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Jaw Filler
‘They say being a cult leader takes rizz. But you just need to be a good listener.’
When Sean Hastings, (the first) transgender private detective, is asked to investigate the disappearance of Character, he enters the First Trans Commune in Sim World, a virtual reality community imagineered by transfluencer Kevin and bankrolled by VSI, a mysterious tech company.
At VSI, representation matters, which is why Taylor, the token QTPOC face, runs their latest project. Haunted by the death of his cis gayguy college bestie and their shared diasporic dilemmas, Taylor sees potential in Kevin’s ability to Release trauma into the virtual world, while Casey, Sean’s ex, seeks Releasing as the latest Long Plague miracle cure. Then femme fatale Mitchelle reappears, and the plot thickens.
A pulpy neo-noir romp through the anxiously assimilated transmasculine id, Jaw Filler asks: who is VSI, and what do they really want? Can you be your own dad? And if Character’s mind is trapped in Sim World, then where is his body?
When Sean Hastings, (the first) transgender private detective, is asked to investigate the disappearance of Character, he enters the First Trans Commune in Sim World, a virtual reality community imagineered by transfluencer Kevin and bankrolled by VSI, a mysterious tech company.
At VSI, representation matters, which is why Taylor, the token QTPOC face, runs their latest project. Haunted by the death of his cis gayguy college bestie and their shared diasporic dilemmas, Taylor sees potential in Kevin’s ability to Release trauma into the virtual world, while Casey, Sean’s ex, seeks Releasing as the latest Long Plague miracle cure. Then femme fatale Mitchelle reappears, and the plot thickens.
A pulpy neo-noir romp through the anxiously assimilated transmasculine id, Jaw Filler asks: who is VSI, and what do they really want? Can you be your own dad? And if Character’s mind is trapped in Sim World, then where is his body?
349 pages, Paperback
Published November 27, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
December 23, 2025
Devastated to admit that boys are funny. Possibly even as funny as girls.
June 4, 2026
the sticker comparing this to the sluts i think really hurt this reading experience for me. the sluts is goated to me on multiple levels sorry! as is double indemnity for that matter but whatever. this made me witch cackle out loud more than once but all the plot elements were not equally interesting or brought to their full narrative potential imo. still a fun and good read but it kind of started falling apart towards the end once we are in the throes of (plot) climax and twists that were not terribly twisty? at least not to moi. i did have fun i swear
June 24, 2026
This was a lot of fun. It reminded me more of Rant by Chuck Palahniuk then Double Indemnity and the pace was kept frantic throughout; like 5 year olds at a trampoline party. I could have done with a few opportunities to breathe. Also, it was fairly hard to tell the different characters apart. I was about 100 pages in before I could separate their story lines out. I just settled in to enjoy the show rather than getting too hung up in the details.
June 20, 2026
Well I’ve never read a book like this before! It really feels like something very fresh in an old & well trodden genre. A bit slow to start but it really did pick up
July 27, 2026
Self-conscious pulp for the sort of trans kid that has their own Linux build and thinks The Matrix is the greatest movie ever made (it is, but that’s besides the point.) It feels like a slight achievement just how accurately the authors were able to depict this particular subset of trans kid, but aside from their knowledge of the world of the characters, not much else about this novel is impressive.
I don’t understand why authors think they can attempt like six different first-person perspectives without bothering to differentiate the character voices at all. Things like syntax, grammar, slang, dialect, and even punctuation can all be used to differentiate first-person perspectives from one another, and somehow two people never grasped that in the process of writing and revising this. I had this same problem with Negative Space. I don’t think every author that can’t commit to one character perspective is trash, far from it! But if you write multiple first person POVs you have to fully commit to multiple perspectives.
Furthermore, you have to describe characters physically without simply telling people what race they are, and if you depict POC POVs (plenty of white authors who can ably write POC POV, btw) you can’t tiredly establish the authenticity of a character’s race by depicting them making ethnic food with their more ethnic mother! I’m sorry, but I am tired of this trope, across film and literature, there is more to a culture than what it consumes, and cultural values are transmitted between generations in ways other than cooking. I would like to one day, please, see a dialog between an Asian-American character and their mother that isn’t portrayed as an alienating clash of values without resorting to “ally mom” queer parenting archetypes.
This is a very niche book for an audience of probably hundreds of people, so I don’t want to be too harsh. I appreciate the ambition of what the text is trying to achieve. It is just not for me.
I don’t understand why authors think they can attempt like six different first-person perspectives without bothering to differentiate the character voices at all. Things like syntax, grammar, slang, dialect, and even punctuation can all be used to differentiate first-person perspectives from one another, and somehow two people never grasped that in the process of writing and revising this. I had this same problem with Negative Space. I don’t think every author that can’t commit to one character perspective is trash, far from it! But if you write multiple first person POVs you have to fully commit to multiple perspectives.
Furthermore, you have to describe characters physically without simply telling people what race they are, and if you depict POC POVs (plenty of white authors who can ably write POC POV, btw) you can’t tiredly establish the authenticity of a character’s race by depicting them making ethnic food with their more ethnic mother! I’m sorry, but I am tired of this trope, across film and literature, there is more to a culture than what it consumes, and cultural values are transmitted between generations in ways other than cooking. I would like to one day, please, see a dialog between an Asian-American character and their mother that isn’t portrayed as an alienating clash of values without resorting to “ally mom” queer parenting archetypes.
This is a very niche book for an audience of probably hundreds of people, so I don’t want to be too harsh. I appreciate the ambition of what the text is trying to achieve. It is just not for me.
September 13, 2026
I actually can’t recommend this book enough- it’s WHACK
May 22, 2026
This wasn't uncommon in my line of work. A lot of trans people who "disappeared" were just trying to live their life somewhere new. Although the new place wasn't usually a virtual reality Sim World set up by a himbo transfluencer.
Jaw Filler is co-authored by Maz Murray and Charlie Markbreiter.
This is the May 2026 book from the highly recommended Republic of Consciousness Book of the Month club, which raises funds that support the UKs most exciting annual book prize, the Queen Mary Small Press Fiction Prize, as well as showcasing a collection of books from the vibrant small independent press scene.
This book is published by Montez Press, recently profiled in The Guardian - see their self-introduction below.
One of the blurbs for this novel - also reproduced as a sticker on the front cover - is from Macy Rodman and reads ‘It’s like The Sluts meets Double Indemnity but everyone is trans. I had an absolute blast,’ which is a good description of an at-times bewildering novel, a pulp noir detective thriller through a transmasculine lens, set in a digital as well as real word dominated by influencers and big corporates. The co-author's own take on the work can be found at Dazed Digital.
If you make yourself essential, then they can never cut you out. That had been my mindset going into VSI. Not that I thought it would last forever. But I did think I could milk it for all it was worth. In the end, of course, the opposite was true.
"We're moving into a new era for the company," said Enrique. "We're rolling back the DEI initiative, cutting the fat... it's nothing personal."
"It feels personal."
"Well maybe you should've thought of that before you started fucking your acquisition."
I wasn't always sure what I was reading but I enjoyed the experience.
Montez Press
Over the past decade, Montez Press has established itself at the forefront of artist-led publishing, queering the canon and championing experimental, speculative and autofictional writing. We publish artists’ work in multiple forms: novels, periodicals, monographs and digital projects, underpinning this with development grants, residencies and long-term professional support. Our programme operates at the intersection of artistic practice and queer and feminist thought. We prioritise process-driven publications and sustained creative growth, supporting overlooked and subcultural practitioners whose work challenges formal, disciplinary and institutional boundaries. Publishing, for us, is a means of resourcing artists over time. Founded as a DIY response to the conservatism of mainstream publishing, Montez Press began as a project initiated by Goldsmiths students during an exchange at HFBK Hamburg. What started as a student-led intervention evolved into a transnational operation working across the UK, Germany and the US, maintaining a commitment to autonomy and experimentation. The name “Montez” references a lineage of defiant cultural figures — Lola Montez, Maria Montez and Mario Montez — whose legacies of self-determination, theatricality and queer performance inform our ethos. Today, Montez Press operates across print, live performance and broadcast through our integrated public programme and partner radio platform, Montez Press Radio. By pooling resources across these strands, we direct funding and production support straight to artists and cultural producers, building cross-disciplinary infrastructure and expanding what contemporary publishing can be.
Jaw Filler is co-authored by Maz Murray and Charlie Markbreiter.
This is the May 2026 book from the highly recommended Republic of Consciousness Book of the Month club, which raises funds that support the UKs most exciting annual book prize, the Queen Mary Small Press Fiction Prize, as well as showcasing a collection of books from the vibrant small independent press scene.
This book is published by Montez Press, recently profiled in The Guardian - see their self-introduction below.
One of the blurbs for this novel - also reproduced as a sticker on the front cover - is from Macy Rodman and reads ‘It’s like The Sluts meets Double Indemnity but everyone is trans. I had an absolute blast,’ which is a good description of an at-times bewildering novel, a pulp noir detective thriller through a transmasculine lens, set in a digital as well as real word dominated by influencers and big corporates. The co-author's own take on the work can be found at Dazed Digital.
If you make yourself essential, then they can never cut you out. That had been my mindset going into VSI. Not that I thought it would last forever. But I did think I could milk it for all it was worth. In the end, of course, the opposite was true.
"We're moving into a new era for the company," said Enrique. "We're rolling back the DEI initiative, cutting the fat... it's nothing personal."
"It feels personal."
"Well maybe you should've thought of that before you started fucking your acquisition."
I wasn't always sure what I was reading but I enjoyed the experience.
Montez Press
Over the past decade, Montez Press has established itself at the forefront of artist-led publishing, queering the canon and championing experimental, speculative and autofictional writing. We publish artists’ work in multiple forms: novels, periodicals, monographs and digital projects, underpinning this with development grants, residencies and long-term professional support. Our programme operates at the intersection of artistic practice and queer and feminist thought. We prioritise process-driven publications and sustained creative growth, supporting overlooked and subcultural practitioners whose work challenges formal, disciplinary and institutional boundaries. Publishing, for us, is a means of resourcing artists over time. Founded as a DIY response to the conservatism of mainstream publishing, Montez Press began as a project initiated by Goldsmiths students during an exchange at HFBK Hamburg. What started as a student-led intervention evolved into a transnational operation working across the UK, Germany and the US, maintaining a commitment to autonomy and experimentation. The name “Montez” references a lineage of defiant cultural figures — Lola Montez, Maria Montez and Mario Montez — whose legacies of self-determination, theatricality and queer performance inform our ethos. Today, Montez Press operates across print, live performance and broadcast through our integrated public programme and partner radio platform, Montez Press Radio. By pooling resources across these strands, we direct funding and production support straight to artists and cultural producers, building cross-disciplinary infrastructure and expanding what contemporary publishing can be.
June 16, 2026
It was refreshing reading a novel where most of the main characters are each a different flavor of 'dysfunctional transmasc you've had the misfortune of encountering online,' and seeing the drama that entails as the mystery unfolds. Despite how wild this book can get, it feels surprisingly grounded in contemporary trans experience (both online and in real life) in a way that I don't frequently read. Definitely a bit of a niche novel, but a very fun one that strikes a good balance of campiness, satire, and intrigue!
June 22, 2026
neuromancer meets the maltese falcon meets transmasc twitter which is objectively hilarious but there was just a little too much going on… i was convinced the reason almost every pov character was a dude would end up being a clever commentary on transmisogyny but no there was just one woman and that was it. all this said i had a good time and i enjoyed this take on online trans spaces and why they’re Like That
September 8, 2026
The pacing in this one didn't work for me, it was a bit feverish and scattered in a way that is cool but I just couldn't process in a way that meant I enjoyed the reading experience. It gets an extra star from me for pushing the boundaries of a genre that has become a bit downtrodden and repetitive.
July 28, 2026
weird, insane, trans-everything but especially -sexual, balls to the wall and pussy kicked up it . i lived laughed loved every second but tbf i am also the ideal target audience; would recommend to other niche internet ex-microcelebrities and recovering doxxers
Read
April 22, 2026made me laugh out loud
April 23, 2026
Extra 0.5 star for my fav song off of The Fame Monster
May 29, 2026
Chills from start to finish. Up until this point I have only come across transfem spec fiction, and the character perspectives in this book were so interesting and engaging. Will definitely reread.
June 5, 2026
A couple of steps away from what I could make sense of, and I’m not a fan of either pulp detective or cyberpunk which this reminded me of. I’m sure it will have its fervent audience
Read
June 15, 2026I wasn’t sure for at least the first 100 pages but something kept me going which is unusual for me. glad i stuck w it tho
September 6, 2026
another gd BANGER
September 16, 2026
3,5/5 voor mij. Super fun, grappig, weird, ... maar er blijft veel onontgonnen. Had langer mogen zijn of een vervolg mogen hebben. Super benieuwd naar nieuw werk van deze schriversss
October 2, 2026
I co-wrote this book so I kind of have to love it. I think I do love it though.
June 20, 2026
A really really effective weird. Thoroughly enjoyable.
July 24, 2026
I wanted so badly to get into this but never really got into or understood the mechanics of the world the author created, I still chuckled tho at the story and loved the characters. I think it was the constantly switching perspectives that was tough for me personally. Would totally read another by this author and haven't read anything like this story
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews