Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining tale
Review: I enjoyed The Winner so much that I purchased the audiotapes after reading the book because I wanted it in both formats. There are noticeable gaps in the plot, which weakens it, but that could be expected with the passage of over 10 years of time. The most believable characters are LuAnne and Jackson and the least believable would be Charlie. Nevertheless, I found the The Winner to be great fun and I would recommend the book or the tapes to any reader who wants to have a good time with a tall story. I think we can count on the fact that this story will become a movie in the near future.
Rating:
Summary: Baldacci's best yet!
Review: I've read Baldacci's Total Control and The Simple Truth. They both were entertaining, but I find The Winner to be the best of the bunch. Although predictable at times, the book still was a page-turner, especially the last 100 pages or so. Seems like another Baldacci book destined for the silver screen, following the route of Absolute Power.
Rating: 
Summary: A Loser
Review: I wouldn't have finished this book if I hadn't been stuck on a long airplane ride with nothing else to read. The plot is generally clever, but has several gaping holes and the "twists and turns" depend largely on the stupidity of the stereotypical, cartoonish characters. Don't waste your money or time on this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Baldacci is surprisingly refreshing...
Review: The storyline in the "Winner" is refreshing and the detail Baldacci gives his characters is fantastic. The background and character building that Baldacci gives to LuAnn and Jackson are what kept me reading this book. At times the plot seems to be too far out there to be considered realistic (mastermind financier develops a way to rig the lottery, and picks the most desperate of people to entrap in his scheme.) That being said, I was most impressed by Jackson's background and how Baldacci was able to portray the Wall Street genius gone bad and the paranoia that is the result of Jackson's scheme. Even though the plot was a tad far-fetched, the book is very well written and the heros were believable. That is with the exception of the ex-FBI agent, Charlie. His character is, of course, the hero that saves the day. Unfortunately he is too far-fetched to believe. It is too convenient for Baldacci to rely on Charlie to come to the rescue and to travel with LuAnn throughout the world. The character Charlie just didn't make any sense, and he was really misplaced. Baldacci does deliver though, and this book is worth reading!
Rating: 
Summary: Buy The Premise, Buy The Bit
Review: Buy the premise, buy the bit. Moderately-paced thriller about a man of many disguises who has developed a way to rig the National Lottery. He has picked a dozen impoverished people to be winners. One of them is our intrepid heroine who unites with another far-fetched character, an ex-FBI agent on the witness protection program, to bring the bad guy to his knees. This is the weakest of Baldacci's four novels but adequate to entertain although very implausible if you really stop to think about it.
Rating:
Summary: A winner
Review: This was the first Baldacci book that I read and I have read 3 others since. His writing style really drew me into the characters and I just couldn't put it down. The plot is unique- as so many authors now try to re-write books with the same basic plot using different characters.. this was different. I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Good story, weak characters.
Review: The Winner has a good plot. It is fast-paced and the twists and turns are unexpected. Unfortunately the main character is poorly written. She was too one-dimensional and I was never able to cheer her on or really care what happened to her. She was just too perfect. If you are looking to read a Baldacci book, read Total Control instead - it has a great plot and great characers.
Rating:
Summary: Baldacci is a Winner
Review: This was the first Baldacci book I read, and as I don't normally read fiction I was suprised at the affect this mans writing was having on me. You could actually get a perfect picture in your mind of how each individual character looked. The story was so well written! Unfortunately, other Baldacci books haven't had the same affect as this one did - both Total Control, and The Simple Truth, have not lived up to this standard. In parts they are poorly written but still worth a read. Despite this i will continue to read Baldacci.
Rating:
Summary: Genius again!
Review: David Baldacci's books always leave me on edge. Wondering what will happen next, are we really to believe what we have just read, what strange twist will the plot take next. Never predictable and always a mystery up until the last page are two statements that sum up Baldacci's writing. The Winner appealed to me because it was about a young woman who had the opportunity to change her life and her daughter's life. Once I was taken in by the novel I was immersed in the world of schemes, role-playing, and incredable twists and turns that only a writer as skilled as Baldacci could introduce into the story line. Jackson, Charlie, LuAnn, and Matthew Riggs are unforgetable characters who are now emblazoned upon my memory forever. This book is terrific! Go out and buy it today!
Rating:
Summary: my review
Review: This plot is about a woman who receives an incredible offer: to become a millionaire. She accepts but in the end she becomes a very unhappy woman. The author has a very unusual story: about lotteries and how you can beat them. I thought this book to be very enjoyable. The story is well thought-out and the characters blend well with the story. There is never a dull moment in the book and it all seems to flow easily and to keep the reader glued to the book. Good read.
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