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Casey Benedict #4
The End of the Game: a 'fierce, obsessive and brilliant' heroine for our times
Fearless female lead, Casey Benedict, is on a hunt to expose the person behind a shadowy international organisation responsible for thousands of ruined lives: the latest gripping read from the winner of the CWA Steel Dagger award for Best Thriller
When match fixing leads to murder, only journalist Casey Benedict can expose the truth - and risk her own life doing so.
Casey Benedict is the globe-trotting star reporter at London paper the Post. Casey is tenacious, fearless, inventive and still in recovery after her last major story jeopardised her life, and all of those she held most dear.
Invited to spend the day at the races at the invitation of a former colleague, it is meant to be a chance to relax and recover. But when she sees a man being hunted across the racecourse, a horrified Casey intervenes to save his life – and in doing so finds herself face to face with her next major investigation. Match fixing. Gambling. And murder.
From London to Budapest, from snowy mountain retreats to glitzy Mediterranean coastal resorts, Casey is on a desperate hunt to find the person behind the shadowy organisations responsible and expose them to the public before anyone else’s lives are lost.
When match fixing leads to murder, only journalist Casey Benedict can expose the truth - and risk her own life doing so.
Casey Benedict is the globe-trotting star reporter at London paper the Post. Casey is tenacious, fearless, inventive and still in recovery after her last major story jeopardised her life, and all of those she held most dear.
Invited to spend the day at the races at the invitation of a former colleague, it is meant to be a chance to relax and recover. But when she sees a man being hunted across the racecourse, a horrified Casey intervenes to save his life – and in doing so finds herself face to face with her next major investigation. Match fixing. Gambling. And murder.
From London to Budapest, from snowy mountain retreats to glitzy Mediterranean coastal resorts, Casey is on a desperate hunt to find the person behind the shadowy organisations responsible and expose them to the public before anyone else’s lives are lost.
- GenresThriller
Hardcover
Published January 1, 2023
16 people are currently reading
151 people want to read
About the author
Holly Watt
9 books69 followersHello!
My name is Holly Watt. The Last Truths We Told is out now!
My first novel - To The Lions - won the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger for the best thriller of the year. My second book, The Dead Line, was named one of the Thrillers of the Year by The Times and the FT. The Casey Benedict series continues with The Hunt and The Kill and The End of the Game.
Before writing novels, I was an investigative journalist. I started at the Sunday Times (long, complicated story), before moving to the Daily Telegraph.
During six years at the Telegraph, I was the Whitehall Editor and jointly ran the investigations team. I then moved to work on the Guardian's investigations team (yes, a bit of a leap politically...).
I worked on stories including MPs’ Expenses at the Telegraph and the Panama Papers at the Guardian and I also did lots of undercover work.
I've reported from countries all around the world, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Libya, Jordan and Lebanon (some of which appear in my books).
Excitingly, the Casey Benedict series has been optioned by the producer of The Night Manager and The Undoing, which recently starred Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant.
I hope you enjoy my books.
My name is Holly Watt. The Last Truths We Told is out now!
My first novel - To The Lions - won the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger for the best thriller of the year. My second book, The Dead Line, was named one of the Thrillers of the Year by The Times and the FT. The Casey Benedict series continues with The Hunt and The Kill and The End of the Game.
Before writing novels, I was an investigative journalist. I started at the Sunday Times (long, complicated story), before moving to the Daily Telegraph.
During six years at the Telegraph, I was the Whitehall Editor and jointly ran the investigations team. I then moved to work on the Guardian's investigations team (yes, a bit of a leap politically...).
I worked on stories including MPs’ Expenses at the Telegraph and the Panama Papers at the Guardian and I also did lots of undercover work.
I've reported from countries all around the world, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Libya, Jordan and Lebanon (some of which appear in my books).
Excitingly, the Casey Benedict series has been optioned by the producer of The Night Manager and The Undoing, which recently starred Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant.
I hope you enjoy my books.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
June 30, 2023
3.5 / 5
The library sold this book as suspense and thriller and personally I didn’t think any of it. This book should just be categorised as fiction.
