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Compulsion
A gang of teenagers is running riot on the streets. Responsible for a number of burglaries and car thefts, the police are at their wits end trying to put a stop to the gangs activities. Just when it seems things cannot get any worse, the gang targets Shelby House, an old peoples home. Supervisor Veronica Porter, her two staff and the nine elderly residents become the gangs most vulnerable victims yet as the thugs conduct a hate campaign against them. But enough is enough. The senior citizens of Shelby House decide to take the law into their own hands and fight back....
499 pages, Paperback
First published August 9, 2002
156 people want to read
About the author
Shaun Hutson
113 books536 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 - 16 of 16 reviews
January 29, 2024
This was my first Shaun Hutson book and definitely not my last. Damn this was a psychologically dark gritty violent and tragic. " Justification " is a very powerful word and state of thinking because justification can make the most savage of actions seem ok. It is always crazy to me how people still get surprised by the heinous acts humans can do to one another when pushed and backed into a corner and feel like there is no way out. This book is just that. Its when you're being pushed and threatened and there is no justice and you decided to take matters into your own hands and ultimately have to fight those demons of vengeance and decide what is justice and what is justifiable and how easy it is to slide down that hole of madness and depravity all for self justification. Highly recommend this this one.
August 7, 2013
Compulsion was insanely addictive. I read it in twenty four hours as I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen. I couldn't turn the pages quick enough. I'm a huge fan of Hutson's and this may be the best one I have read so far. When Hutson is on form there is no one more addictive.
March 21, 2018
wasn't one of his best in my opinion flu thru it though was a good read anything Shaun writes I can't put down he's the best at what he does
May 25, 2020
This is when I gave up on Shaun Hutson's books-this has to be one of the worse books I have ever
read. The basic story which reminded me of Assault on Precinct 13. In this a gang of teenage scumbags are running amok on a council estate, cops can't touch them because they're too young -Frank Castle should have guest starred! Eventually they target an old peoples' home which proves
to be their undoing. The old people fight back-hard. On the plus side Hutson creates a good example of youth gone wild-but there is something to offend everybody, sordid masturbation scene, animal cruelality ( completely unnecessary) and graphic violence. I cheered when these
lowlives got their comuppence-sometimes you have to do what's right. However, I was baffled
how the hell this was ever published, but that's just my opinion.
read. The basic story which reminded me of Assault on Precinct 13. In this a gang of teenage scumbags are running amok on a council estate, cops can't touch them because they're too young -Frank Castle should have guest starred! Eventually they target an old peoples' home which proves
to be their undoing. The old people fight back-hard. On the plus side Hutson creates a good example of youth gone wild-but there is something to offend everybody, sordid masturbation scene, animal cruelality ( completely unnecessary) and graphic violence. I cheered when these
lowlives got their comuppence-sometimes you have to do what's right. However, I was baffled
how the hell this was ever published, but that's just my opinion.
April 21, 2020
I found the execution of the novel as fantastic as the premise. This novel is not only true to many relevant thoughts that linger in the back of somebody's mind but to the rationalization that we give those dark thoughts too.
Highly addictive in its writing style, it can be easily read in one sitting if I had the time. Shaun Huston's writing style as most relatable shines through in this novel just as well as many of his others. Its fun, gory and full of profane language and an fantastical plot that will leave you enjoyed just as many of his others.
Read this novel and come to like all of the characters and also understand their rationalization of the events and sympathize with their dark thoughts that will lead you questioning your own morals.
Highly addictive in its writing style, it can be easily read in one sitting if I had the time. Shaun Huston's writing style as most relatable shines through in this novel just as well as many of his others. Its fun, gory and full of profane language and an fantastical plot that will leave you enjoyed just as many of his others.
Read this novel and come to like all of the characters and also understand their rationalization of the events and sympathize with their dark thoughts that will lead you questioning your own morals.
September 3, 2025
This book is going to stay with me for a while I think. Some of the most horrific scenes I've ever read in my life. It was a very fast read and the short chapters made it easy to keep reading. My only real complaint is that the short chapters made me feel like I didn't really get to know any of the characters all that well so I was more interested in what was going to happen rather than worried or rooting for the characters. It feels bad to say this book was enjoyable because of the subject matter but I did enjoy it.
May 27, 2020
A quick, easy read. While Hutson's not a great writer, he needlessly repeats character descriptions, and the characters are shallow or little but a name on the page, he manages to take the simple plot and pace it at such a rapid speed that I barely registered a lot of the faults until I'd put it down. Has a couple mildly graphic sections but it didn't go as far as I was expecting.
