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The Desire Card #1
Immoral Origins
A PULSE-POUNDING THRILLER THAT ASKS HOW FAR WE'RE WILLING TO SHED OUR MORALS IN ORDER TO HELP THE ONES WE LOVE.
It's 1978 in New York City, and disco is prominent. As are mobsters, gritty streets, needle parks and graffiti-stained subways.
Jake Barnum lives in Hell's Kitchen. He's a petty thief selling hot coats with his buddy Maggs to make ends meet and help his sick kid brother. At a Halloween party downtown, he meets a woman with a Marilyn Monroe mask who works for an organization called The Desire Card-an underground operation promising its exclusive clients "Any Wish Fulfilled for the Right Price."
As Jake becomes taken with its leader, a pseudo father and sociopath at heart, he starts stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. In other words...himself. But as he dives deeper in with the Card, begins falling love with Marilyn, and sees the money rolling in, clients' wishes start becoming more and more suspect-some leading to murder.
The first book in the Desire Card series, Immoral Origins follows those indebted to this sinister organization-where the ultimate price is the cost of one's soul.
It's 1978 in New York City, and disco is prominent. As are mobsters, gritty streets, needle parks and graffiti-stained subways.
Jake Barnum lives in Hell's Kitchen. He's a petty thief selling hot coats with his buddy Maggs to make ends meet and help his sick kid brother. At a Halloween party downtown, he meets a woman with a Marilyn Monroe mask who works for an organization called The Desire Card-an underground operation promising its exclusive clients "Any Wish Fulfilled for the Right Price."
As Jake becomes taken with its leader, a pseudo father and sociopath at heart, he starts stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. In other words...himself. But as he dives deeper in with the Card, begins falling love with Marilyn, and sees the money rolling in, clients' wishes start becoming more and more suspect-some leading to murder.
The first book in the Desire Card series, Immoral Origins follows those indebted to this sinister organization-where the ultimate price is the cost of one's soul.
276 pages, Paperback
Published June 14, 2022
23 people are currently reading
8582 people want to read
About the author
Lee Matthew Goldberg
29 books1,450 followersLee Matthew Goldberg is the author of fourteen novels including THE ANCESTOR and THE MENTOR along with his five-book DESIRE CARD series. His YA series RUNAWAY TRAIN is currently in script development with actress Raegan Revord from TVs Young Sheldon off his original written pilot. The GREAT GIMMELMANS comes out in 2023. He has been published in multiple languages and nominated for an Anthony Award, the Lefty, and the Prix du Polar. After graduating with an MFA from the New School, his writing has also appeared as a contributor in Pipeline Artists, LitHub, The Los Angeles Review of Books, Electric Literature, The Millions, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, LitReactor, Mystery Tribune, The Big Idea, Monkeybicycle, Fiction Writers Review, Cagibi, Necessary Fiction, Hypertext, If My Book, Past Ten, the anthology Dirty Boulevard, The Montreal Review, The Adirondack Review, The New Plains Review, Maudlin House and others. His pilots and screenplays have been finalists in Script Pipeline, Book Pipeline, Stage 32, We Screenplay, the New York Screenplay, Screencraft, and the Hollywood Screenplay contests. He is the co-curator of The Guerrilla Lit Reading Series and lives in New York City. Follow him at LeeMatthewGoldberg.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews
May 14, 2022
Hey hey, this is the first book in my DESIRE CARD series. All five books will be coming out in 2022.
Here's some kind things that other writers and reviewers said.
Can't wait for you all to read!
Immoral Origins:
"What happens when a sweet-talking, enigmatic killer seduces a small-time crook from Hell's Kitchen to join a diabolical scheme operated by a ruthless cabal masquerading as the silver screen's most glamorous stars? Lee Matthew Goldberg answers in this twisted and cinematic new series that hatches in a Koch-era New York stoked by drugs, greed and disco."
—Luke Jerod Kummer, author of Takers Mad and The Blue Period
"An atmospheric riveting thriller you won't be able to put down or easily forget. The late-Seventies setting was an inspired choice and while difficult to pull off, Goldberg does it convincingly. One of Goldberg's best."
- Terrence McCauley - Award-winning author of THE WANDERING MAN and THE MOSCOW PROTOCOL
"Better clear your calendar: when this book gets its hooks in you, there's no escaping. Jake is a classic Lee Matthew Goldberg character: a thief and a killer who gets you on his side by being the only genuine person in a world of snakes. A love story, a fast-paced thriller, a time warp to the bad old days of New York City, Immoral Origins is incredibly entertaining." -- Chris Rhatigan, All Due Respect Books publisher
“[Immoral Origins] is a book that crackles with energy from the opening sentence. It has more than enough twists to satisfy the most demanding of thriller-addicts, while having an emotional depth that will keep any discerning reader turning the pages. Definitely a must-read!”
Andrew Komarnyckyj, acclaimed author of Ezra Slef, The Next Nobel Laureate in Literature
“Lee Matthew Goldberg’s The Desire Card series is a character-driven, enthralling thriller that introduces readers to a dark underworld powered by an equally mysterious organization loaded with as much menace as promise.” Alex Segura, acclaimed, award winning author of Blackout and Secret Identity
“Careful what you wish form especially from a nefarious shadow organization, in this gripping start to Lee Matthew Goldberg’s fast-paced, highly-compelling, buzz-worthy new series. Can’t wait to get my hands on Prey No More to see where this endlessly exciting story takes me next! Love it!” D.J. Palmer, critically acclaimed suspense author of Saving Meaghan and The New Husband.
“I guarantee you’ll want to devour The Desire Card series in one glorious, heart-pounding sitting.” Laura Benedict, Edgar nominated author of The Stranger Inside.
“A taut emotional tale that portends an even deeper exploration of this world in the sequel.” – Kirkus Reviews
“A compulsively addicting thriller series.” - IndieReader
Here's some kind things that other writers and reviewers said.
Can't wait for you all to read!
Immoral Origins:
"What happens when a sweet-talking, enigmatic killer seduces a small-time crook from Hell's Kitchen to join a diabolical scheme operated by a ruthless cabal masquerading as the silver screen's most glamorous stars? Lee Matthew Goldberg answers in this twisted and cinematic new series that hatches in a Koch-era New York stoked by drugs, greed and disco."
—Luke Jerod Kummer, author of Takers Mad and The Blue Period
"An atmospheric riveting thriller you won't be able to put down or easily forget. The late-Seventies setting was an inspired choice and while difficult to pull off, Goldberg does it convincingly. One of Goldberg's best."
- Terrence McCauley - Award-winning author of THE WANDERING MAN and THE MOSCOW PROTOCOL
"Better clear your calendar: when this book gets its hooks in you, there's no escaping. Jake is a classic Lee Matthew Goldberg character: a thief and a killer who gets you on his side by being the only genuine person in a world of snakes. A love story, a fast-paced thriller, a time warp to the bad old days of New York City, Immoral Origins is incredibly entertaining." -- Chris Rhatigan, All Due Respect Books publisher
“[Immoral Origins] is a book that crackles with energy from the opening sentence. It has more than enough twists to satisfy the most demanding of thriller-addicts, while having an emotional depth that will keep any discerning reader turning the pages. Definitely a must-read!”
Andrew Komarnyckyj, acclaimed author of Ezra Slef, The Next Nobel Laureate in Literature
“Lee Matthew Goldberg’s The Desire Card series is a character-driven, enthralling thriller that introduces readers to a dark underworld powered by an equally mysterious organization loaded with as much menace as promise.” Alex Segura, acclaimed, award winning author of Blackout and Secret Identity
“Careful what you wish form especially from a nefarious shadow organization, in this gripping start to Lee Matthew Goldberg’s fast-paced, highly-compelling, buzz-worthy new series. Can’t wait to get my hands on Prey No More to see where this endlessly exciting story takes me next! Love it!” D.J. Palmer, critically acclaimed suspense author of Saving Meaghan and The New Husband.
“I guarantee you’ll want to devour The Desire Card series in one glorious, heart-pounding sitting.” Laura Benedict, Edgar nominated author of The Stranger Inside.
“A taut emotional tale that portends an even deeper exploration of this world in the sequel.” – Kirkus Reviews
“A compulsively addicting thriller series.” - IndieReader
July 12, 2022
Immortal Origins is a wild, irreverent start to the Desire Card series, a set of five novels about a shadowy criminal organization that grants wishes in return for insane fees. And all the members of the organization are melded into form fitting movie star masks and are kind. As Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, and Errol Flynn, often so deep into their roles that the line between reality and fantasy is blurred, particularly as they do lines of coke and disco at Studio 54. They take on other gangs. They distribute drugs. They fulfill contracts. But the real action is the crazy codependent relationships they have with each other, melding to each other out of fear and loyalty. Not quite your normal crime fiction. A little bit far out and funky.