The plot follows Casey who is an investigative journalist who work for the post. She attends the Royal ascot to scope out her piece but just as she’s taking the elevator to enter the royal box, she spots a nervous man in the corner as well as a server standing completely still in a packed room. She notices the server advancing towards the nervous man and helps him get away. He later introduces himself as Aidan Gardener who builds algorithms to spot match fixing through AI and training program. What was meant to be a piece to exposure the match fixer Casey starts to notice a trend occurring. Everyone she writes a piece on, death follows her around. Of which Casey and her team begin to start to uncover the people behind the deaths and what links them together.
For me personally near the end is where I lost interest, it was building up with too much happening and it fizzled out for me. The other thing that added to my confusion is that this follows from the previous books that have been written which follows Casey and her journey. About her traumatic past, which didn’t make much sense. So note: if you are going to read the book, read the previous four as it doesn’t make much sense and adds to why the rating was low. I have to give credit to Holly Watt as she fully explained the technical meaning behind hedge fun, AI, and other banking/ economical terms which I had no idea about.
The library sold this book as suspense and thriller and personally I didn’t think any of it. This book should just be categorised as fiction.
The plot follows Casey who is an investigative journalist who work for the post. She attends the Royal ascot to scope out her piece but just as she’s taking the elevator to enter the royal box, she spots a nervous man in the corner as well as a server standing completely still in a packed room. She notices the server advancing towards the nervous man and helps him get away. He later introduces himself as Aidan Gardener who builds algorithms to spot match fixing through AI and training program. What was meant to be a piece to exposure the match fixer Casey starts to notice a trend occurring. Everyone she writes a piece on, death follows her around. Of which Casey and her team begin to start to uncover the people behind the deaths and what links them together.
For me personally near the end is where I lost interest, it was building up with too much happening and it fizzled out for me. The other thing that added to my confusion is that this follows from the previous books that have been written which follows Casey and her journey. About her traumatic past, which didn’t make much sense. So note: if you are going to read the book, read the previous four as it doesn’t make much sense and adds to why the rating was low. I have to give credit to Holly Watt as she fully explained the technical meaning behind hedge fun, AI, and other banking/ economical terms which I had no idea about.
April 2, 2023
I've really enjoyed catching up with Casey Benedict again. It's fair to say that in The End of the Game, Casey is still struggling with the aftermath of events that unfolded in The Hunt and the Kill, and it is, in part, the emotional toll of this that informs some of what comes to pass in her latest investigation. It is easy for her friends and colleagues, even the police, to write off Casey's assertions as being driven by paranoia and a desire to be able to rewrite the past but, as we follow Casey's investigation, as we learn more about the corruption that is driving all of the ill deeds being uncovered, it's clear that there is far more to this story than meets the eye. History is about to be brought front and centre, and for Casey, this could prove to be her very lat investigation.
The book takes readers deep into the world of gambling. Online betting to be precise, and the people that seek to cheat the odds, often loading them in their favour. Corruption, match fixing, insider knowledge and enhanced computer based algorithms all inform the investigation, but as to the root cause of all of the destruction that unfurls throughout the course of the book, it will be a long time until the truth is revealed. I liked the way in which Holly Watt built the tension throughout the book. As readers, we know and trust Casey, trust her judgment and her nose for a story, even if, at times, emotion did seem to overwhelm her common sense. But the author has kept the antagonist just at the edge of our vision this time around. Not quite invisible, there is often a very clear and over threat which present itself, but just hidden enough that you are not sure if it is Casey's imagination that is working overtime, especially as she becomes more wrought at every turn in the investigation.
I like Casey as a character. Like her conviction and her dedication to a story. it's fair to say that it almost becomes an obsession this time around, and there are times when her life really is under direct threat which keeps the tension and the pace of the story really high. There is a large amount of emotion, and perhaps resignation, on Casey's part which comes through in the narrative, but there is also that part of her that you know can't give up. She is a master at tracking down a story, no matter the costs, and this time, it really does come close to costing her everything. I may have guessed a couple of the small twists in the story but they were not enough to impact upon the big reveal towards the end of the book, The real reason that Casey has become mixed up in this latest case, and the real threat to everything she holds dear.
