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A Hot Dose Of Hell
A deadly new drug has hit the streets of Scarmouth, one which turns users into bloodthirsty maniacs with superhuman tolerance for pain. Through insidious design a large quantity has fallen into the hands of squatters occupying the derelict Victoria hotel.
It's a bad place for a group of woke, virtue-signalling social media influencers to promote their new homeless charity, but they've got a PR story in the making. One of their party is searching for a long-lost sister and if they can find her they believe the stunt could bring them international attention.
They're not the only ones looking for something. Hired muscle, Fred and Pinkie have been tasked to recover that lost drug shipment. These men know what it's doing to people. What they don't know is just how many have been affected already, but within the bowels of that derelict hotel breeds a mindless, homicidal legion.
Scarmouth is known as the coastal town they forgot to burn down. It'll only take a few hot doses to finally set it alight.
It's a bad place for a group of woke, virtue-signalling social media influencers to promote their new homeless charity, but they've got a PR story in the making. One of their party is searching for a long-lost sister and if they can find her they believe the stunt could bring them international attention.
They're not the only ones looking for something. Hired muscle, Fred and Pinkie have been tasked to recover that lost drug shipment. These men know what it's doing to people. What they don't know is just how many have been affected already, but within the bowels of that derelict hotel breeds a mindless, homicidal legion.
Scarmouth is known as the coastal town they forgot to burn down. It'll only take a few hot doses to finally set it alight.
- GenresHorror
280 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 7, 2021
11 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
About the author
Steve Stark
7 books47 followersSteve Stark is the author of the novel “A Hot Dose of Hell” and the anthology “Violent Ends”. An avid fan of crime and horror fiction, he tends to write a mixture of both. Steve draws inspiration from a misspent youth on the English coast and an imagination fuelled by 80’s video nasties and pulp paperbacks.
His short stories have been published by Slaughterhouse Press, Punk Noir Magazine and Hellbound Books while his horror-related articles can be found at RedSun Magazine, Horrorworks and Whatculture. Steve has appeared on several YouTube book channels such as Molly Macabre’s Where The Macabre Things Are, Arron Hook’s book reviews, Beardofdarkness and the Red-Pilled Fiction Factory. You can also find him on Twitter and instagram.
His short stories have been published by Slaughterhouse Press, Punk Noir Magazine and Hellbound Books while his horror-related articles can be found at RedSun Magazine, Horrorworks and Whatculture. Steve has appeared on several YouTube book channels such as Molly Macabre’s Where The Macabre Things Are, Arron Hook’s book reviews, Beardofdarkness and the Red-Pilled Fiction Factory. You can also find him on Twitter and instagram.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
May 8, 2023
Steve Starks first novel is one hell of a ride. It's a plot driven narrative that keeps you intrigued with a gut punching ending of full blown gore, nastiness and tension.
The basic premise is a bad batch of drugs has hit the streets causing a down trodden poverty stricken community of addicts, vagrants and petty criminals to turn into unstoppable homicidal maniacs. A group of annoying social justice warriors attend the town for the sole purpose to obtain social media clout by "helping" the downtrodden and maybe find the sister of a volunteer who she had lost track of. Unknown to them they are literally stepping into hell on earth.
There is a decent twist I didn't see coming and the relentless pace of the final half of this novel keep me glued to the pages.
This is an indie author on the rise and one who deserves to be known more. I look forward to what he writes in the future.
The basic premise is a bad batch of drugs has hit the streets causing a down trodden poverty stricken community of addicts, vagrants and petty criminals to turn into unstoppable homicidal maniacs. A group of annoying social justice warriors attend the town for the sole purpose to obtain social media clout by "helping" the downtrodden and maybe find the sister of a volunteer who she had lost track of. Unknown to them they are literally stepping into hell on earth.
There is a decent twist I didn't see coming and the relentless pace of the final half of this novel keep me glued to the pages.
This is an indie author on the rise and one who deserves to be known more. I look forward to what he writes in the future.
October 2, 2025
I absolutely loved this! It was brutal!
Pinkie and Fred stole the show for me🔥
Don't do drugs, kids!
Pinkie and Fred stole the show for me🔥
Don't do drugs, kids!
October 9, 2025
Holy hell, this story is an intense ride the whole way through! I love how Stark carefully crafted the beginning, which slowly immerses you into dingy Scarmouth and the sheer evil that awaits. Fred and Pinkie were my favorite characters, but Stark's characters and dialogue across the board are superb. Oh it's violent alright... and gory, intense, and an absolute blast.
Brace yourself before you begin, because this is one helluva ride!
Brace yourself before you begin, because this is one helluva ride!
May 12, 2024
Jesus wept… I mean, one never picks up a splatterpunk horror and expects to laugh, but for all intents and purposes, I did laugh. Not like a ha-ha-ha embarrassed chuckle, but I full on cackled! Stark delivers some stellar characters, personalities and witty dialogue. Where appropriate.
But… leaving the gore-fest and fun aside… Things are quite serious, as Stark has taken 2 completely opposite sides of society and portrayed the glaringly obvious and realistic rift in between them. As far as horror fiction goes, there is quite a bit of realistic mirror images of society reflected back from the pages. Equally as grim and sad as it is deluded and cruel. Stark doesn’t shy away from taking the gist of each problem in society and delivering it like a fist to the face. Homelessness, drug abuse, prostitution, children in care… Politics, social media, propaganda, profits… The utter hypocrisy of the world. Always the us versus them.
A Hot Dose of Hell is a 260 page controversy-fueled epic apocalypse! It has everything one can expect from a book 100% of the population will take offense to. Half of said population for half of the book, and without missing a beat, Stark delivers a blow to the other half, for he does not discriminate, we all get our fair share of pain from this read. My most painful moment was delivered by dialogue of appreciation for a cover of Enter Sandman by Metallica, taking place in a hipster bar. What can I say, the book’s a balanced act.
I appreciated the fact that the story takes time to set the scene and we get a quick understanding of our characters and their motivations. Once this is done, you’re hit with: “I wonder who, if anyone, will make it out alive from this?!” So, make no mistake, a total zombie-infested gore-fest it may be, but it is a story with meat on its bones.
Oh, and Stark, if you’re reading this? Screw you, Mister! I’ll never look at doorknobs the same way ever again!
But… leaving the gore-fest and fun aside… Things are quite serious, as Stark has taken 2 completely opposite sides of society and portrayed the glaringly obvious and realistic rift in between them. As far as horror fiction goes, there is quite a bit of realistic mirror images of society reflected back from the pages. Equally as grim and sad as it is deluded and cruel. Stark doesn’t shy away from taking the gist of each problem in society and delivering it like a fist to the face. Homelessness, drug abuse, prostitution, children in care… Politics, social media, propaganda, profits… The utter hypocrisy of the world. Always the us versus them.
A Hot Dose of Hell is a 260 page controversy-fueled epic apocalypse! It has everything one can expect from a book 100% of the population will take offense to. Half of said population for half of the book, and without missing a beat, Stark delivers a blow to the other half, for he does not discriminate, we all get our fair share of pain from this read. My most painful moment was delivered by dialogue of appreciation for a cover of Enter Sandman by Metallica, taking place in a hipster bar. What can I say, the book’s a balanced act.
I appreciated the fact that the story takes time to set the scene and we get a quick understanding of our characters and their motivations. Once this is done, you’re hit with: “I wonder who, if anyone, will make it out alive from this?!” So, make no mistake, a total zombie-infested gore-fest it may be, but it is a story with meat on its bones.
Oh, and Stark, if you’re reading this? Screw you, Mister! I’ll never look at doorknobs the same way ever again!
September 28, 2025
Killer book!
People die … so. many. people. die. And I’m here for everyone one of them!
Bloody, gross, and heart pounding, this book kicks butt.
People die … so. many. people. die. And I’m here for everyone one of them!
Bloody, gross, and heart pounding, this book kicks butt.
April 11, 2025
Second time read through, first time review. I grew up in the era of the Paperbacks from Hell. Most of my allowance money and the money I earned cutting lawns and painting houses in the summer months, and raking leaves and shoveling snow in the fall and winter months went on horror paperbacks I'd find on the shelves in my local Waldenbooks, B.Dalton, or grocery store paperback rack, and later Borders. It was on those shelves that I would happen to stumble across two of my favourite pulp horror authors - Shaun Hutson and Richard Laymon. Both wrote cinematic horror with a kick, loads of gore, violence, and sex infused with a prose that propelled you from one page to the next. I devoured everything they wrote and still have most of the books I originally purchased from those two.
In my humble opinion, Steve Stark is the second coming of Shaun Hutson and Richard Laymon, and 'A Hot Dose of Hell' is the kind of wild gore-soaked horror-heavy metal drum blast that would have fit perfectly with the splatterpunks of the 80s. He's got a very cinematic style to his writing and I'd love to see this in all it's chunk-blower glory on the widest screen possible with a raucous Friday night horror-loving crowd. He also expertly takes down the annoying activist crowd with some well-placed social commentary that never once threatens to distract from the killer story being told.
My only complaint, and it's a minor one, is the ending. It felt a bit abrupt, but that's probably on me 'cause I wanted to stay in this world with these characters. Rhonda, Fred, and Pinkie were my favourites, but they all felt real and were given plenty of backstory without any exposition dumping.
If you're a horror fan like me, you owe it to yourself to pick up 'A Hot Dose of Hell' by Steve Stark. Looking forward to the next bit of gory magic this dude conjures up.
In my humble opinion, Steve Stark is the second coming of Shaun Hutson and Richard Laymon, and 'A Hot Dose of Hell' is the kind of wild gore-soaked horror-heavy metal drum blast that would have fit perfectly with the splatterpunks of the 80s. He's got a very cinematic style to his writing and I'd love to see this in all it's chunk-blower glory on the widest screen possible with a raucous Friday night horror-loving crowd. He also expertly takes down the annoying activist crowd with some well-placed social commentary that never once threatens to distract from the killer story being told.
My only complaint, and it's a minor one, is the ending. It felt a bit abrupt, but that's probably on me 'cause I wanted to stay in this world with these characters. Rhonda, Fred, and Pinkie were my favourites, but they all felt real and were given plenty of backstory without any exposition dumping.
If you're a horror fan like me, you owe it to yourself to pick up 'A Hot Dose of Hell' by Steve Stark. Looking forward to the next bit of gory magic this dude conjures up.
September 26, 2025
A really gripping read, outrageously gory and fun, with some cheeky social commentary into the bargain. Highly recommended if you like them grimy, irreverent, and relentless.
January 10, 2023
Loved this one. Splatterpunk antiwoke gorefest. I loved Fred and Pinkie.
December 25, 2025
Gruesome. A HOT DOSE OF HELL lives up to its name.
It's hard not to give too much about this book away, because everything is so intertwined. But what can be said is that Scarmouth is in for one HELL of a time ... in the worst way.
The story revolves around addiction and those seeking to help ... or not help ... but becomes a situation in which the users, the societal castaways, become an exponentially greater threat to others, though not by their own doing. One can almost read them as the ultimate victims. In one sense, it can be read as experimentation leading to downfall, but, by analogy, on a much grander scale than it might first appear. Psychos, blood, and mayhem ensue in a montage of gory violence, followed by a revealed plot hinted at early on and a shift into something Hitchcockian. This book builds at a frightening pace and, yet, the author still manages to fully develop the characters, who all find themselves in circumstances they would rather have missed. A HOT DOSE OF HELL can stand on its own, but the ending invites a sequel. If you're looking for gore couched in societal commentary ... splatter with intelligence ... this is one book in which you'll find it in spades.
It's hard not to give too much about this book away, because everything is so intertwined. But what can be said is that Scarmouth is in for one HELL of a time ... in the worst way.
The story revolves around addiction and those seeking to help ... or not help ... but becomes a situation in which the users, the societal castaways, become an exponentially greater threat to others, though not by their own doing. One can almost read them as the ultimate victims. In one sense, it can be read as experimentation leading to downfall, but, by analogy, on a much grander scale than it might first appear. Psychos, blood, and mayhem ensue in a montage of gory violence, followed by a revealed plot hinted at early on and a shift into something Hitchcockian. This book builds at a frightening pace and, yet, the author still manages to fully develop the characters, who all find themselves in circumstances they would rather have missed. A HOT DOSE OF HELL can stand on its own, but the ending invites a sequel. If you're looking for gore couched in societal commentary ... splatter with intelligence ... this is one book in which you'll find it in spades.
September 17, 2025
A proudly working-class, drug/plague/not-quite-zombie dystopian novel that is at times thriller, splatterpunk, social commentary, and conspiracy alarma that ends in a hot mess of gore-filled chase and tragedy. Only an indie writer can get away with telling a story like this - and that's why indie pubs rock. You want something different that keeps you mesmerized? Try Stark's terror.
April 14, 2025
A hot dose of what the HELL!! Stark has created a fast paced and trilling novel with his own spin on the never dead (excuse the pun) Zombie genre. A thrilling non-stop ride with a quite unforeseen ending and one that will keep you page turning until the very last one. Great and memorable characters that will stick with you long after reading, my favs are Fred and Pinky, not the Leg Up crew. Well done, Steve I'm looking forward to 'that' new book you shared with us at DVS. Buy this now, a great installment in British Horror. 4 well earned stars....
March 1, 2025
A great horror ride
A great horror action novel filled with interesting characters and even more interesting kills. A new drug is introduced to a rundown town that makes users into zombie like creatures that are relentless in attacking the non infected and are hard to kill. The main event takes place in an abandoned hotel being used by countless homeless junkies. An eclectic group of people come to the hotel for their own reasons to liven things up. Has a great finale leading to an unexpected result in this experiment to say the least.
Highly recommended, just a really fun read. It grabs your attention early and keeps you interested throughout.
A great horror action novel filled with interesting characters and even more interesting kills. A new drug is introduced to a rundown town that makes users into zombie like creatures that are relentless in attacking the non infected and are hard to kill. The main event takes place in an abandoned hotel being used by countless homeless junkies. An eclectic group of people come to the hotel for their own reasons to liven things up. Has a great finale leading to an unexpected result in this experiment to say the least.
Highly recommended, just a really fun read. It grabs your attention early and keeps you interested throughout.
March 29, 2025
Fantastic Fun! Splatterpunk at its best!
Steve Stark has put together one hell of a novel. It’s brutal, gory, and straight up hilarious in places. A Hot Dose of Hell is written with energy and intent. The characters are great, I was invested in them all, the dialogue crisp, the prose sharp and biting. No one is safe, the ideas a fresh and flowing, and the action bone crunching.
If you like your horror swinging a metaphorical sledgehammer into your face then this one’s for you.
Steve Stark has put together one hell of a novel. It’s brutal, gory, and straight up hilarious in places. A Hot Dose of Hell is written with energy and intent. The characters are great, I was invested in them all, the dialogue crisp, the prose sharp and biting. No one is safe, the ideas a fresh and flowing, and the action bone crunching.
If you like your horror swinging a metaphorical sledgehammer into your face then this one’s for you.
April 2, 2025
A pulse pounding adrenaline rollercoaster.
The writing is fast, sharp, and unflinching, pulling you into a world where every shadow hides a twitching, drug fueled maniac, and survival is a brutal gamble.
The dialogue crackles with personality, whether it’s the frantic, choppy speech of the junkies or the cold pragmatism of the hired muscle. The action hits hard, the pacing never lets up, and the tension winds tighter with every page. If you like your fiction raw, feral, and adrenaline fueled, this one’s got teeth.
The writing is fast, sharp, and unflinching, pulling you into a world where every shadow hides a twitching, drug fueled maniac, and survival is a brutal gamble.
The dialogue crackles with personality, whether it’s the frantic, choppy speech of the junkies or the cold pragmatism of the hired muscle. The action hits hard, the pacing never lets up, and the tension winds tighter with every page. If you like your fiction raw, feral, and adrenaline fueled, this one’s got teeth.
February 28, 2025
A Hot Dose of Hell yanks you right into the gritty, undesirable streets of Scarmouth as we follow two drug addicts and how they acquire a deadly drug. Wait, don’t all illegal drugs have the capacity to be deadly? Sure, but not like this one.
We also meet Rhonda, sister to one of the drug addicts. She is strong and ambitious, never backing down from doing the right thing or confronting the wrong things. Rhonda sets out to find her sister and bring her out of a life consumed by drugs and degrading decisions.
The problem is Rhonda’s sister has gotten her hands on a drug that completely alters people. If they were cutthroat before, they’ve now lost everything that makes them human. They’ll stop at nothing until they’ve torn a person apart even if it means they lose their life in the process.
My first impression while reading this was a wariness to the heavy accents depicted and some of the terms used. As an American, I feared the language and dialect would take away from the story and my understanding of it. However, quite the opposite happened. I found the dialogue so immersive, easily carrying me from one scene to the next. And though it feels strange for me to say it was natural, because it’s different from what I hear on a day-to-day basis, it was just that. Stark adds in these simple dialogue moments that even just someone saying “thanks” or “sorry” fits so well, creating real-life conversations.
There were certain words I had never heard before, and Stark does not stop this cartwheel into horror to pause and explain but he doesn’t need to. Each term is couched between enough context that I was able to quickly pick up what he was putting down and continue on. “Prozzie” for example was a term I had never heard but when the main characters are slaves to an addiction and willing to do whatever they must to claim their next fix, it’s pretty clear what Stark is referring to.
The descriptions in this dark tale were some of my favorites. You won’t find cliches here. What you will find is something described in a way you’ve never thought of, but once Stark delivers, it makes perfect sense. Sometimes, they sharpen big events such as two people falling down the stairs described as “an arachnid tangle of limbs.” Other times, it’s something as simple as clearing the fog in a bathroom mirror when Stark says she “wiped a porthole in the steam.” And other times it offers a comedic break from the otherwise terrifying story. For example, “more tension than a fat man’s mattress spring.”
Stark does not shy away from offering you a full, vivid picture of the gritty, alternative lifestyles of the drug-addicted main characters. He paints a dreary picture of their detestable living situations, the exact steps they take to fix up their next dose, and the decisions they make to feed their cravings.
Stark creates many moments of tension and had me racing through certain chapters to find out what happens next. There are brutal kills, delightful gore, and some just plain gross (in the best way) situations. Though, I guess Slate doesn’t need to worry about getting that leg checked out now.
A Hot Dose of Hell is horror done right, intelligently placing information in the right places to use later, slow build-ups of hair-raising creepiness, just to punch you in the gut at the end. I highly recommend it to any readers of horror because this book checks all the boxes.
Review originally posted to FanFiAddict.com
We also meet Rhonda, sister to one of the drug addicts. She is strong and ambitious, never backing down from doing the right thing or confronting the wrong things. Rhonda sets out to find her sister and bring her out of a life consumed by drugs and degrading decisions.
The problem is Rhonda’s sister has gotten her hands on a drug that completely alters people. If they were cutthroat before, they’ve now lost everything that makes them human. They’ll stop at nothing until they’ve torn a person apart even if it means they lose their life in the process.
My first impression while reading this was a wariness to the heavy accents depicted and some of the terms used. As an American, I feared the language and dialect would take away from the story and my understanding of it. However, quite the opposite happened. I found the dialogue so immersive, easily carrying me from one scene to the next. And though it feels strange for me to say it was natural, because it’s different from what I hear on a day-to-day basis, it was just that. Stark adds in these simple dialogue moments that even just someone saying “thanks” or “sorry” fits so well, creating real-life conversations.
There were certain words I had never heard before, and Stark does not stop this cartwheel into horror to pause and explain but he doesn’t need to. Each term is couched between enough context that I was able to quickly pick up what he was putting down and continue on. “Prozzie” for example was a term I had never heard but when the main characters are slaves to an addiction and willing to do whatever they must to claim their next fix, it’s pretty clear what Stark is referring to.
The descriptions in this dark tale were some of my favorites. You won’t find cliches here. What you will find is something described in a way you’ve never thought of, but once Stark delivers, it makes perfect sense. Sometimes, they sharpen big events such as two people falling down the stairs described as “an arachnid tangle of limbs.” Other times, it’s something as simple as clearing the fog in a bathroom mirror when Stark says she “wiped a porthole in the steam.” And other times it offers a comedic break from the otherwise terrifying story. For example, “more tension than a fat man’s mattress spring.”
Stark does not shy away from offering you a full, vivid picture of the gritty, alternative lifestyles of the drug-addicted main characters. He paints a dreary picture of their detestable living situations, the exact steps they take to fix up their next dose, and the decisions they make to feed their cravings.
Stark creates many moments of tension and had me racing through certain chapters to find out what happens next. There are brutal kills, delightful gore, and some just plain gross (in the best way) situations. Though, I guess Slate doesn’t need to worry about getting that leg checked out now.
A Hot Dose of Hell is horror done right, intelligently placing information in the right places to use later, slow build-ups of hair-raising creepiness, just to punch you in the gut at the end. I highly recommend it to any readers of horror because this book checks all the boxes.
Review originally posted to FanFiAddict.com
October 5, 2023
I really liked this. I got invested in Rhonda and her mission and while I don't usually read horror books I enjoyed this. Author has a way with describing the Leg Up gang and getting in their heads. Will read more by this author.
July 7, 2025
A Hot Dose of Hell by Steve Stark is pure, unfiltered splatterpunk mayhem—and I loved every blood-drenched page of it. It reads like a lost relic from the Paperbacks from Hell era, resurrected with chainsaws, sex, and sociopaths. Stark writes like he’s on fire—fast, violent, cinematic—and it rips. Think Laymon and Hutson on meth, with characters like Rhonda, Fred, and Pinkie bursting off the page with twisted charm and grimy backstories. This book bleeds grindhouse energy and doesn’t let up until the (slightly abrupt) end—but by then, I was already jonesing for another hit. If you like your horror savage, sweaty, and soaked in gore… this one’s your shot
June 17, 2025
Witty dialogue, but equally dark and cruel. I truly felt like I was following behind watching all of these events unfold right in front of my eyes. I loved Fred and Pinkie so much. The ending reminded me of one of my favorite terrible indie horror movies Birdemic. Hehe 😈
May 12, 2025
Holy cannoli Batman.
I didn't read the blurb for this book, and I was taken for a RIDE.
What a fantastic story! Reading this, I felt like I was having a trip on a messy night out, when suddenly I'm gripped by horror, stumbling down an alleyway into a pit of despair and nowhere to turn. Trapped, I finished this book in a couple of days.
This story had elements of Black Mirror and is a must read for anyone who wants to read something gritty and unrelenting. You will not rest until you've had your final dose.
I didn't read the blurb for this book, and I was taken for a RIDE.
What a fantastic story! Reading this, I felt like I was having a trip on a messy night out, when suddenly I'm gripped by horror, stumbling down an alleyway into a pit of despair and nowhere to turn. Trapped, I finished this book in a couple of days.
This story had elements of Black Mirror and is a must read for anyone who wants to read something gritty and unrelenting. You will not rest until you've had your final dose.
September 22, 2023
This book is a bad trip with a diseased needle. A strung out hooker with her face split in half. A 20-lb sledge to the crotch. I mean all that in the best way possible. Throwback, hardcore, grimy horror at its best! Loved every second of it.
Read
February 21, 2025Tapping out on this one about a quarter of the way through. There's nothing wrong with it, it's just not grabbing me as I'd expected it to.
DNF - no rating.
DNF - no rating.
September 17, 2025
"A Hot Dose of Hell" is a horror/crime novel about a zombie outbreak in the fictional town of Scarmouth, England. Right off the bat, one thing I liked about this was the uniqueness of its premise. The zombies are not the result of a lab-made virus, voodoo curse, or fungal spores, and at the same time, Stark doesn't fall into the trap of under-explaining for the sake of mystery. Instead, they're created by a bad batch of heroin that turns people into deranged Rage-type zombies.
Right away, this creates an interesting dynamic that's not usually present in zombie stories. The mode of infection is not only completely voluntary (at least to begin with), but disproportionately affects the most vulnerable underbelly of society -- homeless junkies and such -- as well as the dredges and the predators who take advantage of them. Anyway, it's refreshing to see a new take like this on a done-to-death genre like zombie horror, and I like how it ties into the “fear of the unknown” in a novel way (i.e. shooting up an illegal drug without knowing just what the hell is actually in it).
The writing itself is quite good throughout, with muscular prose and a strong sense of atmosphere. Especially once the gore gets going, the prose is mean and evocative in all the right ways (one standout example is describing a corpse’s tongue like the “thousand post-coital limp dicks this room had seen, wagging slightly and dripping fluids”). The action scenes are absolutely brutal with no squelching detail spared. The story has a strong plot focus that does a good job balancing the action with a strongly defined if somewhat one-note cast of characters.
My favorite aspects of the book, by far, are the excellent dialogue and the rendering of the central setting, Scarmouth. Stark does a great job giving each character a unique way of speaking that feels both distinct to each character, and also very distinctly English. I love when a character's lines can sing off the pages - and on that note, I was actually just a bit disappointed when died very early on, since I was absolutely lapping up his wonderful dialogue.
The writing style is definitely in the tradition of old-school paperback thrillers, in that the POV tends to jump around between characters in a scene. The POV is kind of a mix of limited and omniscient, with the reader occasionally being made privy to information none of the characters have (such as something happening outside of their sight). I personally didn’t mind this, because I still found it clear and easy to follow, but readers who prefer strict POV usage will be turned off by the style.
Scarmouth is a well-rendered setting full of grit, grime, and shady characters that wouldn't be out of place in a Bukowski novel, but with some cool comic book touches like the deadly, roided-out seagulls. I think that's my favorite thing about this novel, is the excellent fusion of gritty crime and grimy horror that feels like it was written specifically for me.
Some other reviewers described this being "anti-woke," which is the kind of comment that gives me pause. After all, it always takes me out of a book when it feels like the author is stepping in directly to complain about political hangups, especially if they're not really relevant to the story. This does happen a bit, in my opinion, with the rather heavy-handed characterization of the activist grifters, who spew a constant hodgepodge of leftist talking points without much coherence or, as far as I could tell, relevancy to the in-universe problem of illegal drugs turning people into literal monsters. (I guess that’s partly the point, that they’re loud but incoherent and they don’t have anything insightful to say.)
On the one hand, I think this characterization works, especially with fun touches like “high-fashion haircuts for the homeless” and defacing WWII monuments with a swastika to “bring attention to rising white nationalism.” But what took me out is how the author just does not relent with this stuff, ever, to the point that they come across as “Hey, look at these dumbass pussies!” punching bags who come onto the page just to piss you off, rather than actual characters who exist in an otherwise very well-realized setting. These parts feel like they were written specifically for people who are angry about stuff they’ve read online, which was an odd interruption to an otherwise very good horror-crime mashup.
But anyway, YMMV, and I’m sure some people will read the above description and decide to buy the book right away! Nothing really wrong with it, but that kind of off-topic ranting is just a bit distracting for me, unless it ties into the story or themes somehow. In this case, it felt more like the purpose was to inflate the body count with annoying characters you’ll be happy to see go. Fair enough, but I’d prefer if these characters were a little more well-rounded.
That all said, I did like the character work overall in this piece. They’re generally well-illustrated, and I never found myself looking at names going, “Wait, who’s this guy again?” (with the exception of the activists, who blended together quite a bit). In particular I really liked Pinkie and Fred, a colorful pair of goons who inject a lot of fun and levity into the story, even as they’re fighting through hordes of flesh-ripping zombies. Rhonda was also a good “bitchin’ action lady” protagonist that reminded me a lot of Vasquez from Aliens expanded into a fuller character.
If I have one last critique/nitpick, it’s that the formatting and punctuation editing was a bit iffy in places. Not enough to leave me confused about what I was reading, but just enough to distract me a bit here and there. Also, while the writing was generally good, there were a couple turns of phrases that got overused a bit much, like using “banshee” or “banshee-like” to describe the screams of the undead.
Right away, this creates an interesting dynamic that's not usually present in zombie stories. The mode of infection is not only completely voluntary (at least to begin with), but disproportionately affects the most vulnerable underbelly of society -- homeless junkies and such -- as well as the dredges and the predators who take advantage of them. Anyway, it's refreshing to see a new take like this on a done-to-death genre like zombie horror, and I like how it ties into the “fear of the unknown” in a novel way (i.e. shooting up an illegal drug without knowing just what the hell is actually in it).
The writing itself is quite good throughout, with muscular prose and a strong sense of atmosphere. Especially once the gore gets going, the prose is mean and evocative in all the right ways (one standout example is describing a corpse’s tongue like the “thousand post-coital limp dicks this room had seen, wagging slightly and dripping fluids”). The action scenes are absolutely brutal with no squelching detail spared. The story has a strong plot focus that does a good job balancing the action with a strongly defined if somewhat one-note cast of characters.
My favorite aspects of the book, by far, are the excellent dialogue and the rendering of the central setting, Scarmouth. Stark does a great job giving each character a unique way of speaking that feels both distinct to each character, and also very distinctly English. I love when a character's lines can sing off the pages - and on that note, I was actually just a bit disappointed when died very early on, since I was absolutely lapping up his wonderful dialogue.
The writing style is definitely in the tradition of old-school paperback thrillers, in that the POV tends to jump around between characters in a scene. The POV is kind of a mix of limited and omniscient, with the reader occasionally being made privy to information none of the characters have (such as something happening outside of their sight). I personally didn’t mind this, because I still found it clear and easy to follow, but readers who prefer strict POV usage will be turned off by the style.
Scarmouth is a well-rendered setting full of grit, grime, and shady characters that wouldn't be out of place in a Bukowski novel, but with some cool comic book touches like the deadly, roided-out seagulls. I think that's my favorite thing about this novel, is the excellent fusion of gritty crime and grimy horror that feels like it was written specifically for me.
Some other reviewers described this being "anti-woke," which is the kind of comment that gives me pause. After all, it always takes me out of a book when it feels like the author is stepping in directly to complain about political hangups, especially if they're not really relevant to the story. This does happen a bit, in my opinion, with the rather heavy-handed characterization of the activist grifters, who spew a constant hodgepodge of leftist talking points without much coherence or, as far as I could tell, relevancy to the in-universe problem of illegal drugs turning people into literal monsters. (I guess that’s partly the point, that they’re loud but incoherent and they don’t have anything insightful to say.)
On the one hand, I think this characterization works, especially with fun touches like “high-fashion haircuts for the homeless” and defacing WWII monuments with a swastika to “bring attention to rising white nationalism.” But what took me out is how the author just does not relent with this stuff, ever, to the point that they come across as “Hey, look at these dumbass pussies!” punching bags who come onto the page just to piss you off, rather than actual characters who exist in an otherwise very well-realized setting. These parts feel like they were written specifically for people who are angry about stuff they’ve read online, which was an odd interruption to an otherwise very good horror-crime mashup.
But anyway, YMMV, and I’m sure some people will read the above description and decide to buy the book right away! Nothing really wrong with it, but that kind of off-topic ranting is just a bit distracting for me, unless it ties into the story or themes somehow. In this case, it felt more like the purpose was to inflate the body count with annoying characters you’ll be happy to see go. Fair enough, but I’d prefer if these characters were a little more well-rounded.
That all said, I did like the character work overall in this piece. They’re generally well-illustrated, and I never found myself looking at names going, “Wait, who’s this guy again?” (with the exception of the activists, who blended together quite a bit). In particular I really liked Pinkie and Fred, a colorful pair of goons who inject a lot of fun and levity into the story, even as they’re fighting through hordes of flesh-ripping zombies. Rhonda was also a good “bitchin’ action lady” protagonist that reminded me a lot of Vasquez from Aliens expanded into a fuller character.
If I have one last critique/nitpick, it’s that the formatting and punctuation editing was a bit iffy in places. Not enough to leave me confused about what I was reading, but just enough to distract me a bit here and there. Also, while the writing was generally good, there were a couple turns of phrases that got overused a bit much, like using “banshee” or “banshee-like” to describe the screams of the undead.
October 8, 2025
*This review originally written on February 19, 2025
If director Guy Ritchie ever decided to film a zombie-based horror movie, A Hot Dose of Hell would be it! This story combines elements of Night of the Living Dead and Resident Evil with that action/satire style typical of the British filmmaker. Stark excels in offering a story that we have perhaps seen many times before but with fun-to-watch characters that are lively, funny, and are filled with a humanity dearly needed not just in the horror genre but in any genre really.
PLOT
When foster girl Rhonda goes looking for her missing half-sister Roxy in a slum known for being the home of junkies and drug dealers, what she finds is more than what she is willing to bargain for. Accompanied by a group of young social activists, Rhonda is worried that something might have happened to Roxy since they have not been in contact by phone or even on Facebook for longer than what she would consider a normal pattern, even for Roxy. She knows her sister has an addiction problem and her concern grows as the silence extends.
What Rhonda does not realize is that something has been going on in this little junkie suburb. Something dark and nefarious. And she and the little group of far-left activists/volunteers will regret ever having driven into town!
THE ZOMBIE FORMULA
We’ve seen this play out many times before: an R&D government agency decides to use an entire suburb as ground zero for an experimental compound that they might possibly want to weaponize based on the data they will gather. They find a way to put this experimental compound into circulation among the junkies who live in these slums, and they just watch and gather data via drones. What they don’t take into consideration is that this contagious compound can be spread through animals like sea gulls, which inhabit the area in large numbers.
You can imagine what comes next!
WHY IS THIS WORTH READING
I am not a big fan of horror, and usually this genre is very ‘boxed in’, prepackaged, and very predictable. But what makes A Hot Dose of Hell worth reading is its characters. Rhonda and Roxy feel very real in their behavior and thinking process; two half-sisters who could not be more opposite, yet linked by a strong bond since their childhood.
Fred and Pinkie are the ‘muscle’ of a prostitution ring who find themselves in the middle of a situation where two ‘employees’ seem to have gone literally mad at the brothel. These two no-nonsense thugs truly embody that dry sense of humor typical of early Ritchie’s movies.
You also have the group of social activist kids who keep arguing about what words are OK to use in a society where anyone seems to get too easily offended. You cannot use the term ‘guys’ in a group of mixed sexes, that would make you a misogynist!
All these characters come to life from the pages of the book in ways that really make the story fun to follow despite the obvious plot development which we might have seen many times before.
There was also an author’s decision made for one of the characters’ fate that caught me off guard. But in hindsight, I thought it was clever of Stark and I applaud him for taking a risk here. It paid off this time!
CONCLUSIONS
This book is definitely worth grabbing if you like horror/zombies stories. But I have to highly recommend it if you like to read about characters that are not just planks of wood waiting to be eaten by the walking dead but rather relatable characters with a large spectrum of emotions. Some characters you may end up loving, some hating. Nevertheless, they will all make you feel something, and that’s crucial when rating a novel.
The book is also very professionally written and edited and the local accents of these characters are gold. Writing dialogue with thick accents can be fun but tricky at times because it can go too far where you lose the readers. But this is not the case here, as the author manages to walk that fine line between reproducing realistic urban British accents and keeping the readers engaged all throughout this crazy ride.
Stark has definitely established himself as a sensational writer of ‘horror with an attitude”!
💜
If director Guy Ritchie ever decided to film a zombie-based horror movie, A Hot Dose of Hell would be it! This story combines elements of Night of the Living Dead and Resident Evil with that action/satire style typical of the British filmmaker. Stark excels in offering a story that we have perhaps seen many times before but with fun-to-watch characters that are lively, funny, and are filled with a humanity dearly needed not just in the horror genre but in any genre really.
PLOT
When foster girl Rhonda goes looking for her missing half-sister Roxy in a slum known for being the home of junkies and drug dealers, what she finds is more than what she is willing to bargain for. Accompanied by a group of young social activists, Rhonda is worried that something might have happened to Roxy since they have not been in contact by phone or even on Facebook for longer than what she would consider a normal pattern, even for Roxy. She knows her sister has an addiction problem and her concern grows as the silence extends.
What Rhonda does not realize is that something has been going on in this little junkie suburb. Something dark and nefarious. And she and the little group of far-left activists/volunteers will regret ever having driven into town!
THE ZOMBIE FORMULA
We’ve seen this play out many times before: an R&D government agency decides to use an entire suburb as ground zero for an experimental compound that they might possibly want to weaponize based on the data they will gather. They find a way to put this experimental compound into circulation among the junkies who live in these slums, and they just watch and gather data via drones. What they don’t take into consideration is that this contagious compound can be spread through animals like sea gulls, which inhabit the area in large numbers.
You can imagine what comes next!
WHY IS THIS WORTH READING
I am not a big fan of horror, and usually this genre is very ‘boxed in’, prepackaged, and very predictable. But what makes A Hot Dose of Hell worth reading is its characters. Rhonda and Roxy feel very real in their behavior and thinking process; two half-sisters who could not be more opposite, yet linked by a strong bond since their childhood.
Fred and Pinkie are the ‘muscle’ of a prostitution ring who find themselves in the middle of a situation where two ‘employees’ seem to have gone literally mad at the brothel. These two no-nonsense thugs truly embody that dry sense of humor typical of early Ritchie’s movies.
You also have the group of social activist kids who keep arguing about what words are OK to use in a society where anyone seems to get too easily offended. You cannot use the term ‘guys’ in a group of mixed sexes, that would make you a misogynist!
All these characters come to life from the pages of the book in ways that really make the story fun to follow despite the obvious plot development which we might have seen many times before.
There was also an author’s decision made for one of the characters’ fate that caught me off guard. But in hindsight, I thought it was clever of Stark and I applaud him for taking a risk here. It paid off this time!
CONCLUSIONS
This book is definitely worth grabbing if you like horror/zombies stories. But I have to highly recommend it if you like to read about characters that are not just planks of wood waiting to be eaten by the walking dead but rather relatable characters with a large spectrum of emotions. Some characters you may end up loving, some hating. Nevertheless, they will all make you feel something, and that’s crucial when rating a novel.
The book is also very professionally written and edited and the local accents of these characters are gold. Writing dialogue with thick accents can be fun but tricky at times because it can go too far where you lose the readers. But this is not the case here, as the author manages to walk that fine line between reproducing realistic urban British accents and keeping the readers engaged all throughout this crazy ride.
Stark has definitely established himself as a sensational writer of ‘horror with an attitude”!
💜
February 19, 2025
If director Guy Ritchie ever decided to film a zombie-based horror movie, A Hot Dose of Hell would be it! This story combines elements of Night of the Living Dead and Resident Evil with that action/satire style typical of the British filmmaker. Stark excels in offering a story that we have perhaps seen many times before but with fun-to-watch characters that are lively, funny, and are filled with a humanity dearly needed not just in the horror genre but in any genre really.
PLOT:
When foster girl Rhonda goes looking for her missing half-sister Roxy in a slum known for being the home of junkies and drug dealers, what she finds is more than what she is willing to bargain for. Accompanied by a group of young social activists, Rhonda is worried that something might have happened to Roxy since they have not been in contact by phone or even on Facebook for longer than what she would consider a normal pattern, even for Roxy. She knows her sister has an addiction problem and her concern grows as the silence extends.
What Rhonda does not realize is that something has been going on in this little junkie suburb. Something dark and nefarious. And she and the little group of far-left activists/volunteers will regret ever having driven into town!
THE ZOMBIE FORMULA:
We’ve seen this play out many times before: an R&D government agency decides to use an entire suburb as ground zero for an experimental compound that they might possibly want to weaponize based on the data they will gather. They find a way to put this experimental compound into circulation among the junkies who live in these slums, and they just watch and gather data via drones. What they don’t take into consideration is that this contagious compound can be spread through animals like sea gulls, which inhabit the area in large numbers.
You can imagine what comes next!
WHY IS THIS WORTH READING:
I am not a big fan of horror, and usually this genre is very ‘boxed in’, prepackaged, and very predictable. But what makes A Hot Dose of Hell worth reading is its characters. Rhonda and Roxy feel very real in their behavior and thinking process; two half-sisters who could not be more opposite, yet linked by a strong bond since their childhood.
Fred and Pinkie are the ‘muscle’ of a prostitution ring who find themselves in the middle of a situation where two ‘employees’ seem to have gone literally mad at the brothel. These two no-nonsense thugs truly embody that dry sense of humor typical of early Ritchie’s movies.
You also have the group of social activist kids who keep arguing about what words are OK to use in a society where anyone seems to get too easily offended. You cannot use the term ‘guys’ in a group of mixed sexes, that would make you a misogynist!
All these characters come to life from the pages of the book in ways that really make the story fun to follow despite the obvious plot development which we might have seen many times before.
There was also an author’s decision made for one of the characters’ fate that caught me off guard. But in hindsight, I thought it was clever of Stark and I applaud him for taking a risk here. It paid off this time!
CONCLUSIONS:
This book is definitely worth grabbing if you like horror/zombies stories. But I have to highly recommend it if you like to read about characters that are not just planks of wood waiting to be eaten by the walking dead but rather relatable characters with a large spectrum of emotions. Some characters you may end up loving, some hating. Nevertheless, they will all make you feel something, and that’s crucial when rating a novel.
The book is also very professionally written and edited and the local accents of these characters are gold. Writing dialogue with thick accents can be fun but tricky at times because it can go too far where you lose the readers. But this is not the case here, as the author manages to walk that fine line between reproducing realistic urban British accents and keeping the readers engaged all throughout this crazy ride.
Stark has definitely established himself as a sensational writer of ‘horror with an attitude”!
🦀
PLOT:
When foster girl Rhonda goes looking for her missing half-sister Roxy in a slum known for being the home of junkies and drug dealers, what she finds is more than what she is willing to bargain for. Accompanied by a group of young social activists, Rhonda is worried that something might have happened to Roxy since they have not been in contact by phone or even on Facebook for longer than what she would consider a normal pattern, even for Roxy. She knows her sister has an addiction problem and her concern grows as the silence extends.
What Rhonda does not realize is that something has been going on in this little junkie suburb. Something dark and nefarious. And she and the little group of far-left activists/volunteers will regret ever having driven into town!
THE ZOMBIE FORMULA:
We’ve seen this play out many times before: an R&D government agency decides to use an entire suburb as ground zero for an experimental compound that they might possibly want to weaponize based on the data they will gather. They find a way to put this experimental compound into circulation among the junkies who live in these slums, and they just watch and gather data via drones. What they don’t take into consideration is that this contagious compound can be spread through animals like sea gulls, which inhabit the area in large numbers.
You can imagine what comes next!
WHY IS THIS WORTH READING:
I am not a big fan of horror, and usually this genre is very ‘boxed in’, prepackaged, and very predictable. But what makes A Hot Dose of Hell worth reading is its characters. Rhonda and Roxy feel very real in their behavior and thinking process; two half-sisters who could not be more opposite, yet linked by a strong bond since their childhood.
Fred and Pinkie are the ‘muscle’ of a prostitution ring who find themselves in the middle of a situation where two ‘employees’ seem to have gone literally mad at the brothel. These two no-nonsense thugs truly embody that dry sense of humor typical of early Ritchie’s movies.
You also have the group of social activist kids who keep arguing about what words are OK to use in a society where anyone seems to get too easily offended. You cannot use the term ‘guys’ in a group of mixed sexes, that would make you a misogynist!
All these characters come to life from the pages of the book in ways that really make the story fun to follow despite the obvious plot development which we might have seen many times before.
There was also an author’s decision made for one of the characters’ fate that caught me off guard. But in hindsight, I thought it was clever of Stark and I applaud him for taking a risk here. It paid off this time!
CONCLUSIONS:
This book is definitely worth grabbing if you like horror/zombies stories. But I have to highly recommend it if you like to read about characters that are not just planks of wood waiting to be eaten by the walking dead but rather relatable characters with a large spectrum of emotions. Some characters you may end up loving, some hating. Nevertheless, they will all make you feel something, and that’s crucial when rating a novel.
The book is also very professionally written and edited and the local accents of these characters are gold. Writing dialogue with thick accents can be fun but tricky at times because it can go too far where you lose the readers. But this is not the case here, as the author manages to walk that fine line between reproducing realistic urban British accents and keeping the readers engaged all throughout this crazy ride.
Stark has definitely established himself as a sensational writer of ‘horror with an attitude”!
🦀
December 1, 2025
Stark by Name…
Hot Damn! May the Devil stick me in the arse-cheek and call me addicted. Stark delivers a pure balls-to-the-wall slice of horror that isn’t backwards in brutally marching forwards in the outstanding A Hot Dose of Hell.
Stark has written something quite exceptional here that’ll drench you in so much blood; you’ll think you took a bath in a slaughterhouse. If you’re the sensitive type, then clutch your pearls, take your anxiety medication and buckle up, sweethearts; this ain’t your bedtime story (well, depends on how gritty you like your nightmares?).
Far from being just another standard zombie-fest, which can often become quite tiresome. In fact, I'm pretty sure Rick Grimes stood at the train station in Scarmouth, took a quick look, said ‘fuck that’ then took his arse back on the train home to a safer apocalypse. AHDoH is something entirely different and so much more than the averagen and is, in my opinion (obviously), one that is worth multiple reads to fully appreciate the different layers, and, simply put, because it kicks arse and is fun as… well, hell.
Stark does a fantastic job crafting the story from the beginning and leading you into the splatter-coaster. The build-up feels well-paced and justified. The story is meaty, gritty and all-consuming with a powerful atmosphere that hooks you in and holds you like a drug-induced death grip. The characters are very well written and developed. They are colourful, three-dimensional, and really take you along for the ride. Fred and Pinkie are awesome, but I’m pretty sure that is a widespread opinion. It’s hard to pick a favourite character as they all add something to the pot of savage soup that makes it taste all the better. Pass me the spoon when you’ve finished burning it and give me another taste.
AHDoH is absolutely unapologetic or soft peddling in its delivery, and Stark doesn't shy away from real world subject matter, which is something we that we could certainly do with a lot more of. It gives me exactly what I want to read and more in a novel of this genre and calibre. Another thing that makes it so exciting to read is not just the horror, gore, incredible action and reference to social issues, but perfectly balanced humour, too. I dribble-chuckled my coffee on several occasions throughout the book. The dialogue is brilliantly written, and I love the use of language, which made it feel local, raw and real. There are many great interactions and exchanges between characters, that I loved.
In short: A Hot Dose of Hell is brutal, fun, full of action and great characters, fantastic dialogue, an outstanding story, wickedly honest and an absolute grusome pleasure to read from start to finish. Stark has a unique voice, and his passion for the genre tears through eadch and every page. This is undoubtedly a top-notch read, and fans of the genre are going to go batshit crazy for it.
If you haven’t yet read it, I implore you to go and grab a copy. Get addicted. GET STARK! #DVS
Hot Damn! May the Devil stick me in the arse-cheek and call me addicted. Stark delivers a pure balls-to-the-wall slice of horror that isn’t backwards in brutally marching forwards in the outstanding A Hot Dose of Hell.
Stark has written something quite exceptional here that’ll drench you in so much blood; you’ll think you took a bath in a slaughterhouse. If you’re the sensitive type, then clutch your pearls, take your anxiety medication and buckle up, sweethearts; this ain’t your bedtime story (well, depends on how gritty you like your nightmares?).
Far from being just another standard zombie-fest, which can often become quite tiresome. In fact, I'm pretty sure Rick Grimes stood at the train station in Scarmouth, took a quick look, said ‘fuck that’ then took his arse back on the train home to a safer apocalypse. AHDoH is something entirely different and so much more than the averagen and is, in my opinion (obviously), one that is worth multiple reads to fully appreciate the different layers, and, simply put, because it kicks arse and is fun as… well, hell.
Stark does a fantastic job crafting the story from the beginning and leading you into the splatter-coaster. The build-up feels well-paced and justified. The story is meaty, gritty and all-consuming with a powerful atmosphere that hooks you in and holds you like a drug-induced death grip. The characters are very well written and developed. They are colourful, three-dimensional, and really take you along for the ride. Fred and Pinkie are awesome, but I’m pretty sure that is a widespread opinion. It’s hard to pick a favourite character as they all add something to the pot of savage soup that makes it taste all the better. Pass me the spoon when you’ve finished burning it and give me another taste.
AHDoH is absolutely unapologetic or soft peddling in its delivery, and Stark doesn't shy away from real world subject matter, which is something we that we could certainly do with a lot more of. It gives me exactly what I want to read and more in a novel of this genre and calibre. Another thing that makes it so exciting to read is not just the horror, gore, incredible action and reference to social issues, but perfectly balanced humour, too. I dribble-chuckled my coffee on several occasions throughout the book. The dialogue is brilliantly written, and I love the use of language, which made it feel local, raw and real. There are many great interactions and exchanges between characters, that I loved.
In short: A Hot Dose of Hell is brutal, fun, full of action and great characters, fantastic dialogue, an outstanding story, wickedly honest and an absolute grusome pleasure to read from start to finish. Stark has a unique voice, and his passion for the genre tears through eadch and every page. This is undoubtedly a top-notch read, and fans of the genre are going to go batshit crazy for it.
If you haven’t yet read it, I implore you to go and grab a copy. Get addicted. GET STARK! #DVS
March 16, 2025
My first reaction when I finished Mr Stark’s stunning debut novel was that I needed a 6-star rating option, ’cos 5 simply ain’t enough! Alas, 5 stars it will have to be.
I truly love the indie author scene – it’s a gift that keeps giving as one discovers more and more superb writing, with wonderful and talented authors delivering honest and freely expressed stories, away from the woke and censorious editors at the major publishing houses.
Horror is not my normal reading genre, although of late my forays into the indie author scene have brought me a wider range of reading, and that is a great thing.
I can’t give enough praise to this book. It’s a hell of a storyline with non-stop action. In the climactic scene, I was almost as out of breath as the protagonists, although thankfully I wasn’t fighting off drug-addled zombies. Stark’s descriptive abilities on the page are outstanding, be it characters, action, or places. The rundown British seaside town, Scarmouth, is perfectly drawn, reminding me of a couple I have seen over the years. If you enjoy some gore and violence, this novel takes them to a whole new level. At the same time, there’s no shortage of rich characterisation, and Stark’s obvious compassion for those people who have ended up trodden into the gutter by life is a warm and human aspect to the story. Many of the characters we can feel something for, as flawed as they are, and there are some despicable ones, too. Then there are the touches of Establishment and/or corporate manipulation of society, compounding everyone’s misery. A novel for our times, indeed. And as if that’s not enough to feed our reading hunger, then there’s the satirical humour. Stark’s utter demolition of the virtue-signalling, woke, bourgeois middle-class is simply divine to read and laugh out loud at times. No spoilers, but boy, do they get what they deserve! There were humorous moments when I was reminded of Tom Sharpe, one of the greatest British comedic authors and a favourite of mine when it comes to satire. And at risk of this putting me in a depraved light (wouldn’t be the first time!), the scene with one of Scarmouth’s monster seagulls being beaten by one of the main henchmen had me splitting my sides with laughter.
This book is an amazing achievement and, given it’s Stark’s first novel, I can only salivate at what’s to come. Bravo, Mr Stark, and please keep writing, because, as for the end of any great performance, the crowd is on its feet shouting ENCORE!
I truly love the indie author scene – it’s a gift that keeps giving as one discovers more and more superb writing, with wonderful and talented authors delivering honest and freely expressed stories, away from the woke and censorious editors at the major publishing houses.
Horror is not my normal reading genre, although of late my forays into the indie author scene have brought me a wider range of reading, and that is a great thing.
I can’t give enough praise to this book. It’s a hell of a storyline with non-stop action. In the climactic scene, I was almost as out of breath as the protagonists, although thankfully I wasn’t fighting off drug-addled zombies. Stark’s descriptive abilities on the page are outstanding, be it characters, action, or places. The rundown British seaside town, Scarmouth, is perfectly drawn, reminding me of a couple I have seen over the years. If you enjoy some gore and violence, this novel takes them to a whole new level. At the same time, there’s no shortage of rich characterisation, and Stark’s obvious compassion for those people who have ended up trodden into the gutter by life is a warm and human aspect to the story. Many of the characters we can feel something for, as flawed as they are, and there are some despicable ones, too. Then there are the touches of Establishment and/or corporate manipulation of society, compounding everyone’s misery. A novel for our times, indeed. And as if that’s not enough to feed our reading hunger, then there’s the satirical humour. Stark’s utter demolition of the virtue-signalling, woke, bourgeois middle-class is simply divine to read and laugh out loud at times. No spoilers, but boy, do they get what they deserve! There were humorous moments when I was reminded of Tom Sharpe, one of the greatest British comedic authors and a favourite of mine when it comes to satire. And at risk of this putting me in a depraved light (wouldn’t be the first time!), the scene with one of Scarmouth’s monster seagulls being beaten by one of the main henchmen had me splitting my sides with laughter.
This book is an amazing achievement and, given it’s Stark’s first novel, I can only salivate at what’s to come. Bravo, Mr Stark, and please keep writing, because, as for the end of any great performance, the crowd is on its feet shouting ENCORE!
August 13, 2025
Great writing, a fast-paced story, a smart, kick-ass heroine, two larger than life gangland enforcers, a well-drawn cast of supporting characters, wicked humour, sharp social commentary, nasty zombie action and loads of blood and gore – what’s not to love?
‘A Hot Dose of Hell’ has a style and sensibility that recalls the high point of 80s horror fiction – New English Library paperbacks, Guy N Smith, Shaun Hutson, James Herbert, and splatterpunks like John Skipp and Craig Spector – while touching on contemporary issues such as homelessness, drug addiction, and the failure of the system to help those most in need.
From the first encounter with two bloodthirsty maniacs in a brothel, to the terrifying pursuit and all-out zombie assault in the hotel, the action brings to mind the best practical effects-driven horror films. Stark writes with graphic, detailed prose, showing the horror, fear and violence on the page as vividly as if it was on a cinema screen.
There’s plenty of humour, too. The enforcers, Fred and Pinkie, have some great banter, and more jokes come at the expense of the activists of the ‘Leg Up’ charity. Stark highlights their hypocrisy and self-serving nature with some hilarious dialogue. Their discussions about ‘problematic’ issues, and the internal turmoil they feel when trying to navigate the minefield of oppression politics, had me laughing out loud.
Throughout it all is a real compassion and concern for some of the most vulnerable people in our society, and Stark points out the lack of support and the failures of a broken system. There are some truly sobering and thought-provoking moments, and Stark provides these without preaching or patronising (and without getting in the way of the story, or the novel’s main intent – to entertain and give the reader a good time with plenty of horror action.)
Fast-paced, gruesomely gory, laugh out loud funny, and with genuine heart, reading this is like seeing your favourite 80s splatter horror film on the page. Highly recommended for horror fans everywhere and those who want more from their zombie action than the usual shuffling corpses.
‘A Hot Dose of Hell’ has a style and sensibility that recalls the high point of 80s horror fiction – New English Library paperbacks, Guy N Smith, Shaun Hutson, James Herbert, and splatterpunks like John Skipp and Craig Spector – while touching on contemporary issues such as homelessness, drug addiction, and the failure of the system to help those most in need.
From the first encounter with two bloodthirsty maniacs in a brothel, to the terrifying pursuit and all-out zombie assault in the hotel, the action brings to mind the best practical effects-driven horror films. Stark writes with graphic, detailed prose, showing the horror, fear and violence on the page as vividly as if it was on a cinema screen.
There’s plenty of humour, too. The enforcers, Fred and Pinkie, have some great banter, and more jokes come at the expense of the activists of the ‘Leg Up’ charity. Stark highlights their hypocrisy and self-serving nature with some hilarious dialogue. Their discussions about ‘problematic’ issues, and the internal turmoil they feel when trying to navigate the minefield of oppression politics, had me laughing out loud.
Throughout it all is a real compassion and concern for some of the most vulnerable people in our society, and Stark points out the lack of support and the failures of a broken system. There are some truly sobering and thought-provoking moments, and Stark provides these without preaching or patronising (and without getting in the way of the story, or the novel’s main intent – to entertain and give the reader a good time with plenty of horror action.)
Fast-paced, gruesomely gory, laugh out loud funny, and with genuine heart, reading this is like seeing your favourite 80s splatter horror film on the page. Highly recommended for horror fans everywhere and those who want more from their zombie action than the usual shuffling corpses.
September 7, 2025
Imagine a southbound train called Gripping Horror, and a northbound train called Screaming Action Thriller.
These trains are on the same track! Boom!!! A Hot Dose of Hell is born!
This Powerful story races along at a wonderful, hot pace.
The characters are very well written, and included some people I didn't like and those I came to love.
One of the signs of a strong writer is the emotion they can instill in your heart as you read. This story has so much heart, so much reality, that you seriously feel what the characters feel. I felt such loss at a point, so moved emotionally.
The ending was a stroke of genius by this brilliantly creative author. Sir Alfred Hitchcock would surely tip his hat to Steve for this beautifully intriguing end.
Your lifetime love of reading thrilling horror stories will not be complete until you read this amazing tale.
Hurry now, get your copy, experience something uniquely powerful and superbly entertaining!
These trains are on the same track! Boom!!! A Hot Dose of Hell is born!
This Powerful story races along at a wonderful, hot pace.
The characters are very well written, and included some people I didn't like and those I came to love.
One of the signs of a strong writer is the emotion they can instill in your heart as you read. This story has so much heart, so much reality, that you seriously feel what the characters feel. I felt such loss at a point, so moved emotionally.
The ending was a stroke of genius by this brilliantly creative author. Sir Alfred Hitchcock would surely tip his hat to Steve for this beautifully intriguing end.
Your lifetime love of reading thrilling horror stories will not be complete until you read this amazing tale.
Hurry now, get your copy, experience something uniquely powerful and superbly entertaining!
May 24, 2025
Reads like a drugged up, grindhouse version of 28 days later, if the script was penned by James Herbert and Shaun Hutson. Stuffed with ultraviolence nasty enough to make you wince, laced with a slyly dark humour that suits the crusty tone and smart enough to get you thinking.
What I think really made this book stand out were the nuggets of lore studding the story that made Scarmouth such a believably three dimensional place I felt like I'd actually been there; the history of Scarmouth's ferocious seagulls(in a hilarious nod to Mr Herbert's the Rats) and various dodgy landmarks, as well as potent snapshots of the characters lives and childhoods that just made them feel so real I could almost smell them.
A fun and furious splatter fiction classic 👌
What I think really made this book stand out were the nuggets of lore studding the story that made Scarmouth such a believably three dimensional place I felt like I'd actually been there; the history of Scarmouth's ferocious seagulls(in a hilarious nod to Mr Herbert's the Rats) and various dodgy landmarks, as well as potent snapshots of the characters lives and childhoods that just made them feel so real I could almost smell them.
A fun and furious splatter fiction classic 👌
November 8, 2025
I didn’t laugh at this book. No one would.
Instead, I saw the deep and raw splatters of addiction - the kind that stain everything they touch, including those who never chose to be part of it. The author’s crows don’t just circle the sky; to me, they carry the ghosts of children forever marked by what addiction leaves behind.
Addiction is a funny thing - not funny in the way we laugh, but funny in how it twists love and loss into something unrecognizable. It makes the world feel both hollow and heavy at once. It turns beauty into monsters.
If I had to describe this book in one line, it would be this passage that gave me pause - "like time-lapse footage of a fungus growing and spreading". That’s what this story does - it infects quietly, burrows deep, and blooms grotesquely. It’s about addiction and the rot it leaves behind, how it threads through every part of society until you can’t tell where the sickness ends and the world begins again.
The seagulls may be a metaphor, but they linger long after the last page - reminders that some boxes, once opened, can never truly be closed again.
A dabbling of descriptive horror, a dive into addiction, mixed with a paintbrush full of consequences for each and every action taken.
Well done
Instead, I saw the deep and raw splatters of addiction - the kind that stain everything they touch, including those who never chose to be part of it. The author’s crows don’t just circle the sky; to me, they carry the ghosts of children forever marked by what addiction leaves behind.
Addiction is a funny thing - not funny in the way we laugh, but funny in how it twists love and loss into something unrecognizable. It makes the world feel both hollow and heavy at once. It turns beauty into monsters.
If I had to describe this book in one line, it would be this passage that gave me pause - "like time-lapse footage of a fungus growing and spreading". That’s what this story does - it infects quietly, burrows deep, and blooms grotesquely. It’s about addiction and the rot it leaves behind, how it threads through every part of society until you can’t tell where the sickness ends and the world begins again.
The seagulls may be a metaphor, but they linger long after the last page - reminders that some boxes, once opened, can never truly be closed again.
A dabbling of descriptive horror, a dive into addiction, mixed with a paintbrush full of consequences for each and every action taken.
Well done
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