Review: A great story for traditional mystery fans.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 19, 2013
Enter To WinIn a desperate attempt to salvage the declining ratings of the soap opera, Crystal Falls, the director asked the viewers to submit their real life stories to be used on the show. The winner of the contest will receive two hundred thousand dollars and have his or her story woven into the program's storyline.Jeremy Lawren, the director's assistant, is given the job of selecting the winner from the many entries and directing the production. The four contestants Jeremy selects are troubled and somewhat desperate for a variety of reasons.Corinne Prichett is broke and job hunting. Michael Palmer has been acquitted by a jury after being accused of killing his wife. Trish Grady turned her husband over to the police after she witnesses him involved in a hit and run, and Stephen Dowell's wife died of cancer.The stories slowly unfold in a manner that is fitting to any soap opera or old-fashioned mystery in the tradition of Agatha Christie. There are many twists and turns in the plot as the reader learns more about the needs and desperation of the four.It story is well crafted and a worthwhile read. I got lost a bit at times trying to keep the characters straight as the story switched from one viewpoint to the other. The sections are clearly marked as each character takes his or her turn in telling his story, but despite this, it was difficult at times for me to identify the character without picking up the notes I made. This story fits well into the mystery genre and gives the reader a smooth ride toward a surprising ending. I recommend Enter to Win to anyone who enjoys mysteries.I received this book from the author in exchange for a fair and impartial review.