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In The Club #1
Join me in the club: An Extreme Horror
The world is over-populated. Resources are running out. In an effort to balance things out, the government has stepped in with a radical new lottery system. All names are put into a computer, with 200 names being drawn at random. Of those people 100 will get one colour (red) token, 100 will get another colour token (white). Whatever colour they received, they had to go to the government run club for the night. Of those who received the white token, they would be going home the following day. For those who received the red tokens? They would be leaving in a body bag.
- GenresHorrorShort Stories
94 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 4, 2023
About the author
Matt Shaw
544 books2,255 followersBiography
MATT SHAW was born, quite by accident (his mother tripped, he shot out) September 30th 1980 in Winchester hospital where he was immediately placed on the baby ward and EBay. Some twelve years later (wandering the corridors of the hospital and playing with road kill when he was on day release), the listing closed and he remained unsold, he was booted out of the hospital to start his life as a writer and hobbit – beginning with writing screenplays and short stories for his own amusement before finally getting published when he was twenty-seven years and forty-five seconds old.
Once Published weekly in a lad's magazine with his photography work, Matt Shaw is also a published author and cartoonist. Has to be said, can be a bit of a flirt and definitely, without a shadow of a doubt, somewhat of a klutz.
Favourite books
"Roald Dahl's Collection of Short Stories"
Tim Burton's Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy
Anything, really, written by himself. Because he is that good.
MATT SHAW was born, quite by accident (his mother tripped, he shot out) September 30th 1980 in Winchester hospital where he was immediately placed on the baby ward and EBay. Some twelve years later (wandering the corridors of the hospital and playing with road kill when he was on day release), the listing closed and he remained unsold, he was booted out of the hospital to start his life as a writer and hobbit – beginning with writing screenplays and short stories for his own amusement before finally getting published when he was twenty-seven years and forty-five seconds old.
Once Published weekly in a lad's magazine with his photography work, Matt Shaw is also a published author and cartoonist. Has to be said, can be a bit of a flirt and definitely, without a shadow of a doubt, somewhat of a klutz.
Favourite books
"Roald Dahl's Collection of Short Stories"
Tim Burton's Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy
Anything, really, written by himself. Because he is that good.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
June 7, 2025
3.5 stars. Much like my last few Matt Shaw books, I absolutely adored the premise, but it was just much too short to enjoy fully. There was a quick blurb about the reasoning for the white and red chips being distributed by the government, but that was it. I wanted at least a chapter dedicated to the rationale of this extreme method of population control. The characters also were so abbreviated that I wasn't able to connect with any of them. And there was an instance where the reader is taken to multiple random sex scenes between the 'chippers.' As if everyone who was about to die wanted to have rough sex with the random person assigned to do it. Just a really odd creative decision. I feel like if Shaw kept this story completely focused on Gary/Mary, that very interesting situation could have been explored fully and really been something special. Most notably the ending to their pairing, which was nauseating. But it introduced too many characters, didn't fully delve into the awesome premise much, and felt a bit rushed.
April 22, 2024
Confused, Gary scrolled to the oldest message to see what was happening and… His heart skipped a beat. It was a picture message. An envelope with his wife’s name across the top. Gary didn’t need to read the accompanying message. He knew what the envelope was.
May 12, 2023
Rating 2.5
This was a shock and awe style horror, not so much extreme.
Writing style was sorta wonky, definitely does a bit of time hopping back and forth, and a section was sorta there for in to assume further explain the system in how it works but felt awkward placement of the where and when it was put into the story.
This could’ve been a full and fleshed (no pun intended) story with a rather interesting government system for how they worked on in to assume help population control.
This was a shock and awe style horror, not so much extreme.
Writing style was sorta wonky, definitely does a bit of time hopping back and forth, and a section was sorta there for in to assume further explain the system in how it works but felt awkward placement of the where and when it was put into the story.
This could’ve been a full and fleshed (no pun intended) story with a rather interesting government system for how they worked on in to assume help population control.
May 22, 2024
Once again Matt Shaw blows my mind.
This book scared the fucking crap out of me, not only from it's content but because in reality this could actually happen...a world over populated...a twisted Government!!
