What do you think?
Rate this book
Damienverse #2
ASBO
YOUR FEAR IS THEIR ENTERTAINMENT...
Andrew’s life is one of bored contentedness: a teenage daughter, a faithful wife, and a middle-class job. He even has a Mercedes. His life is without drama, and the comfort of middle-age is setting in.
That all changes when he refuses to buy a pack of cigarettes for the local gang of youths. Led by the emotionally unstable, and sadistic, Frankie, the gang target Andrew and his family in an escalating campaign of terror and violence that threatens their very lives. It isn’t long before Andrew starts to wish that he’d just brought those damn cigarettes
Andrew’s life is one of bored contentedness: a teenage daughter, a faithful wife, and a middle-class job. He even has a Mercedes. His life is without drama, and the comfort of middle-age is setting in.
That all changes when he refuses to buy a pack of cigarettes for the local gang of youths. Led by the emotionally unstable, and sadistic, Frankie, the gang target Andrew and his family in an escalating campaign of terror and violence that threatens their very lives. It isn’t long before Andrew starts to wish that he’d just brought those damn cigarettes
Hardcover
First published January 12, 2012
318 people are currently reading
1086 people want to read
About the author
Iain Rob Wright
172 books1,837 followersOne of Horror's most respected authors, Iain Rob Wright is the writer of more than forty books, many of them bestsellers. A previous Kindle All-Star and a mainstay in the horror charts, he is a prolific producer of unique and original stories. From his apocalyptic saga The Gates to his claustrophobic revenge thriller ASBO, Iain writes across a broad spectrum of sub genres, creating both beloved series and standalone titles.
With work available in several languages and in audio, Iain Rob Wright is one of the fastest rising stars in horror, but when not writing he is a dedicated family man. Father to Jack and Molly, and husband to Sally, he is often seen sharing his family memories with his fans on Facebook.
To get 6 of his books for free (no strings), just visit: www.iainrobwright.com
With work available in several languages and in audio, Iain Rob Wright is one of the fastest rising stars in horror, but when not writing he is a dedicated family man. Father to Jack and Molly, and husband to Sally, he is often seen sharing his family memories with his fans on Facebook.
To get 6 of his books for free (no strings), just visit: www.iainrobwright.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 210 reviews
November 20, 2015
Really gripping book!
CREEPY GOOD FIND
I read this book in like 4 days. Not like 24/7 frenzy way but I read it in any spare time that I had on those 4 days.
It's an excellent book. At first I had some different expectations about how the events will develop but I wasn't dissapointed either. I would like to see a little more of development of certain secondary characters, but it's like the only thing that I could find as a critique.
In the first chapters I thought that I will give it only 4 stars (that it could be still a very good thing) but when the story started up the engines and never pull brakes until the end, I changed my mind and definitely I was more than glad to give it the full 5 stars to the book.
BEWARE OF REAL EVIL
I enjoy paranormal horror stories but in real life how many times you will have to deal with a vampire or a zombie?
However, the kind of evil that Iain Rob Wright, the author, develops here, in this novel, it's a very real evil, a kind of evil that it's getting stronger in our society and even worse, it's an evil that you can meet any day of your life.
Each day, senseless violence is around us, and sadly is more common a total lack of respect for the people next door, and a small conversation can be the reason for terrible incidents.
Highly recommended.
CREEPY GOOD FIND
I read this book in like 4 days. Not like 24/7 frenzy way but I read it in any spare time that I had on those 4 days.
It's an excellent book. At first I had some different expectations about how the events will develop but I wasn't dissapointed either. I would like to see a little more of development of certain secondary characters, but it's like the only thing that I could find as a critique.
In the first chapters I thought that I will give it only 4 stars (that it could be still a very good thing) but when the story started up the engines and never pull brakes until the end, I changed my mind and definitely I was more than glad to give it the full 5 stars to the book.
BEWARE OF REAL EVIL
I enjoy paranormal horror stories but in real life how many times you will have to deal with a vampire or a zombie?
However, the kind of evil that Iain Rob Wright, the author, develops here, in this novel, it's a very real evil, a kind of evil that it's getting stronger in our society and even worse, it's an evil that you can meet any day of your life.
Each day, senseless violence is around us, and sadly is more common a total lack of respect for the people next door, and a small conversation can be the reason for terrible incidents.
Highly recommended.
June 30, 2015
Andrew Goodman, his wife and Penelope (Pen) and his daughter Becky (Bex) are enjoying a nice, quiet evening at home when Pen informs him that there are a group of teenagers hanging around their home, making her uneasy.
"They're just harmless kids," he says. But on his way to getting the family some cod and chips, he'll find out otherwise....
The ringleader of the group, Frankie Walker, is an aggressive delinquent who was recently released from prison. His group of violent, hostile followers do everything he commands without question. After Andrew refuses to buy him a pack of cigarettes, Frankie and his cronies set out to terrorize him and his family. And so begins the torment. And torture. And mayhem.
This is an extremely well-written, perfectly paced, immersing story. The characters are well-developed and realistic. I greatly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading The Housemates soon.
July 26, 2023
Loved this fast paced, easy to read, gritty thriller that felt too real for comfort. I didn't want to put it down! ASBO is my favourite book by this author so far. I highly recommend this to those who enjoy books about the dark and violent side of human nature, and the intense drive for both survival and revenge.
December 8, 2012
This is the story of Andrew and his family who run foul of a local troublemaker. Andrew goes out for fish and chips and bumps into Frankie. Fresh out of a young offenders institution and looking to make trouble, he asks Andrew to buy him a packet of cigarettes, Andrew refuses. Soon though he comes to wish he had just bought the cigarettes as over the course of a week Frankie unleashes a reign of terror and brutality on Andrew and his family. It all culminates on one fateful night that none of them will forget for a very long time...
Sadly this is an indictment of today's Britain. It was a non-stop horrific ride of terror that left me gasping at the end. Andrew and his family were just an ordinary Joe family that happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. My heart went out to them as they were being terrorised and I could feel their pain. I totally understood Andrew's actions and I think if I was in his position I would not hesitate to do the same. The story was very descriptive and the characters true to life. The pace belted along and the book was hard to put down. This is the first book I have read by this author and judging by this standard I will be reading more.
Sadly this is an indictment of today's Britain. It was a non-stop horrific ride of terror that left me gasping at the end. Andrew and his family were just an ordinary Joe family that happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. My heart went out to them as they were being terrorised and I could feel their pain. I totally understood Andrew's actions and I think if I was in his position I would not hesitate to do the same. The story was very descriptive and the characters true to life. The pace belted along and the book was hard to put down. This is the first book I have read by this author and judging by this standard I will be reading more.
September 9, 2013
Badly written, gratuitous violence with no depth to the characters, felt the author was trying to go for the shock factor and had thrown every depravity and abuse in the pot for good measure
July 5, 2013
This was excellent. My adrenalin was up from the frustration and anger I felt as I read it. I felt horror and disbelief as things progressed, at the police department as well as the perpetrators. How awful! I will definitely be reading more by this author, and I would certainly recommend this.
May 13, 2025
Fantastic book!
Anytime I’m in a reading slump I choose an Iain Rob Wright book and it pulls me out of it.
His books just read so easily and they’re always so well paced that I just don’t want to put it down.
I loved every minute of this book, it made me angry, it made me sad, it made me feel redeemed for the characters, sort of.
Overall, just a bloody good read.
Highly recommend.
Anytime I’m in a reading slump I choose an Iain Rob Wright book and it pulls me out of it.
His books just read so easily and they’re always so well paced that I just don’t want to put it down.
I loved every minute of this book, it made me angry, it made me sad, it made me feel redeemed for the characters, sort of.
Overall, just a bloody good read.
Highly recommend.
June 22, 2013
Just think about it...how often have you flipped off somebody for cutting you off while driving or spewing insults at you from the next car over? Life goes on, right? Well, one day, you may not be so lucky - the young teenager you insulted might be a psychopath...he will get you back. The newspapers today are filled with stories about people going off the deep end...we soon learn they have a mental condition and haven't been taking their medicines. Who suffers then? Of course, the recipient of those actions. I know, this has nothing to do with "ASBO...", but after reading the story, a person may want to reconsider taking action the next time somebody pisses you off.
