The Winner

A Novel

By: Teddy Wayne

Narrated by: Charlie Thurston

Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

“Seductive . . . consistently fun. . . . This is The Graduate with an advanced degree. Wayne’s plot was made to gallop, and it does not disappoint. I read The Winner in two nights. It’s not just the sex that’s provocative; it’s the way the reader is steadily pulled into Conor’s dilemma. . . . I’d judge Wayne on his easy access to the immoral and amoral, but given my own voracious consumption of this book, better to stay off my high horse.”—New York Times

Conor O’Toole has never been anywhere like Cutters Neck, a gated community near Cape Cod. It’s a sweet deal for the summer: in exchange for tennis lessons, he receives free lodging in a luxurious guest cottage, far from the cramped Yonkers apartment he shares with his diabetic mother.

In this oceanfront paradise, however, new clients prove hard to come by, and Conor has bills to pay. When Catherine, a sharp-tongued divorcée, offers double his usual rate, he soon realizes she is expecting additional, off the court services for her money, and Conor tumbles into a secret erotic affair unlike anything he’s experienced before.

Despite his steamy flings with a woman twice his age, he simultaneously finds himself falling for an artsy, outspoken girl he meets on the beach. With cautious, strategic planning, Conor somehow manages this tangled web—until he makes one final, irreversible mistake.

A dark, explosive literary thriller that brilliantly skewers the elite, Whiting Award winner Teddy Wayne’s unputdownable novel is cinematic, shocking, and a psychological masterpiece.

©2024 Teddy Wayne (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers

tabloid fun

I must be unpopular in my old school opinions, but I still prefer writing that has some subtly to it, and follows to some extent the trope of "show don't tell."
The plot was on constant auto-review, as if the reader couldn't keep up.
I did like the ending, however...

Entertaining with twists

I enjoyed this book it grabbed me from the beginning until the end. Also it gives insights into privileged persons’ lifestyle and attitudes.

A thrilling page-turner that adeptly examines the complex relationships between sex, class, and sports,

I am happy to recommend 'The Winner', a I am happy to recommend 'The Winner', a thrilling page-turner that adeptly examines the complex relationships between sex, class, and sports, reminiscent of 'The Graduate' and Philip Roth's literary style. This book was engrossing and thought-provoking, its timely commentary tempered by a classic, ageless appeal. reminiscent of 'The Graduate' and Philip Roth's literary style. This book was engrossing and thought-provoking, its timely commentary tempered by a classic, ageless appeal.

The Winner

Epilogue: Connor was arrested 2 days after he began his new law firm position. The Mercedes screen was located at a chop shop and his phone records nailed his eventual new prison address. Perfect crimes are committed by imperfect people.

Uncomfortable Tension

This was a little bit difficult to get to. It takes a while to get to the insight incident, but once you do, you will find yourself in a place of uncomfortable tension. This book feels like a cross between the great Gatsby and the talented Mr. Ripley. I don’t know that I would call it a thrill ride, but it was certainly an interesting book.

As a sidenote, I completed this book as part of a prerequisite for school. And therefore have the book on both audio and on my Kindle.

Thoroughly enjoyed

Politics sex suspense cunning companionship opulence violence a thoroughly delightful diversion legal tennis gated community

Suspense and careful plot plot construction.

The characters and locales were intricately described and very plausible. The tennis references were well researched. Terrific read!

Pretty Good

This one struck me as a beach read--entertaining but not memorable. It's basically a story about how greed and aspiring to join a "higher" caste corrupt the soul. It's a book with no definitive ending and unlikeable characters, which doesn't bother me. Folks who prefer otherwise should probably avoid this one.

Bad choices

A story about a hardworking, upstanding young man who makes one bad choice after another one summer. It’s mostly understandable, but I found myself hoping he would get caught as he went on digging himself into a deeper and deeper hole.

Unlikeable Protagonist

The fundamental story is a good one but the got bogged down in the details that were boring. It also showed what a shallow person the protagonist is. None of the cover-up was all that clever. Just provided a lot a details.