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Necessary Evils

Villains & Vigilantes: A Necessary Evils Anthology

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Trick. Treat. Take out the trash.

Welcome to the most unhinged Mulvaney party yet. The costumes are couture, the littles are under lock and key, and the ultimate villain is about to get exactly what she deserves.

What starts as a Halloween gala turns into a house-wide hunt as the Mulvaneys, Jericho’s Boys, and the men of Elite close ranks to end a monster’s reign for good. One brother takes a hit but refuses to stay down. Asa proves why psychopaths deliver the sweetest revenge. Mac and Archer demonstrate exactly what they teach at the Watch. Jericho, Atticus, Lucas, and August bond over a little creative torture. And in the heart of Aiden’s workshop, a righteous invention guarantees permanent justice.

Between traps, taunts, and vigilante vows, this anthology serves dark humor, feral family, and heat—plus bonus stories from the night before the party and an exclusive masked hook-up that lights the fuse for a future Jericho’s Boys couple. Cameos abound, couples get spooky and spicy, and the Mulvaney littles prove the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Perfect for readers who crave found family with teeth, Villains & Vigilantes delivers a cathartic, high-octane coda to a long-running evil—and a reminder that when the Mulvaneys say they’ll keep you safe, they mean it.

304 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 5, 2025

157 people are currently reading
202 people want to read

About the author

Onley James

42 books3,782 followers
Onley James lives in North Carolina with her daughter, her daughter-in-law, son-in-law, and a menagerie of animals, both good and evil. James splits her time between writing m/m romance and mainlining dangerous levels of caffeine and attempting to maintain her ever-slipping sanity.

When not at her desk you can find her whining about how much writing she has to do while avoiding said writing by binge-watching unhealthy amounts of television and doom scrolling on social media. She loves true crime documentaries, anti-heroes, and writing kinky, snarky books about morally gray men who fall in love with other men.

Stay up to date: www.onleyjames.com/newsletter

Find me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Onley...

Want more: linktr.ee/OnleyJames

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
Profile Image for Lilibet Bombshell.
1,072 reviews112 followers
December 7, 2025
Villains & Vigilantes is the second anthology of Necessary Evils short stories Onley James has compiled and published since the series officially ended. These stories were only previously available to be read if you were a subscriber to her Patreon. While the first anthology, Families & Felonies, focused mainly on the events surrounding a family BBQ weekend at the Mulvaney compound, this anthology focuses on an extra-special Halloween party Thomas is hosting with the theme being (of course) villains and vigilantes. It’s such an on-the-nose dad joke from Thomas it makes me giggle.

My favorite story is definitely the second one, titled “The Exorcism”, in which August and Lucas’ daughters get into trouble with the nuns at St. Agnes’ for very accurate playacting, brilliant resourcefulness, and eating too many communion wafers. After that, the story that opens the anthology, “The Phone Call”, made me feel like being hugged with the Necessary Evils form of nostalgia. It pointed at both the past and the future of the Mulvaney clan, and I will never pass up a story told through Noah’s eyes because he’s a honey peach sugar plum.

After those first two stories each one moves sequentially toward the Halloween party, through the party, and to the end before hitting what could be considered four stories tangentially connected to the events of this anthology.

The thing I love the most about the Necessary Evils is how all of these men (even Thomas) were born to bad people or bad situations, so they clawed their way to the best people and made them their family with blood and loyalty. You know how the saying goes that the blood of the covenant is stronger than the water of the womb? That’s what it is about the Mulvaneys. Their covenant to one another is soaked in so much blood nothing could ever wash it away. The loyalty runs so deep that almost everyone they touch becomes a communal Mulvaney, even if just by association. Give a Mulvaney an inch and they’ll take ten miles and not even act like they’re sorry for showing you what their new supercar can do. 4⭐️


File Under: Romance Anthology/Dark Comedy/Disability Rep/Dark Romance/Gay Romance/LGBTQ Romance/MM Romance/Psychological Romance/Spice Level 3/Age Gap/Billionaire Romance/Forbidden Romance/Found Family/Kink Friendly/Morally Gray/Vigilantes
Profile Image for Barbara.
397 reviews25 followers
December 7, 2025
Kocham rodzinę Mulvaney - zarówno tę oryginalną, ich partnerów i wszystkich, którzy dołączyli do niej na przestrzeni lat. Onley James stworzyła swoje uniwersum i mogę czytać jej książki w nieskończoność (co nie znaczy, że czasem też się nie rozczaruję, ekhem, Barbarian...). Ale największą miłością darzę "Necessary Evils", więc ogromnie się ucieszyłam z tej antologii, zwłaszcza że prawie wszystkie opowiadania składają się na wspólną fabułę (plus, możemy dowiedzieć się, czego możemy spodziewać się po dalszych tomach Jericho's Boys").

Cudownie było spotkać wszystkich, zobaczyć, co u nich słychać (i na szczęście nie było za dużo o dzieciach) i w końcu poznać rozwiązanie jednego z problemów. Uwielbiam relacje między bohaterami i i naprawdę mogłabym czytać, i czytać, i czytać o ich interakcjach do znudzenia.

Choć i tak najlepsze są czaty grupowe, popłakałam się ze śmiechu czytając ten zawarty w tym tomie :D (dobrze, dokładnie to jedno zdanie, ale i tak było warto).
Profile Image for Kirsten.
1,919 reviews92 followers
January 3, 2026
Halloween cash grab
from queen of broken promises.
Don't read; won't miss much.
Profile Image for Katelyn .
44 reviews
January 4, 2026
This one was good. I liked the story as well as the switches between the povs.
Profile Image for Jess (scijessreads).
767 reviews12 followers
December 7, 2025
Murdery revenge, Mulvaney-style. With all the snarky banter, spice, and surprisingly emotional psychopaths we’ve come to love from this chaotic family.
Profile Image for Natalie  H.
3,811 reviews30 followers
December 12, 2025
December 2025
Kindle edition

Nice to revisit the family. As always faves were Freckles and Jericho, could always do with more of them. Nice little pass of the baton. Avi felt a little background, the core four have become just that. What a way to go. Ouch. They really don't mess around when it comes to protecting their own. Group chat was fun. Curious about Jordan and Matty and what they've been up to. Interesting pairings.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Roxanna Mascarenas.
251 reviews8 followers
December 11, 2025
Do it again

The Mulvany's are up to their misfits selves for their annual Halloween bash at the homestead and everyone's invited. From Jericho s boys, to a few new faces this one is gonna be epic and its about time for this person to pay the ultimate price.
Profile Image for Theresa Derwin.
1,145 reviews44 followers
January 21, 2026
Halloween Hunt

It's Halloween night and there's a big party planned for the Mulvaney family and their connected families.
This is the one where we finally see what happens to Bev, Zane's mum. It's as dark and fun as you'd expect.
1,382 reviews
December 16, 2025
It is always a delight to spend more time with the Mulvaneys and their sprawling found family of reprobates, but this collection is especially good for its Halloween theme and the core four action.
Profile Image for R.
7 reviews
December 29, 2025
I can't tell if Cree's chapter broke my heart or healed it but either way I need his book IMMEDIATELY!!!! I'm in love.
Profile Image for Abigail Beckwith.
1,699 reviews
December 26, 2025
FINALLY got around to reading the Halloween fun/murder that it "Villains & Vigilantes: A Necessary Evils Anthology." All by fabulous Onley James. It was originally published as a 13-day serial through Onley's newsletter leading up to Halloween.

["Trick. Treat. Take out the trash.

Welcome to the most unhinged Mulvaney party yet. The costumes are couture, the littles are under lock and key, and the ultimate villain is about to get exactly what she deserves.

What starts as a Halloween gala turns into a house-wide hunt as the Mulvaneys, Jericho’s Boys, and the men of Elite close ranks to end a monster’s reign for good. One brother takes a hit but refuses to stay down. Asa proves why psychopaths deliver the sweetest revenge. Mac and Archer demonstrate exactly what they teach at the Watch. Jericho, Atticus, Lucas, and August bond over a little creative torture. And in the heart of Aiden’s workshop, a righteous invention guarantees permanent justice.

Between traps, taunts, and vigilante vows, this anthology serves dark humor, feral family, and heat—plus bonus stories from the night before the party and an exclusive masked hook-up that lights the fuse for a future Jericho’s Boys couple. Cameos abound, couples get spooky and spicy, and the Mulvaney littles prove the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree."]

Another set of short stories that takes place over the course of a day (well a day and a half). I’m obsessed. From the kiddos performing an exorcism in the name of K-Pop Demon Hunter true love to so much filthy spice to family murder time. All of the family, og, partners, big kids, Elite.

Plus some meet-cutes. Which, by the way, WHEN are we getting all of the official stories and HEAs of these Jericho’s boys?!?! Off to finally read Nico’s and Mal’s (then maybe The Watch #2).

Trigger Warnings: Yeah, there's quick a few. The list is rather extensive. If you can imagine it, it's probably rather likely included somewhere in this series.

#unhinged #psycho #moonstruck #damaged #headcase #madman #lunatic #maniac #necessaryevils #necessaryevilsseries #jerichosboys #jerichosboysseries #thewatch #thewatchseries #familyandfelonies #familyandfeloniesanecessaryevilsanthology #villainsandvigilantes #villainsandvigilantesanecessaryevilsanthology #murderandmistletoe #murderandmistletoeanecessaryevilsanthology #onleyjames #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks
360 reviews41 followers
December 15, 2025
Once again, another anthology for Necessary Evils and yet....I'm underwhelmed despite my eagerness to read it.

First issue: This one is probably a personal preference, but it's always weird for me to read about one holiday during another. In this instance, 'tis the Christmas season and yet we're pulled back to Halloween. Don't get me wrong, I love Halloween and it definitely fits with the Mulvaneys, but....maybe release it earlier? Or after Christmas? Like I said, it's probably a me thing.

Second: Again, this one may be me, but there were parts (don't want to say too much, I hate spoilers!!) where it felt like I was missing something. Maybe I am? I don't have a Patreon subscription for Onley James (or anyone, but that's besides the point) and so I don't get to read all the extra stuff released there. Also. Kids. If you're going to include them--hell, if you're going to include Jericho's Boys and people from The Elite and whatever else--maybe write a guide at the beginning so people (like myself) aren't driving themselves insane trying to figure out who goes where and how old they are and wow how long has it been since this couple had their first kid and so on? It was really getting to me.

Third: The last four chapters felt out of place. Aside from the first two "me issues", I really enjoyed the majority of this book. I was so happy to see justice finally served in this case. But, when we get to the last four chapters they didn't really fit. Again, happy to get a bit of background on some characters (again, not spoiling!), but, man oh man this was not the time! The bonus epilogue should've been in place of these. Having more support for after what happened (so hard not to spoil!) should've been discussed. These just felt like filler and I wasn't a fan.

Again, this was fun, but not great. Like I just said, it felt like the last four chapters were tossed in as filler or something, being used to foreshadow books for Jericho's Boys maybe? But, as this is listed under Necessary Evils, it would've been nice to stay on point with them a bit more. I enjoy the Jericho's Boys series, but, this was for Necessary Evils and, yes, I know, they all interconnect and they all work together, yes. BUT....this hunt was deeply personal for some members of the Mulvaneys and the sidetrack in those last chapters....yeah, as you can read, it kind of annoyed me.
Profile Image for Tam.
Author 21 books103 followers
January 11, 2026
This is a combo anthology/novalla. There are a few stand-alone stories with one main story involving everyone:

First is Adam and Noah playing around with a masked costume. Um... knife play. Ack. Not my thing. Adam is insane.

Then a bit of Lucas and August going to the school because their kids caused trouble again.

Then a short with Atticus & Jericho but it's mostly dealing with the kids acting up at school with a bit of bed time fun after. They are not my fave couple and I don't really care about this hoard of little psycopaths they are all raising.

The main story switches around whose story, but it's primarly about Zane and the "core four" as they are apparently called and Thomas and Aiden along with everyone getting some profile. To be honest, this is probably something you should read after you have read ALL of the other books in the interconnecting universe. There were absolutely people I had NO IDEA who they were that you are supposed to know, from the Elite universe and I had read the first Jericho's Boys so I recognized the names but many of them are already paired up here so I was lost as to who was with who and why.

The best part of this was the whole point of the party.

There are then two shorts, one introducing who Maddy is and his hook-up with Lake which is mentioned in the main story (presume they have a book) and Jordan and Cree start having a flirtation, although probably another Boys book? Not sure but at least then I knew who Maddy and Jordan were and how they connected to the family.

So it was fine, but I felt a bit lost at time and there wasn't enough August and Lucas. LOL But they are my faves.
563 reviews1 follower
January 1, 2026
5/5⭐

This was so much fun, it's always nice to come back to the og series that started this obsession for me, the Mulvaney's and their extended family never dissapoints to make me feel warm and giddy. Noah is always going to have a special place in my heart, so naturally I loved reading his chapters. I would like to see more of him being in charge and planning missions, that would be so interesting to see. Also more Felix, because he is a badass bitch and I want to see him being the center of attention. Intrigued to see all the new possible couples that got hinted at in this book, I want it ALL. The message thread chapter was also a fun breather between all the torture happening. I hope these books will never stop coming, because this family has my heart and I need to hear all the new gossips and mundane things happening in their lives. Especially hilarious stories like the exorcism, never thought kids could be so funny but it's the Mulvaney's sooo.
Profile Image for S.R. Harris.
Author 5 books69 followers
December 31, 2025
I love the Mulvaney's, and that includes their extended family. They are my favorite group of psychopath killers.

I must admit that I even though I own the first book in the Jericho Boys' series, I have not read any of them yet. I will be reading them in the upcoming year though.

I was so happy to see that Bev finally gets what she deserves, I never liked her. The "Let's kill Bev game" had me dying. I read that part like a dozen times. Which bring me to the Core Four. I also own Families and Felonies, and I have yet to read it, but now I know that is mostly about the Core Four, I will be reading that ASAP. I am curious as to how they became one couple.

As always, I love reading about one of my favorite families.
Profile Image for Lia Wolfer.
24 reviews
January 19, 2026
I love the Mulvaneys so of course I adored this one!!

I was so excited for what this book is about. I was so Ready for a satisfying ending to a great evil and I was not disappointed. Onley once again shows that monsters come in all shapes and sizes and when they hurt others, they deserve to be destroyed.

Add in the tenderness of each couple caring for each other and the strong found family vibes, this hit me right where I live.

Oh, and of course I’m now obsessed with Latty and Cordon and can’t freaking wait for their books. Literally foaming at the mouth.
Profile Image for Cynthia M Brow.
1,320 reviews18 followers
December 11, 2025
Villains & Vigilantes is A Necessary Evils Anthology. This was a fun story with all the Mulvaney's. It was great to see the family give Zane the end of his tormenter. I loved seeing the little Mulvaney's and the exorcism they did. I just love getting peeks at the family. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who loves this family that Onley James has created for us.
Profile Image for Kristina.
1,129 reviews2 followers
January 7, 2026
I just noticed I forgot to review this!
I got it as an ARC as part of Onley's patreon.
This was a collection of scenes from the POV's of the Mulvaney Clan set on Halloween a few years after the original Necessary Evils series. Such a satisfying conclusion to an ongoing issue that has been plaguing the family since book 4, Headcase.
47 reviews1 follower
January 15, 2026
Not sure

There was a lot to like in this book. It was nice to catch up with the Mulvaney’s and Jericho’s boys but I hated the premise of the book. That was hunting torturing and horribly murdering a single woman who was guilty of psychological abuse. I thought it was completely over the top and horrible.
Profile Image for Kaķis.
287 reviews
January 26, 2026
This is another collection of short stories but I liked this one better than the last one. It has a central plot and we see different povs from different characters from the series. Definitely enjoyable and already intrigued by the new characters introductions. I haven’t read the Jericho’s boys yet so it was interesting seeing so many new characters. Definitely looking forward to the series now.
5 reviews
January 28, 2026
I ABSOLUTELY DEVOURED THIS ONE. Every book of Onley James has been a 5star for me, but this one will have a special place in my heart alwayyyyssss. Loved the way how every single person of the family (THE FAMILY BY CHOICE) loved Zane with such sincerity and wanted to take revenge for him.
WE ALL LOVE YOU ZANEY 🥹🤍🫶.
Profile Image for Alexooo.
931 reviews
December 10, 2025
God, this just reminds me how much I miss this world. This enormous, unhinged, completely nuts family. I hope Onley never stops coming back to this universe. I wish it was way longer so the stories never ended!! 🩷
Profile Image for Jennifer Lavoie.
Author 5 books70 followers
December 11, 2025
perfection.

I don’t know what to say other than perfection. I loved seeing all of the characters interact from all of the series, and it was just hilarious at points. I highlighted so many lines.
Profile Image for Sarah Baines.
1,472 reviews11 followers
December 28, 2025
Poor Zaney😭😭😭

Villains & Vigilantes is absolutely brilliant but oh boy, I really felt sorry for Zane with his pos mother. I've got to admit the kids are absolutely terrifying but I'd love a book where they're all grown up!!
Profile Image for Makepeace.
283 reviews2 followers
January 4, 2026
As always, no spoilers.

THE HALLOWEEN EDITION WE DIDNT KNOW WE NEEDED. Ohhhhhhhhhhh a much needed hunt. It was goddamn epic. The brazen bull. *chefs kiss*. The costumes. Archer being a pirate 🥵 it all was so perfect. I loved it so much. I love this entire psycho family and the murder muppets.
43 reviews
January 10, 2026
Loved It

It is no surprise that once again, Onley James has written an un-put-downable book! I have never found one of hers that I didn't fall in love with. And, I love the Mulvaneys. It was great to get to read more about them. Thank you to the author for an awesome read!
40 reviews1 follower
January 20, 2026
mulvaneys

I loved everything about this book. All the different stories and characters everyone had a moment to shine. I definitely want to see more Mal and his interaction with August, that duo would be incredible and terrifying at the same time.
Profile Image for IAASA.
548 reviews2 followers
December 12, 2025
I’ve read these before as part of onley’s Patreon but still enjoyed rereading!
Profile Image for Jessie (thatchickwithabook).
989 reviews16 followers
December 14, 2025
Really enjoyed this but deducted a star because I skimmed everything Matty/Lake and Cree/Jordan. If they get their own books, great, but I wasn’t really interested in them right now.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews

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