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Sean Doyle #3
Knife Edge
Peace in Northern Ireland brings counter-terrorist Sean Doyle back to the UK and leaves British soldiers like Robert Neville bored and frustrated. When Neville's wife leaves him, he determines to get her back, using his military skill to detonate a device every hour until his demands are met.
365 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
1 person is currently reading
136 people want to read
About the author
Shaun Hutson
115 books538 followersBritish horror novelist, including horror and urban thriller novels.
His novella Slugs was made into a movie, although Hutson didn't like the movie. He also appeared in two horror movies himself.
Hutson is a Liverpool F.C. fan.
His novella Slugs was made into a movie, although Hutson didn't like the movie. He also appeared in two horror movies himself.
Hutson is a Liverpool F.C. fan.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
Want to read
October 18, 2017This hardcover is signed by the author Shaun Hutson.
May 4, 2025
4.5 stars
Knife Edge is a full-throttle, no-brakes thriller that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let up. If you’re familiar with Hutson’s work, you’ll know he’s not exactly known for subtlety—and thankfully, this book is no exception. This thing reads like a Netflix action movie that got lost on its way to the editing room: all intensity, all chaos, and all very, very entertaining.
The plot centers around a Doyle, a grizzled, flawed anti-terrorist operative, tasked with brining in a domestic terrorist who isn’t afraid to mow down anyone in the way. Obviously, this quickly spirals into a brutal cat-and-mouse game of explosions and destruction across the mid-90's landscape of London. It's gritty, urban, and absolutely soaked in menace. There are no long-winded setups here—Hutson gives you just enough to care about the characters before plunging them (and you) into relentless, blood-soaked mayhem. Every chapter feels like a new explosion going off. And just when you think things can’t get any more unhinged, they do.
What really sells Knife Edge, though, is Hutson’s writing. It’s raw, unrefined, and at times outright pulpy—but that’s part of the charm. Coming from an author whose horror work is famously over the top (we’re talking eyeballs, entrails, and absolutely no chill), this kind of gritty, fast-paced action actually feels like a natural fit. The same intensity he brings to his horror is repurposed here to ramp up the suspense and violence to almost cartoonishly brutal levels—and it works. You’re not reading Hutson for elegant prose or layered character development. You’re reading him because he knows how to craft a story that moves, with a kind of brutal, grimy energy that feels straight out of a VHS-era thriller.
Is it flawless? Not even close. The dialogue can be clunky, and the realism is… well, not the point. But Hutson’s no-nonsense, balls-to-the-wall storytelling makes Knife Edge a wildly fun ride. It’s over-the-top, schlocky in all the right ways, and absolutely refuses to be boring.
Knife Edge is a full-throttle, no-brakes thriller that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let up. If you’re familiar with Hutson’s work, you’ll know he’s not exactly known for subtlety—and thankfully, this book is no exception. This thing reads like a Netflix action movie that got lost on its way to the editing room: all intensity, all chaos, and all very, very entertaining.
The plot centers around a Doyle, a grizzled, flawed anti-terrorist operative, tasked with brining in a domestic terrorist who isn’t afraid to mow down anyone in the way. Obviously, this quickly spirals into a brutal cat-and-mouse game of explosions and destruction across the mid-90's landscape of London. It's gritty, urban, and absolutely soaked in menace. There are no long-winded setups here—Hutson gives you just enough to care about the characters before plunging them (and you) into relentless, blood-soaked mayhem. Every chapter feels like a new explosion going off. And just when you think things can’t get any more unhinged, they do.
What really sells Knife Edge, though, is Hutson’s writing. It’s raw, unrefined, and at times outright pulpy—but that’s part of the charm. Coming from an author whose horror work is famously over the top (we’re talking eyeballs, entrails, and absolutely no chill), this kind of gritty, fast-paced action actually feels like a natural fit. The same intensity he brings to his horror is repurposed here to ramp up the suspense and violence to almost cartoonishly brutal levels—and it works. You’re not reading Hutson for elegant prose or layered character development. You’re reading him because he knows how to craft a story that moves, with a kind of brutal, grimy energy that feels straight out of a VHS-era thriller.
Is it flawless? Not even close. The dialogue can be clunky, and the realism is… well, not the point. But Hutson’s no-nonsense, balls-to-the-wall storytelling makes Knife Edge a wildly fun ride. It’s over-the-top, schlocky in all the right ways, and absolutely refuses to be boring.
March 14, 2023
Who gives a shit
May 11, 2020
Not a great book Sean Doyle the supposed anti-hero went around like a petulant 14yr old
March 20, 2023
I picked up this book one day in a second hand shop. It was a funny and entertaining read which I really enjoyed. I had never read a book with swear words before.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews