Dark as Night [Hardcover]

Mark Conard (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2004

Morris White is a Sous Chef at a first-rate Philadelphia French restaurant. All he wants is to leave behind his past -- the poor neighborhood and petty crime he knew as a kid -- and open his own restaurant. His dream comes one step closer to reality when the affair he's having with Vicky Ward heats up. Not only is she the manager of the restaurant, but she comes from money and a privileged background. The only thing that could stop them from turning their dream into a reality, is Morris's half-brother, Vince Kammer, who is about to get out of Graterford Prison.

Vince may have done the time, but the crime is far from behind him. Soon poor Morris is stuck in the middle. His job is in jeopardy, his new relationship is in jeopardy, his dream is in jeopardy, all because he's finding it harder and harder to escape his hometown roots, which, unlike the crisp, bright white linens of the restaurant, are black as hell and dark as night.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Loopy characters drive Conard's relaxed crime yarn, his first. They careen around contemporary Philadelphia like pachinko balls: lumbering, dyspeptic bookmaker Johnny Stacks; bickering wise-guy wannabes Lenny and Mo (think Lenny and Squiggy) and their shrill, elaborately coifed girlfriends; greedy corrupt cops Turner and Wojcik; and the book's nominal hero, sous-chef Morris White. Morris's dreams include a bistro of his own and marriage to his yuppie girlfriend, Vicki Ward, who manages Le Tour de Cochon, the tony restaurant where Morris works. But when he lets his volatile, no-account half-brother Vince, fresh out of prison and nursing a grudge, stay at his house, he puts his dreams in serious jeopardy. The story involves stolen diamonds and a clutch of revenge schemes, but these serve as MacGuffins for Conard, who loves letting his misfits simply hang out together. The novel unfolds in a series of shaggy scenes, usually involving a small number of characters who riff or clash comically—think Carl Hiaasen rather than Mario Puzo. Take Lenny and Mo, for example: each thinks himself the brains of the duo and the other, the moron; the reader, of course, enjoys knowing that both are the latter. Despite quite a bit of violence (there's one particularly gruesome sequence involving a power drill), the tone is more droll than sinister. With a slack pace and a plot that fades into insignificance, it's surprising that the story's as entertaining as it is. But Conard knows his characters, depicts them with relish and allows them free, raucous rein.
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Review

"Conard is Philadelphia's answer to James Ellroy." -- Professor Aeon J. Skoble, Bridgewater State College, MA

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 285 pages
• Publisher: Ugly Town; 1 edition (February 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0972441239
• ISBN-13: 978-0972441230
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,197,863 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic debut by an exciting new talent, May 1, 2005

By 

Jeremy Lynch "Mysterlynch" (St. Paul, MN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dark as Night (Hardcover)

I picked this up originally because it was published by the fine folks at Uglytown. They did not steer me wrong.
This novel is set in Philly. Morris is a chef with a dream. He has risen up from a troubled upbringing to become the sous-chef at a first-rate Philadelphia restaurant, Le Tour de Cochon.He wants to open his own restaurant. His love, Vicki, shares his dream and wants to help him. The only thing that might stop this is his half brother Vince. Vince is out of prison and looking to cause problems. Vince comes to stay with Morris and soon trouble is knocking on the door.

Mark has created a wonderful cast of characters that would be right at home in one of the finer Elmore Leonard novels. Colorful and often ruthless, they stand out more than in any other novel I have recently read.The plot is tight and fast moving. It grabs ahold of you and doesn't let go until the very end. The writing is tighter and smoother than just about any other debut novel I can recall reading. An outstanding novel.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Philadelphian's Criminal Delight, April 4, 2004

By 

John G. Pappas "lgpjgp" (Lansdale, Pa USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dark as Night (Hardcover)

An excellent crime novel set in Philadelphia! Once started, you can not put it down. Not for the faint of heart, Dark as Night keeps you guessing and reading from page one. I think, if ever produced, it would make an excellent crime film, like PULP FICTION! Conard's writing is first rate, truly enjoyable, in the tradition of Hammett, et al.