Illusion (Paperback)

Steve McKuen is a former drug dealer, a thoughtful, highly moral former drug dealer. Although he realizes his dream to go legitimate, it costs him the best part of his life. Losing his wife, his soul mate, in a crazy accident, he's a generous guy, working through the typical kinds of problems of running a small business in present-day Santa Monica. A psychopathic con artist, John Christian, creates an almost perfect counterfeiting method. He murders his mother, and wants revenge on McKuen for the death of his sister. Nearly derailed by lust for a hot young movie business bopper, Darlie Major, Christian manages to pursue his crime and revenge dreams to a tenuous escape attempt. The enigmatic Tamra Morrison, a state worker, provides answers to McKuen's problems, as well as the problems faced by most of us. Annie McCarthy, a beautiful undercover agent assigned to the counterfeiting case, creates an emotional dilemma for McKuen while in pursuit of Christian. After McKuen is almost killed in a horrible accident, he learns of Christian's involvement in his wife's death. Powerless to do anything because of his injuries, turns to his loyal assistant with shadowy connections, Dennis Reneaux, and legendary detective, Charlotte Coil, to bring Christian to justice. Blending believable underground action with off-the-street characters, Illusion tells a complex story of winning and losing money and love in current urban life. Dialog laced with intentional and unintentional humor supports characters you'd find in your living room or office. Providing pacing from quick action to serious reflection, Illusion delivers a unique and surprisingly accessible explanation of human spirituality in real life.