What Really Happens in Vegas - by James Patterson & Mark Seal

About the Book

"In What Really Happens in Vegas, full of surprises for both newcomers and Las Vegas regulars, James Patterson and Vanity Fair contributing editor Mark Seal transport readers from the thrill of adrenaline-fueled vice to the glitter of A-list celebrity and entertainment."--

Book Synopsis

The world's #1 bestselling author shows the real Vegas in a dazzling journey through Sin City.

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas--until now.

​In What Really Happens in Vegas, James Patterson and Vanity Fair contributing editor Mark Seal transport readers from the thrill of adrenaline-fueled vice to the glitter of A-list celebrity and entertainment.

Las Vegas is on Luxury Standard Time: every clock in the airport is a Rolex. No dream is too big, no wish is too small--the VIP hosts in Vegas fulfill guests' every (legal) desire. Jackpots hit when least expected.

The Nevada Gaming Control Board has days to find a man who unknowingly won over $200,000 at the slots.

The inventor of the Elvis impersonator wedding and the drive-thru wedding has performed hundreds of marriages--and believes in them all.

Glamorous yogis take a helicopter across the desert to the Valley of Fire, where they perform sun salutations to the glory of Las Vegas.

A gambling VIP "whale" loses $1 million at the casinos, yet still leaves saying, "Had a great time. I'll be back".

"Wild and wonderful...The magic of Sin City doesn't just happen. Patterson and Seal tell its secrets in beautifully presented snippets that often overlap not just surprisingly, but charmingly too." --Telegraph (UK)

Review Quotes

"A breezy, nonstop narrative capturing the essence of a crazy, wide-open town ... a dazzling and fun account of America's entertainment capital."--New York Journal of Books

"Especially entertaining...What Really Happens in Vegas is a must-read for anyone wondering what really happens in the city Hunter S. Thompson once dubbed 'the savage heart of the American Dream.'"--Air Mail

"Lively tales of those who labor and dream in Sin City...the entertainment value is high."--Kirkus

"Unusual facts and tales about Las Vegas... the inner workings of those who live and work in Las Vegas and those who make the city come alive... reads like a novel."--Library Journal

"Up tempo, vivid, and fun ... an entertaining ride."--Publishers Weekly

About the Author

James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time and the creator of such unforgettable characters and series as Alex Cross, the Women's Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride. He has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Michael Crichton, as well as collaborated on #1 bestselling nonfiction, including The Idaho Four, Walk in My Combat Boots,  and Filthy Rich. Patterson has told the story of his own life in the #1 bestselling autobiography James Patterson by James Patterson. He is the recipient of an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal. 

Mark Seal is a contributing editor at Vanity Fair, where his piece on Gerhartsreiter was a finalist for a 2010 National Magazine Award. He is the author of The Man in the Rockefeller Suit and Wildflower. He lives in Aspen, Colorado.