Red Light Wives

From New York Times bestselling author Mary Monroe comes a powerful novel about the hopes, dreams, laughter—and limits—of six unique women surviving on the streets of San Francisco . . .

They're about as different as six women can be—haughty and humble, beautiful and plain, young and not–so–young, black, white, Latina, and origins unknown. But aside from a gift for laughing hardship in the face, they have one very important thing in common—Clyde Brooks. You might say that Clyde is their "manager." And you might say that Lula Mae, Ester, Megan, Rosalee, Helen, and Rockelle are colleagues—in the world's oldest profession. Clyde likes to refer to them as his "wives."

Maybe it's their love for the high life—and for each other—that makes the bond between Clyde's ladies so unbreakable. Maybe it's their private demons that keep them so loyal to Clyde—or so he thinks. For hard as they try to distract themselves, nothing can quell the women's longing for a life free from Clyde and what he represents—until one daring act of defiance changes everything . . .

Praise for Mary Monroe

"Reminiscent of Zora Neale Hurston."—Publishers Weekly

"Watch out Toni Morrison, there is a new sister in town."—Rapport

"Mary Monroe is a masterful storyteller."—Philadelphia Inquirer