I’m so excited that Marissa Stapley, the author of Lucky—the Reese Book Club Dec’21 Pick, will be visiting the Vaughan Public Libraries via Zoom on May 26, 7:00 pm. Tickets will be on sale starting May 5 on Eventbrite. You are very welcome to join us for an evening of great conversation with Marissa!

I have to say this is such a page-turning, fun read. We are so busy these days and have to squeeze time to read. As entertainment goes, we often turn to the screen for instant gratification. But Lucky reminds us that reading can be fun and satisfying, too!  

What makes Lucky so fun? First, it’s a con-artist story. No one likes liars, swindlers, or grifters in real life—look at the damages Bernie Madoff and Elizabeth Holmes had done! But it’s a totally different story in books and movies. The con artists portrayed in pop culture are often magnetic, whether we like them or not. From The Talented Mr. Ripley to Catch Me If You Can to My Friend Anna, all these books were made into theatre or streaming service hits. And Lucky has also just been auctioned for a TV series!  Why do we like con-artist stories? Maybe 99% of us like the idea of Robin Hood robbing the rich and helping the poor; or, since we can’t read anyone else’s mind, we are curious about people’s psychology in confidence games?  I can’t tell you anything new about why we love con-artist stories, but I’m sure Marissa will be able to share her insights. She has done lots of research on grifting :).

But no matter how interesting a topic is, it needs a skilled writer to craft a good story. Marissa has proved her as a great storyteller in Lucky. The unclaimed lotto ticket idea is genius. Though Marissa humbly credits the DJ who gave her this idea, she successfully develops a storyline that grips the readers from the beginning to the end. All parts come together tightly but it doesn’t feel rushed. The past and present parallel narratives is very smart. The strategy definitely helps shape Lucky’s back story and draw out readers’ empathy for her. Lucky is believable, not cliché, and most importantly, fun!

I’m looking forward to hearing everything from Marissa and seeing you at the event!

If you like Lucky and are looking for more page-turners, check out this list: