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The Serial Killers Club
When our unlikely hero runs into a murderer, he ends up killing the killer. Then he goes through his attacker's wallet and finds another shocker: an invitation to a party hosted by Errol Flynn. Errol Flynn? Isn't he dead? Intrigued, our hero crashes it - and discovers the Serial Killers Club. Its mission: share thrills and make sure members don't target the same victims. With aliases from old Hollywood, they include "Tallulah Bankhead", "Richard Burton", and soon, "Douglas Fairbanks Jr.", our hero himself. But "Dougie" isn't going to waste the innocent. Instead, he plans to knock off the "stars" one by one. And when they notice their numbers dropping, he'll have to answer a killer question: is he one of them - or not?
303 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 222 reviews
July 19, 2007
I came across this book by accident. I was working at a job that stressed me out so I would go and get gelato everyday on my lunch. I was sitting down enjoying my gelato when I saw the book. The cover was certainly what caught my attention. I went in to the bookstore and read the back. It looked really entertaining so I picked it up. (p.s. the owner of the store took one look at me and the book and said “you don’t look like the serial killer type”). The book is very well written and is a breeze to get through I think it took me five days in total to get through the whole thing (all on my lunch breaks). It had been a while since I got a good book, especially one that I did not want to put down. Would highly recommend this for a relaxing read!
December 14, 2009
When our unlikely hero stumbles into the path of a serial killer, he has no choice but to defend himself - and ends up killing the killer. Shocked by his own strength, he then goes through the dead man's wallet and finds the damndest thing: a personal ad inviting the killer to join a party hosted by Errol Flynn. Errol Flynn? Isn't he dead?
What begins with passing curiosity soon becomes uncontrollable obsession, forcing our hero to fly to Chicago to join the party. From the moment he steps into Grillers and meets eighteen "skillers" - serial killers, to the uninitiated - his life is never the same. Their name: The Serial Killers Club. Their game: to share the thrill of the hunt and to make sure no two members target the same victims. With the monikers of old Hollywood stars masking the skillers' identities, their ranks include "William Holden," "Tallulah Bankhead," "Richard Burton," and before long, "Douglas Fairbanks Jr.," our hero himself.
But "Dougie" has no intention of wasting innocent victims. Instead, with a government agent on his tail, he devises a perfect plan to knock off the members of the club one by one. But what will happen when they notice their numbers dropping? Dougie doesn't have an MO and he's not a bloodthirsty killer. Or is he?
Introducing a brilliant, witty new voice to the world of thrillers, THE SERIALS KILLERS CLUB is fresh, frightening, and darkly funny.
In other words, a killer.
OK, for starters, I kind of feel like the "Killers" in the title should have an apostrophe. But it is one of those situations that can go either way, so I won't belabour the point.
That said, I kind of enjoyed this book's premise more than I enjoyed the book itself. I think this was largely due to the unlikeability of the main character. Dougie is precisely the sort of unknowingly sexist jackass that is so intolerable to me. He's one of those guys who is honestly so oblivious and delusional that he thinks he's god's gift to women, and cannot take a hint. If the woman he's just randomly hit on blows him off or ignores him, she either didn't hear him, or she's just shy, and he will not just leave it alone and move on. He needs to continue the "conversation." Anything sort of a "Fuck off; I'm not interested," to him is a sign of, as I said, shyness or something. Heck, even the "fuck off" is probably just the woman playing hard to get. Or perhaps he's a lesbian and/or frigid bitch. He's one of those guys, and personally, I find such guys utterly infuriating, all the more so because I don't fell that they're worth even that much of an emotional response, but they piss me off anyway. All of which makes it extremely difficult for me to like, relate to, or care about what happens to him, short of a vague hope that he'll just go die in a fire. No one else was particularly likable either.
Oh, and to Mr. Delusional: When a woman you know to be a serial killer, whose MO is to sleep with men and then burn their bits off, tells you explicitly that she feels like a spider, and compelled to do this, you should consider very carefully which of your heads you'll let respond when she comes on to you. You should also really not feel flattered, since she's told you that the men she chooses to sleep with (and kill) are invariably men she basically finds repulsive. Just a friendly word of advice.
On the good side of things, there were some twists that I didn't predict, and I guess I must have been at least somewhat into it, because I chewed through it pretty quick.
Again on the negative, though, Mr. Povey has placed himself among the ranks of the uninformed who insist on spreading the misconception that schizophrenia is the same thing as multiple personality disorder. Way to go, dumbass.
Anyway, so this is clearly not going to be the most intellectual of my book reviews, but then, it wasn't the most intellectual book I've read, either. It's unfortunate, because I did have high hopes for it. Not intellectually, per se, but I did hope it would be better than it was. If you like delusional, arrogant, sexist jackasses, though, then is this the book for you!
What begins with passing curiosity soon becomes uncontrollable obsession, forcing our hero to fly to Chicago to join the party. From the moment he steps into Grillers and meets eighteen "skillers" - serial killers, to the uninitiated - his life is never the same. Their name: The Serial Killers Club. Their game: to share the thrill of the hunt and to make sure no two members target the same victims. With the monikers of old Hollywood stars masking the skillers' identities, their ranks include "William Holden," "Tallulah Bankhead," "Richard Burton," and before long, "Douglas Fairbanks Jr.," our hero himself.
But "Dougie" has no intention of wasting innocent victims. Instead, with a government agent on his tail, he devises a perfect plan to knock off the members of the club one by one. But what will happen when they notice their numbers dropping? Dougie doesn't have an MO and he's not a bloodthirsty killer. Or is he?
Introducing a brilliant, witty new voice to the world of thrillers, THE SERIALS KILLERS CLUB is fresh, frightening, and darkly funny.
In other words, a killer.
OK, for starters, I kind of feel like the "Killers" in the title should have an apostrophe. But it is one of those situations that can go either way, so I won't belabour the point.
That said, I kind of enjoyed this book's premise more than I enjoyed the book itself. I think this was largely due to the unlikeability of the main character. Dougie is precisely the sort of unknowingly sexist jackass that is so intolerable to me. He's one of those guys who is honestly so oblivious and delusional that he thinks he's god's gift to women, and cannot take a hint. If the woman he's just randomly hit on blows him off or ignores him, she either didn't hear him, or she's just shy, and he will not just leave it alone and move on. He needs to continue the "conversation." Anything sort of a "Fuck off; I'm not interested," to him is a sign of, as I said, shyness or something. Heck, even the "fuck off" is probably just the woman playing hard to get. Or perhaps he's a lesbian and/or frigid bitch. He's one of those guys, and personally, I find such guys utterly infuriating, all the more so because I don't fell that they're worth even that much of an emotional response, but they piss me off anyway. All of which makes it extremely difficult for me to like, relate to, or care about what happens to him, short of a vague hope that he'll just go die in a fire. No one else was particularly likable either.
Oh, and to Mr. Delusional: When a woman you know to be a serial killer, whose MO is to sleep with men and then burn their bits off, tells you explicitly that she feels like a spider, and compelled to do this, you should consider very carefully which of your heads you'll let respond when she comes on to you. You should also really not feel flattered, since she's told you that the men she chooses to sleep with (and kill) are invariably men she basically finds repulsive. Just a friendly word of advice.
On the good side of things, there were some twists that I didn't predict, and I guess I must have been at least somewhat into it, because I chewed through it pretty quick.
Again on the negative, though, Mr. Povey has placed himself among the ranks of the uninformed who insist on spreading the misconception that schizophrenia is the same thing as multiple personality disorder. Way to go, dumbass.
Anyway, so this is clearly not going to be the most intellectual of my book reviews, but then, it wasn't the most intellectual book I've read, either. It's unfortunate, because I did have high hopes for it. Not intellectually, per se, but I did hope it would be better than it was. If you like delusional, arrogant, sexist jackasses, though, then is this the book for you!
July 2, 2014
Take Dexter, and divide by Ash, then add to Desperately Seeking Susan, and you'll get The Serial Killers Club!
After accidentally killing, and assuming the identity of local serial killer 'Grandson of Barney', the narrator follows a personal ad in 'his' wallet and finds himself in a room with 18 other serial killers.
It's a club, a place for killers to share stories, and make sure that nobody is targeting the same person. (It's happened before - awkward!)
When you're surrounded by every notorious serial killer from the surrounding areas, each one looking at you expectantly, waiting to hear your story... you're gonna make some shit up, with a quickness!
Everyone in the club goes by an alias. They choose their names from classic stars, (eg. Errol Flynn & Carole Lumbard), and our narrator becomes Douglas Fairbanks Jr.
Dougie falls into his roll headfirst, and the club becomes his life. He's finally found a place where he belongs, among friends. The trouble is, Dougie isn't a real killer. Other members have started to notice that there haven't been any new Grandson of Barney victims since he joined them - 'Why is that, Dougie?'
He's suffering from 'Killer's Block' - that's a thing, right?
If this isn't enough of a problem, the mysterious stranger who has been following him around reveals himself as the lead agent on the Grandson of Barney case, and he's got plans of his own.
Doug's certainly stuck between a rock & a hard place, things can't possibly get any worse.
"Hahaha!! You silly man!" - says LIFE. "Let's see... how can I make your life suck just a bit more..." ::dastardly rubbing hands together:: "Oh! I know!... Watch THIS!"
[Enter stage left:] The Kentucky Killer has come to town.
Now - the fun can really begin!
The Serial Killers Club is fun, darkly humorous, and it kept the 'whodunit' muscle in my brain working overtime.
After accidentally killing, and assuming the identity of local serial killer 'Grandson of Barney', the narrator follows a personal ad in 'his' wallet and finds himself in a room with 18 other serial killers.
It's a club, a place for killers to share stories, and make sure that nobody is targeting the same person. (It's happened before - awkward!)
When you're surrounded by every notorious serial killer from the surrounding areas, each one looking at you expectantly, waiting to hear your story... you're gonna make some shit up, with a quickness!
Everyone in the club goes by an alias. They choose their names from classic stars, (eg. Errol Flynn & Carole Lumbard), and our narrator becomes Douglas Fairbanks Jr.
Dougie falls into his roll headfirst, and the club becomes his life. He's finally found a place where he belongs, among friends. The trouble is, Dougie isn't a real killer. Other members have started to notice that there haven't been any new Grandson of Barney victims since he joined them - 'Why is that, Dougie?'
He's suffering from 'Killer's Block' - that's a thing, right?
If this isn't enough of a problem, the mysterious stranger who has been following him around reveals himself as the lead agent on the Grandson of Barney case, and he's got plans of his own.
Doug's certainly stuck between a rock & a hard place, things can't possibly get any worse.
"Hahaha!! You silly man!" - says LIFE. "Let's see... how can I make your life suck just a bit more..." ::dastardly rubbing hands together:: "Oh! I know!... Watch THIS!"
[Enter stage left:] The Kentucky Killer has come to town.
Now - the fun can really begin!
The Serial Killers Club is fun, darkly humorous, and it kept the 'whodunit' muscle in my brain working overtime.
