Blue Monday

Book Summary
Matt McAllister is the pastor of the fifth largest church in his state. He was a very public opponent of the lottery. When he accidentally purchases a ticket, he is stunned but his children are elated.His plan: throw the ticket away, protect his position as a minister and avoid wrestling with the very real temptation to take the money and run...even if the odds are millions to one. His children's plan: rescue the ticket from the trash, wait for the drawing and start deciding on cars, vacation homes, and travel destinations.


Long before the drawing takes place, Matt struggles to deal with the responsibilities and challenges of being a pastor, a father, and a husband as he deals with a long list of people and circumstances ranging from eclectic and funny, to frustrating and sad.

Matt begins each day determined to put the situation with the ticket behind him. The harder he works to deal with it, the bigger it gets. Every effort to avoid the potential damage the situation could cause makes it spin out of control even faster as new circumstances unfold.

Then the drawing takes place.

Suddenly, there's at least 186 million reasons, some hilarious, some tragic, that Matt's life, family, friends, and church will never be the same.


Review by Nancy

It’s bad enough that Matt McCallister was raised Methodist and became a Baptist minister. It’s bad enough that he is one of the main opponents of the Lottery system and had appeared on TV and In the papers speaking about its’ evils. It’s bad enough that Matt, in a hurry, accidently picks up a lottery ticket while getting gas, admits to his family he did it and pitches it in the trash.


THEN……his daughter and son retrieve it because you never know when you might be able to afford a Viper or a cruise someplace nifty. You never know……….when the ticket might be the ONE…..

This well thought out story was such fun to read! Through Matt’s stress, suffering over an unplanned outcome and his family’s reactions it was fun. The Church Board were appropriately stuffy and the well-monied convert was a hoot! If you like a tale that is just plain fun with a lot of thinking woven in, Blue Monday will be your cup of tea. What would you do,if you won 186 million dollars by mistake? Think about it!