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The Prumont Method
THE PRUMONT METHOD is a darkly funny story capturing the wild last gasp of a family in retrograde against the backdrop of gun violence run amok in America.
Staring down the barrel of a crumbling career and imploding marriage, "math hobbyist" Roger Prumont, unwittingly creates a formula that might predict when and where the next mass shooting occurs. He hits the road (where he’s joined by his unimpressed daughter) to test whether the Method could actually save lives, except he might just be risking his own in the process.
Staring down the barrel of a crumbling career and imploding marriage, "math hobbyist" Roger Prumont, unwittingly creates a formula that might predict when and where the next mass shooting occurs. He hits the road (where he’s joined by his unimpressed daughter) to test whether the Method could actually save lives, except he might just be risking his own in the process.
218 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 14, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 13, 2023
My Rating: 4.5/5
I am a big fan of Trevor's unique writing style. This is my second time reading a book by him and once again he did not disappoint.
This book follows Roger Prumont as he navigates the end of his marriage, parenting his adult daughter, and attempting to use mathematical formulas (which he coins "The Prumont Method") to figure out when and where the next mass shooting in the USA will take place.
The writing has some really funny parts (which feels odd to say, given the subject matter), as well as some heavier and thought-provoking moments relating to gun ownership, shooter profiling, and actual mass shootings.
I look forward to Trevor's next book.
I am a big fan of Trevor's unique writing style. This is my second time reading a book by him and once again he did not disappoint.
This book follows Roger Prumont as he navigates the end of his marriage, parenting his adult daughter, and attempting to use mathematical formulas (which he coins "The Prumont Method") to figure out when and where the next mass shooting in the USA will take place.
The writing has some really funny parts (which feels odd to say, given the subject matter), as well as some heavier and thought-provoking moments relating to gun ownership, shooter profiling, and actual mass shootings.
I look forward to Trevor's next book.
July 29, 2023
Given the state of gun culture in the States at the moment, a novel full of gallows humour about it might seem a bit confronting, but Houser manages to endear the reader with Prumont’s hard luck and self-deprecation. This is a challenging and surprising read, and I devoured it in a single sitting.
My full review of The Prumont Method is up now on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
My full review of The Prumont Method is up now on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
September 18, 2023
I knew from the description provided by the publisher that this would be a quirky and unusual read. It is not often that one encounters a main character of Roger Prumont’s type: a recently divorced, 55-year-old former healthcare marketing professional who’s devised a method for predicting mass shootings. The topic is a sensitive one and I was curious as to how the author, Trevor Houser, would deal with it. I read the first five chapters only to discover that it was largely through sardonic humour that didn’t strike me as funny in the least, musings from the main character about the mathematicians who’ve inspired his method, and descriptions of some of the motels and towns he’s stayed in as he has carried out his investigations and refined his method. There are also a lot of recipes for cocktails—yes, Roger is a cocktail aficionado. I’m sorry to report that I found the whole thing incredibly dull and tedious. Perhaps this novel improves. Perhaps this novel would appeal to someone with a sense of humour like the author’s. Perhaps there’s an ideal reader somewhere out there. That someone wasn’t me.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC. The novel and I were not a good match, and I was unable to complete it.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC. The novel and I were not a good match, and I was unable to complete it.
May 9, 2023
Trevor J. Houser's Roger (“Rog”) Prumont is a man obsessed. His obsession: trying to perfect his new mathematical formula that could, ultimately, put an end to gun violence in America. “The Prumont Method” could very well predict future mass shootings in America, and thereby prevent them from happening, and thereby make Roger’s daughter proud of him, because otherwise his life - in his own mind - will not have been worth the pencils used to etch out said formula.
The trigger that seems to jumpstart Roger’s odyssey towards potential martyrdom was his wife’s indiscretion, confessed to him during his fifty-fifth birthday party, no less. The trajectory of his life was running off-kilter for other reasons as well, as the reader will discover, but his beloved’s affair seems to have metaphorically discharged the gun.