June 15, 2011
I wanted to take a break from series reading, and randomly picked this book out. For the first half of the novel, nay, 2/3rds of it, I felt severely disjointed. I couldn’t attach to any of the characters on any level. At first I didn’t understand why the book seemed to be so jumpy and disorganized. I thought perhaps it may be bad writing... yet as I sat back and examined it I saw the story itself flowed well. That’s when I realized that in the books I normally read I can typically associate with at least one of the main characters, even project myself into them.
…Completely impossible in this novel. At first I found myself tremendously annoyed at this. “How could any of these characters be real?” I wondered. Serial killers are intelligent beings. They’d have to be, to be able to get away with it for so long! And every single one of the “skillers” are well, to be frank, dumb as hell. Real life skillers have their strangeness I’m sure, I mean they kill people for whatever nebulous reason (…mom?) but they’re not as retarded as they seem in this book, right?
And then finally, I saw through my own fog of stupidity.
Our hero (Dougie) is definitely less than stellar when it comes to the intellect department. Since we see the story only through his perception everyone is somewhat colored in his stupidity (and sexism, lots of that for this character!)
From that light bulb moment the novel took an immediate turn for the hilarious to me. I knew from the get go he was dumb, but I hadn’t realized how much of it was coloring his perception of everything, and then influencing mine in turn.
A seemingly miraculous series of events allow Dougie to come out on top, not because of anything he did or understood, but sheer luck and the bumbling of others. And the entire while, this short statured man thinks he is the crème de le crème to women and the world in general.
As I finished the last page and closed the book I had a huge grin on my face at the absurdity of the entire thing, and every character in between.
Dougie is a completely unlikable character, but I certainly enjoyed his tale. Overall I was pleasantly pleased with this book, and applaud its clever presentation and development.
…Completely impossible in this novel. At first I found myself tremendously annoyed at this. “How could any of these characters be real?” I wondered. Serial killers are intelligent beings. They’d have to be, to be able to get away with it for so long! And every single one of the “skillers” are well, to be frank, dumb as hell. Real life skillers have their strangeness I’m sure, I mean they kill people for whatever nebulous reason (…mom?) but they’re not as retarded as they seem in this book, right?
And then finally, I saw through my own fog of stupidity.
Our hero (Dougie) is definitely less than stellar when it comes to the intellect department. Since we see the story only through his perception everyone is somewhat colored in his stupidity (and sexism, lots of that for this character!)
From that light bulb moment the novel took an immediate turn for the hilarious to me. I knew from the get go he was dumb, but I hadn’t realized how much of it was coloring his perception of everything, and then influencing mine in turn.
A seemingly miraculous series of events allow Dougie to come out on top, not because of anything he did or understood, but sheer luck and the bumbling of others. And the entire while, this short statured man thinks he is the crème de le crème to women and the world in general.
As I finished the last page and closed the book I had a huge grin on my face at the absurdity of the entire thing, and every character in between.
Dougie is a completely unlikable character, but I certainly enjoyed his tale. Overall I was pleasantly pleased with this book, and applaud its clever presentation and development.
August 11, 2014
It's a nice book with an original idea, some funny characters, but very predictable and quite forgettable.
An easy read.
An easy read.
June 8, 2022
reread
um…this was a 5 star for many years and this is my first time rereading…i’m like so disappointed i can’t even write a review rn
um…this was a 5 star for many years and this is my first time rereading…i’m like so disappointed i can’t even write a review rn
April 21, 2008
Una historia muy buena pero muy mal escrita. Los tres primeros capítulos dan verguenza en su escritura, sin embargo, la trama promete y logra cautivarte para que continúes con el relato.
The Serial Killers Club termina siendo una lectura entretenida y satisfacctoria, llena de humor negro y dinamismo en su accionar pero sus personajes están poco desarrollados, algunos razonamientos y circunstancias están poco ilustradas y justificadas, además, quedán algunas puertas abiertas y preguntas sin responder.
Lo malo de este libro es que ha pesar de lo mucho que se puede disfrutar la historia, uno siempre queda deseando que la hubiese esrcito alguien de mayor categoría.
The Serial Killers Club termina siendo una lectura entretenida y satisfacctoria, llena de humor negro y dinamismo en su accionar pero sus personajes están poco desarrollados, algunos razonamientos y circunstancias están poco ilustradas y justificadas, además, quedán algunas puertas abiertas y preguntas sin responder.
Lo malo de este libro es que ha pesar de lo mucho que se puede disfrutar la historia, uno siempre queda deseando que la hubiese esrcito alguien de mayor categoría.
July 11, 2010
It's an intriguing concept -- a social club of serial killers who hold weekly meetings to compare gruesome stories of their latest kills. Then one of them decides to knock off the other members. It's told tongue in cheek, and for the first few chapters this was a sort of fun read (in a sick sort of way). But on and on it went, with the description of one awful murder after another, (one victim was thrown alive into a vat of boiling oil), and, believe it or not, it became BORING.
I finished it because I was the passenger on a two day car trip and had to entertain myself somehow. Otherwise, I think I'd have quit by the third murder.
I finished it because I was the passenger on a two day car trip and had to entertain myself somehow. Otherwise, I think I'd have quit by the third murder.
June 17, 2007
A man who is somewhat of a loner learns of a secret club in which serial killers periodically meet to compare notes, etc. Craving some excitement, he successfully infiltrates the group (posing as a serial killer) only to find the members are themselves being killed off one by one. The plot is his attempt to solve the murders before he becomes a victim himself. I found this book to be fairly creative, and I really enjoyed the ride the author took me on.
September 19, 2012
i wanted to like this book so much more than i actually did. i loved the premise but the interest just sort of died off for me somewhere around the middle of the book. (if not even before that.) i don't know, it may have been because i didn't really like the main character as the story went on or maybe it just simply could have been written better. i was just so excited about the book when i found it on the shelf of a thrift store and now that i've finished it i'm just glad it only cost 1.99.
February 28, 2025
Ever met a man who thinks women love them and that their jokes are funny? If people don't laugh, its because their humor is too deep for the average person. But in reality, they're an idiot and no one can figure out who invited this person.
That's the POV for this book. And it's sort of fun, if you realize that. To see the disconnect between their internal monologue and what others are saying.
It moves along quickly, and there was a twist i didn't see coming.
That's the POV for this book. And it's sort of fun, if you realize that. To see the disconnect between their internal monologue and what others are saying.
It moves along quickly, and there was a twist i didn't see coming.
September 3, 2012
I loved this book; it was hilarious and I adored our idiot, unreliable narrator Dougie. The whole book felt like a wonderful parody of the serial killer/thriller genre, and got more than a few laughs out of me--and I mean loud, audible ones.
To summarize the plot: Our lonely protagonist (yet to be named), is attacked by a serial killer--and wins. Bored, he decides to go through the dead man's pockets (who he recognizes as the killer "Grandson of Barney") and finds an invitation to an event. Thinking it was a fanclub, and being desperate, our narrator goes to the invite--to find out it was a club for serial killers. Using his dumb luck, he manages to convince them he is in fact the killer G.O.B. & finds a place where he belongs, and takes on the mantel "Dougie Fairbanks, Jr."
And Dougie will do anything to keep this slice of happiness-even if it means killing the other members who figure him out.
With dumb luck, of course. Dougie isn't the brightest bulb in the pack, and when Agent Kennet ("That's Kenneth without the 'T'") Wade shows up demanding he take out the rest of the club or fry on the electric chair--Dougie finds himself between a rock and a hard place.
I think more than I enjoyed feeling sorry for Dougie, was his relationships with the other club members. As the book goes along you start to realize just how good Dougie is at lying to himself at how the other serial killers see him. You get to see him develop from a good natured fool, to someone bitter and hurt as he finds out his 'friends' aren't really his friends. The narrative itself moves along in the same fashion--the more bitter and aware Douglas becomes, the more tense and less-humerous the story becomes. By the end of the book, the fun, laughable serial killers show their true colors and start showing off what true, homicidal lunatics they all are.
The serial killers are a fun bunch in themselves though, each with their own problems and neurosis. It's fun seeing them talk and be normal around a dinner table as they share their exploits. They seem so normal at the start of the book--almost to the point that you can't take them seriously. A guy who talks to his invisible mother, a guy who kills people with pitchforks, a woman who tattoos people to death, etc. They're exaggerated versions of the killers that usually populate the thriller genre, and how ridiculous they all are is just highlighted when you stick them all in a room together--up until the end that is, when the more realistic ones start to show off.
My favorite character though, had to be Agent Wade. He had the most development out of the characters, and what starts out as an exasperated FBI Agent dealing with an idiot (I'm hard on Dougie, but he really is an adorable sort of stupid), to an unhinged, manic version of a man himself whose behavior is often more unsettling than that of the killers. The tension and control between him and Douglas that develops as the story goes is intense. The two of them living and working together was fantastic & I loved the vitriolic best buds/hated enemies/why must I put up with you?/bromance thing they had going on.
If I had any complaint, it'd be the twist at the ending. The book spends most of the novel setting up this obvious conclusion--and then snatches it away at the last minute to go "Ha ha, fooled you." I almost think it would have been better in this case to have kept the obvious conclusion--the red herring would have made a better bad guy, I think. The tension, the stakes, and how downright unsettling this one character became by the end just felt right. Even if it was easy to figure out, it fit and having that expectation taken for the final 'reveal' at the end left me flat with the story and just a tad disappointed.
Aside from that, I enjoyed the entire novel immensely. I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys the thriller genre as a good laugh that makes fun of itself with dark humor, and a light read.
To summarize the plot: Our lonely protagonist (yet to be named), is attacked by a serial killer--and wins. Bored, he decides to go through the dead man's pockets (who he recognizes as the killer "Grandson of Barney") and finds an invitation to an event. Thinking it was a fanclub, and being desperate, our narrator goes to the invite--to find out it was a club for serial killers. Using his dumb luck, he manages to convince them he is in fact the killer G.O.B. & finds a place where he belongs, and takes on the mantel "Dougie Fairbanks, Jr."
And Dougie will do anything to keep this slice of happiness-even if it means killing the other members who figure him out.
With dumb luck, of course. Dougie isn't the brightest bulb in the pack, and when Agent Kennet ("That's Kenneth without the 'T'") Wade shows up demanding he take out the rest of the club or fry on the electric chair--Dougie finds himself between a rock and a hard place.
I think more than I enjoyed feeling sorry for Dougie, was his relationships with the other club members. As the book goes along you start to realize just how good Dougie is at lying to himself at how the other serial killers see him. You get to see him develop from a good natured fool, to someone bitter and hurt as he finds out his 'friends' aren't really his friends. The narrative itself moves along in the same fashion--the more bitter and aware Douglas becomes, the more tense and less-humerous the story becomes. By the end of the book, the fun, laughable serial killers show their true colors and start showing off what true, homicidal lunatics they all are.
The serial killers are a fun bunch in themselves though, each with their own problems and neurosis. It's fun seeing them talk and be normal around a dinner table as they share their exploits. They seem so normal at the start of the book--almost to the point that you can't take them seriously. A guy who talks to his invisible mother, a guy who kills people with pitchforks, a woman who tattoos people to death, etc. They're exaggerated versions of the killers that usually populate the thriller genre, and how ridiculous they all are is just highlighted when you stick them all in a room together--up until the end that is, when the more realistic ones start to show off.
My favorite character though, had to be Agent Wade. He had the most development out of the characters, and what starts out as an exasperated FBI Agent dealing with an idiot (I'm hard on Dougie, but he really is an adorable sort of stupid), to an unhinged, manic version of a man himself whose behavior is often more unsettling than that of the killers. The tension and control between him and Douglas that develops as the story goes is intense. The two of them living and working together was fantastic & I loved the vitriolic best buds/hated enemies/why must I put up with you?/bromance thing they had going on.
If I had any complaint, it'd be the twist at the ending. The book spends most of the novel setting up this obvious conclusion--and then snatches it away at the last minute to go "Ha ha, fooled you." I almost think it would have been better in this case to have kept the obvious conclusion--the red herring would have made a better bad guy, I think. The tension, the stakes, and how downright unsettling this one character became by the end just felt right. Even if it was easy to figure out, it fit and having that expectation taken for the final 'reveal' at the end left me flat with the story and just a tad disappointed.
Aside from that, I enjoyed the entire novel immensely. I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys the thriller genre as a good laugh that makes fun of itself with dark humor, and a light read.
November 7, 2012
Hahahaha! What a great dark comedy! I definitely laughed out loud in several parts. I just really enjoyed this funny book. The ending concluded rather unexpectedly, too! The characters and narrative point-of-view were unique and entertaining. The majority of the book took place in Chicago, too, which always makes for a wonderful setting! And for a book from the early nineties, I must admit that it felt new and fresh. After finishing it, I immediately looked around on the Internet to see if there had been a sequel, or another book published by this author, but unless he wrote under a different name, I unfortunately didn’t unearth anything. Still, for anyone who enjoys macabre humour, I think they would have a pleasurable time settling down with this quick read.
January 21, 2008
i found this little book at the airport, and i couldn't put it down. the story starts off with a man being attacked by a killer. he inadvertently kills his attacker, and when he knew that the attacker was dead, he went through his wallet to find out who this person was. in the wallet he finds an ad from the personals in the newspaper, inviting this man to a meeting at a restaurant. so, our intended victim goes to this meeting posing as his attacker (as you do.). the meeting turns out to be a monthly (or bi-monthly, i forget), meeting of the serial killers in action in the country at the moment...this is where the shenanigans begins. great novel, quick read, i have the book.
September 10, 2009
a precursor to the dexter series, this book is somewhat confused by its perspective (written by an englishman, about an american, and who writes americans saying things like "car park"). however, it is a fun and fast book, easy to read if not completely transparent throughout. the story doesn't really allow for a surprise at the end, as any half-wit could figure it. i'd recommend reading then donating the book because it was fun, it offers something different than dexter in that the killer is a reluctant one as well as some scenes that would make any fan of b-rate horror films laugh.
September 12, 2009
I'm not sure what I was expecting when picked up this book. Some mix between Dexter and a Harris novel. Which is pretty much what I found. It wasn't the best book that I've ever read, but it passed the 30-page test and I enjoyed the conclusion.
The thing to keep in mind is that the 1st person narrator is NOT reliable. Once you realize that, the book is funnier and deeper.
July 21, 2015
Loved it..
I've read it about 4 times.. and it never bores me.. aways makes me giggle..
*spoiler alert*
Funny view of a average guy.. who by curiosity gets into a serial killers club..
and desides to do some good..
I've read it about 4 times.. and it never bores me.. aways makes me giggle..
*spoiler alert*
Funny view of a average guy.. who by curiosity gets into a serial killers club..
and desides to do some good..
December 22, 2014
A quick, easy read. I definitely liked the idea of the book more than the execution. In the end I just found the main character too annoying.
November 10, 2014
This was an interesting read.
I liked the concept of the book but at sometimes I felt it was predictable.
I liked the concept of the book but at sometimes I felt it was predictable.
August 31, 2019
The second time i've read this book. I'll keep it at a 2 star.ut
November 17, 2023
Wenn du Serienkiller tötest, wirst du selbst zu einem...
Ein Serienmörder, der andere Serienmörder killt? Dieses Motiv ist nicht neu, wird in diesem Buch aber anders behandelt, als ich das bislang kannte. Die gesamte Story ist humoristisch ausgelegt und der Plot wirkt wirklich platt. Man sollte sich drauf einstellen, dass sich das Buch selbst nicht ernst nimmt, es ist ja schließlich auch eine Komödie. Wenn man das Ganze als unterhaltsame Thriller-Komödie für zwischendurch betrachtet, dann geht das Konzept am besten auf.
