WARNING: This is an extreme horror novel. Some scenes may offend or cause upset. With that in mind, please be aware this story is intended for a mature audience only.
When financial problems hit Ryan he is forced to move his family to a smaller, more cost-effective, home on the outskirts of the city. But when his decisions lead him - and his family - directly into the path of a vicious serial killer who enjoys nothing more than to torture his victims, Ryan soon realises things will never be the same for any of them again.
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.
3.5. Not bad. Far from my favorite Matt Shaw book, but it was decent. I enjoyed the paranoia factor here the most. Ryan and his family, then Mike and his crew. Totally different mindsets, both trying to justify their ignorance and/or overly proactive ways, but neither ended up being right. Lots of wasted energy, unnecessary atrocities, and tons of fun dilemmas to enjoy as the reader. Spoiler alert…one thing that I feel like I totally missed was how the killer and Reynolds were both experiencing the same things simultaneously. Or was it that Reynolds was so obsessed that he was imagining these scenes where he was torturing women? I may have overlooked something, but that aspect was unclear. I did like the slight twist at the end though. I knew Shaw wouldn’t make this a straightforward story, which would have been dreadfully boring, and he surely didn’t disappoint. The pacing could have also been slowed down a bit, and the tension between all the neighbors needed to be heightened further to give the ending a better effect. Not without it’s issues, it pretty good overall.
Tortured follows the story of Ryan, his wife Dee and their two children as an enforced move sees them downsizing and settling into a new property.
A that start of each chapter we are introduced to the crazed serial killer, who kidnaps his victims and tortures them to an extremely drawn out and painful death before dumping the bodies where they can be found. Our killer’s idol is Arthur the killer with artistic tendency’s from the novel ART the collaboration between Matt & Michael Bray and a nice link up between stories.
Our killer describes his love of using pliers to pull his victims finger nails off and the screams that fill his heart with joy, thriving on their reactions, their initial expectations and the final realization that nobodies coming to help.
Ryan and his family get to know their neighbours, both sides have quite worrying elements and this is where the guessing game starts, which one is the killer, okay it’s never the obvious one and I look forward to out-thinking the twist that I know is going to come. And … yep failed again, every time it seems, Matt Shaw is a step ahead and that’s the enjoyable part.
The best part, apart from the twist, was the vigilante neighbours who it seems are only a step away from crossing the line into the territory of the killer that they are so desperate to catch.
One thing that I can count on when I crack open a Matt Shaw book, well, I actually never “crack open” a Matt Shaw book, I tap the icon on my Kindle, I digress, you know what I mean. I can always count on being offended and disgusted. And that is why I will always go back for more.
Tortured begins normal enough, our friendly neighborhood serial killer is doing normal serial killer stuff, you know, scrapbooking, reminiscing, that sort of thing. Then suddenly, he ups the ante and goes for the jugular (figuratively). Then the scene switches, we move forward with a back and forth in each chapter between the serial killer and this down on his luck bloke (I think I am using the term correctly), Ryan, and his family. For quite some time I found myself wondering, when is all of this going to come together and how?
Once the ball really starts rolling, Tortured is a roller coaster ride without a safety bar. Matt Shaw leads the reader down the track, only to twist in a double loop of surprises. He mixes in a perfect amount of gruesomeness and humor to keep a perfectly paced story.
Tortured isn’t for everyone, but it is for me. There are some graphic scenes that could cause issues for some people. But it is a work of fiction, something to shock and entertain. It certainly takes you out of your normal day to day life to someplace completely different. The best part of a Matt Shaw book; you don’t finish a Matt Shaw book, a Matt Shaw book finishes you.
I found this book very enjoyable not in the "norm" for Matt Shaw, I would have preferred to have more from "The Torturer" point of view but still a very good read. I suggest that you should give this book a go!
This is the first book I have read by Matt Shaw. From the blurb of his books and reviews I went into this one ready to freaked out. This book does say Psychological Horror.
Well not so much. This book is filled with some gory torture to women, but not so obscene you are left completely turned off.
The story follows a serial killer on his torture missions and a family that are down and out financially.
While reading you think the murderer is tied to this family but in all reality, they really had nothing to do with each other.
