Gripping!!

Beautiful Monster is a gripping and disturbing exploration of obsession and the dark side of human desire. Rick R. Reed masterfully weaves a tale of suspense, weaving a web of lies and deceit that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

The story follows Hank, a seemingly ordinary man whose life takes a terrifying turn after a chance encounter with the enigmatic Abbott Lowery. Abbott's charm and charisma quickly captivate Hank, drawing him into a dangerous and obsessive relationship. As the line between fantasy and reality blurs, Hank finds himself trapped in a nightmare of his own making.

One of the strengths of this audiobook is the exceptional performance by narrator Alan I Ross. His portrayal of Hank's descent into madness is both chilling and compelling, perfectly capturing the character's vulnerability and desperation. The narration adds an extra layer of intensity to the already suspenseful plot.

Overall, Beautiful Monster is a well-written and well-narrated thriller that will leave you questioning the nature of obsession and the lengths people will go to for love. It's a must-listen for fans of psychological thrillers and dark romance.

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Tense and compelling

An intense story that touches on dark fantasies, obsession, the will to survive versus the will to destroy and where the line between a life with the right amount of spice turns in to a nightmare of horror. I found Hank's desire for "more" at the beginning of the story totally understandable and Abbot is certainly darkly attractive but oh, lordy, it isn't long before Hank's world is completely upended. Don't start this one in the evening unless you plan to stay up all night to finish it. You won't be able to put it down and might need an extra light or two on. Alan Ross does a wonderful job of capturing Abbot's attraction at the beginning and the transition into the nightmare as the story progresses.

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What a Thrill! Wonderful Job by Alan I Ross

Rick R. Reed goes steps beyond what I think will be the climax in his stories, and it's always an amazing read! Beautiful Monster is a great example of Reed's skill in building a thriller. It is dark and chilling, with gripping characters and an intricate plot. Once I started listening to the audiobook I literally could not stop, and I finished it in one afternoon.

The audio version of Beautiful Monster is performed by Alan I Ross, and he does a marvelous job with this sinister and entertaining story.

I'm so glad I had this one for Halloween, and I highly recommend Rick R. Reed's Beautiful Monster any time of year.

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Gruesome and chilling!

I’ve loved everything I’ve read by Rick R. Reed. I knew that he writes all kinds of genres but I’ve never read any of his horror stories—until now. 🙂

The writing was amazing and so was the audio performance. AFAIK I’ve never listened to another book performed by Alan I. Ross but I would definitely listen to more audiobooks he performs.

I’m not sure what to say about the story; the blurb pretty much says what you need to know. I’ll just add that I was kept guessing how it would all turn out until the very end. I’m not sure I’ll ever read another horror story but I’m absolutely not sorry I listened to this one.

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Enjoyed the narration

Story = 2 stars (for author's creativity)
Narration = 4 stars

This is m4m but is definitely not a romance!

Hank is unemployed, bored and in a 20 year marriage that has lost the sparks, even though he claims to still love his husband, he goes out looking for some excitement for the first time.

Abbott is haunted by nightmares of his past. He hates everything and everyone and thinks anyone who flirts with him or looks his way is a ---- and he wants to teach them a lesson.

This is full of suspense and twists and surprises like alot of this author's books. I really didn't know what was real or lies and how it would all end. I love this author's books for these aspects but this was a no for me. I almost stopped listening a few times. I hated every character and the terrible ending.

This narrator did a really good job. His voice was age appropriate for the characters. He kept a good flow and expressed all the emotions really well. He brought life to the story but I did wish the voices between the characters were more distinct. I haven't listened to this narrator before but I would listen to him again.

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Intense

I’m reviewing the audio edition.


Hank lost his job so he is currently a bored stay at home husband. He feels the flame has gone out of his 20 year marriage and while he still loves Jonah, he feels like he is missing something. He fantasizes about what could be and then one day he runs across Abbott.


Abbott is a great looking guy who attracts Hank. The problem is Abbott is damaged from a terrible childhood and seems to feel it's his duty to punish other men for what happened to his mom, especially a cheating man like Hank.


This is an edgy story with numerous other characters that lend depth to the story. The narration by Alan Ross makes the story feel very real.

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