Sneak Peek: Pretty Wicked by Kelly Charron with Giveaway

Pretty Wicked

by Kelly Charron

YA Killer Thriller

The daughter of a local police detective, 15-year-old Ryann has spent most of her life studying how to pull off the most gruesome murders her small Colorado town has ever seen.

But killing is only part of it. Ryann enjoys being the reason the cops are frenzied. The one who makes the neighbors lock their doors and windows on a hot summer’s day. The one everyone fears but no one suspects. 

Carving out her own murderous legacy proves harder than she predicted. Mistakes start adding up. And with the police getting closer, and her own father becoming suspicious, Ryann has to prove once and for all that she’s smarter than anyone else—or she’ll pay the ultimate price. 

Mature YA. *Some graphic content

“This creepy novel places you inside the mind of a twisted teen killer, which is even more unsettling because of how familiar and normal she seems. Be prepared to leave the lights on and look at the people around you in a whole new way.” 

-Eileen Cook | Author of WITH MALICE

"Pretty Wicked is fresh, thrilling, and deeply haunting. I've never read anything like it! The story escalates from page one and will leave your pulse pounding as you wonder just how far Ryann will go. 5/5 stars."

-Tiana Warner | Author of Ice Massacre & Ice Crypt

Goodreads * Amazon

SNEAK PEEK

Olivia and I had almost reached the dimmest,

most secluded part of the alleyway. As we

walked, I scanned the area for anyone who might

later identify me or remember the two of us. So far

we were alone. Not many people strolled the back

alleys at night, which was exactly why I’d chosen

this particular backdrop on a surveillance trip a few

weeks before. Huge trees shielded us from the light

of the few street lamps. Long wooden fences

separated the houses from us by a good twenty feet.

We were sheltered.

“Are we there yet? This is taking too long. I’m

going to get caught.” Olivia peered down the lane.

“Maybe we should go back?”

Her whining pleased me. Mostly because in a

matter of minutes I’d never have to hear it again. No

one would. I was doing people a service. I smiled,

tilting my head empathetically. “It’s just two more

blocks. I told you, the alley is a shortcut. Just think,

it’ll be worth the wait when you taste it.” I patted

her gently on the back, shooing her forward, the

edges of my mouth turned up at the corners.

Like a good little lamb, Olivia plodded on. I was

definitely the shepherd this time. If only my dad

could’ve seen me.

“It’s really dark, Ryann,” she said with a quiver,

still walking a few feet ahead.

“There’s nothing to be afraid of. Only a little

farther.”

Quietly, I fished in my pocket for my nitrile

gloves. I wasn’t stupid. I’d taken them out of my

father’s office weeks before. They were a bit big, but

they’d do the job. Slipping them on, I reached into

the side pocket of my bag, where I’d stowed it.

The long, shiny blade captivated me. I must have

held it hundreds of times. I’d practiced on an old

pillow, a variety of melons, a water balloon, and

even a grassy field—driving the blade into various

surfaces to experience the thrusting pressure

running through my hands and up my arms. To feel

the pull and, finally, release of the blade as it left

whatever item I’d chosen. But nothing would come

close to the satisfaction of doing it for real.

A few more steps and we would be at my

preplanned spot. I took a few deep breaths, noting

the smell of freshly cut grass as I attempted to shake

the nerves bustling inside me.

Stupid first-time jitters.

This wasn’t the time to second-guess myself.

I’m not your average killer. It’s not like I’m

depraved or anything. I’ve never killed or tortured

an animal. I help the occasional old person cross the

street or carry their bags from the grocery store to

their car. Selecting a kill isn’t frivolous but a means

to an end. I have to do it––it’s like the urge is

encoded somewhere inside me—so I chose wisely.

Being with Olivia was different. It was

something just for me. It wasn’t connected to the rest

of the world I’d built—to my family, my friends, or

the Ryann they knew. I tried to be the girl they all

wanted, but no matter how hard I struggled to play

my part, I was never quite good enough. Always

compared to Bri. Always coming up short.

Well, I was about to prove them wrong. I’d

worked for this moment, and I’d chosen wisely. It

wasn’t like little Livy was innocent simply because

she was a kid.

Everyone is guilty of something.

Olivia was still in front of me, shadowed by the

dark, without the slightest clue about what was

going to happen next. A giddy feeling

enveloped me.

I felt for the blade in my pocket and stroked the

edge with my index finger.

But then something happened that I hadn’t

anticipated. A rush of anxiety flooded through my

blood.

I wasn’t sure if I could do it.

