Rating: 
Summary: Very gripping story with poor characters
Review: 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 and outsmart anyone and be everywhere, anytime like God (too perfect too!!!). They did not look very realistic,indeed, on the other hand you will find an original gripping story plenty of action with many twists and turns, most of them very cleverly conceived particularly in the final chapters of the book.
Rating: 
Summary: One of this author's best
Review: I loved this book. It's been about a year since I finished this book and I still fondly remember it. It will be a book I read again one day. Lu Ann is one of the greatest characters I have ever met! When an author enables you to not only enter another world but to make a bond with a charachter (or characters) it is truly genius. For me, this was such a book. I have read every book Mr. Baldacci has ever written, and this one stands out. He is a great storyteller. I was sad when the book ended and I thought of it for a long time afterwards. I read a lot of books and when I can remember one a year later it had to have made quite an impression.
Rating:
Summary: A Winner of a Novel
Review: Razor-sharp characters populate this page-turner. Good plot, with building suspense. A very enjoyable read.
Rating:
Summary: Baldacci Pens a Winner!
Review: An entertaining page-turner, each chapter is packed with riveting suspense. Rings true with authenticity. Leave the reader believing the author has actually figured out how to rig the lottery. Baldacci is at the top of his game with this novel. Highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Outrageous Plot
Review: "The Winner" makes for compelling reading. But once you are through with the book, it is difficult to shrug off the feeling of having been cheated. It is for sure a sizzling read. You keep turning the pages, almost breathlessly wanting to know what happens next and that, after all, is what a good thriller should be. Except that in this case the plot ios so outrageous--one individual fixing the US government lottery--that you want to the ask sue the author for taking his readers for a ride. That Martin Riggs character and also Charlie are both utterly boring people, hanging around LuAnn Tyler like faithful poodles. LuAnn herself is an interesting creation. Committed to her daughter and wallowing in poverty and an absuive relationship and accepting an offer that few would refuse. Interesting enough woman. But the whole intrigue that she gets caught in, with all the close shaves and the coincidences, is so contrived that you can't really feel good about the book. But Baldacci, without resorting to explicit sex scenes, does create the portrait of a really leggy, sexy women. Just that kept me reading on!
Rating:
Summary: THE WINNER WAS A WINNER !!!!!
Review: OUR NEWLY FORMED FAMILY BOOK CLUB CHOOSE THE WINNER AS OUR FIRST SELECTION..I BOUGHT THE BOOK IMMEDITELY BUT DIDNT START TO READ IT UNTIL THE NEXT SATURDAY MORNING.ONCE I STARTED I COULD NPT PUT THE BOOK DOWN I FINISHED THE WINNER IN THE WEE HOURS OF SUNDAY MORNING. I ENJOYED THE SUSPENSE AND I WAS ALSO TRYING TO GUESS THE ENDING AS I READ, MR JACKSON WAS A VERY SMART PERSON AND HE WAS SO CRUEL. CATHERINE SAVAGE WAS SMART TOO AND I AM GLAD IN THE END SHE ACTUALLY WAS A WINNER.I HATED TO THINK THAT AFTER ALL SHE WENT THROUGH SHE WOULD END UP PENNILESS AS THE SAYING GOES SHE LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER
Rating:
Summary: Full of excitment at every turn of the page
Review: This is the first book of Mr. Baldaccis' that I have read and I found it to be very inviting in the style and the way he captures the essence of Catherine Savage or should I say LuAnn Tyler. Her struggle to survive with baby Lisa and the twists and turns that appear from page to page are even more captivating. This would be such a great story to put into a motion picture. I recommend this book to anyone that wants to escape into another realm of reality.
Rating:
Summary: A marvelous mind: that's David Baldacci
Review: After reading so many good books by authors with semi-italian names, like Lisa Scottoline (a wonderful, amazing author!), the name David Baldacci called my attention. Then, I took THE WINNER. That was my first try on his books. The plot revolves around a woman called LuAnn, who is the mother of a baby and lives with a man who only cares for drinking, a vagabond. Besides, she works has a waitress half the day to make only a very little money. Then, one day, a man called Jackson tells her she can win the national lottery. How? He has all the numbers of the next draw. LuAnn doesn't know, but if she say yes, she'll be one of the most rich women of the world. If she say no, she'll be a dead woman. Decided to say no because she's not the kind of woman to accept illegal things, she arrives at home and finds a man decided to kill... the man she lives with. But the man is already dead. Then some things I'm not going to tell happen, and she start thinking she's the main suspect of the crime (both her "husband" and the man she found on her home (a trailer) are found dead). Trying to escape from the police, she accept Jackson's opportunity and goes to New York, where she wins the lottery. This is just the beginning of a wonderful book, one of the best thrillers I've ever read during my whole life (which is not a big time, but was lived with intensity), and I discovered one of the best writers of the world. He criated an adorable heroine, you just can't help but fall in love with LuAnn Tyler, and also one of the most terrible vilains of the modern literature, Mr. Jackson. Now, all I'm looking forward to is to read the other books by David Baldacci. He's a marvelous writer. Believe me when I say it. Read Baldacci will be an habit now to me. Long life to David Baldacci! He deserves all the success he has been conquering. Just amazing! Marco Aurelio.
Rating:
Summary: The most clever novel I have read in a while
Review: If you are looking for a break from the typical action/suspense novcel, give this one a try. I could not put it down, and place this in my top ten fiction books. Baldacci is now one of my favorite authors. His character development is superb, and his ability to weave a clever story is unique. This is a must-read.
Rating:
Summary: Good Stuff...too many words
Review: This is the first book by Baldacci I have read, and I must say it was very good. I loved the movie version of Absolute Power, so I thought this was worth the read. He develops the story and the characters very well and it is a page turner. However I thought Mr. Baldacci wrote too many words for this book. He threw in sentences that didn't really need to be there. He also harped upon the attractiveness of the main character, LuAnn. I would recommend The Winner as a nice, easy read.
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