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The Last Jukebox Heroes
Chris Coltrane is a successful businessman, and an alcoholic whose life has collided – sometimes disastrously – with many people. A failed intervention by his company’s board led Chris to storm off and find solace in Dimitri T’s, a neat but struggling little cocktail bar in the Cape Town suburb of Oaksworth.
Julie Ross, the owner of Dimitri T’s, is doing her damnedest to crawl out from under her father’s problematic legacy. She gambles her last hope on a Christmas lunch special and happy hour trying to rake in some money before the rent becomes due in a week, and she is left without a business.
Through the soundtrack of songs played on the jukebox, the intertwined backstories of Julie and six of her broken barroom heroes are revealed before the night ends unexpectedly, changing their lives forever.
“The Last Jukebox Heroes” is a character-driven literary fiction novel infused with music that explores human connections, the influence people have on those around them and the power the past has on the present. It’s a story of choices and the flawed nature of humans.
Julie Ross, the owner of Dimitri T’s, is doing her damnedest to crawl out from under her father’s problematic legacy. She gambles her last hope on a Christmas lunch special and happy hour trying to rake in some money before the rent becomes due in a week, and she is left without a business.
Through the soundtrack of songs played on the jukebox, the intertwined backstories of Julie and six of her broken barroom heroes are revealed before the night ends unexpectedly, changing their lives forever.
“The Last Jukebox Heroes” is a character-driven literary fiction novel infused with music that explores human connections, the influence people have on those around them and the power the past has on the present. It’s a story of choices and the flawed nature of humans.
318 pages, Paperback
Published September 6, 2023
8 people want to read
About the author
Stefan Schutte
4 books10 followersCape Town-based author raised on a diet of sport and music.
Twice runner-up in the West Coast Writers' Circle's Annual Fiction Contest (2018 & 2019); longlisted for the Australian Writers' Centre's Furious Fiction Contest (May 2021).
Literary fiction debut novel The Last Jukebox Heroes available on Amazon and South Africa's leading bookstores.
Klankbaan, Afrikaans adaptation of The Last Jukebox Heroes available in October 2025.
Twice runner-up in the West Coast Writers' Circle's Annual Fiction Contest (2018 & 2019); longlisted for the Australian Writers' Centre's Furious Fiction Contest (May 2021).
Literary fiction debut novel The Last Jukebox Heroes available on Amazon and South Africa's leading bookstores.
Klankbaan, Afrikaans adaptation of The Last Jukebox Heroes available in October 2025.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 7, 2023
#TheLastJukeboxHeroes – Stefan Schutte
#FirebrickBooks
Dimitri T’s is a struggling little cocktail bar in a Cape Town suburb, facing foreclosure.
The owner, Julie Ross, a single mother to a 6-year-old-girl, gambles her last hope on a Christmas lunch special and happy hour before the rent is due a week thereafter.
6 months before Christmas the elderly Chris Coltrane loses his business, marriage, and health due to his increasing dependance on alcohol. 20 years ago, an impulsive act resulted in young Mick Carrick being sent to prison. His release date is the day before Christmas. 10 years prior to this fateful Christmas Jan Belinski disappeared rather than facing his financial ruin. The events of more than two decades before leads Mark Schafer to counseling one week before Christmas. Eric Johnson, a gym trainer, has his own reasons for showing up at Dimitri T’s, as does the blogger, Draven Hellerman.
These seemingly unrelated characters will meet at Dimitri T’s on Christmas day.
The main storyline follows Julie and Chris, and their back stories are revealed in the first-person narrative. The remaining characters are introduced to the reader thereafter, but they remain unknown to Julie and Chris who refer to them in generic terms based on their physical appearances, like XL, Desperado, Mountain sized man, Vanilla Ice, and Homeless man. A sense of foreboding is created by the subtle focus on the growing desperation of the respective characters.
Music, and especially the jukebox in Dimitri T’s, is a central theme and point of reference. Patrons staring at cellular phones are likened to praying to the neon gods, a la Paul Simon, whilst the lyrics of Meat Loaf and Kris Kristofferson provide mental soundtracks to the back stories of at least two characters. As a bonus readers are invited to access the Spotify playlist titled ‘The last jukebox heroes’ and to listen to the songs that inspired the narrative.
The novel is character-driven fiction investigating and revealing the consequences of choices, the power of the past, and the sounds of silence between humans.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #Uitdieperdsebek
#FirebrickBooks
Dimitri T’s is a struggling little cocktail bar in a Cape Town suburb, facing foreclosure.
