lonely. No one to help me. I had panic attacks. The next day of my coming home from the hospital my husband went to work. I had to take my baby to do my eye surgery because there was no friend to take care of her in the meantime. And all this, because of the choices I made. I !!! Not my husband and not my family. And definitely not my beautiful baby. I knew what I was stepping into.

That said, how can you expect a 3 or 5 or 11 year old to come and say “I love you” all the time and show her gratitude and appreciation for you. That you have carried her for 9 months, painfully delivered her, stayed awake and fed her at night, cleaned her poop, etc., etc.
Many times these women referred to their children as their jailers and suffocaters.

A bunch of rich women wearing Gucci and bla-bla, whining that while their husbands were working all day, they had to take care of their children. The children they could have avoided having if they chose. That was the gist of the book.
4 kids? And whose fault is that?

I rarely get angry while reading a book, but the constant whinings and extreme choices these women made drove me to the edge.

Thanks to Pamela Crane, Bloodhound Books and NetGalley, for providing me with a copy.

Pretty Ugly Lies tells the story of four woman who live the "perfect life", or do they?
You never know what goes on behind closed doors.
Each woman has skeletons in their closets and it is only a matter of time before they come out to haunt them.
How far would you go for love?
This book gripped me so hard and did not let me go until the end.

Wow, this had me hooked from page one, the characters are so strong, not always likeable, but strong and the storyline is gripping!

Oh My! That opening scene!
Then a gripping, thrilling ride through the lives of four diverse women navigating family life.

Thank you NetGalley & Bloodhound Books for the ARC of Pretty Ugly Lies by Pamela Crane. This book definitely holds your interest. Once you start reading you get drawn into the story and it’s characters. I will not give any spoilers. Let’s just say many twists and turns that will keep the reader interested and intrigued. This is my first book by the author and I’m looking forward to reading more of her books in the near future. I recommend this book hopefully you will check it out.

Pretty Ugly Lies by Pamela Crane is a chilling look at the dark side of motherhood

The story is told via 4 multiple POVs - all women who are wives & mothers. On the outside they look like you or me - dutiful mothers & wives who are taking care of their families. The real story lies beneath the pretty exterior - those darker feelings and emotions we normally keep hidden and/or suppress. Know what I mean? I know you do because we've all been there. Think of those hard days where you feel overworked, under appreciated, overlooked and it feels like nothing you do is right or enough. Well this book doesn't shy away from any of it! It takes all those emotions and heightens them.

"But darkness hid behind closed doors, climbed up the walls, wove a web that would eventually entrap them in misery."

The books opens up with with a chillingly grisly murder scene - a family annihilated. We don't know who it is but slowly, the tale is spun and we find ourselves taken in by these women's stories. All the while, we are left to question - who finally snapped and became a monster?

"I became a snake shedding its skin as I fed on my anger. I dropped the mask that I hid behind, letting my inner monster loose."

Crane's writing is gripping and raw in her portrayal of marriage and motherhood. She doesn't shy away from the ugliness that can reside under the facade. In my opinion, she puts it ALL out there! The story is heavy and touches on kidnapping, lies, secrets, infidelity, caring for children with special needs, homosexuality and even psychological disorders but it's also very readable. I found it easy to connect with these women despite the complicated subject matter.

There were a few things that I feel could have been done better and I had to suspend my disbelief a bit but overall, I enjoyed the story. The premise of the book was compelling and it was definitely a darker look at motherhood. We hear stories of women who "snap" or commit atrocities and wonder - how could they do that? Crane offers us an interesting peek into the lives of such women.

Thanks to Netgalley for my copy.

The opening chapter of this book drew me right in with the murder of a husband and children. We are then introduced to four women who all live in the same neighbourhood all dealing with problems and issues in their family life.

The chapters alternate between the four women and their POV. I didn't particularly like any of the women and quite frankly at times could have shaken them out of their passivity but I did feel empathy for them at times especially when dealing with some of their husbands.

This book is an honest portrayal of domestic life when a happy front is not what it appears. As the families fall apart you think you know who the killer is but it keeps changing.