Book Review: Dark As Night

Reviewed By: Woodstock - RAM

Dark As Night     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Mark T. Conard
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Noir

Morris White is a chef. He works at a fashionable Philadelphia restaurant, and has managed to maintain a productive working relationship with the volatile French owner, who lives up to just about every stereotype you've ever known. Morris' background is a little less exotic - he grew up in the rough part of Philadelphia and has worked hard to break free of the darker side of society and find a solidly respectable niche for himself.

His brother Vince was not so lucky, and as the book opens Morris is on his way to pick his brother up on the day of his parole from prison. Several others are also hoping to touch base with Vince - several very valuable diamonds are missing after a holdup went bad, and Vince is presumed to know where they are.

Vince also has a determined agenda - to repay a brutal attack he endured while in prison. Several colorful characters join the action, a mobster with chronic indigestion, a wannabe wiseguy obsessing on a colorful nickname for himself, a waitress playing both ends against the middle, and other assorted hangers on and gophers.

The action moves right along. Conard presents a nice addition to noir suspense fiction.

Woodstock - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Woodstock - RAM