The owner, Julie Ross, a single mother to a 6-year-old-girl, gambles her last hope on a Christmas lunch special and happy hour before the rent is due a week thereafter.
6 months before Christmas the elderly Chris Coltrane loses his business, marriage, and health due to his increasing dependance on alcohol. 20 years ago, an impulsive act resulted in young Mick Carrick being sent to prison. His release date is the day before Christmas. 10 years prior to this fateful Christmas Jan Belinski disappeared rather than facing his financial ruin. The events of more than two decades before leads Mark Schafer to counseling one week before Christmas. Eric Johnson, a gym trainer, has his own reasons for showing up at Dimitri T’s, as does the blogger, Draven Hellerman.
These seemingly unrelated characters will meet at Dimitri T’s on Christmas day.
The main storyline follows Julie and Chris, and their back stories are revealed in the first-person narrative. The remaining characters are introduced to the reader thereafter, but they remain unknown to Julie and Chris who refer to them in generic terms based on their physical appearances, like XL, Desperado, Mountain sized man, Vanilla Ice, and Homeless man. A sense of foreboding is created by the subtle focus on the growing desperation of the respective characters.
Music, and especially the jukebox in Dimitri T’s, is a central theme and point of reference. Patrons staring at cellular phones are likened to praying to the neon gods, a la Paul Simon, whilst the lyrics of Meat Loaf and Kris Kristofferson provide mental soundtracks to the back stories of at least two characters. As a bonus readers are invited to access the Spotify playlist titled ‘The last jukebox heroes’ and to listen to the songs that inspired the narrative.
The novel is character-driven fiction investigating and revealing the consequences of choices, the power of the past, and the sounds of silence between humans.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #Uitdieperdsebek
August 23, 2023
The Last Jukebox Heroes, Stefan Schutte’s first fiction offering, is a wonderful read. Meet a rich tapestry of characters whose lives intersect, amid realistic and diverse circumstances, at a South African bar making a last-ditch effort to survive. The jukebox in the tale is a background presence amid numerous allusions to music and artists. I was thoroughly intrigued by the varied storylines, and impressed at how the author draws them all together on Christmas Day. At one point I thought, A-ha, I know how that happened… only to find on the next page that I was wrong. I so enjoyed the read, I started again at the beginning – and I’m enjoying it even more the second time around. I’m truly looking forward to the next book by Stefan Schutte.
February 24, 2024
What a great read!!! I love the idea that the jukebox and its music bring the characters together in a thrilling story of human vulnerability and connectivity. Love the rock classics that we grew up with. The Spotify playlist is a banger, which with a swig of Bains is now a hit at every braai...
Read
December 29, 2025Dnf
Honestly I’m jut not feeling it but I might try again in the future
Honestly I’m jut not feeling it but I might try again in the future
August 22, 2023
A very enjoyable, engrossing read. The characterisation is very good, the main personalities tightly defined and consistent.
I found it very easy to engage and sympathise with some, while feeling mild, sometimes active dislike for others.
The one principal character, understated, but always consistently there, is the MUSIC !
The division into 7 sections each dedicated to one of the players is adventurous. It might well have been difficult to control, but Stefan has done it well, carefully integrating each with the others.
It's very much like a finely constructed chronometer, all the parts meshing smoothly.
The denouement was excitingly imagined and the closing unexpected, but very satisfying.
I found it very easy to engage and sympathise with some, while feeling mild, sometimes active dislike for others.
The one principal character, understated, but always consistently there, is the MUSIC !
The division into 7 sections each dedicated to one of the players is adventurous. It might well have been difficult to control, but Stefan has done it well, carefully integrating each with the others.
It's very much like a finely constructed chronometer, all the parts meshing smoothly.
The denouement was excitingly imagined and the closing unexpected, but very satisfying.
August 23, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is well written, with moving, believable dialogue and strong relatable characters. If you love music, you will appreciate all the references to great songs and lyrics. The book left me with the thought that our actions always have consequences and the importance of living life well. I was pleasantly delighted with the great twist and unexpected happy ending.
September 9, 2023
I enjoyed this book immensely! “Binge-read” it in two days and I’m going to read it again. Captivating and very interesting, relatable characters. The songs, artists & lyrics woven into the storyline added loads of nostalgia for me. Cleverly written and definitely a must-read! I’m really hoping for a sequel, Stefan.
March 9, 2025
Fun, interesting read, with strong characters and an interesting storyline, seen from multiple perspectives. Fell apart badly towards the end, with story becoming more fantastical and the author seemingly losing control of what had been a strong narrative - I lost interest eventually
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews