The Evil Men's Book Club

by T.C. Schueler

It’s November 1998. The beginnings of Y2K paranoia have gripped the nation, and uprisings long-thought dead in South America threaten to spill over into the United States . . .

But these concerns don’t phase the members of the Evil Men’s Book Club, an off-color fellowship formed by buddies Trevor Pug and Loo Spicotti. The rules are select an “evil” book and convene at a bar. That’s it. Reading is optional—drinking is not.

It’s Saturday night and Trevor’s troupe of lightweight literati have again gathered at their favorite Silver Spring watering hole to sling insults and make puns. While dissecting this month’s dark reading selection, seven friends are accosted by a desperate vagrant the locals know as Prophet. When the knuckleheads rebuke the man for panhandling, Prophet curses

You’re gonna get arrested . . . lose your jobs . . .
your women are gonna go bad . . . then you’re gonna die!

It is the homeless man himself who is found dead the next day—a tragic happenstance, surely, but is there more? One by one, the club members find out as their lives begin “going south.” It starts with an accident, alcoholism, and a funeral. Unseemly dreams begin and soon after careers are ruined, friendships severed, and secrets exposed. Then the untimely deaths start.

Behind it all is a crazy mix of bikers, guerilla warfare, old money, gunrunning, extortion, cultism, kidnapping, PTSD—even St. Nick! Curious? Come to a meeting to find out more.

603 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 18, 2024

About the author

T. C. Schueler lives with his family in Cary, NC, where he works as an environmental engineer overseeing wetland and stream projects to enhance natural habitat. He is originally from the Chesapeake Bay area, having been raised just outside Washington, DC and is an avid reader, particularly of supernatural and paranormal books. 22 Dutch Road is his first novel.

Reviews

[Reader Views · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Evil Men’s Book Club” by T.C. Schueler is a quirky novel that will fascinate and amuse its readers. It’s the late 1990s and Y2K is looming; Trevor, one of the founders of the EMBC, a book club for men that only reads books men like, is late. He’s almost at the bar to meet his friends when he hears a violent scuffle and witnesses what appears to be a murder. Meanwhile, Trevor’s friends at the bar have just been rattled by “Prophet,” a homeless man they refused to buy a drink. According to Prophet’s curse, the men in the EMBC will lose their jobs, their wives, and their lives. At first, they brush off the curse as the ramblings of a lunatic, but when mysterious things start happening to each of the cursed men, including deaths, they quickly change their tune.

I don’t think I’ve ever read a book more original than this one. I couldn’t have guessed the types of characters I would encounter in this novel and for that, I’m glad. It added to the enjoyment as I just settled in for the ride. Some of these men have some very bizarre and unusual hobbies. Others have been struggling to overcome past traumas. As the book unfolded, each man’s story interweaved with the others like a sort of tapestry. It’s pretty rare to find a writer with the ability to do this practically flawlessly, but T.C. Schueler seems to be that exception.

The author manages to write about some pretty controversial stuff without being either too descriptive or not descriptive enough. As a reader, you get the implications without needing more to be said, so the author is an effective communicator and storyteller. Each of the EMBC men is interesting in his own way. I never felt bored or upset when the story switched to another man’s story since each of them was crafted in such a way as to make him either more interesting, weird, or entertaining than the last. I would hate to give away any of the surprises since finding out what each of the EMBC members has been hiding from each other is part of the fun. All I can really say is it’s probably not what you’d expect in most cases.

Additionally, this book can be pretty funny! I was often amused by what I was reading because it’s sometimes ridiculous but in the best way possible. At other times, I was gripped by the uncertainty of what might happen as revelations came out and trust was betrayed. This book hit all the marks for me. It is good literature, which is hard to find these days.

I wouldn’t classify this book as political, but the author does approach politics from the perspectives of the characters. They go about as far right and as far left as you can imagine, but the author does so without casting judgment or criticism on either side; the characters just exist as they are for the purpose of being who they are. The author and we as readers are just observing them, which is pretty refreshing in a world that has been polarized by differing opinions, particularly of late. One of my favorite parts had to do with Christmas lights, and that’s all I’ll say about that!

I honestly don’t know who to recommend this book to. I read it because I liked the writing style; it’s wonderful prose and ended up entertaining me more than I could guess. I suppose if you want a well-written, absurdist, interesting, off-beat book that is also exceptionally well-written, “The Evil Men’s Book Club” is for you. And unlike the books the men read, you don’t have to be a man to enjoy this one!

[Felina Pittman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book highlights eight unconventional personalities namely Trevor Pug, Loo Spicotti, Darius Kay, Original Ken Ert, Gary Graft, Phillip Gallois, Henry "Splash," Takahashi and Reymond Perkins with their own idiosyncrasies, who formed a tight literary review clique known as "The Evil Men's Book Club." The narrative gains traction when Mark Marks, a destitute alcoholic panhandled for booze in their regular meeting place, a pub called Shorties and got mistreated by the EMBC group. Marks AKA the Prophet who dabbled in fortune-telling, cursed the dudes in return with a dire prediction, that they would face death, lose their jobs and experience marital/relationship strife.

The story picked up steam when the guys realized that the negative augury was starting to manifest and was getting fulfilled. The novel was tempered with a farcical and comical flavor as the author gradually unfolded the numerous controversies and intrigues surrounding their lives. This offbeat fictional tale will not disappoint as fragmented backstories consolidate, come full circle and completely make sense towards the denouement and conclusion.

[Jeff Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Evil Men’s Book Club was an absolutely delicious and unique read. I understand that there really is an Evil Men’s Book Club and that this book is based on a ‘true story’ – fabulous. But that’s a story for a later time. Maybe even a movie based on the ‘true story.’ In the book, the requirements for membership are: be evil (tongue in cheek), select an evil book and come to the bar. That’s it. Reading is optional—drinking beer is not. So what kind of evil men? Why - bikers, guerilla warfare, old money, gunrunning, extortion, cultism, kidnapping, PTSD—even St. Nick. This is all presented in great fun and added real enjoyment to the story. What I particularly liked in this read was the dialog and Schueler’s ability to tell the story through dialog rather than describing the scene and action. Loo Spicotti said, ‘Don’t hit that man.’ Rather than Spicotti tried to stop them from fighting. Excellent. I may read it again just for the dialog.

[Samantha Robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Evil Men's Book Club" is a darkly comedic novel set in the late 1990s, where a group of friends forms a book club dedicated to reading "evil" books, with reading optional but drinking mandatory. Their lighthearted gatherings take a downwards turn after a homeless man, known as Prophet, curses them, leading to a series of mysterious and tragic events that unravel their lives.

Schueler's writing masterfully balances humor and suspense, creating a narrative that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. The characters are richly developed, each with unique quirks and hidden depths that add layers to the story. The interplay of their personal secrets and the unfolding curse keeps the reader engaged throughout.

The humour in the novel is particularly noteworthy. Schueler employs dark comedy and absurd situations to provide levity amidst the unfolding chaos. I enjoy a book that can have you both amused and pull on your heartstrings.

[Elenor Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Starting The Evil Men's Book Club feels like you’re thrown a jumble of characters and plots, and it can be a bit disorienting. But if you stick with it, things start to click into place, and the Rube Goldberg machine that is this book takes shape. The chapters about guerrilla warfare might seem out of left field in a book about a "cursed" men’s book club; but suddenly a domino falls and you see where it perfectly fits to continue driving the story forward. The characters aren’t always easy to like, but they’re all interesting and real. Their flaws make them more engaging, even if you don’t find yourself rooting for everyone.

Overall, The Evil Men's Book Club is worth the read. It might take a little patience at first, but the way the story comes together in the end is both satisfying and memorable.

[Krystalyn Rebelo · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the beginning I was getting lost in all the time jumps and character changes, but once I realized how they all fit together this book was so much more fun to read. It was like reading an episode of the friends, but with a sons of anarchy vibe. A group of men start a book club that meets in a local bar and they really have to start looking at their own lives and actions when they are told of a prophecy by a crazed homeless man! I really enjoyed the character development of everyone in this book, and all of the surprises I learned along the way!
I received an advanced reader copy of this book, to read and share an honesty review.

[Anne Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started this book, I thought there would be too many storylines and characters to keep track of. I have never been more wrong! Schueler manages to create a unique and endearing storyline for each member of the EMBC, keeping the reader engaged and on the edge of their seat. This is a story of friendship, curses, love, heartbreak, and the power of perseverance, all with a dash of humor. A must read!

[Vin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this down. So much I want to say but I will limit this to what I loved and the one thing I did not.
Loved:
I loved the quirky nature of this one. You don't find this kind of uniqueness every day. The Christmas lights.....genius.

Not so much:
The time jumps worked. i like how it was all inter connected. I just felt like this one might turn off some readers at the same time due to it. So if that's not your thing......skip.

[Roberta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well definitely a quirky read. I’ll be honest, I did put it down the first time I started reading it, it seemed like a jumble at the beginning, lots going on all at once, but as the story went on it captivated me and I couldn’t put it down and eagerly awaited what would happen next. Definitely a unique bunch of men that’ll entertain from cover to cover

[Myra McCulloch · Rating 4 out of 5]

A free book from Voracious Readers thank you

A quirky story of a group of men who meet for book club with odd rules.

In the beginning it reads like a mish mash of characters and happenings however as the story unfolds with some chilling moments, original characters, and boom! plot twists it is a good read

[Sara Carver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. This book is crazy. In a good way. The story goes off in different directions but in the end it all comes together. The characters are so well written. Each with their own unique story. The writing style is very good. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. When it ended I was wishing for more. This is a new to me author, I look forward to my next read from them.

[M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read!

Read this book on a whim, LOVED it. This is one of those books you can come back to in your library when you need a great read but can't figure out exactly what. So many twists and turns, it was great!