Three former best friends, who haven't seen each other in the almost two decades that have passed since college, decide to go in a lottery ticket. And win. A billion dollars.

Honestly this premise is interesting enough to have me hooked, but what happens next is they are swept away to a famous Los Angeles waterfront mansion to meet with their new wealth management agency, when one of them disappears.

This book was definitely riveting, if a little chaotic in it's plot and pacing. Honestly, I think this book would thrive with just a hair more editing, but otherwise was worth the read for the unique twist (billion dollar lottery winners) on a overused trope (woman suddenly goes missing). I certainly spent some time wondering exactly what I would do with such a large windfall, as well as how well I actually know my best friends!

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Wndy Corsi Staub for this ARC!

“Windfall," gripped me from the start! The plot was interesting and was about three college friends that came together for a weekend to celebrate winning a lottery ticket. A page-turner, the author seamlessly weaved multiple mysteries into the plot, culminating in a satisfying convergence. I couldn't put it down and read the entire book in a few hours.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for allowing me to review Windfall.
Overall, the book was just ok. It's based on the old "people trapped in a secluded mansion and can't leave" plot. It got off to a slow start and, by the time something finally happened, I was so over the grating characters.
I wanted to love this. The description and cover art would definitely make someone pick up the book, but the slow plot, the sub-plots, and under-developed characters wouldn't draw them in.

I loved this book! The suspense and drama were high as three college friends reunite later in life for a fun weekend. They buy a winning lottery ticket together, and their lives will never be the same. This is a page-turner for sure with dual mysteries/plots that converge by the end. I devoured this book in one sitting!

This book starts off with three best friends from college winning a billion dollars. They end up going to a mansion where a celebrity once lived to learn about being ultra wealthy. I found the concept of the novel, super interesting but could have been improved in the execution. I think parts could have been elaborated on more

"Windfall" by Wendy Corsi Staub offers a gripping mystery with well-crafted characters and an engaging storyline. Staub's writing draws you into the suspenseful atmosphere, and the twists, while skillfully executed, might be anticipated by seasoned mystery readers. The pacing could be tighter at times, and a few plot elements feel forced. Overall, a solid thriller that delivers on intrigue.

In a heart-pounding tale of suspense and treachery, this book delivers an electrifying narrative that will leave readers on the edge of their seats. Set against the backdrop of newfound wealth, old friendships, and a sinister mansion, this gripping thriller masterfully explores the depths of human greed and the terror that ensues when a billion-dollar prize becomes a deadly curse.

The story centers around three estranged friends—J.J., Molly, and Leila—whose lives take an unexpected turn when they win a life-altering billion-dollar lottery jackpot. United by their shared past and fueled by the allure of unimaginable wealth, the trio embarks on a girls' weekend in Las Vegas that will change their lives forever. Staub skillfully captures the complexity of their relationships, portraying the tensions and unresolved conflicts that have simmered beneath the surface.

Staub's ability to create multidimensional characters shines in this book. Each woman grapples with her own motivations, vulnerabilities, and secrets, making them both relatable and enigmatic. The shifting dynamics of their relationships, coupled with the looming sense of danger, add depth and complexity to the storyline.

The intertwining of past and present, greed and betrayal, propels the narrative forward at an exhilarating pace. Staub's skillful use of twists and turns keeps readers guessing until the final pages. The ultimate revelation of the truth behind the disappearances and the mansion's curse is a masterstroke that will leave readers stunned and satisfied.

Windfall
A Novel
by Wendy Corsi Staub
Pub Date 11 Jul 2023
William Morrow,William Morrow Paperbacks
General Fiction \(Adult\)| Mystery & Thrillers| Women's Fiction



Netgalley and William Morrow have provided me with a copy of Windfall for review:


It was the girls' weekend they would never forget.


J.J., Molly, and Leila were once inseparable, but life and distance have disrupted their friendship. When the three reunite for a birthday weekend in Las Vegas, they buy a lottery ticket on a whim that has the winning numbers-giving them a billion-dollar windfall. After becoming shell-shocked, they turn to Shea Daniels, a "sudden wealth manager," who promises to guide them through the pitfalls of having a lot of money.


They would live to regret their girls' weekend.


The trio travels to a secluded California mansion where Shea and her staff cater to their every whim, promising to help them navigate their newfound lifestyles. A missing movie star was last seen alive in the house, which is rumored to be cursed. It is lavish beyond their wildest dreams. The wildfires raging around them disrupt communication and block roads, turning their weekend into a nightmare. As history repeats itself, one of them disappears, the one holding the billion-dollar ticket, and the others must decide whether or not their friend has betrayed them...or if a predator lurks.


I give Windfall five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

I put off writing this review for a month. I wanted to like this one so much. I’m a huge fan of Staub’s but Windfall, not so much.

To start with, the characters were awful. Who needs enemies when you’ve got friends like Molly, Leila, and JJ? Yikes! And, then they were all just a bit lackluster, to boot.

As far as the plot, it didn’t hold up to what I was looking forward to. I was expecting something much different based on the summary and couldn’t help but be disappointed. On top of that, what the heck with that ending?

So, not a win for me but that doesn’t mean I won’t read any more Staub books.

My thanks to William Morrow Books for this gifted copy!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for a chance to read this advanced copy. I had a hard time getting into this book. I didn't get attached to any of the characters and got confused a couple of times. It is an amazing plot and interesting story, I just couldn't get totally immersed.

Wendy Corsi Staub can never go wrong with her thrilling books and this one was no exception. Three friends winning the lottery just spells disaster but wow, I wasn't ready for all of the plot twists and the paranormal aspects, which are some of my favorites in thrillers. Another thing I loved about this book was the setting, creepy mansion on a secluded cliffside, yes please! I love when authors go into such detail about the setting and atmosphere and it almost feels like I'm in the book with the characters. Speaking of characters, I loved how each of the chapters were told by a different perspective and all of them were a little unreliable in their own ways. That's another aspect I love in thrillers is unreliable characters as the confusion adds so much to the twists. My only complaint is the book ended a little open-ended for a couple of characters. I understand that was part of the story and a roundabout mystery that was purposefully done but the questions it left me with have bugged me since I finished.

Thanks to William Morrow for the gifted copy for my review!

I have not read Wendy Corsi Staub in awhile but glad that I picked this arc from NetGalley. All the while I was reading I could not figure what had happen to the friend Molly. Was this just repeating the the same way the famous Chantal. Went missing?it. I was completely surprised when the killer was revealed..
If you want a good mystery this is it! I totally enjoyed it and now I need to go back and read the books I have missed. Thank you of course to the author as well as the publisher and NetGalley for giving the chance to enjoy a good read.

In Wendi Corsi Staub’s Windfall we explore the idea that having your wildest dreams come true might not be quite as wonderful as you hoped.

They call themselves the September girls. Three college friends, all born in the same month, who are close as sisters. They may have graduated from the university where their friendship was formed, but over a decade later, J.J., Molly, and Leila still get together as often as they can; which, given failing relationships, tough financial situations, and difficult children, hasn’t been as often as they’d like. Still, this trip to Vegas to celebrate their fortieth birthdays is meant to be a fun, relaxing, break from the disappointment their everyday lives have become, and the ladies plan to make the most of it.

They don’t win anything at the tables but agree to try their luck one final time by pooling their last few dollars to buy a lottery ticket. Then they head home, back to reality and monotony.

When Leila checks the lottery numbers the next day after the drawing is done, she’s in for a shock. They’ve won a billion dollars. Being a ruthlessly organized person she quickly finds out what should come next, and after contacting her friends to get their agreement, hires Windfall, an agency that specializes in helping people deal with sudden wealth. Shea Daniels, the company owner and president takes their case personally. She flies them out to California, to the estate from which her company draws its name, to teach them all about managing their money.

Leila is the first to arrive. She is ecstatic about her burgeoning bank account, seeing it as a solution to her present problems. Estranged from her adoptive family, living with a man she doesn’t love but who is all that stands between her and homelessness, and the mother of two moody teenage daughters, Leila views this fortune as her ticket to escape. Her on-again off-again married lover of many years has made it clear he has no desire to keep their relationship going but Leila thinks her new financial status might just make him change his mind.

Having a baby solidifies some relationships and implodes others. Molly’s husband warned her it would be over if they ever had a child and true to his word, once Dawson was born, he moved out and filed for divorce. Fortunately, Molly has a kind, loving, supportive family who is helping her through it all, but it doesn’t change the fact that she and her baby were facing abject poverty before the news about the winning ticket. Still, Molly has her concerns about Windfall, the agency that will supposedly help them, and especially about Windfall, the house. The mansion has a dark history, the most recent victim being a beloved movie star who disappeared from the premises leaving not a single trace as to where they might have gone or what might have happened to them.

J.J. feels her whole life has been a tragedy. Her problems aren’t going to be fixed by money but her intuition tells her she needs to be at Windfall, be a part of whatever is going to occur surrounding the fortune she and her friends are about to gain. Her instincts have been wrong a lot lately, though, and J.J. is torn as to whether the California coast is really the best place for her to be.

When the denizens of the house discover they’re trapped by the wildfires raging throughout the local area and no amount of money can save them, they become terrified and desperate. Then one of them, who has the lottery ticket in her possession, suddenly goes missing. Has the house claimed another victim? Has their good luck turned bad? Or in the face of new riches, did temptation prove to be too much for one of the September Girls?

Windfall is told from four different points of view – Molly, Leila, J.J., and Shea. It is a very ‘in the moment’ story, giving us short paragraphs about the past and about how that particular PoV character felt at that moment, but it doesn’t give much detail about prior events such as how the friendship between the very different September Girls was born, nor does it tell us much about the intriguing events that led Shea to where she is today. This is probably the book’s only main flaw. The author does an excellent job of introducing us to four unique, interesting women and giving us a vivid understanding of their singular personalities. Molly is sweet, caring, and cheery; Leila is driven with a dark side; J.J. is rather helpless and downtrodden; and Shea has a tough exterior that may (or may not) hide a generous and caring heart of gold. Given the disparity between the three friends, I would have liked to see a bit more of the missing history to explain what drew them together and had them work hard to maintain that connection. Given the role Shea and the history of her property play in the tale, I would also have liked to see more about how her past informs her present.