May 22, 2023
This is the first book of a series that is a noir thriller genre novel. In this one we are in the late 70's and in Hell's Kitchen. We follow a young adult who makes a wrong decision and goes to work for an organization that provides wishes to people by any means necessary.
This was my introduction to this author and I enjoyed it so much. First off the setting was perfect as I had no problem going back in time. The author would use various forms like songs or films from that era that immediately transported me back in time. What was excellent about the setting is how the author portrayed the bleak nature for our characters. And the characters is where this book excels. He had the characters working for this organization wear various celebrity masks. I loved this metaphor as what a character wears for a mask in trying to get ahead and how the mask always has to come off. I enjoyed all the characters and their subsequent relationships. This really caught me by surprise too as I thought this was going to be more of a thriller novel. Instead it was a in depth character book set in the noir genre. I love noir when it is done right and this one is done right.
I cannot even remember how this book came into my purview. I am so glad it did though. This was a very pleasant surprise. The only flaw is that I wish it was a little longer and had a little more depth with some of the characters. It is the first book so maybe that will come later. I know I will find out as I am definitely continuing with this series.
This was my introduction to this author and I enjoyed it so much. First off the setting was perfect as I had no problem going back in time. The author would use various forms like songs or films from that era that immediately transported me back in time. What was excellent about the setting is how the author portrayed the bleak nature for our characters. And the characters is where this book excels. He had the characters working for this organization wear various celebrity masks. I loved this metaphor as what a character wears for a mask in trying to get ahead and how the mask always has to come off. I enjoyed all the characters and their subsequent relationships. This really caught me by surprise too as I thought this was going to be more of a thriller novel. Instead it was a in depth character book set in the noir genre. I love noir when it is done right and this one is done right.
I cannot even remember how this book came into my purview. I am so glad it did though. This was a very pleasant surprise. The only flaw is that I wish it was a little longer and had a little more depth with some of the characters. It is the first book so maybe that will come later. I know I will find out as I am definitely continuing with this series.
July 15, 2022
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Immoral Origins was exciting and suspenseful with twists and turns throughout. The concept of using celebrity masks while committing crimes was unique and added to the mystique of the story. Unfortunately I hated the ending. Although not a spoiler alert, the ending didn't make sense given the style in which the book was written. If not for the ending I would have rated it five stars; I considered giving it three stars but it was a great read. Just be prepared for a let down when finished, unless you're intuitive enough to figure it out without skipping to the end.
Immoral Origins was exciting and suspenseful with twists and turns throughout. The concept of using celebrity masks while committing crimes was unique and added to the mystique of the story. Unfortunately I hated the ending. Although not a spoiler alert, the ending didn't make sense given the style in which the book was written. If not for the ending I would have rated it five stars; I considered giving it three stars but it was a great read. Just be prepared for a let down when finished, unless you're intuitive enough to figure it out without skipping to the end.
June 22, 2022
I've really enjoyed this book, Jake AKA Errol is a big part to the story and I've enjoyed seeing how his characters evolved as the pages went on. Marilyn is strong but under the mask, is a woman that has been hurt in the past and has now gained acceptance, I like how Errol and Marilyn's relationship goes on in the Card and how powerful Gable comes across. The Card has a lot of wishes it seems!
I would recommend this book and I'm looking forward to reading the next installment!
I would recommend this book and I'm looking forward to reading the next installment!
August 5, 2022
How far would you go to help those you love? That's the question Lee Matthew Goldberg raises in
Immoral Origins
.
Thanks so much to Suzy Approved Book Tours, Lee Matthew Goldberg, and Rough Edges Press for inviting me on the tour for this book. It was wild!
Jake is a petty thief living in New York City in 1978. He mostly sells stolen goods, but he does it to help Emile, his younger brother, who has a host of health problems. He wishes there was a better way.
And then he finds her—a woman with a Marilyn Monroe mask at a Halloween party. It turns out she works for The Desire Card, a shadowy organization that promises to fulfill its high-paying clients’ wishes—for the right price.
As always, what seems too good to be true usually is. Jake finds himself falling for Marilyn and getting drawn deeper and deeper into The Desire Card. But little by little he realizes that it’s not only magnanimous wishes the organization is fulfilling—some of them are actually deadly. In that someone winds up dead.
Having read Goldberg’s Runaway Train trilogy, which so accurately captured the music and ethos of the 1990s, it came as no surprise that the late 1970s setting, complete with the excesses of Studio 54, felt so right. But the thriller elements of the book worked so well, too, that I couldn’t put this down.
This is the start of a brand new series worth reading. It’ll make you think twice about how much you’d sacrifice for those you love.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
Thanks so much to Suzy Approved Book Tours, Lee Matthew Goldberg, and Rough Edges Press for inviting me on the tour for this book. It was wild!
Jake is a petty thief living in New York City in 1978. He mostly sells stolen goods, but he does it to help Emile, his younger brother, who has a host of health problems. He wishes there was a better way.
And then he finds her—a woman with a Marilyn Monroe mask at a Halloween party. It turns out she works for The Desire Card, a shadowy organization that promises to fulfill its high-paying clients’ wishes—for the right price.
As always, what seems too good to be true usually is. Jake finds himself falling for Marilyn and getting drawn deeper and deeper into The Desire Card. But little by little he realizes that it’s not only magnanimous wishes the organization is fulfilling—some of them are actually deadly. In that someone winds up dead.
Having read Goldberg’s Runaway Train trilogy, which so accurately captured the music and ethos of the 1990s, it came as no surprise that the late 1970s setting, complete with the excesses of Studio 54, felt so right. But the thriller elements of the book worked so well, too, that I couldn’t put this down.
This is the start of a brand new series worth reading. It’ll make you think twice about how much you’d sacrifice for those you love.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
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June 17, 2022
"𝐀𝐧𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞"
How often does it happen with you? You read hundreds and hundreds of books and THE one get stuck with you forever. I'm shook. I'm speechless. I'm amazed. I don't know how to form words properly.😂
I'm a 90's baby so anything before that time fascinates me to no end. This book spans it's story only around three years 1978 - 80 but it feels like you've lived your entire life with these characters, so much so that you'll start to empathize with the main characters and their everyday emotional struggle. This books will give you a glimpse of a 80's mafia organization, its ups and downs, a sleazy sociopath of a mob boss, a very dangerous love triangle. This book is a perfect blend of Crime fiction, thriller and a whirlwind of a love story. At the end you'll be questioning yourself how far will you go to protect the ones you love? And Is love worth it to loose your soul, to loose everything that you stand for?
It's been a while since I've found a book that has everything that made me drop everything and kept me hooked till the very end. And I can't wait to read the second installment of this awesome thriller. If you loved Godfather or similar kind of books or movie, you should pick this one up.
Thanks to @netgalley
And @wolfpack.publishing for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
How often does it happen with you? You read hundreds and hundreds of books and THE one get stuck with you forever. I'm shook. I'm speechless. I'm amazed. I don't know how to form words properly.😂
I'm a 90's baby so anything before that time fascinates me to no end. This book spans it's story only around three years 1978 - 80 but it feels like you've lived your entire life with these characters, so much so that you'll start to empathize with the main characters and their everyday emotional struggle. This books will give you a glimpse of a 80's mafia organization, its ups and downs, a sleazy sociopath of a mob boss, a very dangerous love triangle. This book is a perfect blend of Crime fiction, thriller and a whirlwind of a love story. At the end you'll be questioning yourself how far will you go to protect the ones you love? And Is love worth it to loose your soul, to loose everything that you stand for?
It's been a while since I've found a book that has everything that made me drop everything and kept me hooked till the very end. And I can't wait to read the second installment of this awesome thriller. If you loved Godfather or similar kind of books or movie, you should pick this one up.
Thanks to @netgalley
And @wolfpack.publishing for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
June 10, 2022
Dark, frighteningly so .... but so very convincing that even as you watched our small time hood from Hell's Kitchen become an enforcer, a drug runner a murderer, and worse.... you somehow understand and think somehow it has to all work out.The pace and twists and turns in this book are unbelievable and just when you think there is nothing that can surprise you, it slaps you upside your head and again with the jaw dropping! This book should probably have gotten a 5 star rating from me as it is that good but the entire concept that an organization could exist prepared and capable of granting ANY wish no matter how good or evil for " a price " just left a nasty lump in my throat. And yes, I will be reading the sequel!
July 17, 2022
My review of Immoral Origins can be found on my blog...
https://quirkybookreads.wordpress.com...
https://quirkybookreads.wordpress.com...
July 15, 2022
Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it.
Lee Matthew Goldberg explores that idea in Immoral Origins, the first book in The Desire Card book series. The Card’s motto is Any Wishes Fulfilled For the Right Price. Goldberg stages a trainwreck for his readers to see the evil that permeates the motto. I knew that the story was just leading to more disaster, but I couldn’t look away. I didn’t want to look away. Just like those who worked for The Card, I knew I was getting dragged deeper and deeper into the darkness, but I didn’t want to stop.
Jake Barnum just wants to stay out of prison, earn money for his sick brother’s treatment, and to find a better girlfriend than Cheryl. He falls hard for a woman wearing a Marilyn Monroe mask at a Halloween party. The mask stays on even as the relationship starts, and Marilyn explains that those who work for The Desire Card work under the name of an old movie star and keep their masks on as part of their employment. She recruits him and suggests he could be Errol Flynn since he dressed as Robin Hood at the Halloween Party. The boss, Clark Gable, brings on Jake on a trial basis. Clark quickly offers a permanent job - and an Errol Flynn mask. Soon Jake/Errol is finding out how similar his Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood and new job are and is quickly torn between them. He’s also learning how extreme the wishes of the super-rich are as he realizes what it will take to fulfill them. Jake just wants to find a way out and bring Marilyn with him, but are either of those possible?
The title, Immoral Origins, should be an obvious clue that The Desire Card does not offer a bubble-gum pink genie in a bottle kind of wish story. This setting is dirty, seedy, and violent. Power is far more important than happiness.
I’m a fan of Lee Matthew Golberg’s writing, and this first book in The Desire Card series does not disappoint. He entices me to take a tiny step into the book’s cesspool, then another. I was just like Jake, waist deep into an ugly world but still seduced to dive in deeper and deeper. I realized there was no escape, but had no interest in turning back. The characters were fascinating, each bearing some level of evil to drag them into the twists and turns of the story. The ending was inevitable, but Goldberg left just enough room for questions until the last sentence of the book.
The second book in The Desire Card series is Prey No More. It jumped to the top of my very large TBR pile. I can’t wait to find out what happens next.
Thanks to Black Tide Book Tours for providing a review copy of the book.
Lee Matthew Goldberg explores that idea in Immoral Origins, the first book in The Desire Card book series. The Card’s motto is Any Wishes Fulfilled For the Right Price. Goldberg stages a trainwreck for his readers to see the evil that permeates the motto. I knew that the story was just leading to more disaster, but I couldn’t look away. I didn’t want to look away. Just like those who worked for The Card, I knew I was getting dragged deeper and deeper into the darkness, but I didn’t want to stop.
Jake Barnum just wants to stay out of prison, earn money for his sick brother’s treatment, and to find a better girlfriend than Cheryl. He falls hard for a woman wearing a Marilyn Monroe mask at a Halloween party. The mask stays on even as the relationship starts, and Marilyn explains that those who work for The Desire Card work under the name of an old movie star and keep their masks on as part of their employment. She recruits him and suggests he could be Errol Flynn since he dressed as Robin Hood at the Halloween Party. The boss, Clark Gable, brings on Jake on a trial basis. Clark quickly offers a permanent job - and an Errol Flynn mask. Soon Jake/Errol is finding out how similar his Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood and new job are and is quickly torn between them. He’s also learning how extreme the wishes of the super-rich are as he realizes what it will take to fulfill them. Jake just wants to find a way out and bring Marilyn with him, but are either of those possible?
The title, Immoral Origins, should be an obvious clue that The Desire Card does not offer a bubble-gum pink genie in a bottle kind of wish story. This setting is dirty, seedy, and violent. Power is far more important than happiness.
I’m a fan of Lee Matthew Golberg’s writing, and this first book in The Desire Card series does not disappoint. He entices me to take a tiny step into the book’s cesspool, then another. I was just like Jake, waist deep into an ugly world but still seduced to dive in deeper and deeper. I realized there was no escape, but had no interest in turning back. The characters were fascinating, each bearing some level of evil to drag them into the twists and turns of the story. The ending was inevitable, but Goldberg left just enough room for questions until the last sentence of the book.
The second book in The Desire Card series is Prey No More. It jumped to the top of my very large TBR pile. I can’t wait to find out what happens next.
Thanks to Black Tide Book Tours for providing a review copy of the book.
August 19, 2022
Thank you to the publisher and BookSirens for providing me with a copy of this novel for an honest review. It is set to be published in June 2022.
"Immoral Origin" by Lee Matthew Goldberg is the first book in an exciting new noir series.
The action-packed plot and the compelling writing style captivated me from page one, and I raced through the story faster than I thought possible.
The novel is so full of twists I couldn't even begin to try and guess what would happen next, all the way up to the breathtaking ending.
I'd have loved to get more of a backstory for the characters (basically, nobody but the first-person narrator gets more than a few glimpses of a backstory), but I reckon I'll have to wait for the next books to come out.
I found some elements to be a bit clichéd, but those are also the staple of the genre, so that's probably why they couldn't be avoided.
Loved the bits about Emile, and to see the brothers' relationship play out like that.
Overall, this novel was a real pageturner, and a very promising beginning to "The Desire Card" series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
"Immoral Origin" by Lee Matthew Goldberg is the first book in an exciting new noir series.
The action-packed plot and the compelling writing style captivated me from page one, and I raced through the story faster than I thought possible.
The novel is so full of twists I couldn't even begin to try and guess what would happen next, all the way up to the breathtaking ending.
I'd have loved to get more of a backstory for the characters (basically, nobody but the first-person narrator gets more than a few glimpses of a backstory), but I reckon I'll have to wait for the next books to come out.
I found some elements to be a bit clichéd, but those are also the staple of the genre, so that's probably why they couldn't be avoided.
Loved the bits about Emile, and to see the brothers' relationship play out like that.
Overall, this novel was a real pageturner, and a very promising beginning to "The Desire Card" series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 10, 2022
This is a thriller your not going to forget. It’s super addicting, emotional, and it keeps you wanting to dig deeper and deeper into this world. I honestly can not wait for the next book! It’s a must read! Personally I like reading these type of books at night because it makes it ten times better, so I recommend that too!
June 15, 2024
The Desire Card series, which consists of five novels about a mysterious criminal enterprise that grants desires in exchange for exorbitant fees, is off to a wild and irreverent start with Immortal Origins. Living in Hell's Kitchen is Jake Barnum. He is a small-time criminal who partners with Maggs to sell hot coats in order to support his sick younger brother and make ends meet. He encounters a Marilyn Monroe-masked woman at a Halloween party downtown who represents The Desire Card, a shadowy business that claims to be able to grant any wish for the right price.
I thought the book's characters were by far its greatest strength. Considering their roles as genre icons, Jake and Marilyn were both very well-rounded. In order for us to truly understand and empathise with the other members of The Card, I'm hoping that the upcoming book or books will focus a little more on them. A great read with a surprising conclusion.
You might like to check out more similar books here.
I thought the book's characters were by far its greatest strength. Considering their roles as genre icons, Jake and Marilyn were both very well-rounded. In order for us to truly understand and empathise with the other members of The Card, I'm hoping that the upcoming book or books will focus a little more on them. A great read with a surprising conclusion.
You might like to check out more similar books here.
June 19, 2022
Welcome to the New York underground and characters that you’d probably never want to meet, but are fascinating to read about in a novel. An excellent start to a series that leaves the reader eager for more. I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and voluntarily provided an honest review.
July 14, 2022
New Book Alert: Immoral Origins (The Desire Card Book 1) by Lee Matthew Goldberg;. Suspenseful Crime Thriller About the Hidden Cost of Desire and Success
By Julie Sara Porter
Bookworm Reviews
Spoilers: What's on your reading list?
What if you had a card that would give you anything that you desired and removed any obstacle to obtain it? How satisfied would you be or would you want more? What if in obtaining your heart's desire, it involved the deaths of people? Maybe people you don't know, maybe a rival, but it could just as easily involve the death of a friend or family member? After all, the cost of this card is only your soul. Now would you do it?
This premise is explored in Lee Matthew Goldberg's The Desire Card series and particularly its first volume, Immoral Origins. As with his previous novels, Slow Down and Orange City, Goldberg shows the perils of cold blooded pure unadulterated naked ambition and its effect on a small time guy who is playing in bigger more dangerous leagues.
Jake Barnum, our protagonist, is a petty crook going nowhere fast. He just got out of prison and is left homeless and unemployable. He then moves back in with his parents and his mentally challenged brother, Emile. He is subjected to his parent's poverty which is revealed by the frequent visits to the hospital and medical bills to diagnose Emile's condition and his father working two jobs and getting only two hours of sleep per day. Jake's relationship with his girlfriend, Cheryl is coming to an end. (After stealing her a tennis bracelet from Tiffany's, Jake finds out that she is seeing someone else.) His childhood friend, Maggs introduces him to his boss, Georgie who wants him to do "pick ups and deliveries" and not ask questions. In Hell's Kitchen New York in 1978, that type of job can only mean one thing and they aren't mail carriers.
One Halloween night, Jake, dressed as Erroll Flynn's Robin Hood, encounters a woman dressed as Marilyn Monroe and only answers to that name. Marilyn informs Jake that she works for a company that grants wishes, with the Desire Card. It's everywhere you want to be….whether you like it or not.
Marilyn introduces Jake to her boss, an enigmatic man known only as Clark Gable because like Marilyn, he wears costumes and a mask resembling the Hollywood actor. In fact all of the Desire Card employees and elite guests dress up in the masks and costumes of old Hollywood stars. There is Bette Davis typing away every conversation in front of her, even small talk. Gregory Peck is ruthless in the job and in his relationship with Marilyn. Spencer Tracy is Gable's informant. Katharine Hepburn and Laurence Olivier run the European branch. Now Jake has a new identity as Erroll Flynn. Marilyn says that it's a disguise to hide who the people really are from the outside world and themselves. Your Hollywood mask, don't leave home without it.
The Desire Card is meant to fulfill the holder's wishes whether it's to get more money, a promotion at work, or in Jake's family's case top notch medical care for a loved one. Gable and his operatives do anything to make those wishes come true. However, the means are less like Santa Claus and more like Al Capone or Jimmy Savile. They resort to kidnapping, theft, sexual assault, and murder to get the job done. They are also expanding their services into drugs and other extra "benefits" that come with having the card. The more that Jake profits from his time with the Desire Card, the greedier and more addicted he gets to power and success. After all, doing illegal deeds to meet one's desire: Expensive. Murdering other people: Costly. Selling one's soul: Priceless.
In this book, Goldberg does what he does best: shows how power and ambition could be an addiction and how often these little guys become swept in and end up becoming the deadliest force of all. Jake is like the petty crook in gangster films who robs stores and takes drugs thinking that makes him tough. Then he gets involved with a much bigger and deadlier group. Amidst the wild parties, frequent sex, and nights our in fancy restaurants, he realizes the darker side of his new friend and now that darker side is turned towards him. In the grand scheme of criminal activity, Jake is a small dog, a Yorkie, yipping at the heels of a pack of dobermans and acts surprised when they snarl their teeth and shed blood on him.
He enjoys the protection that they give him, the treatment that Emile receives. He also likes the flash and glamor that he is exposed to as he ascends higher in the organization.
Jake at first has few moral concerns. As long as he's getting everything that he wants, he doesn't question the things that he has to do. Even after he expresses qualms about killing for the first job, he ends up becoming okay with it later-as long as the people he goes after are enemies or strangers. It's when they go after friends and family, that Jake questions his new life. Jak is an extremely egocentric selfish creep of a weak willed character who only has moral qualms when it personally involves him That makes him the perfect victim for the people behind the card.
The Desire Card employees are an intriguing bunch because they are so mysterious. Their only identities are their Hollywood names and characters. I suppose we could infer from their chosen identities who they might have been. Maybe Bette was a tough gal who liked to be a Jezebel. Perhaps, Katharine came from a wealthy Connecticut background and Olivier might be a devotee of Shakespeare.
We learn a bit about Marilyn and everything about her backstory is similar to her character: the lost lonely young girl, the attraction to powerful dangerous men, the sadness hidden behind a glamorous facade. But the Reader only learns a little bit about her. She loves her identity as Marilyn so she insists that's all there is. Part of working for the Desire Card is to become their deepest desire.
The most mysterious of all is their leader, Gable. Everything that we learn about him is repeatedly proven or disproven. Does he have a family or doesn't he? How long has he been doing this? How does he find out everyone's desires and secrets? Is he just really good at obtaining informants or is there something else? Is there something supernatural at work here? After all, doesn't the Desire Card sound an awful lot like a deal with the devil? We learn nothing and see nothing except what Gable wants us to see. It will be interesting to see how Gable and his subordinates continue to play out this mystery in the rest of the series.
Immoral Origins is great at dissecting what the hidden cost is obtaining power and success without a conscience. There are some books that explore this theme without success. For everything else, there's Immoral Origins.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 9, 2022
This was a cracking opening book to the Desire Card series, a proper atmospheric Noir thriller that pulls you into the action and which makes you read this at such a pace you have to fight to keep up. Jake Barnum is a petty thief who has a chance meeting at a party, he meets none other than Marilyn Monroe and gets pulled into a sinister underworld catering wishes for the rich and powerful.
The characters are wonderful, I love the dual personalities of the mask and the wearer underneath. Also the setting, 1978 the year I was born, I reckon more books should be based then seeing as the bestest reader arrived on Earth then. The relationship between Jake and Marilyn was well written the passion almost drips of the page, as their bond grows more intense Jake finds himself pulled further and further into the mysteries of The Card…who exactly is Gable, what is the issue with Peck and what the hell is Bette typing on her typewriter.
Goldberg does a good job of keeping the reader tied to the era, references to political events, well known locations like Studio 54 and a cracking selection of disco music, although Jake’s abuse of the poor Beegees was rather uncalled for. The further into the book I got, the more engrossed I became, reading far quicker than I normally do. There are 5 books in this series and they are all being released in 2022, how cool is that? No waiting around for the next book whilst I forget what I read.
This book was good fun, full of violence, intrigue and an amazing retro feel, the sort of series of books that would work well on TV so get on board and start this before all the kids say that it’s sick (or whatever word they use these days, I was born in 1978 so have no idea). Bring on book 2 I say!
Blog review: https://felcherman.wordpress.com/2022...
The characters are wonderful, I love the dual personalities of the mask and the wearer underneath. Also the setting, 1978 the year I was born, I reckon more books should be based then seeing as the bestest reader arrived on Earth then. The relationship between Jake and Marilyn was well written the passion almost drips of the page, as their bond grows more intense Jake finds himself pulled further and further into the mysteries of The Card…who exactly is Gable, what is the issue with Peck and what the hell is Bette typing on her typewriter.
Goldberg does a good job of keeping the reader tied to the era, references to political events, well known locations like Studio 54 and a cracking selection of disco music, although Jake’s abuse of the poor Beegees was rather uncalled for. The further into the book I got, the more engrossed I became, reading far quicker than I normally do. There are 5 books in this series and they are all being released in 2022, how cool is that? No waiting around for the next book whilst I forget what I read.
This book was good fun, full of violence, intrigue and an amazing retro feel, the sort of series of books that would work well on TV so get on board and start this before all the kids say that it’s sick (or whatever word they use these days, I was born in 1978 so have no idea). Bring on book 2 I say!
Blog review: https://felcherman.wordpress.com/2022...
July 29, 2022
I always love reading Lee’s books and he has quite the range that I’ve read from YA to dystopian to thrillers. All of the books have characters that stay with me and this book falls right in line with that.
This is Book One in a three part series.
I loved this book and once I started reading it I couldn’t put it down. It’s got a heavy noir feeling.
Throughout the entire book news events and music are referenced for that 1978-1980 timeframe. I loved that because I was in junior high school during that time and can remember everything about it music and news wise.
This is a gritty novel set in NYC and is about a guy named Jake who gets involved in an organization that fulfills wishes for a price.
Jake is introduced to the organization one night at a Halloween party when he meets ‘Marilyn Monroe’. Marilyn and all members of ‘The Card’ wear masks that are of old movie stars to keep their true identities hidden. As Jake moves from trainee to full employee, he becomes Errol Flynn.
Jake falls for Marilyn and gets in deeper and deeper in the organization. As the plot develops, Jake loses his best friend and has to separate himself from his family.
It’s an interconnected read fueled with cocaine, gangsters, and centered around Jake who just wants his girl and to make money to help out with the bills from his sick younger brother.
