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The Winner Maker

Jeff Bond (Goodreads Author)

3.89 · Rating details · 62 ratings · 32 reviews

"Thrilling ... an exhilarating and emotionally astute mystery." - Kirkus Reviews

Bob Fiske — the 74-year-old dinosaur who’s taught Honors English and coached varsity football for five decades — is missing.

To his Winners, class favorites Fiske designated over the years for their potential to “Live Big,” it’s heartbreaking. Fiske did more than inspire with soaring ...more

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Kindle Edition, 334 pages

Published December 1st 2018 by Jeff Bond

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Dec 01, 2018 Mackey rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley-ew, thriller-suspense, favorites, my-reviews, fiction-general, books-read-2018

The Winner Maker is a uniquely blended, cross-genre tale of the good and bad of over-achieving and the price paid to become a “winner.”

The book opens with a very dramatic scene with students gathered around their awe-inspiring honors English teacher atop the Chrysler Building in Chicago. As the high achieving students are preparing for their individual presentation, one student shocks the crowd by dangling below the glass floor by a giant magnet. However, the magnets do not hold and as the The Winner Maker is a uniquely blended, cross-genre tale of the good and bad of over-achieving and the price paid to become a “winner.”

The book opens with a very dramatic scene with students gathered around their awe-inspiring honors English teacher atop the Chrysler Building in Chicago. As the high achieving students are preparing for their individual presentation, one student shocks the crowd by dangling below the glass floor by a giant magnet. However, the magnets do not hold and as the student plunges to his death, a white banner emerges proclaiming, “Live Big,” the teacher’s motto for his private group of “Winners.” Six months later, the book continues with the disappearance of this septuagenarian teacher and coach, Bob Fiske. Four of his former students, all “winners,” gather to help locate their beloved teacher. As they pursue clues to his disappearance, they must also confront secrets each holds dear, as well as the underlying tension from their own high school experience under the tutelage of Fiske. Eric, a program developer aka the “geek,” Lydia who has overcome her shyness to succeed and whose sister died on the night of their prom; Doug, the quarterback, all-star, who is now a hedge fund broker and his wife, Stephanie, perhaps the most loyal follower of Fiske who is now a successful marketing guru. Each must deal with the past in order to solve Fiske’s disappearance, but at what cost to each of them personally and professionally?

Admittedly, I quite nearly stopped reading this book after the first few chapters; not because it wasn’t well written but, rather, because I detested the characters intensely. I haven’t had such a visceral reaction to all of the main characters of a book in a really long time, however, these “winners” made me want to slap each of them! I persevered, though, and realized that the point of the first part of the book was to elicit exactly those emotions. They all were overachievers, a little too perfect, a lot too driven. I found no humanity in them whatsoever. As the book progressed, I gradually realized that for some of the characters, that perfection was a shell masquerading their insecurities, you know, just like in real life. Each had something they were hiding and how they individually dealt with their secrets and their past made the book far more than a generic thriller. Instead, the “thriller” aspect to the story took a bit of a backseat to the these character’s lives and emotional turmoil.

There were two things that kept me from giving this a perfect rating. First, while I found the characters to be beyond convincing, some of their actions were not. One had to suspend belief just a little to assume that a high school kid could get away with what Jesse did in the opening sequence. There are other examples, but that one was a little over-the-top. Secondly, I still – days later – am not entirely sure that I liked the ending. It was abrupt, extremely fitting, but a little too abrupt. Either it was the perfect ending or … well, I’m just not sure. You read it and tell me what you think!
Whether you like suspense, thrillers or a really good drama, The Winner Maker will hit all of those buttons and more. It is a fast paced read and parts of it will have you on the edge of your seat wanting more! ...more

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Oct 16, 2018 Christine rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-fiction, net-galley, ebooks

The Winner Maker is a debut novel that I picked up on a whim from the Read Now shelf at Net Galley. I liked the sounds of the unique premise and was in the mood for a non police procedural mystery.

The story revolves around a group of young adults and their rather controversial high school mentor. The main characters (Eric, Steph, and Doug) are all Winners, deemed so by said teacher as people who would be highly successful in life. Several Winners are brought together ten years after graduation The Winner Maker is a debut novel that I picked up on a whim from the Read Now shelf at Net Galley. I liked the sounds of the unique premise and was in the mood for a non police procedural mystery.

The story revolves around a group of young adults and their rather controversial high school mentor. The main characters (Eric, Steph, and Doug) are all Winners, deemed so by said teacher as people who would be highly successful in life. Several Winners are brought together ten years after graduation to help find their old advisor who has suddenly disappeared along with a 16-year-old girl.

For me, the first quarter of the book was a bit slow in setting up the story. After that point, I was sucked in for the remainder of the tale. I have one warning for potential readers—one must be able to suspend belief to enjoy the book. I found the believability factor to be compromised on several occasions, but after acknowledging that fact, I was able to carry on without issue and enjoy the ride.

This book covers a lot. We have scenes of corporate dealings, IT businesses, high school counselor’s offices, high school parties, happy domesticity, unrequited love, and people on the run. I just have to mention that there is a particularly gross scene that will most certainly ignite your sense of smell to new heights, and not in a good way! I’d truly like to see the expression on Mr. Bond’s face when he wrote that little vignette.

The story reveals some of the possible relationships that can develop between secondary school teachers and their students. We see the influence these mentors can wield, the reverence they command, and how easily young people can be manipulated--and not always for good causes. We are also shown that you can never totally know anyone, and sadly, that trust is a very risky thing to depend on. I really enjoyed seeing the growth of one character in particular—how this person learned from all that happened and was able to make some tough choices in order to adjust to significant life changes—actions of a true Winner.

If you are looking for something a little different with interesting characters, and you are capable of suspending belief at times, you will enjoy The Winner Maker. I did and will look forward to seeing what Mr. Bond comes up with next.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Jeff Bond for an advanced review copy of this novel. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
...more

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Sep 22, 2018 marilyn rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley

Over five decades, 74 year old teacher, Bob Fiske, has chosen, cultivated, and encouraged exceptional students that he designated "Winners". Bob goes missing and shortly afterwards a 16 year old girl he has been mentoring, goes missing, too. A group of four of his Winners from ten years ago, come together to find Bob and hopefully, to defend his reputation and job, when rumors hint that he may have had an illicit relationship with the girl.

Among these four former Winners, along with the school ...more

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Oct 11, 2018 Donna rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: not-so-great, dnf, netgalley

I'm 28% done with The Winner Maker: OK, I just can't do it anymore. I hate to add another DNF to my list, but this one is so bad that I just can't go on. I made it through Chapter 9 and I have no idea what's going to happen, but who cares? It's amateurish, unbelievable, the characters are more like caricatures, and the plot is just silly. I really don't want to not finish a NetGalley book, but I'm done. Hope others like it better than I did.

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Sep 21, 2018 K.P. Ambroziak rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

For anyone who loves a good mystery Jeff Bond’s “The Winner Maker” should hit the top of your list. This well written, fast paced, perfectly plotted little gem is going to keep you enthralled and guessing. And all your theories and predictions of whodunit will fall flat. You won’t see this one coming.

But there’s so much more here: taut dialogue, flawless language, multifaceted characters that actually grow, and a pace that’s both breakneck and halting when details are necessary to build that ...more

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Dec 05, 2018 Joan rated it liked it · review of another edition

This novel got off to a confusing start for me with a prologue. Around thirty pages in, however, I caught the prologue's connection to the plot and the novel took off. I like the idea of amateur people trying to solve a mystery. I like how the back story was woven into the current mystery as various characters remembered past events. I like how the truth is revealed layer by layer. We readers find out people are not who they appeared to be right along with the characters. And there is plenty of ...more

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Feb 24, 2019 Denice Langley rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

People have many names for the important people in their lives. Mentor, leader, and in this case winner maker. A teacher steps up to help and support high school students when they need it most, encouraging them to excel. Years later, the teacher is missing and the students rally to help find him. Also missing is another student, but it's unclear when the story starts how this student fits into the overall. As the story progresses, these young men and women must work together to find their ...more

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Sep 29, 2018 Maria-Anne rated it really liked it · review of another edition

The Story of a group of overachievers who had been groomed by their high school teacher to become very successful in live. Even after graduation he supports this group in many different ways but not everybody is what they seem to be.
10 years after graduation this group gets back together because their beloved teacher has disappeared and they are ready to move heaven and earth to find him.
This book has a bit of everything. Typical high school atmosphere. Corporate politics. The influence a ...more

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Feb 08, 2019 Kat rated it it was amazing

Stunning, manipulative, like a map unfolding before you

I will, as always, leave a more through review in a few days on Instagram as well, and edit this one to mirror it.
But I've just finished The Winner Maker, surrounded by things I should have been doing instead of reading, half-full moving boxes spiralling out from me.
This is a book that sucks you in, that gives you characters to sink your teeth into. I commend Jeff Bond for his work, this was nothing short of magical.

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Dec 08, 2018 Ruthie Jones rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle-book, partners-in-crime-virtual-book-tour

"Too many loose ends. Discussion over."

The Winner Makerby Jeff Bond will keep you on the edge of your seat, long after you've finished reading. The author expertly builds the tension until you are mired in the mystery of who to trust and the thrill of trying to piece everything together. What really happened 10 years ago at Prom? While most people maintain a tenuous thread to their high school social events, the characters here are chained to that one fateful night. A night that refuses to let "Too many loose ends. Discussion over."

The Winner Maker by Jeff Bond will keep you on the edge of your seat, long after you've finished reading. The author expertly builds the tension until you are mired in the mystery of who to trust and the thrill of trying to piece everything together. What really happened 10 years ago at Prom? While most people maintain a tenuous thread to their high school social events, the characters here are chained to that one fateful night. A night that refuses to let them go and turns all their lives upside down years later.

In The Winner Maker, nobody apparently knows the truth about anyone. Everyone is innocent, until they're not; until they betray you. Until you find out who they really are. The action doesn't stop for a second, and the story line tumbles deeper into confusion with each page. But don't despair, the writing style maintains a clear forward momentum and keeps total confusion at bay. What is left is a story that requires your full attention but is still entertaining and an absolute blast as each chapter reveals questions and answers and then even more questions. What a fabulous ride!

The characterization is spot on. The main characters and supporting characters are crafted with perfection, but I have to say that Eric is a favorite. He might not be the main protagonist, but he is dynamic in a techno-geek way that makes him both believable and endearing.

As Steph and Eric fight for their innocence and their lives, the truth painstakingly trickles out about what really went down 10 years ago and about the recent strange disappearance of the winner maker, Dr. Fiske, apparently with a teenage girl in tow. The things Steph and Eric endure as they unravel the tangled truth will leave you horrified and maybe even chuckling a little bit, but you will definitely remain riveted until the very end.

One last thought. We are all winners, until we're not. Being chosen as a winner by the illustrious Dr. Fiske does not necessarily mean you are, indeed, a winner. You may just be a selfish loser who doesn't think twice about resorting to betrayal, lies, and murder to maintain your dirty little secret. Read The Winner Maker to find out which one of those lucky "winners" that is. But remember, everyone is innocent, until they're not. ...more

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Mar 02, 2019 Cath rated it really liked it

A story that brings together some high achievers to search for their missing Honours English teacher and high school football coach, Bob Fiske. He’s 74 and still teaching, but some think he is a dinosaur and should be retired. The high achievers are called ‘Winners’, a term used by Fiske to award his favourite students, only a few being chosen each year. They followed his Winners promise of the potential to ‘Live Big’. They can’t believe that he’s gone missing and that no one is doing anything A story that brings together some high achievers to search for their missing Honours English teacher and high school football coach, Bob Fiske. He’s 74 and still teaching, but some think he is a dinosaur and should be retired. The high achievers are called ‘Winners’, a term used by Fiske to award his favourite students, only a few being chosen each year. They followed his Winners promise of the potential to ‘Live Big’. They can’t believe that he’s gone missing and that no one is doing anything about it.

Within hours, a young female student also turns up missing and apparently had lots of inappropriate meetings with the teacher, off campus. This adds to requests for him to be fired, even before anyone can say what has actually happened to him. There are plenty of twists and surprises in this story. Some previous events are being hidden as secrets and former betrayals will come to the fore and bite some on the derrière!

Can they work well enough together to find the missing teacher and student of will thoughts of guilt break through their belief in their former esteemed coach and teacher. He is also someone who has helped many of them well into their adult and professional lives. Can they rely on each other to have their backs or are some acting more in their own hidden agendas?

Young students getting mixed up in wanting to be a winner will do things without much thought about their actions and what danger they may be in. Rash actions and secrets soon to be revealed, are out to bring down Fiske and his group of over achievers. This book has a good mix of characters, some you won’t like much, too much of a reminder of high school and the hormone led packs it brings into being. Others have their own agenda and you find this out as the story progresses.

A good enough story, with a somewhat lack lustre start which takes it’s time to get going. Once the hunt reaches its apex, the story gets very detailed and intriguing. You are left to try and work out who is behind all the actions they come across and the danger they encounter. A mystery with plenty of plot twists and secrets to wade through to find out the solution to what has happened and why. I received an ARC copy of this book from Hidden Gems and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
...more

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Dec 15, 2018 Priya Shrinath rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Please find my full review here with a Giveaway & Excerpt: https://wp.me/pajm6f-fL

Characters:

The plot circles around a group of youngsters who come together after 10 years of graduation to investigate the disappearance of their controversial old teacher, along with a 16 year old girl. The main characters are Erin, Steph and Dough who are deemed 'winners' by their high school mentor.

Narration:
The pace of the book is a bit slow along the first few chapters. I had to hold up and believe that ...more

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Oct 01, 2019 Kate rated it it was amazing

Shelves: reviewed

I devoured this book in a single afternoon.

This book reminded me of the movie The Breakfast Club, but 10 years later. We have the jock, the Homecoming Queen, the nerd, and the mute one all brought together to search for one man who is missing and may be a criminal.

This group was not linked by detention, but maybe the opposite: an elite group of students tapped to be Winners by the teacher/coach. When he goes missing, they all come back to help find him and hopefully clear his name of wrongdoing. ...more

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Nov 18, 2018 LiA rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: reviews, modern-classics-en

Now, let me figure this one out: There is suspense and speed, excellent ingredients of a real thriller - without much police involved. The characters are feasible, no clichés, individuals. Alas after the first half of the book, things get complicated. The story twists and turns, and eventually you start asking yourself whether what you read makes sense. It is difficult to give examples without spoiling the novel, thus I will limit myself to stating that I am not really convinced of some of the ...more

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Sep 03, 2018 Andrea Dinan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Highly Recommend! I love a novels based on a school setting and this book did not disappoint. The Winner Maker is a complex story as well as a mystery filled with great characters and twisty plot lines. At the start of the novel we are introduced to a group of late 20's movers and shakers that are all part of a magical high school clique called "The Winners." The Winners are chosen and coached privately by a now septuagenarian English teacher named Mr Fiske who is famous for doing his own thing ...more

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Dec 11, 2018 Nancy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Bob Fiske had a knack for picking which of his students would be winners in life. But are they all winners? Are not some just losers in disguise?

After Mr. Fiske disappears along with one of his current winners, four of his former winners come together to search for him.

That is not an easy task as they all, including Mr. Fiske, are harboring secrets. Its a dangerous situation which becomes even more dangerous as the secrets begin to come out.

It definitely makes it difficult to figure out who to ...more

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Jun 28, 2019 Glynith rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This was my first Jeff Bond book and it will not be the last. If you love mystery, thriller and suspense, Jeff Bond will not disappoint.

Bond created characters you can relate. Fiske, a high school english teacher and football coach have an inner circle of kids he called as "The Winners". Everybody wants to be part of this winner's club. They are supposed to be the group who will grow up successful later in life. He disappeared along with a young high school girl.

Former "Winners" reunite to find ...more

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Dec 10, 2018 Doug Yonce rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The effect of high school, relationships, status, reputation, expectations, and regrets all come to a head in this murder mystery. Being designated as a “Winner” by veteran English teacher (see Robin Williams in “Dead Poets’ Society”) Mr. Fiske is so important to the eighteen-year olds, and the label propels and/or haunts them as they age. When Fiske turns up missing along with one of his students, Winners are re-united to find their mentor. The plot progresses very well as Winners become ...more

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Oct 21, 2019 Heather Stein rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

Bond's novel is an entertaining and quick read that I was able to complete on a 4-hour flight. The plot has a good number of twists, and the characters grapple not only with the mystery of the missing educator, but also their roles in each others' adult lives. While the story is not going to be up for a Novel Prize, it compares favourably to the "one of us is visiting a high school reunion" episode in any long-running police procedural. Less formulaic, that's for sure. The red herrings are less ...more

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Jul 01, 2019 Nan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Bond nails it with this book! It sucked me in quickly and had me up late at night to finish it. The pacing was spot on, and the characters possessed enough complexity to make them believable. All in all, a perfect whodunit with additional depth to make you ask yourself, “what does it mean to learn or to be taught?”

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Dec 12, 2018 Jessica Gadd (love_my_dane_dolly_) rated it liked it · review of another edition

The Winner Make is a great read for anyone looking for a good mystery novel. It's based on a group of students who come together 10 years after high school to find their missing teacher. Although it was a bit of a slow start for me, it picked up mid way through and I was hooked. Great characters and plot!

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Sep 17, 2019 Deedra rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Audible:I enjoyed this book.A decade old death that was coverd up is about to come to light and the real culprit can not let that happen. Natalie Duke and Brandon Paul Eells were fine narrators.I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.' ...more

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Jul 24, 2019 Ray and Tami Klotz rated it it was amazing

Great Read

Mr. Bond does an excellent job with character development. He makes you feel like these are real people that you know and care about. This book is a real page Turner with lots of turns and twists that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Not all winners win.

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Jan 30, 2019 Jason rated it liked it

High School High Achievers

A teen coming of age story turns to a far fetched adventure in and around Chicago. I lot of violence, intrigue and crime solving

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Dec 04, 2018 The Literary Apothecary rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, 2018_blog_tours, review_copy

Jeff skillfully navigates each character through many subplots, as they inch toward solving the ultimate mystery. This story is indeed complex, and with the help of the narrator, you will not get lost in the many twists and turns.

The work is a brilliant, slow-burn mystery. With not a strand out of place, this winner of a story is woven tightly until the last page.

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Sep 28, 2018 Justin rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018-reads

Compelling thriller, reminiscent of Harlan Coben. A beloved teacher goes missing along with a student. When a band of former students bands together to solve this mystery, all is not as it seems.

Review copy given from NetGalley

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Nov 25, 2018 Cathy Inboden rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This book was very interesting. It was a hard book to put down. It is worth 5 stars. I hated it ended.

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Nov 22, 2018 Vivliokoritsa rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: half-read

I was reading, for almost a whole month, this book, but in the end I allowed myself to add another Half-read in my list.
I liked the story a lot, a teacher and a student went missing. Mystery. My favorite. But I don't like books with so many characters, and so many useless details. My worst.
The winner maker had a lot of Characters, almost every chapter had a lot of details for each one of them. A good mystery novel should allow the reader to focus in the main story, and just add spicy details. ...more

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Sep 05, 2018 Sam Ehresman rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I love this genre of books. I was sucked in by page 10! I look forward to reading the rest of it! I like the authors writing style. This is going to be one of those books I can't put down!

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Oct 21, 2018 Sharon rated it liked it · review of another edition

This is a strange book and one I didn't find easy to finish. I'm not sure if that's down to the very American language and references, or, it's just a difficult book to read. Either way, it's not an easy read; A professor who has a history of identifying favourites called 'Winners' goes missing and then so does a student.
A group of 4 of his previous 'Winners' club together to solve the mystery.

There are some frankly unbelievable situations, but, it does move along nicely and each of the 4 have ...more

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Audiobooks: Jeff Bond mystery/thriller: The Winner Maker	1	15	Jan 22, 2019 08:23PM

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About Jeff Bond

Jeff Bond

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Jeff Bond is the author of The Winner Maker and Blackquest 40. He lives in Michigan with his wife and two daughters—one of whom he shares his Kindle and Goodreads bookshelf with, if you're wondering—and belongs to the International Thriller Writers association.

—

As a student at Yale, I told friends I wanted to write a novel. I’d grown up racing through all the Clive Cussler and Margaret Truman in Jeff Bond is the author of The Winner Maker and Blackquest 40. He lives in Michigan with his wife and two daughters—one of whom he shares his Kindle and Goodreads bookshelf with, if you're wondering—and belongs to the International Thriller Writers association.

—

As a student at Yale, I told friends I wanted to write a novel. I’d grown up racing through all the Clive Cussler and Margaret Truman in my suburban Kansas City grade-school library, and college was introducing me to War and Peace and The Corrections, characters so real I felt the author—from centuries ago, thousands of miles away—plucking thoughts straight from my own head.

The insights in these denser books dazzled me, but I missed the pure adrenaline rush of the thrillers I’d read as a boy. Could a story do both? Could breakneck plots coexist with living, breathing characters? I wanted to give it a shot.

I took a regular job out of school. Soon I started writing novels on the side, giving zero thought to who’d read them or what genre I was working in. I finished a too-long manuscript about classmates in their first real jobs. A basketball story. An adventure of three mismatched heroes rescuing the world from anarchist-hackers. They weren’t good yet, but each was an improvement on what’d come before.

Meanwhile, life rolled on. I held day jobs as a consultant, business analyst, teacher, and programmer. I lived on both coasts and ended up in the middle. (Michigan.) I wrecked an ankle playing too much basketball. I got married. I shepherded two daughters into elementary school—a gig that’s made me a soccer coach, gymnastics parent, and winder of ponytails.

Through it all, I wrote.

It’s taken a few detours, but I believe I’ve finally arrived at the stories I imagined writing in school. Most fall under the broad category of “character-based thriller” and feature unique premises that don’t fit neatly into a sub-genre like spy or detective. The exceptions would be my new Franklin series (The Cleaner, The Parent War), which is more slice-of-life and literary in nature.

Even in Franklin, though, readers should expect to find action, big reversals, and heroes they care about. Themes that lurk below the surface of my works include ambition, class, parenting, corporate culture; but—always—a great story comes first.

For information on events and giveaways, visit my website, jeffbondbooks.com. I love hearing from readers so please don’t hesitate to get in touch directly. ...more