Nice Bloody Work

by Steve Stark

For fifteen years, drug dealer Trevor Payne has operated unchallenged in the dying town of Grimford.
But that time has come to an end with the arrival of a hideously scarred stranger.

As one by one members of Payne's crew are brutally murdered his only choice is to seek revenge or surrender his turf to the killer who calls himself Union Jack.

Payne's never been one to back down from a fight, but this won't be like any fight he's ever had before. This time he'll be forced to face heinous sins of the past, atrocities in the present, and an evil beyond his imagination.

In this violent game of cat and mouse only one thing is certain...
There will be blood.
Gallons of it.

214 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 16, 2026

About the author

Steve Stark is the author of A HOT DOSE OF HELL, VIOLENT ENDS and NICE BLOODY WORK. His stories have been published by BruNoemedia, Hellbound Books and Slaughterhouse Press. He is a former security manager whose work often draws from personal experience with added inspiration from pulp paperbacks and video nasties.

You can find him on X, instagram, and YouTube

Reviews

[Horror Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part British Gangster tale, part supernatural story, and 100 percent badass, Nice Bloody Work is a gruesome, bloody, and extremely violent novel set in a time soon after the pandemic lockdowns. One thing about Steve's work I've always loved is how his characters are all, generally, bad people. The moral lines they cross and the unflinching and swift bloodshed are his calling cards. This book delivers both with a dizzying gore splattered brush.

Payne is not a good person by anyone's measures. We're aware of that right from the brutal opening chapter. His gang isn't any better as they terrorize their small English town. Payne might be the hunter but soon, he will become the hunted. His crew begins to suffer horrifically gruesome fates at the hands of a man named Charlie. However, this is revenge for something that happened in 2006 and Charlie has...changed. No spoilers but trust me, he's not the same guy they thought they knew.

Now, with Payne not backing down and Charlie stalking him wherever he goes, a battle is about to take place that'll leave the streets running with blood. This book reads like an action filled gangster flick with all the supernatural elements lurking in each chapter. The characters are not likeable, for the most part, yet they there are slivers of humanity which show through, making them more than just cut and paste villains.

This one will have you flinching at the violence often and ups the tension and terror to the stratosphere. I highly recommend it.

[Janelle Schiecke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love gritty and gory, and Stark more than delivers with another banger! Nice Bloody Work drops you right into the grimy streets of Grimford this time and it’s such a compelling, tight-knit story.

The characters are a mix of vile, amusing, and heartfelt, and their dialogue certainly runs the gamut too. If you’ve read A Hot Dose of Hell, you’ll be happy to see a certain duo return as well.

With pacing that keeps you invested and tons of twists and turns, you’ll be glued to the page and wanting more. Loved the gangster vibes, too.

Union Jack is an absolute menace you do not want to cross paths with. What a killer character and Stark really got creative with this brutal, supernatural slasher!

[Uilleam Whitedale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scarmouth ... well, Grimford ... goes supernatural. NICE BLOODY WORK takes the visceral gore of Stark's Scarmouth novels and crosses the threshold into Hell. Fred and Pinkie, armed with dry British snark and their personal arsenals, return to grapple with yet another set of circumstances they don't quite understand, but someone else is set on vengeance and in control, aided by a wicked figure from the past. Imagine The Crow getting walloped by a huge smack of something along the lines of Sometimes They Come Back but set in the grim world of thugs and
traffickers and you'll know where you're heading. With superbly developed characters and a non-stop pounding plot, NICE BLOODY WORK is not only nice and bloody but a warning to those who think themselves untouchable. Sometimes people just can't see what might happen.

[Nick Horvath · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE NEW HORROR ICON IS HERE!

In today's literary landscape of bland, cookie-cutter, force-fed-DEI wokeslop, there is only one author whom I will drop EVERYTHING to read. STEVE. FUCKING. STARK.

I've long said that Steve's first novel, A Hot Dose of Hell, was my favorite horror novel of the last 25 years. Well, I gotta admit that's no longer the case. Nice Bloody Work rips the crown right off Hot Dose's bloody skull, gouging out its eyeballs along the way. THIS. BOOK. FUCKING. SLAYS.

