The Greenfather: A Novel

All Simon wants is to continue growing and running his organic grocery store. Unfortunately, when you’re the son of an infamous mob boss, what you want doesn’t always matter. And when his father dies, Simon finds himself suddenly thrust into command of the mob. So, naturally, he tries to make mobsters eat better and promote a greener environment. But can he remain true to his roots in such a ruthless endeavor?

The Greenfather is ridiculous, but great fun. Like a ten-minute comedy sketch fleshed out into a short film, this novel goes for the funny bone at every opportunity, using the classic formula of the befuddled straight man surrounded by wisecracking confidantes and enemies alike. It’s relentless in its hunt for the next laugh, never letting up for a second, trimming down even traditional novel elements like character description and scenery to the barest bones to make room for more jokes.

The name of the game is entertainment here, and Marshall wields petty bickering, wordplay, and exaggeration like razor-sharp weapons, slicing and dicing the reader. Not every joke lands, but under such a comedic assault, more than a few are bound to get you.