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The Ticket
Channing Booker, a compulsive gambler, drug abuser, and philanderer whose marriage is failing, finally gets lucky and wins the Mega Millions lottery. Expecting an imminent divorce, and hoping to hide his new fortune from his wife Susan, Channing devises a scheme to have a friend claim the $241 million jackpot and secretly return the money to Channing after the divorce is final. But Susan flees with all of her possessions, including the rare book in which Channing hid the winning lottery ticket. With time running out before the lottery ticket expires, Channing launches a desperate search to find Susan, but she’s covered her tracks well, fearing his retribution. In need of money to fund her furtive new lifestyle, Susan begins selling off her worldly goods, including her rare books, unleashing a chain of events that puts not only her life in danger, but that of her new love as well...
330 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 1, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
January 15, 2017
You'd think that reading a book about a lawyer who is "a compulsive gambler, drug abuser, and philanderer" would keep me from getting picked for jury service, wouldn't you? Well, it didn't, but the story kept me entertained through time sitting on hard wooden benches and then in the jury room during courtroom recesses. In fact, I was a little annoyed to be called back to the court when I only had a few pages to go...
Here's the story: Aforementioned reprehensible lawyer misplaces a winning lottery ticket. He knows how it was misplaced, but not where it currently is...and he has a 6 month deadline before it expires. Here's the fun: as the story progresses and those searching for the ticket get closer to finding it, you start reading faster. Narrow escapes, missed flights, rush hour taxi rides; you read even faster! And the clock is ticking...
Here's the story: Aforementioned reprehensible lawyer misplaces a winning lottery ticket. He knows how it was misplaced, but not where it currently is...and he has a 6 month deadline before it expires. Here's the fun: as the story progresses and those searching for the ticket get closer to finding it, you start reading faster. Narrow escapes, missed flights, rush hour taxi rides; you read even faster! And the clock is ticking...
August 19, 2019
When a corrupt, egotistical lawyer realizes he’s won the lottery, he’ll do everything in his power to cash in his ticket without giving half of the prize money to his estranged wife. Tucking the ticket into one of the rare books that his wife collects, Channing Booker is in for a shock when he returns home the next day to find that Susan has packed all her possessions—including the rare book with the ticket inside—and left him with no note and no forwarding address. Channing is desperate to find her and claim his $240 million before the deadline expires. And Susan is determined to cover her tracks in the hopes of starting her life again without the fear of her bullying, unfaithful husband. When Susan starts to sell her possessions on e-Bay, one astute collector connects the dots. But will he be able to find the ticket and save the girl before it’s too late? This fast-paced mystery is written with a sharp eye for detail and great suspense. The Ticket by Fred Shackelford will keep you turning pages as the deadline to turn in the lottery ticket draws every closer.
April 21, 2020
The Ticket is a page turner! I couldn't put this one down. It's the story of Channing Booker, who wins the lottery, but makes the foolish mistake of trying to hide it from his soon-to-be ex-wife, Susan. Through the crazy events that happen next, you won't believe what he goes through, especially when the said wife actually leaves him and hides out, with his hidden ticket! It's a race against time because he only has a certain amount of time to cash in the ticket for 241 million dollars. You almost feel sorry for him as he has so much trouble in the search. I said almost, because being a low-life abusive husband, compulsive gambler, drug user and cheater, Channing is not the most sympathy- inducing person... I was rooting for the wife, and she had been through a lot. This is definitely an edge-of-the-seat story, which I highly recommend, because it's also very entertaining--with the mad chase.
April 14, 2020
I REALLY ENJOYED READING THIS BOOK. I FOUND IT TO BE A REALLY GREAT THRILLER THAT WAS HARD TO PUT DOWN. THE STORYLINE IS VERY WELL WRITTEN AND DRAWS YOU IN FROM THE START TO THE END. THE CHARACTERS ARE WELL DEVELOPED AND WRITTEN. I WOULD RECOMMEND READING.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 13, 2023
I loved the fast-paced action in Fred’s book. We met at The Kentucky Book Fair several years ago and traded books as we sat together at an author’s table. I hope Fred enjoyed my book as much as I did his.
April 20, 2020
The Ticket by Fred Shackelford is a fascinating crime suspense thriller about a sleazy lawyer who strikes it big winning a multi-million dollar jackpot. The problem he’s facing? Besides being sleazy? Well, his wife is looking to divorce him. The marriage has been on the rocks, and he’s had more than his fair share of women, but what he doesn’t want to do is split the winnings with her. So he hatches a scheme that sounds good on the surface, but things fall apart which creates a dangerous game of cat and mouse. When Susan leaves, taking all her personal belongings with her, including a set of rare books where the precious lottery ticket is hidden, a desperate search is set in motion as Channing is determined to do whatever it takes to reclaim the ticket and claim the millions of dollars at stake.
The Ticket is the first book that I have read by Fred Shackelford and this book is absolutely riveting. The author starts the story off with an attention-grabbing scene of Channing discovering that he has won the lottery. The author is quick to let readers know that Channing is no choir boy and that he holds no remorse for the death of his marriage. He’s looking forward to Susan being gone, but the idea of sharing his winnings with her is just something he’d fight to the bitter end. This book is so well detailed and for the most part, I love that Susan isn’t a flighty character of where she jumps at the smallest shadows. I can easily see this story playing out in real life. I found myself truly impressed with Susan more than once in this story. The amount of planning that she put into her escape was phenomenal in my opinion. The author gives readers just enough background and detail in the right places to gives readers a deeper depth into the characters and the story. I absolutely loved hating Channing the more that I got to know him.
At one point, the number of characters that the author wrote into this book got to be too much for me, because it caused me to get confused a couple of times as to who was in the storyline. Once I regained my footing with them though it was easy to differentiate. I honestly wanted the storyline to focus mostly on Susan and Channing as they are the main characters in the story at one point, but the author expertly showed me that each character has a purpose and it ended up adding to my enjoyment of the storyline. There was one minor editorial issue I noticed, but it did nothing to detract from my enjoyment of the story itself.
My ONLY solid complaint is the romance angle of this story. It’s mentioned in the blurb, which led me to believe that it would play a major role in the story. When I say a “major role” I mean that at about 50% into the book a romantic angle has made an appearance and is beginning to develop. That is not the case with this book. The romance doesn’t appear until the story is almost over. So I don’t feel that it deserves the spotlight it receives being mentioned in the blurb. Also, I feel that using the word “love” when the two characters have just met, and barely know each other…is a bit of a stretch.
For this being this author’s “debut” novel…just…wow. It’s so well-written and is a true page-turner full of drama, suspense, and thrills. I couldn’t put this book down. Just reading Channing’s determination and willingness to sacrifice to have his way…I was in shock. I have to say that I am looking forward to this author’s next book because their talent shines through. I am rating this book 5 out of 5 stars. If you enjoy mystery novels full of suspense then this is the book to pick up. But make sure you clear your day because you won’t want to put this book down.
The Ticket is the first book that I have read by Fred Shackelford and this book is absolutely riveting. The author starts the story off with an attention-grabbing scene of Channing discovering that he has won the lottery. The author is quick to let readers know that Channing is no choir boy and that he holds no remorse for the death of his marriage. He’s looking forward to Susan being gone, but the idea of sharing his winnings with her is just something he’d fight to the bitter end. This book is so well detailed and for the most part, I love that Susan isn’t a flighty character of where she jumps at the smallest shadows. I can easily see this story playing out in real life. I found myself truly impressed with Susan more than once in this story. The amount of planning that she put into her escape was phenomenal in my opinion. The author gives readers just enough background and detail in the right places to gives readers a deeper depth into the characters and the story. I absolutely loved hating Channing the more that I got to know him.
At one point, the number of characters that the author wrote into this book got to be too much for me, because it caused me to get confused a couple of times as to who was in the storyline. Once I regained my footing with them though it was easy to differentiate. I honestly wanted the storyline to focus mostly on Susan and Channing as they are the main characters in the story at one point, but the author expertly showed me that each character has a purpose and it ended up adding to my enjoyment of the storyline. There was one minor editorial issue I noticed, but it did nothing to detract from my enjoyment of the story itself.
My ONLY solid complaint is the romance angle of this story. It’s mentioned in the blurb, which led me to believe that it would play a major role in the story. When I say a “major role” I mean that at about 50% into the book a romantic angle has made an appearance and is beginning to develop. That is not the case with this book. The romance doesn’t appear until the story is almost over. So I don’t feel that it deserves the spotlight it receives being mentioned in the blurb. Also, I feel that using the word “love” when the two characters have just met, and barely know each other…is a bit of a stretch.
For this being this author’s “debut” novel…just…wow. It’s so well-written and is a true page-turner full of drama, suspense, and thrills. I couldn’t put this book down. Just reading Channing’s determination and willingness to sacrifice to have his way…I was in shock. I have to say that I am looking forward to this author’s next book because their talent shines through. I am rating this book 5 out of 5 stars. If you enjoy mystery novels full of suspense then this is the book to pick up. But make sure you clear your day because you won’t want to put this book down.
May 28, 2020
There’s some great prosaic storytelling in this book. It doesn’t get bogged down in overly flowery phrases or poetic descriptions, which I generally like. Instead, it tells the story in a straightforward and easy to follow way from third-person POV. There were a lot of moving parts and a variety of different characters, none of whom really seemed to be the “main character.” Right up until the end, I was unable to predict what would happen next.
I particularly liked the character of Boz, not because his character was likable, but because I loved the way his character was described. “He had joined the firm thirty-four years earlier and had quickly established himself as a man with no apparent legal skills...had he not been the son of a founding partner, he would have been put out on the street within a few months...Any normal self-respecting employee would have resigned, but there was nowhere else for Boz to go.” This man likes to pretend he’s relevant by monitoring the activities of others and pretending to be busy with important matters. He has perfected the art, aptly described in this scene: “He rubbed his forehead and sighed, as if recovering from a major intellectual challenge.”
Channing is described as the conniving lawyer you love to hate. Were it not for the fact this book was written by a lawyer, I might be tempted to believe he dislikes them as a whole. Instead, I think he probably has first-hand experience with low-lifes like this. At times, Channing’s behaviors reflected stereotypical lawyer behaviors, but for the most part, the character was believable. Billy, too, displays stereotypical thug behaviors. Even so, I enjoyed the story and overlooked the cliched characters.
The plot is really the jewel of this book. Characters are not terribly complicated and there’s no pulling of your heartstrings. The ones that are relatable are the good guys; the bad guys are bad with no shades of goodness to them. To me, none of this mattered. I enjoyed the story for the plot and the narrative was good enough to relate the story. I’m giving it 5 stars because I found it inventive, original, and fun to read.
I particularly liked the character of Boz, not because his character was likable, but because I loved the way his character was described. “He had joined the firm thirty-four years earlier and had quickly established himself as a man with no apparent legal skills...had he not been the son of a founding partner, he would have been put out on the street within a few months...Any normal self-respecting employee would have resigned, but there was nowhere else for Boz to go.” This man likes to pretend he’s relevant by monitoring the activities of others and pretending to be busy with important matters. He has perfected the art, aptly described in this scene: “He rubbed his forehead and sighed, as if recovering from a major intellectual challenge.”
Channing is described as the conniving lawyer you love to hate. Were it not for the fact this book was written by a lawyer, I might be tempted to believe he dislikes them as a whole. Instead, I think he probably has first-hand experience with low-lifes like this. At times, Channing’s behaviors reflected stereotypical lawyer behaviors, but for the most part, the character was believable. Billy, too, displays stereotypical thug behaviors. Even so, I enjoyed the story and overlooked the cliched characters.
The plot is really the jewel of this book. Characters are not terribly complicated and there’s no pulling of your heartstrings. The ones that are relatable are the good guys; the bad guys are bad with no shades of goodness to them. To me, none of this mattered. I enjoyed the story for the plot and the narrative was good enough to relate the story. I’m giving it 5 stars because I found it inventive, original, and fun to read.
April 17, 2020
The subtitle of this DEBUT novel should be "What Could Possibly Go Wrong?"
In this comedy of errors, Channing Booker, attorney at law, in a loveless marriage, hopeless gambler, finds to his shock that he holds the winning ticket for the Mega Millions lottery. Jackpot worth approximately $241 million. His mind begins to work overtime.
He's been thinking about a divorce for a while; why not now? Then he won't have to split his winnings with his wife Susan. And so begins the series of misadventures. He hides the ticket in a book at his house; the next day, he comes home from work to find his wife gone and house empty, including the book with the lottery ticket in it. We are introduced to other players, including some pretty shifty characters. Billy runs a pawn shop; Winston DeHart is a junior associate at the law firm; Lee buys on EBay, where Susan is selling some of her stuff; Boz Dunlap, whose job at the law firm seems to encompass sitting in his chair and shuffling papers; Sully Pendleton, local attorney.
A truly delicious novel that will keep you guessing until the very last page.
I read this EARC courtesy of Black Opal Books and Edelweiss. 10/20/20
In this comedy of errors, Channing Booker, attorney at law, in a loveless marriage, hopeless gambler, finds to his shock that he holds the winning ticket for the Mega Millions lottery. Jackpot worth approximately $241 million. His mind begins to work overtime.
He's been thinking about a divorce for a while; why not now? Then he won't have to split his winnings with his wife Susan. And so begins the series of misadventures. He hides the ticket in a book at his house; the next day, he comes home from work to find his wife gone and house empty, including the book with the lottery ticket in it. We are introduced to other players, including some pretty shifty characters. Billy runs a pawn shop; Winston DeHart is a junior associate at the law firm; Lee buys on EBay, where Susan is selling some of her stuff; Boz Dunlap, whose job at the law firm seems to encompass sitting in his chair and shuffling papers; Sully Pendleton, local attorney.
A truly delicious novel that will keep you guessing until the very last page.
I read this EARC courtesy of Black Opal Books and Edelweiss. 10/20/20
November 18, 2020
The ticket is a mystery/suspense story about Channing Baxter, a gambler and philanderer. He happens to win the Mega Million lottery. Since he is unhappily married to Susan and wants to give her nothing out of the win, he schemes the funds and has his friend claim it and return when he is divorced. When he returns home, Susan is gone, and so is the ticket.
The book dwells on such high drama, intensity, and suspense, causing the reader not to put the book down. Channing’s character was created so wisely, but Susan was the best. In my opinion, her personality really elevated the storyline.
$240 million is a lot of money, and the time ticking causing the ticket to expire really induced a lot of pressure and excitement to the tale. The pace was steady, and the literature was written well.
There was an unpredictability cause of an event with the storytelling, and I enjoyed the payback. It was very entertaining, and I found the scenes funny at times.
I recommend this book to people who like to read mystery fictional stories.
The book dwells on such high drama, intensity, and suspense, causing the reader not to put the book down. Channing’s character was created so wisely, but Susan was the best. In my opinion, her personality really elevated the storyline.
$240 million is a lot of money, and the time ticking causing the ticket to expire really induced a lot of pressure and excitement to the tale. The pace was steady, and the literature was written well.
There was an unpredictability cause of an event with the storytelling, and I enjoyed the payback. It was very entertaining, and I found the scenes funny at times.
I recommend this book to people who like to read mystery fictional stories.
May 21, 2020
Definitely a different story line with a wicked twist! As a man takes a big gamble with a winning lottery ticket, he finds himself on the losing end again. His wife has unwittingly fled, taking his $241 million ticket that he hid in one of her books. What a payback! The story is a very entertaining look at how a man's actions comeback to haunt him. Fred Shackelford tells the story as if he were telling a story to a crowd about his bumbling relative's latest adventure. Well worth my precious reading time!!!!
April 12, 2020
When a man on the brink of a messy divorce manages to get a multi million winning lotto ticket in his hands, chaos is sure to follow.
He does his best to avoid benefiting his soon to be ex, or anyone else.
A secret hiding place puts a friend in jeopardy and a bevy of mixed characters in pursuit of an unwitting Sarah.
Tangled treachery, romance and lethal threats and harassment make for a convoluted and fun read!
He does his best to avoid benefiting his soon to be ex, or anyone else.
A secret hiding place puts a friend in jeopardy and a bevy of mixed characters in pursuit of an unwitting Sarah.
Tangled treachery, romance and lethal threats and harassment make for a convoluted and fun read!
April 21, 2020
When a lawyer wins the lottery and tries to find a way to keep the winnings from his estranged wife, you know it's bound to be a good story. A thrilling read that's hard to put down, the story line is well written, suspenseful and pulls you in. Strong characters that are amazing.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 5, 2020
I Enjoyed everything about this book there was nothing I didn't like about the book. I like the setting,the writing style,the plot,the plot twists and the characters in the book were amazing.I would gladly reread it again.
April 18, 2020
The Ticket is not just another lottery story. It's action-packed with enough twists and turns to keep readers turning pages. I read it in three sittings.
April 12, 2020
I will start by saying I was given this book to review. I have to admit it was really hard to get into. It was slow and at times very boring. I was routing for the god guy but in the end I’m not sure if the good guy was deserving. The ending was poor. It left too much unsaid. I can’t really say I recommend this book.
November 1, 2025
This book caught my attention because it was written by a local Virginia attorney. Fast paced, excellent plot, twisty, and humorous at time, I enjoyed it immensely. If you enjoy the above book attributes, surely give it a read.
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