I went through so many emotions reading this...it pulled me in all directions.
Well written with a great storyline which gripped me (if I had a pair) by the balls 😂
The ending totally messed with my head...Thank You Mr Shaw for that🤯
It has to be 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 without a doubt.
Which colour chip would you hope to receive???
⚪ or 🔴
You don't get a choice 😰 LIVE OR DIE!!
This book scared the fucking crap out of me, not only from it's content but because in reality this could actually happen...a world over populated...a twisted Government!!
I went through so many emotions reading this...it pulled me in all directions.
Well written with a great storyline which gripped me (if I had a pair) by the balls 😂
The ending totally messed with my head...Thank You Mr Shaw for that🤯
It has to be 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 without a doubt.
Which colour chip would you hope to receive???
⚪ or 🔴
You don't get a choice 😰 LIVE OR DIE!!
April 16, 2023
This was a good one. Love how it was from multiple perspectives. Wish it was a bit longer. Curious how some of the others went out…
April 23, 2023
This book had me thinking a lot afterwards. In this world you get to win/lose a lottery that you didn’t particularly enter. Like Hunger Games. You get a chip where you get to live or you get the chip where you are going to die. It was really interesting and I wish it was longer.
May 26, 2023
In an overpopulated world, the government comes up with a lottery. Every single person's name gets entered into a system. You either get a white token or a red token. Getting the white token means life while the red token means death
What colour would you want?
What colour would you want?
April 30, 2023
A horror novella with a thought provoking premise. In an over-populated world, a lottery system determines those who will be killed for the greater good. Get a red rock and you're dead, but at least you get to pick the way you're killed. Get a white rock and you're required to kill the red rock person in whatever manner they have chosen. This one has the expected Matt Shaw extreme horror elements (yes it's gruesome, and stomach churning) but it also has heart. Reading the characters grief and despair is just as a chilling. A quick book to read between other things. Check it out if you can stomach it.
April 12, 2023
4✨
This novella is about a lottery with life. When/If you get the envelope, you will get one of 2 chips. These chips will determine your fate - for this drawing!
I thought this was well written. I really like the explanations of before the people got the letter and afterwards. It was really interesting to know what their choice of death would be.
I think this one could have been a bit longer, but I enjoyed reading it.
This does contain gore and sex and a touch of sadness.
This novella is about a lottery with life. When/If you get the envelope, you will get one of 2 chips. These chips will determine your fate - for this drawing!
I thought this was well written. I really like the explanations of before the people got the letter and afterwards. It was really interesting to know what their choice of death would be.
I think this one could have been a bit longer, but I enjoyed reading it.
This does contain gore and sex and a touch of sadness.
April 6, 2023
I have read nearly everything Matt has wrote .. if it’s got his name on it.. I’ll give it a go! However I was dubious going into this particular book as it didn’t sound like ‘my cup of tea’. How wrong I was!!
I have just finished it, it’s 2am and I read it in one sitting as I could not put it down! I’m left feeling sick (which is a great thing - I want to feel all these gross emotions) and hoping there will be a sequel!
Join Me In The Club, the governments extreme and brutal solution to an overpopulation issue.. with a twist!
Definitely a must read for all horror lovers!
Wonderfully written with a fresh new storyline that I’ve not seen before!
*Also think Matt should go into writing smut 😏*
I have just finished it, it’s 2am and I read it in one sitting as I could not put it down! I’m left feeling sick (which is a great thing - I want to feel all these gross emotions) and hoping there will be a sequel!
Join Me In The Club, the governments extreme and brutal solution to an overpopulation issue.. with a twist!
Definitely a must read for all horror lovers!
Wonderfully written with a fresh new storyline that I’ve not seen before!
*Also think Matt should go into writing smut 😏*
September 30, 2024
Red or White
Imagine a world where It’s over populated and the government comes up with a remedy for that a lottery where your name is pulled and your life is decided based on a color. White token means you live, red token means you die. This book was a quick read and mentioned every possible trigger you can imagine, if you have a trigger it’s in this book. This book was gruesome, graphic and extremely explicit it pushes the bounds of human limits. Whenever you see Matt Shaw just know it’s extreme horror full of triggers.
Imagine a world where It’s over populated and the government comes up with a remedy for that a lottery where your name is pulled and your life is decided based on a color. White token means you live, red token means you die. This book was a quick read and mentioned every possible trigger you can imagine, if you have a trigger it’s in this book. This book was gruesome, graphic and extremely explicit it pushes the bounds of human limits. Whenever you see Matt Shaw just know it’s extreme horror full of triggers.
July 5, 2023
a cross breed Purge + Squid Game + Hunger Games
June 3, 2023
I like extreme horror. The Books of Horror Facebook group was mentioning this one often and several things convinced me to pick it up.
#1 it’s short. You know not even 100 pages short.
#2 It’s set in a dystopian future where you are anonymously chosen to either die or kill someone to help with overpopulation.
#3 It’s dystopian, so that sounded like it would be innovative.
#4 It’s extreme horror, which I often tend to enjoy despite how out there and over the top it can be.
This horror novella goes in some strange places. One of those places being that the girl chosen to die wants to be eaten and cannibalized while still being alive. It took a complete turn and it was off the rails. I didn’t hate this, but I didn’t love it. I felt like I needed a shower afterward to scrub off the ick of being in this woman’s head. Also, poor dude has to live with the fact he done chowed down on this woman. Talk about trauma. I still don’t know if I like Matt Shaw or not as an author. I can’t tell. Is this effective in grossing me out with the gratuitous and over the top descriptions of sex? Yes. Was the horror absolutely terrifying? At times. I’m in the middle on this one. Better than Roe vs. Wade though.
#1 it’s short. You know not even 100 pages short.
#2 It’s set in a dystopian future where you are anonymously chosen to either die or kill someone to help with overpopulation.
#3 It’s dystopian, so that sounded like it would be innovative.
#4 It’s extreme horror, which I often tend to enjoy despite how out there and over the top it can be.
This horror novella goes in some strange places. One of those places being that the girl chosen to die wants to be eaten and cannibalized while still being alive. It took a complete turn and it was off the rails. I didn’t hate this, but I didn’t love it. I felt like I needed a shower afterward to scrub off the ick of being in this woman’s head. Also, poor dude has to live with the fact he done chowed down on this woman. Talk about trauma. I still don’t know if I like Matt Shaw or not as an author. I can’t tell. Is this effective in grossing me out with the gratuitous and over the top descriptions of sex? Yes. Was the horror absolutely terrifying? At times. I’m in the middle on this one. Better than Roe vs. Wade though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 20, 2025
The world is being over populated so the government came up with a plan to a lottery system, 200 people each month. 100 white tokens get to kill and the red tokens killed. At least the red tokens get to fill out a survey for the club to play their favorite music, free drinks, last meal and entertainment. They also get to choose they way the white tokens will kill them. And the red tokens family will get paid “prize” money for their service.
April 10, 2023
please tell me there is going to be a follow up????
What a ride, sounds like a crazy idea but who knows could something like this become a reality?
Either way really enjoyed this book and hope there’s going to be more from this series.
What a ride, sounds like a crazy idea but who knows could something like this become a reality?
Either way really enjoyed this book and hope there’s going to be more from this series.
April 4, 2023
FRACKING AMAZING
Oh Em Gee. What a ride! Over far too quickly but the best ones are, right?! I NNED to know what happens next!
Oh Em Gee. What a ride! Over far too quickly but the best ones are, right?! I NNED to know what happens next!
April 28, 2023
Short, but effectively horrific. I don’t know if I’d rather be a red or white token… it’s all terrible! Hopefully this isn’t humanity’s future reality!
May 1, 2023
In a future society where you fear what comes in your mail, we have a story that takes place over a night of fate. A white token in the mail means you’re the killer. A red token means you’re the prey. It’s like a jury summons in the United States, only worse. You never know when the token will come and you wake up every morning fearing for the worst.
In Matt Shaw’s tale of human population control (in a more subtle way), we have Gary, the white token holder. He has to serve his duty and meet with the person with whom he has to kill. If he does not kill this person, a death sentence is on the table for he himself. Then we also meet the red token holder and find out how they are to die.
———-
This was very dark, not overly graphic, but just enough to make you question the extents of what humans will do to eradicate the human population. And the scary part is, neither token is better than the other. With one, you must kill or face death. With the other, you face death. You may have not lived your life to its fullest potential and BAM, death sentence.
I actually really loved this and devoured it. The premise was just disturbing - facing a future that may be a reality someday if you’re a pessimist (or realist). Your life ends in a short period and you leave behind all that may be. You’re forever changed - the future of your fate flies out the window with the onus of a token.
Go check this one out. It was short, alarming and very well written.
In Matt Shaw’s tale of human population control (in a more subtle way), we have Gary, the white token holder. He has to serve his duty and meet with the person with whom he has to kill. If he does not kill this person, a death sentence is on the table for he himself. Then we also meet the red token holder and find out how they are to die.
———-
This was very dark, not overly graphic, but just enough to make you question the extents of what humans will do to eradicate the human population. And the scary part is, neither token is better than the other. With one, you must kill or face death. With the other, you face death. You may have not lived your life to its fullest potential and BAM, death sentence.
I actually really loved this and devoured it. The premise was just disturbing - facing a future that may be a reality someday if you’re a pessimist (or realist). Your life ends in a short period and you leave behind all that may be. You’re forever changed - the future of your fate flies out the window with the onus of a token.
Go check this one out. It was short, alarming and very well written.
July 15, 2023
*Review*
Join Me In The Club by Matt Shaw
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A dystopia time where the earth is dangerously overpopulated. In order to save resources, the government comes up with a red and white chip system, 100 of each color are sent out bi-monthly. If you get a red chip, you are killed. If you receive a white chip, you kill.
I love the setting and while ploy of this story. The idea of having a club and having red token people love out their wildest dream for one more night it just so creative. I wish this was longer or followed more people from the past who ended up in the club. This story had graphic sex and a graphic death scene.
I did not see Mary coming, she is crazy and not in a good way. I was taken ALL THE WAY back when I realized what she was asking!
This book is great and really a great addition to any exteme horror collection. This was my first Matt Shaw and it will not be my last!
📚 Here's my favorite quote from the story:
"Now, in my final moments on this planet, I can go out conquering my fear."
#bookreview #horror #horrorbook #novella #Mattshaw #joinmeintheclub #reading #review #extremehorror
Join Me In The Club by Matt Shaw
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A dystopia time where the earth is dangerously overpopulated. In order to save resources, the government comes up with a red and white chip system, 100 of each color are sent out bi-monthly. If you get a red chip, you are killed. If you receive a white chip, you kill.
I love the setting and while ploy of this story. The idea of having a club and having red token people love out their wildest dream for one more night it just so creative. I wish this was longer or followed more people from the past who ended up in the club. This story had graphic sex and a graphic death scene.
I did not see Mary coming, she is crazy and not in a good way. I was taken ALL THE WAY back when I realized what she was asking!
This book is great and really a great addition to any exteme horror collection. This was my first Matt Shaw and it will not be my last!
📚 Here's my favorite quote from the story:
"Now, in my final moments on this planet, I can go out conquering my fear."
#bookreview #horror #horrorbook #novella #Mattshaw #joinmeintheclub #reading #review #extremehorror
April 12, 2023
Holy club party
Loved it so much. It didn't just tell you the story of one person who had to go to the club I liked the way he told the story of others there too. Did make me think how I would want to go. I do not want to go to that club. My boyfriend of 16 years just broke up with me I hope he has to go to the club!
Loved it so much. It didn't just tell you the story of one person who had to go to the club I liked the way he told the story of others there too. Did make me think how I would want to go. I do not want to go to that club. My boyfriend of 16 years just broke up with me I hope he has to go to the club!
May 7, 2023
The premise of this story is super intriguing. It deals with a lot of heavy emotions and a short exploration of base human desires. I couldn't personally relate to anyone in the story, but I still found it quite fascinating. Some of the quick shots in the sex roulette portion of the book were a bit superfluous, but to each their own. Definitely worth a read!
December 8, 2025
The world has too many people. The globe has hit critical mass. The privledged cannot even escape. So, the government steps in. We must now cull our own herd. In the mail you could receive a white token or a red token and that is what brings you to "The Club."
Matt Shaw's short extreme horror book 'Join me in the club: An Extreme Horror' is a fast paced, too the point, type of book. I actually was glad that it didn't continually digress into descriptive scenery or ornate vocabulary.
While it is stated it is a "extreme horror", I didn't find it overly gross or uncomfortable. I've also been reading splatterpunk for a prolonged period though - so if you're squeamish, it might be more harrowing for you. I also appreciated that Shaw didn't just go for easy fruit. There aren't any child or animal deaths within this tale to cause it to be extreme.
This book reminded me a lot of Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" for obvious reasons but it has a little more to chew on. It was a nice quick read that is easily understood and digestible. The ending was a little unfortunate because I wanted a brief aftermath chapter but that is ok. Not every ending has to be tied up with a bow.
Matt Shaw's short extreme horror book 'Join me in the club: An Extreme Horror' is a fast paced, too the point, type of book. I actually was glad that it didn't continually digress into descriptive scenery or ornate vocabulary.
While it is stated it is a "extreme horror", I didn't find it overly gross or uncomfortable. I've also been reading splatterpunk for a prolonged period though - so if you're squeamish, it might be more harrowing for you. I also appreciated that Shaw didn't just go for easy fruit. There aren't any child or animal deaths within this tale to cause it to be extreme.
This book reminded me a lot of Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" for obvious reasons but it has a little more to chew on. It was a nice quick read that is easily understood and digestible. The ending was a little unfortunate because I wanted a brief aftermath chapter but that is ok. Not every ending has to be tied up with a bow.
May 8, 2023
I gotta say I really enjoyed this book.
World is overpopulated and a way to remedy this which is to hold a lottery where 200 people are selected at random. 100 people each get a white token and 100 people each get a red token. On a day that is provided the people who received their tokens must meet at a government run “club” where…well you should read the book and find out more ;)
I thought the plot was interesting and is something that I wouldn’t mind see being expanded upon. Matt Shaw has a way of toying with you and then hits you square in the nose with an “Oh shit” moment. If you haven’t read one of his books, buckle up. If you have, well you know what you are getting into.
4 out of 5 severed fingers!
World is overpopulated and a way to remedy this which is to hold a lottery where 200 people are selected at random. 100 people each get a white token and 100 people each get a red token. On a day that is provided the people who received their tokens must meet at a government run “club” where…well you should read the book and find out more ;)
I thought the plot was interesting and is something that I wouldn’t mind see being expanded upon. Matt Shaw has a way of toying with you and then hits you square in the nose with an “Oh shit” moment. If you haven’t read one of his books, buckle up. If you have, well you know what you are getting into.
4 out of 5 severed fingers!
June 5, 2023
Well, Join Me In the Club kept popping up in my recommended and the title just kept drawing me in.
I loved this concept and when I realized the kill method, I was hooked. It wasn't super violent, but a good book for beginners of extreme horror. I also liked that it focused a great deal on the characters and their backstories.
What I'm looking for is the disturbing mixed with some decent writing and storytelling. He balanced the extreme aspects with the story well. Nothing was cringy or over-the-top. This delivered and I will be looking forward to reading more by Matt Shaw.
I have nothing negative.
I loved this concept and when I realized the kill method, I was hooked. It wasn't super violent, but a good book for beginners of extreme horror. I also liked that it focused a great deal on the characters and their backstories.
What I'm looking for is the disturbing mixed with some decent writing and storytelling. He balanced the extreme aspects with the story well. Nothing was cringy or over-the-top. This delivered and I will be looking forward to reading more by Matt Shaw.
I have nothing negative.
April 27, 2023
I really enjoyed this fresh concept. If I had to liken it to anything I would say it reminds me of a polite Purge. The book is short enough to fly by quickly and the last 1/4 was really entertaining. I absolutely LOVE the way it ended. I have heard it is going to be a series of standalone books and I'm thrilled for this. It wasn't quite as extreme as I was hoping but there certainly were moments that earned it the "an extreme horror" moniker for sure. I would have loved to know a little more about the characters as well but loved it over all. Four stars. Really enjoyable.
