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Victims
Some people are born to be murder victims. Frank Miller, blinded in a bizarre accident but then given the transplanted eyes of a murderer, finds he can spot potential victims. In the end, Miller himself becomes the target for the slaughterer. Will he stop the carnage or become a part of it?
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
5 people are currently reading
334 people want to read
About the author
Shaun Hutson
113 books536 followersBritish horror novelist, including horror and urban thriller novels.
His novella Slugs was made into a movie, although Hutson didn't like the movie. He also appeared in two horror movies himself.
Hutson is a Liverpool F.C. fan.
His novella Slugs was made into a movie, although Hutson didn't like the movie. He also appeared in two horror movies himself.
Hutson is a Liverpool F.C. fan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
November 9, 2023
A special effects man is blinded in one eye by a faulty effect on a horror movie set. He is rushed to hospital where he gets a donor eye from a killer. As his sight comes back, he sees a haze around certain people. He soon learns that when he sees that haze about someone in a photo, they soon die by murder.
To complicate matters further, someone is killing people around London in copycat killings of past murderers. The man with the eye tries to convince the police of his special talent so he might help out.
This book seemed like those old Italian "Giallo" movies of the 70's and 80's. A perfect recreation of something from Argento or Mario Bava. Don't know if the author was aiming for this or not, but that's the feeling I got. All the characters, even the main eye recipient have motives. All the characters are a shade creepy. You can't rule anybody out. Keeps you guessing all the way to the final page. Wonderful.
To complicate matters further, someone is killing people around London in copycat killings of past murderers. The man with the eye tries to convince the police of his special talent so he might help out.
This book seemed like those old Italian "Giallo" movies of the 70's and 80's. A perfect recreation of something from Argento or Mario Bava. Don't know if the author was aiming for this or not, but that's the feeling I got. All the characters, even the main eye recipient have motives. All the characters are a shade creepy. You can't rule anybody out. Keeps you guessing all the way to the final page. Wonderful.
December 10, 2022
Another fun, trashy read by Hutson, this one more of a police procedural/mystery than outright horror, something he was known to do on occasion. First published in 1987, if you are familiar with the cultural references of that era, you will pick up on them immediately-- quotes from Judas Priest lyrics for example. Hutson wrote novels at a full-tilt boogie pace, always including lots of sleazy sex, over the top gore, and piles of excrement. Victims is no exception to the rule, although at first it seems like it would be based on an overused horror trope as our main protagonist, Miller, was given the eye of a murderer after an accident at work. With this eye, Miller can see an aura around the bodies of people who will be victims of murder, although it takes him a minute to figure that one out.
While we are introduced to Miller, who work consists of creating gory special effects for horror movies, someone is going around London killing people in various ways that play homage to old serial killers of the past. Hence, we are also introduced to the lead DI on the case, and his disgruntled partner. Finally, we have a lovely TV reporter and her creepy boss who have been covering the murders, much to their ratings delight. Hutson does keep you guessing who the murderer is right up until the denouement, introducing several 'likely suspects' to throw you off the scent, so kudos for that aspect. Quite a few plot holes, however, mean that this could have been better with an editor who knew their business. Nonetheless, if you just want a fast paced story dripping with blood and other bodily fluids, this will not disappoint! 3 nostalgic stars!
While we are introduced to Miller, who work consists of creating gory special effects for horror movies, someone is going around London killing people in various ways that play homage to old serial killers of the past. Hence, we are also introduced to the lead DI on the case, and his disgruntled partner. Finally, we have a lovely TV reporter and her creepy boss who have been covering the murders, much to their ratings delight. Hutson does keep you guessing who the murderer is right up until the denouement, introducing several 'likely suspects' to throw you off the scent, so kudos for that aspect. Quite a few plot holes, however, mean that this could have been better with an editor who knew their business. Nonetheless, if you just want a fast paced story dripping with blood and other bodily fluids, this will not disappoint! 3 nostalgic stars!
June 6, 2012
Was originally gonna give it less stars, but the twist ending got an extra rating. Didn't see it coming. In general not a particularly original story with an overwhelming amount of gore and guts and morally suspect characters. The victim theory and the special effects making aspect were interesting. Fast paced, quick read. 3 stars.
June 30, 2014
I read this book over 20 years ago, and although the details have started to fade a little- the emotions I experienced whilst reading it haven't: a roller coaster ride of thrills, chills, twists and turns. Loved it!
September 21, 2015
Even though I managed to get a hold of this one as a horror-starved late teen (at a time when it was not easy finding horror novels and movies) I could not bring myself to like it in the least. I did re-read (or, skim is probably more accurate) it a couple of years ago to find that my opinion hadn't changed.
