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Prairie Winds Golf Course #1
Lifetime Loser
For fifteen years on the outskirts of St. Louis J. W. Schroeder (J Dub) ran a worn out golf course that sat high atop the Illinois bluffs of the Mississippi River.
Then he learns that his partner had been skimming profits the entire time. But even worse, J Dub discovers that he was an unknowing participant in the swindle of an estate and that he was a victim of fraud. J Dub is thrown into a civil justice system that is lengthy as well as costly to protect his family and correct an evil and sinister secret that had been withheld from him for years.
The controlling partner, Lewferd E. Zerrmann, aligns himself with a dishonest attorney, a deceitful accountant, and a corrupt politician to derail a government investigation and an IRS audit. He survives title improprieties and outlasts an overzealous U. S. Attorney. No one seems to be able to penetrate the isolated walls of Lew's fortress until J Dub steps up and risks it all to fight for what is his.
WHO SAID REAL LIFE WAS ANYTHING LIKE THE GENTLEMAN'S GAME?
Then he learns that his partner had been skimming profits the entire time. But even worse, J Dub discovers that he was an unknowing participant in the swindle of an estate and that he was a victim of fraud. J Dub is thrown into a civil justice system that is lengthy as well as costly to protect his family and correct an evil and sinister secret that had been withheld from him for years.
The controlling partner, Lewferd E. Zerrmann, aligns himself with a dishonest attorney, a deceitful accountant, and a corrupt politician to derail a government investigation and an IRS audit. He survives title improprieties and outlasts an overzealous U. S. Attorney. No one seems to be able to penetrate the isolated walls of Lew's fortress until J Dub steps up and risks it all to fight for what is his.
WHO SAID REAL LIFE WAS ANYTHING LIKE THE GENTLEMAN'S GAME?
- GenresFiction
328 pages, Paperback
First published May 27, 2007
About the author
James Ross
160 books119 followersI'm a cancer survivor who had something to say. One story has become several novels from fictitious Prairie Winds Golf Course high atop the Mississippi river bluffs just east of St. Louis.
My stories are character-based with the genre being realistic fiction. My writing style utilizes the use of dialogue from an eclectic cast of characters. Aside from the recurring regulars roughly 20 new personalities are introduced per story.
There will be a Midwestern flavor, solid themes, social issues, and a few lessons in life learned from the golf course which reflect my roots.
My stories are character-based with the genre being realistic fiction. My writing style utilizes the use of dialogue from an eclectic cast of characters. Aside from the recurring regulars roughly 20 new personalities are introduced per story.
There will be a Midwestern flavor, solid themes, social issues, and a few lessons in life learned from the golf course which reflect my roots.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 16, 2010
Civil justice and criminal justice butt heads as a real estate swindle, forgery and fraud cause innocent victims to fight for their financial survival.
September 2, 2018
No loser here
Solid writing. Good story with great characters. Filled with a lot twist and turns. Always making you wonder what would come next.Recommend highly.
Solid writing. Good story with great characters. Filled with a lot twist and turns. Always making you wonder what would come next.Recommend highly.
July 28, 2010
First let me start by stating that I am in no way considered to be a book critic. However, I know what holds my interest and what does not. Having said that I recently had the opportunity to read, the James Ross book, Lifetime Loser. This book is the first in a series of 3 novels to date by Mr. Ross.
James Ross - AuthorLifetime loser
Lifetime Loser is a story about greed vs. honesty. Its backdrop is a golf course and there is a well woven plot that involves a naive golf professional, J.W. Schroeder and a very unscrupulous business man, Lew Zerrmann and his equally dishonest associates and acquaintances. Ross takes us on a journey that spans two decades and has enough twists and turns to keep you hanging on every word.
For me this book was as interesting a read as a John Grisham or Patricia Cornwell novel (two of my personal favorites). The character development was strong and effectual. The proverbial fight of good vs. evil plays well in this book especially with the focus on greed. It rings so true for today’s world. It is not until the end that you really find out what will happen. There are many surprises even at the end so don’t think you can figure out who wins. You’ll need to read the book.