The ending is jaw dropping.
I’ve already bought books 2 and 3 in the series, PREY NO MORE and ALL SINS FULFILLED, which are both on KU. (As of 7/29/22)
This is Book One in a three part series.
I loved this book and once I started reading it I couldn’t put it down. It’s got a heavy noir feeling.
Throughout the entire book news events and music are referenced for that 1978-1980 timeframe. I loved that because I was in junior high school during that time and can remember everything about it music and news wise.
This is a gritty novel set in NYC and is about a guy named Jake who gets involved in an organization that fulfills wishes for a price.
Jake is introduced to the organization one night at a Halloween party when he meets ‘Marilyn Monroe’. Marilyn and all members of ‘The Card’ wear masks that are of old movie stars to keep their true identities hidden. As Jake moves from trainee to full employee, he becomes Errol Flynn.
Jake falls for Marilyn and gets in deeper and deeper in the organization. As the plot develops, Jake loses his best friend and has to separate himself from his family.
It’s an interconnected read fueled with cocaine, gangsters, and centered around Jake who just wants his girl and to make money to help out with the bills from his sick younger brother.
The ending is jaw dropping.
I’ve already bought books 2 and 3 in the series, PREY NO MORE and ALL SINS FULFILLED, which are both on KU. (As of 7/29/22)
July 30, 2022
The Desire Card: Any wish fulfilled for the right price
Lee Matthew Goldberg's first book in The Desire Card series had me combating a lot of emotions: anger, sadness, a stark slap of reality, suspicion, reflecting on every character's motives, or as Jake would put it, the reasons for following specific crowds. But in the end, in addition to having me hooked, it taught me that sometimes no matter the blood and love involved, it was always loyalty that trumped, particularly when you had to choose between something that you spent years building, and someone or something who ended up making you stronger, no matter even if the paths diverged into darkness and wrong madness.
Jake Barnum, a 24-year-old kid from a slum christened The Hell's Kitchen involves himself in petty crimes, winding up in prison, and is the usual mugger that you know. He has an ailing brother Emille, a limping father who takes shifts to keep his younger son running, and a mother who works as a secretary but has to stay most of the time close to her younger son. A chance encounter with an employee at The Desire Card, Marilyn at a Halloween party where he wound up seeking employment with his friend Magg's employee ends up turning his world upside down. As his path at the Desire Card keeps growing and his lines with Marylin entwined romantically, he realizes he has to put his conscience at bay and continues believing that the desperate times that arrived since his younger brother's birth called for his desperate measure to earn money by following the wrong crowd.
But as his days progress, everything that was all shiny stars ends up taking an ugly turn diving deep into a barbaric storm as skeletons keep tumbling one out of the other. As Jake finds himself turning into Hollywood star Errol Flynn with a mask like the rest of the organization and its boss, Clark Gable, and as he struggles to keep his nose out of the card's darkest closet, the uncertainty towards him making out alive forms the rest of the story.
To be frank, I have to give it to Goldberg for all the excellent, well-thought, and well-put sentences that spell the ugly truth even in today's modern world. I loved his characterizations of the various people involved in the story: the common men, the members of The Desire Card, and the people around Jake. But beyond all that, I really loved how him establishing Clark Gable and Laurence Olivier, despite being the founders of the same firm, staying polar opposites of each other: one being to wound up in taking power as cocaine, reeling as its addict, fawning and obsessing over the place chaos merged with power has gotten to and striving hard to put everyone under his thumb, and show who is the boss, while the other sees power, as something to tell people that it isn't unethical to channel the power to want something they cannot and shouldn't have.
Finally, his stand towards the various masks that we don, toggling them depending on the situation's interest really moved me. Plus, his incessant capability to spell words unsaid in every line to never mix fiction and reality in all endeavors had me hooked. Overall, The Desire Card is a fiery, stunning, fast-pacing read, giving a heads up towards the type of crowd we need to follow, particularly when we stay out of options, even if it counted on desperate measures and if one had to follow the wrong crowd, it is important to choose when to break away from the tentacles, or better, never get involved at all. Above all, it is important to carefully make the choice of what we wish for, even if there is a price involved.
This is a honest review given in exchange of an ARC from BookSirens. I'd suggest this wonderful piece to anyone who find themselves affining to the enigma that the Illuminati were and other mafia tribes. Truth be said, I can't wait to get my hands on the other, up and coming books in the rest of the Desire Card Series.
Lee Matthew Goldberg's first book in The Desire Card series had me combating a lot of emotions: anger, sadness, a stark slap of reality, suspicion, reflecting on every character's motives, or as Jake would put it, the reasons for following specific crowds. But in the end, in addition to having me hooked, it taught me that sometimes no matter the blood and love involved, it was always loyalty that trumped, particularly when you had to choose between something that you spent years building, and someone or something who ended up making you stronger, no matter even if the paths diverged into darkness and wrong madness.
Jake Barnum, a 24-year-old kid from a slum christened The Hell's Kitchen involves himself in petty crimes, winding up in prison, and is the usual mugger that you know. He has an ailing brother Emille, a limping father who takes shifts to keep his younger son running, and a mother who works as a secretary but has to stay most of the time close to her younger son. A chance encounter with an employee at The Desire Card, Marilyn at a Halloween party where he wound up seeking employment with his friend Magg's employee ends up turning his world upside down. As his path at the Desire Card keeps growing and his lines with Marylin entwined romantically, he realizes he has to put his conscience at bay and continues believing that the desperate times that arrived since his younger brother's birth called for his desperate measure to earn money by following the wrong crowd.
But as his days progress, everything that was all shiny stars ends up taking an ugly turn diving deep into a barbaric storm as skeletons keep tumbling one out of the other. As Jake finds himself turning into Hollywood star Errol Flynn with a mask like the rest of the organization and its boss, Clark Gable, and as he struggles to keep his nose out of the card's darkest closet, the uncertainty towards him making out alive forms the rest of the story.
To be frank, I have to give it to Goldberg for all the excellent, well-thought, and well-put sentences that spell the ugly truth even in today's modern world. I loved his characterizations of the various people involved in the story: the common men, the members of The Desire Card, and the people around Jake. But beyond all that, I really loved how him establishing Clark Gable and Laurence Olivier, despite being the founders of the same firm, staying polar opposites of each other: one being to wound up in taking power as cocaine, reeling as its addict, fawning and obsessing over the place chaos merged with power has gotten to and striving hard to put everyone under his thumb, and show who is the boss, while the other sees power, as something to tell people that it isn't unethical to channel the power to want something they cannot and shouldn't have.
Finally, his stand towards the various masks that we don, toggling them depending on the situation's interest really moved me. Plus, his incessant capability to spell words unsaid in every line to never mix fiction and reality in all endeavors had me hooked. Overall, The Desire Card is a fiery, stunning, fast-pacing read, giving a heads up towards the type of crowd we need to follow, particularly when we stay out of options, even if it counted on desperate measures and if one had to follow the wrong crowd, it is important to choose when to break away from the tentacles, or better, never get involved at all. Above all, it is important to carefully make the choice of what we wish for, even if there is a price involved.
This is a honest review given in exchange of an ARC from BookSirens. I'd suggest this wonderful piece to anyone who find themselves affining to the enigma that the Illuminati were and other mafia tribes. Truth be said, I can't wait to get my hands on the other, up and coming books in the rest of the Desire Card Series.
June 19, 2022
Set in the 1970s, Immoral Origins is the story of a low-level thief from Hell’s Kitchen, Jake Barnum, who is recruited into a life of organized crime. But if you’re thinking of The Godfather, think again. Author Lee Matthew Goldberg turns organized crime stereotypes on their head with a truly fresh criminal syndicate called The Desire Card. Its members do much of their business in celebrity masks and fulfill any wish “for the right price.”
Jack’s entry into The Desire Card is as mysterious and tantalizing as it is fun. He’s recruited by a woman who, due to her nefarious accomplishments, has earned the exclusive right to wear a Marilyn Monroe mask. And Jake, who aspires to be a modern-day Robin Hood, unwittingly embarks on nothing less than a criminal masterclass in economics, psychology and morality. Not long after he sees how well a high-class operative like Marylin lives, he gets his first taste of success as a new wheelchair for his sickly brother is delivered to the home he shares with his family. It’s one of several heartbreaking scenes, as the arrival of the wheelchair confirms to Jack’s parents that their son is likely mixed up with someone powerful and dangerous. But as Jake’s hardworking father stands there reeking of fish guts from his work at the market, the family quickly sweeps the issue under the rug and celebrates the much-needed gift.
Goldberg creates sizzling-hot chemistry between Jake and Marylin and takes it into surprising new territory. As much as she’s an object of lust, Marilyn is also a mentor. In a bombshell scene in which Jake completely misreads a situation that has caused her physical harm, she asks him, “What kind of wishes do you think are most popular?” Jake’s answer to that question reveals his naitive. Her shocking reveal lays bare the true nature of the life he’s chosen.
The closer Jake gets to the truth about The Desire Card’s leadership and business model, the more unputdownable the book becomes. Along the way, the story itself is nothing less than a glittering museum of pop culture spanning from the 40s to the late 70s. For example, readers will have fun Googling the real-life relationship between Marilyn Monroe and Errol Flynn while speculating about why Goldberg has used their personas in the ways that he does. Cultural references aplenty come from the worlds of politics, art and television, ensuring readers remain transported to a singular time and place.
But most of all, fans of 1970s pop music should prepare for a torrent of earworms. Goldberg fills the novel with vibrant scenes, including some at Studio 54, paired with perfectly iconic tracks. The book’s playlist includes all the disco gems you’d expect from the Bee Gees, Michael Jackson and others, as well as choice rock and new wave cuts from Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, The Cure, Springsteen and others. That makes Immoral Origins a story you won’t get out of your mind, or your ears, anytime soon.
Jack’s entry into The Desire Card is as mysterious and tantalizing as it is fun. He’s recruited by a woman who, due to her nefarious accomplishments, has earned the exclusive right to wear a Marilyn Monroe mask. And Jake, who aspires to be a modern-day Robin Hood, unwittingly embarks on nothing less than a criminal masterclass in economics, psychology and morality. Not long after he sees how well a high-class operative like Marylin lives, he gets his first taste of success as a new wheelchair for his sickly brother is delivered to the home he shares with his family. It’s one of several heartbreaking scenes, as the arrival of the wheelchair confirms to Jack’s parents that their son is likely mixed up with someone powerful and dangerous. But as Jake’s hardworking father stands there reeking of fish guts from his work at the market, the family quickly sweeps the issue under the rug and celebrates the much-needed gift.
Goldberg creates sizzling-hot chemistry between Jake and Marylin and takes it into surprising new territory. As much as she’s an object of lust, Marilyn is also a mentor. In a bombshell scene in which Jake completely misreads a situation that has caused her physical harm, she asks him, “What kind of wishes do you think are most popular?” Jake’s answer to that question reveals his naitive. Her shocking reveal lays bare the true nature of the life he’s chosen.
The closer Jake gets to the truth about The Desire Card’s leadership and business model, the more unputdownable the book becomes. Along the way, the story itself is nothing less than a glittering museum of pop culture spanning from the 40s to the late 70s. For example, readers will have fun Googling the real-life relationship between Marilyn Monroe and Errol Flynn while speculating about why Goldberg has used their personas in the ways that he does. Cultural references aplenty come from the worlds of politics, art and television, ensuring readers remain transported to a singular time and place.
But most of all, fans of 1970s pop music should prepare for a torrent of earworms. Goldberg fills the novel with vibrant scenes, including some at Studio 54, paired with perfectly iconic tracks. The book’s playlist includes all the disco gems you’d expect from the Bee Gees, Michael Jackson and others, as well as choice rock and new wave cuts from Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, The Cure, Springsteen and others. That makes Immoral Origins a story you won’t get out of your mind, or your ears, anytime soon.
July 16, 2022
This is why I love that I have connected with companies and participate in books tours with them. I have found so many gems, dark...light...and everything in-between. Immoral Origins and Lee Matthew Goldberg is another gem to add to this ever-expanding list.
I love crime fiction. I love fiction on the darker side. Gritty, bloody and sinister speak to my soul 😂😂 Immoral Origins is the first in a 5 book series and I am here for ALL of them. What's even better is they will ALL be published this year !!
I will say I wasn't expecting the creep factor I got but it may just be me. Do you remember those creepy as heck rubber president masks?? The ones robbers use on bank heists?! Ya they always give me the chills LMAO. There are masks, of a sort, like those and it gave me goosebumps and chills down my spine. Loved it haha
If you love morally gray characters, crime syndicate scenarios and darker type reads..this is for you. If you have wanted to try out something like this .. this is for you. Just grab this and let your dark side come out and live 😂 This is a fast-paced read too so it's definitely worth the read.
I sincerely appreciate the publisher and Black Tide Book Tours for providing me with a review copy. All opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone.
I love crime fiction. I love fiction on the darker side. Gritty, bloody and sinister speak to my soul 😂😂 Immoral Origins is the first in a 5 book series and I am here for ALL of them. What's even better is they will ALL be published this year !!
I will say I wasn't expecting the creep factor I got but it may just be me. Do you remember those creepy as heck rubber president masks?? The ones robbers use on bank heists?! Ya they always give me the chills LMAO. There are masks, of a sort, like those and it gave me goosebumps and chills down my spine. Loved it haha
If you love morally gray characters, crime syndicate scenarios and darker type reads..this is for you. If you have wanted to try out something like this .. this is for you. Just grab this and let your dark side come out and live 😂 This is a fast-paced read too so it's definitely worth the read.
I sincerely appreciate the publisher and Black Tide Book Tours for providing me with a review copy. All opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone.
July 6, 2022
Well that was quite the ride! I find the concept of The Card to be incredibly interesting and I’m pretty invested in how this all plays out now.
This story deals with all kinds of things. We have disability in the late ‘70s in New York, the mob, drugs, other such illegal activities and of course the main storyline - The Card - granting wishes for the right price. You want it, they’ll get it. From rare jewels to ridding yourself of an enemy, they got you. Their workers all wear masks and take on personas of celebrities. Jake Barnum meets Marilyn Monroe at a Halloween party while he’s dressed as Robin Hood and she introduces him to the life she lives. She gets him started at The Card and we follow his journey as he rises the ranks.
We have a decent amount of action in this book, there’s plenty of intrigue and as I said, I definitely want to know what’s next!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This story deals with all kinds of things. We have disability in the late ‘70s in New York, the mob, drugs, other such illegal activities and of course the main storyline - The Card - granting wishes for the right price. You want it, they’ll get it. From rare jewels to ridding yourself of an enemy, they got you. Their workers all wear masks and take on personas of celebrities. Jake Barnum meets Marilyn Monroe at a Halloween party while he’s dressed as Robin Hood and she introduces him to the life she lives. She gets him started at The Card and we follow his journey as he rises the ranks.
We have a decent amount of action in this book, there’s plenty of intrigue and as I said, I definitely want to know what’s next!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
August 27, 2022
This was my 4th book written by Goldberg and his writing fills me with joy, even under darker elements. I enjoy the time period of the late 70’s and he injects a ton of nostalgia at every chance.
Imagine being so rich that even if you tried to give all your money away, you would still have more money tomorrow. Those are the people the Desire Card seek out and they will make whatever they wish come true. You can imagine this can become a seedy business relatively quick.
A smash up of Point Break and The Godfather, don’t miss this gritty twisted web of desire.
⠀
Imagine being so rich that even if you tried to give all your money away, you would still have more money tomorrow. Those are the people the Desire Card seek out and they will make whatever they wish come true. You can imagine this can become a seedy business relatively quick.
A smash up of Point Break and The Godfather, don’t miss this gritty twisted web of desire.
⠀
August 13, 2022
Thank you to @suzyapprovedbooktours and @leematthewgoldberg for having me on this tour of Immoral Origins: The Desire Card Book One!
Immoral Origins revolves around Jake, a 24 year old who still lives at home with his Pop and Ma, and his younger brother, Emile, handicapped and confined to a wheelchair. The doctors don’t know what’s wrong with Emile, so Jake does dirty jobs around New York City trying to scrounge up extra money for the doctor’s visits.
One night, while at a Halloween party in 1978, he meets Marilyn Monroe, a girl wearing her face for a mask anyway, and is told all about her job, fulfilling wishes, for a price of course. After completing a job for Gable, the boss, Jake becomes a trainee and spends the next year working his way up the ladder. As Jake falls in deeper with the Card, he begins to realize there’s only one way out, unless he can outsmart the boss.
This was a quick read full of suspense, romance, murder, and intrigue! I liked that it was all told from Jake’s POV: everything was a surprise that way. I also found Marilyn to be hard to read. I couldn’t believe anything that came out of her mouth. I would love to see this made into a movie! I highly recommend grabbing a copy of Immoral Origins if you enjoy quick reads and dark commentary!
Immoral Origins revolves around Jake, a 24 year old who still lives at home with his Pop and Ma, and his younger brother, Emile, handicapped and confined to a wheelchair. The doctors don’t know what’s wrong with Emile, so Jake does dirty jobs around New York City trying to scrounge up extra money for the doctor’s visits.
One night, while at a Halloween party in 1978, he meets Marilyn Monroe, a girl wearing her face for a mask anyway, and is told all about her job, fulfilling wishes, for a price of course. After completing a job for Gable, the boss, Jake becomes a trainee and spends the next year working his way up the ladder. As Jake falls in deeper with the Card, he begins to realize there’s only one way out, unless he can outsmart the boss.
This was a quick read full of suspense, romance, murder, and intrigue! I liked that it was all told from Jake’s POV: everything was a surprise that way. I also found Marilyn to be hard to read. I couldn’t believe anything that came out of her mouth. I would love to see this made into a movie! I highly recommend grabbing a copy of Immoral Origins if you enjoy quick reads and dark commentary!
July 17, 2022
This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: Immoral Origins
Thank you to Black Tide Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book! I voluntarily leave this review!
Unable to hold down a job, Jake Barnum steals what he can to provide for his ill brother. But the bills keep racking up. When he meets a woman posing as Marilyn Monroe an interesting offer is put on the table. The chance to join an organization called The Desire Card. A place where no matter what a client desires, they make sure it comes true. But what happens when those desires cross the moral line? How far will Jake go to make sure his own desires come true?
Down on his luck, Jake Barnum sees his golden opportunity with The Desire Card. At first, it seems like an easy enough job. But as his ambition grows, and his relationships become entangled within the Card, the complexities surrounding him grow. Jake’s path becomes darker and darker, as he compromises his morals. Each new crime he convinces himself is justified, burying it all under careful lies he tells himself. Not to mention the payout is higher the dirtier the job. Readers will witness Jake slowly transform from a misguided man into a hardened criminal, willing to do just about anything for money.
Within The Desire Card, members earn their way into a celebrity mask. And once they don the mask, it becomes their identity. The duality shown by each character is frightening to behold. People down on their luck embrace their new persona with a near obsession. And while readers witness it firsthand with Jake, they also have the chance to see what is happening to others from Jake’s point of view. It is chilling to see Marilyn Monroe’s darkness and her unwillingness to embrace her past. She does all she can to leave it behind and at times seems unhinged. And as she crawls deeper into the darkness, she drags Jake along for the ride.
The characterization done in Immoral Origins was astounding. Lee Matthew Goldberg paints such a vivid picture of Hell’s Kitchen in the late 70s. From the settings to the culture and all the walks of life within Hell’s Kitchen. There are also songs incorporated into the narrative. Listening to them as the scenes unfold adds another level of entertainment to the story. Combine this with a well-written narrative and engaging characters, and readers will be sure to enjoy this dark thriller.
Thank you to Black Tide Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book! I voluntarily leave this review!
Unable to hold down a job, Jake Barnum steals what he can to provide for his ill brother. But the bills keep racking up. When he meets a woman posing as Marilyn Monroe an interesting offer is put on the table. The chance to join an organization called The Desire Card. A place where no matter what a client desires, they make sure it comes true. But what happens when those desires cross the moral line? How far will Jake go to make sure his own desires come true?
Down on his luck, Jake Barnum sees his golden opportunity with The Desire Card. At first, it seems like an easy enough job. But as his ambition grows, and his relationships become entangled within the Card, the complexities surrounding him grow. Jake’s path becomes darker and darker, as he compromises his morals. Each new crime he convinces himself is justified, burying it all under careful lies he tells himself. Not to mention the payout is higher the dirtier the job. Readers will witness Jake slowly transform from a misguided man into a hardened criminal, willing to do just about anything for money.
Within The Desire Card, members earn their way into a celebrity mask. And once they don the mask, it becomes their identity. The duality shown by each character is frightening to behold. People down on their luck embrace their new persona with a near obsession. And while readers witness it firsthand with Jake, they also have the chance to see what is happening to others from Jake’s point of view. It is chilling to see Marilyn Monroe’s darkness and her unwillingness to embrace her past. She does all she can to leave it behind and at times seems unhinged. And as she crawls deeper into the darkness, she drags Jake along for the ride.
The characterization done in Immoral Origins was astounding. Lee Matthew Goldberg paints such a vivid picture of Hell’s Kitchen in the late 70s. From the settings to the culture and all the walks of life within Hell’s Kitchen. There are also songs incorporated into the narrative. Listening to them as the scenes unfold adds another level of entertainment to the story. Combine this with a well-written narrative and engaging characters, and readers will be sure to enjoy this dark thriller.
July 15, 2022
Brilliantly chilling
What a superb story in Immoral Origins by Lee Matthew Goldberg. I am a definite fan of this author! Whatever this author writes, I want to read. The characters had a lot of depth, and were very realistic. This is the first book in The Desire Card series. It is definitely a heart-pounding, whats-going-to-happen-next thriller. Here we are, 1978 NYC, more precise, Hell's Kitchen. The reader is introduced to Jake, and he is a raw and intense character that leads the reader through this fast-paced, action filled story. Organized crime, death, impending doom, and survival is brought into this multi-layered story. Both thrilling and intriguing, all the way to the end. The characterizations are engrossing and dynamic. I just love, love, love this story. Masterfully written! This author not only tells the story but shows it with words as well. Immoral Origins is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. I read this book to give my unbiased and honest review. Amy's Bookshelf Reviews recommends that anyone who reads this book, to also write a review.
What a superb story in Immoral Origins by Lee Matthew Goldberg. I am a definite fan of this author! Whatever this author writes, I want to read. The characters had a lot of depth, and were very realistic. This is the first book in The Desire Card series. It is definitely a heart-pounding, whats-going-to-happen-next thriller. Here we are, 1978 NYC, more precise, Hell's Kitchen. The reader is introduced to Jake, and he is a raw and intense character that leads the reader through this fast-paced, action filled story. Organized crime, death, impending doom, and survival is brought into this multi-layered story. Both thrilling and intriguing, all the way to the end. The characterizations are engrossing and dynamic. I just love, love, love this story. Masterfully written! This author not only tells the story but shows it with words as well. Immoral Origins is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. I read this book to give my unbiased and honest review. Amy's Bookshelf Reviews recommends that anyone who reads this book, to also write a review.
July 15, 2022
"...on Halloween night 1978, I was dressed like Robin Hood because he fit my motto and met Marilyn Monroe. A masked wonder who led me on the path of greatness before death came lurking. To this gun poking the back of my head. To my brains Jackson Pollocked on the wall."
Immoral Origins is the third book I have read by the brilliant wordsmith Lee Matthew Goldberg. Each book has assured me that I will read anything he writes.
This gritty gripping noir thriller is Book One in The Desire Card series and what a freaking introduction into this world of violence, depravity and at times laugh out loud situations. "Any wish fulfilled for the right price," is the tagline, even if the wish is murder!
In 1978 Jake has survived living in the infamous Hell's Kitchen section of NYC. His parents sacrifice everything for him and his kid brother born with cerebral palsy. His life drastically changes when he meets the sexy tough Marilyn and she introduces him to her boss (Clark) Gable and his constantly typing secretary Bette (Davis). It seems at the Desire Card Organization you can never be identified for your misdeeds because everyone wears a face forming mask of a past movie star. They are never referred to by anything but their mask persona.
At a New Year's Eve party you have Laurence Olivier kissing Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart hanging out with Gregory Peck. it's a smart idea from a criminal standpoint and an absolutely genius technique for a writer's narrative.
The author strategically combines the feel of Scorsese's Mean Street mixed with Tarantino's Pulp Fiction and Springsteen's Jungleland (mentioned in the book!) and Tenth Avenue Freeze Out as the soundtrack. You know you desire to check it out.
I received a free copy of this book from #blacktide for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Immoral Origins is the third book I have read by the brilliant wordsmith Lee Matthew Goldberg. Each book has assured me that I will read anything he writes.
This gritty gripping noir thriller is Book One in The Desire Card series and what a freaking introduction into this world of violence, depravity and at times laugh out loud situations. "Any wish fulfilled for the right price," is the tagline, even if the wish is murder!
In 1978 Jake has survived living in the infamous Hell's Kitchen section of NYC. His parents sacrifice everything for him and his kid brother born with cerebral palsy. His life drastically changes when he meets the sexy tough Marilyn and she introduces him to her boss (Clark) Gable and his constantly typing secretary Bette (Davis). It seems at the Desire Card Organization you can never be identified for your misdeeds because everyone wears a face forming mask of a past movie star. They are never referred to by anything but their mask persona.
At a New Year's Eve party you have Laurence Olivier kissing Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart hanging out with Gregory Peck. it's a smart idea from a criminal standpoint and an absolutely genius technique for a writer's narrative.
The author strategically combines the feel of Scorsese's Mean Street mixed with Tarantino's Pulp Fiction and Springsteen's Jungleland (mentioned in the book!) and Tenth Avenue Freeze Out as the soundtrack. You know you desire to check it out.
I received a free copy of this book from #blacktide for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
August 4, 2022
Immoral Origins The Desire Card #1)
by Lee Matthew Goldberg
I received a complimentary copy and am voluntarily leaving a review.
It was Halloween of 1978 when it all began. Starstruck by a delectable vision wearing a Marilyn Monroe mask and the enigma behind it. Sure, Jake had been in trouble with the law before. Most kids found themselves in some kind of trouble raised in Hell’s Kitchen. It came with the territory. Dreams of falling in love, getting his own place and helping to pay his ailing brother's medical bills consumed him. Marilyn promised to provide all of that and more. Power, money, status, anything his heart desires. They were The Desire Card, after all. An elite group of old movie star mask wearers. Incognito with a dangerous flair. But all that glitters is not gold, and making a deal with the devil always comes at a price.
“Any wish fulfilled...for the right price.”
Immoral Origins by Lee Matthew Goldberg is a fantastic, fast-paced mystery thriller noir. From the first page, it hooks you into the story and keeps going until the last word. It focuses on the activities of Jake Barnum. The author has done a fantastic job with the development, taking the reader on a journey of discovery, betrayal, and wonder. As the first book in The Desire Card series, I am already a huge fan! Immoral Origins brims with exciting content, suspense and intrigue that had me on the edge of my seat. My heart ached for Jake. Growing up in a poor area and getting in with the wrong crowd, I honestly feel he had his own morals and knew there was a line not to cross. But being a witness to Jake slipping further down the rabbit hole to a point of no return had me gnawing at my nails! All I can say is that after reading the last word, I could say only “ Wow!”
I definitely recommend it for lovers of mystery thrillers.
by Lee Matthew Goldberg
I received a complimentary copy and am voluntarily leaving a review.
It was Halloween of 1978 when it all began. Starstruck by a delectable vision wearing a Marilyn Monroe mask and the enigma behind it. Sure, Jake had been in trouble with the law before. Most kids found themselves in some kind of trouble raised in Hell’s Kitchen. It came with the territory. Dreams of falling in love, getting his own place and helping to pay his ailing brother's medical bills consumed him. Marilyn promised to provide all of that and more. Power, money, status, anything his heart desires. They were The Desire Card, after all. An elite group of old movie star mask wearers. Incognito with a dangerous flair. But all that glitters is not gold, and making a deal with the devil always comes at a price.
“Any wish fulfilled...for the right price.”
Immoral Origins by Lee Matthew Goldberg is a fantastic, fast-paced mystery thriller noir. From the first page, it hooks you into the story and keeps going until the last word. It focuses on the activities of Jake Barnum. The author has done a fantastic job with the development, taking the reader on a journey of discovery, betrayal, and wonder. As the first book in The Desire Card series, I am already a huge fan! Immoral Origins brims with exciting content, suspense and intrigue that had me on the edge of my seat. My heart ached for Jake. Growing up in a poor area and getting in with the wrong crowd, I honestly feel he had his own morals and knew there was a line not to cross. But being a witness to Jake slipping further down the rabbit hole to a point of no return had me gnawing at my nails! All I can say is that after reading the last word, I could say only “ Wow!”
I definitely recommend it for lovers of mystery thrillers.
July 7, 2022
This is a real thriller which had me tensely awaiting the ending. A couple scenes seemed off to me so I rounded down from 4.5 but I still highly recommend it.
Set in Hell's Kitchen in 1978, there are a number of gangsters, most low to mid-level, in the story. But a major and mysterious criminal enterprise called The Desire Card is the main focus. A serious and frightening group!
A low level criminal named Jake gets drawn into the enterprise and his fate is in jeopardy. How far will he go to provide money for his family? Could his relationship with a Marilyn Monroe mask wearing woman, who recruited him for The Desire Card, possibly have a happy ending? You have to read the book for the answer to these question since I'm not allowed to share spoilers.
I loved that I did not find any typos (Why do most books have them with Spellcheck available?) and only a few obvious errors like "happen" when "happening" was intended.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Set in Hell's Kitchen in 1978, there are a number of gangsters, most low to mid-level, in the story. But a major and mysterious criminal enterprise called The Desire Card is the main focus. A serious and frightening group!
A low level criminal named Jake gets drawn into the enterprise and his fate is in jeopardy. How far will he go to provide money for his family? Could his relationship with a Marilyn Monroe mask wearing woman, who recruited him for The Desire Card, possibly have a happy ending? You have to read the book for the answer to these question since I'm not allowed to share spoilers.
I loved that I did not find any typos (Why do most books have them with Spellcheck available?) and only a few obvious errors like "happen" when "happening" was intended.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 14, 2022
This is the first book of the series and it takes off running. Jake is the likeable bad boy doing petty crimes to make ends meet and to try to help his family with his brothers medical expenses- until he meets Marilyn Monroe. There are so many twists in this book that I didn't see coming. It found it has a gangster/mobster feel to it and I enjoyed it. I LOVED all the music references since it's set in 1978. I'm excited for the next books, I hope it gets into the background of more of the card members and how they ended up where they are. Plus the ending of this book has left me needing more!
Thank you to the author and publishing company for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
Thank you to the author and publishing company for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
August 27, 2022
Fasten your seat belts, you're in for one hell of a ride!
Hells Kitchen, NYC
Jake Barnum is a twenty-four-year-old petty thief just trying to do what it takes to help with his disabled brothers rising medical costs. At a Halloween party dressed as Robin Hood he meets a woman in a Marilyn Monroe mask and they hit it off. Marilyn introduces Jake to a shadowy organization known as The Desire Card which promises to fulfill any desire for a price. The leader of the organization, a man known as Gable because he wears a Clark Gable mask, gives Jake a chance and Jake soon becomes Errol Flynn. From here the story takes you into a world where you're left to ask yourself what you would do to save the people you love and at what cost?
This story is so masterfully written with such a fast pace you barely have time to breathe. This one is action packed from the beginning right thru to the surprising yet inevitable ending. I found the premise of The Desire Card organization in which the employees don masks of celebrity faces to be both intriguing and original. The characters are personable and feel real and the dialog feels natural. You can't help but to root for Jake and Marilyn as they fall in love and hope for a happy ending for them. You also can't help but to fear Gable.
This is the first book in the Desire Card series and it's off to a blistering start. I can't wait to continue the story to see what desires are fulfilled and at what cost. Your soul isn't too much to give, is it?
.
Thank you to the author, Rough Edges Press and Suzy Approved Book Tours for the gifted copy and including me on this tour.
Hells Kitchen, NYC
Jake Barnum is a twenty-four-year-old petty thief just trying to do what it takes to help with his disabled brothers rising medical costs. At a Halloween party dressed as Robin Hood he meets a woman in a Marilyn Monroe mask and they hit it off. Marilyn introduces Jake to a shadowy organization known as The Desire Card which promises to fulfill any desire for a price. The leader of the organization, a man known as Gable because he wears a Clark Gable mask, gives Jake a chance and Jake soon becomes Errol Flynn. From here the story takes you into a world where you're left to ask yourself what you would do to save the people you love and at what cost?
This story is so masterfully written with such a fast pace you barely have time to breathe. This one is action packed from the beginning right thru to the surprising yet inevitable ending. I found the premise of The Desire Card organization in which the employees don masks of celebrity faces to be both intriguing and original. The characters are personable and feel real and the dialog feels natural. You can't help but to root for Jake and Marilyn as they fall in love and hope for a happy ending for them. You also can't help but to fear Gable.
This is the first book in the Desire Card series and it's off to a blistering start. I can't wait to continue the story to see what desires are fulfilled and at what cost. Your soul isn't too much to give, is it?
.
Thank you to the author, Rough Edges Press and Suzy Approved Book Tours for the gifted copy and including me on this tour.
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