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.
⠀ ( )

Small-time crook Jake Barnum lives in Hell's Kitchen, 1978, just scraping by. His family needs money to take care of Jake's little brother, Emile, who was born with a disability. When a new opportunity falls into Jake's lap at a Halloween party, Jake happily agrees. A woman dressed as Marilyn Monroe offers Jake a position with the Desire Card, an operation that allows wealthy clients to have any dream fulfilled. Jake begins with simple tasks, but moves through the ranks quickly and learns how the card really makes its money dealing in drugs and death.

Immoral Origins is a fast-paced thriller where I never knew what was coming next. Like other Lee Matthew Goldberg books, I was completely immersed in the time period and setting of Hell's Kitchen in the late 1970's with descriptions of music, people, clothing, the apartments, diners and clubs. The characters are also all dynamic and surprising. I was really intrigued by all of the members of The Card wearing a mask of a celebrity and assuming their name, eventually taking on their mask's character, mannerisms and voice. The masks also seemed to fulfill something different for each character, Marilyn's beauty and Jake's need to fit in with his Errol Flynn persona. The Card as an organization was interesting as well. Their true nature, greed and hold over the city slowly spilled out as Jake began to climb through the ranks. However, as Jake became more ingrained with The Card, the dangerous tasks that they asked him to do seemed less against his morals.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. ( )

In Immoral Origins, the first book in The Desire Card Series, author Lee Matthew Goldberg weaves a gritty thriller that transports the reader to the streets of New York City as they follow twenty-four year old Jake Barnum's descent into the dark underground of The Desire Card organization.

Jake Barnum is a petty thief who lives in Hell's Kitchen with his parents and disabled younger brother Emile. Halloween night of 1978, Jake went to a Halloween party dressed as Robin Hood and met a woman dressed as Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn tells Jake that she works for an organization that fulfills wishes for the right price, and she takes him to meet her boss so that he could join their organization. The Desire Card organization is run by a man masked as Clark Gable, and Jake notices that everyone wears a mask of old Hollywood stars, and he is told that the reason is that they need to remain incognito so that their clients can't see their faces. Jake is given his first job which leads to an adrenaline rush as more jobs under the guise of a masked Errol Flynn, leads to money and a craving of power that eventually leads him to a dark day of reckoning.

Immoral Orgins is a dark and gritty novel that easily draws the reader into Jake's fatal mistake of being drawn into The Desire Card organization because of his attraction for the woman masked as Marilyn Monroe. This fast-paced thriller transports the reader to the streets of 1978-1980s New York City as Jake tumbles down the rabbit hole into a dangerous underground world that lives on the craving of power. There's enough action, danger, and suspenseful twists and turns that keeps the reader guessing what will happen next as Jake's venture into the Desire Card unfolds.

Author Lee Matthew Goldberg weaves a thrilling tale that takes the reader on one heck of a roller coaster ride. He captures the essence of the setting with a very detailed descriptions of the sights and sounds of the late 1970s New York City when disco was king. You can't help but feel like you are walking the legendary streets of the city that never sleeps. There is a great mixture of intensity and ignorance to Jake's character, plus an intriguing cast of supporting characters, and a riveting multi-layered and complex storyline that exposes the danger around every corner as mobsters and underground figures do their clients' bidding. There is plenty of bizarre and sinister twists and turns as Jake's story unfolds, it will leave the reader stunned at the surprising and tragic conclusion.

If you are looking for a riveting dark noiresque thriller that will keep you sitting on the edge of your seat in suspense, then Immoral Origins is the perfect book to read!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours.

https://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2022/09/immoral-origins-by-lee-matthe... ( )

This is a gritty thriller set in NYC in the late 1970s/early 1980s. It is about Jake Barnum, petty thief, who lives with his parents and his younger brother, Emile, who has Cerebral Palsy. Knowing that his parents are drowning in medical bills for Emile, Jake wants to help. While at a Halloween party, dressed as Robin Hood, he meets a woman disguised as Marilyn Monroe. He becomes involved with Marilyn, and a criminal group called the Cards. The result is violence, drugs, and murder.
This is the debut of a new series, and it is raw and graphic. You feel the desperation of Jake and his despair. His love for his brother is refreshing, but the situation feels impossible.
And, oh my gosh - that ending! WOW. ( )

The author's immersive writing drew me in from the start, and I flew through the story.

Immoral Origins is the first book in a thrilling new series, The Desire Card, by Lee Matthew Goldberg. With its very different sort of hero and plot that includes him successfully performing dirty deeds, I was hooked. I was glued to the story every step of the way, not wanting to put it down until the very last page.

The characters surprised me. I don't believe there was a genuinely likable one in the bunch. Jake is pretty much a loser. Marilyn is a damaged young woman, and Gable, the boss, a power-mad sociopath (as are all of The Desire Card's employees.) Thugs, hoods, and mobsters populate the story, showing their very worst sides. But through it all, I was compelled to root for Jake to overcome the odds and come out on top. I had much the same experience when reading The Godfather, heinous people doing horrible things that you still are compelled to get behind.

The Desire Card operation was fascinating. Everyone works incognito, wearing masks when doing a job, visiting the office, and even attending the annual office holiday parties. Their rich and famous clientele also wear masks at the client events hosted by the company, and everyone goes by the name of the person the mask depicts: Marilyn Monroe, Bette Davis, or Errol Flynn, to name a few.

The late 70s setting encompassed iconic people and places and the headlines and music of the time. It was so well done; I was immersed in that time and that place. Goldberg's writing drew me in from the start, and I flew through the story, feeling Jake's confusion, hopelessness, and fear as he tried to make sense of it all. The story was fascinating, with a heavy dose of bizarreness that had me turning those pages for more.

With its well-defined setting, laden with recognizable persons, places, and events, extraordinary characters, and fascinating plot, I recommend IMMORAL ORIGINS to readers of thrillers and mysteries, especially those who like stories set in New York or organized crimes and like a touch of the bizarre.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours. ( )