In "ASBO: A Novel of Extreme Terror", Andrew and his family are targeted by a group of young thugs who are led by a psychological disturbed teenager, who is recently released from a youth prison. At first, it is just mischievous conduct and the police are unable to help. So Andrew takes the law into his own hands and tries to put a stop to it all by visiting with the leader's mother. This further enrages the gang and they take it up to a whole new level. When confronted, most men usually display bravado and will try to fight back. However, in this case, Andrew is beaten, restrained and forced to watch as gang members torture his family for the fun of it. He feels impotent and helpless, his inner rage building. Then finally realizing that this will not end until they are all dead - he takes a deadly risk - the consequences enormous. You'll have to read the story to see who lives and who dies.
The author is British and penned the story using common jargon from that country. I didn't find it distracting except for one word "innit" - still haven't figured out what it means. "ASBO..." does not let you go and continues pulling on your emotions. I'm quite certain that all readers will find the story difficult to put down and will stay up late in the night just to see what happens next. I've read the authors first novel, "Final Winter" and loved it as well - I recommend both of them. Great job Mr. Wright! Keep them coming!
John Podlaski, author
Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel
In "ASBO: A Novel of Extreme Terror", Andrew and his family are targeted by a group of young thugs who are led by a psychological disturbed teenager, who is recently released from a youth prison. At first, it is just mischievous conduct and the police are unable to help. So Andrew takes the law into his own hands and tries to put a stop to it all by visiting with the leader's mother. This further enrages the gang and they take it up to a whole new level. When confronted, most men usually display bravado and will try to fight back. However, in this case, Andrew is beaten, restrained and forced to watch as gang members torture his family for the fun of it. He feels impotent and helpless, his inner rage building. Then finally realizing that this will not end until they are all dead - he takes a deadly risk - the consequences enormous. You'll have to read the story to see who lives and who dies.
The author is British and penned the story using common jargon from that country. I didn't find it distracting except for one word "innit" - still haven't figured out what it means. "ASBO..." does not let you go and continues pulling on your emotions. I'm quite certain that all readers will find the story difficult to put down and will stay up late in the night just to see what happens next. I've read the authors first novel, "Final Winter" and loved it as well - I recommend both of them. Great job Mr. Wright! Keep them coming!
John Podlaski, author
Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel
August 24, 2017
I loved the first half, it was a great set up for a really good revenge story, but then. ..... Bummer that such a great book had such a weak ending
January 23, 2026
Wow what a story. The twist in the end was fantastic I honestly didn't see it coming, the story is actually quite sad and makes you think about troubled teens and what people go through after being attacked. This book is quite dark at times and disturbing especially knowing it could happen in real life.
August 10, 2022
The first two chapters of this book had me hooked but also nervous to go on. Iain built up a terrifying youth thug with his younger brother mostly forced to go along with him, and the thugs band of misfits. What I found most terrifying is that this could be happening anywhere in the whole right now. If your looking to be scared, pissed off and have an adrenaline rush then I recommend this book to you.
October 21, 2022
ASBO by Iain Rob Wright is a Thriller that captures your interest from the beginning to ending. It’s fast paced and populated with characters that come to life; and most importantly, is a damn good story!
I would have no reservations in recommending this great read for all fans of exciting thrillers.
I would have no reservations in recommending this great read for all fans of exciting thrillers.
July 6, 2013
Wow! This is a scary read! I think every reader can relate to this - ever had a bit of road rage or refused to be bullied? Well, in this novel the bullies that Andrew refuses to let intimidate him fight back - and they do so in style.
I love Iain's books, but this was truly scary, such a gruesome tale, it made me really wonder where Iain gets his ideas from - what a great imagination to dream up such a story.
At the beginning of the book I really thought Sam was a nice boy - how wrong was I? The story unfolds at breakneck speed and is full of twists and turns along the way, I was genuinely too scared to get out of bed and go to the toilet after reading this until the early hours of the morning, that's how much this novel affected me! Well done Iain, another brilliant book :-)
I love Iain's books, but this was truly scary, such a gruesome tale, it made me really wonder where Iain gets his ideas from - what a great imagination to dream up such a story.
At the beginning of the book I really thought Sam was a nice boy - how wrong was I? The story unfolds at breakneck speed and is full of twists and turns along the way, I was genuinely too scared to get out of bed and go to the toilet after reading this until the early hours of the morning, that's how much this novel affected me! Well done Iain, another brilliant book :-)
April 17, 2014
I LOVED this book!
I had it chillin' in my Kindle for a long time, I wish I'd have read it before now.
Andrew is just a regular Joe. He’s married, has a teenaged daughter, normal job – a pretty good life.
One particular nice evening, he decides to walk over to grab some take-out for dinner. He sees a group of young guys between him & his destination, but decides to just walk on by instead of taking a different route. Mistake.
Big mistake.
Things go from bad to worse, and the author makes everything seem so plausible! (Remember, I’m from Detroit! Haha :D ) Really, this one just made me… angry, scared, pissed off… ugh!
Full review/discussion on BBB -
http://beckisbookblog.wordpress.com/2...
I had it chillin' in my Kindle for a long time, I wish I'd have read it before now.
Andrew is just a regular Joe. He’s married, has a teenaged daughter, normal job – a pretty good life.
One particular nice evening, he decides to walk over to grab some take-out for dinner. He sees a group of young guys between him & his destination, but decides to just walk on by instead of taking a different route. Mistake.
Big mistake.
Things go from bad to worse, and the author makes everything seem so plausible! (Remember, I’m from Detroit! Haha :D ) Really, this one just made me… angry, scared, pissed off… ugh!
Full review/discussion on BBB -
http://beckisbookblog.wordpress.com/2...
September 28, 2019
I’m pretty positive that out of the 6 books(Sarah stone trilogy, animal kingdom, Sam and Asbo) I’ve read of Iain’s books this is most definitely my favourite so far.
I think this captures a true fear for a lot of the British public! Kids hanging at street corners can indeed be scary.
This book was extremely well paced, and I empathised a lot for so many of the characters! Especially davie! Definitely some pretty nasty scenes in this book so be aware of that before you read! I liked the nod to animal kingdom (really appreciate it when authors connect their books)
Definitely a book to read in one or two sittings! Very frightening and very real! Honestly would make a great film! Reminded me of films like the last house on the left and funny games.
I think this captures a true fear for a lot of the British public! Kids hanging at street corners can indeed be scary.
This book was extremely well paced, and I empathised a lot for so many of the characters! Especially davie! Definitely some pretty nasty scenes in this book so be aware of that before you read! I liked the nod to animal kingdom (really appreciate it when authors connect their books)
Definitely a book to read in one or two sittings! Very frightening and very real! Honestly would make a great film! Reminded me of films like the last house on the left and funny games.
March 14, 2017
This was a great read- really fast paced. In fact, it had the feel of a movie. It is set in England, so there were some slang terms here and there that I didn't know, but I liked it- it added to the sense of realism. Andrew, the protagonist, is a happily married father with a teen daughter. Their neighborhood however, is suffering from the horrible result of teen boredom: teen street gangs with nothing to do but terrorize people. People like Andrew. Frankie, leader of a gang of teens, becomes fixated on Andrew for reasons we do not learn until the very end of the book- and begins making his life a living nightmare, as eventually the family man and the gang of teens come to deadly violence against one another. This is more of an action/murder/suspense/mystery story than actual horror, though, so be prepared for that if you're going into this one looking for scares and gore. Still, it was well written and had surprises throughout. Good job, Mr. Wright! --Jen from Quebec
November 21, 2020
I received this book as part of a free package for signing up to the authors mailing list and I have to say, it is certainly not for the faint hearted. It is an extremely visceral and very violent read but despite some of the plot making uncomfortable reading at times, I absolutely devoured it and finished it in less than two nights. The ending does not however sit right with me. Although I found it.... alright, the last few pages do not seem to fit with the rest of the tone of the book and all in all it seemed a little rushed. Regardless, I am intrigued to read more of this authors work.
November 8, 2025
Fantastic! ASBO reminds me a lot about the movie Eden Lake. A group of kids terrorizing a family.
These stories are scary due to how real they feel. This stuff could happen in real life which makes the scenes so impactful. I need to read more from Iain Rob Wright.
These stories are scary due to how real they feel. This stuff could happen in real life which makes the scenes so impactful. I need to read more from Iain Rob Wright.
January 21, 2024
A bit worrying that I can see how not all of this is strictly fictional.
March 20, 2024
This is such a fast paced, real gritty thriller that certainly makes you sit up and take notice.
It really made me think how just one small action could lead to such devastating consequences, blooming scary.
I know I will definitely be reading more by this author as this book had me completely hooked and I read it in one day! Absolutely excellent.
Happy Reading
It really made me think how just one small action could lead to such devastating consequences, blooming scary.
I know I will definitely be reading more by this author as this book had me completely hooked and I read it in one day! Absolutely excellent.
Happy Reading
December 19, 2015
‘ASBO’ weaves a highly unpleasant story about how a family man’s life is changed forever after an encounter with a local gang headed by the sadistic Frankie. When Andrew refuses to buy him cigarettes, things quickly escalate beyond his control leading to chaos and murders.
Wright truly succeeded in creating an extremely despicable villain in the form of Frankie. From the beginning till the end, he was consistently selfish, violent, emotionally unstable, disturbed and messed up. He was completely believable though and this helped to contribute to the realism of the book. However, realism is really not the book’s strong point (more on that later). The background of what happened to Frankie when he was in prison did make sense to explain how his experiences shaped him into the person he eventually became but the reveal was poorly executed.
As for Frankie’s gang of loyal followers, they were typically subservient without minds of their own. They were pathetic and it’s impossible not to hate every one of them. I’d expected the author to provide some background story for Frankie’s ‘girlfriend’ Michelle but there wasn’t any. It would have been interesting to find out how exactly she and the twins became part of Frankie’s army of followers. Drugs were definitely involved but further details would have been welcomed.
As for Frankie’s younger brother Davie, he disgusted me for reluctantly participating in Frankie’s crimes yet doing absolutely nothing despite knowing how wrong everything was. Wright did a good job with Davie – painting a vivid picture of how torn he was between doing the right thing even if it meant going against his brother versus following Frankie out of brotherly love.
It was easy to sympathize with the victim, Andrew as well as his wife and daughter. Rooting for them made this story a lot more exciting and worth reading. In terms of realism though, there was a lot of room for improvement. The element of violence represented by the gang was highly realistic but the lack of police procedures was ridiculous. No one guarded Andrew’s house or took any photographs or brought him in for questioning.
Overall, this fast-paced book is a quick read which might leave you feeling uncomfortable due to its content and bittersweet ending. On a side note, I have to add that making the chapter regarding how Frankie met Damien as the final chapter was incredibly strange as it should have been the prologue instead.
Wright truly succeeded in creating an extremely despicable villain in the form of Frankie. From the beginning till the end, he was consistently selfish, violent, emotionally unstable, disturbed and messed up. He was completely believable though and this helped to contribute to the realism of the book. However, realism is really not the book’s strong point (more on that later). The background of what happened to Frankie when he was in prison did make sense to explain how his experiences shaped him into the person he eventually became but the reveal was poorly executed.
As for Frankie’s gang of loyal followers, they were typically subservient without minds of their own. They were pathetic and it’s impossible not to hate every one of them. I’d expected the author to provide some background story for Frankie’s ‘girlfriend’ Michelle but there wasn’t any. It would have been interesting to find out how exactly she and the twins became part of Frankie’s army of followers. Drugs were definitely involved but further details would have been welcomed.
As for Frankie’s younger brother Davie, he disgusted me for reluctantly participating in Frankie’s crimes yet doing absolutely nothing despite knowing how wrong everything was. Wright did a good job with Davie – painting a vivid picture of how torn he was between doing the right thing even if it meant going against his brother versus following Frankie out of brotherly love.
