Thank you M &S publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This was such a unique read for me as it’s essentially a stream of consciousness of the MMC Schroeder, over the span of one day as he commits multiple murders. It’s unsettling but I couldn’t put it down. The book puts you in the mind of Schroeder, whose behavior ranges from very gruesome killings to very normal observations of the people and world moving around him. There is a juxtaposition of Schroeder committing these heinous acts and then leaving the scene to have lunch at a park while watching children play, smile or nod at a neighbor, etc. that kept me wanting to read more as you don’t truly find out what led him here until the diary entries at the end of the book.

Some of the chapters and internal dialogue felt long winded and unnecessary at times but I really enjoyed the progression and found this to be a very interesting read!

BOOK REPORT
Received a complimentary copy of Schroeder, by Neal Cassidy, from M & S Publishing /NetGalley, for which I am appreciative, in exchange for a fair and honest review. Scroll past the BOOK REPORT section for a cut-and-paste of the DESCRIPTION of it from them if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of that summary.

Jesus God in Heaven. I am scarred for life from having read this book.

It was absolutely horrific and awful.

And?

I could not put it down.

Five stars for being a perfect fever dream. One star for the graphic sadism. Five stars for the unexpected (very) ending.

I’d like to think that the world isn’t really as bad as Neal Cassidy makes it out to be in Schroeder, but, alas, I am a thinking person with eyes with which to see and ears with which to hear. In retrospect, I just don’t think it was a very smart decision on my part to read this when my anxiety is already ratcheted up to 11 because of the upcoming 2024 U.S. presidential election. (But, I was actively avoiding a work deadline……you know how it goes.) Those who are hurt tend to hurt others, and one of the primary candidates on the ballot this November 5th seems all-too committed to perpetuating that cycle, including by fostering hatefulness and violence.

So, yeah, even though some of what was in this novel bordered on implausible, it was unfortunately easy to suspend disbelief and buy in to the idea that people will indeed kick you when you’re already down.

I don’t know who all really reads these meanderings of mine, but on the off chance that certain of you do, I will say this: Mother and Nancy—I definitely don’t recommend this for y’all. Anita, Grant, and Tara—I do in particular recommend it for y’all, thinking you probably will have the same reaction/s to it as I did.

Now if you will excuse me, I need to go pet some kitties and watch wholesome short videos about cooking and positive family experiences.

PS
It really irked me that so many people referred to the protagonist of this book as a serial killer in their reviews. Nope, nope, nope. He was a spree killer bent on revenge. There is a difference.

PPS
Note To Future Kristi: Read this guy’s other book that’s already published, and anything else he might write.

PPPS
Coming back the next day to add that I remembered in the grocery store this afternoon how happy I was that I am not a user of the pen mentioned more than once in the book. This is particularly important to me given that:

- I am a pen freak.
- I have sociopathic tendencies. Well, kinda sorta. A few, maybe. The kind that came in handy in my corporate career days.

I would have been disturbed beyond words had my relatively new box of "good pens" been the same brand/type.

That is all. As you were.

DESCRIPTION
A gripping new psychological thriller by author Neal Cassidy, SCHROEDER, weaves together elements of the literary thriller/horror genre, stream-of-consciousness narration, and critical social commentary.

hen an ordinary young man wakes up in his quiet neighborhood on a day seemingly like all the others, the city he’s lived in all his life has no idea what’s about to befall it once he sets out on a day-long bike ride carrying a purposefully packed backpack and a definitive plan.

Who is Schroeder, and what motivates his brutal killing spree? As he cycles from one victim’s home to the next, keeping pace with the rhythm of a city that burgeons to life under an increasingly dazzling sun exposing both its beauty and vivacity and its dark, dirty, underbelly, Schroeder lays bare his dreams, disappointments, delights, and dismays, establishing himself as a compelling contemporary antihero. The day rolls ominously towards its climax through hectic city streets, lush suburban gardens, stately mansions, and decrepit housing projects, punctuated by Schroeder’s reflections on a society in shambles and a deeply damaged, if not broken, humanity—but not without revealing life’s boundless wonder and infinite possibilities for joy and redemption through moments that are within—and yet tragically beyond—Schroeder’s grasp. A tell-all denouement brings Schroeder out of the shadows of his actions, the pathos of his questions about the kind of world we live in lingering long after.

This book was not for me. I rarely do not finish a book but unfortunately this was one. I found it too gory and couldn't understand why or how he picked the victims. He is definitely a serial killer with different methods of killing with each victim. Not your typical serial killer. Possibly at the end of the story it is explained on the who, why and how.. The writing was good being very descriptive in both locations and actions. Received a free copy thru Netgalley and this is my honest voluntary review

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC to review

4 stars!

I jumped at the chance to read this. The premise really pulled me in and I honestly got so interested in what I was in for as soon as I read stream-of-consciousness narration and 'Who is Schroeder, and what motivates his brutal killing spree? '

Sign me up

This though hit in a way I didn't expect. Your taken on this journey of his thoughts and the disturbing things he does. You know you shouldn't like him but you can't help but actually root and feel for the dude at some points which made the reading experience a whole different.

The writing may get some used to for some but it's a very interesting read!!

Unfortunately this book wasn’t it for me. I tried to pick it back up several times but each time I couldn’t get into it, which is a shame because the premiss sounded like something I would enjoy. DNF :(

3.5 stars, rounded up. This is a difficult book to rate because the subject matter is so dark and the first 85% of the novel is an unrelenting stream of disturbing behavior with very graphic details. However, it is also compelling and once I settled into the author’s style of very long sentences, I could appreciate the style.

Schroeder is the first person narrator and the reader is essentially in his mind the entire time. He has been bullied his entire life and never helped by those in authority. One day, he commits several atrocities that are seemingly disconnected. Until close to the end of the novel, we do not know why he is doing these things to specific people. It is unlike anything I’ve read previously but be warned that a strong stomach is needed to get through some of the details.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and M&S Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

I unfortunately did not like this one, the writing style was incredibly hard for me to follow - while I'm sure it was an intentional choice, it felt like it needed more edits or something. the premise was fun but I just couldn't get into it, which sucks because I was stoked about this one!

This was a wild ride. The writing style took some getting used to as the sentences were so long and rambling, but they were very effective at mimicking the internal thoughts of the character. It was such a well-written story and I couldn’t help but to empathize with Schroeder despite the terrible things he did. It’s hard to say too much without spoilers, but this book will definitely stick with me for a long time!

Thank you to NetGalley and M&S Publishing for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

This is an interesting book. The writing style is different from what I am used to reading.

The cover got me, as it wasn't overly complicated and there was something intriguing and eery about it. This book is very very eerie and disturbing.

I think Stephen King fans will enjoy this.

This specific book I was not able to get completely lost in. This is totally a personal preference.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this! I appreciate it!

Unfortunately, I could not get into this book. The run on sentences I feel like were supposed to mimic the main characters internal thought process, but it made the book so hard to follow and keep my interest. I really tried to push through but single sentences were taking up full pages or more and full of commas and it was too disorienting for me to keep my interest.

Schroeder by Neal Cassidy is one of my favourite books I've read this year. Once I started reading I couldn't put it down and it's one of the few books I have read in one sitting! I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end and couldn't wait to see what happened next. The ending tied the whole story together and explained perfectly why the character did what they did. I would recommend Schroeder and will definitely pick up more of Neal Cassidy's work in the future!

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

More like 4 1/2 ⭐️
This is an inside look to thoughts of a killer. Basically the inner workings of someone who has snapped and decided to go on a killing spree. First, this felt very real, very authentic. I could definitely see this being how someone who has been abused and bullied would think about things. My biggest complaint is how it’s written…run on sentences galore! So. Many. Commas. It literally gave me a feeling of panic reading it, to the point where my brain (in some weird self preservation) would almost turn off and begin to wander. It was very frustrating. The content wasn’t bothersome, just how he wrote it. It is very hard to stay focused when there aren’t any paragraphs also. These chapters were semi long and only consisted of a few paragraphs. There were times where it seemed one paragraph was 3 or 4 pages. Combine that with so many run-on sentences and it was very difficult to stay focused.
It is gory, which doesn’t particularly bother me, in fact, it really is needed in this type of story and I appreciated it being just gory enough where it helped the story along. Also, I did become invested in the main character. It’s a strange ability for an author to be able to write such a likable character that you want to root for, but at the same time disgusted and appalled by what he does.
Then the ending…damn. The ending was what did it for this book. I think if the ending part was at the beginning, it would have had a much different effect. The way Cassidy did it though, it was perfect. Super emotional impact. Definitely put things into perspective.
Overall, if you can get past some of the, I feel, writing issues (they probably bothered me more than most), I do recommend this for the story. This was my first time reading a book by Cassidy, but this made me want to read more of his books.
***Thank you NetGalley, M&S Publishing, and Neal Cassidy for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.***

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book. I wasn’t entirely sure what I was getting myself into when picking this one up, but I will say that the overall story was a lot darker than I had initially expected. This is not a bad thing, however. I do love a good psychological thriller, and I think Neal Cassidy wrote a story here that does justice to genre. I’m very excited to see future works from this author.

SCHROEDER. What can I say?

Firstly, that I don’t think I’ve ever read a book like this before. Wow.

Secondly, as an AuDHD person, there was a LOT I related to in this book.

Schroeder is that person who gets picked on by the people in life that target the perceived weak and broken. School, home, work – wherever he seems to turn he is getting bullied and underestimated. Hailing from a violent home, his Mum ends up as his only ally and once she succumbs to a terminal illness, he is all alone and ready to break.

And break he does. The story follows his perfectly planned campaign of revenge dispensed via his bicycle. Plotted and subsequently tracked in his notebook in miles, times and snacks, he wreaks his revenge on those who have antagonised him.

What fascinated me throughout this book was how the author reflected the neurodivergent thinking of Schroeder by the clever use of details that far outweigh the acts of revenge itself. The killings are purely part of a perfectly planned outing, and therefore the description of the here and now take precedence whilst the killings are almost secondary and matter of fact.

The social commentary is spot on (I think), the whole nature versus nurture piece and how our upbringing and stressors can have profound effects. How the victim, when pushed in just the right way and the perfect time can snap and go fully, yet quietly, FUBAR.

For those that don’t like details, maybe choose a lesser book. For those that immerse themselves in a tale so cleverly told through the eyes of a neurodiverse protagonist, then please, please, please, pick up this book and go for a ride with Schroeder.

Neal Cassidy, I salute you. Thank you for your wordy genius.

I found the premise of this book fascinating but I seemed unable to connect with the author's writing in this one. I'm giving three stars because it is certainly interesting and unique and I think many others will like it.

Neal Cassidy’s Schroeder is an ambitious, psychological thriller that dives deep into the mind of its troubled protagonist. The narrative, driven by stream-of-consciousness, is highly introspective and often feels more like a literary exercise than a straightforward thriller. The use of this style is interesting and unique, but it sometimes bogs down the pacing, making it difficult to stay fully invested in Schroeder’s journey.

The concept itself is gripping—following a character on a day-long bike ride as he carries out a chilling plan is certainly an intriguing premise. Cassidy does an excellent job of painting the city as a living, breathing entity that mirrors Schroeder’s own internal struggles. The contrast between the vibrant, sunlit city and the dark, violent acts of the main character is well done and adds layers to the story.

However, while the social commentary throughout is thought-provoking, it sometimes feels heavy-handed. The themes of societal decay and Schroeder’s reflections on humanity are compelling, but they can occasionally overshadow the action, making parts of the book feel slower than they need to be. Additionally, I found Schroeder as a character both fascinating and frustrating—his complexity is undeniable, but it’s hard to fully connect with him as an antihero when so much of the narrative feels like an extended monologue.

That said, Schroeder certainly leaves a lasting impression. For readers who enjoy psychological thrillers that lean more toward literary fiction, this will likely resonate more strongly. Personally, I was hoping for more tension and plot momentum to match the intriguing premise.

All in all, Schroeder is a well-crafted, reflective thriller, but it may not be for everyone due to its pacing and philosophical undertones. Cassidy’s writing is strong, and his willingness to take risks with narrative style is admirable. I look forward to seeing how he refines this in future works.

Edge-Lord quiet kid fantasy. It's not terrible but all I can picture while reading this is me in high school thinking about how deep this story is and trying to get everyone else to read it constantly.

3 stars for this interesting novel.

One ordinary day in an ordinary neighborhood in an ordinary town a man sets out on a day long bike ride with a backpack, a package and a very clear plan. He goes from mansions to the projects, through the city and into the suburbs, looking at a broken society but there are also glimpses of pure joy throughout the day.

Who is Schroeder and what leads him to go on a killing spree?

The story is told completely from the perspective of the killer, and it’s interesting to see many mundane aspects of life against horrible acts, alongside moments of real human connection.

I realized partway through that I thought this book was by Nat Cassidy. If you were a teacher and a student wrote this for your class, you would probably report him or her to mental health services. But I kind of enjoyed it.

Schroeder is an unsettling psychological thriller that blends horror, stream-of-consciousness narration, and biting social commentary. The premise—a day-long killing spree carried out by an ordinary man—immediately grabs your attention, and Neal Cassidy crafts some genuinely intriguing moments through Schroeder's reflections on society’s decay and his own inner turmoil. However, something is missing to make this one truly stand out for me.

While the stream-of-consciousness style ultimately works to get us into Schroeder’s head, it took longer than I’d like for it to feel cohesive, especially given the novella length. The pacing feels slow, which works to develop the character but leaves the social critique feeling one-dimensional and flat. There’s so much potential for deeper commentary here, but it never quite reaches the level it seems to aim for. That said, it’s still a gripping read, especially for those who enjoy psychological depth and aren’t afraid to explore darker corners of the human mind.