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Flanagan
“She’d screamed and cried and cursed as each and every one of his wife’s toes he’d chosen for amputation were snipped off and lay bleeding on the cracked tiles of that cheap motel bathroom floor. Nothing left now but ten raw, bloodied stumps. And they’d made him do it.”
Chris and Helen Sewell are your typical, all-American couple; happily married for ten years, respected high school teachers.
During their annual Spring Break vacation to recharge their batteries and reconnect with each other after undergoing a gruelling but unsuccessful fertility program, Chris and Helen are waylaid by a perverse gang of misfits in the small, North Texas town of Flanagan.
Taken hostage as the focus of the gang’s twisted games, Chris and Helen are forced to perform increasingly vicious acts of physical, sexual and emotional torture upon each other until events take an unexpected turn and there is an unintentional death. As their circumstance dissolves into chaos, the Sewells find themselves involved in a different situation altogether.
Chris and Helen Sewell are your typical, all-American couple; happily married for ten years, respected high school teachers.
During their annual Spring Break vacation to recharge their batteries and reconnect with each other after undergoing a gruelling but unsuccessful fertility program, Chris and Helen are waylaid by a perverse gang of misfits in the small, North Texas town of Flanagan.
Taken hostage as the focus of the gang’s twisted games, Chris and Helen are forced to perform increasingly vicious acts of physical, sexual and emotional torture upon each other until events take an unexpected turn and there is an unintentional death. As their circumstance dissolves into chaos, the Sewells find themselves involved in a different situation altogether.
329 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 18, 2017
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31 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
February 13, 2025
*THIS REVIEW IS FULL OF SPOILERS, SO BE WARNED. SKIP IT IF YOU WANT TO READ A SPOILER FREE REVIEW.*
Flanagan by James H. Longmore
Between 3.5 and 4 stars
Flanagan was such an interesting read. And my thoughts constantly went all over the place. So while I read it, my rating went all over the place.
The blurb promises a couple that falls into the hands of a gang of misfits that tortures them and forces them to torture eachother. The prologue started so gruesome, it made it instantly epic and I couldn't wait to read the rest.
After that Chris and Helen are introduced. Helen loves her job as a teacher and she adores the adoration of the highschoolers. They like her and she is an awesome teacher. Her husband Chris is a teacher at the same school. They have a creepy co-worker married to a christian wife that always lurks and checks Helen out. Helen is big breasted and extremely vain.
We read about a dinner party and how Chris and Helen plan a trip and retreat for themselves. The first half of the book I experienced in two parts. Firstly it felt quite slow and not that interesting. The size of Helen's breasts are mentioned again and again. That could have been a bit less. But while that annoyed me, James also cleverly introduced new and utterly frightening details about the couple. And that made all that slowness suddenly quite epic.
Chris and Helen seem to be a normal couple that ache to have a baby but are unable too. But Chris and Helen have very particular tastes in the bedroom. And I loved how quickly those tastes became extremely cruel and violent. And how that violences turns the couple on in the extreme.
The scenes in Amsterdam and Vegas clearly told who Chris is. And how narcissistic he truly is. I love how Helen at first seems to be a bystander. But that twist to who Helen really is was just brilliantly done.
But there are also vulnerable scenes between the two of them. Which made the characters so much more layered.
And then they go on that much anticipated trip. And things go awry quite quickly. Chris and Helen feel so invincible and every second they feel that they are better than those around them. They are both so arrogant and selfish.
I love the horror part of the book. My stomach did get squeezie at certain parts. And at one point Chris and Helen have a true yelling match and I just loved that.
But while the gruesomeness takes place, their sick and depraved sexual thoughts also linger and make their presence known. It was such a weird combination that absolutely worked in the context of this book.
I did NOT see that plottwist coming. Not at all. I think my mouth literally dropped open. And the epilogue was just a true testament to the souls of Helen and Chris.
I truly enjoyed this horror story. I love the horror and gruesome scenes. But also the personalities of the lead characters added to the horror elements of this book.
I only wished that the pacing was slightly quicker at the start. And the repetitiveness of the description of her breasts was too much for me. I also wondered how realistic the torture was in regarding to passing out if you get tortured like that. The book is heavily focussed on the verbal conversation between the main characters and the people that have them. I wish it felt a bit more realistic in that department. *HUGE SPOILER ALERT* I also wondered if Chris would be physically able to get an erection with that much damage to it.
But all in all still a great read and I am super happy I read it!
Between 3.5 and 4 stars from me overall. Leaning more towards the 4 stars.
Flanagan by James H. Longmore
Between 3.5 and 4 stars
Flanagan was such an interesting read. And my thoughts constantly went all over the place. So while I read it, my rating went all over the place.
The blurb promises a couple that falls into the hands of a gang of misfits that tortures them and forces them to torture eachother. The prologue started so gruesome, it made it instantly epic and I couldn't wait to read the rest.
After that Chris and Helen are introduced. Helen loves her job as a teacher and she adores the adoration of the highschoolers. They like her and she is an awesome teacher. Her husband Chris is a teacher at the same school. They have a creepy co-worker married to a christian wife that always lurks and checks Helen out. Helen is big breasted and extremely vain.
We read about a dinner party and how Chris and Helen plan a trip and retreat for themselves. The first half of the book I experienced in two parts. Firstly it felt quite slow and not that interesting. The size of Helen's breasts are mentioned again and again. That could have been a bit less. But while that annoyed me, James also cleverly introduced new and utterly frightening details about the couple. And that made all that slowness suddenly quite epic.
Chris and Helen seem to be a normal couple that ache to have a baby but are unable too. But Chris and Helen have very particular tastes in the bedroom. And I loved how quickly those tastes became extremely cruel and violent. And how that violences turns the couple on in the extreme.
The scenes in Amsterdam and Vegas clearly told who Chris is. And how narcissistic he truly is. I love how Helen at first seems to be a bystander. But that twist to who Helen really is was just brilliantly done.
But there are also vulnerable scenes between the two of them. Which made the characters so much more layered.
And then they go on that much anticipated trip. And things go awry quite quickly. Chris and Helen feel so invincible and every second they feel that they are better than those around them. They are both so arrogant and selfish.
I love the horror part of the book. My stomach did get squeezie at certain parts. And at one point Chris and Helen have a true yelling match and I just loved that.
But while the gruesomeness takes place, their sick and depraved sexual thoughts also linger and make their presence known. It was such a weird combination that absolutely worked in the context of this book.
I did NOT see that plottwist coming. Not at all. I think my mouth literally dropped open. And the epilogue was just a true testament to the souls of Helen and Chris.
I truly enjoyed this horror story. I love the horror and gruesome scenes. But also the personalities of the lead characters added to the horror elements of this book.
I only wished that the pacing was slightly quicker at the start. And the repetitiveness of the description of her breasts was too much for me. I also wondered how realistic the torture was in regarding to passing out if you get tortured like that. The book is heavily focussed on the verbal conversation between the main characters and the people that have them. I wish it felt a bit more realistic in that department. *HUGE SPOILER ALERT* I also wondered if Chris would be physically able to get an erection with that much damage to it.
But all in all still a great read and I am super happy I read it!
Between 3.5 and 4 stars from me overall. Leaning more towards the 4 stars.
dnf-for-good
July 22, 2019Barely started so I am not going to rate this.
DNF!!!! If you and your husband were abducted your eyelids removed, one of your breast removed and the nipple on the other one sliced off. And your husband's dick was cut up and his anus sliced and was leaking with blood and shit. And bugs were biting you all over. Would you still be able to have a calm fucking conversation? Or would you be screaming in pain or passed the fuck out from the pain? I know I would be passed the fuck out or screaming my head off. I sure as fuck wouldn't be having a calm ass conversation with my husband. Ugh! So tired of these watered down horror/thriller books!
DNF!!!! If you and your husband were abducted your eyelids removed, one of your breast removed and the nipple on the other one sliced off. And your husband's dick was cut up and his anus sliced and was leaking with blood and shit. And bugs were biting you all over. Would you still be able to have a calm fucking conversation? Or would you be screaming in pain or passed the fuck out from the pain? I know I would be passed the fuck out or screaming my head off. I sure as fuck wouldn't be having a calm ass conversation with my husband. Ugh! So tired of these watered down horror/thriller books!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 24, 2019
I was hooked from the first chapter. Then it got boring, getting to know the characters. And I don't think I even liked any of them. Anyways, once the excitement started back up, it was okay. Not what I was expecting.
