What do you think?
Rate this book
Body Count
The figure in the mask stumbles bleeding through the streets, his pursuers closing in. They also wear masks, but they don't stumble. They stalk. They carry machetes, clubs and knives. And they know how to use them . . .
Who is kidnapping seemingly random victims and then slaughtering them in an elaborate game of cat and mouse? And why are these murders being streamed over the internet? Watching the horror unfold at New Scotland Yard is Detective Inspector Joe Chapman who searches for clues, hints - anything that might tell him where and when this savage hunt is happening. He'd give anything to know.
But DI Chapman is about to learn that you should be careful what you wish for. Very soon, he will be closer to the blood-letting than he could have imagined. Forced to fight for his life and the life of someone he holds dear, the only way out looks to be to rack up the biggest body count. But even that might not be enough.
Who is kidnapping seemingly random victims and then slaughtering them in an elaborate game of cat and mouse? And why are these murders being streamed over the internet? Watching the horror unfold at New Scotland Yard is Detective Inspector Joe Chapman who searches for clues, hints - anything that might tell him where and when this savage hunt is happening. He'd give anything to know.
But DI Chapman is about to learn that you should be careful what you wish for. Very soon, he will be closer to the blood-letting than he could have imagined. Forced to fight for his life and the life of someone he holds dear, the only way out looks to be to rack up the biggest body count. But even that might not be enough.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published October 2, 2008
5 people are currently reading
162 people want to read
About the author
Shaun Hutson
115 books536 followersBritish horror novelist, including horror and urban thriller novels.
His novella Slugs was made into a movie, although Hutson didn't like the movie. He also appeared in two horror movies himself.
Hutson is a Liverpool F.C. fan.
His novella Slugs was made into a movie, although Hutson didn't like the movie. He also appeared in two horror movies himself.
Hutson is a Liverpool F.C. fan.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
September 23, 2018
A fantastic return to form from Mr Hutson it has been a long time coming, but Body count gave me My fix of horror and pure undulating gore and action.
Shaun Hutson made the horror fan in me enjoy the gory scenes the most,When it comes to the characters I have to say I felt rather neutral to them which is fine as this book is pure popcorn fun.
Fast punchy chapters that keep you turning the pages and the book flies by as many other reviews on Goodreads have stated it copies lots of ideas from all genres including the games world and the fantastic Battle Royale but with that unique Hutson twist of all out gore and horror.
Well worth your time and hard earned cash a must read for fans of this type of book.
Shaun Hutson made the horror fan in me enjoy the gory scenes the most,When it comes to the characters I have to say I felt rather neutral to them which is fine as this book is pure popcorn fun.
Fast punchy chapters that keep you turning the pages and the book flies by as many other reviews on Goodreads have stated it copies lots of ideas from all genres including the games world and the fantastic Battle Royale but with that unique Hutson twist of all out gore and horror.
Well worth your time and hard earned cash a must read for fans of this type of book.
July 5, 2017
Body Count feels like a cross between Saw, the Manhunt video game and a few other books (unnamed to prevent spoilers). This is no bad thing and Hutson keeps the pace quick, the action simple and avoids any lengthy character development. There are a few twists to keep the story fresh, however for the most part, Body Count is a relatively simple and straightforward little thriller. An easy way to kill a few hours, with Hutson's now trademark scene of testicle violence included.
March 23, 2018
The best Shaun Hutson book in years after a dip in quality - basically a cat and mouse chase that really cracks along at the usual Hutson breakneck speed. All the usual flaws, 1 dimensional characters, pretty much the same character in every book - some "hang on a moment!" ridiculous plot elements but who cares when it's this much fun!
March 17, 2020
I read a few chapters and while I tried to enjoy it, the characters felt a bit blah and I got bored very quickly
July 7, 2020
An interesting read, but I felt the ending was a bit weak
October 12, 2021
Good thriller/gore feast
Read
December 26, 2023This is mad. It takes a wild pivot midway through and gets only more intense. The action is constant and those scenes engaging.
November 11, 2025
Very violent, very silly, but very enjoyable page turner
September 4, 2023
This novel was okay, but the plot will be nothing new to horror readers, or gamers who have played Rockstar’s controversial game Manhunt. Other reviewers have pointed out similarities to the game. I will echo that. It feels like the narrative drew heavily from the campaign.
You have a rich sicko in a mansion making death videos, a junkyard, a shopping mall, and a hedge maze. Even the infamous nail gun makes an appearance.
The book was enjoyable enough to finish reading, but I didn’t find it particularly well-written. Body Count feels like a grade-B movie with enough gore to qualify as a splatterpunk novel, but lacks depth. This one was a disappointment to me after reading Shaun Hutson’s far more horrifying novel, Assassin.
You have a rich sicko in a mansion making death videos, a junkyard, a shopping mall, and a hedge maze. Even the infamous nail gun makes an appearance.
The book was enjoyable enough to finish reading, but I didn’t find it particularly well-written. Body Count feels like a grade-B movie with enough gore to qualify as a splatterpunk novel, but lacks depth. This one was a disappointment to me after reading Shaun Hutson’s far more horrifying novel, Assassin.
March 19, 2012
Time taken to read - 2 days
Blurb from Goodreads
Wounded. Exhausted. Losing blood. The figure in the mask stumbles through the streets. Closing in are others in masks but they don't stumble, they stalk. They carry machetes, clubs and knives. And they know how to use them. They've killed before and they're going to kill again. Who is kidnapping seemingly random victims and then slaughtering them in an elaborate game of cat and mouse? And why are these murders being streamed over the internet? Watching the horror unfold at New Scotland Yard is Detective Inspector Joe Chapman and his team. Chapman searches for clues, hints - anything that might tell him where and when this savage hunt is happening. He'd give anything to know. He'd give almost anything to stop them. Unfortunately for DI Chapman, 'almost' anything might not be enough ...
My Review
DI Joe Chapman has more issues than most cops put together. He has a crap attitude, can't get over his last affair with a colleague and his daughter is missing after he tried to rule with an iron fist. Put on top of that they have a series of murders being taped and broadcast on the Internet, a game of cat and mouse with bloody and brutal slayings.
The chapters are only a few pages long each time which is always a nice change and helps to quickly get through a book I find. It is very different from his work I am used to reading, certainly it still has the graphic gruesome descriptions of the butchery but no supernatural or horror (apart from human brutality) that I am used to.
The book moves at a decent pace and there is plenty of murder and gore to keep you turning the pages. To be honest it reminds me of a movie I have seen or book I have read previously, kind of got a saw theme to it. Overall quite good although as always anything with animals being harmed does put me off a bit so 3/5 for me.
Blurb from Goodreads
Wounded. Exhausted. Losing blood. The figure in the mask stumbles through the streets. Closing in are others in masks but they don't stumble, they stalk. They carry machetes, clubs and knives. And they know how to use them. They've killed before and they're going to kill again. Who is kidnapping seemingly random victims and then slaughtering them in an elaborate game of cat and mouse? And why are these murders being streamed over the internet? Watching the horror unfold at New Scotland Yard is Detective Inspector Joe Chapman and his team. Chapman searches for clues, hints - anything that might tell him where and when this savage hunt is happening. He'd give anything to know. He'd give almost anything to stop them. Unfortunately for DI Chapman, 'almost' anything might not be enough ...
My Review
DI Joe Chapman has more issues than most cops put together. He has a crap attitude, can't get over his last affair with a colleague and his daughter is missing after he tried to rule with an iron fist. Put on top of that they have a series of murders being taped and broadcast on the Internet, a game of cat and mouse with bloody and brutal slayings.
The chapters are only a few pages long each time which is always a nice change and helps to quickly get through a book I find. It is very different from his work I am used to reading, certainly it still has the graphic gruesome descriptions of the butchery but no supernatural or horror (apart from human brutality) that I am used to.
The book moves at a decent pace and there is plenty of murder and gore to keep you turning the pages. To be honest it reminds me of a movie I have seen or book I have read previously, kind of got a saw theme to it. Overall quite good although as always anything with animals being harmed does put me off a bit so 3/5 for me.
July 26, 2015
This is another book I've read recently that reads just like a movie. It reminded me of SAW. Although the story is different, it has the same level of violence and tension, with a typical movie style ending. This is a long way from the Shaun Hutson novels I remember reading (Slugs, Spawn,) but it worked well and I wasn't disappointed.
We are introduced to Detective Inspector Joe Chapman, who's typically flawed with an unhappy marriage, an affair with a work colleague under his belt and a runaway daughter who can't deal with her dysfunctional family. All he needs to complete the stereotype is to be an alcoholic, but fortunately Hutson refrains from the conventional. However, I think that because of these flaws the character is actually quite likeable and believable.
The plot is a good one (which I wont go into as it will give too much away). It is a slow burner but it eventually kicks into high gear when Chapman becomes the hunted rather than the hunter.
This is a very violent book with a significant amount of bad language. Some of it made me wince, and the rape scene was pretty horrific, but it embedded itself well in the story and didn't feel out of place, although it did make for uncomfortable reading. However, it's suppposed to make you feel like that; it is Shaun Hutson after all.
Verdict:
This is a phychological horror which is full of brutality and bloodshed. It is well executed and I would definitely read more from this author. However, I would only recommend it to like minded people who enjoy horror and can deal with, or are used to, reading books of this nature.
We are introduced to Detective Inspector Joe Chapman, who's typically flawed with an unhappy marriage, an affair with a work colleague under his belt and a runaway daughter who can't deal with her dysfunctional family. All he needs to complete the stereotype is to be an alcoholic, but fortunately Hutson refrains from the conventional. However, I think that because of these flaws the character is actually quite likeable and believable.
The plot is a good one (which I wont go into as it will give too much away). It is a slow burner but it eventually kicks into high gear when Chapman becomes the hunted rather than the hunter.
This is a very violent book with a significant amount of bad language. Some of it made me wince, and the rape scene was pretty horrific, but it embedded itself well in the story and didn't feel out of place, although it did make for uncomfortable reading. However, it's suppposed to make you feel like that; it is Shaun Hutson after all.
Verdict:
This is a phychological horror which is full of brutality and bloodshed. It is well executed and I would definitely read more from this author. However, I would only recommend it to like minded people who enjoy horror and can deal with, or are used to, reading books of this nature.
July 29, 2011
Body Count by Shaughhhhouen Hutson is my second reading
experience with the author and it was a much better one. I
disliked Compulsion and remember very little of it now and, while
I do not think that Body Count is a remarkable book by any means,
I know that I will remember it for a long time. I think I would
have given it four stars instead of three if I hadn't read a
couple similar books already. Single White Psychopath Seeks Same
by Jeff Strand and The Manhattan Hunt Club by John Saul are the
two and the latter especially is very close to this since it also
is about criminals being hunted and killed once they are released
from or on their way to prison. This was a fun, quick read and so packed with
violence that, after a while, it stopped being as interesting. I
got the impression that a few of the things that happened in the
book were very convenient coincidences to make the book more
interesting or effective. My complaint with this is that I
noticed and it made the story seem forced at times. Again
though, this is a book full of fun for horror fans and it does
contain a few interesting new forms of it that I haven't come
across, such as the scene with the nail gun near the end of the
book. This is also one of those books where the protagonist can
take a questionable amount of damage and continue fighting but
that didn't really get to me. Again, I think most horror fans
would enjoy this book, flaws and all, but I just can't see it
making a major impression on most people.
experience with the author and it was a much better one. I
disliked Compulsion and remember very little of it now and, while
I do not think that Body Count is a remarkable book by any means,
I know that I will remember it for a long time. I think I would
have given it four stars instead of three if I hadn't read a
couple similar books already. Single White Psychopath Seeks Same
by Jeff Strand and The Manhattan Hunt Club by John Saul are the
two and the latter especially is very close to this since it also
is about criminals being hunted and killed once they are released
from or on their way to prison. This was a fun, quick read and so packed with
violence that, after a while, it stopped being as interesting. I
got the impression that a few of the things that happened in the
book were very convenient coincidences to make the book more
interesting or effective. My complaint with this is that I
noticed and it made the story seem forced at times. Again
though, this is a book full of fun for horror fans and it does
contain a few interesting new forms of it that I haven't come
across, such as the scene with the nail gun near the end of the
book. This is also one of those books where the protagonist can
take a questionable amount of damage and continue fighting but
that didn't really get to me. Again, I think most horror fans
would enjoy this book, flaws and all, but I just can't see it
making a major impression on most people.
November 18, 2012
I have been a devout Shaun Hutson reader right from the start and this is his 28th book which I have read. I have been a little bit disappointed with some of his more recent books but Body Count felt like a return to form for me.
Many will pickup the similarities in plotline to films such as Saw or Battle Royale or even a groovy little video game called Manhunt which got itself banned a few years back. Although the plot moves at a fairly predictable pace it is nonetheless an enjoyable ride as you will expect from a Shaun Hutson novel.
The idea of a huge movie set turned into a cityscape for hunters to track down a certain victim may not be new to many of us but there is enough gore and guns in this to keep horror fans amused. The pace is quick as with all of Shaun Hutson's novels and the characters are flawed but interesting souls fighting for what's right.
Recommended for fans of Saw, Battle Royale and The Running Man.
Many will pickup the similarities in plotline to films such as Saw or Battle Royale or even a groovy little video game called Manhunt which got itself banned a few years back. Although the plot moves at a fairly predictable pace it is nonetheless an enjoyable ride as you will expect from a Shaun Hutson novel.
The idea of a huge movie set turned into a cityscape for hunters to track down a certain victim may not be new to many of us but there is enough gore and guns in this to keep horror fans amused. The pace is quick as with all of Shaun Hutson's novels and the characters are flawed but interesting souls fighting for what's right.
Recommended for fans of Saw, Battle Royale and The Running Man.
May 28, 2015
The first book by Hutson that I have read, I found it somewhere for a few quid and thought I'd read it. Having never seen the films other people are comparing it to I found it interesting and it kepts me occupied and wanting to read more. Having said that, if I had seen the films it has been compared to I would probably have thought diffently.
From this, I got a feel for Hutson's writing style and liked how he would write in italics the thoughts that run through the characters heads as though they were having a conversation with their own thoughts.
From this, I got a feel for Hutson's writing style and liked how he would write in italics the thoughts that run through the characters heads as though they were having a conversation with their own thoughts.
November 20, 2010
Excellent, so glad that I didn't give up on him, as over the last years I have been disappointed with his books, nothing like his earlier stuff that got me hooked in the first place. I am glad that I didn't lose my faith in him, as this book was brilliant. Strong characters, great storyline, excellent detail. Welcome back Shaun x
March 8, 2016
A so so read .. not much to write about really .. flat character's & formulaic plot and for some reason sentences are endlessly repeated .. everbody drop's like 'stones' .. all bones 'splinter' .. hurt limbs are 'battered apendages' .. and so on. On the plus side the chapter's are lightning short which make's for a speedy read.
February 9, 2012
Began on 3rd February 2010, I'm a big fan of Shaun Hutson but this book left me disappointed.
Gruesome as always , story about a series of murders being orchestrated by a wealthy business man with
a gripe with the police.
Average enough.
Gruesome as always , story about a series of murders being orchestrated by a wealthy business man with
a gripe with the police.
Average enough.
July 6, 2014
Nothing like a good over-the-top violent book to wipe out memories of an attempt to read something different.
April 4, 2014
This book was OK. I wouldn't re-read it though.
January 11, 2015
Gripping!
Currently reading
September 2, 2010Gripping so far...
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews