“The Winner,” a novel by Teddy Wayne set to be published on May 28, 2024, is a dark and explosive literary thriller that delves into the life of Conor O’Toole. A tennis coach from Yonkers, Conor takes a summer job in the opulent Cutters Neck community near Cape Cod. What begins as a simple exchange of tennis lessons for lodging quickly escalates into a complex web of relationships.

Conor becomes entangled in a secret affair with a sharp-tongued divorcée, Catherine, who expects more than just tennis coaching. As he navigates this clandestine relationship, he also finds himself drawn to an artsy girl he meets on the beach. The novel promises to be a psychological masterpiece, exploring themes of class, desire, and the lengths to which people will go to maintain their secrets¹.