22 DUTCH ROAD
T. C. Schueler
Peebles Press (2020)
ISBN: 9781678134822
Reviewed by Timea Tokes for Reader Views (06/2020)
“22 Dutch Road” by T.C. Schueler is the story of a young man whose predicament (mental illness and lack of money) forces him to fulfill his late father’s unusual request, where he has to stay in an abandoned mansion for five specific nights. He doesn’t suspect the horrors that await him or those that are close to his heart.
Horror stories that play with one’s mind have always been my favorite. There is a fine line in this story between horror and psychological thriller, which is even better. Throughout “22 Dutch Road” we get to experience the events from many perspectives, which makes for a diverse read. Until the last moment, we aren’t even sure whether what we are reading is true, or if it’s just in the minds of the characters, and now in ours. You know what they say: if every witness is an unreliable one, how can you make sure the crime happened in the first place?
Billy hears the voice of his dead father, being forced to take a ‘magic pill’ that silences the old bloke. Only for a while though. I loved how nasty Richard (or Dick, as Billy loved to call him) was, drawing a perfect contrast between him and Stan, the new neighbor/friend of Billy’s, who was so keen on helping him, because the boy looked like he needed his help. I grew very fond of both Billy and Stan very quickly (oh, and I shouldn’t forget Mr. Peebles, the “wonder wiener”, either).
As the story progresses, we learn about Stan, too, realizing that he is in the early stages of dementia. Again, something I didn’t expect, but it was a twist that made me think twice about what was real and what wasn’t. I believe that T. C. Schueler is a prolific writer and he managed to make the characters diverse, entertaining, and real, especially through their so-called disabilities. At some point, I even doubted that Ruth, Stan’s wife existed, which put an interesting spin on my perception.
The mind is an interesting thing, and the author did an amazing job at showcasing our vulnerability. We can be our own worst enemies. Moving statues that weigh a ton and a dead father who has strange requests for his son (even from beyond the grave) aside, the story focuses on what goes on in the main characters’ heads. Pieces to the puzzle slowly fall into place, while new mysteries emerge – again, kudos to T. C. Schueler for that.
In my personal opinion, T. C. Schueler did an amazing job at drawing a perfect contrast between family acting like strangers and a stranger becoming practically family overnight, which seemed to be one of the morals of the story. I loved the author’s dark humor and smooth writing style as well. The characters were witty, the conversations smart and conclusive, making this a real page-turner. I honestly can’t recommend this story enough. It was a fun roller-coaster ride of emotions.
“22 Dutch Road” by T.C. Schueler is the story of a young man whose predicament (mental illness and lack of money) forces him to fulfill his late father’s unusual request, where he has to stay in an abandoned mansion for five specific nights. He doesn’t suspect the horrors that await him or those that are close to his heart.
Horror stories that play with one’s mind have always been my favorite. There is a fine line in this story between horror and psychological thriller, which is even better. Throughout “22 Dutch Road” we get to experience the events from many perspectives, which makes for a diverse read. Until the last moment, we aren’t even sure whether what we are reading is true, or if it’s just in the minds of the characters, and now in ours. You know what they say: if every witness is an unreliable one, how can you make sure the crime happened in the first place?
Billy hears the voice of his dead father, being forced to take a ‘magic pill’ that silences the old bloke. Only for a while though. I loved how nasty Richard (or Dick, as Billy loved to call him) was, drawing a perfect contrast between him and Stan, the new neighbor/friend of Billy’s, who was so keen on helping him, because the boy looked like he needed his help. I grew very fond of both Billy and Stan very quickly (oh, and I shouldn’t forget Mr. Peebles, the “wonder wiener”, either).
As the story progresses, we learn about Stan, too, realizing that he is in the early stages of dementia. Again, something I didn’t expect, but it was a twist that made me think twice about what was real and what wasn’t. I believe that T. C. Schueler is a prolific writer and he managed to make the characters diverse, entertaining, and real, especially through their so-called disabilities. At some point, I even doubted that Ruth, Stan’s wife existed, which put an interesting spin on my perception.
The mind is an interesting thing, and the author did an amazing job at showcasing our vulnerability. We can be our own worst enemies. Moving statues that weigh a ton and a dead father who has strange requests for his son (even from beyond the grave) aside, the story focuses on what goes on in the main characters’ heads. Pieces to the puzzle slowly fall into place, while new mysteries emerge – again, kudos to T. C. Schueler for that.
In my personal opinion, T. C. Schueler did an amazing job at drawing a perfect contrast between family acting like strangers and a stranger becoming practically family overnight, which seemed to be one of the morals of the story. I loved the author’s dark humor and smooth writing style as well. The characters were witty, the conversations smart and conclusive, making this a real page-turner. I honestly can’t recommend this story enough. It was a fun roller-coaster ride of emotions.
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