Synopses & Reviews
When Peggy Gimmel decides to sell the apartment she bought decades ago for a few thousand dollars, she's thrilled to discover that it's worth almost $2 million. But her sudden windfall triggers a cascade of unexpected events and plunges her into the dizzying orbit of Lucinda Wells, one of Manhattan's most successful and ruthless real estate agents. Peggy's not the only one at Lucinda's mercy. There's the technology entrepreneur struggling to salvage his sinking company while gut-renovating his home. The socialite exiled from Park Avenue to the pull-out sofa of her parents' West Side apartment. The illegal immigrant amassing a fortune printing money. The clueless widow trying to unload a world-class collection of fake artwork. These are just some of the characters whose lives intersect in unlikely ways, all of them nearly overwhelmed by the rocketing real estate market and the hard-charging broker who holds the keys to their futures.
As he interweaves these often suspenseful and frequently comical stories, Margolis captures the zeitgeist of a cultural moment, keeping us turning the pages with the rise and fall of his characters' fortunes.
Review
"Looking for fun? Seth Margolis delivers with the dishy
Closing Costs, because in New York, it's not so much about what you do, who you date or even how you look--it's about where you live'.[Margolis is] a very funny chronicler of this absurdity, in a piece of fiction, no less." -
New York Post
"The well-drawn characters complement Margolis's wry observations on Manhattan life and the ups and downs of marriage and career'it will certainly resonate with New Yorkers." -Publishers Weekly
"Fans of Tom Wolfe and Jonathan Franzen will revel in this zesty tale of penthouse envy and dot-com detumescence set in Manhattan's lofty world of up-and-coming millionaires and down-and-out billionaires'. From Lucinda's IM-speak dialogue to Lily's couturier wardrobe, Margolis adroitly targets New York society's egregious excesses with laser-like accuracy." -Booklist
"[T]he deft, droll depiction of a societal moment in which walls, and lives, go up and down 'like hemlines' resonates even west of the Hudson." -USA Today
"Completely entertaining, wickedly funny and observant'The suspense and comedy are nicely balanced by a satisfying resolution to this delightful novel." -Tampa Bay Observer
"A fun-to-read, engaging look at how the other half lives, buys and sells." -Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
"Completely entertaining, wickedly funny and observant'Think Bonfire of the Vanities for real estate." -Tampa Tribune
About the Author
Seth Margolis is the author of several mysteries and thrillers, which have been translated into ten languages. His novel Losing Isaiah was made into a movie starring Jessica Lange and Halle Berry. Seth writes frequently for The New York Times on travel and entertainment. He lives in New York City with his wife and their two teenage children.