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Headhunter: An Extreme Horror Story
Pain. Unbearable pain. A night of passion becomes a nightmare for corporate headhunter Adam Walters. In Prague for a few days to do business, he makes the most of his time away from home and commitments, indulging his lustful desires. But when he wakes up hog tied naked on an operating table in a filthy tiled room, he can't begin to imagine the pain that is about to come his way.
- GenresHorror
Audible Audio
Published August 23, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
April 4, 2019
I went through a traumatic experience recently.
The book I was reading turned out to be a romantic comedy (pause...deep breath) and I ended up liking it.
Hmpfph...
Pardon me, I threw up in my mouth a little.
What could have gone wrong?
Where the hell did I get this sudden spike of estrogen??
Well, at least I didn't cry (or I would have booked myself into the nearest stress clinic), so I'm going to look at it as an anomaly...something they refer to in the scientific world as an outlier.
Look, I'm not the manliest man, I think I'm in touch with my sensitive side, I don't have chauvinistic or prejudiced views (for the most part), but I also know myself well enough to know that this does not fall into "normal" behavior when it comes to my tastes.
Which is why I decided to tackle the first EXTREME HORROR story that comes my way - and since I can be a cheap bastard, the price was right when I saw this one was free. However, I've read the Barns Brothers before and was impressed, so it wasn't a complete shot in the dark.
So, Adam is a douchebag, he does some douchey things and lands himself in shit. So far, so good. The overall feeling is like the movie HOSTEL. Check.
However, the sex scenes turns out to be the most extreme thing in the entire story. It becomes utterly predictable and, even though the atmosphere was created, rather flat and dull. I honestly can't think what went wrong here - with the story - but this one did not do anything for me in the end, except perhaps to leave me feeling disappointed.
Can't recommend this one.
The book I was reading turned out to be a romantic comedy (pause...deep breath) and I ended up liking it.
Hmpfph...
Pardon me, I threw up in my mouth a little.
What could have gone wrong?
Where the hell did I get this sudden spike of estrogen??
Well, at least I didn't cry (or I would have booked myself into the nearest stress clinic), so I'm going to look at it as an anomaly...something they refer to in the scientific world as an outlier.
Look, I'm not the manliest man, I think I'm in touch with my sensitive side, I don't have chauvinistic or prejudiced views (for the most part), but I also know myself well enough to know that this does not fall into "normal" behavior when it comes to my tastes.
Which is why I decided to tackle the first EXTREME HORROR story that comes my way - and since I can be a cheap bastard, the price was right when I saw this one was free. However, I've read the Barns Brothers before and was impressed, so it wasn't a complete shot in the dark.
So, Adam is a douchebag, he does some douchey things and lands himself in shit. So far, so good. The overall feeling is like the movie HOSTEL. Check.
However, the sex scenes turns out to be the most extreme thing in the entire story. It becomes utterly predictable and, even though the atmosphere was created, rather flat and dull. I honestly can't think what went wrong here - with the story - but this one did not do anything for me in the end, except perhaps to leave me feeling disappointed.
Can't recommend this one.
August 13, 2025
3.5 stars. This was a really solid set up that caught my attention very early on. Adam is an obnoxious, uncaring womanizer who looks for a good time in Prague, but is found by an adventurous couple with unclear ambitions. And things proceed to go from bad to worse for poor Adam. I’m going to choose my words wisely, as to not spoil anything, but I was totally into everything until the second half of the book when things became like a glorified Saw movie. However, Barnes didn’t devolve to just a bloodbath, which was the saving grace here. There was a great deal of effort put into the atmosphere and delicacy of the situation that Adam was thrust in. That’s not to say there was no blood, but it was fairly minimal, done very tactfully and with purpose. Now one other issue I had was how some of the plot points, including Adam’s relationship with his mother and, moreso, long-term girlfriend were left with a lack of development. Yes, we were given some background and quick information dumps, but both of those characters deserved much more time to showcase their full impact on Adam. It would have made the whole story a much more well rounded idea. So, not without some missed opportunities, this was still a very satisfying tale of the macabre.
June 17, 2017
As soon as I finished reading HEADHUNTER I went to Amazon to grab something else from The Barns Brothers... sadly - nope. (I don't know why I keep starting to type Butcher Brothers instead of Barnes Brothers, but... maybe it will catch on!)
I'll have a full review posted soon - after a little stalking and/or social lurking, haha. I want to see who #TheButcherBrothers> are!
(how'd that work? anyone feelin' it?)
I'll have a full review posted soon - after a little stalking and/or social lurking, haha. I want to see who #TheButcherBrothers> are!
(how'd that work? anyone feelin' it?)
October 22, 2019
It's a quick read, and while interesting it's all over before you know it. I like how the lead is not just a cardboard character so that in the end, tho he was an incorrigible douchebag, I felt sorry not just for everything that he's gone through, but more especially for the hell that he's just about to plumb.
I wasn't able to guess what lay in store for him but there were clues all around so I shouldn't be surprised. I mean, the head motif is splattered all over the place - in the title, the cover pic, Adam's job, etc. And no, I don't think you've guessed it right either. Very original tho.
I'm giving this 5.5/10 or 3 stars out of 5.
I wasn't able to guess what lay in store for him but there were clues all around so I shouldn't be surprised. I mean, the head motif is splattered all over the place - in the title, the cover pic, Adam's job, etc. And no, I don't think you've guessed it right either. Very original tho.
I'm giving this 5.5/10 or 3 stars out of 5.
May 21, 2025
This isn’t the most original horror novel, but it’s suspenseful and well-written. The protagonist starts off as unlikeable, yet becomes surprisingly relatable as the story unfolds. Some parts feel a bit repetitive and overly long, but the ending is interesting and leaves an impact.
August 4, 2017
Was a great read with many twists and turns. Kept me interested and wanting more!
September 21, 2017
Adam Walters, a corporate headhunter, is on the road in Prague to meet a potential client. Instead of a client he meets Iva and Martin, a young couple, who want to have a threesome with him…
…for the beginning.
Warren Barns, or "The Barns Brothers" (Crowley and Warren), are relative new in business: for the moment (unfortunately) there are only two books published; one from Crowley and one from Warren.
By chance, I have been drawn to them, I now wanted to try out a book from them. I started with the novel „Headhunter“ by Warren Barns.
„Headhunter“ is a interesting and pretty good mixture of Tim Miller, Matt Shaw and Monica O’Rourke – in relation to Miller there seems to be a small tribute to „Hell, Texas“ – I like that! You’ll find Shaw cause of the darkness Warren knows to transport; O’Rourke cause of this rabbit punches Warren hands out.
You can imagine: with „Headhunter“ Warren Barns has written a book, I really enjoyed (even it’s a strange definition for such a novel).
Basically it’s not the „classic“ extreme-horror – and at the same time, that’s exactly what it is: Extreme-Horror!
Instead of betting on blood, guts and obscenities, Warren plays formally with the genre of horror: he locks the reader in a room – and you should know and experience that consciously! He does not lure the reader cautiously, but throw him into the humid darkness, lets the rusty hinges of the door formally roar before he drops them with a loud bang into the angling!
There you sit on the cold concrete, stare at the events through a dirty window and do not dare to look away; even it’s just because of pure fear: because as long as it happens in front of this window, it does not happen in this room…
Horror – no Splatterpunk, no extravagant blood-orgies, no excessive violence described down to the smallest detail – Warren Barns has written an unadulterated extreme horror thriller!
He knows the worst weapon, the most disgusting pictures, the most repulsive actions – he knows about the imagination of the reader! And he doesn’t stimulate it, he literally penetrates it!
Like I said at the beginning, „Headhunter“ reminds a little bit of Miller, Shaw and O’Rourke… until the end – this could be from Edward Lee, too!
Warren Barns has created with „Headhunter“ an enrichment for the genre – Extreme-Horror, that lives up its name!
-
Visit my blog for more reviews:
Die Büchergnomen
…for the beginning.
Warren Barns, or "The Barns Brothers" (Crowley and Warren), are relative new in business: for the moment (unfortunately) there are only two books published; one from Crowley and one from Warren.
By chance, I have been drawn to them, I now wanted to try out a book from them. I started with the novel „Headhunter“ by Warren Barns.
„Headhunter“ is a interesting and pretty good mixture of Tim Miller, Matt Shaw and Monica O’Rourke – in relation to Miller there seems to be a small tribute to „Hell, Texas“ – I like that! You’ll find Shaw cause of the darkness Warren knows to transport; O’Rourke cause of this rabbit punches Warren hands out.
You can imagine: with „Headhunter“ Warren Barns has written a book, I really enjoyed (even it’s a strange definition for such a novel).
Basically it’s not the „classic“ extreme-horror – and at the same time, that’s exactly what it is: Extreme-Horror!
Instead of betting on blood, guts and obscenities, Warren plays formally with the genre of horror: he locks the reader in a room – and you should know and experience that consciously! He does not lure the reader cautiously, but throw him into the humid darkness, lets the rusty hinges of the door formally roar before he drops them with a loud bang into the angling!
There you sit on the cold concrete, stare at the events through a dirty window and do not dare to look away; even it’s just because of pure fear: because as long as it happens in front of this window, it does not happen in this room…
Horror – no Splatterpunk, no extravagant blood-orgies, no excessive violence described down to the smallest detail – Warren Barns has written an unadulterated extreme horror thriller!
He knows the worst weapon, the most disgusting pictures, the most repulsive actions – he knows about the imagination of the reader! And he doesn’t stimulate it, he literally penetrates it!
Like I said at the beginning, „Headhunter“ reminds a little bit of Miller, Shaw and O’Rourke… until the end – this could be from Edward Lee, too!
Warren Barns has created with „Headhunter“ an enrichment for the genre – Extreme-Horror, that lives up its name!
-
Visit my blog for more reviews:
Die Büchergnomen
October 1, 2023
I have chosen a few novellas to smash out for the remainder of the year in order to reach my reading challenge goal. This was a sad year to which I lost 4 months of reading time so I am 3 books down now. So, I picked up this small little novel I bought a few years back to smash out and that I did. It is an easy read. I enjoyed the completely unlikable character to be honest. For some reason I enjoy horrible characters in books and this guy is about as arrogant as they get and he ends up in a situation that is pretty much Hostel in a book. It is an easy read, fast read, I wouldnt say it it at all original but for what it is, it is honestly what you would expect from the title and cover. Extreme? Well that depends on what you are used to reading. For me, I have read far more extreme than this and found it rather tame. I enjoyed the gruesome elements and although I did feel it has pretty much all been done before, I certainly didnt hate it and it kept me engaged.
August 14, 2025
Adam is a POS, treats women like play things, cold shouldered to everyone in his life (including his fiance). While on a business trip in Prague, Adam finds himself looking for some adventure that reveals itself in the form of a young couple. But, Adam seems to have bit off more than he can chew after blowing off a phone call with his fiance and ends up waking up in some sort of underground bunker, fighting for his life.
February 6, 2018
Wasn't quite as good as the last book I read by these authors, but it kept my attention. I just wish there was more to the story.
February 25, 2018
Amazing sadistic greatness
It was a brilliant but sadistic sick story and I loved every bit of it.
I could not believe how quickly I read it all and never took a break.
It was a brilliant but sadistic sick story and I loved every bit of it.
I could not believe how quickly I read it all and never took a break.
September 13, 2018
Never gave a book 1 star before. Headhunters: a book of extreme boredom, predictability and false promise.
January 31, 2023
Suspenseful to the very end
Excellent read. Could've finished it sooner but it still only took 2 or 3 sit downs. I'm on my way to another one by these Brothers now :)
Excellent read. Could've finished it sooner but it still only took 2 or 3 sit downs. I'm on my way to another one by these Brothers now :)
February 14, 2025
It had great tension, but was a little anti-climatic.
January 11, 2018
Eh. Hardly "extreme" and fairly predictable.
November 25, 2017
This is my first time reading anything from The Barns Brothers, and it was just the right pacing and length to keep me hooked to read it in one day. It starts out casual enough as we find the character Adam enjoying a drink at a hotel bar. He hooks up with a couple for a m/m/f threesome and things soon unravel from there. The big twist is harrowing and it doesn't hit you until the very end. It's a little traumatizing psychologically—one of those things that is more upsetting the more you think about it.
With regard to the sex and violence, I'm not very squeamish, and overall the book seemed to hit just the right balance. There were a couple of scenes that made me cringe as I read them, but that's kind of the point. Nothing was so over the top that I couldn't finish it. A great read! I highly recommend it.
With regard to the sex and violence, I'm not very squeamish, and overall the book seemed to hit just the right balance. There were a couple of scenes that made me cringe as I read them, but that's kind of the point. Nothing was so over the top that I couldn't finish it. A great read! I highly recommend it.
May 8, 2019
The irony of this book!
This book starts out pretty exciting. Even though the main character was a jerk, I ended up liking him. I was turning pages hoping for his escape... But then there wouldn't have been the climax at the end!
This book starts out pretty exciting. Even though the main character was a jerk, I ended up liking him. I was turning pages hoping for his escape... But then there wouldn't have been the climax at the end!
May 1, 2024
This was my first book by the Barns Brothers and I was definitely not let down!
I was hooked all the way through and I was rooting for our main character to escape the situation he found himself in!
It was pretty brutal and crazy and I loved this story as my first by them!
4/5
I was hooked all the way through and I was rooting for our main character to escape the situation he found himself in!
It was pretty brutal and crazy and I loved this story as my first by them!
4/5
January 9, 2022
I enjoyed this book
September 24, 2017
I mean eh? It was quick and wasn't that extreme. Didn't really do it for me
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews