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Macabre
- GenresHorror
448 pages, Paperback
First published October 19, 1995
2 people are currently reading
151 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Laws
58 books137 followersStephen Laws is a full-time novelist, born in Newcastle upon Tyne. Married, with three children, he lives and works in his birthplace. The author of 11 novels, numerous short stories, (collected in THE MIDNIGHT MAN) columnist, reviewer, film-festival interviewer, pianist and recipient of a number of awards, Stephen Laws recently wrote and starred in the short horror movie THE SECRET.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 12, 2019
Complexly captivating.
The book to get you back into frequent reading. As someone who has struggled to maintain reading as a habit, whether it be due to a lack of interest or time, this book has reignited the flame. A complex story line, which at first had me hesitant, that unfolds before your eyes, each piece falling into place, slowly enough for you to think you've guessed it, but not too slow as to bore you. At the last minute, the story will take a direction you hadn't even considered, leaving you breathless and unable to take your eyes off the page. With no main protagonist, and no single character that forms intense connections, at times it lacks emotion and empathy, until you least expect it.
I carried this book with me for almost an entire month and read it on the tram, during my short commute everyday, a couple of pages as and when I could squeeze them in. but then, approximately three quarters of the way through, I couldn’t put it down. I read the rest in one night and it was all I could think about doing until I'd finished.
I think Laws, impressively, left a lot to be discovered by the reader. There were many times within the first half of the book where I couldn't understand the connection between each character and their story, how it would eventually link up and how any of it was going to fall into place. Trust me, it does. There's something about this book that makes you feel like you're working on a jigsaw puzzle with no picture to reference. Just insanely unique, jagged little edges to fit together. The story goes on, the roads connect and the intensity builds. What starts as a very intriguing, yet apathetic, story transforms and builds up to be an intense and emotional ending.
The book to get you back into frequent reading. As someone who has struggled to maintain reading as a habit, whether it be due to a lack of interest or time, this book has reignited the flame. A complex story line, which at first had me hesitant, that unfolds before your eyes, each piece falling into place, slowly enough for you to think you've guessed it, but not too slow as to bore you. At the last minute, the story will take a direction you hadn't even considered, leaving you breathless and unable to take your eyes off the page. With no main protagonist, and no single character that forms intense connections, at times it lacks emotion and empathy, until you least expect it.
I carried this book with me for almost an entire month and read it on the tram, during my short commute everyday, a couple of pages as and when I could squeeze them in. but then, approximately three quarters of the way through, I couldn’t put it down. I read the rest in one night and it was all I could think about doing until I'd finished.
I think Laws, impressively, left a lot to be discovered by the reader. There were many times within the first half of the book where I couldn't understand the connection between each character and their story, how it would eventually link up and how any of it was going to fall into place. Trust me, it does. There's something about this book that makes you feel like you're working on a jigsaw puzzle with no picture to reference. Just insanely unique, jagged little edges to fit together. The story goes on, the roads connect and the intensity builds. What starts as a very intriguing, yet apathetic, story transforms and builds up to be an intense and emotional ending.
November 13, 2010
Tense and terrifying, I loved it!
October 16, 2025
Something of a, by this point, standard Stephen Laws horror story. Still entertaining still has that visceral nastiness and the protagonists holding on to what's good against all odds. A solid story.
The book has a strange issue where the characters are entertaining to spend time with but the story's pacing is so slow. While fleshing out the backstories of characters is worthwhile and fun, the extent Mr Laws goes to is such that it bogs the story down. This is exemplified in a scene where, due to a plot point, a series of characters are introduced, characterised, fleshed out and then killed. This happens 4 times back to back over about 15 pages. While somewhat intense after the first, this happens periodically. There are scenes where there is great trepidation but nothing is achieved and nothing happens, the scene only seems to exist to show the passage of time and that the characters are doing something. The result is a story that often tries to push forward an urgent time pressure, but this is not always matched by the pace of writing. When they sync up its very good, when they don't its not bad or boring but just confused, at least for me.
In terms of actual plot events it struck me as very similar to his other works, there's cults, a vague sense of true evil (though this is handled quite entertainingly). I was disappointed that more wasn't made of the taxi, mysterious woman & child and something happening to the homeless concepts. Moments were teased and there is a real sense of trying to push the difficulties these people face but it slips back into the monster horror.
This is unusual for me but I might have like it a little more grounded, but maybe that's just what I've been reading lately.
Overall another solid Laws story, a good read for those who like monster horror, especially with a British sentiment.
The book has a strange issue where the characters are entertaining to spend time with but the story's pacing is so slow. While fleshing out the backstories of characters is worthwhile and fun, the extent Mr Laws goes to is such that it bogs the story down. This is exemplified in a scene where, due to a plot point, a series of characters are introduced, characterised, fleshed out and then killed. This happens 4 times back to back over about 15 pages. While somewhat intense after the first, this happens periodically. There are scenes where there is great trepidation but nothing is achieved and nothing happens, the scene only seems to exist to show the passage of time and that the characters are doing something. The result is a story that often tries to push forward an urgent time pressure, but this is not always matched by the pace of writing. When they sync up its very good, when they don't its not bad or boring but just confused, at least for me.
In terms of actual plot events it struck me as very similar to his other works, there's cults, a vague sense of true evil (though this is handled quite entertainingly). I was disappointed that more wasn't made of the taxi, mysterious woman & child and something happening to the homeless concepts. Moments were teased and there is a real sense of trying to push the difficulties these people face but it slips back into the monster horror.
This is unusual for me but I might have like it a little more grounded, but maybe that's just what I've been reading lately.
Overall another solid Laws story, a good read for those who like monster horror, especially with a British sentiment.
April 7, 2019
A taxi driver picks up a woman and child, and is forced to drive them at gun-point to escape their pursuers. After that, he finds himself pursued by a strange sect and the demons they have conjured up. Starts off quite well, but becomes increasingly banal towards the end.
March 24, 2013
This book was a surprise for me, it went way beyond my expectations.
June 23, 2023
This was intense.
If you are after something horrific, bloody but also all to do with the supernatural this is the one for you.
I simply just devoured the chapters and it's only due to my own time constraints that I didn't finish it quicker. Because I could.
If you are after something horrific, bloody but also all to do with the supernatural this is the one for you.
I simply just devoured the chapters and it's only due to my own time constraints that I didn't finish it quicker. Because I could.
May 10, 2022
Pour Tony Dandridge, tout bascule le jour où il embarque, sous la menace d'un pistolet, une jeune femme et son bébé dans son taxi. Or celle-ci fuyait une secte satanique. Et...un homme se met à menacer Tony pour savoir où elle se trouve, puis, ensuite, une entité démoniaque toute puissante se met à le poursuivre. Et ce n'est que le début.
Une secte satanique dont le maître cherche à augmenter ses pouvoirs. Un soldat défiguré qui a complètement perdu la mémoire. Une créature démoniaque d'une puissance inouïe. Un chef de gang qui entend des voix. Des clochards qui disparaissent. Le mystère s'épaissit.
Un roman assez original, qui nous embarque malgré quelques incohérences.
J'ai beaucoup aimé car l'auteur, Stephen Laws, a réussi à m'amener dans son jeu et à me rendre impatient de découvrir la suite des événements.
Une secte satanique dont le maître cherche à augmenter ses pouvoirs. Un soldat défiguré qui a complètement perdu la mémoire. Une créature démoniaque d'une puissance inouïe. Un chef de gang qui entend des voix. Des clochards qui disparaissent. Le mystère s'épaissit.
Un roman assez original, qui nous embarque malgré quelques incohérences.
J'ai beaucoup aimé car l'auteur, Stephen Laws, a réussi à m'amener dans son jeu et à me rendre impatient de découvrir la suite des événements.
April 5, 2015
Who calls their child Sparrow???? That's all I'm saying about that though. For some reason this book took forever for me to read. I felt that it dragged on and on without getting to the point. The story is entertaining but the characters are a bit annoying and didn't seem "real" for me. I wanted to enjoy the book sooooo much more but alas .....
July 3, 2015
The homeless - vulnerable and purposeful to those in control. A very dark and imaginative read.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews