Epiphany Jones

A man with a consuming addiction. A woman who talks to God. And the secret connection that could destroy them both.

Jerry has a traumatic past that leaves him subject to psychotic hallucinations and depressive episodes. When he stands accused of stealing a priceless Van Gogh painting, he goes underground, where he develops an unwilling relationship with a woman who believes that the voices she hears are from God. Involuntarily entangled in the illicit world of sex-trafficking amongst the Hollywood elite, and on a mission to find redemption for a haunting series of events from the past, Jerry is thrust into a genuinely shocking and outrageously funny quest to uncover the truth and atone for historical sins.
A complex, page-turning psychological thriller, riddled with twists and turns, Epiphany Jones is also a superb dark comedy with a powerful emotional core. You'll laugh when you know you shouldn't, be moved when you least expect it and, most importantly, never look at Hollywood, celebrity or sex in the same way again. This is an extraordinary debut from a fresh, exceptional new talent.


'Complex, inventive and a genuine shocker, this is the very opposite of a "comfort read' Laura Wilson, Guardian

'Grothaus' novel is a captivating story that manages to be funny, sinister and surprising' New York Daily News

'By turns comic and shocking, an extraordinary debut from a striking new voice' Michael Marshall Smith

'A thrilling and highly original debut that cuts to the dark heart of celebrity and pornography. Michael Grothaus is one to watch' Eva Dolan

'The emotion range is outstanding - Grothaus is an exceptional talent' J. M. Hewitt

'Startling, inventive, funny and disturbing, compelling and oddly beautiful - Epiphany Jones is a novel that marks the arrival of a truly talented writer' Kevin Wignall

Novelist and journalist Michael Grothaus was born in Saint Louis, Missouri in 1977. He spent his twenties in Chicago where he earned his degree in filmmaking from Columbia and got his start in journalism writing for Screen. After working for institutions including The Art Institute of Chicago, Twentieth Century Fox, and Apple he received his postgraduate degree with distinction in creative writing from the University of London. His writing has appeared in The Guardian, Litro Magazine, Fast Company, VICE, The Irish Times, Screen, Quartz, and others. His debut novel is Epiphany Jones, a story about sex trafficking among the Hollywood elite, based on his experiences at the Cannes Film Festival. It was longlisted for the CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger in 2017 and in 2018 was named one of the 25 ＂Most Irresistible Hollywood Novels＂ by Entertainment Weekly.