Publication date: 3rd June 2025
Launch event Waterstones Trafalgar Square 6th of June tickets here.
Soon to be a major worldwide film release
One day. One city on the edge. One man gambling it all.
In a Los Angeles rattled by an earthquake and on the brink of collapse, Marlon has twenty-four hours to change his fate. Drowning in debt, reeling from personal loss, and desperate to save his family, he’s seduced by a shadowy financial guru promising salvation. But as Marlon spirals deeper into a web of risk, secrets long buried begin to surface—and his final gamble might cost him everything.
Taut, urgent, and psychologically astute, Get Rich Quick is a gripping descent into the dangers of ambition, delusion, and the American obsession with success. For readers of Your House Will Pay and The 25th Hour, this is a raw, propulsive novel that holds a mirror to our times.
'Very rarely have I come across a book as riveting and thoroughly engaging as Steven Bernstein’s GRQ. The characters are so vivid and compelling that it wouldn’t surprise me at all if I were to encounter them in real life. An absolute must-read.' - Gale Anne Hurd, Executive Producer (FEAR THE WALKING DEAD, MANKILLER)
'This little book of wisdom is an iChing for the mid 2020s. Marlon is the infernal dumbass in his schemes to Get Rich Quick, to the despair of his darling Viola. The problem is that there's a Marlon in all of us. Well, most of us. Not me, obviously. A brilliant evisceration of debt and delusion.' - JP Maxwell, author and award-winning filmmaker
'I loved it: it feels like a dreamlike odyssey. A book perfectly suited for our era — a world where financial gain overshadows everything else, reminiscent of 'The Wolf of Wall Street'. The short chapters and vignettes hit you at breakneck speed; you feel like you're watching someone unravel before your very eyes. A truly compelling read.' - Tom Walker, Actor (Jonathan Pie)
About the Author
An award-winning feature film director, screenwriter, and cinematographer, Steven Bernstein has shaped some of the most visually striking films of the past 40 years.
His work on the Academy Award-winning film Monster and on Like Water for Chocolate has earned global recognition. He is a recipient of the American Film Institute Award, the Sloan Award (for writing and directing), the Cannes Golden Lion (for commercials), and is an ASC nominee for outstanding cinematography. He has worked on over 50 feature films.
He wrote and directed several groundbreaking feature films with major talent (John Malkovich, Samantha Morton, Hellen Hunt and many more).
His podcast Filmmakerandfans, about the creative process in film production, is listened to by millions.
