Winner Takes All

By: Robert Bidinotto

Narrated by: Conor Hall

Length: 18 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

From the author of Hunter, a number one Kindle thriller...

A murderous conspiracy for ultimate political power

Engaged to be married, mysterious journalist Dylan Hunter and CIA officer Annie Woods are eager to put their violent past behind them for good.

But then an intrepid investigative reporter is brutally, mysteriously murdered. A visionary presidential candidate is targeted for destruction. And a horrific day of unspeakable terrorism rocks Washington, DC.

Soon, Hunter's investigation puts him in the crosshairs of a power-hungry billionaire and a cold-blooded assassin. Camouflaged by "fake news", a deadly conspiracy of Russian spies and American traitors aims to install their puppet in the White House. And these predators will do the unthinkable to bring America under their total control.

The stakes - political and personal - couldn't be higher. Because to stop them, Dylan Hunter must make an irrevocable choice. He must revert to his dark, secret life as a violent vigilante, waging a one-man war against the corrupt and untouchably powerful. It's a decision that will, finally and forever, seal his fate...including his future with the woman he adores.

But for now, only one thing is certain:

In the tidal wave of political violence sweeping through the blood-soaked streets of Washington, DC, the final outcome will be...Winner Takes All.

©2017 Robert Bidinotto (P)2018 Audible, Inc.

Mixed feelings on a favorite series

I have mixed feelings about this one.
I loved the others, and this one was more of the same. But—At times also intensely aggravating and even a little tedious.

Too many people doing stupid things, even Dylan, making me want to scream “What are you doing?!” “Shut UP you MORON” “how could you be so STUPID!?” "You spineless, disloyal Judas!"

The detectives investigation absolutely infuriated me and borderline ruins the book. I can't feel that much rage over so much of it's volume without it turning into a negative experience. Maybe we are supposed to admire his convictions, I just think he’s a self-righteous jackass. Leave Dylan the hell alone. Are there really NO other crimes you need to investigate? In *DC*?? That you need to roam around the eastern seaboard to interview and harass and manipulate crime victims to "nail your suspect"? Spend your time and resources going after an actual criminal. Your method of “justice” and “law and order “ is completely impotent and doesn’t provide justice or law and order. So what do you do? Turn on good people and those doing your job just because there’s a thread you can pull on and you want to feel all good about yourself for having principles and doing your “job” because "we are a country of laws". Uh huh.

The length, too, is mixed blessing. I like that they last longer. But as the books get longer they contain more and more things I don’t care about.
I didn't time it out, but I'm fairly sure there is more time (and it seems like significantly more time) devoted to the villain and 2ndary character POVs than Dylan and Annie. I don’t like the villains- so I don’t really enjoy hearing lengthy depictions of their goings on or their life story. I mean yes, we have to understand what’s going on, but maybe not THAT much.

I also don’t really need a description of every room and building ANY of the characters walk in to: decor, position of furniture and other people, etc . Sometimes I’d start fast forwarding and get “wall” <skip> “chair” <skip> “plant” <skip> “desk”… I get setting the scene, but geesh.
I got bored. I'd space out, and since when I "came to" it was still talking about something I didn't care about I didn't bother to go back.

Because of that inverse ratio, the book seems a lot less rich in terms of character development and emotional depth (because there's not the same reader investment)

Annie also starts getting annoying. In previous books, her whining and ultimatum about "leaving his violent ways behind" was intermittent.
With relief I thought she'd accepted him and we were done with that. But now it's back. I'm tired of it.
It's a legitimate "issue". I get it. But I think one of the other things going on is that there isn't a lot more room for the romance/courtship to develop. This feels like the purposeful stringing along of a "will they, won't they" of multi-seasons long TV shows that keep the love interests apart just to keep people hanging on because, lets face it, once they are together it gets boring. But keeping them apart gets frustrating and annoying, too.

In short, It’s the same characters, same themes, same conflicts and angst done with more words. I loved the previous books, so that is mostly good-ish. But at times it gets repetitive. If I hadn’t binge-listened to all of them compulsively one after another, it may not have bothered me.

It’s well written like the others, the things I like about them are still there. It's just obscured by a lot of....maybe filler isn't fair. It's not superfluous. But it's not necessary, either. The previous books didn't have that much and they were better.

Dylan Hunter is back!!!

One journalist is murdered. Now another journalist is being put under the same microscope for possible elimination. The second person being scrutinized is Dylan Hunter. He's a ghost. Used to work in black ops but no more. He became a vigilante with rules for himself. Only kill individuals responsible for a crime , don't create more victims of crime.
This is book three of the Dylan Hunter series. These books (Hunter and Bad Deeds) can each be read as a stand alone but I would suggest reading them in order for continuity of character and relationship development.
This book has a very complex plot with many intricate pieces that must fit to make it all come together in a compelling and well told story. It is loosely based on the current political situations and investigations of outside involvement/interference, voter manipulation and/or big money influence in Washington. Or so it appears but who? And what exactly is the end game?

Hunter's fiancé Annie is in the CIA. Her assistance proves invaluable when Hunter begins an investigation. Although there is a romance going on this adds rather then takes away from the story.

Basically this book has a good vs evil plot. From the very beginning this book flies. The pace continues to build and never slows right to the end.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Connor Hall does an outstanding job narrating.
If you found this review helpful please indicate so.
Thank You.

Another collusion fantasy

If Bad Deeds caused head explosions among tree huggers this will precipitate similar reactions among those suffering from TDS who believe Donald Trump colluded with the Russians to affect the outcomes of the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections. We know that Winner Takes All is fiction. Those suffering from TDS that don't understand the real-life Russian collusion story is also fiction will be troubled by this thriller. They shouldn't be. The story is make-believe. I love Jack Reacher. I also love Dylan Hunter. Their actions cause me cognitive dissonance because I don't really believe vigilantism is proper. But I root for these guys in fictitious thrillers. It's like rooting for the good guy in a professional wrestling match. You know it's fake but you cheer anyway. If you understand this, you will love this book. I anxiously await another sequel.

Brilliant!

I'm so HAPPY I waited for this book to come out so patiently! so much thought and hard work went into it, and i loved every minute of it!

amazing book!

Robert definitely did his homework when it comes to his books, but he put did himself when it came to this one! my daughter and I VERY MUCH enjoyed this book! the characters, the story line, the plot line, all of it was grade A. a masterpiece.

Another great Dylan Hunter series novel!

Retired journalist Robert Bidinotto is an incredible author of political thrillers. Winner Takes All is his third novel and the third novel in the Dylan Hunter series. Suspense mystery thrillers do not get better this series. Dylan Hunter is a journalist whose dedication to justice is stronger than his dedication to legality (I believe vigilantism is the proper word for this). Dylan Hunter is a pseudonym for a man whose real name is unknown but he has both military training and a CIA covert agent background. Winner Takes All is a long, complex and thoroughly worthwhile work of fiction. There is action, suspense, and more than a hint of romance with CIA agent Annie Woods. Narration is outstanding. Just get the audio book and listen, after listening to the to the two prior novels in the series, of course.

Kindle Unlimited has lost some of it's value to Audible listeners during the last year, but for me it is still a great deal. With Kindle Unlimited this audio novel cost me $1.99 (plus NC sales tax, of course).

Hoping for a continuation of the series

My only complaint? Some of the more risque details of the sexual encounters. Not a prude here, but I wasnt looking for that with these stories. A great art imitating life series.

Another great Hunter book

Although I do not agree with taking the positions of Judge, Jury and Punisher into one’s own hands, there are several instances where it seems that’s the only way “Justice” can be done.
Dylan Hunter wants Justice & goes about seeing it is done. This is the 3rd in the series and brings to completion elements mentioned in the 1st 2 books.
There’s also political intrigue which I found intriguing.
Hopefully there will be another Dylan Hunter book soon so I can get my next fix.
Conor Hall does an excellent job of voicing all the characters. I heartily recommend this series.

This book has teeth

I never thought I would love a political thriller as much as I loved Winner takes all, but I do.  Bidinotto has taken a genre that I usually would not touch and gave it teeth.  

You can read this as a standalone however I would not recommend it.  There are many characters that are introduced in the first book Hunter and all of their backstories.  Not to mention all of the nuances that make Dylan Hunter started in book one.  Bidinotto is a master storyteller, and his characters have continued to grow as the series has evolved.  

I started this series in audiobook, and I have continued it that way.  Conor Hall was once again fantastic.  I don’t understand why he hasn’t done more work in audiobooks.  His range of voices is beyond any other narrator I’ve encountered.  He is truly phenomenal.  

Winner Take All, is gritty, fast-paced, steeped in mystery and intrigue and so loaded with action the story never stops.

 I am giving it 5 Boundless Stars; I can’t wait for the next installment!

Hunter's bodycount migrates ever northward

If you liked the prior two in the series, you’ll like Winner Takes All. Starkly anti-Left politics, fight scenes matching Lee Child’s best, logical plot progression. There’s a nice homage to that supreme masterpiece of the thriller genre, The Day of the Jackal. A worthy sequel.

IMO you need to have gone through the prior two first, this book doesn’t stand on its own. Most of the great thriller series (Jack Reacher, Travis McGee, Matt Helm, James Bond) hit a reset button at the beginning of each installment. New love interest, and little or no carryover of plot strands. Not here. And the length keeps increasing (Hunter 12 hours, Bad Deeds 15, now 18 for Winner Takes All). I think something will have to give if this series is to stay on track.

My main criticism is well stated by the (fictional) thriller writer James Rodman: “an artist with a true reverence for his craft should not descend to gooey love stories, but should stick austerely to revolvers, cries in the night, missing papers, mysterious Chinamen, and dead bodies — with or without gash in throat.” We’re now on a third installment with Hunter and Annie together, and there’s not much room left for relationship progression. Their conflict is now about whether/when Hunter is going to inform Annie’s father that they’re engaged. Sorry, but this is fit for Barbara Cartland, alternately P.G. Wodehouse, depending on whether the treatment is one of forthright glutinous sentimentality or (preferably) something gently satirical and humorous. It’s just not thriller material. So by the end of Winner Takes All I found myself hoping that the author’s next homage would be to On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Specifically its final chapter.

The reader is excellent.