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Spaghetti: A twisted horror story from the guts behind Sick B*stards
Jack and Chloe. In their twenties, they're looking forward to getting away for a few days whilst Jack battles some ongoing health concerns. They're not going anywhere fancy, just a little staycation in the English countryside.
Norman and Jan. In their sixties, they're pretty much retired now with life more or less figured out thanks to some sensible spending in their younger days. Having recently recovered from a heart attack, Norman's looking forward to some peaceful days but first he needs to go to their lodge to show the paying guests around it, ahead of leaving them to enjoy the quiet break in the woods.
Kathy and Bill. A couple in their forties who are together because neither of them can afford a divorce. They lead a simple life, working from their burger van on one of the fairly quiet country-roads. If it weren't for how good their burgers were - using only the finest cuts of meat - they'd have gone out of business long ago.
Everything appears simple when you look at them from the outside in. But when these lives come together, everything turns to a big, knotted bowl of spaghetti and - for one of them at least - nothing will ever be the same again.
A twisted horror story from the guts behind Sick B*stards.
Norman and Jan. In their sixties, they're pretty much retired now with life more or less figured out thanks to some sensible spending in their younger days. Having recently recovered from a heart attack, Norman's looking forward to some peaceful days but first he needs to go to their lodge to show the paying guests around it, ahead of leaving them to enjoy the quiet break in the woods.
Kathy and Bill. A couple in their forties who are together because neither of them can afford a divorce. They lead a simple life, working from their burger van on one of the fairly quiet country-roads. If it weren't for how good their burgers were - using only the finest cuts of meat - they'd have gone out of business long ago.
Everything appears simple when you look at them from the outside in. But when these lives come together, everything turns to a big, knotted bowl of spaghetti and - for one of them at least - nothing will ever be the same again.
A twisted horror story from the guts behind Sick B*stards.
- GenresHorror
86 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 2, 2023
25 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
Matt Shaw
536 books2,223 followersBiography
MATT SHAW was born, quite by accident (his mother tripped, he shot out) September 30th 1980 in Winchester hospital where he was immediately placed on the baby ward and EBay. Some twelve years later (wandering the corridors of the hospital and playing with road kill when he was on day release), the listing closed and he remained unsold, he was booted out of the hospital to start his life as a writer and hobbit – beginning with writing screenplays and short stories for his own amusement before finally getting published when he was twenty-seven years and forty-five seconds old.
Once Published weekly in a lad's magazine with his photography work, Matt Shaw is also a published author and cartoonist. Has to be said, can be a bit of a flirt and definitely, without a shadow of a doubt, somewhat of a klutz.
Favourite books
"Roald Dahl's Collection of Short Stories"
Tim Burton's Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy
Anything, really, written by himself. Because he is that good.
MATT SHAW was born, quite by accident (his mother tripped, he shot out) September 30th 1980 in Winchester hospital where he was immediately placed on the baby ward and EBay. Some twelve years later (wandering the corridors of the hospital and playing with road kill when he was on day release), the listing closed and he remained unsold, he was booted out of the hospital to start his life as a writer and hobbit – beginning with writing screenplays and short stories for his own amusement before finally getting published when he was twenty-seven years and forty-five seconds old.
Once Published weekly in a lad's magazine with his photography work, Matt Shaw is also a published author and cartoonist. Has to be said, can be a bit of a flirt and definitely, without a shadow of a doubt, somewhat of a klutz.
Favourite books
"Roald Dahl's Collection of Short Stories"
Tim Burton's Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy
Anything, really, written by himself. Because he is that good.
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
November 2, 2023
Crisis averted!
Spaghetti is probably my favorite Shaw book to date. This one was quite entertaining with the lives of six people, most of whom thoroughly unpleasant, become intertwined, deconstructed, and mixed up like noodles and meaty bits in a bowl of pho dac biet. It was entertaining and the prose and inner monologues and thoughts of the characters quite cheeky.
It was a quick read with a fair amount of grossness and a few little twists, even if you see them coming.
My biggest fear was that this book might put me off one of my favorite foods! Whew, it did not. I kind of felt like that scene in Star Trek: First Contact where Data admits that he considered giving in to the Borg Queen's offer to make him fully human. For all of 0.68 seconds. But just as Data said, for an android that is an eternity, so too, for me was the fear that I would give up Spaghetti if I wanted to finish this book. Thinking about it for a split second felt like an eternity. So crisis averted as to whether I would have to choose Spaghetti on the page or spaghetti in a bowl. The thought of giving up yakiudon or pasta alla nerano... [insert fearful shudder here].
Okay, that's enough of ME being cheeky. This was a solid, fast, and entertaining read.
Spaghetti is probably my favorite Shaw book to date. This one was quite entertaining with the lives of six people, most of whom thoroughly unpleasant, become intertwined, deconstructed, and mixed up like noodles and meaty bits in a bowl of pho dac biet. It was entertaining and the prose and inner monologues and thoughts of the characters quite cheeky.
It was a quick read with a fair amount of grossness and a few little twists, even if you see them coming.
My biggest fear was that this book might put me off one of my favorite foods! Whew, it did not. I kind of felt like that scene in Star Trek: First Contact where Data admits that he considered giving in to the Borg Queen's offer to make him fully human. For all of 0.68 seconds. But just as Data said, for an android that is an eternity, so too, for me was the fear that I would give up Spaghetti if I wanted to finish this book. Thinking about it for a split second felt like an eternity. So crisis averted as to whether I would have to choose Spaghetti on the page or spaghetti in a bowl. The thought of giving up yakiudon or pasta alla nerano... [insert fearful shudder here].