The bottom line is that I ended up putting off some office work to finish this book. It is a real page turner, even if you are NOT a golf fan. I am anxious to begin reading the second of the series, Finish Line. But for now, I have to get back to my office chores. I may have to burn some ‘midnight oil’ tonight and get into the next story….
Recommendation: A hole-in-one!!
James Ross - AuthorLifetime loser
Lifetime Loser is a story about greed vs. honesty. Its backdrop is a golf course and there is a well woven plot that involves a naive golf professional, J.W. Schroeder and a very unscrupulous business man, Lew Zerrmann and his equally dishonest associates and acquaintances. Ross takes us on a journey that spans two decades and has enough twists and turns to keep you hanging on every word.
For me this book was as interesting a read as a John Grisham or Patricia Cornwell novel (two of my personal favorites). The character development was strong and effectual. The proverbial fight of good vs. evil plays well in this book especially with the focus on greed. It rings so true for today’s world. It is not until the end that you really find out what will happen. There are many surprises even at the end so don’t think you can figure out who wins. You’ll need to read the book.
The bottom line is that I ended up putting off some office work to finish this book. It is a real page turner, even if you are NOT a golf fan. I am anxious to begin reading the second of the series, Finish Line. But for now, I have to get back to my office chores. I may have to burn some ‘midnight oil’ tonight and get into the next story….
Recommendation: A hole-in-one!!
August 3, 2008
It's been about twenty years since the last time I read a novel based around golf. The last one was the very funny The Greening of Thurmond by Michael Zagst (1986).
Lifetime Loser by James Ross covers roughly twenty years in the life of J. W. Schroeder or J. Dub to his friends. He is tricked into buying a share in an illegally purchased golf course after washing out of his own chance at a golf career. The rest of the book follows how the initial swindle plays out for all the parties involved.
The man behind the swindle is Lewferd E. Zermann whose motivations seem to come down to a love of money and a love of evil. Midway through the book we learn of his shrine to Hitler and he goes from being a plausible greedy bastard to being a character on loan from Springtime for Hitler.
The book has its moments and J. Dub is a likeable character but the awkward written narrative gets in the way. Too much of the characterization is done by attributes alone. So an so is the "best at this" or "the worst at that" and frankly that's not enough to build interesting, believable or memorable characters. The book also suffers from weird mistakes involving incorrect word usage, poor grammar and general typesetting errors. More than anything, Lifetime Loser needs tighter editing.
Lifetime Loser by James Ross covers roughly twenty years in the life of J. W. Schroeder or J. Dub to his friends. He is tricked into buying a share in an illegally purchased golf course after washing out of his own chance at a golf career. The rest of the book follows how the initial swindle plays out for all the parties involved.
The man behind the swindle is Lewferd E. Zermann whose motivations seem to come down to a love of money and a love of evil. Midway through the book we learn of his shrine to Hitler and he goes from being a plausible greedy bastard to being a character on loan from Springtime for Hitler.
The book has its moments and J. Dub is a likeable character but the awkward written narrative gets in the way. Too much of the characterization is done by attributes alone. So an so is the "best at this" or "the worst at that" and frankly that's not enough to build interesting, believable or memorable characters. The book also suffers from weird mistakes involving incorrect word usage, poor grammar and general typesetting errors. More than anything, Lifetime Loser needs tighter editing.
July 21, 2015
I was provided a gifted copy of this book through Masquerade Mob formerly Masquerade Crew Review in exchange for an honest review.
This is a mystery story that has golf running through it.
In the early 1980s, J Dub was on his way to a promising career on the Pro Golf tour until a faulty decision got in the way. As life would have it, he was offered a job not only running a golf course but as a junior partner. Believing his future would be set, he took on the challenge. Little did he know there were unseen forces at work conspiring to dash his hopes and dreams. Will he be able to compete against them and win or will he be just another lifetime loser?
I love how the story spans two decades, showing not only the struggles of balancing work and family life but the joys of friendship despite outside forces trying to drag you down. I can so relate to J Dub's wife on many occasions it seemed to mirror my own life.
Warning: This book is for Mature Audiences due to adult language, violence, and moderately explicit sexual situations.
This is a mystery story that has golf running through it.
In the early 1980s, J Dub was on his way to a promising career on the Pro Golf tour until a faulty decision got in the way. As life would have it, he was offered a job not only running a golf course but as a junior partner. Believing his future would be set, he took on the challenge. Little did he know there were unseen forces at work conspiring to dash his hopes and dreams. Will he be able to compete against them and win or will he be just another lifetime loser?
I love how the story spans two decades, showing not only the struggles of balancing work and family life but the joys of friendship despite outside forces trying to drag you down. I can so relate to J Dub's wife on many occasions it seemed to mirror my own life.
Warning: This book is for Mature Audiences due to adult language, violence, and moderately explicit sexual situations.
January 27, 2011
Sarah Sammis sums up my feelings when she writes: "The book has its moments and J. Dub is a likeable character but the awkward written narrative gets in the way. Too much of the characterization is done by attributes alone. So an so is the "best at this" or "the worst at that" and frankly that's not enough to build interesting, believable or memorable characters. The book also suffers from weird mistakes involving incorrect word usage, poor grammar and general typesetting errors. More than anything, Lifetime Loser needs tighter editing."
I can't be as generous in my star ratings as Sarah was. I just wasn't convinced that characters were "best at this" or "worst at that". Neither the characters nor the events were developed enough to convince me. I kept reading this book, because I expected to like it from the description and reviews. I was simply disappointed.
I can't be as generous in my star ratings as Sarah was. I just wasn't convinced that characters were "best at this" or "worst at that". Neither the characters nor the events were developed enough to convince me. I kept reading this book, because I expected to like it from the description and reviews. I was simply disappointed.
April 20, 2016
First I should say you don't have to be a golf fan to read this book, because their is a lot more than golf going on. The game and the Prairie Winds golf course are the backdrop for the story.J.W. Shroeder has been a golf fanatic his whole life. J-dub, as he is called decides against the pro circuit and becomes partners with Lew as owners of Prairie Winds. J Dub is a fairly honest man and his partner Lew is about as opposite as you could be and J Dub is finding that out the hard way. This is the first book in this series and I will be reading two more in the collection. I found the book interesting and if you are a fan of golf, law and corruption, grab this.
September 7, 2011
When J Dub (J. W. Schroeder) joins forces with Lew Zerrmann in ownership of a golf course he didn't know what he was getting into. It looked like J Dub had found his home at the Prairie Winds Golf Course even after years of deceit unfold.
A great deal of time is spent developing the main characters of Lifetime Loser and no villain is more hateful than Lew Zerrmann. I couldn't wait to see what would happen to this despicable being in the end.
This is the first of a series of fictional golf books by James Ross and a worthy start to a series.
A great deal of time is spent developing the main characters of Lifetime Loser and no villain is more hateful than Lew Zerrmann. I couldn't wait to see what would happen to this despicable being in the end.
This is the first of a series of fictional golf books by James Ross and a worthy start to a series.
July 15, 2015
Way to long for a so called golf story !
100 chapters in this book was way to many , about 30 to many in my opinion ! Was a good story but a bit repetitive , I see the are more books in the series but doubt I will read them if they are all 100 repetitive chapters , this was like a move that could of ended 30 minutes early and still been a good movie !!
100 chapters in this book was way to many , about 30 to many in my opinion ! Was a good story but a bit repetitive , I see the are more books in the series but doubt I will read them if they are all 100 repetitive chapters , this was like a move that could of ended 30 minutes early and still been a good movie !!
Shelved as 'wish-list'
September 19, 2010Not sure how I found this one.
Read
January 26, 2016I'm looking for a place where I can borrow this book. Not in the public libraries I've checked so far.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews