House Call 3: The Beginning

by Matthew Vaughn

Every story has a beginning. Witness the creation of pure evil as you learn the origin of brothers Mr. Garnish and Slim. Known for inviting men to their home only to drug them and lock them in the basement, it didn’t always go as planned in the start. Sometimes you have to learn from your mistakes, sometimes you have to try and try again, until you get it right.

House Call 3 : The Beginning is a prequel that follows in the gross and depraved footsteps of the previous two books!

Genres: Horror

95 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 14, 2025

About the author

Matthew Vaughn lives in Shelbyville, Kentucky. He is the father of three little girls and a little boy, yet he and his wife are just big kids too. By day he maintains machines and robots, but, by night he is a writer of Horror and Bizarro fiction. You can keep up with his work at http://mcvaughn.wordpress.com/ or on Facebook. Check out my Amazon page here http://www.amazon.com/Matthew-Vaughn/...

Reviews

[amerie ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

here we are again… i was shaking in my boots when i first started reading this because of how bad the last 2 traumatized me, but suprisingly this one wasn’t as bad and was actually better than the last 2, still heavily disgusting, but not as bad, really enjoyed their backstory too.

[Cheryl P. (review hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a bit behind on reviews because I haven't been feeling well for various reasons but I didn't forget about this one. It's the origin of the sadistic Mr. Garnish (Samuel) and his deformed brother Slim (Abraham). The story starts out when the brothers (who are actually twins) are eighteen and are basically in a culr. We learn what made them the way they are, and why they do the vile, twisted things they do. We also meet interesting characters who were important in their lives, specifically Daga and Marion.

This was my favorite out of the three books. It was extremely vile and disturbing and I would warn that it's extreme horror and not for everyone but I really enjoyed it.

[Corrina Morse · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fan of the House Call books, when I heard there was going to be a prequel, delving into the reasons behind the brothers, Mr Garnish and Slim, and their weird behaviours, I couldn't wait to find out more. And let me tell you, I was not disappointed! In fact, I absolutely loved it! 🖤

Everything becomes crystal clear in this book, the reasons behind the way the brothers act, from acts of depravity as kids in a cult, being abused, knowing right from wrong but having it drilled into you until you know nothing else but evil. To discovering adulthood, sexuality, and a deep need for retaliation.

Their desperation to escape their situation is what lays the foundations for the siblings' disturbing futures.
This results in you feeling sorry for the brothers, the crap they had to go through. Vaughns skill at making you believe in these characters is brilliant and heartbreaking.

This is a short read that's quick to the action, and packs a lot of punch. It's completely immersive, I read this in one sitting, and with one tensely held breath!

Gross, depraved, and extremely vile, a dying man's wish is finally fulfilled, literally. And a pair of abused brothers intent on escape, on discovering their life's purpose, all combine to make for a stomach churning, emotional, and deeply disturbing tale, and the progression of how the brothers twisted lives came about was slick and wholly captivating.

I absolutely loved this, even though I very nearly came close to puking at one point! 🤢💚

[Sarah Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!!!

This is definitely my favorite of the three books! I somehow found it more disgusting than the other two and the story is fantastic!

[Paige Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever been curious as to how Mr. Garnish and his brother Slim came to be the way they are? Well, House Call 3 will answer those curiosities you may have. I found this story to be just as disgusting or maybe even more so than the previous stories. Gross outs galore with this one. Yeeshh.

House Call 3: The Beginning follows Mr. Garnish (Samuel) and Slim (Abraham) from before the basement of torture and twisted desires. Samuel and Abraham were both raised into a cult where it's leader was truly sick and did some really horrific things in honor of Beaphamete. Samuel is the next in line to be given this gift from their leader but he doesn't want it. He decides to take matters into his own hands and help his brother along the way. Then we meet Marion. The original owner of the house of horrors. Marion is just as sick as the two brothers and we learn even more of their backstory once we get to the house.

Matthew really did a wonderful job blending this backstory into the other two books. We even get a glimpse from some of the victims who came to the house that you will recognize and point out from the previous books. Not a detail was missed and I felt just as nauseated this time around as the other two.

Are you brave enough to explore the beginning of these brothers story? If you made it through the other two books then definitely give this one a go.

[Nicola (deathandthemacabre) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is as foul and grim as its predecessors. It's gross and disturbing and certainly isn't for those with weak stomachs. I enjoyed finding out why these men are the way they are, I've always been fascinated by how childhoods shape people, especially serial killers, and this was no exception.

I've always had issues with religious child abuse and cult induced brainwashing, so this makes me so mad because it does unfortunately go on, and one can understand why people could become mentally tarnished from such abuse.

I feel like a bit of the story could have been left out, it was just filling, and overall it wasn't my favourite of the trilogy but it's definitely one to pick up if you were a fan of the first two and love a bit of revenge!

[Carrie Shields · Rating 4 out of 5]

"𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠, 𝐧𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐦."

I love a good origin story, and this one checked all the boxes, from explaining how Mr. Garnish got his unusual surname to how he became his brother Slim's keeper. This prequel sees the men as boys trapped in a commune ruled by a charismatic leader who preys on the women, intent on populating the world with his offspring. The boys are twins, but one is being prepped as a husband while the other is kept in a cage.

Part origin story, part coming of age, and wholly monstrous, revenge-driven, and vile, if you've read the first two and wondered how the brothers' 'partnership' came to be, this nasty little novella will answer all of your questions. Available now!

[M's ☆~HEA~☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Abraham didn’t waste any time coming out, he was ready. Ducking his gigantic head to go through the doorway, Abraham stepped out into the room and grabbed up Samuel in a big hug.

If you asked me yesterday if I'd cry over an incestuous shit-eating serial killer brother-duo I'd probably say no only to be proven a big fat liar. I am just a sucker for sweet boys😅

Anyway, fantastic origin story! These two were shaped by all the horrific adults around them from birth. Unfortunately for their future victims they were assisted by a disturbed human but at least that disturbed human showed them a "better (question mark)" life.

I swear to God during that final scene with Gregg I was praying that Slim would break his silence and scream at Samuel to stop licking the poop pants!!! So nasty 😂 As always, read this on an empty stomach.

[Jessie Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Want to know how Mr Garnish and Slim end up the way they are? Well here it is!

This was every bit as gross and disturbed as book 1 and 2. I did enjoy finding out how the boys ended up so fked and it was everything I wanted and more! Don't believe for one second that this loosens up on the gross factor because it's book 3. The author has managed to pull off a book on the same wavelength as his other 2 in this series. An instant buy author for me!

[Shannon Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the best prequel to a series that I have read in a while. It tells of how Slim and Mr. Garnish became so evil. You get a glimpse of their home life, then you get to see how they got the house they live in and have their torturous fun. But to be expected by Matthew Vaughn this story doesn’t skip being brutal or graphic. Don’t skip the beginning of this crazy series!

[•mikaela• :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

No comment

[Risshan Adele · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you ever wondered why the brothers do what they do… You will find out now. You will learn the disgusting and horrible truth! Matthew did a fantastic job. So gross. More brown bits.. 🤣 I can’t.
Thanks for sending me an early copy!

[Lisa]

This entire series was not splatterpunk, but

Rather it was all about *n*l sex. I'm not sure if the author thought that this would make for good story telling, but I can assure you, it does not.
The writing was juvenile and immature, the plot non-existent, and all you really could expect was another brutal r@pe scene between men. It's very poorly done and unsettling.

I read all three, hoping the next book would different, and sadly, it wasn't.

Additionally, each "book" was under 100 pages, which means that those who pay for it, have two pay for 3 short books, when the author should have just put them all together into one longer book, so those paying for it can only pay one o

Thankfully, I got this on KU so didn't need two pay at all for this horrible trilogy.

Save yourself the time you won't be able to get back and give these three a pass

[Magpie Cleaver · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew the origin of Mr Garnish and Slim was going to be harrowing, gruesome and foul but to what extent? I was not prepared!

One could be forgiven for feeling sorry for the two, very very briefly, before their reign of terror begins.

This was exactly what I wanted out of a prequel, it answered so many of the questions that arose in the first two books but still left me wanting more!

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not expect the back story to be that. I also now require a lifetime of therapy :,) the in-depth level of detail describing scenes there is no limit to how gross this gets.
It’s very very grim

[Angela Occhino · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a feeling the backstory would be crazy, and it certainly was! You can understand how Mr. Garnish and Slim became the way they are. You might feel sorry for them for a brief moment, but that doesn’t justify their actions or their bizarre, grotesque fetishes! If you're looking for shocking, jaw-dropping moments, this twisted tale is worth reading. I know I enjoyed it!

[Brittany Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the back story to why Mr. Garnish and Slim are the way they are and do what they do. From being raised and abused in a cult, getting revenge, to know torturing victims of their own. This was a great prequel to the other two books and a quick easy read.

[Keturah James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deranged. The best of the 3 House Calls. It was ery interesting to learn where it all started and what shaped Slim and Mr.Garnish into they are.

[Michael Abbott · Rating 4 out of 5]

wow, it's a very interesting novel to get the back story behind the first book . I highly recommend this series for those who like to read extreme horror and check your tiggers' warnings ⚠️

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

okay this one was so much better than the first two. it was very disgusting as well, I highly recommend.

[The Yeti Reads and Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Garish and Slim are back, and they are better than ever!

This time we go back to where it all started. Who are Mr. Garnish and Slim? Where did they come from? Why are they the way they are? These questions and more get answered in the third installment of the House Call series.

Vaughn brings it all together with this amazing origin story. Easily one of Vaughn's best works. A tightly woven tale of in-your-face depravity of Mr. Garnish and Slim. I sure hope we see more House Call tales. One of the best in the business; do not miss it.

5 severed fingers out of 5