It was easy to sympathize with the victim, Andrew as well as his wife and daughter. Rooting for them made this story a lot more exciting and worth reading. In terms of realism though, there was a lot of room for improvement. The element of violence represented by the gang was highly realistic but the lack of police procedures was ridiculous. No one guarded Andrew’s house or took any photographs or brought him in for questioning.
Overall, this fast-paced book is a quick read which might leave you feeling uncomfortable due to its content and bittersweet ending. On a side note, I have to add that making the chapter regarding how Frankie met Damien as the final chapter was incredibly strange as it should have been the prologue instead.
January 15, 2015
Now this is what terror is!! This is the stuff that happens in every day life and it's scary. The young people of today are just terrible, not only the ones that commit crimes, but the others as well, the ones that have no respect and feel the world and everyone in it owes them something. Really? Come on! Get over your big bad selves and realize this isn't a "me me me" world.
This is about a man and his family who are terrorized by a local thug, Frankie, and his cohorts. Frankie is one bad kid. He's already been locked up and needed to stay there. He decides to torment Andrew and his family. Why? No one really knows, until it all comes out in the end.
I went through several emotions during this book...anger, fear, sadness, shock, and even joy. I can't even imagine what it would be like to go through something like this.
I was given an audio copy of this book from the author. This was my first time listening to an audio book. I wasn't sure how it would go, as I am a more visual person. I had to concentrate at first, but once the story got going I really enjoyed it. I will be reading more from this author.
4 out of 5 stars.
You can also follow my reviews at the following links:
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2...
http://lisasandberg88.wordpress.com/
http://thezeroshour.com/
https://m.facebook.com/lisa.sandberg8...
https://m.facebook.com/thezeroshour?r...
http://1988lisa1988.tumblr.com/
Twitter - @1988Lisa1988
http://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/A1NU...
This is about a man and his family who are terrorized by a local thug, Frankie, and his cohorts. Frankie is one bad kid. He's already been locked up and needed to stay there. He decides to torment Andrew and his family. Why? No one really knows, until it all comes out in the end.
I went through several emotions during this book...anger, fear, sadness, shock, and even joy. I can't even imagine what it would be like to go through something like this.
I was given an audio copy of this book from the author. This was my first time listening to an audio book. I wasn't sure how it would go, as I am a more visual person. I had to concentrate at first, but once the story got going I really enjoyed it. I will be reading more from this author.
4 out of 5 stars.
You can also follow my reviews at the following links:
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2...
http://lisasandberg88.wordpress.com/
http://thezeroshour.com/
https://m.facebook.com/lisa.sandberg8...
https://m.facebook.com/thezeroshour?r...
http://1988lisa1988.tumblr.com/
Twitter - @1988Lisa1988
http://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/A1NU...
November 27, 2014
ASBO is one of those books that starts quickly and keeps moving at a steady pace. The violence is quick and gruelling and you really do feel for the victims due to their three dimensional characteristics which the author has done wonderfully.
The monsters of the piece unfortuantely are not as well rounded and come a bit like a Richard Laymon villian but this is not particularly a bad thing but when a full reveal happens about a thug, it falls slightly short. This will not ruin your enjoyment of the book in anyway but it will be hard to feel the sympathy that the author is trying to pursue.
I highly recommend for people who want an exciting read that is easy to get into and keeps you reading to the very end. You will find the hours fly by as you keep telling yourself, just one more chapter.
Very enjoyable. Buy it if you enjoy the genre.
The monsters of the piece unfortuantely are not as well rounded and come a bit like a Richard Laymon villian but this is not particularly a bad thing but when a full reveal happens about a thug, it falls slightly short. This will not ruin your enjoyment of the book in anyway but it will be hard to feel the sympathy that the author is trying to pursue.
I highly recommend for people who want an exciting read that is easy to get into and keeps you reading to the very end. You will find the hours fly by as you keep telling yourself, just one more chapter.
Very enjoyable. Buy it if you enjoy the genre.
