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Halfhead

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Halfhead

By: Stuart B. MacBride
Narrated by: Angus King
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About this listen

Terrifying serial killer thriller set in the gritty Glasgow of the near future, from the bestselling author of the Logan McRae series.

There are worse things than the death penalty…

They call them halfheads: convicted criminals, surgically mutilated and lobotomized by the State, then sent out to do menial jobs in the community so everyone will know what happens when you break the law. There are no appeals, no reprieves, and no one ever comes back. Until now.

Dr Fiona Westfield, one of the most prolific serial killers Glasgow has ever seen, is waking up. Surrounded by blood and death and darkness.

William Hunter has risen through the ranks since putting Westfield away; now he’s Assistant Network Director, in charge of police actions. But a routine murder investigation is about to embroil him in an appalling conspiracy.

The vast connurb blocks on Glasgow’s deprived south side are ready to explode. Eleven years ago the VR riots killed millions – now someone wants to start them all over again. And Will is being dragged back into a past he desperately wants to forget…

©2011 Stuart B. MacBride (P)2011 HarperCollins Publishers Ltd Crime Thrillers Fiction Genre Fiction Mystery Police Procedural Science Fiction Thriller Thriller & Suspense Urban City Exciting

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Critic reviews

"Slick, gruesome and brutally intelligent, this is bare knucklesthriller-writing." (Michael Marshall)
"Compelling." ( SFX)
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I liked the build up and construct idea behind this story. I wasn’t too keen on the repeating descriptions of mutilated body’s. I felt it was not necessary to repeatedly repeat these over and over. Good book nonetheless the less. First MacBride novel and probably won’t be my last.

Good futuristic story

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The theme is nightmarish! Criminals are lobotomised and have their lower jaws removed. However in one case it went wrong. The scariest of the villains is regaining her memory and wants to rebuild her shattered face and body. Then she wants revenge. I started to cheer for the villain. The world that is portrayed is so grim that the reader starts to sympathise and identify with a psychopathic murderer. That is scary!

Worrying!

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I think this is my favourite Stuart McBride story read by of of my favourite narrator's. the futuristic setting does not distract from the human suffering and realism of the story. definitely recommending to friends and family

superb, horrific sci-fi

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Really enjoyed the book, kept me listening right to the end and hope there will be anothet

Great read

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Only because I had listened to all Logan Macrae series and was expecting similar didn’t enjoy futuristic setting

Disappointing

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To be honest this was not the Stuart Macbride I thought it was! But I was grabbed from the off despite the uncomfortably shocking start and I’m glad I did. I happily ignored my family as I was taken on this rollercoaster of futuristic brutality and gore. Not my thing normally but these aren’t normal times and I loved this book so much I’m off to buy the next instalment

Gruesomely devoured

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After enjoying the antics of Logan and Hoon, this took a bit of getting into. But I’m glad i persevered, it’s a bloodthirsty adventure set in the future. It could almost be Logan story fast forward into the future.
The characters develop well throughout the book and by the end you are really getting involved in them. Can’t wait for the next installment.

Very different from Stuart McBride

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If you could sum up Halfhead in three words, what would they be?

Futuristic detective story

What other book might you compare Halfhead to, and why?

Cold granite by Stuart MacBride, gritty, dark humour Scottish detective storytelling.

Have you listened to any of Angus King’s other performances? How does this one compare?

Haven't heard Angus King before but did enjoy his storytelling. For me he has a pleasing and listenable voice with good character interpretation.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There wasn't any particular moments in the book but it all presented a Glasgow of the future which was bleak and polarised with criminals being used for menial duties to serve the rest of the population.

Any additional comments?

Having listened to a couple of Stuart MacBride books i enjoy the gritty and dark humour in his stories. Its nice to have stories from Scotland that are from areas i have visited and can relate to. Ok they are very dark but is that not what happens in real life and in some cases humour can come from that and as human nature being what it is we laugh.

Futuristic local storytelling

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To be frank, I didn’t listen to much of it, not really my type of story, but if it had been the reader put me off, he just droned on and on.

Narrators voice was drab

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Well, it is a detective in the near future and very violent bad guys and good guys. If you know MacBride you will know this in an instant. It passed the time and had a decent concept. Worth it for Macbride fans even if you don't like sifi.

Violent fun

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