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Lucky You (Abridged): A Novel Audiobook
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(3.00) - 5,955 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Grange, Florida, is famous for its miracles--the weeping fiberglass Madonna, the Road-Stain Jesus, the stigmata man. And now it has JoLayne Lucks, unlikely winner of the state lottery. Unfortunately, JoLayne's winning ticket isn't the only one. The other belongs to Bodean Gazzer and his raunchy sidekick, Chub, who believe they're entitled to the whole $28 million jackpot. And they need it quickly, to start their own underground militia before NATO troops invade America. But JoLayne Lucks has her own plans for the Lotto money--an Eden-like forest in Grange must be saved from strip-malling. When Bode and Chub brutally assault her and steal her ticket, JoLayne vows to track them down, take it back--and get revenge. The only one who can help is Tom Krome, a big-city investigative journalist now bitterly consigned to writing frothy features for a midsized central Florida newspaper. With a persuasive nudge from JoLayne, Krome is about to become part of a story that's bigger and more bizarre than anything he's ever covered. Chasing two heavily armed psychopaths down the coast of Florida is reckless enough, but Tom's got other problems--the murderous attention of a jealous judge; an actress wife who turns fugitive to avoid divorce court; an editor who speaks in tongues; and Tom's own growing fondness for the future millionairess with whom he's risking his neck. The pursuit takes them from the surreal streets of Grange to a buzzard-infested island deep in Florida Bay, where they finally catch up with the fledgling militia--Chub, Bode Gazzer, a newly recruited convenience-store clerk and their baffled hostage, a Hooters waitress. The climax explodes with the hilarious mayhem that is Carl Hiaasen's hallmark. Lucky You is his funniest, most deliriously gripping novel yet.
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"this book was a good time. An entertaining read, and I like what are apparently Carl Hiaasen's trademark themes of the sillyness of religion and environmental issues, all wrapped into some wacky caper. I'm happy to lend this one out if anyone's getting on a plane anytime soon"
— Josh (4 out of 5 stars)
Lucky You Listener Reviews
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" Bad. I thought this was going to be a witty, entertaining look at the perils of lottery wins, inside a terse mystery. Instead, it's an overdone, cliche riddled, hypermasculine novel with boring characters. Hiaasen gets points for accurately describing the life of a newspaper reporter in the '90s, but that's about all I can come up with to like about this one. "
— SmarterLilac, 2/20/2014 -
" I thought this was a perfect beach read! "
— Caroline, 2/6/2014 -
" This is one of Carl Hiassen's best books so far! It has that same quirkiness and humor, as well as the fast moving plot, as the rest of his books, and the two main characters are better than ever. Great read! "
— ClayOla, 1/27/2014 -
" another great hiassen read. if you've ever been to south florida, the locals are instantly recognizable. hiassen is a fast moving read, plenty of action, charaters with real character, real good stuff! "
— chris, 1/24/2014 -
" Entertaining, but not his best. "
— Chris, 1/21/2014 -
" This far-fetched yarn is a great escape. As a recovering journalist, I enjoy the pokes Carl Hiaasen takes at my former profession, but, really, no one is safe from the skewer: not Pentecostals, nor conspiracy theorists, nor white supremacists, nor corrupt union types. Two of the more sympathetic characters in the book about a winning lottery ticket that gets away are a black ATF agent and a Hooters waitress. The story is far-fetched, but Hiaasen can likely find real-life folks in South Florida to match his characters. If you're looking for something that's well-paced, well-written but not too heavy, this is for you. "
— Marguerite, 1/14/2014 -
" i read this on the plane on the way home. it was a good aeroplane read, i think. "
— Lucy, 1/14/2014 -
" His books are great reads because of all the different characters. "
— Lee, 1/12/2014 -
" I love Carl Hiassen's books in general. Fun reads. "
— Peggy, 12/18/2013 -
" This is really good, maybe not the tops of his work but good - complex, touching, exciting, and a great ending. I'd give Lucky You 5 stars if I could give 6 to Sick Puppy, my absolute favorite Hiaasen so far. Sick Puppy has some really amazing unforgettable characters. "
— Dave, 12/3/2013 -
" A fun, easy read about two different sets of lottery winners. Creative writing, predictable plot, and lots of good stories. "
— Becca, 12/2/2013 -
" funny, low-low lifes win the lottery "
— Ann, 11/5/2013 -
" This book, like many of Hiaasen's works, is classified as mystery. I'd like to know who in their right mind could read this and not know who done it. "
— Tina, 11/1/2013 -
" Finally got around to this 1997 book and glad I did. This was a fun read. Full of unique & bizarre characters bumbling through a well crafted plot. Read about the plot in book description link. A very satisfying ending, too. Read this when you need a lift. "
— Mailmanr5, 10/22/2013 -
" Hiaasen impresses me with his way of creating odd characters and situations. Definately keeps me on my toes and guessing in antipation what I read can't get any weirder! The negative in Lucky You is it is a bit drawn out, a lengthy read for a quirky story. Worth a fun read though. "
— Michel, 10/21/2013 -
" I found myself laughing out loud. Hiaasen's usual humor is zeroed in on the southern redneck stereotype to a tee. Fun Read. "
— Elaine, 10/5/2013 -
" Not as engaging as some of his other books, but still full of unbelievably interesting characters in unbelievable situations. Not great literature. . . just good 'ole fun. "
— J, 6/4/2013 -
" Actually, I've been saying that this or that Hiaasen book is my favorite, I guess most of the ones I've read, end up becoming my first or second or third favorites. "
— Lindsey, 3/5/2013 -
" First Hiaasen book and I'll read more - this was a hoot ! "
— Brian, 2/14/2013 -
" It's a quick read and good for the beach or pool. Doesn't require too much focus and has a quick pace. "
— Danya, 2/9/2013 -
" You just have it read it. "
— Monique, 1/19/2013 -
" 2nd try, better once I got past creepy start, but way too violent! "
— Helen, 11/19/2012 -
" Nobody can make five hundred (paperback) pages go by as fast as Carl Hiaasen. You're not going to come away a changed person, but you will have a good time. "
— Joe, 11/16/2012 -
" i LOVE this guy. i even buy his new books in hardcover! he just cracks me up. he's funny & creative & irreverent. my only criticism is that he doesn't write fast enough. it's been a while since there's been a new one. "
— mimi, 9/30/2012 -
" i liked this book at first,but its way to long and meanders back and forth without much interest. "
— Michael, 8/8/2012 -
" this author is always a fun read! he writes as if it were a screenplay. always has an environmental/political slant to the story. can't put em down! "
— Megan, 8/6/2012 -
" Easy reading, way too easy. Pass this one by "
— Mel, 7/29/2012
About Carl Hiaasen
Carl Hiaasen is a successful journalist and novelist. He is a writer and investigative reporter for the Miami Herald, and his work has appeared in Time, Life, Esquire, Playboy, Gourmet, and Sports Illustrated. His earliest novels—Powder Burn, Trap Line, and A Death In China—were cowritten with fellow journalist Bill Montalbano. Since then, he has written books in a variety of genres. His novel Strip Tease was made into a movie in 1996, and his young adult novel Hoot, a Newbery honoree, was made into a movie in May 2006. A number of Hiassen’s works have appeared on the New York Times bestseller list, including Star Island, Chomp, Sick Puppy, and Scat. In addition to being a writer, Hiassen is also a public speaker. He lives in Florida with his family.
About Edward Asner
Edward “Ed” Asner (1929–2021) was an American actor best known for his Emmy-winning role as Lou Grant on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, later continued in a spin-off series, Lou Grant. He made dozens of appearances—including voice-over work—on television shows and recorded a number of audiobooks.