I am a big fan of Matt Shaw’s writing. To say he is a prolific writer is an understatement. He’s published over 400 stories. I don’t even know how many of them I own, but it’s more than I’ll ever be able to read. He is already known for pushing boundaries, so when he set to push every boundary imaginable in a book too controversial to be distributed via Amazon, I knew I had to read it.

The Hub is an orphanage that caters to the darker desires of wealthy creeps. If you watch the news or crime documentaries at all, or if you like shows like Law & Order: SVU, you have an idea of the things that people with the kind of wealth that allows them to buy playthings and pay off law enforcement are seeking. The cover art zeroes in on one specific aspect. Children whose parents die in tragic ways end up here and are groomed to be commodities. This story focuses on one such couple and the children they adopt from the Hub. They seem to be loosely based on Fred and Rosemary West, so if you think Hugh and Gloria are unrealistic monsters, this is your reminder that the real world is oftentimes way more fucked up than anything Shaw’s imagination can cook up.

I’m not going to share any details, but I will say that if you have triggers involving sex and violence against children, skip this one. It is extremely graphic and there are no happy endings for anyone in this book, except for maybe the people who run the orphanage. Shaw posted warnings all over the place, so if you pick it up despite this…well, you’ve been warned.

Solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me. As I told the wonderful modmin team of Book Lovers Cafe, who don’t necessarily share my affinity for extreme horror but also don’t judge, I have finally read a book that I can appreciate but will not share in that group. I share most of my reviews there hoping to reach into that large audience and entice a few to read some indie horror or bizarro. I’ve turned a few of them onto some of it, but I know the limits of that group. This one is not for the masses.

Now I know I said I wouldn’t recommend this to the general public. BUT. If you are already a fan of Matt Shaw and like to push your boundaries, hit up his Etsy page and get yourself a copy. If you love extreme horror or serial killer documentaries or SVU, this might be for you. This story is tragic and it sticks with you long after you put it down. I preordered the sequel the moment I got the email notifying me that there is an upcoming sequel.