Publication Date: July 11, 2023
In this newest suspense novel from New York Times bestselling author Wendy Corsi Staub, three friends’ lives terrifyingly unravel when they win a billion-dollar lottery jackpot—and one goes missing. Perfect for fans of novels like Taylor Adams’ No Exit and The Club by Ellery Lloyd.
It was the girls’ weekend they’d never forget.
J.J., Molly, and Leila had once been inseparable, but it’s been a long time since college, and life—not to mention distance—have disrupted the former roommates’ friendship. When the three reunite for a birthday weekend in Las Vegas, the lottery ticket they buy on a whim has the winning numbers—giving them a billion-dollar windfall. Shell-shocked, they turn to Shea Daniels, a “sudden wealth manager,” who promises to guide them through the pitfalls of having more money than they’d ever imagined.
It was the girls’ weekend they’d live to regret.
The trio travels to a secluded California mansion, where Shea and her staff cater to their every whim, promising to teach them to navigate their newfound wealthy lifestyles with ease. The house is luxurious beyond their wildest dreams—and purportedly cursed, the last place a missing movie star was seen alive. Their weekend turns to terror when they discover they are trapped—roads blocked and communication disrupted by the wildfires raging around them. And when history repeats itself and one of them disappears—the one who’s holding the billion-dollar ticket—the others must face the fact that either their friend has betrayed them…or a predator is lurking.
Three college friends pick the winning numbers on a shared lottery ticket with a billion-dollar jackpot.
That may sound like the opening paragraph to a happily ever after tale, but it is actually the premise behind author Wendy Corsi Staub’s latest thriller titled Windfall.
The story plays out over the course of four days as the friends gather at Windfall, the isolated California mansion of their newly hired sudden wealth consultant. It also happens to be the former residence of a Hollywood actress who disappeared without a trace.
With wildfires closing the roads and virtually no communication with the outside, Leila, J.J., and Molly (plus her baby boy) ponder what changes the money will have on their lives. When one of them disappears—much like the actress—the ties of friendship start to fray.
As someone who enjoys reading books by this author, I was impressed with how she juggled two key questions. How would a sudden windfall change your life, and how well do you know your friends? The secrets the women are hiding are whoppers and have a significant impact once they are unveiled.
Windfall takes three college friends with a winning lottery ticket and sets the stage for what should be the ultimate girls’ weekend. It’s definitely one they (and the reader) will never forget.
USA Today and New York Times bestseller Wendy Corsi Staub is the award-winning author of more than seventy novels and has twice been nominated for the Mary Higgins Clark Award. She lives in the New York City suburbs with her husband and their two children.
