Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite

A Midnight Call to Monto by Robert E. Kearns is the story of two friends who learn that life can be perilous if they associate with the wrong people. Charles and Bertie are two friends who became as thick as thieves during their university days. Charles is a regular guy who likes the company of men and a drink at times, but Bertie is a lady’s man and his conquests are legendary. Things change for the two when Charles invites Bertie to Dublin for a week and to have a good time. However, Bertie wants to visit Monto, the red light area, and meet a few ladies for some fun. Suddenly, Bertie is different and there isn’t much Charles can do about it. He is head over heels for a young woman in the red light district and he wants to marry her. Can Charles stop Bertie from making any rash decision?

I love the way Robert E. Kearns writes and his style of writing. His short stories are the best because he is able to encapsulate the lives of his characters in the minimum number of pages and ensure that the reader gets the best reading experience out of it. This is perhaps my favorite story by Kearns and this is largely because of the characters and their development. The pace was fast, the characters were interesting and the overall ambiance of the story was incredible. I enjoyed how A Midnight Call to Monto progressed and how the readers are nudged forward to discover what will happen next and enjoy the ride.