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Severed cover art

Severed

By: Simon Kernick
Narrated by: Paul Panting
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Summary

You wake up in a strange room on a bed covered in blood.  

You have no idea how you got there. Beside you is a dead girl. Your girlfriend. 

The phone rings and a voice tells you to press play on the room's DVD machine. The film shows you killing your girlfriend. Then you're told to go to an address in East London where you're to deliver a briefcase and await further instructions. There's no way out.  

If you're to survive the next 24 hours, you must find out who killed your girlfriend and why. Before they come for you too....

©2006 Simon Kernick (P)2007 WF Howes Ltd

Critic reviews

"If you like lots of non-stop action, this is for you." (Guardian)

What listeners say about Severed

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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  • 4 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
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Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
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  • 4 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
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  • 2 Stars
    25
  • 1 Stars
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Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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  • 3 Stars
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Listened start to finish non stop...KNACKERED!

As the title said, started to listen over the weekend and didn't sleep until I finished... my faultfor starting it at 8 pm! gory in parts but well written. Main character did seem to be extremely lucky in the book but this did not detract form the action too much but loved it anyway. Want more Simon Kernick unabridged titles here please?

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37 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Another gripping Kernick Novel

This is the third Kernick novel I have come across. I first read 'Relentless' which I couldn't put down, then 'A good day to die' which I found equally absorbing.
What you get with Kernick are fast paced thrillers that grab you from page one and hold your attention throughout. In actual fact they grab you from the summary on the back page, that's certainly how I was drawn into his books.
If you are new to Kernick's work and like puzzling thrillers then I completely recommend them all. If you've previously enjoyed his work then you'll love 'Severed'
The novel immedietly starts with a puzzling situation that pulls you in and doesn't let go until the resolution. The characters that you meet along the way only add to the tale and will have you second guessing their roles as the novel progresses.
In short, it's a great novel, well worth reading and I can't wait for his next one.

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27 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Hard to understand glowing reviews.

I really found this book totally implausible, and thoroughly unpleasant. I don't understand all the glowing reviews. the best I can say is that I did actually finish the book, managing to 'cope' with all the unnecessary violence and unexplainable activity - this as mainly in the hope that I could find some reason behind all the mayhem. I was not to be so lucky.

The characters were weak, and acted in such a strange way that I was driven to shout at the iPod that he wouldn't have said or done 'that'. The FINAL explanation for the dreadful actions throughout were absolutely beyond credence.

Definitely not for me.

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25 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

I can see why Panting was Severed from future book

This is a usual Kernick book, perhaps a little more cliched than other books. I'm unsure whether I felt this because of the narration. Paul Thornley, who has done other Kernick books, has a more natural style. The narrator of this book did not leave me Panting for more (sorry!). With too much emphasis, his narration has too much of the Jeremy Clarkson telegraphed style for my liking. It is the narration equivalent of canned laughter.

All said this will not put me off Kernick, who is predictably good value if escapist macho stuff is what you want.

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15 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Fairly unbelievable but very thrilling

I bought this on the strength of the author's terrific book, "Relentless". "Severed" is a more surreal story than the latter, but has the same qualities of fast pace, surprise and shock. The reader is good too, which always helps. Once I started listening I really couldn't stop as I wanted to find out why these terrible things were happening to the "hero" Tyler. I'll be looking out for more books by Simon Kernick.

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
  • AB
  • 09-07-18

Super stuff from Kernick once again...

Such a superbly talented author. Simon Kernick delivers another super story in Severed.
The book itself spans a 24 hour period. a period which proves to be extremely eventful in the life of Dan Tyler. He's woken up next to a dead body, and has been perfectly framed for the murder. His only hope is to do as he's told, whilst trying to work out who is behind it. His past soon catches up with him.
Great book from Simon Kernick, Very well narrated by Paul Panting.
Recommended.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

A bit far fetched, but a great listen

I came to this book after enjoying Relentless. Whereas the hero in Relentless, is an ordinary Jo, the protagonist here is ex-forces with specialist training. He wakes up with amnesia next to a headless corpse, and his day goes down-hill from there. Like Relentless, this a fast-paced thriller, and though there are moments where you need to suspend disbelief, it is an enjoyable listen. There are some fairly graphic descriptions in the book, so best avoided if you're squeamish. I will certainly be looking out for other for other Simon Kernick novels in the future.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

An enthalling albeit unrealistic page turner

A good yarn, but not as good as Relentless for me. Very much in the style of 24, the whole story is in the 1st person which I found a little tedious, furthermore I found the motive for setting Tyler up as somewhat implausible. nonetheless a great tongue in cheek listen!

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars
  • S
  • 01-03-15

Disappointing and predictable

What will your next listen be?

James lee Burke / Will Paton

Would you be willing to try another one of Paul Panting’s performances?

The narration was very flat with stereotypical accents for each character (that said, the characters were stereo types of any London cop TV Show) and there was little passion in his voice.

Any additional comments?

If you like films like the last "Sweeney" you'll like this. I was dubious about buying his due to the title alone however the reviews "sold me" and I still feel short changed despite getting it on a "2 for 1" deal!

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Tense Reading

This was an excellent story and narration. Easy to listen to and exciting. You are gripped right from the start.

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5 people found this helpful