The Lotto Winner

Carolyn Young

351 pages

NZ$21.95 incl. postage

US$24.95 incl. postage overseas

Bad debts, dead baby, and miserable marriage: architects Meg and Michael are knackered in The Lotto Winner. Until she wins three-and-a-million dollars, that is – and then their troubles really begin.

Picture this: your business has gone bust, your marriage is failing and your life is generally going down the drain. Then it happens – you win the first division Lotto and your cares are left behind you... New Zealand author Carolyn Young traces the fortunes of a “typical” Kiwi family after just such a stroke of luck.

Several well-executed and unexpected twists kept me guessing to the end and I finished the story wishing there was more to read. Young’s novel is a gripping read and a timely reminder that money does not solve all of the world’s ills.

Otago Daily Times

It’s not a bad plot, but prone to purple prose.

Hawkes Bay Today

This is the story of the Mitchell family. When Meg won Lotto their troubles really began... If you’ve ever fantasized about what would happen, this NZ novel is for you!

The Women’s Bookshop, Auckland

Excerpt...

Concern now resolved, the waiting queue were growing openly irritated by the delay. “Sorry,” she said to them in general, squeezing Toby’s hand quickly to include him. She felt ackward, anxious to move on from the censuring scrutiny. The woman in the kiosk looked at her strangely as she punched in the last number. “Do I get anything or not?” Meg asked quickly.

She shook her head.. “No, you don’t, love. Not a cracker, at least not from me you don’t.” Her voice was strained. Meg’s eyes dropped automatically to the visual display; it was blank. “It’s not working?” The Lotto woman leant forward. “It doesn’t, love! Not for a biggie! There are too many buggers out there who could read it over your shoulder, and you’d be certainly worth knocking off for this little lot!” Her voice rose up again, thick with pleasure. ”Congratulations! Cast your peepers over the print-out.”

Meg took it from her. The figures smote her eyes: three hundred and fifty thousand dollars. She read them swiftly again, trying to make sense of them, then clapped her hands to her mouth. “Three hundred and fifty thousand dollars?” she whispered incredulously to the other woman. “I don’t believe it!” She said it again, feeling her heart stutter as the words dropped, and the hot surge in her chest as they flew back out again. It’s over, she thought suddenly.  This wretched life of penny-pinching is over. We can pay off debt and even buy a house. We could try for another baby. The relief made her clutch the counter for support.

The other woman was smiling at her broadly, shaking her head, “You shouldn’t believe it, you blimming, daft bugger! You’ve left out a nought! It’s three and a half million dollars! You’re rolling in it, girl! You’re loaded! You’ve bloody done it, love... you’ve won Lotto!”