So you have a married couple going on vacay. Then some rednecks abduct them and make them play sex games
There was a lot of sex
So much that I got tired hearing about her breasts.
Anyways, things weren't what they seemed.. And to fulfil the plot, I almost feel like the reasoning was far fetched..I mean, if I think too hard I come up with plotholes
However, none of that matters when you're reading violence this good
So you have a married couple going on vacay. Then some rednecks abduct them and make them play sex games
There was a lot of sex
So much that I got tired hearing about her breasts.
Anyways, things weren't what they seemed.. And to fulfil the plot, I almost feel like the reasoning was far fetched..I mean, if I think too hard I come up with plotholes
However, none of that matters when you're reading violence this good
March 16, 2017
Chris and Helen Sewell, married for ten years, are High School teachers who have no children of their own and, after undergoing tests to determine their suitability for fertility treatment, they are informed that there is no chance they will ever conceive; Chris's "swimmers" are immotile, and Helen's body was ravaged by chlamydia years before they got together.
Desperate to reconnect with each other and recharge their sexual batteries, they decide to use their Spring Break holiday to visit a retreat, and as it is a long drive, they decide to stop off overnight at a motel in Flanagan, a one-horse town without a horse.
The following day, the couple are taken hostage by an unsavoury group of locals and are subjected to a series of twisted "games", and are forced to perform increasingly nasty and perverse acts of physical, mental and sexual torture upon each other, and also have brutal sexual acts performed on them by their captors.
To top it off, Chris and Helen are informed that when the bells ring on an old alarm clock that is placed nearby, they will be killed.
The tension mounts as the clock ticks, and as the reader reaches what they think is the end, that's when James H. Longmore throws in the plot twist, which you won't see coming, and it's a doozy!
This is extreme horror, extreme sex, and it's an extremely good read, spoiled a little by more than a few grammatical errors.
Desperate to reconnect with each other and recharge their sexual batteries, they decide to use their Spring Break holiday to visit a retreat, and as it is a long drive, they decide to stop off overnight at a motel in Flanagan, a one-horse town without a horse.
The following day, the couple are taken hostage by an unsavoury group of locals and are subjected to a series of twisted "games", and are forced to perform increasingly nasty and perverse acts of physical, mental and sexual torture upon each other, and also have brutal sexual acts performed on them by their captors.
To top it off, Chris and Helen are informed that when the bells ring on an old alarm clock that is placed nearby, they will be killed.
The tension mounts as the clock ticks, and as the reader reaches what they think is the end, that's when James H. Longmore throws in the plot twist, which you won't see coming, and it's a doozy!
This is extreme horror, extreme sex, and it's an extremely good read, spoiled a little by more than a few grammatical errors.
February 4, 2025
Helen and Chris are on their way to a couples retreat for their anniversary and along the way decide to stop for the night in Flanagan a small Texas town. Unbeknownst to them, the town has a dark secret and they are taken captive and forced to partake in a series of brutal games involving, physical, mental and sexual torture.
First off, this definitely has an ick factor, especially the sexual torture. Brutal and horrific with unlikeable characters and graphic content, this was hard to get through. Despite that, it had an imaginative twist which was rather shocking. I honestly don’t know how I feel about this book. Thanks to @hellboundbooks and @henryroi.pr for a copy of this book.
First off, this definitely has an ick factor, especially the sexual torture. Brutal and horrific with unlikeable characters and graphic content, this was hard to get through. Despite that, it had an imaginative twist which was rather shocking. I honestly don’t know how I feel about this book. Thanks to @hellboundbooks and @henryroi.pr for a copy of this book.
October 1, 2017
Awesome
This book had the twist of all twists could not believe it! Can't wait for the next one! If you like horror this is it!
This book had the twist of all twists could not believe it! Can't wait for the next one! If you like horror this is it!
August 3, 2022
"Flanagan" by James H. Longmore
💥Please proceed with caution in regards to this read as it an extreme horror story and NOT for the faint of heart💥
Helen and Christopher Sewell are both teachers at Cy-Spring High and while they love their jobs, they're both more than ready to start their Spring Break vacation. A lovely stay in San Manuel, Texas, is what they planned for. They've decided to stay at the Flanagan's Last Barrel Motel, located in a small northern Texas town on their way. But what starts off as a great trip suddenly turns weird and the the shock factor gets amped up to ten.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review from @xtinamarie4031 I'll be joining her podcast in January (Unofficial: Panic Room Radio Show), to help with book reviews, and she sent me this so I could become familiar with her partner on the podcast, the author of Flanagan, James H. Longmore.
Let me just say that this read was fantastic. I had my suspicions that this book may not be what at all it appeared, and while the torture inside the real, it doesn't end at all the way you'd think. Also, that last line had me 😳🤣 solid 5 🌟's from me!
💥Please proceed with caution in regards to this read as it an extreme horror story and NOT for the faint of heart💥
Helen and Christopher Sewell are both teachers at Cy-Spring High and while they love their jobs, they're both more than ready to start their Spring Break vacation. A lovely stay in San Manuel, Texas, is what they planned for. They've decided to stay at the Flanagan's Last Barrel Motel, located in a small northern Texas town on their way. But what starts off as a great trip suddenly turns weird and the the shock factor gets amped up to ten.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review from @xtinamarie4031 I'll be joining her podcast in January (Unofficial: Panic Room Radio Show), to help with book reviews, and she sent me this so I could become familiar with her partner on the podcast, the author of Flanagan, James H. Longmore.
Let me just say that this read was fantastic. I had my suspicions that this book may not be what at all it appeared, and while the torture inside the real, it doesn't end at all the way you'd think. Also, that last line had me 😳🤣 solid 5 🌟's from me!
May 4, 2017
Over the top!
Well, I have to say, this story started off in one direction, and did a three-eighty and totally ended up surprising the hell out of me! Crazy, wild and completely disgusting, but in a good way, this was one over the top story!
It was like watching one of those old drive in movies on speed! I'm still shaking my head at the ending and how easily I was fooled by where I thought the story was headed. Very nice twist! I liked it!
Well, I have to say, this story started off in one direction, and did a three-eighty and totally ended up surprising the hell out of me! Crazy, wild and completely disgusting, but in a good way, this was one over the top story!
It was like watching one of those old drive in movies on speed! I'm still shaking my head at the ending and how easily I was fooled by where I thought the story was headed. Very nice twist! I liked it!
February 7, 2025
Flanagan
By: James H. Longmore
Publisher: HellBound Books Publishing LLC
Release Date: May 18, 2018
Length: 300 pages
Triggers: Extreme violence, sexual assault, psychological torture, graphic horror
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A Relentless Descent into Depravity with an Unforgettable Twist
James H. Longmore’s Flanagan is a brutal, psychological horror novel that drags readers into the darkest corners of human cruelty.
Chris and Helen Sewell, a seemingly ordinary married couple and high school teachers, take a detour on their Spring Break road trip, stopping for the night in the isolated town of Flanagan. What begins as a routine stopover turns into a waking nightmare when they are abducted by a group of sadistic locals. Forced into a series of perverse and violent "games," their physical, mental, and emotional endurance is tested to the extreme. A black alarm clock sits between them, ticking down to their promised execution—but fate has other plans.
Longmore’s storytelling is immersive and unsettling, pushing the limits of psychological horror with grotesque yet gripping detail. The tension never lets up, keeping the reader in a state of dread, while the shocking plot twist completely upends expectations.
This is not a book for the faint of heart. The novel’s relentless brutality, particularly its emphasis on sexual violence, makes for an uncomfortable but undeniably compelling read. While some elements—such as the excessive descriptions of Helen’s physical attributes—can feel repetitive, the narrative’s payoff is worth the discomfort.
If you crave horror that is unapologetically dark, deeply unsettling, and shockingly unpredictable, Flanagan is a must-read. But be warned—you may never look at small towns the same way again.
By: James H. Longmore
Publisher: HellBound Books Publishing LLC
Release Date: May 18, 2018
Length: 300 pages
Triggers: Extreme violence, sexual assault, psychological torture, graphic horror
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A Relentless Descent into Depravity with an Unforgettable Twist
James H. Longmore’s Flanagan is a brutal, psychological horror novel that drags readers into the darkest corners of human cruelty.
Chris and Helen Sewell, a seemingly ordinary married couple and high school teachers, take a detour on their Spring Break road trip, stopping for the night in the isolated town of Flanagan. What begins as a routine stopover turns into a waking nightmare when they are abducted by a group of sadistic locals. Forced into a series of perverse and violent "games," their physical, mental, and emotional endurance is tested to the extreme. A black alarm clock sits between them, ticking down to their promised execution—but fate has other plans.
Longmore’s storytelling is immersive and unsettling, pushing the limits of psychological horror with grotesque yet gripping detail. The tension never lets up, keeping the reader in a state of dread, while the shocking plot twist completely upends expectations.
This is not a book for the faint of heart. The novel’s relentless brutality, particularly its emphasis on sexual violence, makes for an uncomfortable but undeniably compelling read. While some elements—such as the excessive descriptions of Helen’s physical attributes—can feel repetitive, the narrative’s payoff is worth the discomfort.
If you crave horror that is unapologetically dark, deeply unsettling, and shockingly unpredictable, Flanagan is a must-read. But be warned—you may never look at small towns the same way again.
January 24, 2025
Chris and Helen Sewell, high school teachers struggling with infertility, decide to rekindle their connection with a spring break retreat. On their way, they stop overnight in Flanagan, a desolate, eerie town where their worst nightmares come to life.
Taken hostage by sadistic locals, the couple endures horrifying physical, mental, and sexual torment, forced into twisted "games" that push them to their limits. Their captors set an old alarm clock as a death timer, and as it ticks down, the tension is excruciating. Just when you think the story has reached its climax, Longmore delivers a shocking, unpredictable twist that changes everything.
This is a brutal, extreme horror tale, packed with graphic content and relentless suspense. Flanagan is a gripping, disturbing read that’s not for the faint-hearted. Proceed with caution—you won’t forget this one.
Thank you, Hellbound Books, for the ARC!
Taken hostage by sadistic locals, the couple endures horrifying physical, mental, and sexual torment, forced into twisted "games" that push them to their limits. Their captors set an old alarm clock as a death timer, and as it ticks down, the tension is excruciating. Just when you think the story has reached its climax, Longmore delivers a shocking, unpredictable twist that changes everything.
This is a brutal, extreme horror tale, packed with graphic content and relentless suspense. Flanagan is a gripping, disturbing read that’s not for the faint-hearted. Proceed with caution—you won’t forget this one.
Thank you, Hellbound Books, for the ARC!
January 19, 2025
When I first read the prompt of Flanagan, I thought it was going to be like every other erotic horror book I’ve read in the past: excessive, repetitive, and unnecessary violence. A story about a couple being horrendously tortured whilst on a trip to a nudist resort. And to be honest, it was looking like that when the action began, with hit after hit of body horror.
When the big twist came in this, I was surprised! I will not spoil it of course, but I will say that it’s very repetitive of another popular book right now, Motel Styx. Another corporation feeding off of people’s sickest desires. And for that, I will give it a big old 5/5, for keeping me entertained and having a good plot for a splatter-punk novel. Can’t wait to check out this authors other books!
When the big twist came in this, I was surprised! I will not spoil it of course, but I will say that it’s very repetitive of another popular book right now, Motel Styx. Another corporation feeding off of people’s sickest desires. And for that, I will give it a big old 5/5, for keeping me entertained and having a good plot for a splatter-punk novel. Can’t wait to check out this authors other books!
February 22, 2025
What can I say about this book? It’s pure horror. Torture,, dismemberment—it has it all. Every trigger warning applies.
If you want to experience a full range of emotions, this is the book for you. It’s shocking, gripping, and undeniably entertaining. You’ll be both surprised and astonished.
This is not for the faint hearted but it’s a hell of a read. If you love a horror check it out.
If you want to experience a full range of emotions, this is the book for you. It’s shocking, gripping, and undeniably entertaining. You’ll be both surprised and astonished.
This is not for the faint hearted but it’s a hell of a read. If you love a horror check it out.
August 6, 2017
Not very good
I disliked the Sewell so very much and only read this because I was wondering and hoping they'd meet a brutal demise. Alas...Note to author, Americans use the word while instead of whilst. Everything else was fine as far as American grammar as far as I could tell.
I disliked the Sewell so very much and only read this because I was wondering and hoping they'd meet a brutal demise. Alas...Note to author, Americans use the word while instead of whilst. Everything else was fine as far as American grammar as far as I could tell.
November 6, 2022
Although it got a little boring for a while after the first chapter, and hearing about Helen’s boobs got a little old, I’m still giving it 5 stars because the first chapter and the twist at the end made up for it! All in all, this was a pretty decent book!
January 15, 2025
That was a crazy rollercoaster of a ride! I did not expect that plot twist to happen. I could not stop reading and thoroughly enjoyed this book!
September 15, 2023
Longmore never disappoints with his stories. This book follows the Sewell couple during their spring break (both are high school teachers). They make a fateful stop in Flanagan and discover that the locals are friendly... until they aren't. Soon they are plunged into a nightmare involving acts of sexual deviancy and violence. While the whole book is pretty much a trigger warning, Longmore does a great job and isn't just writing torture porn. A great horror novel for anyone who enjoys Splatterpunk and the ugly side of humanity.
January 27, 2025
This book was literally just insane to me. The whole time I was on the edge of my seat and I just kept thinking this couldn’t get any more insane but wait, there was always more and the twist at the end?! Like what?! My jaw was on the ground! I am thankful that I got to grab this and this won’t be my last read (or listen) from this author!
March 29, 2025
The most horrific, vile, disturbing, anxiety inducing horror book I've read so far! This book is riddled with trigger warnings. I went from hating it to loving it and I'm still in shock that I subjected myself to such utter filth. Lol 😅
The prologue starts strong with some extremely gory descriptions but then it gets pretty boring for about 6 chapters while we get to know the characters. This is where I wanted to DNF. It took me a while to get used to the writing style after reading mostly female authors recently. The language is blunt, jarring, and highly graphic. If I had a nickel for every time Helen's breasts were mentioned...
We got it her boobs are great lol 🤦🏽♀️
Anyway, once they got to Flanagan, I was hooked! The descriptions throughout were so vivid that I felt like I was watching a movie in my mind. The creepy hillbilly residents of the backwater town of Flanagan made my skin crawl and I genuinely felt anxious and afraid for what was about to happen to our main characters.
And then shit just completely hits the fan and it's your worst nightmare come true. This book is NOT for the faint of heart!! The ending threw me for a loop and everything I thought I was feeling just took a somersault in my brain 😵💫 This book is a trip! If you can stomach some really depraved, sexually explicit, body horror then you should give this one a try. Just don't say I didn't warn you!
a film it reminds me of:
- the devils rejects
The prologue starts strong with some extremely gory descriptions but then it gets pretty boring for about 6 chapters while we get to know the characters. This is where I wanted to DNF. It took me a while to get used to the writing style after reading mostly female authors recently. The language is blunt, jarring, and highly graphic. If I had a nickel for every time Helen's breasts were mentioned...
We got it her boobs are great lol 🤦🏽♀️
Anyway, once they got to Flanagan, I was hooked! The descriptions throughout were so vivid that I felt like I was watching a movie in my mind. The creepy hillbilly residents of the backwater town of Flanagan made my skin crawl and I genuinely felt anxious and afraid for what was about to happen to our main characters.
And then shit just completely hits the fan and it's your worst nightmare come true. This book is NOT for the faint of heart!! The ending threw me for a loop and everything I thought I was feeling just took a somersault in my brain 😵💫 This book is a trip! If you can stomach some really depraved, sexually explicit, body horror then you should give this one a try. Just don't say I didn't warn you!
a film it reminds me of:
- the devils rejects
Read
April 24, 2017Absolutely the LOUDEST horror story I've ever read. Should make for a great bedtime story for the kids. :)
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