I will definitely read another Shaw book, but don't be fooled by the word HORROR. This is definitely titled well, TORTURE, perfect display of a mad man on one side and the torture a lie has created for another man.
`Tortured's Extreme, read the sign on it's door, Another wicked little gem from the mind of Matt Shaw. It's not that long but also not that short, And you're tapped in the head if it doesn't leave you distraught. Horrific and gruesome,bloody and gory, Not for the easily offended or fans of Jackanory.
Brutal, nasty, and horrific to the extreme. But there is so much more to this story. The author writes from an intensely dark place, and this shows with the graphic violence carried out by the serial killer. It is also a tale of paranoia, and judgement. It is not for the faint hearted, but is a fantastic story.
What a disturbing book . I really enjoyed the switch from the killer to the family it was different. The story was very extreme the more extreme the better. As always a Matt Shaw book impresses
Man, down on his luck, moves to a new neighbourhood with his family. Meets the neighbours on one side and suddenly becomes embroiled with an overly vigilante neighbour.
Much like Mike and Thomas - I was convinced they were right in their deductions and mine too! This story was written very cleverly and imo was as good as a murder mystery!
Being the first book I have read by Matt Shaw - I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. However, I must admit I am really looking forward to reading more of what this author has to offer!
I have been reading for years and there has never been a book that has ever gripped me from page 1 until today.
A book that deserves the highest rating
An author who is in a league of his own that no one can top. Matt Shaw again proving why he is a king of extreme horror. I cant wait to see movies made his books. Please Matt make this happen.
I have noted similarities to the Texas chainsaw massacre, Criminal Minds and hostel.
A family forced to move to a cheaper house,
a killer who enjoys inflicting pain and torture,
a person feared dead,
a drunken intimate encounter
Read and I can guarantee that you will be surprised by the true identity of the killer
This ended up being a very good read. The plot expanded as more depth in the story unfolded. You kept guessing throughout how it was going to end. Nicely done. One point to mention - There was references to ART in the story so maybe I should have read that first, but I don't think that made much difference. If you like extreme horror (and the killer is a complete nut job - possibly too much of a nut job as he really was completely mad) set around two normal (well, sort of normal) families give it a read.
I really enjoyed reading this, and loved the pieces from the point of the killer. At the same time though I was really disappointed that the killer ended up being someone that we didn't even know. I almost suspected it to be Ryan because I was really rooting for an explosion of an ending. Either way, I'd still recommend and probably read again!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This was a really good story but I didn’t understand the whole Mr Reynolds/ the real killer. Confused the heck out of me. Might have been 5 if it was clearer
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Ryan, his wife Dee and their two daughters are going through rough times. Not enough money coming in to stay in their current house, so they downsize and move to another place that's smaller. On top of that, one of Ryan's co-workers has gone missing and there is a serial killer out there leaving parts of the women he tortures all around the city. This killer idolizes Art from the book of the same name for those who are breathlessly awaiting the Matt Shaw Extended Universe™.
The writing style here is set between two different tones. The bulk of the book follows Ryan and his family as they try to settle into a new house, but the stress of the missing co-worker along with some strange actions of their neighbors cause them to be concerned about their safety. The second tone is what Matt Shaw excels in - diving into the mind of a madman and pouring out their thoughts without a filter. When the killer is writing in what appears like a diary of sorts, it doesn't make any logical sense but it makes total sense for the character. This is some explicit, harrowing stuff. Not really because it's so shocking (I honestly think this is pretty tame for Matt Shaw's "black books"), but because of the joy the killer takes in his actions.
The plot follows a "will the two stories meet" path. The family may or may not be in danger. We follow along to see if the paths cross or not.
To this reader, the story of the family just didn't hit in the same way that many of Matt Shaw's other books have. Since the killer's writing and the family's story are both so different in style and don't seem to meet in any obvious way (allowing for it to be a mystery until it's not), I just felt the family, and especially the main character we follow, Ryan, the husband/father, made a lot of stupid choices, acted foolishly, and I didn't build the empathy necessary over the length of the text to be engaged in their outcome. It also didn't help that, while I really did appreciate the style with which Matt Shaw described the killer's mindframe, his victims were also generally nameless. And since he's telling his part of the story - and he loves what he does - the actions that are occurring don't ring with the same amount of impact as they would if we were seeing it from the victim's side - or even a third party like the investigators/police/family members.
Despite those criticisms, this isn't a "bad" story and I could see someone else quite enjoying it. If you like the more graphic depictions of serial killers that Matt Shaw has excelled in previously (including Art) - and you enjoy the mystery/thriller genre tropes of "will it or won't it happen", there's enough here in this brisk read to keep you entertained.
"I'm not inviting a conversation. I'm not going to let you go. you're going to die down here I just want to hear your screams."
chills as I read this book. ok so I have a monthly allowance I allow myself for books each month, it's not a lot as 3 kids and downed hours at work don't allow for much paycheck left over, but as I love Author Matt Shaw my plan was to buy "RDF" as I heard it was coming out today. Well I was waiting and waiting and could wait no more and decided to splurge and buy this book as well as the other when it is released. To be honest it started out slow but as it went on it became more engaging.
A man named Ryan decides financially that he and his family need to move somewhere more affordable, we soon learn that a great evil is kidnapping young women and torturing them. Each chapter starts out with the killer telling us about each victim being tortured and his enjoyment of it. The chapter then fades from the killer in to the lives of Ryan and his family, which include a wife and two young girls. They meet their next door neighbors and as the story unfolds we find that the neighbors are not exactly as nice and innocent as they appear. Lies and theories unfold in this dark but brilliant story.
In true Matt Shaw form you think you have the who dunits figured out but then BAM, you don't know nothin! I loved that we had a father who we could relate to, he has daughters and when it comes to safety of children you do anything to protect them. He had money issues, stress and all the other problems of real life. I love that Matt incorporated his other works in to this as well, when I finally put Vanessa/bank/Peter together I got this huge smile on my face like wow that's just awesome. Although I cringed through every torture given I do wish it would have been switched up, it was the same 3-4 types of torture. Despite that I still really loved this book and found it, well brilliant. To me Matt's books are like chocolate, you can try and sample it, walk away from it, but in the end before you know it you are standing there with an empty wrapper. Now if only "RDF" would release so I can have more " Chocolate".
This is the story of Dee and Ryan, and their two children Claire and Jen. Falling on hard times, they find themselves having to move to a new house. Making friends with the people next door, they learn there is a serial killer on the loose, torturing and dismembering his victims. When Ryan's work colleague goes missing things come to a head, and Mike, their neighbour, suggests they break into their other neighbour because he seems a bit weird. It is a decision Ryan will come to regret for the rest of his life...
This one is another of Matt's extreme novels. Starting each chapter with thoughts from the serial killer, this explores the idea of who is a bigger monster, the torturer or the vigilante bent on destroying him. As usual the pace belted along, making me quite unable to put it down. Some parts were definitely not for the faint hearted or squeamish, and I found myself cringing in parts. The characters were solid, and once again there was a nice unexpected twist at the end. I also like the fact that Matt has taken a leaf out of Stephen King's book and planted 'Easter Eggs' throughout the story. Nice to bump into characters from other stories.
I really enjoyed this book. It wasn't as gory as some of this author's other books but that was okay with me. It was about a family that moves to a smaller house because on financial trouble. At the same time there's a serial killer on the loose killing and torturing women. The neighbors on one side of the family's new home say they know who the killer is and they want revenge. The neighbor on the other side is just plain strange. This story is really creepy because when you think about it, we don't always know who are neighbors really are. This was really a great story with yet another of this author's shocking endings. I also loved that it had connections to a couple of my favorite characters from other Matt Shaw books.
That went right out the door in this story. A mild mannered man forced to move into a neighborhood his family didn't want to move to. Caught up in a serial killer on the loose and his neighbors. I loved how they that taking justice into their own hands would solve all their problems. These neighbors went to far
another great book by Matt Shaw! loved the story and loved how other books by him were tied into it. I was kinda expecting a little bit more torture and gore tho. Reading the torture parts left my fingers hurting!
After reading all the reviews, I had high hopes for this book. But I am not going to give a compliment to a book that I found myself putting down due to its dragging on. ugh definitely let down
I read this book in just two sittings! I only stopped because I couldn't hold my eyes open any longer. It definitely kept my attention. It absolutely was a case of the good verses evil switching sides! Really caught me off guard in the end!