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The Winner  By  cover art

The Winner

By: David Baldacci
Narrated by: Frances Cassidy
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Publisher's summary

The Dream

She is 20, 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 chameleonlike financial mastermind who changed her life. And who can take it away at will...

©2002 David Baldacci (P)2012 Hachette Audio

What listeners say about The Winner

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    3,064
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Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

This was the worst narration I have ever heard!

Would you try another book from David Baldacci and/or Frances Cassidy?

I will never listen to Frances Cassidy. I listen to MANY audiobooks and have never had a negative reaction. She has a strange accent on vowels, annoying pauses, and stresses of certain words. It was absolutely painful to listen to her. I only continued because the story was reasonably interesting, but the narration made it a nightmare and a total waste of my time.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Eh

Would you be willing to try another one of Frances Cassidy’s performances?

NEVER!

Was The Winner worth the listening time?

NO

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44 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Another winner

Would you consider the audio edition of The Winner to be better than the print version?

I prefer David Baldacci's books in audio rather than print.

Who was your favorite character and why?

My favorite character was Charlie. I liked the role he played in the story.

Did Frances Cassidy do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

Her voice was irritating to me. It has a built in sneer. I would have preferred a different narrator. Her voice is pitched rather low and that meant that neither the men's voices nor the women's voices rang true.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

This book was not one which incites extreme emotion. Rather it is a story to entertain. Baldacci spins a good tale and always brings up an interesting idea. The idea that lotteries could be rigged is an intriguing one.

Any additional comments?

Really, the narrator makes things sink or swim. This book would have been much sweeter for me with a different narrator. I will try to avoid this particular narrator.

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39 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Hire a New Narrator

I read this book years ago as part of the Readers Digest Condensed Edition book my mom had lying around the house. I like the condensed edition much more. Baldacci drags the story on and on, while some of the dialogue is trite and unbelievable. The tension between The antagonist and protagonist is overwrought by the end of the novel.
That NARRATOR. Is she trying to sound that pretentious ALL the time? Several times I had to stop listening because she just grated on my nerves. Her narration is at all times lofty, bored, and condescending, like she supposed that she would have to read this book out loud before tee time. It was insulting. And if your character is trailer park "trash" from deep Georgia, you'd better do a better Southern accent than just dropping the "g" on the ends of your words, sugar. I'm from Texas and I know what I'm talking about.
That being said, the story is original and inventive. The first half of the story is excellent- heartwarming and well-paced. The protagonist's motivations are very clear.
My favorite character was Charlie.

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25 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

worse baldacci ever, narrator puts you to sleep

This was terrible from the beginning but I kept listening to see if story took a while to develop, it didn't. The narrator is monotone and I keep falling asleep.

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17 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • E.
  • 07-28-12

One of Baldacci's Best!

Would you listen to The Winner again? Why?

I did, in fact, read the book, before I listened to it. So, yes, I would listen again. It has a great plot and character development. Unlike many of David Baldacci's other books, this one is not part of a series.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

The plot is awesome. It starts off slowly, but gets the reader/listener's attention right away. The odd premise makes one want to get farther into the book. Once things get rolling, it is hard to stop reading/listening!

Which character – as performed by Francis Cassidy – was your favorite?

Francis really didn't do a very good job. LuAnn is from Georgia. But, Frances did a generic stereotype country accent. I'm from Texas and I know what different accents/dialects should sound like. Having said that, I still liked LuAnn the best. That's not saying much. When Matthew first appears, we don't know where he is really from. Frances does him with a generic accent. Then, later she makes him sound more like he is from New York and seems to be confused with her version of Charlie.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I would love to have listened in one sitting. However, I listen while I am getting ready in the morning and while driving. I don't have time to listen all at once.

Any additional comments?

A great book, and a fairly good performance. A must-listen, all things considered.

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

If You Like Omnipotent Villains,

this is the book for you. The guy is a hermaphrodite chemical genius who uses makeup to transform himself into a male or female while also perfectly impersonating the voice of one he is imitating. Fortunately for him, the FBI could not be more incompetent in the face of a potential crisis for the country. In one chapter, all of the feds rush up to the villain’s penthouse leaving the door to the building unobserved which conveniently allows the doorman to alert the bad guy who escapes yet again.
I just read the latest Baldacci & I was surprised to see a new title that I did not recognize. Recycling early bumbling works of accomplished writers is a disservice to both the authors and the readers. Thumbs down.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Loretta Lynn v Dr Evil in an Amateurish Story

Any additional comments?

I liked the other Baldacci books, but this one is incredibly dumb. The story is completely unbelievable, the story arc is bent, and the dialog is terrible. Baldacci's attempts at country or red-neck speech is ridiculous. Examples: "I didn't take her to go up to no New York" and "You know what curiosity did to that old cat." Who would say that? The bad guy's lines are a comical caricature of an overly formal villain—almost like, shall we say, Dr Evil?

The narrator is OK, but not good. In her defense, though, she didn't have much to work with.

In short, if you have trouble finding enough books for your commute, you might consider this one. If you are careful with your money and purchases, pass this one by.

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Seriously? Okkkaayyyy....

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I wouldn't change anything about the book because what the hell do I know? I like to read. Not write books. However, I suppose I would appreciate a book that actually explains things in a way that makes a lick of sense instead of being a reader who is forced to believe that the evil dude knows 1) how to fix a lottery 2) where everyone is at all times 3) how to move silently like a ninja and 4) how to thoroughly disguise himself that he's practically an octopus. It got a little fanciful with that.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Please see above. More fallible bad guys, please. That way the main character doesn't have to be in the reincarnation of Jesus to catch him.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

Performance was good. What did I dislike... in the editing, there were times where a chapter ended and a new one began and there was no pause. It was an odd break (or lack thereof) in the narration. But nothing tragic.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Probably. Mainly because I'd like to see how it was adapted - not because it's JUST SO FASCINATING.

Any additional comments?

This book is listening fluff - which is exactly what I wanted it to be. It's entertaining enough. I wouldn't say it's particularly thoughtfully written but again, if you need a way to pass time without being bored, it fit the bill for me quite well.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A New Baldacci Approach

Would you listen to The Winner again? Why?

This was an interesting story with a totally different story line that the usual Baldacci. It was fun and interesting.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

I kept wondering who it was - and did not guess until the story told who it was.

What about Frances Cassidy’s performance did you like?

Frances Cassidy is a good performer who made all the characters distinct and believable.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Never would I think

What would have made The Winner better?

That Baldacci would write a CHICK FLICK novel. He has written far better novels. I dont recommend this to anyone expecting a normal "action" novel.

What could David Baldacci have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

.

What three words best describe Francis Cassidy’s voice?

Boring

What character would you cut from The Winner?

.

Any additional comments?

.

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