Todd Jones is a hotshot realtor in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He’s got a hot girlfriend, too. The trouble is that Todd is a real bad judge of character, especially his own. Todd’s got himself tangled up worse than an old fishing line balled up in that long forgotten tackle box in the garage. Let’s enumerate. One of Todd’s biggest clients is mad because the property Todd talked him into buying is underwater—literally. A screwy surfer dude with a recreational drug habit and a millionaire gun manufacturer for a father has got some not-so-friendly dealers on his tail. Todd’s mother has shown up and wants to live with him. And she’s brought her pet pig. And, oh, yeah, there’s this little problem Todd is having with one of his best friends, Dr. Doug Freeman.

Five Minutes starts at a brisk boil and never lets up until the last sentence is laid down in this gripping comic thriller about a man whose life has taken a quick and nasty turn for the worse. And goes downhill from there. . .

"Ripley joins the growing list of Florida crime writers (Carl Hiaasen, Laurence Shames, Tim Dorsey) who mix capers with comedy. This lightweight romp stars unscrupulous real-estate salesman Todd Jones, whose wheelings and dealings have landed him a hot Ft. Lauderdale condo and an even hotter girlfriend but who seems to have run out of luck. The story opens with Todd being threatened at gunpoint by his best friend, Dr. Doug Freeman, who is miffed that Todd slept with his wife, Caroline. When Doug is killed in a boating accident, and Caroline is found dead soon after, things don't look good for Todd. To make matters worse, he has sold a bum property to a mobster and unwittingly involved himself in a drug deal with a surfer dude. Then his mother comes to visit. Readers will fall hard for this lovable loser as he struggles to stay alive while keeping his girlfriend from finding out what he is doing and his mom's pet pig from eating his stuff. Further adventures would be most welcome." Jenny McLarin

J. R. RILEY