Okay, that's enough of ME being cheeky. This was a solid, fast, and entertaining read.
April 27, 2024
Full review on: https://www.deafsparrow.com/2024/04/2...
"...At just short of ninety pages, Spaghetti is a hard book to explain without completely ruining it. Three couples and six perspectives does seem a lot in a short amount of time, but due to the way the story’s written (there’s little background) this leaves a lot for the plot and perspectives of the current, tense story to shine through.
As the cover would suggest, the book does contain a werewolf. This is not in a cringe or unbelievable sense, but rather more dark and depressing. The partner of the werewolf details how hard and horrified the full moon can be, adding to the believability including details of the monthly ritual for locking him up, which included witty bondage, scattering of meat on the floor, and, once out of the room, a floor full of silver. These small extras flesh the story out with its cliché werewolf qualities; the silver was especially fun.
For the couple Bill and Kathy, the most notable characters for me, despite what the book is supposed to focus on, really creeped me out. Werewolves are fun and all, but what’s grosser than people who eat illegally sourced meat, and even worse, stock their burger van with it to feed unsuspecting customers? Their story drew me in from the start and the reveal of what they’ve been doing and eating was really unexpected, but it wasn’t that, that shocked me..."
"...At just short of ninety pages, Spaghetti is a hard book to explain without completely ruining it. Three couples and six perspectives does seem a lot in a short amount of time, but due to the way the story’s written (there’s little background) this leaves a lot for the plot and perspectives of the current, tense story to shine through.
As the cover would suggest, the book does contain a werewolf. This is not in a cringe or unbelievable sense, but rather more dark and depressing. The partner of the werewolf details how hard and horrified the full moon can be, adding to the believability including details of the monthly ritual for locking him up, which included witty bondage, scattering of meat on the floor, and, once out of the room, a floor full of silver. These small extras flesh the story out with its cliché werewolf qualities; the silver was especially fun.
For the couple Bill and Kathy, the most notable characters for me, despite what the book is supposed to focus on, really creeped me out. Werewolves are fun and all, but what’s grosser than people who eat illegally sourced meat, and even worse, stock their burger van with it to feed unsuspecting customers? Their story drew me in from the start and the reveal of what they’ve been doing and eating was really unexpected, but it wasn’t that, that shocked me..."
March 12, 2024
Meh. This story felt like it was two stories in one with a little overlap. Would have love for something else to have happened in the end.
Maybe something like:
-Bill discovering the body in the back
-Getting the meat dissected to take back to Kathy
-Them eating the tainted meat first
-Now they’re werewolves too and Kathy’s cured
I just desired a little bit more.
I did like the story werewolf part of the story though.
Maybe something like:
-Bill discovering the body in the back
-Getting the meat dissected to take back to Kathy
-Them eating the tainted meat first
-Now they’re werewolves too and Kathy’s cured
I just desired a little bit more.
I did like the story werewolf part of the story though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 8, 2023
This was my first Matt Shaw book and I can’t wait to read more. I was honestly impressed with how much you learn about all the different characters, in such little time, and then it all came together flawlessly. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and I absolutely love the cover. Definitely pick this one up, if you haven’t read it yet.
🖤🖤🖤🖤/5
🖤🖤🖤🖤/5
November 3, 2023
Usually, I dislike reading a story from multiple people’s viewpoints, but this story made that acceptable. By halfway through the story, the multiple character viewpoints made very good sense. Then, it got me hooked.
This story was not too gory, so don’t worry if that’s a concern. It was twisty, and the events from the 3 couples featured fit together into a larger plot. This was quite fun!
This story was not too gory, so don’t worry if that’s a concern. It was twisty, and the events from the 3 couples featured fit together into a larger plot. This was quite fun!
April 30, 2024
Such a twisted read! With all the different introductions to the cast of this title and how Matt directed them, I wasn't sure what way things would go. When I thought it would go one way, I was wrong, and something else happened. Honestly, I would love a sequel, not that it really needs one, but I am curious about how things might play out later to the characters that were left.
July 30, 2023
I wish there were more…..
Yes the storyline was good but it ended with too many loose ends. Like is there a part two to this story.
Yes the storyline was good but it ended with too many loose ends. Like is there a part two to this story.
September 1, 2023
Spaghetti
Really enjoyed this story , I hope there is a follow up book !
Anything Matt writes I enjoy .
Definitely recommend !
Really enjoyed this story , I hope there is a follow up book !
Anything Matt writes I enjoy .
Definitely recommend !
October 27, 2023
3.5 stars
April 3, 2024
I wanted this to be so much longer. At least a little bit longer. When I tried to turn the page and there was no more book left, I was bereft. I need more of this creative jumble of horrors.
July 9, 2024
Not the greatest
Wasn’t the best story line. Usually Matt Shaw has better reads. Was kind of slow at times and The ending sucked.
Wasn’t the best story line. Usually Matt Shaw has better reads. Was kind of slow at times and The ending sucked.
December 20, 2024
Good book.
November 27, 2025
this is bad even for matt shaw
December 18, 2023
This was a fun story line, but a little too tame for me. I'd pick a few other Shaw books over this one.
February 10, 2024
Matt shaw got as bored writing this as I did reading it. I did enjoy how the different stories connected, but then the ending ruined the book for me.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews