Shining City: A Novel
by By Greenland, Seth
Category: Fiction , Humorous , General

Average guy Marcus Ripps has been an honest, hardworking man all his life: good to his wife and son, never in trouble. And all he has to show for it is a house in a third-rate Los Angeles suburb, troubled finances, and a boring marriage. But when his dead brother's dangerous world catches up with him, Marcus finds himself in a moral quandary.His criminal sibling has bequeathed him - of all things - a dry cleaning business. But Marcus wonders how such a small, empty dry cleaner seems to be generating so much cash. The answer soon presents itself. Before he knows it, the former philosophy major finds himself pimp to a coterie of upscale international "companions." Setting up 401(k)s for his employees and buying a new Mercedes, Marcus transforms himself into a high roller. But is he ready for the lifestyle he's adopted? Can he revitalize his marriage, arrange pole-dancing classes for his mother-in-law, and spring for a spectacular bar mitzvah for his son? When Marcus's conscience - and the law - start to catch up with him, he will have to scramble to save his assets, his employees, and his life.