I did read a couple of interviews with the author; he went to great lengths explaining that he does not read, is not interested in literature, but only in making money, football, Iron Maiden and shooting guns. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with any of that - but it does explain a few things. Hutson states that he writes thrash, I can only agree.
My only other experience is that I once owned and watched the remarkable (remarkable for being made that is) "Slugs" on VHS. In Hutson's defence, he claimed to hate that movie, but I don't know, it did bring a laugh or two anyway!
I did read a couple of interviews with the author; he went to great lengths explaining that he does not read, is not interested in literature, but only in making money, football, Iron Maiden and shooting guns. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with any of that - but it does explain a few things. Hutson states that he writes thrash, I can only agree.
My only other experience is that I once owned and watched the remarkable (remarkable for being made that is) "Slugs" on VHS. In Hutson's defence, he claimed to hate that movie, but I don't know, it did bring a laugh or two anyway!
August 30, 2025
"Victims" left me unsure of how I felt about it. Overall, this 1987 horror thriller was a fun romp, and I was perfectly entertained for the whole duration. But I wasn't a big fan of the opening premise of "born victims", which means that some people behave and act in such a way as to basically ask to be the target of a violent crime.
Sure, some people constantly flirt with danger. The alcoholic hanging out in seedy bars and constantly instigating altercations when drunk. The girl with a long history of sexual abuse who keeps getting attracted to drug dealers and gang members. The lone Yankee fan taunting the Red Sox in Fenway Park. But Hutson includes such stereotypically ignorant claims as someone deserving of assault because they dress provocatively.
The main character of this novel, Frank Miller, can spot born victims. He is a make-up and special effects director, clearly modeled after Tom Savini, who loses an eye when a squib accidentally blows up in his face on set. Through the miracle of transplant surgery, his sight is restored. But what he was not told is that his new eye was donated by an executed murderer. Now it seems he has a special power to pick out victims in a crowd, and the police want to exploit this talent to foil an active serial killer's spree.
The premise is interesting, though somewhat derivative of Stephen King's "The Dead Zone". The main character is borderline endearing at first, but his constant sarcasm and whining wears thin. There's lots of pop culture references to heavy metal music and horror films that black T-shirt wearers everywhere will enjoy It's even dedicated to all the members of Iron Maiden at the time, and there's a coroner named Sam Loomis who is sure to mention that he's not a psychiatrist. The violence and splatter is typical of Shaun Hutson, his murders as over-the-top as anything by Art the Clown, but even more mean-spirited. There were even a few moments that made me queasy. The writing is some of the strongest I've read from Hutson, but he repeats himself often. For example, in one scene, Frank finds a bottle of whiskey in his apartment that is already half empty from previous uses, a detail Hutson gives twice in as many pages, as though he forgot he had already included it. In another, a police captain keeps reminding his inferior who is boss using almost a similar phrase over and over. It doesn't seem like a character trait, just a case of neither Hutson nor his editor paying any attention.
Pair all these strengths and flaws with the questionable premise I already mentioned, and you get a satisfying treat for 80s horror aficionados that doesn't quite sit right after consumption.
But I am a sucker for that cover art, so I had to add it to my collection of horror paperbacks. It took me a while to actually read it, and I didn't realize until then that my copy is signed by the Godfather of Gore himself! So, that was a nice final little surprise, even if the story itself wasn't my favorite of the Hutson catalogue.
SCORE: 3 eyeballs out of 5
Sure, some people constantly flirt with danger. The alcoholic hanging out in seedy bars and constantly instigating altercations when drunk. The girl with a long history of sexual abuse who keeps getting attracted to drug dealers and gang members. The lone Yankee fan taunting the Red Sox in Fenway Park. But Hutson includes such stereotypically ignorant claims as someone deserving of assault because they dress provocatively.
The main character of this novel, Frank Miller, can spot born victims. He is a make-up and special effects director, clearly modeled after Tom Savini, who loses an eye when a squib accidentally blows up in his face on set. Through the miracle of transplant surgery, his sight is restored. But what he was not told is that his new eye was donated by an executed murderer. Now it seems he has a special power to pick out victims in a crowd, and the police want to exploit this talent to foil an active serial killer's spree.
The premise is interesting, though somewhat derivative of Stephen King's "The Dead Zone". The main character is borderline endearing at first, but his constant sarcasm and whining wears thin. There's lots of pop culture references to heavy metal music and horror films that black T-shirt wearers everywhere will enjoy It's even dedicated to all the members of Iron Maiden at the time, and there's a coroner named Sam Loomis who is sure to mention that he's not a psychiatrist. The violence and splatter is typical of Shaun Hutson, his murders as over-the-top as anything by Art the Clown, but even more mean-spirited. There were even a few moments that made me queasy. The writing is some of the strongest I've read from Hutson, but he repeats himself often. For example, in one scene, Frank finds a bottle of whiskey in his apartment that is already half empty from previous uses, a detail Hutson gives twice in as many pages, as though he forgot he had already included it. In another, a police captain keeps reminding his inferior who is boss using almost a similar phrase over and over. It doesn't seem like a character trait, just a case of neither Hutson nor his editor paying any attention.
Pair all these strengths and flaws with the questionable premise I already mentioned, and you get a satisfying treat for 80s horror aficionados that doesn't quite sit right after consumption.
But I am a sucker for that cover art, so I had to add it to my collection of horror paperbacks. It took me a while to actually read it, and I didn't realize until then that my copy is signed by the Godfather of Gore himself! So, that was a nice final little surprise, even if the story itself wasn't my favorite of the Hutson catalogue.
SCORE: 3 eyeballs out of 5
February 10, 2012
Great Novel,
Victims centres around a special effects man who loses his sight when an effect goes wrong.
He gets an eye implant which , whilst re-couperating begins to give him the power to see potential murder victims.
Quite a handy ability to have when theres a serial killer stalking the area.
Victims centres around a special effects man who loses his sight when an effect goes wrong.
He gets an eye implant which , whilst re-couperating begins to give him the power to see potential murder victims.
Quite a handy ability to have when theres a serial killer stalking the area.
October 11, 2022
In this sensitive and finely nuanced work, Hutson brings his finessed literary craftsmanship to bear on the deep and abiding themes of … Who the fuck am I kidding? ‘Victims’, in which Uncle Shaunie delivers 288 pages of sex, violence and bad language. There you go. That’s you review. Right there.
December 16, 2024
I have really enjoyed picking this one up and looking forward to Hutson's inevitable final couple of chapter twist. I guessed one but didn't quite see the finale !
a VFX guy has a messy accident on set resulting in loosing an eye. Aside from his chronic drinking problem his skills even after this accident are un matched... there is something that you just can't quiet put your finger on but there is a sense that these props are so realistic.
I did expect abit more of a pay off in relation to who the eye belonged to that he had replaced at the hospital. Its clearly some sort of murdered hence the new found ability to see some sort of AURA/HALO on photos taken of people who are likely to be murdered. The brighter the Aura the sooner it will be!
This was an enjoyable read that left me wanting just abit more detail here and there, with a little more pay off on some of the characters. However that ending though ! chefs kiss !
a VFX guy has a messy accident on set resulting in loosing an eye. Aside from his chronic drinking problem his skills even after this accident are un matched... there is something that you just can't quiet put your finger on but there is a sense that these props are so realistic.
I did expect abit more of a pay off in relation to who the eye belonged to that he had replaced at the hospital. Its clearly some sort of murdered hence the new found ability to see some sort of AURA/HALO on photos taken of people who are likely to be murdered. The brighter the Aura the sooner it will be!
This was an enjoyable read that left me wanting just abit more detail here and there, with a little more pay off on some of the characters. However that ending though ! chefs kiss !
July 22, 2009
Hutson launches in to this interesting and inspired approach towards the slasher genre. His experimental notion that some people are born to be murder victims rather than the murderer choosing the victims, is an interesting gruesome twist on the idea of fate. Hutson dives into the storyline of this twisted tale, with the usual mounds of splatter that we have come to expect from him. The plot is an interesting tapestry of different characters experiences that gradually weave themselves together to form the completed tale. The novel races from page to page as the bodies pile up and the action bursts through the pages.
Victims is not his best novel but more a standard Hutson offering. It's enjoyable to read and gripping from the start. It was originally published by W.H. Allen back in 1987 and formed his twenty-second full length novel (which includes his novels under the names Wolf Kruger, Stefan Rostov, Tom Lambert, Nick Blake and Robert Neville). Definitely worth a read.
Oh, and watch out for the infamous 'foetus in the microwave' scene. Truly gruesome and disturbed.
Victims is not his best novel but more a standard Hutson offering. It's enjoyable to read and gripping from the start. It was originally published by W.H. Allen back in 1987 and formed his twenty-second full length novel (which includes his novels under the names Wolf Kruger, Stefan Rostov, Tom Lambert, Nick Blake and Robert Neville). Definitely worth a read.
Oh, and watch out for the infamous 'foetus in the microwave' scene. Truly gruesome and disturbed.
February 3, 2020
Hutson is the godfather of gore and that title given to him is just deserved when you read one of his novels.
I have read quite a few Hutson books now and he is a very pleasure to read whenever I pick up one of his books. For horror, gore, body mutilation and a twisting story he is a go to and this book delivers just that. Hutson always provides graphic imagery that will most probably make you squirm at times and this shows how good he is at writing such things. Victims has all this and more.
Victims uses an imaginative idea that someone could actually see a potential victim before they die and this idea is set perfectly against the backdrop of murder investigations and the fascinating characters throughout.
I am probably quite biased as I love many of Huston's work and while reading victims I felt as though I didn't want the chase to end.
The momentum building up to the finale kept me captivated and unable to put it down until I finished it. I was very happy with the ending and as I have already read many of Huston's work I know this will not be the last.
I have read quite a few Hutson books now and he is a very pleasure to read whenever I pick up one of his books. For horror, gore, body mutilation and a twisting story he is a go to and this book delivers just that. Hutson always provides graphic imagery that will most probably make you squirm at times and this shows how good he is at writing such things. Victims has all this and more.
Victims uses an imaginative idea that someone could actually see a potential victim before they die and this idea is set perfectly against the backdrop of murder investigations and the fascinating characters throughout.
I am probably quite biased as I love many of Huston's work and while reading victims I felt as though I didn't want the chase to end.
The momentum building up to the finale kept me captivated and unable to put it down until I finished it. I was very happy with the ending and as I have already read many of Huston's work I know this will not be the last.
November 11, 2022
I read this many years ago, and couldn't remember a thing about it.
The main character, Frank Miller, works as a special effects supervisor on a horror film set. After a freak accident, he ends up needing an eye transplant, but the new eye he is given originally belonged to a murderer.
The new eye seemingly gives Frank a unique psychic ability to tell if someone is going to be a murder victim, by seeing a mysterious aura around them in any photographs in which they appear. So, he starts trying to convince police to let him help them with an investigation into a series of copycat murders.
The premise of this book didn't feel terribly original, and for a while I wasn't entirely sure about it, even though there were a couple of decent fakeouts; I wasn't sure at first why a subplot involving a loan shark got thrown in near the end.
I would have probably given this three stars, but there were some unexpected plot twists near to the end that I didn't see coming. As for the ending, that was a real shocker. I may have to read more of Shaun Hutson's novels.
The main character, Frank Miller, works as a special effects supervisor on a horror film set. After a freak accident, he ends up needing an eye transplant, but the new eye he is given originally belonged to a murderer.
The new eye seemingly gives Frank a unique psychic ability to tell if someone is going to be a murder victim, by seeing a mysterious aura around them in any photographs in which they appear. So, he starts trying to convince police to let him help them with an investigation into a series of copycat murders.
The premise of this book didn't feel terribly original, and for a while I wasn't entirely sure about it, even though there were a couple of decent fakeouts; I wasn't sure at first why a subplot involving a loan shark got thrown in near the end.
I would have probably given this three stars, but there were some unexpected plot twists near to the end that I didn't see coming. As for the ending, that was a real shocker. I may have to read more of Shaun Hutson's novels.
January 31, 2016
I had such hopes for this. I know that I came in expecting it to be a lot cornier than it was, but I didn't expect it to leave such a bad taste in my mouth. The gore and male gaze stuff is very uncomfortable to read, but that is at least obvious and easy to make a judgement on. You either can't stand it or you can, and I trust that most readers will instinctively have a feel for that. I just felt that the main character was too similar to the main villain for me to make a connection with. There was nothing about him that I could empathise with, and it just removed whatever stakes there were because nothing good could come of either of them "winning". The fact that the part of the main premise that I was really looking forward to was largely superfluous is just the cherry on top of my disappointment. I guess I'd recommend this if you like your horror gory and in bad taste, but quite honestly I'd give it a miss.
November 10, 2025
You've read this story before, not exactly this book but the story, maybe you've even seen a Simpsons Treehouse of Horror which tells the story too. That's not meant to be a slam because its a damn good story, sometimes its done badly, sometimes its done well just like this one by Shaun Hutson. A film special effects artist has a workplace accident that lands him in hospital with near fatal injuries and the loss of one eye. An eye which doctors replace with a new eye, the eye of a killer....bet you know where this is leading to huh? This one is one of Hutson's nastier story and such a product of its time in days of the British Paperbacks from Hell boom which dominated the book industry in the 70s and 80s. Delivering a fantastic twist and a brilliant Happy-Never-After.
March 8, 2022
So did the author hate men, hate woman, or maybe it was just a general dislike of everyone. Too much misogyny and over sexualization when it did not add to the story. I initially picked it up due to never having read something from this author and the synapse had a great plot line.
The idea of being able to see victims, and that some people are just born to be a certain way(fate), left me wanting to know how the idea would develop!
If I was a person that DNF’d books then this would have been on that list after the second unneeded description of a female characters body. Ugh!! I don’t need to know how every female is just a walking masterbation tool for all the men in this vile story.
The idea of being able to see victims, and that some people are just born to be a certain way(fate), left me wanting to know how the idea would develop!
If I was a person that DNF’d books then this would have been on that list after the second unneeded description of a female characters body. Ugh!! I don’t need to know how every female is just a walking masterbation tool for all the men in this vile story.
March 21, 2014
A genuinely enjoyable, pulpy horror!
Nicely paced with an intriguing concept, a neat and self contained horror who-done-it that doesn't out stay it's welcome.
I've actually read this a few times, it's that much fun!
A seriously welcome and alternative optional title to the laborious, edit-needed, often yawn worthy ramblings of horror maestro, Stephen King. A story doesn't ALWAYS require seven hundred plus pages!
Nicely paced with an intriguing concept, a neat and self contained horror who-done-it that doesn't out stay it's welcome.
I've actually read this a few times, it's that much fun!
A seriously welcome and alternative optional title to the laborious, edit-needed, often yawn worthy ramblings of horror maestro, Stephen King. A story doesn't ALWAYS require seven hundred plus pages!
March 5, 2023
From the faux lecture at the beginning positing the notion that some people are born to be attracted to murderous ends as surely as some as some are born to murder,to the back story of Frank Miller-ex crime scene photographer to special effects man-I genuinely felt queasy. Re-arranging corpses at crime scenes to make them more aesthetically pleasing whilst wiping ‘slicks’ of brain matter from your shoes, and his dubious manner of creating life like prosthetics really combined to make me glad when his eyes were damaged during the filming of Astrocannibals.
Leaving aside the ethics of transplanting body parts in the 80’s, much as Frank’s doctors do, he has his sight restored in one eye via a donated one…only problem being, neither doctor tells Frank that his eye is from a killer.
This used to be one of the novels I would devour when I was dropped off at my nan’s house and forgotten about amongst the melee of siblings and cousins, I would hide behind the sofa in the parlour and go through my uncles pulp horror collection at far too young an age.
Only now, all these years later, I am reading this again not looking for the ‘mucky bits’ but trying to find the redemption factor in amongst the gore and the overwhelming violence against women.
This is nothing new, the trend in the 80’s of violence, gory deaths and sex has always been a part of the horror scene and considering that this is reflected in an unchanging figure on women being murdered since those days, what is there to pull from this book?
We have an unlikeable protagonist with scant regard for human life.
A detective desperately trying to track down a serial killer who, as the book begins, is on his 6th victim.
And then we have a plucky female tv news reporter who relentlessly hounds the police in their investigation. She exists as a tool to be lusted over, a cypher, as most of the females in the book are.
It is useful to remember that in these pre-internet and pre-phone tapping scandal days that sitting down to watch the news was the only way to know what was going on it the outside world. These people came into your living rooms and were household names, they were known and trusted .
I had hoped this character would turn out to be the redeeming one of the novel but as I hit my stride it was clear she was just another bit of ‘skirt’…
The framing device did not really fool me, anyone who reads my reviews knows I hate giving away spoilers but in this case I will make an exception.
If you don’t want to know then look away ….
…..
….
NOW!
.
.
.
It was a pretty obvious ‘twist’ that the ‘effects’ repeatedly brushed off as ‘trade secrets’ were the spoils of grave robbing.
And when it came to a “baby” which was exploded in a microwave,I tapped out.
Skipped to the end,no shocker over who was the culprit,this book left me feeling used and dirty.
And I only read half of it.
If there was some kind of allegory between stage and real violence,or the power of the media to make a monster, who knows,maybe that is what the author intended.
But to constantly belittle and abuse in the name of being gory and horrific was beyond me.
If this kind of shock and horror is your thing,then knock yourself out,Hutson will succeed with aplomb in twisting your stomach.
But for this reader, sometimes things are better left far behind in your rear view mirror. Including this novel.
Leaving aside the ethics of transplanting body parts in the 80’s, much as Frank’s doctors do, he has his sight restored in one eye via a donated one…only problem being, neither doctor tells Frank that his eye is from a killer.
This used to be one of the novels I would devour when I was dropped off at my nan’s house and forgotten about amongst the melee of siblings and cousins, I would hide behind the sofa in the parlour and go through my uncles pulp horror collection at far too young an age.
Only now, all these years later, I am reading this again not looking for the ‘mucky bits’ but trying to find the redemption factor in amongst the gore and the overwhelming violence against women.
This is nothing new, the trend in the 80’s of violence, gory deaths and sex has always been a part of the horror scene and considering that this is reflected in an unchanging figure on women being murdered since those days, what is there to pull from this book?
We have an unlikeable protagonist with scant regard for human life.
A detective desperately trying to track down a serial killer who, as the book begins, is on his 6th victim.
And then we have a plucky female tv news reporter who relentlessly hounds the police in their investigation. She exists as a tool to be lusted over, a cypher, as most of the females in the book are.
It is useful to remember that in these pre-internet and pre-phone tapping scandal days that sitting down to watch the news was the only way to know what was going on it the outside world. These people came into your living rooms and were household names, they were known and trusted .
I had hoped this character would turn out to be the redeeming one of the novel but as I hit my stride it was clear she was just another bit of ‘skirt’…
The framing device did not really fool me, anyone who reads my reviews knows I hate giving away spoilers but in this case I will make an exception.
If you don’t want to know then look away ….
…..
….
NOW!
.
.
.
It was a pretty obvious ‘twist’ that the ‘effects’ repeatedly brushed off as ‘trade secrets’ were the spoils of grave robbing.
And when it came to a “baby” which was exploded in a microwave,I tapped out.
Skipped to the end,no shocker over who was the culprit,this book left me feeling used and dirty.
And I only read half of it.
If there was some kind of allegory between stage and real violence,or the power of the media to make a monster, who knows,maybe that is what the author intended.
But to constantly belittle and abuse in the name of being gory and horrific was beyond me.
If this kind of shock and horror is your thing,then knock yourself out,Hutson will succeed with aplomb in twisting your stomach.
But for this reader, sometimes things are better left far behind in your rear view mirror. Including this novel.
October 4, 2025
More outrageousness from Hutson, story revolves around an alcoholic horror movie special effects artist and a grisly murder investigation (which can serve as a flimsy whodunnit if the reader is so inclined, the gaping implausibility of narrative and characters (not unusual for Hutson that there’s not one likeable character….everyone is twisted or disturbed in one way or another!) doesn’t ruin a quick-fire read, nothing good to say despite my 4 star rating?….mindful of the constant stream of graphic depictions from mutilation to masturbation…should I be ashamed of my 4 star award?…no, no, no…for those who enjoy the trashiest of horror…Hutson is just GREAT at writing this stuff…this isn’t Guy N Smith b movie rehash’s…this is a video nasty in book form…and Hutson unashamedly delivers…any tattered paperback that can make me gasp , giggle and groan aloud deserves those 4 stars….
November 20, 2023
Hutson is known for his blood and description of gore. This book shows why Hutson doesnt need to be so graphic. Easily one of the best books i have read up to yet from him.
Once again the plot of the story is only a snippet of the bigger picture which keeps you guessing. Victims of murders are not always related to the main killer. Murders involving domestic abuse, affairs and jealously are thrown in for good measure. And the characters of who could be the killer keep you guessing snd guessing. Even with the main character. Excellent twists at the end.
Once again the plot of the story is only a snippet of the bigger picture which keeps you guessing. Victims of murders are not always related to the main killer. Murders involving domestic abuse, affairs and jealously are thrown in for good measure. And the characters of who could be the killer keep you guessing snd guessing. Even with the main character. Excellent twists at the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 29, 2025
A movie special effects man is blinded in a bizarre on-set incident and needs an eye operation to save his sight. Little does he know, he’s been transplanted the eyes of a murderer.
There’s quite a lot going on here, and the story went completely off the path that I was expecting. There are some unanswered questions, which I understand is quite typical of Hutson, but it kept me guessing right through to the last pages.
There’s quite a lot going on here, and the story went completely off the path that I was expecting. There are some unanswered questions, which I understand is quite typical of Hutson, but it kept me guessing right through to the last pages.
May 22, 2020
This is a good story with a great twist at the end. If you like gore it has plenty. The characters have failings which is probably true of us all. No one is perfect and this story shows them all with a few cracks in their personalities . A easy read however if you are looking for a novel that gets to the point without to much fuss.
January 4, 2021
It feels like Hutson has put a lot of his personality into the main character. He’s blunt, brash, with a great sense of humour!
It’s a really enjoyable book with a great twist at the end; one predictable, one not so much!
It’s a really enjoyable book with a great twist at the end; one predictable, one not so much!
January 3, 2023
Probably not some of Hutson's best work, although not a bad book overall, I guess. There's the classic twist at the end, new characters being introduced 80% through the book, and several tenuously linked story threads going on at the same time.
September 12, 2020
Frank gets an eye transplant from a killer and now has the ability to look at someone and can determine whether they will be murdered or not. Creepy gore fest.
July 3, 2023
Brought up by a whole star by that ridiculous last 20 pages.
If Shaun Hutsons books are always THIS nonsensical I'm all in.
If Shaun Hutsons books are always THIS nonsensical I'm all in.
October 1, 2024
Cool idea , easy to read. Man gets eye transplant from murderer, can then see an aura around soon to be murder victims. Sometimes I want his books to be a bit longer because the underlying ideas are quite cool. Hutson could definitely ease up on the sex scenes though- I don’t think he has written a book that doesn’t include a vivid description of the victims vulva in it.
April 11, 2016
After reading Hutson's Deadhead (1993) back in 2011, whereby an entire chapter is dedicated to the rape of an under-aged girl, I knew to expect scenes that would make me squirm in my seat. Safe to say, I wasn't disappointed; thankfully, no young girls were raped in this story. Instead we get some rather brutal descriptions of bones breaking and blood spurting, a pervert ejaculating onto a TV screen, and a dead baby cooked in an oven.
Frank Miller, the protagonist, is a special effects artist working on a horror movie. An accident on set results in Miller being blinded and needing an eye transplant, whereby he receives the eye of a killer. Miller then begins to see an aura surrounding certain people in photos, which he later discovers means they're going to be murdered. Question is: can this new ability be used to apprehend a serial killer mimicking the crimes of convicted murderers?
I have mixed feelings about this book. Hutson does what he does best, he ensures the reader feels uncomfortable from cover to cover. The language is simple, which makes the book an easy read as well as leaves no ambiguity in the images Hutson creates and keeps the reader hooked (assuming you're not too squeamish). He also keeps you engrossed with short chapters and cliffhangers, in no time at all--and I'm a slow reader--you've read between ten and twenty chapters and still want to read on. There are also a few plot twists and red herrings to keep you intrigued, I nearly worked out the major plot twist at the end but Hutson was able to make me doubt myself. Furthermore, I don't think there's a film or TV company out there that could adapt this book and keep the graphic content--except, maybe, HBO. Hutson is unafraid to push boundaries and write what some writers are afraid of--and possibly wouldn't get away with--writing.
However, the book definitely has its issues. The premise is interesting and is a concept I haven't come across before, but then I'm not that well read. But I feel there's so much untapped potential. Also, Miller's ability was necessary for him to be where he was at the end, but the ability made little impact on the ending. There is a cool plot twist and plenty of satisfying violence with plenty of gorgeously described gore, an enjoyable ending but not satisfying; Miller's power neither helped nor hindered him towards the end. I'm also not convinced that the characters' actions were logical. If it wasn't for the fact the reader is told it's a killer's eye, we would never know because Miller never thinks to investigate why he can see victims, he just accepts it. The reveal of the killer's identity was cool, but their motivations seemed forced and somewhat cheesy. The killer's endgame was either non-existent or I missed it. Why the killer chose to reveal themselves at that time was also unclear. Most of the characters were portrayed as arseholes every time they appeared on the page, few to no redeeming qualities in sight. Obvious pervert was obvious, even to the woman he was perving on. A man killed his girlfriend, but it seemed unrealistic because no prior history of abuse was suggested. Everything is written through the male gaze, which will likely put some readers off this book.
Overall, the book is a thrill ride from start to finish with Hutson sparing no gory details. It's an easy read and should keep you hooked. However, you're likely to find some of the characters' actions to be illogical and you'll really have to suspend your disbelief during certain segments. It isn't for everyone, and I'd only recommend it to horror fans who can borrow the book or get it super cheap.
RATING: 3/5
More reviews and other posts can be found on my blog: http://wordsaremymedicine.blogspot.co...
Frank Miller, the protagonist, is a special effects artist working on a horror movie. An accident on set results in Miller being blinded and needing an eye transplant, whereby he receives the eye of a killer. Miller then begins to see an aura surrounding certain people in photos, which he later discovers means they're going to be murdered. Question is: can this new ability be used to apprehend a serial killer mimicking the crimes of convicted murderers?
I have mixed feelings about this book. Hutson does what he does best, he ensures the reader feels uncomfortable from cover to cover. The language is simple, which makes the book an easy read as well as leaves no ambiguity in the images Hutson creates and keeps the reader hooked (assuming you're not too squeamish). He also keeps you engrossed with short chapters and cliffhangers, in no time at all--and I'm a slow reader--you've read between ten and twenty chapters and still want to read on. There are also a few plot twists and red herrings to keep you intrigued, I nearly worked out the major plot twist at the end but Hutson was able to make me doubt myself. Furthermore, I don't think there's a film or TV company out there that could adapt this book and keep the graphic content--except, maybe, HBO. Hutson is unafraid to push boundaries and write what some writers are afraid of--and possibly wouldn't get away with--writing.
However, the book definitely has its issues. The premise is interesting and is a concept I haven't come across before, but then I'm not that well read. But I feel there's so much untapped potential. Also, Miller's ability was necessary for him to be where he was at the end, but the ability made little impact on the ending. There is a cool plot twist and plenty of satisfying violence with plenty of gorgeously described gore, an enjoyable ending but not satisfying; Miller's power neither helped nor hindered him towards the end. I'm also not convinced that the characters' actions were logical. If it wasn't for the fact the reader is told it's a killer's eye, we would never know because Miller never thinks to investigate why he can see victims, he just accepts it. The reveal of the killer's identity was cool, but their motivations seemed forced and somewhat cheesy. The killer's endgame was either non-existent or I missed it. Why the killer chose to reveal themselves at that time was also unclear. Most of the characters were portrayed as arseholes every time they appeared on the page, few to no redeeming qualities in sight. Obvious pervert was obvious, even to the woman he was perving on. A man killed his girlfriend, but it seemed unrealistic because no prior history of abuse was suggested. Everything is written through the male gaze, which will likely put some readers off this book.
Overall, the book is a thrill ride from start to finish with Hutson sparing no gory details. It's an easy read and should keep you hooked. However, you're likely to find some of the characters' actions to be illogical and you'll really have to suspend your disbelief during certain segments. It isn't for everyone, and I'd only recommend it to horror fans who can borrow the book or get it super cheap.
RATING: 3/5
More reviews and other posts can be found on my blog: http://wordsaremymedicine.blogspot.co...
April 15, 2014
I love this 70s style horror. Even though this was written in 1987, it has a very earthy British graphic horror feel to it very reminiscent of the earlier work of James Herbert. There’s something very honest, grounded and realistic about its gritty feel and it’s something I feel we have lost in modern horror fiction which has become glossy and in a way – quite sanitised. Some reviewers have described it as “pulpy” and it certainly hearkens back to a bygone age.
Frank Miller is a special effects designer, world famous and in demand from Hollywood using the best available designs for the film industry, Horrifyingly, something goes wrong with one of his inventions and he ends up in a hospital… not quite sure what is going on, he gets snippets of conversation here and there and it turns out he has lost the use of his eyes. All is not lost though, a trailblazing surgeon is offering to try out experimental surgery to give him an eye transplant. Frank goes for it but what happens next is where the story truly begins.
At first all seems normal… and then the blackouts start…
There is also a killer on the loose, killing women and mutilating their bodies horifically that they appear to be a homage to Miller’s work, and they are each murder a copycat of a famous British murderer of the previous few decades. Are the eye transplant and the killings linked?
Frank Miller thinks so and it seems his new eye can tell him who is going to be next.
At under 300 pages, I was concerned it would feel a little too short. It’s paced quite nicely though and Hutson knows how to get down to the nitty gritty of a story. There’s no lengthy character building or story setting here, no long ponderous reflections on the nature of the character’s life and where he thinks it is going, no dense back story to give us context – no, Hutson has a story to tell us and he just gets right to it. Not that the characters are one dimensional, they are not, but they are identifiable.
Some say that horror has become too sanitised, others say that it tries to take itself too seriously. Those arguments are not invalid – if you are one of those who feel that way then this is the sort of book that might be for you.
See more book reviews at my blog
Frank Miller is a special effects designer, world famous and in demand from Hollywood using the best available designs for the film industry, Horrifyingly, something goes wrong with one of his inventions and he ends up in a hospital… not quite sure what is going on, he gets snippets of conversation here and there and it turns out he has lost the use of his eyes. All is not lost though, a trailblazing surgeon is offering to try out experimental surgery to give him an eye transplant. Frank goes for it but what happens next is where the story truly begins.
At first all seems normal… and then the blackouts start…
There is also a killer on the loose, killing women and mutilating their bodies horifically that they appear to be a homage to Miller’s work, and they are each murder a copycat of a famous British murderer of the previous few decades. Are the eye transplant and the killings linked?
Frank Miller thinks so and it seems his new eye can tell him who is going to be next.
At under 300 pages, I was concerned it would feel a little too short. It’s paced quite nicely though and Hutson knows how to get down to the nitty gritty of a story. There’s no lengthy character building or story setting here, no long ponderous reflections on the nature of the character’s life and where he thinks it is going, no dense back story to give us context – no, Hutson has a story to tell us and he just gets right to it. Not that the characters are one dimensional, they are not, but they are identifiable.
Some say that horror has become too sanitised, others say that it tries to take itself too seriously. Those arguments are not invalid – if you are one of those who feel that way then this is the sort of book that might be for you.
See more book reviews at my blog
July 27, 2014
Shaun Hutson i find are always very easy reads. Theres always a monster aspect of some kind, whether its fake or real in the book.
I really enjoyed Victims. There was a brilliant twist at the end which i don't think anyone could have guessed.
I'd suggest this to people who enjoy a good ol slasher read with plenty of gore, blood and sex.
I really enjoyed Victims. There was a brilliant twist at the end which i don't think anyone could have guessed.
I'd suggest this to people who enjoy a good ol slasher read with plenty of gore, blood and sex.
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