Coming 10/7/25 from Simon & Schuster & Library Tales Publishing
Three generations of women, one horrifying and hilarious story of defiance. Charlotte Adams escapes a destitute orphanage in prewar London, only to find herself in the lavish but equally treacherous home of one of England’s wealthiest families. Her daughter, Margot Kenworthy, flees to America’s heartland, where she takes refuge in a dangerously misunderstood finishing school. Her daughter, Cleo Portman, heads to Hollywood, where she takes on the predatory modeling business in shocking and unprecedented ways.
In the grand tradition of John Irving, David Michael Slater, acclaimed author of Fun & Games and The Vanishing, delivers a sprawling tragicomedy, chock-full of remarkable characters and indelible scenes. An unforgettable read, UGLY is a breakneck rollercoaster of a ride.
Library Tales Publishing Simon and Schuster
ADVANCE PRAISE
A darkly comic and chaotic journey across three generations, UGLY will blindside you with clever (and deeply morbid) twists. It is a searing portrayal of a family that seems cursed to continually clash with predatory men in positions of power.
-Jason Pargin, author of John Dies at the End
A tragic, rollicking ride through the 20th century, Ugly is a portrait of machismo and the lengths women will go to court and thwart it. Reminiscent of a John Irving page-turner, when the world is ugly, love and human kindness are the only antidotes. An addictive read.
-Billie Livingston, author of The Crooked Heart of Mercy and One Good Hustle