Die Story: Unser Protagonist tötet „ausversehen“ einen Mann und es stellt sich heraus, dass es sich hierbei um einen Serienmörder handelte, der zufällig eine Einladung für den „Club der Serienkiller“ dabei hat. Diesem Club tritt unser Protagonist dann kurzerhand, unter der falschen Identität des Toten, bei. Eigentlich gefällt es ihm ziemlich gut in dem Club, da aber zunehmend Clubmitglieder hinter seine falsche Identität kommen, sieht er sich gezwungen, diese dann eliminieren zu müssen. Als wäre das nicht schon schlimm genug, taucht auch noch ein dubioser Agent auf, der ihn ebenso zwingt, den „Club der Serienkiller“ auszulöschen. Der Druck, das Drama und die Morde steigen also
Auch wenn durchaus Spannung beim Lesen aufkommt, gerade bei den Mordanschlägen, liest es sicht trotzdem entspannt und leicht von der Hand Weg. Das lag für mich vor allem daran, weil mir die Ernsthaftigkeit fehlte und ich auch keine große „Bindung“ zu den Charakteren entwickelte. Auch wenn ich einige von ihnen durchaus interessant fand. Ich wusste nicht genau, was ich mir von dem Buch erwartet habe, aber ich wurde weder zutiefst begeistert noch total enttäuscht. Es liegt irgendwo dazwischen. Irgendwie war es mir zu wenig Komödie aber auch zu wenig Thriller, um richtig zu begeistern bzw zu überzeugen. Der schwarze Humor, für den das Buch so gelobt wird, kommt durchaus durch. Es hat nicht 100% meinen Humor getroffen, es hatte aber auf jeden Fall seine Lacher und seine eigene Ironie & Charme.
Ein Serienmörder, der andere Serienmörder killt? Dieses Motiv ist nicht neu, wird in diesem Buch aber anders behandelt, als ich das bislang kannte. Die gesamte Story ist humoristisch ausgelegt und der Plot wirkt wirklich platt. Man sollte sich drauf einstellen, dass sich das Buch selbst nicht ernst nimmt, es ist ja schließlich auch eine Komödie. Wenn man das Ganze als unterhaltsame Thriller-Komödie für zwischendurch betrachtet, dann geht das Konzept am besten auf.
Die Story: Unser Protagonist tötet „ausversehen“ einen Mann und es stellt sich heraus, dass es sich hierbei um einen Serienmörder handelte, der zufällig eine Einladung für den „Club der Serienkiller“ dabei hat. Diesem Club tritt unser Protagonist dann kurzerhand, unter der falschen Identität des Toten, bei. Eigentlich gefällt es ihm ziemlich gut in dem Club, da aber zunehmend Clubmitglieder hinter seine falsche Identität kommen, sieht er sich gezwungen, diese dann eliminieren zu müssen. Als wäre das nicht schon schlimm genug, taucht auch noch ein dubioser Agent auf, der ihn ebenso zwingt, den „Club der Serienkiller“ auszulöschen. Der Druck, das Drama und die Morde steigen also
Auch wenn durchaus Spannung beim Lesen aufkommt, gerade bei den Mordanschlägen, liest es sicht trotzdem entspannt und leicht von der Hand Weg. Das lag für mich vor allem daran, weil mir die Ernsthaftigkeit fehlte und ich auch keine große „Bindung“ zu den Charakteren entwickelte. Auch wenn ich einige von ihnen durchaus interessant fand. Ich wusste nicht genau, was ich mir von dem Buch erwartet habe, aber ich wurde weder zutiefst begeistert noch total enttäuscht. Es liegt irgendwo dazwischen. Irgendwie war es mir zu wenig Komödie aber auch zu wenig Thriller, um richtig zu begeistern bzw zu überzeugen. Der schwarze Humor, für den das Buch so gelobt wird, kommt durchaus durch. Es hat nicht 100% meinen Humor getroffen, es hatte aber auf jeden Fall seine Lacher und seine eigene Ironie & Charme.
October 18, 2021
This is a light, breezy mystery novel, written from the perspective of a not-so-bright serial killer imposter who inadvertently becomes a killer of serial killers. You will not get attached to any of the characters and this is not a character study of depravity or look at any sort of cultural issues. This is a somewhat silly whodunnit that I would recommend if you need that kind of junk food reading snack in your larger reading pantry- the marshmallow fluff of mystery novels if you will.
The plot is straightforward: our first person protagonist, Dougie, is a misfit loner with an erroneously high opinion of his intelligence and skills with the ladies. Dougie inadvertently foils his would-be killer, only to discover that the assassin was in fact a serial killer and had been invited to a group dinner for like-minded serial killers (a serial killer club). With no fanfare and little in the way of life attachments, Dougie’s curiosity gets the better of him and he heads off to Chicago to seek companionship with the worst type of people. After Dougie is forced to kill several of his newfound friends when they find out that he is not really the serial killer he said he was, Dougie is approached by a federal agent, who pressures him to finish off his remaining ‘friends’. This sets the stage for the rest of the book’s plot- will Dougie kill all the serial killers? Is there another serial killer that is doing the same thing, and coming for Dougie? Who will be the last serial killer standing?
I’ve seen some GoodReads reviews that hated on Dougie for his narcistic ways, but I thought that was maybe the best part of the book- Povey has created a character that is a little bit dumb but a whole lot confident, which leads to a number of awkward and ridiculous scenarios. Dougie is a role model for no one, and his failures in the dating world especially are an amusing lesson in what not to do.
The plot is straightforward: our first person protagonist, Dougie, is a misfit loner with an erroneously high opinion of his intelligence and skills with the ladies. Dougie inadvertently foils his would-be killer, only to discover that the assassin was in fact a serial killer and had been invited to a group dinner for like-minded serial killers (a serial killer club). With no fanfare and little in the way of life attachments, Dougie’s curiosity gets the better of him and he heads off to Chicago to seek companionship with the worst type of people. After Dougie is forced to kill several of his newfound friends when they find out that he is not really the serial killer he said he was, Dougie is approached by a federal agent, who pressures him to finish off his remaining ‘friends’. This sets the stage for the rest of the book’s plot- will Dougie kill all the serial killers? Is there another serial killer that is doing the same thing, and coming for Dougie? Who will be the last serial killer standing?
I’ve seen some GoodReads reviews that hated on Dougie for his narcistic ways, but I thought that was maybe the best part of the book- Povey has created a character that is a little bit dumb but a whole lot confident, which leads to a number of awkward and ridiculous scenarios. Dougie is a role model for no one, and his failures in the dating world especially are an amusing lesson in what not to do.
November 29, 2025
Ein Arbeiter ist nachts auf dem Heimweg, als er überfallen wird. Er tötet seinen Angreifer und versteckt die Leiche, weil er nicht in Schwierigkeiten geraten will. Als er aber dessen Brieftasche durchstöbert, stellt er zwei Dinge fest: er ist einem Serienkiller entkommen- und sein Angreifer hatte eine Einladung in einen sehr exklusiven Club erhalten.
Der Leser erfährt nie den Namen des Erzählers, er kennt ihn nur als Douglas Fairbanks jr. Die Mitglieder des Clubs der Serienkiller geben sich die Namen von Schauspielern und Richard Burton, Raquel Welch, Chuck Norris oder Errol Flynn sind nur einige von ihnen.
Unser Held fühlt sich wohl unter "Seinesgleichen". So wohl, dass er vergisst dass er eigentlich kein Killer ist. Oder vielleicht war er schon immer einer und er hat nur einen Anlass gebraucht, um auf die dunkle Seite zu kommen. Denn um sein Skillers, wie er sie liebevoll nennt, zu beschützen, unternimmt er einiges. Wenn es sein muss, bringt er auch mal ein Mitglied seines Clubs um, das die anderen gefährdet.
Aber das schöne Leben ist vorbei, als er Besuch von einem Agenten des FBI bekommt. Der will den Club auflösen und das mit Hilfe von Douglas Fairbanks jr. . Er soll die anderen Mitglieder beseitigen. Oder ist der Agent etwa der Kentucky Killer, der heimliche Held eines jeden Mitglieds?
Das Buch hat Spaß gemacht. Es gibt überraschende Wendungen und ein noch überraschenderes Ende. Ein Tipp für jeden, der bei einem Krimi trotz zahlreicher Toter auch mal lachen möchte.
Der Leser erfährt nie den Namen des Erzählers, er kennt ihn nur als Douglas Fairbanks jr. Die Mitglieder des Clubs der Serienkiller geben sich die Namen von Schauspielern und Richard Burton, Raquel Welch, Chuck Norris oder Errol Flynn sind nur einige von ihnen.
Unser Held fühlt sich wohl unter "Seinesgleichen". So wohl, dass er vergisst dass er eigentlich kein Killer ist. Oder vielleicht war er schon immer einer und er hat nur einen Anlass gebraucht, um auf die dunkle Seite zu kommen. Denn um sein Skillers, wie er sie liebevoll nennt, zu beschützen, unternimmt er einiges. Wenn es sein muss, bringt er auch mal ein Mitglied seines Clubs um, das die anderen gefährdet.
Aber das schöne Leben ist vorbei, als er Besuch von einem Agenten des FBI bekommt. Der will den Club auflösen und das mit Hilfe von Douglas Fairbanks jr. . Er soll die anderen Mitglieder beseitigen. Oder ist der Agent etwa der Kentucky Killer, der heimliche Held eines jeden Mitglieds?
Das Buch hat Spaß gemacht. Es gibt überraschende Wendungen und ein noch überraschenderes Ende. Ein Tipp für jeden, der bei einem Krimi trotz zahlreicher Toter auch mal lachen möchte.
February 3, 2023
The name of this book drew me to it; sounds fun, right?
Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., or Dougie as the Club calls him, is a fraud, a nobody who inadvertently kills the man who attacks him. Assuming he should discover who the man is, he grabs the dead man's ID and does some searching. Come to find out, the dead man is a serial who goes by the handle, Grandson of Barney, GOB for short.
Following a roundabout way, GOB ends up in Chicago at a diner where a group of serial killers who use movie star names as their cover meets regularly. GOB takes on the identity of Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.
Four years into his fraud, Dougie is the club's secretary when a knock at his door reveals an FBI agent who insists that Dougie kill all the club members so that he can walk a free man. Dougie agrees, and his killing spree begins, killing the likes of Cher, James Holden, Burt Lancaster, and so on.
While the Serial Killers Club had all the makings of a fun, albeit dark, comedy, it was just plain ridiculous. Toward the end of the book, I was line skipping to finish it quicker; I don't think I missed anything.
I'm generally not a hater of books, and I can't say I hate this book; it was edited well, and as I mentioned, the plot could have been well-played; it just wasn't.
There is a seat for every bottom and a book for every reader. This one is not mine, but it might be yours.
Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., or Dougie as the Club calls him, is a fraud, a nobody who inadvertently kills the man who attacks him. Assuming he should discover who the man is, he grabs the dead man's ID and does some searching. Come to find out, the dead man is a serial who goes by the handle, Grandson of Barney, GOB for short.
Following a roundabout way, GOB ends up in Chicago at a diner where a group of serial killers who use movie star names as their cover meets regularly. GOB takes on the identity of Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.
Four years into his fraud, Dougie is the club's secretary when a knock at his door reveals an FBI agent who insists that Dougie kill all the club members so that he can walk a free man. Dougie agrees, and his killing spree begins, killing the likes of Cher, James Holden, Burt Lancaster, and so on.
While the Serial Killers Club had all the makings of a fun, albeit dark, comedy, it was just plain ridiculous. Toward the end of the book, I was line skipping to finish it quicker; I don't think I missed anything.
I'm generally not a hater of books, and I can't say I hate this book; it was edited well, and as I mentioned, the plot could have been well-played; it just wasn't.
There is a seat for every bottom and a book for every reader. This one is not mine, but it might be yours.
February 2, 2019
When I saw this book in the book store I thought it was going to be amazing, boy was I wrong. As much as I like the idea of this book, I can't seem to be able to wrap my head around the idea that a man (who has never killed anyone in his life) wanted to take over the persona of the killer that tried to kill him! Them if that's not enough he is forced to kill other serial killers.
The one thing that I find interesting is that the serial killers in the club all live very normal lives, one was even a cop. As I read through the book I was hoping that it would get better but I was disappointed. Maybe it's just not my kind of book, I just didn't understand it. The one thing I liked was the surprise that Betty was the KK killer. I think the book should have ended there because the epilogue was unnecessary. It made no sense, there is no way he could impersonate a dead FBI agent. There was just too much that wasn't explained, I think the book just went too fast.
The one thing that I find interesting is that the serial killers in the club all live very normal lives, one was even a cop. As I read through the book I was hoping that it would get better but I was disappointed. Maybe it's just not my kind of book, I just didn't understand it. The one thing I liked was the surprise that Betty was the KK killer. I think the book should have ended there because the epilogue was unnecessary. It made no sense, there is no way he could impersonate a dead FBI agent. There was just too much that wasn't explained, I think the book just went too fast.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 21, 2020
Po nedavno precitanej trilogii od autora som musela siahnut po jeho prvotine. Napad bol sice dobre, ale kniha nie je ani zdaleka taka uzasna ako jeho trilogia.
Hlavny hrdina Dougie sa jedneho dna dostane do problemu. Napadne ho cudzi muz a on ho v sebaobrane zabije. Ked mu prehladava vrecka, a hlada, kto to vlastne je a preco ho chcel zabit, najde pozvanku na stretnutie klubu. Dougie sa rozhodne zucastnit a zisti, ze sa tam stretavaju serialovi vrahovia.
Ked mu jedneho dna zaklope na dvere agent FBI, da mu neuveritelnu ulohu. Za to, ze nezverejni fotku z toho dna, ked zabil prveho vraha, musi postupne zabit ostatnych clenov klubu.
Ako som pisala, myslienka to bola sice zaujimava, ale nebolo to tak dobre napisane a nudilo ma to. Knihu som mala rozcitanu 10 dni a docitala som ju len kvoli tomu, ze som chcela vediet, ci nebude na konci nejaky super zvrat. Bolo tam sice prekvapenie, ale nebolo az take WOW.
Hlavny hrdina Dougie sa jedneho dna dostane do problemu. Napadne ho cudzi muz a on ho v sebaobrane zabije. Ked mu prehladava vrecka, a hlada, kto to vlastne je a preco ho chcel zabit, najde pozvanku na stretnutie klubu. Dougie sa rozhodne zucastnit a zisti, ze sa tam stretavaju serialovi vrahovia.
Ked mu jedneho dna zaklope na dvere agent FBI, da mu neuveritelnu ulohu. Za to, ze nezverejni fotku z toho dna, ked zabil prveho vraha, musi postupne zabit ostatnych clenov klubu.
Ako som pisala, myslienka to bola sice zaujimava, ale nebolo to tak dobre napisane a nudilo ma to. Knihu som mala rozcitanu 10 dni a docitala som ju len kvoli tomu, ze som chcela vediet, ci nebude na konci nejaky super zvrat. Bolo tam sice prekvapenie, ale nebolo az take WOW.
January 6, 2020
The plot sounds original: a serial killers club, in which suddenly bodies stop dropping in mysterious ways. But this was overall a strange book. The characters are unlikeable: they are a bunch of weirdo's, some of them are simply gross - partly because of the main characters view of them - and the main character is probably the weirdest of them all. Still, I did want to know how the story ended, so I finished the book. It was okay, I guess. Not much of a surprise though.... If you like a story where you're constantly wondering: what will he come up with next, this is your story. If not... just leave it on your to-read-pile.
June 13, 2020
Super fun read - I got this as a bargain book at B&N. I would love to see this made into a film by a company like the BBC - it is so gruesome, yet dark and funny, that it is a page turner. In essence, serial killers get together and meet up, have a few drinks, talk about their kills, and then continue forth. But what is happening when the serial killers themselves start getting killed? What is that all about? A ton of tongue in cheek, funny lines that if you blink, you will miss them. A shout out to the FBI as well here - they are not who you think, either!
February 19, 2024
The thing to know going into this novel is that the main character is dumb. Since this story is told from his POV, it is colored by that stupidity. This is what makes the novel so good. There were moments that I was snickering through scenes. The twist at the end was pretty good. I enjoyed the book.
Rating System:
0 Stars - DNF
⭐ - Horrible Writing or Really Boring
⭐⭐ - Okay but nothing special
⭐⭐⭐ - I enjoyed the book.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ - I loved it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Fantastic - This is a book that I will re-read.
Challenge Keyword - Club
Rating System:
0 Stars - DNF
⭐ - Horrible Writing or Really Boring
⭐⭐ - Okay but nothing special
⭐⭐⭐ - I enjoyed the book.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ - I loved it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Fantastic - This is a book that I will re-read.
Challenge Keyword - Club
February 29, 2020
Dougie kind of got annoying towards the end and all of a sudden very conceited. Also who the Kentucky killer actually was, was slightly disappointing and not at all hinted at. I also find it hard to believe that they all covered their tracks so well and the police never caught them. But it was kind of funny, I got in some laughs.
Also why would Betty never tell Tony, she knew he was a killer and she even admitted it to the group, so her story at the end didn’t really add up.
Also why would Betty never tell Tony, she knew he was a killer and she even admitted it to the group, so her story at the end didn’t really add up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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