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 li... read full description
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 li... read full description
reviews
Dec 27, 2009
Lilyrose
rated it: 
This started off with a lot of promise, and as the story trudged on, I got even more interested. And then it became absolutely boring and it simply got worse *Yawn!*
The thing I hate most about this book:
I HATE near-perfect heroines. LuAnn Tyler gets on my nerves. She cant be learned and intelligent all of a sudden, not to mention, she's always been drop-dead gorgeous. And of course, its a given that she's had a bad past and struggled to come out of it, but she does, in f More...
The thing I hate most about this book:
I HATE near-perfect heroines. LuAnn Tyler gets on my nerves. She cant be learned and intelligent all of a sudden, not to mention, she's always been drop-dead gorgeous. And of course, its a given that she's had a bad past and struggled to come out of it, but she does, in f More...
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Jun 13, 2008
Almak
rated it: 
Being highly recommended to me I was anxious to absorb myself reading a good book. Unfortunately, this wasn't one of them.
Primarily, I was disappointed with descriptive nudity, a masturbation scene and a sex scene, all of which could have been removed and the book as a whole would have been better.
Nonetheless, the premise held the possibility of a good story but it was just too predictable. There was only one surprise in the book and the beginning drug on forever. Balda More...
Primarily, I was disappointed with descriptive nudity, a masturbation scene and a sex scene, all of which could have been removed and the book as a whole would have been better.
Nonetheless, the premise held the possibility of a good story but it was just too predictable. There was only one surprise in the book and the beginning drug on forever. Balda More...
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Jul 25, 2011
Wendy
rated it: 
What would you do if someone offered you $100 million dollars and all you had to do was leave the country and never return? Yeah, me too! But then I read THE WINNER.
LuAnn Tyler is only 20 years old and already a dirt-poor single mother with an 8-month old daughter living in a trailer in Georgia. When a strange man, whom she thought was offering her a job, says he can guarantee that she'll win the national lottery, LuAnn's better judgement tells her to decline. But she comes home to fin More...
LuAnn Tyler is only 20 years old and already a dirt-poor single mother with an 8-month old daughter living in a trailer in Georgia. When a strange man, whom she thought was offering her a job, says he can guarantee that she'll win the national lottery, LuAnn's better judgement tells her to decline. But she comes home to fin More...
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Jun 20, 2010
Jane
rated it:
Above average plot with intricate developments, but it was missing the wow factor. Good but not great.
REVIEWER'S OPINION:
To let readers know where I'm coming from, my preferred genre is romance novels. The fact that I liked this should mean something since it is off genre for me. Throughout the book there was the underlying frustration of how can anyone ever stop this bad guy, but he gets it eventually. The story was excellent mechanically with good showing not telling. I More...
REVIEWER'S OPINION:
To let readers know where I'm coming from, my preferred genre is romance novels. The fact that I liked this should mean something since it is off genre for me. Throughout the book there was the underlying frustration of how can anyone ever stop this bad guy, but he gets it eventually. The story was excellent mechanically with good showing not telling. I More...
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May 28, 2009
Jason
rated it:
Ever since school got out for the summer, oddly enough, I have been reading a lot.
I picked up a few books at a local church book sale.
I have heard really good things about David Baldacci (mainly because of the movie based on his book, Absolute Power) and I found this book for $.50 so I thought I would give it a try.
In fact, when handing my money to the cashier at the sale, the lady said that this was her favorite David Baldacci book. She had good taste.
More...
I picked up a few books at a local church book sale.
I have heard really good things about David Baldacci (mainly because of the movie based on his book, Absolute Power) and I found this book for $.50 so I thought I would give it a try.
In fact, when handing my money to the cashier at the sale, the lady said that this was her favorite David Baldacci book. She had good taste.
More...
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Sep 06, 2011
Kristy
rated it: 
I started reading The Winner based on a recommendation from my eye doctor, of all people. Frankly I'd never heard of the author before, but decided to give it a shot. And I'm glad I did. I'm even more glad I gave up on the hardcover library book and, instead, got the Kindle version (it's much lighter!).
The Winner is a surprisingly interesting and good book. The characters seem very real and you choose your sides very early on. The plot is something else. Even though I'm a writer, More...
The Winner is a surprisingly interesting and good book. The characters seem very real and you choose your sides very early on. The plot is something else. Even though I'm a writer, More...
Oct 18, 2010
Betty410
rated it:
The trouble with Baldacci is that you can't put the book down.
When a back country Georgia 20 year old single mother with a baby is offered a chance to win the lottery , she knows that there has to be something "not good" about it. It is the only way she can see to get out of her abusive relationship and a future of endless poverty. Then she walks into her trailer and finds her baby's good-for-nothing father dead and evidence of his drug dealing present along with his associate, More...
When a back country Georgia 20 year old single mother with a baby is offered a chance to win the lottery , she knows that there has to be something "not good" about it. It is the only way she can see to get out of her abusive relationship and a future of endless poverty. Then she walks into her trailer and finds her baby's good-for-nothing father dead and evidence of his drug dealing present along with his associate, More...
Jan 08, 2012
Steve
rated it:
An impoverished single mother, living in a trailer home with her abusive slobbish boyfriend and struggling to afford to feed herself and her baby. One day she gets an offer she can't refuse - the change to be guaranteed a win of at least $50m on the US national lottery. All she has to do is say yes...[return][return]In my brief intro above I've given away a lot less than is contained in the blurb on the back of the book - be warned! It's a fantastic concept with a very likable main character. It
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Nov 21, 2011
Marissa
rated it:
Well, I've said it before, I'm a sucker for mysteries/crime/thrillers. I always have been. While other people were soaking up Judy Blume, I firmly ignored the conversations between God and Margaret and stayed up all night reading The Pelican Brief and The Client. Now, there are two questions that pop up given that information: the first being the question of how was I allowed to stay up all night at 13 (or so) the second is what was I really doing reading those books? To the first question I
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Jul 22, 2011
Lolene
rated it: 
I read the Reader's Digest Condensed version of this book, so that's my disclaimer if the original was SMUTTY at all...I really like reading condensed versions occasionally, when I want to break out of my young adult/juvenile fiction mode. I picked this book up at a thrift store on a whim...heck four books for 50 cents? BARGAIN.
This book was a fast-paced mystery about an evil genius who rigged the national lottery...and the young trailer-trashy winner and what it did to her life. Fr More...
This book was a fast-paced mystery about an evil genius who rigged the national lottery...and the young trailer-trashy winner and what it did to her life. Fr More...
Jun 18, 2011
Maggie
rated it:
This one, I immensely enjoyed. It was original and unpredictable (mostly), which are 2 difficult components when you read the amount of mystery novels that I do. It was intriguing with the lottery angle and the way it was done? GENIUS!!! (no spoiler!) Very creative mystery novel and probably my favorite Baldacci to date. I actually shuddered and felt a cold chill with some of the parts with Jackson (major CREEPER!!) Characters well-developed and intriguing from Charlie, the older "grandpa"
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Jan 30, 2011
Jude
rated it:
My husband reccommended this one, and I was a bit skeptical. He usually likes more "thriller" type fiction, and I lean towards other genres. I really enjoyed this book though, and read through it very quickly. It was definitely one you don't want to put down. Baldacci does a good job or balancing the details necessary to keep a "thriller" fan happy, and mixes in the human element, via the mother-daughter relationship of LuAnn and Lisa, to keep us "drama" gals happy.
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Jun 15, 2011
Manugw
rated it:
VERY GRIPPING STORY WITH POOR CHARACTERS
In my opinion the plot is much better than the character development where I can see some little flaws, Baldacci put too much fantasy drawing Lu Ann (the heroine) the poor dirt girl who becomes the winner, who is stronger than a man, who deftly run away with a car when she had never owned one, (too perfect !!!) and also too much fantasy drawing Jackson (the villain), the master of disguise, remarkably bright, full of resources who can impersonate More...
