Bill Syken

“Author Syken, a veteran Sports Illustrated editor, nails the pro-football milieu. His mystery is also spot-on. He engages a moody, lonely protagonist in a very complex mystery in which nothing is as it seems, at least until the conclusion, when Gallow and the reader can see it very clearly in the rearview mirror. This is the very best sports-themed mystery in years and a robust debut novel. Don't miss it.” - Booklist (starred review)

“Former Sports Illustrated reporter Syken knows the cutthroat business that is professional football and brings it vividly to life in this engaging debut mystery. Nick is a great character, with insecurities and foibles that ring true for players at this elite level. A lot of humor leavens the suspense. Fans of Tim Green or Harlan Coben’s “Myron Bolitar” series will definitely want to catch this one." —Library Journal

“For sports fans and mystery lovers, Hangman’s Game is the go-to-book for the football season. It has all the prerequisites for a great read: football, murder, an anti-hero and a hulking jock, interwoven with plot twists that will make the reader sure they know who’s guilty, only to find yet another suspect. This book is a good first effort; it’s tightly written and keeps the reader’s interest.” - RT Book Reviews

“Sportswriter Syken's fiction debut takes you inside the world of a pro football punter... Syken's dialogue goes down as smoothly as one of the cocktails Nick's training regimen forbids, and he spins a series of nifty scenes.” - Kirkus Reviews

“Former Sports Illustrated reporter Syken makes his fiction debut with this well-told first in a football-themed mystery series... Syken really nails the world of professional football, including the training camp competition between Nick and a rival rookie punter, as well as the violence, conspicuous consumption, and tragic endings endemic to the sport.” - Publishers Weekly