Genres
Collection
Publication
Warner Books (1998), Edition: 1st, 513 pages
Description
Fiction. Mystery. Suspense. Thriller. HTML:A rags-to-riches deal for single mother LuAnn Tyler is deadlier than she ever could have imagined in this #1 New York Times bestselling thriller from David Baldacci.THE DREAM She is twenty, beautiful, dirt-poor, and hoping for a better life for her infant daughter when LuAnn Tyler is offered the gift of a lifetime, a $100 million lottery jackpot. All she has to do is change her identity and leave the U.S. forever. THE KILLER It's an offer she dares to refuse...until violence forces her hand and thrusts her into a harrowing game of high-stakes, big-money subterfuge. It's a price she won't fully pay...until she does the unthinkable and breaks the promise that made her rich. THE WINNER For if LuAnn Tyler comes home, she will be pitted against the deadliest contestant of all: the chameleon-like financial mastermind who changed her life. And who can take it away at will....… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member csayban
David Baldacci proved his mastery of the modern thriller with Absolute Power and Total Control. The Winner was released in 1998 and looked to continue the Baldacci brand of storytelling. Destitute waitress LuAnn Tyler lives a ramshackle existence with her newborn daughter in a poverty stricken
The Winner drags a bit early on as it tries to flesh out every thought of every character, but once the action gets going, it is intense and fun. You will root for LuAnn, but just like her, you won’t always know who is on her side. Baldacci is at his best when he is putting his characters in deadly situations where they don’t know where the trouble is coming from and they need to find that one hole to squeeze through to safety – and The Winner offers that up more than once. The story could have been a bit tighter and there were moments where the plot stretched believability to the edge. However, this is frankly when Baldacci is at his best. Baldacci’s stories are like McDonald’s Big Macs – you know they aren’t fine dining, but you love them for what they are. All in all, Baldacci provides exactly what should be expected from his novels - a thrill-ride of a story that keeps the pages turning.
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southern town. At least that’s the case until she is approach by a man named Jackson who promises her the unthinkable – a certain win in the national lottery of $100 million dollars. Her conscience tells her to say no, but before she can, events conspire to make Jackson’s offer the only hope for LuAnn and her daughter. At the time, Jackson’s conditions are acceptable, but ten years later, LuAnn decides to defy those conditions to take back her life with the hopes that the seemingly invincible puppet-master Jackson will be none the wiser. The Winner drags a bit early on as it tries to flesh out every thought of every character, but once the action gets going, it is intense and fun. You will root for LuAnn, but just like her, you won’t always know who is on her side. Baldacci is at his best when he is putting his characters in deadly situations where they don’t know where the trouble is coming from and they need to find that one hole to squeeze through to safety – and The Winner offers that up more than once. The story could have been a bit tighter and there were moments where the plot stretched believability to the edge. However, this is frankly when Baldacci is at his best. Baldacci’s stories are like McDonald’s Big Macs – you know they aren’t fine dining, but you love them for what they are. All in all, Baldacci provides exactly what should be expected from his novels - a thrill-ride of a story that keeps the pages turning.
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LibraryThing member jbarr5
The Winner by David Baldacci
LuAnn Tyler is striving to escape her abusive life when she meets Mr. Jackson and guaranteed winner of the lottery.
False murder charge and the offer to leave the country takes care of her daughter...She comes back into the US with murder charges hanging over her head.
Mr.
Lots of twists and turns in this book really moving the plot forward.
Lots of travel, action and adventure. What a story, easy to follow and great information to tie it all together...
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
LuAnn Tyler is striving to escape her abusive life when she meets Mr. Jackson and guaranteed winner of the lottery.
False murder charge and the offer to leave the country takes care of her daughter...She comes back into the US with murder charges hanging over her head.
Mr.
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Jackson has sent others to find her also for the kill. Matt she befriends and hopes he is a true friend. Others are after her and she feels she has to open up to some...Lots of twists and turns in this book really moving the plot forward.
Lots of travel, action and adventure. What a story, easy to follow and great information to tie it all together...
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
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LibraryThing member ajsendall
The Winner – not!
I had seen the name many times, but had never read anything by David Baldacci until last week. That Baldacci is a prolific writer is evinced in any airport book store. I was expecting something light and easy like Grisham, but it was a whole lot worse.
The two main characters,
Most of the supporting characters are cliché. Some of that I can forgive, even from a best-selling author, but that was not the worst of it.
The 513 pages of repetitive narrative in a hick voice is hard to not put down as the boredom sets in. Sentence structure at times is abominable. More than once, I had to stop and check that I had read a sentence correctly, and had not drifted off and slipped into autopilot.
The rice-paper plot limps along towards a predictable, melodramatic, one-woman-army ending after which they all live happily ever after.
It will be a long time before I open another Baldacci novel.
I had seen the name many times, but had never read anything by David Baldacci until last week. That Baldacci is a prolific writer is evinced in any airport book store. I was expecting something light and easy like Grisham, but it was a whole lot worse.
The two main characters,
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LuAnn Tyler, and Jackson, are completely implausible, and at times self-contradictory. Jackson was supposed to be ‘terrifying’, we were told so repeatedly, but he was laughable at best. Baldacci also repeatedly tells us how beautiful and sexy LuAnn Tyler is. In fact, she is quite remarkable. Not only is she drop dead gorgeous, but she can lay a man out with one punch and split firewood faster, and for longer than, a seasoned groundsman can. Whew! That’s really hot!Most of the supporting characters are cliché. Some of that I can forgive, even from a best-selling author, but that was not the worst of it.
The 513 pages of repetitive narrative in a hick voice is hard to not put down as the boredom sets in. Sentence structure at times is abominable. More than once, I had to stop and check that I had read a sentence correctly, and had not drifted off and slipped into autopilot.
The rice-paper plot limps along towards a predictable, melodramatic, one-woman-army ending after which they all live happily ever after.
It will be a long time before I open another Baldacci novel.
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LibraryThing member NPJacobsen
Have you ever thought about winning the lottery? Think about all those items on your wish list you could buy? I know I have, and would bet most others have also. What if you knew the game was fixed to give you the winning numbers? Would the fact that the money was essentially stolen curb your
Almost everyone in Rikersville, Georgia, grew up poor and would remain poor, perpetuating a cycle of poverty from one generation to the next. Lu Ann Tyler was no exception. Like most other girls her age, she quit school in 7th grade in order to get a job. After her mother's death left her with no place to stay, she moved in with loser-with-a-capital "L" Duane Harvey, and barely out of her teens soon had a baby girl, Lisa. Lisa became Lu Ann's pride and joy and reason for living. However working as a waitress at a truck stop brought in little more than enough to pay the bills. Most women in Lu Ann's position would resign themselves to living their remaining years with little to look forward to. But Lu Ann had a few things most others did not: despite her 7th grade education, she had an above average intelligence; extraordinary attention to detail; a stubborn streak and iron will; and exquisite beauty.
Lu Ann received a telephone call for a job interview at a rented storefront in the local mall. The man on the phone said the pay would be $100 dollars per day for two weeks, maybe longer. With the $1,000 that she would make, Lu Ann was planning her getaway from Duane and Rikersville. However, at the interview Jackson, the man she had spoken to on the telephone, offered her a more enticing option: Guarantee of winning the lottery, no less than $50 million. Jackson did not tell her if she refused he would have her killed. Lu Ann knew if she accepted the money there would be conditions that went along with the payout. Nobody offers millions of dollars out of the goodness of their heart. But the thing that bothered her most of all was it would be no different than stealing, and Lu Ann was intrinsically an honest person.
Jackson had given Lu Ann a deadline, after which the offer would expire. Lu Ann had resigned herself to follow her honorable instincts when certain events unfolded leaving her with the desire to leave Rikersville sooner rather than later. Lacking enough money to go anywhere, Lu Ann accepted Jackson's offer with only minutes to spare. Romanello, the assassin hired by Jackson, was in position to kill Lu Ann and was called off by his employer in the nick of time. Sensing there was something far bigger going on, Romanello decided to follow Lu Ann. When Jackson discovered the trouble Lu Ann was in, he was not pleased. Pursued by the authorities and a lethal assassin, Jackson agreed to help her change her name and get her out of the country as soon as she collected her lottery winnings, with the caveat that Lu Ann never return to the United States. But her desire to give Lisa a somewhat normal life caused Lu Ann, after an extended period of time, to reconsider the deal she had struck with Jackson.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The pace was steady and picked up gradually until the very exciting conclusion. There was no cliff hanger as I expected the outcome that was presented, however the story was compelling enough to keep the pages turning. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to root for the underdogs in this world.
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enthusiasm? Would your ethics be strong enough to turn down millions in tainted money? This is the dilemma facing single mother LuAnn Tyler in David Baldacci's page turner of a novel "The Winner."Almost everyone in Rikersville, Georgia, grew up poor and would remain poor, perpetuating a cycle of poverty from one generation to the next. Lu Ann Tyler was no exception. Like most other girls her age, she quit school in 7th grade in order to get a job. After her mother's death left her with no place to stay, she moved in with loser-with-a-capital "L" Duane Harvey, and barely out of her teens soon had a baby girl, Lisa. Lisa became Lu Ann's pride and joy and reason for living. However working as a waitress at a truck stop brought in little more than enough to pay the bills. Most women in Lu Ann's position would resign themselves to living their remaining years with little to look forward to. But Lu Ann had a few things most others did not: despite her 7th grade education, she had an above average intelligence; extraordinary attention to detail; a stubborn streak and iron will; and exquisite beauty.
Lu Ann received a telephone call for a job interview at a rented storefront in the local mall. The man on the phone said the pay would be $100 dollars per day for two weeks, maybe longer. With the $1,000 that she would make, Lu Ann was planning her getaway from Duane and Rikersville. However, at the interview Jackson, the man she had spoken to on the telephone, offered her a more enticing option: Guarantee of winning the lottery, no less than $50 million. Jackson did not tell her if she refused he would have her killed. Lu Ann knew if she accepted the money there would be conditions that went along with the payout. Nobody offers millions of dollars out of the goodness of their heart. But the thing that bothered her most of all was it would be no different than stealing, and Lu Ann was intrinsically an honest person.
Jackson had given Lu Ann a deadline, after which the offer would expire. Lu Ann had resigned herself to follow her honorable instincts when certain events unfolded leaving her with the desire to leave Rikersville sooner rather than later. Lacking enough money to go anywhere, Lu Ann accepted Jackson's offer with only minutes to spare. Romanello, the assassin hired by Jackson, was in position to kill Lu Ann and was called off by his employer in the nick of time. Sensing there was something far bigger going on, Romanello decided to follow Lu Ann. When Jackson discovered the trouble Lu Ann was in, he was not pleased. Pursued by the authorities and a lethal assassin, Jackson agreed to help her change her name and get her out of the country as soon as she collected her lottery winnings, with the caveat that Lu Ann never return to the United States. But her desire to give Lisa a somewhat normal life caused Lu Ann, after an extended period of time, to reconsider the deal she had struck with Jackson.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The pace was steady and picked up gradually until the very exciting conclusion. There was no cliff hanger as I expected the outcome that was presented, however the story was compelling enough to keep the pages turning. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to root for the underdogs in this world.
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LibraryThing member DellaPenna
Quick enjoyable light read.
LibraryThing member JoAnnSmithAinsworth
Well written, fast paced, kept up the tension.
LibraryThing member dekan
THE DREAM
She is twenty, beautiful, dirt-poor, and hoping for a better life for her infant daughter when LuAnn Tyler is offered the gift of a lifetime, a $100 million lottery jackpot. All she has to do is change her identity and leave the U.S. forever.
THE KILLER
It's an offer she dares to
THE WINNER
For if LuAnn Tyler comes home, she will be pitted against the deadliest contestant of all: the chameleonlike financial mastermind who changed her life. And who can take it away at will...
She is twenty, beautiful, dirt-poor, and hoping for a better life for her infant daughter when LuAnn Tyler is offered the gift of a lifetime, a $100 million lottery jackpot. All she has to do is change her identity and leave the U.S. forever.
THE KILLER
It's an offer she dares to
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refuse...until violence forces her hand and thrusts her into a harrowing game of high-stakes, big-money subterfuge. It's a price she won't fully pay...until she does the unthinkable and breaks the promise that made her rich.THE WINNER
For if LuAnn Tyler comes home, she will be pitted against the deadliest contestant of all: the chameleonlike financial mastermind who changed her life. And who can take it away at will...
Show Less
LibraryThing member bookheaven
Forgettable and predictable.
LibraryThing member Emma291
This has been my favourite David Baldacci book - it came when he was coming up with new ideas for each book, rather than continuing characters, as in his most recent books. I found the plot exciting, and unexpected, about what could happen if somebody fixed the lottery.
LibraryThing member swl
I gave up on this one less than half way through. Characters too hackneyed for words...I just couldn't keep caring about them. The only other Baldacci I read was Camel Club, and he's certainly grown and improved as a writer since The Winner.
My husband liked this book. I guess it was enough for him
It seems to me that some authors, early in their careers, write stories where everything is magnified for impact. The plot goes cavorting all over the globe, the characters are all defined using superlatives, and their arcs are impossibly dramatic.
It's when they are able to shrink the action down to the interactions between well-defined characters that things, IMHO, truly get interesting.
My husband liked this book. I guess it was enough for him
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that the plot was unique and kept schlepping along. It seems to me that some authors, early in their careers, write stories where everything is magnified for impact. The plot goes cavorting all over the globe, the characters are all defined using superlatives, and their arcs are impossibly dramatic.
It's when they are able to shrink the action down to the interactions between well-defined characters that things, IMHO, truly get interesting.
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LibraryThing member gharrison1964
I read this a few years ago, it was left on a seat in the waiting area of Ohara Airport. I thought the owner would comeback soon but they didn't, so I picked it up and began to read and couldn't put it down... I became a true Baldacci fan that day. The way he develops his characters makes you feel
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as if you know them and feel their situation even if you have nothing in common with them and his ability to build the story up to the climax is unrivaled. If the entire book sucked,which it doesn't; it would be worth it just to get to the wild and riveting ending. Show Less
LibraryThing member aelizabethj
Haven't read this book in about fourteen years, and it was such a fluff easy read, even back then. A bit ridiculous and outside my usual reading comfort zone, but entertaining nonetheless.
LibraryThing member nEtVolution
Very precictable and reads like a movie. But still an enjoyable read if you are looking for some fluff.
LibraryThing member DGrivetto
I like this author, unfortunately he uses the same method of deception in multiple books. But the story was good. I like how he writes his characters as women, most male authors are not brave enough to write in the opposite sex.
LibraryThing member kellynasdeo
This was the first book I ever read by this author and I was hooked.
LibraryThing member BrianDewey
Baldacci, David. The Winner. Warner Books, New York, 1997. Pretty typical 1990's thriller. No redeeming literary value, but I still couldn't put the book down during the last half.
LibraryThing member brysoncrichton
my favorite baldacci book. very original. how is this not a movie???
LibraryThing member bribre01
This book dragged on way too long, repeated unneccesary facts, was predictable, and was an extremely slow read.
LibraryThing member n2funstuff
Fantastic story about a lottery winner that must escape highly intelligent, highly resourceful kiler.
LibraryThing member Gatorhater
LuAnn Tyler suddenly, under the pretense of giving her a decent job, a mysterious Mr Jackson makes her an offer he thinks no one can refuse:a guarantee to be the next winner of the $100 million national lottery. Ten years later, she disobeys jackson and secretly returns to the United States, where
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she is still wanted for murder. Jackson, a seemingly omniscient master of impersonation, comes to punish her for disobeying him. Show Less
LibraryThing member Grandeplease
If you like suspense, intrigue and do not mind a bit of the unlikely, you will enjoy this book. This tale is long - more than 600 pages in the paper back edition - so it will provide you with a lot of escape and entertainment.
The plot is simple on its face - a lottery is rigged. The how and why and
Buy the book, a couple lottery tickets and curl up by the fire and read.
The plot is simple on its face - a lottery is rigged. The how and why and
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the cost is the substance of the book. This is a typical Baldacci thriller. It is fun. Some reviewers have opined their unhappiness with the seemingly all-knowing character. This is fiction and Baldacci stretches a bit - or does he?Buy the book, a couple lottery tickets and curl up by the fire and read.
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LibraryThing member toad97
Girl wins staged lottery. Girl figures it out and runs for her life. Meets guy who tries to help her.
LibraryThing member Barb_H
Oh man I could not put this book down! It was full of action and suspense. This is definitely my kind of thriller. Loved it from beginning to end.
LibraryThing member decaturmamaof2
This was from a local free library, and I needed something a bit light to read. I generally enjoy Baldacci's books, but this one is not his best effort. Almost cartoonish in its stereotypes... It did mostly distract me from the news.
LibraryThing member buffalogr
I enjoyed this mystery suspense novel. Although it sagged a little in the middle and i was expecting a conclusion, it didn't conclude. So, I moved along. The characters are great and the study of a lottery winner was very interesting. Pretty good book!
Subjects
Awards
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1997
Physical description
513 p.; 9 inches
DDC/MDS
| 813.54 |
ISBN
0446522597 / 9780446522595
Other editions
The Winner by David Baldacci (Paperback)
The Winner by David Baldacci (Paperback)
Similar in this library
Pages
513