February 2, 2016
There is no monster more terrifying than a human.
Andrew's wife, Penelope notices a group of teenagers hanging on the corner in front of their home. Andrew shrugs it off as just bored kids wasting the hours away, nothing more sinister than what they did when they were that age.
As dinner time approaches, daughter Rebecca convinces mom and dad that an order from the local chip shop would hit the spot. On the walk to the chip shop, Andrew has his first encounter with Frankie and his pals. Frankie, by the way, has just been released from juvenile detention and is itching for some fun. What follows is a wild ride of page turning suspense.
ASBO wasn't even on my radar. I picked it up because some of my GR friends gave it good ratings. I was not disappointed. It took all of four nights to read. -- maybe eight hours total.
Andrew's wife, Penelope notices a group of teenagers hanging on the corner in front of their home. Andrew shrugs it off as just bored kids wasting the hours away, nothing more sinister than what they did when they were that age.
As dinner time approaches, daughter Rebecca convinces mom and dad that an order from the local chip shop would hit the spot. On the walk to the chip shop, Andrew has his first encounter with Frankie and his pals. Frankie, by the way, has just been released from juvenile detention and is itching for some fun. What follows is a wild ride of page turning suspense.
ASBO wasn't even on my radar. I picked it up because some of my GR friends gave it good ratings. I was not disappointed. It took all of four nights to read. -- maybe eight hours total.
September 12, 2013
What a load of rubbish! I won't be reading anymore of Mr. Wright's books. The writing is terrible, and not in a good way. I was stunned by the grammatical errors (the writer,publisher, editor all need to go back to school). Note to the writer: you can't get "off of"! And those are not shocking typos nor spelling errors but just plain stupidity. The plot itself revolved around a guy being tormented by a "thug" - and who uses that term these days? The pure ridiculousness was tiring already by about the fourth chapter. The characters had no depth and there were too many irrelevant scenes; I don't want to spend a whole chapter reading about a guy soaking himself in the bath tub; I mean, come on! A waste of time.
July 4, 2016
I'm sure this novel will appeal to anyone who's found increasing incivility in the youth today, although having it set in the county where I live was a little off-putting! Of course I know that this is fiction, but it does lead one to the inevitable conclusion that this sort of thing can quite easily happen to any family at any time, and that is a sad state of affairs.
A few minor errors, just to keep my hand in - "beneath the scolding stream" (scold and scald are different words, of course). "hold up much hope" (isn't it usually to hold out, rather than up?), and "a slither of hope", almost up there with the solider in the number of times I see this. Slither is of course a verb. Sliver, meaning a small (thin usually?) amount, is of course the intent in this sentence.
A few minor errors, just to keep my hand in - "beneath the scolding stream" (scold and scald are different words, of course). "hold up much hope" (isn't it usually to hold out, rather than up?), and "a slither of hope", almost up there with the solider in the number of times I see this. Slither is of course a verb. Sliver, meaning a small (thin usually?) amount, is of course the intent in this sentence.
July 7, 2015
This story follows a normal family man just getting on with life until he has a small run in with the local youths,as like in this day and age,they show no respect or care for anyone else. On this occasion it starts as a request/demand for fags. What would you do? You ask yourself this a lot through this book,as the threats become real and people start getting hurt. How far would you go to protect your family from a careless thoughtless threat that seems to get off on putting you and your family through misery?? Really enjoyed this but it's reality scares you too.
February 9, 2014
Solid horror/thriller. It's scary to think people act this way but growing up in Brooklyn New York I can easily see it as well. The ending didn't leave off in a total bleak way which I thought it might but the author wasn't afraid to take daring choices on some characters. Overall it's a fun/enjoyable read.
December 4, 2017
One good thing about having the flu is you get to finish reading a really good book in one sitting. I mean REALLY good. This story kind of scared me. It could really happen. Maybe not to this extreme but close. A must read for people who like a good thriller.
January 29, 2013
This is one disturbing book. The way in which the author both imagined, delivered and described both Frankie and the transformation of the main character (Andrew) was incredible.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 210 reviews