At least not that way, and I had no idea why. I’d

dreamed about it for so long, but my hand could not

free the knife from my pocket. My heart raced; sweat

dripped down my face. It wasn’t like she was the

first. I hadn’t hesitated with Veronica.

Olivia was practically skipping in front of me

when everything stilled. I couldn’t leave without

doing it. What would that say about me and

everything I’d worked so hard for? I couldn’t be a

failure. I could do this—the very thing no one else I

knew could ever even dream of doing. Small

shudders tingled up and down my arms and legs.

My eyes traced every inch of the alleyway

around us. I had to do something. I couldn’t have

lived with myself if she’d walked away. Not after

everything.

I spotted a small stack of bricks next to a row of

garbage bins. My stomach released the twisted knot

it had been housing. Yes. It was the perfect way to

end her.

I ran over, crouched, and picked up a brick. The

red clay was heavy, with small grooves that bit into

my gloved fingertips.

Olivia turned around and stalked toward me.

“What are you doing over there?”

Straightening, I set my eyes on her. “Thought I

saw something, but it was nothing.” I kept the brick

behind my back and closed the gap between us, my

breathing hastening with each step closer.

Kelly Charron is the author of YA and adult horror, psychological thrillers and urban fantasy novels. All with gritty, murderous inclinations and some moderate amounts of humor. She spends far too much time consuming true crime television (and chocolate) while trying to decide if yes, it was the husband, with the wrench, in the library. She lives with her husband and cat, Moo Moo, in Vancouver, British Columbia.

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Sneak Peek: Pretty Wicked by Kelly Charron with Giveaway

Pretty Wicked 

by Kelly Charron

September 30th 2016

YA Thriller

The daughter of a local police detective, fifteen-year-old Ryann has spent most of her life studying how to pull off the most gruesome murders her small Colorado town has ever seen.
But killing is only part of it. Ryann enjoys being the reason the cops are frenzied. The one who makes the neighbors lock their doors and windows on a hot summer’s day. The one everyone fears but no one suspects.
Carving out her own murderous legacy proves harder than she predicted. Mistakes start adding up. And with the police getting closer, and her own father becoming suspicious, Ryann has to prove once and for all that she’s smarter than anyone else—or she’ll pay the ultimate price.
Written in a mature YA voice. Some graphic content.

Goodreads / Amazon

READ CHAPTER 1

Some people are called to certain things in their life. That’s what hunting is for me. An urge. A desire. The closest thing I have to a calling.

My name is Ryann Wilkanson. I’m fifteen years old.
And I’m a killer.
It was hard to pick my first. Call me sentimental, but it had to be just right.
I knew what I wanted. What I needed. Someone worth the risk, the challenge. Somebody who deserved it. Now, I’m not talking about the horrible, abusive assholes you see on TV. I wanted someone who I thought deserved it…
And to be honest, that could’ve been just about anybody.
Some people might think it’s odd to contemplate killing someone, but it was the most natural thing in the world to me. I didn’t dare talk about it—I somehow knew that much—but my thoughts raced with vivid, red-tinted images.
While my fantasies were fun, I had to wait. I still lacked the skill and organization to actually go through with it.
And, as I matured, I realized part of me was still hesitant. A piece of the puzzle was missing. It was as though I was waiting for permission. Something to give me the final push into action.
Funnily enough, I got that that clarity six years ago, when I was nine. My dad thought he was simply giving me a ride to school, but he initiated the defining moment of my life.
I remember it like it was yesterday. He’d just come off nights and wasn’t in the best of moods when my mom asked him to drive me and Bri. I’d raced to the car first, winning shotgun, leaving Brianna to storm behind me. She was a sore loser, and it only made my grin bigger.
We were just a few blocks from the house when Dad started with one of his commentaries on all that was wrong with society.
“Jesus. People like that make me sick.”
We had stopped at a red light, and I spotted a guy standing on the corner with a sign that read Please Help.
At first I felt kind of bad for him, and I didn’t understand why Dad was upset. “At least he’s not dealing drugs,” I suggested.
“Brilliant observation. Maybe we could put that on a T-shirt for him,” Bri said. My father laughed and my stomach dropped. She never wasted an opportunity to make me look stupid.
Dad grunted. “Don’t be naïve, Ry. He’s probably scraping enough together to get his fix. People like that are after one thing—and it’s not a job.” He rolled his eyes, disgusted. Not a minute later, while we were still waiting at the light, a kid in a fancy sports car passed us. “See, look at that. Punk probably had it handed to him from Mommy and Daddy. He’s what—seventeen? Probably hasn’t worked a day in his whole goddamn life. Entitled brat. This is the problem with the world. You got two lazy bums on opposite ends of the spectrum, and neither are worth their salt.”
My father didn’t have a whole lot of empathy for anybody, and he certainly didn’t entertain excuses. I had to be the best if I wanted him to love me. “People need to either lead, follow—”
“Or get out of the way,” I finished. He patted me on the head. I knew this rant well and kind of understood my father’s reasoning. The homeless guy couldn’t even be bothered to walk up and down the rows of stopped cars to beg. He just stood there with an empty cup. He really was a waste.
I fought the urge to point out to my dad that I was nothing like those people—and never would be—but I knew he wouldn’t care. He loved me, but nothing I did seemed to impress him, especially since my older sister Brianna, the golden child, had perfected every- thing before I even had a chance to try.
I had to do something really big to make an impression.
I had to be a leader.
In the car, all those years ago, I realized that my desires could turn into something much more. Those entitled, useless people my dad despised were taking our hard-earned money, space, and air. And I was someone with deadly urges who wasn’t afraid to do something about it. Not everyone could say that.
But unfortunately, I would have to wait. I was much too young to execute my plans in the way I wanted.
My thoughts, however, were uninhibited, and I became enamored with the power and control that selecting the right kill could bring. The foreplay was intoxicating. I daydreamed about the countless ways I could do it. About all the places I could sneak up and strike. About the legacy I would leave behind.
For years I researched and studied serial killers— or as I liked to call them, The Greats. Most of The Greats hadn’t started until well into their adulthood. Call me an overachiever, but I wanted more kills in less time. I had all the qualities required: above-average intelligence, inside information (Dad was a cop), and a sweet cherub face.
But I also had something more. Tenacity. I knew what I wanted, and come hell or high water, I was going to get it. By fifteen, the thirst inside me could finally be quenched.
Cue my first planned victim—a snotty little brat who lived only a few streets away from me. Olivia McMann. Ugh. She was exhausting. Spoiled. Whiny. Brianna used to babysit her. I’d be dragged along because my parents usually worked overtime at their respective jobs. I was twelve and old enough to stay home alone, but they insisted. Like I had nothing better to do.
Brianna would be online with her friends or texting her boyfriend, and she’d stick Livy with me. Olivia wouldn’t leave me alone. One night she pestered me for hours on end until I lost it on her. Then she got the quivering lip and teary eyes and went crying to Bri.
Bri’s voice ripped across the room. “Ryann, what did you do now?”
“Nothing! Why do you always assume it was me? Maybe Livy is being a little crybaby over absolutely nothing,” I said, arms crossed tightly across my chest.
The brat came running up behind me. “You’re mean, Ryann. I hate you!”
I swept my hair into a ponytail and turned my back to her.
Death glare in full force, Brianna dug into me. “Why are you being such a pest? Leave Olivia alone already. Go find something to do, and don’t think for one second I’m giving you any of the money.”
She proceeded to get Olivia some licorice. A reward for her evilness. Maybe they were in on it together and shared private laughs while discussing different ways to torture me.
Brianna was seventeen at the time, and she hated me. No matter how hard I tried, she always dismissed me like I was an annoying pain in her ass.
“Not everything is my fault, you know,” I said, determined to stand my ground.
“Well, she’s not the one in my face right now. Go play with her for an hour until her bedtime, and maybe I won’t tell Mom.” Smiling smugly, Bri tilted her head. I wanted to punch her. As soon as we were out of her sight, Olivia stuck her tongue out at me and danced around, joyous in her victory.
“See, I told you I’d get you in trouble. I always get my way. You have to do what I say.” She laughed.
I promised myself I’d never forget.
Back then, I’d imagined choking her or holding one of her mom’s embroidered pillows over her face until her squirming stopped. I knew her parents were well-off. Only the best for their princess. Olivia was the type of kid who tantrumed, tattled, and fake-cried to get what she wanted, no matter the cost to anyone who got in her way.
Olivia was going to turn into the same kind of spoiled, manipulative bitch I’d seen time and again at school.
I knew how to deal with someone like her. After all, I had killed. Once.

And here she is. . .

Kelly Charron is the author of YA and adult horror, psychological thrillers and urban fantasy novels. All with gritty, murderous inclinations and some moderate amounts of humor. She spends far too much time consuming true crime television (and chocolate) while trying to decide if yes, it was the husband, with the wrench, in the library. She lives with her husband and cat, Moo Moo, in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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