Where to fucking start? From the moment I first read Steve's prose I knew I was in the hands of a true horror master. He writes exactly the brand of brutal, no-holds-barred, badass horror I want to read. But Nice Bloody Work cranks that reality to another level.

Steve has created a NEW HORROR ICON. Union Jack. A towering, unstoppable, brutally terrifying engine of vengeance. Part Candyman, part zombie Jason, with a brutal eye-gouge of my personal all-time favorite slasher icon, Maniac Cop. But here's the thing... UNION JACK IS MORE BADASS THAN ALL OF THEM. COMBINED.

And with Stark, you're gonna get a helluva lot more than just classic horror tropes executed to fear-drenched perfection and a new iconic slasher badass. Once again, Steve jabs a ruthless knife into the ribs of the weak-kneed, virtue-signalling, weaponized-empathy-wokesters. As with the very best horror, Steve writes scathing social commentary that rips the heart out of the any narcissistic self-deceivers who dare cross his path. It's glorious.

I could go on and on and on about how fucking brilliant this book is. I won't. I'll just say this.

FUCKING. READ IT.

[The Geeky Viking · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice Bloody Work indeed!

Steve Stark is the literary lovechild of Shaun Hutson and James Herbert, and if that sentence makes you giddy with excitment then you need to drop everything you're doing and pick up his latest masterpiece, 'Nice Bloody Work' 'cause you're in for a treat.

Stark delivers his best yet, a supernatural slasher set against a crime-thriller backdrop in another rundown coastal England town, adjacent to the infamous Scarmouth of his last novel, 'A Hot Dose of Hell'. His characters aren't cardboard cutouts - they're real people trying to get by with whatever hand they've been dealt - and their dialogue is authentic and natural sounding. You can tell he's influenced by film, with cinematic prose and propulsive pace, and the kills are nasty and brutal and bloody as hell. He also cuts to the bone, delivering some biting social commentary on the state of the UK, and while it's on point and refreshing to see someone finally addressing it, Stark never becomes preachy and it doesn't feel 'soapboxy'. In fact, it's central to the plot and serves a real purpose. Some won't like it, but tough shit.

There are still some authors I read who are traditionally published but they are growing few and far between. Increasingly I find myself gravitating toward the indie space, where guys like Stark and Nick Horvath and Jan Miklaszewicz and J.L. Engel and David Parkinson, are taking chances and writing the kind of stuff that gets me buzzing with excitement again, the same way teen me felt in the late 80s and early 90s when I was first reading writers like Shaun Hutson, Clive Barker, James Herbert, David Schow, Richard Layman, and Skipp & Spector. They don't pull punches. They don't take prisoners. They don't have any fucks to give. And I am so here for it!

I've read some bangers this year, and there's still a few to come, but 'Nice Bloody Work' is at the top of this year's pile and I don't see it being dethroned. If you're a fan of horror fiction and you're not reading Steve Stark then you probably shouldn't call yourself a fan. Dude is the real deal. Can't wait to see what twisted nightmare comes next.

[Jon Davies · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice Bloody Work has everything you'd expect from the author of A Hot Dose of Hell - bloody kills, laugh out loud dialogue, page-turning pace and prose as sharp and keen as one of Union Jack's knives. And underneath it all, deep and real characterisation and an unflinching look at aspects of society mainstream fiction chooses to ignore.

The action is set in the neighbouring town of Grimford. Now that he's built up the Scarmouth universe over the past few years, part of the fun in reading Steve's work is spotting references to characters and events of his previous stories.

Fans of Hot Dose will be happy to see a certain duo make an appearance and play a significant role in events. Depending on which order you read things, you'll also meet or be reacquainted with another character who I hope we'll be seeing much more of in the future.

This is my favourite tale of Stark terror so far, just nudging Hot Dose off the top spot. It's a cracking piece of Great British horror and another example of how indie fiction is hitting the mark where tradpub fails.

Nice Bloody Work has the unique, instantly recognisable and totally unforgettable Steve Stark blend of horror, humour, and sharp social commentary. Highly recommended.

[Josh Hitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun Bloody Tale

Charlie got a raw deal when trying to do a good deed. He barely survived being attacked by a gang and lost his eyes leaving him blind. Though something was there and that something was waiting to help Charlie when he asked. Waiting to get revenge on everyone involved.

Highly recommended, just a brutal fun revenge tale, done as well as it can be done. Love the supernatural touch and the ending was perfect. You won't go wrong with anything by Stark.

[Jan Miklaszewicz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an exclusive early copy of this book courtesy of the Kingdom Horror Collective, and it really is a stonking good read. With his trademark flair for bruising, brutal bloodshed, Mr Stark takes us on another gritty sojourn to Britain’s seedier side. Colourful, credible, foul-mouthed characters abound, and watching them get their comeuppance is a sublimely guilty pleasure. Reckon you can handle Union Jack, eh? I’d like to see you try.

[H.M. M Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an exclusive early copy of this book courtesy of the Kingdom Horror Collective

Union Jack’s kills are brutal thrills,
you’ll bask in pails of slaughter;
fuckers fall down with broken crowns,
and blood pisses out like water.

Supreme violence at its best, wrapped in yet another unrelenting and unapologetic rollercoaster of a story from one the absolute masters. Stark delivers more authentic British beef that goes straight for the knackers and doesn’t stop kicking until your colour drains and your balls turn blue.

If you’re already a fan of Stark’s previous novels, then you’re in for another bloody treat. An outstanding 3rd entry to his grim and gritty catalogue. Don’t take my word for it, even though I’m right, grab your copy post-haste.

NICE. FRICKIN’. BLOODY. WORK.

[Eamonn Bradley · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

I received this review copy from Kingdom Horror Collective. Mr Stark returns in glorious gory fashion! This is true balks to the wall Brit Grit that Steve Stark has carved for himself in trademark brutal style. Loved that I could never guess what was going to happen or who’d be next in vast lineup of inventive and nice bloody kills. Read it now, throughly enjoyed every minute!

[J.L. Engel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another bloody good time!

If this is your first venture into the mind of The Terror, Steve Stark’s dark and twisted mind, you’re in for a bloody good treat! If it’s your fourth time entering his Scarmouth imbued world, you won’t be disappointed!

I’m fresh off of finishing Nice Bloody Work, and it’s a nice bloody yarn! But what Stark entry isn’t, am I right? If you know, you bloody well know.

And his latest does not disappoint. Does not hold back. And DOES leave you wanting more.
In a way, I’m beside myself. I chat with Steve here and there, and I had to gush in the DMs over some particular characters he’s created, which led to some insider info on another project, and now I’m left IMPATIENTLY wondering about what is coming next! You see, one does not simply read a Steve Stark novel, set it down or place it on the shelf afterward. No, that is preposterous! See, Stark leaves you invested. He leaves you wanting. He knows how to tell a break-neck paced story, bloody it up with his trademark horror mastery, twist it and turn it, snap it and break it, if not completely dismembering it, then piece it back together in a way that keeps your imagination scrambling as if Frankenstein’s monster had just been stitched together in front of your eyes and released it into the world to terrorize your mind.

He’s that good. Not to mention another character Easter Egg that I absolutely loved and adds to the wanting! (See The Writer’s Block: An Anthology of Horror)

But wait… there’s more!

See, being an indie author allows Stark the true freedom to let loose on the page, unrestrained from the “prideful” boxes of the whining blue hair dyed idiots. When I say he pulls no punches, it’s not just on the horror highway of the genre he holds sway over. Stark fearlessly takes aim at the idiocracy of recent/current social prohibitions. Now, hailing from the UK, I hope Nice Bloody Work doesn’t get The Terror nicked because there are some c***s that are sure to be offended by the full-frontal woke exposure. There’s no subtly. This isn’t Basic Instinct. There’s no swift hint of a gift only to be quickly covered up. NO. When the legs split, they stay open! Stark is in full yuck fuo mode here, and it’s glorious!