In my opinion the plot is much better than the character development where I can see some little flaws, Baldacci put too much fantasy drawing Lu Ann (the heroine) the poor dirt girl who becomes the winner, who is stronger than a man, who deftly run away with a car when she had never owned one, (too perfect !!!) and also too much fantasy drawing Jackson (the villain), the master of disguise, remarkably bright, full of resources who can impersonate More...
May 20, 2009
Gloria
rated it:
This is an older stand-alone book (not "Camel Club" related) about a guy that learns how to manipulate the National lottery system, lure the potential winners into his scheme, and make millions for them and himself - at a very high cost which includes risking their lives. A page-turner with interesting locales and engrossing characters. The genius/bad-guy is a character unlike any I've read about before, who can change himself to look like anyone else using theatrical makeup as well a
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Mar 04, 2011
Pamela
rated it:
Baldacci takes the reader on a what if trip--what if the US had a national lottery and what if it could be fixed. His heroine is a little too good to be true--the rags to riches story, but happier poor and always beautiful, strong, etc., etc. The details about the baby, however, were the worst--he didn't mention a single diaper, and he has an eight-month old content to stay in a baby carrier and have only bottles of milk as food---come on now. However, the story moves at an entertaining, fast
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Jan 02, 2011
Amanda
rated it:
When people ask for a book recommendation, this is always one of the books I choose. It has a lot of twists and turns as it tells the tale of a down on her luck girl in a dead-end relationship, baby and no prospects for improvement until she meets a mysterious man who tells her that he can guarantee that she'd win the lottery. She just has to tell him by a certain time or the offer is withdrawn forever.
The books unwinds to find her escaping a situation with her druggie, loser boyfrie More...
The books unwinds to find her escaping a situation with her druggie, loser boyfrie More...
Nov 30, 2011
Julia
rated it:
A book that gave a typical idea (fixing the lottery) a new spin. Full of murders, money, and love. My favorite character was Jackson. He had the power to become whomever he wanted to be. You hated him for what he did in the present and yet still felt sorry for him because of what happened to him in the past. I wasn't particularly fond of LuAnn at first, but she grew on me throughout the book. And I loved her because underneath all the money, the murders, the excitement of her life, she was just
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May 04, 2010
Michelle
rated it:
My daughter loaned me this book and I had no idea what it was about as she had kept the dust jacket. All I knew was that she really enjoyed it.
David Baldacci spun a wonderful tale of a poor girl who is trapped in a bad situation and how she gets out with not only her life, but the life of her young daughter. She wins the lottery and disappears for 10 years while the local police look for her on a bogus murder charge.
When she finally decides to return to the USA, the man w More...
David Baldacci spun a wonderful tale of a poor girl who is trapped in a bad situation and how she gets out with not only her life, but the life of her young daughter. She wins the lottery and disappears for 10 years while the local police look for her on a bogus murder charge.
When she finally decides to return to the USA, the man w More...
Jul 04, 2011
Scout
rated it:
Tale about the fixing of the National Lottery, featuring LuAnn Tyler as the unbelievable heroine and Jackson as the fiendish antagonist who is a master of deception and who helps LuAnn win the Lottery, then turns against her. Coincidentally, LuAnn hires a handsome former FBI man to build a security fence just as her life becomes unbelievably complicated. Add an older man (loyal friend/bodyguard) and a young daughter to the list of characters, and you can predict the major plot elements. I'd cl
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Jun 04, 2010
Bruce
rated it:
It's like a silly movie in book form. It requires quite a bit of suspension of disbelief given the odd circumstances and odd characters.
Once again, Baldacci makes everyone into these "beautiful" creatures so that creates that first layer of falseness. Then we get into the abilities of the villain, the strength and power of the heroine, and the ability to fix the lottery? It just adds up to a lot of incredulity on my part.
I still give it three stars for being More...
Once again, Baldacci makes everyone into these "beautiful" creatures so that creates that first layer of falseness. Then we get into the abilities of the villain, the strength and power of the heroine, and the ability to fix the lottery? It just adds up to a lot of incredulity on my part.
I still give it three stars for being More...
Apr 20, 2008
Jen
rated it:
Probably my favorite Baldacci book. If you love a good mystery, this book is sure to please!
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Jun 07, 2011
Stacey
rated it:
Not one of Baldacci's best. LuAnn Tyler (20 something with a 7th grade education and a 9mo baby) is offered the chance to win the lottery. Her life turns upside down in a matter of 24 hours and she accepts. Later that week, she's 100 million dollars richer. But the catch - she has to leave the country and never come back. Ten years later, she's had enough and breaks the cardinal rule - moves to Charlottesville, VA. A story of mystery, murder, and intrigue. LuAnn isn't the most likeable main char
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Jul 08, 2011
Rebecca
rated it:
The premise: an uneducated, poor, single mom, who is wanted for murder is gauranteed to win the lottery by a very mysterious man, who's only condition is that she must leave the United States, forever. Of course, she gets so homesick, she sneaks back. The problem: she is incredibly beautiful beyond words. Worse, she's so physically strong, she's able to beat men who attack her. Instead of LuAnn, she should have been named Wonder Woman. Then there's the evil man of a thousand disguises -no-
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Jan 23, 2010
Carrol
rated it:
This is an older book by David Baldacci that I somehow missed along the way. He continues to be a good story teller. This plot involves a dirt poor young single mother who makes a "deal w/ the devil" and wins a $100 million lottery. For several reasons she needs to stay out of the country permanently after this win but after 10 years she returns and ends up having to deal w/ the consequences of her choices. It's a great vacation read and even though some of his character connections ar
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Oct 08, 2011
Kay
rated it:
It was ok. The only thing the author seemed to have misunderstood about his deaders, that we have more depth. constantly referring to luann as perfect or practically idolizing her was making my eyes roll in boredom. his desciption of her was boring, not intriguing. (the repetitiveness of it made it even more of a snoozer.
the charater that was the bad guy was the only interesting part (his disguises, etc). that part was interesting. Usually i thoroughly enjoy this author's writings. th More...
the charater that was the bad guy was the only interesting part (his disguises, etc). that part was interesting. Usually i thoroughly enjoy this author's writings. th More...
Jan 06, 2011
Sarah
rated it:
kehidupan LuAnn Tyler berubah sejak dia bertemu Jackson, yang dapat menjadi tiket untuk masa depan yang jauh lebih baik bagi putri kecilnya, Lisa, atau menjadi pisau yang jauh lebih mematikan dari yang membunuh Duane.
tapi hidup merupakan pilihan. waktu 10 tahun cukup bagi LuAnn kembali ke negaranya dan juga tempat, pertarungan untuk melawan identitasnya yang lalu.
dan mungkin, menjadi akhir bagi masa depannya, juga putri cantiknya.
SPOILER!!! kayaknya...
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tapi hidup merupakan pilihan. waktu 10 tahun cukup bagi LuAnn kembali ke negaranya dan juga tempat, pertarungan untuk melawan identitasnya yang lalu.
dan mungkin, menjadi akhir bagi masa depannya, juga putri cantiknya.
SPOILER!!! kayaknya...
More...
Jun 12, 2011
Aileen
rated it:
Someone contacts you, and tells you they can guarantee you'll win Saturday's lottery jackpot. Do you accept? Would it change your answer if you knew they'd kill you if you said no? Or that you'd have to leave your country after you'd won and go on the run for the rest of your life, even if you had $100m dollars to finance it? LuAnn Tyler is given the opportunity to leave her dirt-poor, trailer park existence and do just this. She is going to say no, but then her boyfriend is killed in a drug
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Jan 08, 2011
Shelley
rated it:
Summary: LuAnn Tyler, is a spunky, impossibly beautiful, white-trash truck stop waitress with a no-good husband and a terminally cute infant daughter in tow. Some months after the birth of Lisa, LuAnn gets a phone call summoning her to a make-shift office in an unrented storefront of the local shopping mall. There, she gets a Faustian offer from a Mr. Jackson, a monomaniacal, cross-dressing manipulator who apparently knows the winning numbers in the national lottery before the numbers are drawn.
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Mar 29, 2011
Chad
rated it:
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 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 h
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Apr 17, 2009
Larry
rated it:
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