The reader is taken on a journey narrated by Roger, as he hits the highways and roadside motels of America, following the algorithms of his “Method” (he may call it “The Prumont Method” but he’s not 100 per cent sure yet) hoping to finally arrive accurately at the next “Trigger Event,” perhaps in time to save a few people and then, with any luck, die.
Roger is a highly intelligent man, with an affinity for math – a math nerd, one could say. He might even be a genius. His mind rolls through data and memories of happier times as quickly as an accountant taps away at a calculator. The book is written that way, too - in short bursts - perhaps intentionally mimicking the way Roger’s restless mind works. Peppered throughout, are recipes for all the alcoholic beverages our (arguably unstable) protagonist consumes at any given hour of the day, along with his thoughts on the best wording for his own pending obituary.
Regardless, Roger is a friendly guy, if lonely, and he makes a friend or two on his unpredictable quest to find predictability. Eventually, his 22-year-old journalist daughter shows up at his motel doorstep, which only adds to the novel’s alternatingly dry and punchy humour.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and the way it unfolded. It reminds me of a Coen Brothers film. Dark humour is used skilfully, yet sensitively, to address a serious and poignant topic that haunts America: gun violence. By creating a fictional character such as Roger Prumont, who essentially sailed through life up until his mid-fifties on a clear, sunny ocean of love, marriage, child and steady job, only to get swept up in a storm of personal dilemmas, Houser has created a fairly likeable protagonist, despite his neurotic penchant for statistics, historical mathematical geniuses, cocktails in the morning and the psychoses of gun-wielding madmen. He successfully marries fact with fiction in a fresh, creative way and builds empathy for Roger, who once came so close to proving his own theory, that he was left traumatized, and understandably haunted, by the thought of his own daughter being a potential victim of gun violence.
There were moments throughout the story where I felt like I needed to research the names of the famous mathematicians mentioned, as I was not familiar with them, and therefore could not relate to the humour as much as I would have liked. But that isn't necessarily such a bad thing; a book that inspires one to read more on a topic.
Ultimately, I was left wondering, if a mathematical theory could predict the next gun massacre in America, how would that play out? How would the inventor of that formula go about convincing authorities of its validity, without looking like an insane person? It’s also disconcerting to even think about “the next gun massacre.” But that is the sad state of America that Houser has boldly laid open for the reader to examine.
In the wake of that stark reality so vividly painted by Houser, I was also left with another message, so poignant in its simplicity and grace: we should never underestimate the power of love and connection in our lives.
I’d recommend this book to lovers of that kind of intelligent, darkly comic fiction that holds a mirror up to society (in this case, American), daring the reader to take a closer look. I would most definitely buy the movie ticket.
Thank you NetGalley and Unsolicited Press for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
The trigger that seems to jumpstart Roger’s odyssey towards potential martyrdom was his wife’s indiscretion, confessed to him during his fifty-fifth birthday party, no less. The trajectory of his life was running off-kilter for other reasons as well, as the reader will discover, but his beloved’s affair seems to have metaphorically discharged the gun.
The reader is taken on a journey narrated by Roger, as he hits the highways and roadside motels of America, following the algorithms of his “Method” (he may call it “The Prumont Method” but he’s not 100 per cent sure yet) hoping to finally arrive accurately at the next “Trigger Event,” perhaps in time to save a few people and then, with any luck, die.
Roger is a highly intelligent man, with an affinity for math – a math nerd, one could say. He might even be a genius. His mind rolls through data and memories of happier times as quickly as an accountant taps away at a calculator. The book is written that way, too - in short bursts - perhaps intentionally mimicking the way Roger’s restless mind works. Peppered throughout, are recipes for all the alcoholic beverages our (arguably unstable) protagonist consumes at any given hour of the day, along with his thoughts on the best wording for his own pending obituary.
Regardless, Roger is a friendly guy, if lonely, and he makes a friend or two on his unpredictable quest to find predictability. Eventually, his 22-year-old journalist daughter shows up at his motel doorstep, which only adds to the novel’s alternatingly dry and punchy humour.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and the way it unfolded. It reminds me of a Coen Brothers film. Dark humour is used skilfully, yet sensitively, to address a serious and poignant topic that haunts America: gun violence. By creating a fictional character such as Roger Prumont, who essentially sailed through life up until his mid-fifties on a clear, sunny ocean of love, marriage, child and steady job, only to get swept up in a storm of personal dilemmas, Houser has created a fairly likeable protagonist, despite his neurotic penchant for statistics, historical mathematical geniuses, cocktails in the morning and the psychoses of gun-wielding madmen. He successfully marries fact with fiction in a fresh, creative way and builds empathy for Roger, who once came so close to proving his own theory, that he was left traumatized, and understandably haunted, by the thought of his own daughter being a potential victim of gun violence.
There were moments throughout the story where I felt like I needed to research the names of the famous mathematicians mentioned, as I was not familiar with them, and therefore could not relate to the humour as much as I would have liked. But that isn't necessarily such a bad thing; a book that inspires one to read more on a topic.
Ultimately, I was left wondering, if a mathematical theory could predict the next gun massacre in America, how would that play out? How would the inventor of that formula go about convincing authorities of its validity, without looking like an insane person? It’s also disconcerting to even think about “the next gun massacre.” But that is the sad state of America that Houser has boldly laid open for the reader to examine.
In the wake of that stark reality so vividly painted by Houser, I was also left with another message, so poignant in its simplicity and grace: we should never underestimate the power of love and connection in our lives.
I’d recommend this book to lovers of that kind of intelligent, darkly comic fiction that holds a mirror up to society (in this case, American), daring the reader to take a closer look. I would most definitely buy the movie ticket.
Thank you NetGalley and Unsolicited Press for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
August 11, 2023
Reviewed for The Masters Review:
https://mastersreview.com/book-review...
https://mastersreview.com/book-review...
October 10, 2023
Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of this novel to read and review.
This was an exceptionally unique novel, from an author with a very personal style, that touched on a number of timely and important topics. The structure of the novel is unusual, with a number of seemingly random vignettes, which often felt as though they were thrown together, but ultimately tied together nicely to tell various strands of the story of this family and social ills uniquely faced in modern America.
The only thing keeping this from another star is that a couple of the more "personal" story lines, particularly one of the factors contributing to the main character's decision making, which is hinted at throughout and finally disclosed towards the end, and the relationship between the main character and his wife, were not as fully fleshed out to me as the primary social/sociological story lines. For such a short novel, and with the unique style of the novel, there was a lot to fit into a short story. This novel could have been longer, and fleshed certain things out more thoroughly, or shorter and maybe gone with one or two stressors fewer for the protagonist. Overall, absolutely a valuable read that left me with much to think about.
This was an exceptionally unique novel, from an author with a very personal style, that touched on a number of timely and important topics. The structure of the novel is unusual, with a number of seemingly random vignettes, which often felt as though they were thrown together, but ultimately tied together nicely to tell various strands of the story of this family and social ills uniquely faced in modern America.
The only thing keeping this from another star is that a couple of the more "personal" story lines, particularly one of the factors contributing to the main character's decision making, which is hinted at throughout and finally disclosed towards the end, and the relationship between the main character and his wife, were not as fully fleshed out to me as the primary social/sociological story lines. For such a short novel, and with the unique style of the novel, there was a lot to fit into a short story. This novel could have been longer, and fleshed certain things out more thoroughly, or shorter and maybe gone with one or two stressors fewer for the protagonist. Overall, absolutely a valuable read that left me with much to think about.
May 10, 2023
Once I stopped swooning over this gorgeous cover, I was delighted to find out that "The Prumont Method" is as much fun on the inside as it is on the outside. Totally not what I expected from the description, this book surprised me at every turn. The writing style is impressive, taking me back to the Alain de Botton novels of my college days. This book was so different from my normal popcorn thriller reads that I felt like I was wandering through a new city as I read, marveling at the language, the characters, the story as it unfolded. Houser manages to make mass shootings and a depressed, suicidal divorced dad into something cozy and darkly funny. Five stars for the book, and infinite stars for the cover artist!
December 19, 2023
Trevor J Houser is an outstanding writer that delivers a powerful and original book that I loved so much, with emotional acuity, admirable bravery, utter compassion and complete understanding this has put me on the edge of my seat and it has captivated my heart and brain with fascinating, clever and funny characters!
.
A challenging subject handled with honesty, grace, humor, dignity and most of all, love! This is a tough book that sparkles with wit, wisdom and it is fully realized! Roger is a compulsive character that loves numbers and statistics, and his new formula is a very interesting one that predicts where the next mass shooting will happen! Trevor has written about a very delicate topic and he masterfully explores tough moments with touches of humor!
.
In a literary landscape where gripping tales of tragedy often leave readers emotionally drained, "THE PRUMONT METHOD" dares to venture into the unexplored territory of a mass shooting, gun violence, and the haunting aftermath. However, what sets this exceptional work apart is its masterful blend of dark humor, intelligent storytelling, and the redemptive power of love!
.
At the center of this multifaceted plot is a brilliant and eccentric math nerd main character, whose unconventional mind sees patterns and connections that elude others. His gift becomes a curse when he stumbles upon unexpected predictions, foretelling horrific massacres! The book has surpassed all my expectations and it earns a well-deserved 5 star rating!
.
A challenging subject handled with honesty, grace, humor, dignity and most of all, love! This is a tough book that sparkles with wit, wisdom and it is fully realized! Roger is a compulsive character that loves numbers and statistics, and his new formula is a very interesting one that predicts where the next mass shooting will happen! Trevor has written about a very delicate topic and he masterfully explores tough moments with touches of humor!
.
In a literary landscape where gripping tales of tragedy often leave readers emotionally drained, "THE PRUMONT METHOD" dares to venture into the unexplored territory of a mass shooting, gun violence, and the haunting aftermath. However, what sets this exceptional work apart is its masterful blend of dark humor, intelligent storytelling, and the redemptive power of love!
.
At the center of this multifaceted plot is a brilliant and eccentric math nerd main character, whose unconventional mind sees patterns and connections that elude others. His gift becomes a curse when he stumbles upon unexpected predictions, foretelling horrific massacres! The book has surpassed all my expectations and it earns a well-deserved 5 star rating!
June 29, 2023
The Prumont Method is a superbly well written, insightful and at times very funny, this is a novel that addresses many of the problems of our present time! The fragmented structure of thr writing will be off-putting to mang readers! Each passage has a finely honed edge and gets an emotional response from you!
.
If I could describe this book with three words it would definitely be - FUNNY, DARK and RELATABLE! It is a profoundly individual exploration of mas shooting, collapsing marriage and preventing tragedies, the book is written the way that life unfolds, the topics that the Author has blended are very powerful and honest and hard to swallow!
.
I was captivated by this book, from the synopsis I knew that this will top everything I've read this Year, THE PRUMONT METHOD is highly gripping with a mastermind plot that contributes to a broader understanding! This was a 5 stars read and definitely my favorite from this Year!
.
If I could describe this book with three words it would definitely be - FUNNY, DARK and RELATABLE! It is a profoundly individual exploration of mas shooting, collapsing marriage and preventing tragedies, the book is written the way that life unfolds, the topics that the Author has blended are very powerful and honest and hard to swallow!
.
I was captivated by this book, from the synopsis I knew that this will top everything I've read this Year, THE PRUMONT METHOD is highly gripping with a mastermind plot that contributes to a broader understanding! This was a 5 stars read and definitely my favorite from this Year!
August 21, 2023
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free ebook copy of this work. This review is my honest opinion.
From simply looking at the cover of THE PRUMONT METHOD by Trevor J. Houser, I knew I wanted to read the book. The gun-shaped swimming pool immediately brought to my mind thoughts of the novel THE GREAT GATSBY and the 1950 film SUNSET BOULEVARD. Then I read the description, realized the fiction would be about gun violence, and realized what a tough topic that would be for an author to tackle. Luckily, the author found the right balance to not only present a believable and enjoyable story, but also managed to provide the type of humor I like to see in my reading. I also like it when a novel causes me to reflect on our society today.
I highly recommend this work, which I would classify as literary fiction. It’s worth your time and may send your mind spinning in fun ways.
From simply looking at the cover of THE PRUMONT METHOD by Trevor J. Houser, I knew I wanted to read the book. The gun-shaped swimming pool immediately brought to my mind thoughts of the novel THE GREAT GATSBY and the 1950 film SUNSET BOULEVARD. Then I read the description, realized the fiction would be about gun violence, and realized what a tough topic that would be for an author to tackle. Luckily, the author found the right balance to not only present a believable and enjoyable story, but also managed to provide the type of humor I like to see in my reading. I also like it when a novel causes me to reflect on our society today.
I highly recommend this work, which I would classify as literary fiction. It’s worth your time and may send your mind spinning in fun ways.
August 13, 2023
The Prumont Method by Trevor J House. Thanks to @mindbuckmedia for the gifted copy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Roger Prumont has thought of himself as a mediocre man, especially lately given he’s been fired and his wife cheated on him. While playing with numbers, he creates the Prumont Method, which allows him to predict when and where the next mass shooting will be.
This was a fast and meaningful read that I had a hard time putting down. I really liked the main character and his perspective. He was wry and funny, despite the grimness of the story and mission. There were a lot of details about past American tragedies, which were true and inspired a few wiki-holes for me.
“How did the 20th century produce so many great mathematicians and so many genocidists at the same time?”
The Prumont Method comes out 8/15.
Roger Prumont has thought of himself as a mediocre man, especially lately given he’s been fired and his wife cheated on him. While playing with numbers, he creates the Prumont Method, which allows him to predict when and where the next mass shooting will be.
This was a fast and meaningful read that I had a hard time putting down. I really liked the main character and his perspective. He was wry and funny, despite the grimness of the story and mission. There were a lot of details about past American tragedies, which were true and inspired a few wiki-holes for me.
“How did the 20th century produce so many great mathematicians and so many genocidists at the same time?”
The Prumont Method comes out 8/15.
August 17, 2023
I was surprised by how easy of a read this was, considering the subject matter. Houser’s writing style, breaking chapters up into smaller bits, was refreshing and helped the story move along fairly quickly.
As far as plot and characters go, there were more comical/easy-going bits to break up the serious topic of mass shootings. The MC doesn’t come across too strong and feels pretty relatable, even though I’ve never gone through anything he has. He’s a likeable guy, minus the fact of his bystander-turned-intentional victim mentality. The ending was a bit abrupt, and I typically like my stand-alone books to have some closure, but it’s easy to infer what happened.
This was overall a good, enjoyable read. Quick paced and not much filler material, other than just to get the MCs dedication to perfecting the method.
As far as plot and characters go, there were more comical/easy-going bits to break up the serious topic of mass shootings. The MC doesn’t come across too strong and feels pretty relatable, even though I’ve never gone through anything he has. He’s a likeable guy, minus the fact of his bystander-turned-intentional victim mentality. The ending was a bit abrupt, and I typically like my stand-alone books to have some closure, but it’s easy to infer what happened.
This was overall a good, enjoyable read. Quick paced and not much filler material, other than just to get the MCs dedication to perfecting the method.
December 13, 2023
Someone asked whether I "enjoyed" Trever Houser's latest book. That isn't a word I would use to describe it. Original, certainly. But set as it is in this violent period in the 21st century, it was disconcerting to say the least. It was authentic: As I read I could feel the slip into depression and hopelessness brought on by terminal disease. What would you write if you could produce your own obituary? Would you remember your wife, daughter or your college basketball jones. The desire to leave life more heroically would be strong but we really don't know how this ends (something that was a feature of Trevor's first book, too). It certainly wasn't heaven. It was Iowa.
October 6, 2023
This was such a great read. It dealt with some heavy topics without being depressing. The author did a remarkable job weaving dark humor into a profound, thought provoking read. I’m hoping to convince some friends to read it so I can discuss it, this would make a great book club book!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews