What Really Happens in Vegas: True Stories of the People Who Make Vegas, Vegas

What Really Happens in Vegas: True Stories of the People Who Make Vegas, Vegas

James Patterson

Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas—until now. James Patterson shows the real Vegas in a dazzling journey through “lively tales of those who labor and dream in Sin City" (Kirkus). “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)   Las Vegas is on Luxury Standard 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. “I love love”: 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." ​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.

Publication Year: 2023


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  • CindyC
    Mar 09, 2025
    Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:

    "In this dazzling 24-hour journey, James Patterson lifts the lid on America's notorious hub of gambling and excess. Fuelled by original interviews and in-depth reporting, What Really Happens in Vegas uncovers the vice, crime and entertainment that made Sin City an infamous desert mecca.

    This is Vegas as you've never seen it before, filled with unbelievable stories from the people who make the city tick, simmer - and even explode."

    This is definitely a book for people who've been to Vegas and love it. Luckily, I am one of those people! There are chapters about the history of Vegas and about how it operates behind the scenes which I found fascinating. There are also chapters focusing on people who gambled on moving to Vegas to make a life/career for themselves, which I found a bit more hit or miss on how much they interested me.

    I'd definitely recommend this if Vegas is your happy place!

    3.5/5

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