May 9, 2023
Really intriguing premise that wasn't fully explored. If the narrative had stayed close to Gary/ Mary and their shared experience of this horrifying part of their lives, I wouldn't have felt cheated. But the narrative does tease us with the experience of others, but not in a cohesive way. It just seems to wander about like "Oh this is interesting, oh sorry, back to the main story." So it needed to commit to just being about Mary/Gary or being about this whole horrifying situation and delving into that fully.
Definitely enjoyable (if you enjoy extreme horror), but the execution is uneven.
Definitely enjoyable (if you enjoy extreme horror), but the execution is uneven.
November 7, 2023
This was a dystopian story that might play out in some form some day?
The world became so overpopulated that drastic measures had to be taken. Random people were assigned tokens, these people must attend a party at night. They were paired with another person in a room. One of them was chosen to die.
You might think that the one who could live “won” this lottery, but oh no, there was a catch. The author showed us how being chosen to live might be a terrible deal.
Gruesome and chilling. Highly recommended.
The world became so overpopulated that drastic measures had to be taken. Random people were assigned tokens, these people must attend a party at night. They were paired with another person in a room. One of them was chosen to die.
You might think that the one who could live “won” this lottery, but oh no, there was a catch. The author showed us how being chosen to live might be a terrible deal.
Gruesome and chilling. Highly recommended.
May 1, 2023
Well, I think its safe to say I am definitely a fan of Matt Shaw. This is only my second read by him but I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
A nice quick read. I love the fast pace of the story but yet we were given all the information we needed to follow along nicely.
I would of liked to have found out what happened to some of the others, especially poor Larry 😅
A nice quick read. I love the fast pace of the story but yet we were given all the information we needed to follow along nicely.
I would of liked to have found out what happened to some of the others, especially poor Larry 😅
June 5, 2023
Decent novella, but it's either too lurid or not lurid enough for its own good.
It's set in a world where overpopulation is threatening societal collapse--not that we get any indication of this, as most of the characters seem to live in white-picket-fence houses--and so the government starts a program of population reduction. Every citizen is entered into a lottery. If you get a white token in the mail, you have to kill someone. If you get a red token, you have to die. Killer and victim are paired up at a club where they can get up to any debauchery they want, free of charge, with the killer having to do whatever the victim wants and having to kill the victim however they want to die.
This being extreme horror, the victim in this case has an extremely specific way to die. It effectively turns the stomach, but by making things so freaky, it takes away from the "what would you do?" horror the story starts off gesturing towards. The psychological aspect of the storyline ends up elliptical--largely reserved for an odd sidestory in the middle of the narrative that shows how a typical red token/white token situation would go--and the story ends with a kinda lame stinger that fails to fully exploit the horror of the aftermath.
But, what do you want for less than 100 pages? If you're just looking for a jolt, it's fine on that front.
It's set in a world where overpopulation is threatening societal collapse--not that we get any indication of this, as most of the characters seem to live in white-picket-fence houses--and so the government starts a program of population reduction. Every citizen is entered into a lottery. If you get a white token in the mail, you have to kill someone. If you get a red token, you have to die. Killer and victim are paired up at a club where they can get up to any debauchery they want, free of charge, with the killer having to do whatever the victim wants and having to kill the victim however they want to die.
This being extreme horror, the victim in this case has an extremely specific way to die. It effectively turns the stomach, but by making things so freaky, it takes away from the "what would you do?" horror the story starts off gesturing towards. The psychological aspect of the storyline ends up elliptical--largely reserved for an odd sidestory in the middle of the narrative that shows how a typical red token/white token situation would go--and the story ends with a kinda lame stinger that fails to fully exploit the horror of the aftermath.
But, what do you want for less than 100 pages? If you're just looking for a jolt, it's fine on that front.
August 1, 2023
Not one of Matt’s best but fairly enjoyable. I loved the premise of the book and it could have been better (especially knowing what Matt’s capable of writing). The random peoples sex scenes were unnecessary and out of place. Should have stuck with the main character’s story and maybe more on the aftermath of the event.
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