Everything to Lose audiobook

Andrew Gross can't start his latest book, "Everything to Lose" (William Morrow 2014) any more depressingly than what's he's done: Hilary Blum, beleaguered single mom of an autistic child, loses her job. When she asks the boy's father for help, he's too busy taking his new family on vacation to pay attention to the desperation of a son he appears to consider 'broken' (I might be reading into that, though--I was pretty angry with Dad by then). Hilary tries everything she can come up with to save her small family. As I watched her analyze this dilemma, I couldn't help but feel she did everything I would have. Without a doubt, I could feel her trauma, her need to protect her child, and her hopelessness. When a windfall falls into her lap, albeit a morally challenged and legally-dangerous one, she struggles with whether she should take it. She comes to the conclusion she didn't want to make, that she has nothing to lose because she's about to lose everything, so she takes it, hoping it will work out.I suppose it does work out, but that's the story--how it all works out.I've read several of Gross' other books--enjoyed them all--and I continue to be impressed by his strong, authentic voice and unerring ability to pace a story while building to an unbeatable climax. His main characters are believable, with both good and bad characteristics that make their flawed choices understandable as they try to solve their problems, ultimately, causing themselves as much trouble as they cureIt's interesting to note that Hurricane Sandy is a recurring theme throughout the story. At first, I thought it would be simply a backdrop for the story, but Gross made it much more.Overall, another excellent story from this author. It's no wonder he was selected to co-author "Eyes Wide Open" with James Patterson.

Hilary Cantor is a good person, but like all good people, she has seen her share of hardship. A single mother of a son with Asperger’s syndrome, she has been working hard to maintain a quality life for herself and her son. Despite her best efforts, her world has begun to drop out from under her. Her deadbeat ex-husband is waning in his financial and emotional support, her bills have begun to stack up, and she has recently become a victim of the recession when she loses her job. Facing bankruptcy for herself and the possibility of losing the ability to properly care for her son, she makes a final trek to beg for her ex’s assistance.On her way through the country to try and right her upended life, a miracle occurs. When Hilary witnesses a freak car accident and stops to help, she finds what seems to be a godsend… a bag containing $500,000. In the split second before someone else arrives on scene, Hilary makes the decision to keep the money. With the money, Hilary begins to fix her life; she pays off her debts and even makes sure that the money is not missed. However, no miracle comes without a price, and for anyone to make money, someone else has to lose it. When another person associated with the crash is found dead it becomes apparent that the money is missed, and the owner is determined to get it back. Pursued by a ruthless hired gun, Hilary must work with the son of the crash victim and trace the origin of the money through death, desolation and 20 years of history before it’s too late for her and her son.Andrew Gross produces a thrilling journey in Everything To Lose. The main protagonist is relatable and well rounded. Further, Hilary is filled with a sense of morality that closely mirrors what would be expected of anyone else facing her situation. The writing is typical of the genre and kept me engaged throughout my reading. Despite the fact that I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I couldn’t help but compare the plot to that of No Country for Old Men. While the books did not share an atmosphere, setting or writing style, I continuously drew connections to characters and plot points from the earlier novel. However, this did not detract from my enjoyment, and I am now excited to read more of Gross’s work. I would highly recommend this as a fast-paced, plot-driven thriller that could easily consume a weekend. Review by Brett Schneider

Everything to Lose by Andrew Gross4.5 StarsFrom The Book:While driving along a suburban back road, Hilary Cantor, who's just lost her job and whose deadbeat husband has left her to care for her son who has Asperger's, witnesses a freakish accident when a deer suddenly darts in front of the car ahead of her. The driver careens down a hill and slams into a tree. Rushing to help, she discovers the car smoking, the driver dead—and a satchel on the floor stuffed with a half million dollars.That money could prevent her family's ruin and keep her son in school. In an instant, this honest, achieving woman who has always done the responsible thing makes a decision that puts her in the center of a maelstrom of unforeseeable consequences and life-threatening recriminations. It isn't long before someone comes looking for the money, and as they get closer and closer to Hilary, she is pulled into a terrifying scheme involving a twenty-year-old murder, an old woman whose entire life has been washed out to sea by the storm, and a powerful figure determined to maintain the secret that can destroy him.With everything to lose and putting everything she loves at risk, Hilary joins up with a dogged police official from Staten Island who has his own connections to the money and is dealing with his family's tragic struggles in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Together they must fight to bring down an enemy who will stop at nothing to keep buried what that money was meant to silence.My Thoughts:What Hillary did was wrong...but you just can't help hoping that she'll get away with it. I found myself completely wrapped up in the story and the characters. Andrew Gross has managed to put an ordinary, everyday person into a breathtakingly suspenseful and dangerous situation and works his magic with the twists and turns that will keep the reader turning the pages to see how it all turns out. All the time you have to ask yourself... "In Hillary's situation would I have done the same thing to protect my family?"

Another great novel by Andrew Gross. I got into him when he wrote under the James Patterson writing factory and instantly liked his work. Since then I have read most of his books and rarely am I disappointed. It is a fairly simple story but nevertheless keeps you gripped and entertained as the novel twists and turns.

A mother stops on a dark Westchester road to aid an accident victim. She discovers that he is dead but she sees a satchel filled with cash in the damaged car. Her first impulse is to take the money and hide it nearby. She is convinced the money will solve the grave financial problems that she and her autistic son have had recently. However when she retrieves the money and begins to use it to pay her mortgage, taxes and son's tuition in a school for special children, she gets involved in a tangled web of murder and deceit and political ambition.This is a fast paced story that takes place in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. It shows what desperate measures a single parent with an autistic child will take once she loses her job, has no way to support her son and no other available resources. The consequences of taking the money are very serious and show how one small action can seriously impact many lives.

First I want to thank the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of Andrew Gross' new novel.This was a thrilling ride that makes me want to read Gross' other books. You really get caught up in the story and cannot put the book down. I read it in 3 sittings. The main character Hilary was a person most people can relate to, and sympathize with even when she was doing illegal things. If there was one thing I didn't like about the story was how tidy the ending was. Everyone "lived happily ever" was a little hard to believe after all that occurs in Hilary and her son's life. But all in all, a great ripping read.

Your life is in a financial toilet. On the drive over to hit up your ex for some financial help you witness a car accident. Stopping to help you find the driver dead, and a satchel full of cash in the car. So, what do you do? Great premise for a story that keeps the tension wound up pretty tight right to the very end. And another great thing about this book is that it is a stand alone. Seems as if everyone is writing a series these days and has forgotten that a book can be just that, a book. With no others following it. So if your looking for a good novel to spend some time with pick this one up and give it a whirl.

I was a lucky winner of an advanced reader's edition of this book here on Goodreads.com. The story line has excellent twists & turns in it that keep you on your toes & makes it hard to put down. I highly recommend this book to anybody that loves a great mystery/thriller. I am so glad that I did win this book, as I have discovered another author that I will be reading more books from in the very near future.

As always, Gross kept me gripped throughout. A mother, struggling to make ends meet, is suddenly presented with the opportunity to solve all her money problems...the only problem is that she is pretty sure it's illegal. In making such a decision, she entangles herself in a web of conspiracy and crime that she can't get out of, without someone getting hurt.

“Everything to Lose” by Andrew Gross, published by William Morrow.Category – Mystery/Thriller Publication Date – March 01, 2014What would you do?????Hilary Cantor is in dire straits. She is divorced and has a child who is in need of special care. Her ex-husband’s business has failed and he has remarried and has two children. Hilary is now faced with being the sole support with trying to pay a large mortgage on her house, paying for he son’s education and care. All of this, and she has just been told that her job has been eliminated.Hilary witnesses an accident late at night and determines the driver of the car is dead. She also discovers a satchel with a half million dollars in it. This could be the answer to all her problems. Her thought processes the fact that no one knows her and she can hardly image that someone would be inquiring about a half million dollars of probably ill gotten monies. However, she fails to realize how determined these people can be and her life takes a turn for the worse. Hilary seeks help from the dead driver’s son, Patrick Kelty, who is a member of the NYPD. The only problem is that Patrick has a hidden secret that has him involved with the Ukrainian Mob. In addition of all of this it is quite possible that Patrick’s father may have been involved in a blackmail scheme that goes back years.Patrick and Hilary must band together to unravel themselves from a situation that has put their lives in jeopardy.A mystery that will keep the reader engaged over the course of the book with several turns and unexpected outcomes. If you like this book I highly recommend another book that presents this same problem, “Good People” by Marcus Sakey.

Completely hooked after the first page! "Everything to Lose," is INTENSE! The beginning of the book starts with a young couple who are getting ready to experience a change in their relationship, but a surprise happens. The story then begins to evolve into the life of Hilary Cantor. Author Andrew Gross, takes you into each scene and you become one with Hilary who has a son, Brandon, with Asperger's. She's in debt and her ex husband is not helping out. She witnesses a car accident in which the driver dies. She finds a satchel full of money. Hilary is then faced with the biggest moral dilemma of her life...She has no one to count on to help pay for Brandon's special needs school, she has issues at work, she can't pay her bills...Will anyone miss this money? She makes a hard decision and this decision leads her into a world of terrifying consequences. Hilary meets Patrick who is a police official and has his own connections with the money. Patrick is trying to rebuild in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Hilary and Patrick form a bond as they are forced to try to outwit some very dangerous people. You are pulled into the action and as always, the author delivers some unexpected surprises that will simply take your breath away. I found the ending to be emotional and eloquent with all the loose strings tied up perfectly. You will love this book and ponder over it. My pick for the summer! Enjoy!

What would you do if you found a half million dollars, hid the money, laundered the money, and then found out that it was money that someone would kill for to get it back?Hilary was being a good Samaritan when she stopped to help at the scene of an accident, but what she didn't know was that the accident victim had a satchel of money in the car that didn't belong to him and that definitely didn't belong to her. The money would really help Hilary pay her bills, though, since she was spending her last dollar this month, but what she didn't know was that same money would get her involved with dangerous people.EVERYTHING TO LOSE pulls you in and won't let you go. You will feel the terror of every descriptive scene. The characters ​include lovable Brandon, no-conscience, evil Charlie, and believable Hilary because of her situation.If you enjoy intrigue, edge-of-your-seat action, scary decisions, murder, long-time grudges, and terrifying characters you won't want to miss EVERYTHING TO LOSE. It is a thriller at its best. This is the first Andrew Gross book I have read, and I wasn't disappointed. EVERYTHING TO LOSE was full of suspense until the very last word. 5/5This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.

I really enjoy this author. Hillary is a divorced, single mom. She has a son who has Aspergers.She also has a deadbeat ex. So when she loses her job due to down sizing, she is desparate. Where will she get the $50,000 a year needed for her son's school, not to mention paying her other bills. One night, she is following a car that swerves to miss a deer, and goes off the road. Hillary stops to help, only to find the driver dead. She notices an open satchel, spilling bundles of money on the floor. $500,000 to be exact. She hides the money before the police come to check out the accident. When no one seems to be looking for it, she goes back to the accident site and retrives it. But someone is always looking, aren't they?

This book is ridiculously fun. It grabbed me immediately and while I could tell that Hilary was making a huge mistake, I also completely empathized. I think that most people would be incredibly tempted to take half a million dollars if they knew that nobody else was aware of its existence.Unfortunately---as Hilary learned and as was the case in Marcus Sakey's Good People---someone else WAS aware of the money...and that person is someone you really, REALLY do not want after you.This was my first Andrew Gross novel and it will not be my last.