For any Yanks unfamiliar with the social and political climate in the UK – very similar to America – it’s utterly f***ed. See, the plod have been arresting people for “offensive” Facebook posts, for praying in their homes as Christians, for speaking out about the gain-of-function-flu, not being a mask-hole (at the time), and the list goes on. Not to mention the All-I-Want-Is-A-Snack-Bar grape gangs overtaking the streets, neighborhoods, crime, and Britain’s daughters. (We don’t get into how the tiny hats are pulling all the strings from their fake promised land, but there’s always more to take aim at in due time.) Otherwise, they’re all in Stark’s sights, and my boy don’t miss!
If you thought Citizen Vigilante hit hard, you don’t know Stark, and I implore you to get to know him. And he does it all gracefully, bloodily, and without preaching. It’s an honest take that grounds the implausible events in reality, heightening his craft in an undeniably visceral manner. Stark will give you all the feelings, some of them surprising in certain moments, but he runs the gauntlet of emotions in this supernatural vigilante slasher horror. Most of them are delightfully painful.
I can’t believe I’m finally getting to the new iconic entry into the slasher rogue’s gallery, but it’s time…

Union Jack. (What a kick ass name!) He’s wholly original, and yet… historically relevant. You’ll have to read Nice Bloody Work to understand that. No spoilers here. But with that ambiguous reference, Jack comes alive in a way that’s unexpected and unrelenting. He’s not just a knife wielding cold-blooded killer. He’s a friend. A confidante. A guide into the wilds of revenge or reckoning, whichever perspective is preferred. He’s all about the get-back, and I’m here for it as he adds to the menacing allure of the Scarmouth Universe, now including the new stomping grounds of Grimford, where one should definitely tread carefully who they run afoul of when visiting.

[Already Overbooked · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bunch of Cee You Next Tuesdays, Steve

[David Buzan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steve Stark delivers his finest work yet in this savage collision of underworld crime thriller, slasher horror, and '70s-style gangland splatter. The pacing is punishing, the atmosphere is suffocating, and the violence is unapologetically brutal. NICE BLOODY WORK is a vicious page-turner that delivers exactly what the title promises: a carnival of carnage.

Union Jack raises the flag on a new literary horror icon.

[David Parkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an exclusive early copy of this book courtesy of the Kingdom Horror Collective, and Steve Stark has done it again! I was already a fan. His previous books, A Hot Dose of Hell and Violent Ends, are among my favourites in the genre and proved to me that indie horror was alive, well, and home to fearless voices.

Nobody writes gritty, street-level thugs, mobsters, villains, and scumbags as well as Stark, but here he’s thrown a superbly realised supernatural slasher into the mix. Nice Bloody Work is tightly written. Not a line is wasted. The plot is devoid of filler, but none of the characters are undercooked. Everyone gets their allotted time, until that time’s up. The action is relentless and the kills brutal and bloody, as all good splatterpunk should be. We get plenty of biting social commentary, another Stark trademark, but it’s never preachy or pandering. It serves the story.

Nice Bloody Work might very well be Steve Stark’s best bloody work. And trust me, that’s one hell of a compliment.

A must-buy for any true horror fan!

[Egg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brutal tale set in Steve Stark's Scarmouth universe. This time, it's a revenge story that steps a bit further into the supernatural. There're no good guys here to root for, just varying levels from bad to worse to terrible. But I guess when everyone's a criminal or villain, it all works itself out when the red work kicks off, and there's page after page of red. If you've the stomach for this kind of story, then jump right in; there's Nice Bloody Work in store.

[Ian Nol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stark is a very reliable and underrated writer, and he's in top form here. Nice Bloody Work is in the revenge subgenre of horror. Stark often populates his stories with terrible people, but he's also a master at giving them some humanity to make them at least moderately sympathetic. As such, it's up to the reader exactly how much they want to root for our blind killer as he hunts down the thugs responsible for his blindness. With quite a few twists and turns along the way, it's an edge-of-your-seat thrill ride, regardless of which "side" you take.
As long as you can handle some graphic violence and other mature themes (not "extreme horror" level, but definitely enough to land this a hard R or unrated if it was a film), highly recommended.