You want a crime novel that delivers more than just a single puzzle. You crave a tangled web of high-stakes tension, cutting-edge forensic science, and a relentless race against the clock as an entire city descends into panic.

Welcome back to the sweltering streets of Tampa, Florida.

Homicide detective Mike Ash works tirelessly to defend his city from monsters. But his latest case is treating human lives like garbage. After two nurse techs are found strangled and discarded in local dumpsters, Ash fears humanity’s absolute worst is stalking the city. When the discarded body of a young girl turns up next, the shrewd investigator realizes a terrifying truth: there is more than one murderous hand at work.

With sensationalist TV news pushing the panicked community to demand immediate results, Ash and his team frantically pull in suspects. However, the discovery of a fourth victim with entirely conflicting M.O.s leads the experienced cop to a grim conclusion. There are too many unknown killers still on the loose.

Can Ash cut through the heap of confusion and media noise before there is another lethal disposal?

Why Readers Cannot Put This Book Down

• Multiple Pitiless Villains: Just when you think you have the suspect pinned down, conflicting evidence proves that the psychology of crime in this city runs deeper and darker than a single serial killer.

• Cutting-Edge Forensic Science: Dive into a dogged police procedural that relies heavily on accurate forensics, realistic detective work, and sharp deductive reasoning to solve an overwhelming case.

• Media Frenzy & Public Panic: Experience the intense, realistic pressure of sensationalist news networks pushing a panicked urban noir community to its absolute breaking point.

• Fast-Paced Action: Written organically, the narrative strips away the fluff to deliver a nail-biting, relentless investigation where the stakes constantly escalate.

Complete Your Mike Ash Crime Series Collection

Ugly Business is the nail-biting fourth book in the Mike Ash series. Continue the journey alongside Tampa's most dogged investigator:

• Book 1: Unfinished Business | Buy on Amazon

• Book 2: Business As Usual | Buy on Amazon

• Book 3: Taking Care of Business | Buy on Amazon

• Book 4: Ugly Business | Buy on Amazon

• Book 5: Out of Business | Buy on Amazon

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this book have a single serial killer or multiple killers?

Without giving away any spoilers, Ugly Business subverts the standard serial killer trope. Detective Ash is forced to confront conflicting M.O.s and discarded evidence that strongly points to multiple unknown killers operating simultaneously in the Tampa area.

Is the investigative science in Ugly Business accurate?

Yes. D.L. Ashmore is dedicated to verisimilitude in his writing. This specific installment highlights cutting-edge forensic science, ensuring that the methods Mike Ash uses to process the dumpster crime scenes are grounded in authentic, modern law enforcement techniques.

Do I need to read the previous Mike Ash books to enjoy this one?

While the grisly murders in Ugly Business represent a fresh, self-contained case, we highly recommend reading the previous novels. Understanding Mike Ash's history, his past trauma, and his relationships within his Tampa precinct makes the high-stakes pressure of this fourth book even more impactful.