What do you think?
Rate this book
FULL MOON SATURDAY NIGHT
Mike Hepp is an L.A. millennial post-grad, who dreams of making it big in the TV & film industry. He auditions by day and tends bar at night to satiate his massive student debt, credit card payments, and rent. Until one knuckle-busting, full moon Saturday night launches his life into complete upheaval, suddenly placing him in the middle of an international drug smuggling operation and an undercover police sting, consequently ruining his reputation in Hollywood. Can Mike survive his unsolicited undercover work and cleanse his sullied reputation? Or will he end up as shark bait for double-crossing the wrong people?
245 pages, Paperback
Published November 14, 2019
About the author
Mark Barkawitz
7 books87 followersMark Barkawitz has earned local and national awards for his fiction, poetry, essay, and screenwriting. His work has appeared in newspapers, magazines, literary journals and anthologies, ‘zines, and on dozens of websites. He has IMDb feature film credits as screenwriter, actor, & associate producer (Mark Bark) for “Turn of the Blade” (NorthStar Ent.) and supporting actor in “The Killing Time” (New World Pictures). He’s taught creative writing classes, coached a championship track team of student/athletes, and ran the 2001 L.A. Marathon in 3:44:42. He lives with his wife and has two kids in Pasadena, CA.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
December 30, 2019
One exceptionally fine thriller!
California author Mark Barkawitz is a screenwriter, actor, creative writing teacher, athlete and track coach whose fiction, essays, poetry and screenwriting have won multiple awards. His books to date include GIANT KILLERS, THE DOG WITH THE OPPOSABLE THUMB, 29 AGAIN AND OTHER CANCER-FIGHTING STORIES, and now FULL MOON SATURDAY NIGHT. In addition to his many literary accomplishments, Mark is a cancer survivor whose indomitable spirit has influenced many with critical illnesses as well as bringing support to the City of Hope research and patient care. He lives in Pasadena, California.
Perhaps Mark’s skills, outlined in brief above, gained in screenwriting and in dealing with the ‘wages of life,’ are in part responsible for this exceptionally fine thriller. But whatever the nidus for his talent, this new novel places him solidly in the forefront of contemporary fiction authors. He is able to convey a breathlessly paced mystery while peppering it with a wry humor that serves to make his prose unique.
A sample of Mark’s talent opens his story – ‘When our dates for the party excused themselves to use the bathroom, I took advantage of their absence and leaned closer to Cooper with his back to the wall. “Just so we’re straight,” I said confidentially, staring into his lazy eyes, a stupid smile on his sophomoric, look-I-can-grow-a-mustache-now face. “I don’t like you.” “What?” He seemed truly shocked by my candor. He was young, dumb, and handsome, dating my ex-girlfriend Mandy with eyes for my current girlfriend Marie. It was a small party: mostly undergrads from the state college from which I’d recently graduated and others. The music was loud, so no one appeared to take notice of my confrontation. “Why-why not, Mike?” He took a slug of his apple beer – clueless…’
Once the principal character Mike has been defined, the story revs up, and the plot unfolds – ‘Mike Hepp is an L.A. millennial post-grad, who dreams of making it big in the TV & film industry. He auditions by day and tends bar at night to satiate his massive student debt, credit card payments, and rent. Until one knuckle-busting, full moon Saturday night launches his life into complete upheaval, suddenly placing him in the middle of an international drug smuggling operation and an undercover police sting, consequently ruining his reputation in Hollywood. Can Mike survive his unsolicited undercover work and cleanse his sullied reputation? Or will he end up as shark bait for double-crossing the wrong people?’ Truth – and consequences, and the velocity of the action is way past the speed limit.
It is not often a book can be stamped “brilliant” but novel meets the criteria! Very highly recommended.
California author Mark Barkawitz is a screenwriter, actor, creative writing teacher, athlete and track coach whose fiction, essays, poetry and screenwriting have won multiple awards. His books to date include GIANT KILLERS, THE DOG WITH THE OPPOSABLE THUMB, 29 AGAIN AND OTHER CANCER-FIGHTING STORIES, and now FULL MOON SATURDAY NIGHT. In addition to his many literary accomplishments, Mark is a cancer survivor whose indomitable spirit has influenced many with critical illnesses as well as bringing support to the City of Hope research and patient care. He lives in Pasadena, California.
Perhaps Mark’s skills, outlined in brief above, gained in screenwriting and in dealing with the ‘wages of life,’ are in part responsible for this exceptionally fine thriller. But whatever the nidus for his talent, this new novel places him solidly in the forefront of contemporary fiction authors. He is able to convey a breathlessly paced mystery while peppering it with a wry humor that serves to make his prose unique.
A sample of Mark’s talent opens his story – ‘When our dates for the party excused themselves to use the bathroom, I took advantage of their absence and leaned closer to Cooper with his back to the wall. “Just so we’re straight,” I said confidentially, staring into his lazy eyes, a stupid smile on his sophomoric, look-I-can-grow-a-mustache-now face. “I don’t like you.” “What?” He seemed truly shocked by my candor. He was young, dumb, and handsome, dating my ex-girlfriend Mandy with eyes for my current girlfriend Marie. It was a small party: mostly undergrads from the state college from which I’d recently graduated and others. The music was loud, so no one appeared to take notice of my confrontation. “Why-why not, Mike?” He took a slug of his apple beer – clueless…’
Once the principal character Mike has been defined, the story revs up, and the plot unfolds – ‘Mike Hepp is an L.A. millennial post-grad, who dreams of making it big in the TV & film industry. He auditions by day and tends bar at night to satiate his massive student debt, credit card payments, and rent. Until one knuckle-busting, full moon Saturday night launches his life into complete upheaval, suddenly placing him in the middle of an international drug smuggling operation and an undercover police sting, consequently ruining his reputation in Hollywood. Can Mike survive his unsolicited undercover work and cleanse his sullied reputation? Or will he end up as shark bait for double-crossing the wrong people?’ Truth – and consequences, and the velocity of the action is way past the speed limit.
It is not often a book can be stamped “brilliant” but novel meets the criteria! Very highly recommended.
January 20, 2020
Full Moon Saturday Night by Mark Barkawitz is a fast-paced and exciting read following the escapades of out of work actor, Mike, whose life is turned completely upside down one Saturday night. He goes from having no acting work to speak of, to needing to pull off the performance of his life in an unexpected undercover operation. Will he survive the Saturday night to act another day or is his big Hollywood dream about to end tragically?
This is a great thriller novel - it’s exciting, brutal, unpredictable, and full of excellent characters. Very good read.
This is a great thriller novel - it’s exciting, brutal, unpredictable, and full of excellent characters. Very good read.
January 17, 2020
Full Moon Saturday Night by Mark Barkawitz
Book starts out with Mike, working weekends at the bar and writing scenes for a tv show. He's been promoting it for several months til he realizes it's on the tv but they are using a different sports players...
He's in trouble at the bar also, he had been involved in a fight and that night he also swept up the bookie's books, very wet and he had given it back to the bookie weeks later.
Besides the local cops they know of the cocaine at the bar and want him to become a paid informant.....
Mike gets himself deep within and is spying on others as he goes from realtionship to relationship and we learn the connections between the others at the bars.
Some things go wrong at events and he's brought in, on charges and all he can do is blame it all on the full moon and it's gravitational pull.
Action, adventure, mysteries, deaths, tv screenwriter, location, drugs and cops and I can really see this happening in city.
Like the epilogue as it brings closure and you wonder how long he will stay on the good path...
Received this review copy from the publisher and this is my honest opinion.
Book starts out with Mike, working weekends at the bar and writing scenes for a tv show. He's been promoting it for several months til he realizes it's on the tv but they are using a different sports players...
He's in trouble at the bar also, he had been involved in a fight and that night he also swept up the bookie's books, very wet and he had given it back to the bookie weeks later.
Besides the local cops they know of the cocaine at the bar and want him to become a paid informant.....
Mike gets himself deep within and is spying on others as he goes from realtionship to relationship and we learn the connections between the others at the bars.
Some things go wrong at events and he's brought in, on charges and all he can do is blame it all on the full moon and it's gravitational pull.
Action, adventure, mysteries, deaths, tv screenwriter, location, drugs and cops and I can really see this happening in city.
Like the epilogue as it brings closure and you wonder how long he will stay on the good path...
Received this review copy from the publisher and this is my honest opinion.
November 14, 2020
Full Moon Saturday Night by Mark Barkawitz takes you to the world of a hopeful screen writer who lives in L.A. Mike Hepp works in a bar on nights so he can write and audition during the day. He doesn't get very far as ever step in the door leads to a dead end. Cornered into work for the police as an informant, Mike uses his contacts at the bar to get a female detective closer to the action. This causes problems with his friend since he can't tell anyone his secret. So many factors come into play and Mike wonders if he will lose his reputation in the world of Hollywood, his job, and his girlfriend.
I found Mark Barkawitz a fascinating author who makes you feel as if you are right there with Mike. The plot appears simple at first, and then fans out into multiple twists of characters and activity. The characters were colorful, with interesting personalities. Overall, I was glued to the pages as Mike continues to hope when he faces many obstacles.
I found Mark Barkawitz a fascinating author who makes you feel as if you are right there with Mike. The plot appears simple at first, and then fans out into multiple twists of characters and activity. The characters were colorful, with interesting personalities. Overall, I was glued to the pages as Mike continues to hope when he faces many obstacles.
November 16, 2020
I found Full Moon Saturday Night incredibly immersive. The author does a brilliant job of setting the scene and making the reader feel directly involved. The characters all feel very real and come to life on the page. A really gripping book with an unshakeable lead. Would love to see this made into a movie.
November 25, 2020
Full Moon Saturday Night by Mark Barkawitz is a fast-paced and exciting thriller with Mike as the lead character. Mike is an out of work actor, works at a bar part-time, and tries to write scenes for television. One night at the bar changes his life forever, as he becomes embroiled in being an informant for the cops. This is not something he sought out, but unfortunately for Mike, this is his life now, as it gets more and more complicated. Now he is in for the acting job of his life. The writing is crisp, the dialogue realistic, and the setting well described. The plot moves along quickly, pulling you along as Mike gets further and further into trouble. Will he be able to extricate himself from this mess? Excellent characters along with a unique story, mystery, and action make this novel a true thriller in the most exciting sense of the word. Highly recommend.
May 26, 2020
This book started our really strong - but towards the end this book lost steam, almost like the author ran out of ideas and simply wanted to finish the book.
For me it all started to go south when the main character was pushed into becoming an informant. From there, the book just lot touch with reality.
It was a "page turner" for the first 3/4 of the book - but the last 1/4 just ruined it for me.
There are better reads out there in this genre.
For me it all started to go south when the main character was pushed into becoming an informant. From there, the book just lot touch with reality.
It was a "page turner" for the first 3/4 of the book - but the last 1/4 just ruined it for me.
There are better reads out there in this genre.
December 16, 2020
I have to begin my review by congratulating the author Mark Barkawitz, well done! This well written novel made me feel as though I was actually in the scenes of a movie. The detailed descriptions of all the characters made them come to life, which in turn made me want to keep on reading, I couldn’t put this book down.
This author is a great storyteller with a great imagination. Highly recommended.
This author is a great storyteller with a great imagination. Highly recommended.
December 7, 2020
I enjoyed Full Moon Saturday Night so much, the more you read the more absorbed you become. The plot is pretty realistic and the characters are very believable and well developed. I found the book to be thrilling and humorous in all the right places with the main character Mike being quite candid. Overall, a really well thought out plot, great characters and lots of action.
March 1, 2025
I love this book. I will want more next time 🙂
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 24, 2026
"And the hangovers! My god, the hangovers!"
As an LA native - I loved this book for the spot on descriptions of my city and its people. I could truly visualize and HEAR the majority of the characters in this book.
This is an easy read with many story lines. I found myself thinking about some of them even while not actively reading the book.
Looking for a fun read, especially for a long flight? Look no further!
As an LA native - I loved this book for the spot on descriptions of my city and its people. I could truly visualize and HEAR the majority of the characters in this book.
This is an easy read with many story lines. I found myself thinking about some of them even while not actively reading the book.
Looking for a fun read, especially for a long flight? Look no further!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews