1980 was an eventful year. Another war in Afghanistan.Killer earthquakes in Algeria and Italy. The election ofRonald Reagan.The murder of John Lennon. And then,out of nowhere, the arrival of a million dollars to poor,star-crossed Cassie Jean Dornwell.December 23: $25.50 remaining in her bank account.Then, on December 24: $1000,000,025.50. And no idea ofthe who, how and why of such an incredible Christmas gift.Cassie was born into a wealthy, aristocratic southern family,scion toa legendary tycoon grandfather, an immigrant fromSouth Wales who made an outrageous fortune in Florida. Shelived a pampered, privileged existence. But not for long. Asa young child, her world wassuddenly turned upside down.Since then, her life can be described with a twist ona well-known phrase... "From Riches to Rags".Now, in 1980, Cassie is a pretty twenty year old southernbelle. Although having lived an entire life in the "sunshinestate", her stateof mind is anything but bright. Desperatelypoor since age ten, raped at fourteen, abandoned and alone,she now works day and night as a bartender and part-timestripper to barely support herself and her ailing six yearold child.Then finally, a life-changing event... the arrival of thatmysterious fortune from Heaven. Or was it Hell? Themoney, of course, came with a catch. Cassie's windfallblew in on the wings of ironic twists of fate, betrayal, sex,menace and murder.There are fierce rivals for her serendipitous wealth.Ruthless men of the Mafia. Scheming men of the law.A clever, beautiful murderess. Most lethal of all, a brilliantpsychopath from out of her family's past. All relentless. Alldeadly. Eventually, it will come down to not just the money.But a matter of Cassie's and her child's very survival.Question: What chance does a young single mom, all butalone, have against such overwhelming odds?Answer: A million to one.
