Every drug has side effects. In Cooking for Cannibals by Rich Leder, a promising new pharmaceutical guarantees the Fountain of Youth, but at a price that may be too high to pay. Dr. Sikorski is an illegitimate researcher, running an illicit laboratory, funded (unbeknownst to each other) by two competitive corporations in two different embargoed countries. Carrie is a socially challenged behavioral scientist who loves rats and who has an octogenarian mother. Johnny Fairfax is a tattooed ex-con butcher who dreams of being a chef. A crooked parole officer has perched him on the thin line dividing freedom from prison. The Greek Gods are Carrie’s rats. They are the first recipients of the experimental drug. Their fate determines the fates of all of the other characters. But now the new drug has disappeared; and all hell has broken loose.

As expected, Rich Leder has delivered a fascinatingly readable dark humor novel full of bizarre characters, just believable enough to make readers think they could be real. Certainly, truth is stranger than fiction. Having said that, the plot is implausible; or is it? Stranger things have happened. The Fountain of Youth doesn’t exist, pharmaceutically or otherwise, but the desire is part of human nature. Certainly, cannibalism exists just as surely as desperate situations exist, as surely as crooked parole officers exist and investors are played against each other. The residents of Copa can be forgiven for their desire for youth. Johnny can be forgiven for his desire to barbeque Ben Boston on a spit, and Carrie can be forgiven for her desire to reclaim her aging mother’s life. Sikorski, Tino (the Cleaner), Wolf (the Fixer), and Ben Boston are unforgivable.

Without a doubt, Cooking for Cannibals, delivers a bizarre, far-fetched, darkly humorous motorcycle ride into Los Angeles madness. It is a tongue-in-cheek reading pleasure for any lover of dark comedy, so grab a copy, climb onto Johnny Fairfax’s Harley-Davidson and read off into the sunset! 5- Stars.

An advanced copy of this book was provided free by the author in hopes of receiving an honest review. The above review represents my honest opinion of the book. ( )