Book Review: Dark As Night

Reviewed By: Ali Karim - RAM

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

OK, I’ve raved about Uglytown’s previous debut novels such as Dirt by Sean Doolittle and the Edgar nominated ‘Gun Monkeys’ by Vic Gischler, and now I can say that ‘Dark as Night’ joins the Uglytown cabal in terms of quality. This praise comes with a catch – there is real darkness in this tale of crime, chefs and the Philadelphia mob that would make Gourmet Hannibal Lecter salivate. This book is a tale of lowlife hoodlums and restaurants – sort of like if George V Higgins wrote a cookbook, it would probably be something like ‘The Friends of Jamie Oliver’.

The story places sous chef Morris White working for the dictatorial Belgian Enin Neves at the top-notch - Le Tour de Couchon restaurant. White wants to move up a peg or two and run his own restaurant as well as land a girl like Le Tour de Couchon’s manager - Vicky Ward. Then just as the starters are cleared, we get to meet Vince Kramer, White’s half-brother recently released from prison for his part in a robbery conviction. The tendrils from Kramer’s prison time return to haunt him, and that of Morris White because a cache of diamonds still remains missing from the bungled burglary. With local mobsters on the sniff, and cops sniffing harder, Morris White’s dreams of his own kitchen start to bleed like a prison tattoo. Peppered with coal-black humor, and an ear for dialogue this debut is what one would call a real scorcher. If you like delving into the world of the small-time / low-life hoodlum and enjoy haute cuisine, then this unusual little book is for you, but remember the warning that is its title ‘- Black as Night’, for even in the kitchen - no one can hear you scream. Conrad is a name to keep tabs on, while Uglytown is a talent factory.

Ali Karim - RAM

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