THE LOTTERY WINNER (M. Rasyid Ridho: 210...0151)

Name: Muhammad Rasyid Ridho  NPM: 2100730151             By MARY HIGGINS CLARK

THE LOTTERY WINNER

Alvirah and Willy stories

An Overview:

This book is a collection of six related short stories that all involve the same two characters, Alvirah and Willy Meehan. They are as lovely 60^sh sleuths who manage to find a mystery wherever they go.

 

The Main Body:

Alvirah, a former cleaning woman, and Willy, an ex-plumber, have been enjoying life since winning forty million dollars in the New York State Lottery. Each story in this collection tells of their exploits in a different locale as they attempt to solve crimes and work for justice. Both of the main characters are fully developed as the tales continue, and will remind most listeners of someone they know, maybe a favorite aunt and uncle, or the slightly eccentric couple that lives across the street.

Alvirah has landed a job as a newspaper reporter who describes her travels and exploits for her editor back home. As a result, she uses a small recording device, which is hidden in a sunburst pin that she wears wherever she goes. She has a definite knack for becoming involved with unsolved mysteries and unsavory characters, so the peaceful vacation that Willy is continually longing for never quite materializes. He is a good sport, however, and helps his wife of forty years to unravel clues and reach conclusions that point to the solutions of the mysteries they encounter.

The Bottom Line:

A wonderful book of short story mysteries. Alvirah and Willy are beloved and believable characters. This book is perfect to read on a rainy day.

The Lottery Winner is a book of short story mysteries featuring Mary Higgins Clark’s characters Alvirah Meehan and her husband Willy. Alvirah, who cleaned houses and Willy, a plumber won big in the New York state lottery. Alvirah now lives the life of luxury and hob knobs with the rich and famous, but trouble always seems to follow her.

In the first story, The “Body in the Closet”, Alvirah and Willy have just arrived home from vacation to discover a dead body in their closet. The number one suspect is Brian, their nephew. Brian had keys to the apartment while they were on vacation and the dead woman, Fiona Winters, played the lead role in Brian’s new play. The second story, “Death on the Cape”, Alvirah and Willy are vacationing on Cape Cod. Alvirah befriends their neighbor Cynthia Lathem. Cynthia has just been released from prison for killing her stepfather. Alvirah sets out to help Cynthia clear her name. “Plumbing for Willy”, the third story, is set back at their New York apartment. Willy is kidnapped and held for ransom. Alvirah through smarts and good thinking sets out to find Willy and save him before the kidnappers kill him. The fourth story, “A Clean Sweep”, Alvirah meets Nelly Monahan. Nelly and her husband Tim play the same lottery numbers every week and one week the numbers finally win, but that week Tim decided to play different numbers, or so he tells Nelly. He quickly divorces Nelly and marries Roxie. A few weeks later, Roxie “discovers” an old lottery ticket she had lying around and finds out she is a winner. The numbers just happen to be the same numbers the Nelly and Tim played every week. Alvirah agrees to help Nelly make Tim confess about the lottery ticket. “In the Lottery Winner”, the fifth story, Alvirah and Willy return to Cypress Point Spa to help their friend Baroness Min von Schreiber, the owner of the spa, catch a jewel thief. Alvirah sits around and listens to clues and tries to put them together, but she’s too late. Now there is a murder. Not only does Alvirah have to find the jewel thief, she also has to find a murderer. “Bye, Baby Bunting” is the last story in the book. Alvirah and Willy’s old family friend Joan O’brien and her husband Greg have just had a beautiful baby girl. Alvirah and Willy go to the hospital to visit their friends and their new baby, but when they arrive, they learn that the baby has just been kidnapped. The one clue to the kidnapping is a yellow and satin bunting. Alvirah quickly begins working with the clue and trying to find out where that bunting came from. With a little luck Alvirah figures it out and narrows down where the baby could be, but she still has to find her.

I really like this book. Alvirah and Willy are extremely likable characters. Alvirah is one tough cookie and you can’t help but root for her. Willy is lovable in his own way. He is sweet and you can tell the two are very much in love after all of the years of marriage. If you like mysteries, I think you will enjoy reading The Lottery Winner by Mary Higgins Clark.

Message:

The crime must be destroyed and the justice must be established.