There is another character who winds in and out of the story with great impact whom we could have used more detail on. Stef ‘s influence had strong repercussions for all three September Girls and it would have been nice to know more about how and why he had such power.

That said, Staub paints an excellent picture of just what it means to live the dream many people have; while most assume winning the lottery could solve all their problems, this story highlights that age-old wisdom about money not solving everything. It is clear these gals will still have some serious issues even when the cash starts rolling in.

I appreciated the standard human frailties that bog Molly, Leila, J.J., and Shea down rather than it being the typical dark psychosis common in thrillers today. No one is overtly evil – this is simply a case of people who really need a second chance at life recognizing that a lot of the problems in their first chance were caused by them and the folks they chose to surround themselves with.

The mystery is low-key but excellent. Windfall’s unique location, haunting history, and the current situation with the wildfires that surround it give a slightly gothic feel to the tale. The author does a nice job of walking us along that fine line between the macabre idea that a house can carry some sort of curse and reminding us that a place is just a place but the people within it can be a problem. I liked that everything that happens in the narrative has a probable reasonable explanation and a possibly less logical one.

Brisk pacing, a unique concept, and interesting, relatable characters make Windfall a good choice for fans looking for a mystery that explores how common human weaknesses can turn any situation from victory to failure. I would recommend this to those who are looking for something suspenseful that isn’t too dark or deep.

I've always loved this author so I was super excited for this one! I will say though that even though it was a decent thriller I never really LIKED any of the characters so I felt a bit disconnected most of the time. It's still a great read so I would recommend it to those that like thrillers!

Three former college roommates get together to celebrate their birthdays in Las Vegas. They by a lottery ticket at the end of the weekend and end up winning. They travel to a secluded location in California to meet with a “sudden wealth manager.” It will a trip no one will forget.

I couldn’t put this book down! Leila, J.J. And Molly had a their share of issues in their lives and adding a fortune into didn’t fix everything like they initially thought it would. The setting at Windfall and Shea’s history just added to the mystery and tragedy. The twists just kept coming and I was shocked by the ending.

Thank you to the author, William Morrow, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

This is my 800th review on Netgalley, and I knew I had to make it a good one! So, hold onto your panties folks, I saved this special review for a really special author, Ms. Wendy Corsi Staub.

I was first introduced to Staub, when I had requested The Other Family, last year. I fell in love with Staub's writing style and had to read every single one of her publications, which I did, back to back in one month . I loved each and every one of them and I was completely and totally obsessed.

I thought I did a pretty good job stalking this author via social media to see if she was working on anything new but I was surprised when I saw Windfall pop up on Netgalley. You little rascal, Staub, you kept a great secret!

Windfall, has blown any book I have read thus far out of the water. This is an all consuming, edge of your seat, nail biting thriller, that will have you holding your breath until the very last page.

I think I might need a couple of days to recover from this one! Windfall, is released TOMORROW and you do not want to miss it. I can say with 100 percent certainty that this book will break the internet.

Here is a little teaser :

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.

Secrets, a lottery ticket, a podcast, missing people and a haunted mansion...

Synopsis: 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. Shellshocked, the trio travels to a secluded California mansion to meet with a “sudden wealth manager.” Their weekend turns to terror when they discover they are trapped and one of them goes missing.

My thoughts: I am not sure that this realy was a story about the pitfalls and relationships of winning a lottery with friends. To me it's more about relationships, secrets and a creepy old house.

I enjoyed Straub's complex characters and their relationships with one another. This story really points to the need for friendship, but the secrets people keep that directly affect thse friendships.

And that setting! It's practically a character in itself - a spooky, isolated and possibly haunted mansion surrounded by wildfires. The locale added to the fears characters were experiencing - driving the suspense factor.

Many thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow publishers for the ARC. Thank you for introducing me to Wendy Corsi Staub and her twisty mystery.

This was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it! I loved her writing style and can’t wait to read some of her other books. It had a very thought provoking plot and was a really quick and easy read! It started with a slow burn and built up to a twisty and awesome ending! I would definitely recommend if you’re looking for a quick twisty mystery!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, William Morrow and of course the author for the early digital copy for my honest thoughts and review!

From start to finish this was the equivalent of being on a book roller coaster with twisty turns and breathtaking plunges. The author did a spectacular job of characterization, showing a few cracks in people's personalities and giving out small clues about what had happened to the missing female. All along I followed . one of Wendy Corsi Staub's red herrings, which was completely wrong! It wasn't until the end that it was made clear, and all the loose ends were neatly wrapped up.

I loved the atmospheric setting too. The smoke from fires around the house they were in really added to the urgency of getting out before it was too late.

Another really great thing about this book that will make it appeal to a much wider audience is the fact that it doesn't have cursing and sex scenes proving that a five star book does not need things like that.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #WilliamMorrowPaperbacks for the read and review of #Windfall by #WendyCorsiStaub. This was an amazing book with all the back story and rumors about the house. I loved it all. Highly recommend.