October 27, 2022
A sort of pre Halloween read...and yet as much thriller as a horror with a subtext too of lawless and vigilante type behaviour when the state fails to protect..
In this story it leads to extreme and very bloody circumstances..anyhow a quick rather gripping read which though unpleasant does what it should do tale wise.
A dark comment on society and ageism too in some ways.
In this story it leads to extreme and very bloody circumstances..anyhow a quick rather gripping read which though unpleasant does what it should do tale wise.
A dark comment on society and ageism too in some ways.
November 9, 2017
If you want violent page turner, this is it. My first by Mr Hutson, definitely not the last.
February 1, 2024
What is it with these characters running their hands through their hair? Lol.
March 9, 2021
I love a no-nonsense yarn that keeps the pulse elevated and that's what you get from Hutson - good stuff.
July 20, 2010
A very disturbing tale of urban horror set on a council estate gone to seed. Years before hoodie horror and torture porn became the dirty words that they are in the horror genre, Mr Hutson went there before anyone else did and created a suitably graphic depiction of adolescence gone bad and its consequences. For me, this is his best work bar none and I recommend it wholeheartedly.
June 12, 2010
Not a bad little book and to be honest I was right behind the old folks throughout the book. Though they did go a little postal late on.
September 11, 2015
It's one of the most disturbing & explicit books I've ever read, but it's brilliant. I struggled to put it down!
August 5, 2016
Disturbing yet intriguing. Very graphic.
April 6, 2017
In 'Compulsion', a town is terrorized by a group of teenagers who spend their time vandalizing property, torturing animals and attacking people. When they decide to target an old folks' home - Shelby House, little do they know that the residents will not let them get away so easily. Soon the situation gets out of hand, leaving the Shelby House supervisor Ronni wondering how to resolve it..
This story was incredibly scary because it was realistic. The author didn't shy away from the gory, disturbing details that were at times difficult to read yet those were very well-written indeed. The idea of a bunch of youngsters being able to run around doing whatever they want, whenever they want to was bad enough. To make things worse, since they're below the age of fifteen they weren't exactly punishable by law. That was the most disturbing thing of all. Even though they had inflicted lots of pain onto others, justice couldn't be delivered simply because they weren't old enough.
Hating them and hoping that they'd end up suffering came naturally to me especially after I read the awful scene in which they . It was graphic, filled with cruelty and vileness that cannot ever be cured. As much as I would never re-read that part, I'll admit that Hutson can successfully evoke strong feelings of contempt in readers due to the fact that he effortlessly abides by the 'show, don't tell' writing rule.
This book requires some patience though as the residents' revenge comes much later on namely more than halfway through the story. Although their actions were wrong, I honestly agreed with everything they did. Sometimes defence just isn't enough. Such rotten teenagers wouldn't simply quit wrecking havoc and repent; they needed to be taught a lesson. Towards the end, the pacing seemed a little rushed. However, the ending was fitting for this story. That would have definitely made Ronni think twice about .
Overall, 'Compulsion' was a thrilling, dark story which was so engrossing that it felt a lot shorter than its actual length. I would have given it a higher rating if things had taken a much more sinister twist such as .
This story was incredibly scary because it was realistic. The author didn't shy away from the gory, disturbing details that were at times difficult to read yet those were very well-written indeed. The idea of a bunch of youngsters being able to run around doing whatever they want, whenever they want to was bad enough. To make things worse, since they're below the age of fifteen they weren't exactly punishable by law. That was the most disturbing thing of all. Even though they had inflicted lots of pain onto others, justice couldn't be delivered simply because they weren't old enough.
Hating them and hoping that they'd end up suffering came naturally to me especially after I read the awful scene in which they . It was graphic, filled with cruelty and vileness that cannot ever be cured. As much as I would never re-read that part, I'll admit that Hutson can successfully evoke strong feelings of contempt in readers due to the fact that he effortlessly abides by the 'show, don't tell' writing rule.
This book requires some patience though as the residents' revenge comes much later on namely more than halfway through the story. Although their actions were wrong, I honestly agreed with everything they did. Sometimes defence just isn't enough. Such rotten teenagers wouldn't simply quit wrecking havoc and repent; they needed to be taught a lesson. Towards the end, the pacing seemed a little rushed. However, the ending was fitting for this story. That would have definitely made Ronni think twice about .
Overall, 'Compulsion' was a thrilling, dark story which was so engrossing that it felt a lot shorter than its actual length. I would have given it a higher rating if things had taken a much more sinister twist such as .
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews