Review: The Heart of Darkness Club

The Heart of Darkness Club by Gary Reilly

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Book Info: Genre: Humorous mystery
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: Anyone who likes to laugh, and enjoys a mystery while they do it.

My Thoughts: While I haven't yet managed to read the first book in this series, The Asphalt Warrior, I did read the second book, Ticket to Hollywood, and absolutely loved it (review linked below in Series Information section)! So when JKS contacted me and asked if I'd like to part of the blog tour for this book, I was very enthusiastic.

Again, I started laughing right from the start and kept it up all through the book. For instance, Murph explains his ”Work/Loaf Ratio”...”I have spent fourteen years perfecting [it]... I won't bore you with a long-winded explanation of the “W/LR” save to say that it is an algebraic formula of such complex numeric subtlety that it can be understood only by mathematicians and hobos.” He also explains what to do in the event of introspection: “One thing I had learned in college was that if you ever had a question about truth, reality, or the meaning of existence, read a novel by Albert Camus. Pretty soon you'll be so baffled you'll forget the question.”

The mystery this time centers around a man who Murph is called to drive three times in the course of a week as the mystery man moves from one place to another. “I didn't offer to help him carry any of his stuff. That's the unwritten code between cabbies and movers.... It's his punishment for tricking the cab driver into playing Mayflower, because he knows he's not going to give you a tip, and so do you.” The man then goes missing, and Murph is suspected of foul play.

Well, I don't want to go into too much detail on the plot. Suffice it to say we continue to laugh and learn more about Murph (“I hate it when I get mad at myself because it's impossible to turn on my heel and walk away in a huff and refuse to speak to me again. I've tried it plenty of times, believe me.” “I don't like people to know I think things.”), and it was absolutely delightful. Don't miss this book, you will love it!

Blog Tour: I am reading this book as part of a blog tour. Stop by my blog, Now is Gone, on Saturday, June 1, 2013 to see a book feature, a guest post, and a giveaway for this book. Links will be active at 12 a.m. Eastern time on June 1.

Series Information: The Heart of Darkness Club is the third (out of a proposed 10) in the Asphalt Warrior Series. These books all feature Murph, but each can be read as a standalone.
Book 1 The Asphalt Warrior. I don't have this one, but it's on my wishlist.
Book 2: Ticket to Hollywood. review linked here
Book 4: Home for the Holidays. I'm not sure when this is scheduled to be released, but I'll be watching for it!

Disclosure: I received a copy of this e-book from JKS Communications (publicists for the author's representatives) in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: Denverite Brendan Murphy, or “Murph” as he’s known to the rest of the world.

That world consists mostly of fares and doormen and fellow hacks from the Rocky Mountain Taxicab Company. He lives alone in his crow’s nest apartment, fries a hamburger for every meal, does his dish, then channel surfs for reruns of Gilligan’s Island.

He’s a radical minimalist.

Murph has two main goals in life. First, to earn no more from driving his cab than it takes to keep his bohemian lifestyle afloat. Second, never and under any circumstance get involved in the lives of his fares. He’s not very good with the first issue and spectacularly bad with the second.

There are ten adventures total in The Asphalt Warrior Series. The Heart of Darkness Club is third in the series.

Come prowl the mean streets of Denver with Murph and ponder the meaning of the world and all sorts of deep questions, such as:

“Why would anyone want to DO anything?”



View all my reviews