Robert Wintner has penned a hilariously entertaining send-up of the many excesses of life in affluent California. In "A California Closing," Michael Mulroney appears to be at the top of the heap. As a used-car magnate, he has opened multiple locations and his face is all over billboards and TV screens. He lives at the top of the hill - the most prestigious spot - in an outrageously expensive neighborhood. The problem is that he is over-leveraged, and the economy is in the toilet. He is only days away from foreclosure and disgrace. He needs to pull a rabbit out of the hat.
The action of this fast-paced novel takes us through his schemes to raise some quick cash, his obsession with the expensive bicycle fitness craze, his dalliance with the rich widow down the hill. Wintner peppers the narrative with a spicy variety of memorable characters and caricatures. Surface beauty often meets underlying ethical ugliness in this tongue-in-cheek morality tale. It is wonderfully entertaining social commentary about the worst abuses of the California lifestyle.
I enjoyed reading it, and plan to check out some of Mr. Wintner's other works.
Enjoy!
Al
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