Midnight Partner, The [Hardcover]

Bart Davis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1995

Investigating the alleged suicide of his best friend and partner, Phillie Liebowitz retraces Jack Murphy's last and most dangerous sexual adventure, involving a series of illicit affairs, violent crime, and a midnight liaison. 75,000 first printing.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

City sin comes to the suburbs in this hard-to-swallow thriller from Davis (Voyage of the Storm). When Jack Murphy takes a fatal dive into his empty Nassau County swimming pool, his screenwriting partner, Phillie Liebowitz, tries to find out why. Computer messages left by Jack soon lead Phillie into a suburban underground of drug abuse, group sex and S&M that tunnels across the East River into the even more wicked city. Before Phillie uncovers the main villain behind Jack's death, this 44-year-old has gone riding with a biker gang, had his house bombed, been shot at and poisoned, had a tortured woman die in his arms, visited a Manhattan S&M club with his Jewish gangster cousin, picked up a much younger woman for a night of mind-shattering sex-and killed two men with a giant ice-making machine at Madison Square Garden. If Davis had presented these adventures in middle-age wish fulfillment with the humor they deserve, this novel might have worked. Instead, he leaches away the fun by allowing Phillie's narration-which offers some sharp insights into suburban life and sexual license-to descend into moralizing and sour commentary on pet peeves like doctors, Roman Catholicism and the big, bad city. By the climax, which features a naked Phillie taking on the villain as a snuff film blares on TV, most readers will want to forsake both city and suburb for the mountains, the sea, the desert-anywhere to escape this overwrought silliness. Literary Guild alternate; major ad/promo.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Publisher

A novel that is at once a wry, acute portrait of a contemporary good guy, a brilliant picture of suburban life, an extraordinary erotic evocation of the world of S&M sex, and a highly suspenseful plot. The narrator, Phillie, is the good guy -- and he is indeed good, as a husband, a father, a citizen, a human being with a complete set of suburban neuroses. But all that turns upside down when his lusty, pleasure-loving screenwriter partner (and oldest friend) dives headfirst off his roof deck into his empty swimming pool, and Phillie, convinced this was the last man in the world to have committed suicide, is determined to find out the truth about his death. He finds himself exploring what lies behind the facades of affluent suburbia and entering a universe of sexual extremes, drugs, and dangerous characters; and as the stakes rise and the body count grows, Phillie risks his marriage, his family, and his life -- and his very soul.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 322 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (July 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553096907
• ISBN-13: 978-0553096903
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,375,305 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the few books around which was impossible to put down, September 26, 2000

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Midnight Partner (Paperback)

Be warned, this book is one that should deffinatly not be judged by a short paragraph on the plot. Like many astounding books, when you try and tell somebody about the story line it comes off sounding tacky or dodgy. However, do not be fooled. This book is more that sex, and suicide. When reading it you find yourself relating almost to the characters which is often a lacking quality in books. Also the plot itself and the wild twists are very unpredictable which makes it an exciting and incredible read. I'm not going to tell you about the plot because that would ruin it for you, but my advice to you is do read it. It is worth it. To those of you who have read it and enjoyed it, may i suggest you also read "Plan B, by Jonathon Tropper" and "Secret History, by Donna Tartt"

And ignore the age, i am in fact 15 but am not registered as a member of Amazon and therefore couldn't write a review.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best I've ever read!, March 12, 1998

By 

Tinomartino (Seattle,WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Midnight Partner, The (Hardcover)

This book has it all. Suspense, action, sex, and love. As a big fan of Clancy, I usually read political thrillers, but this book make me a huge fan of psychological thrillers also. The main character Phillie is a joy to read about. I recommend this book to all mature audiences.

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific Erotic Thriller, May 26, 1998

By 

Brad Fregger "Author Serving Authors" (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Midnight Partner (Paperback)

As the publisher of the audio book version (no longer available) of this book, I am very familiar with it and it's wonderfully, exciting and thrilling story. Once you pick it up you won't be able to put it down. It's got sex, plot, characterization, sex, and a fantastic ending...I always thought it would make a terrific movie.