'Winner Takes All' by Jacqueline Rayner

The Doctor and Rose are back on present-day Earth, in the middle of a heatwave. Apart from the temperature, the worst thing that's happening is the local bully causing trouble. Everything else seems pretty good. A new video game has been launched; it's a big hit, and you can even win copies on scratchcards at the supermarket. There are all sorts of other prizes too - like holidays. That's what people are desperate to win - it's so hot, they want to get away for as long as possible. So it's really no surprise when they just don't return...


Publication Date:
19th May 2005

Notes:
*Featuring the Ninth Doctor, Rose, Mickey and Jackie

*A BBC Books 'Ninth Doctor Adventures' novel

*Working titles: 'Death Players' and 'The Deadly Game'

*Bad Wolf sightings: Mickey has a computer game called 'Bad Wolf'

*Time-placing: this novel was released on 19th May 2005, between 'Father's Day' and 'The Empty Child', so I'm placing it there in the timeline for simplicity. Seeing as Rose recalls the events of 'World War Three', this fits in with continuity.