Rating: 4 Stars, 4/5
In The Lottery Game by Gerard Shirar, a retired man named Pete Morrissette shares the story of his life from a federal prison hospital. Suffering from lymphoma and serving out the remaining year of a multi-year prison sentence, Peter is an elderly man with time left to reflect on how his life led to its unglorified state. His story—told in four parts—centers around how he came to be involved in The Lottery Game. It was endeavor that began innocently enough—with the desire to support a noble cause and cure a bit of boredom created by his new life in the Brook Haven Life Care Community. It’s here that we meet a colorful cast of characters, including those who entice him to lead a group of residents who play the lottery to benefit those in need. What follows is an intricate web of trickery, deceit, and foul play that Peter untangles thread by interesting thread.
The Lottery Game by Gerard Shirar begins at the end of the story and moves backward in time. It’s a compelling story about the passage of time and life from the perspective of an elderly man whose wife has passed on and whose daughters are living an independent life. Peter is embarking on a transition to the next (possibly the last) transition of his life in a new community when he settles across plans for The Lottery Game. He is a deeply sympathetic character—one you root for, fret with, and wish would see the light before it’s too late. For readers who love unraveling a whodunnit or taking a deep dive into the innerworkings of law enforcement, financial crimes investigation and the courtroom, Gerard Shirar’s book will be an interesting read indeed. Certainly there are some surprising twists and turns that involve the Italian mob, corrupt politicians and shady businessmen, all of whom play a hand they dealt in deciding Peter’s fate.
Originally reviewed for Readers' Favorite.