This is a compelling thriller. Intriguing enough to capture my attention right from the start, and with a broad array of characters. Although I have little interest in sport - pretty much at the heart of this story - the concept is very clever, and the possibilities had a really plausible feel. The author's own experience as a journalist lends this whole series a really authentic feel, and there are enough heart thumping moments to keep me very satisfied and racing through the pages. The ending satisfied completely, although it has made me wonder what next for Casey because there is no doubt she has been forced to confront demons from her past and some memories are hard to forget.
Fast, tense and packed with intrigue and action, if you love the series, you are going to love this one too. A brilliant addition and definitely recommended.
The book takes readers deep into the world of gambling. Online betting to be precise, and the people that seek to cheat the odds, often loading them in their favour. Corruption, match fixing, insider knowledge and enhanced computer based algorithms all inform the investigation, but as to the root cause of all of the destruction that unfurls throughout the course of the book, it will be a long time until the truth is revealed. I liked the way in which Holly Watt built the tension throughout the book. As readers, we know and trust Casey, trust her judgment and her nose for a story, even if, at times, emotion did seem to overwhelm her common sense. But the author has kept the antagonist just at the edge of our vision this time around. Not quite invisible, there is often a very clear and over threat which present itself, but just hidden enough that you are not sure if it is Casey's imagination that is working overtime, especially as she becomes more wrought at every turn in the investigation.
I like Casey as a character. Like her conviction and her dedication to a story. it's fair to say that it almost becomes an obsession this time around, and there are times when her life really is under direct threat which keeps the tension and the pace of the story really high. There is a large amount of emotion, and perhaps resignation, on Casey's part which comes through in the narrative, but there is also that part of her that you know can't give up. She is a master at tracking down a story, no matter the costs, and this time, it really does come close to costing her everything. I may have guessed a couple of the small twists in the story but they were not enough to impact upon the big reveal towards the end of the book, The real reason that Casey has become mixed up in this latest case, and the real threat to everything she holds dear.
This is a compelling thriller. Intriguing enough to capture my attention right from the start, and with a broad array of characters. Although I have little interest in sport - pretty much at the heart of this story - the concept is very clever, and the possibilities had a really plausible feel. The author's own experience as a journalist lends this whole series a really authentic feel, and there are enough heart thumping moments to keep me very satisfied and racing through the pages. The ending satisfied completely, although it has made me wonder what next for Casey because there is no doubt she has been forced to confront demons from her past and some memories are hard to forget.
Fast, tense and packed with intrigue and action, if you love the series, you are going to love this one too. A brilliant addition and definitely recommended.
April 2, 2023
This book had me turning the pages and staying up late reading! It's rare to find a book that has your heart beating madly within the first 20 pages, but this one definitely did the trick. The story was unpredictable, fast-paced and felt well researched - I loved the fact that it covered a range of different themes and changed direction constantly. When I started reading, I didn't realise that this book is part of a series following the journalist Casey Benedict and while The End of the Game works perfectly as a standalone, I will definitely go back to look at Holly Watt's previous books. Highly recommend!
March 30, 2023
The End of the Game by Holly Watts is another in the Casey Benedict series of books. This storyline is even more explosive and complex than the others.
What starts as match fixing, moves onto gambling and murder and so much more. Casey and Miranda chase across countries from London to Budapest from snowy mountains to very glitzy Mediterranean resorts, all to find out who is the shadowy figure behind all these secret organisations collecting information.
A very complex story with very complicated characters, fascinating read.
Highly recommended
What starts as match fixing, moves onto gambling and murder and so much more. Casey and Miranda chase across countries from London to Budapest from snowy mountains to very glitzy Mediterranean resorts, all to find out who is the shadowy figure behind all these secret organisations collecting information.
A very complex story with very complicated characters, fascinating read.
Highly recommended
May 22, 2023
This is a stunning and fiersomely intelligent addition to Holly Watt's brilliant journalist Casey Benedict series, not only is it a cracking, fast paced thriller that will have you biting your nails, additionally we get great characters and a forensic examination of the gambling industry, on its terrifying implicatons for addicts and their families, and its effects on wider society. It paints an eye opening picture of what happens to your data, the algorithms generated, and the power and wealth it delivers into the hands of the few in our contemporary world. A grieving Casey is in recovery, haunted by previous events, and to aid the process she has been seconded to The Post's politics team. Invited by a former colleague to Ascot, she finds herself saving the life of a desperate man being chased across the racecourse.
This plunges her into her most dangerous and challenging investigation into match fixing, gambling, and it seems wherever she turns, she is confronted by murder after murder, although it takes some time before others at The Post, including Miranda, Hessa, and Dash begin to believe in her. In a narrative which has Casey travelling to Marbella, Budapest, Venice and Geneva, she is chasing the shadows of a ruthless and powerful figure and a exclusive that could cost her everything. However, nothing stops her, she is deploying techniques in geolocation and chronolocation, getting help from Russian Sergei Kiselov, as she races against time to prevent further killings, but there are manipulations, a betrayal and twists Casey does not see coming.
Watt does not sugarcoat the dark underbelly of journalism, the way it can destroy lives, something that Casey is herself guilty of, she is not always aware of all the facts or what happens to individuals when the media and the public move on. While Casey does feel guilt, she accepts this is the price of operating in her chosen field, she tries to do her best to ameliorate this, but she cannot avoid it. This is a gripping read which culminates in a thrilling finale in the icy mountains of Switzerland. If great thrillers are your thing, then I would strongly urge you to read this series! Highly recommended. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
This plunges her into her most dangerous and challenging investigation into match fixing, gambling, and it seems wherever she turns, she is confronted by murder after murder, although it takes some time before others at The Post, including Miranda, Hessa, and Dash begin to believe in her. In a narrative which has Casey travelling to Marbella, Budapest, Venice and Geneva, she is chasing the shadows of a ruthless and powerful figure and a exclusive that could cost her everything. However, nothing stops her, she is deploying techniques in geolocation and chronolocation, getting help from Russian Sergei Kiselov, as she races against time to prevent further killings, but there are manipulations, a betrayal and twists Casey does not see coming.
Watt does not sugarcoat the dark underbelly of journalism, the way it can destroy lives, something that Casey is herself guilty of, she is not always aware of all the facts or what happens to individuals when the media and the public move on. While Casey does feel guilt, she accepts this is the price of operating in her chosen field, she tries to do her best to ameliorate this, but she cannot avoid it. This is a gripping read which culminates in a thrilling finale in the icy mountains of Switzerland. If great thrillers are your thing, then I would strongly urge you to read this series! Highly recommended. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
January 22, 2023
4* The End of the Game is the 4th in Holly Watt’s fantastic series featuring Casey Benedict, investigative reporter. Each of the books would read equally well as a stand alone but the series is worth reading in it’s entirety.
A trip to the racing at Ascot inadvertently leads Casey into the murky world of gambling and match fixing. As Casey, Miranda and her colleagues from The Post delve further, they uncover an intricate plot involving hedge funds, murder and blackmail.
Holly Watt is a master of smart suspense and building a smart but pacey thriller. The story romps along and keeps the reader guessing throughout. The characters are fantastic and the investigative journalist angle lends a new angle to the genre.
Queen of crime fiction, Val McDermid, plucked Holly Watt’s first book in this series as a debut of the year in 2019. The End of the Game is her best yet.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury for an ARC.
A trip to the racing at Ascot inadvertently leads Casey into the murky world of gambling and match fixing. As Casey, Miranda and her colleagues from The Post delve further, they uncover an intricate plot involving hedge funds, murder and blackmail.
Holly Watt is a master of smart suspense and building a smart but pacey thriller. The story romps along and keeps the reader guessing throughout. The characters are fantastic and the investigative journalist angle lends a new angle to the genre.
Queen of crime fiction, Val McDermid, plucked Holly Watt’s first book in this series as a debut of the year in 2019. The End of the Game is her best yet.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury for an ARC.
December 4, 2023
Casey investigates gambling companies and an MP who is cheating on his expenses, and meets a former MP, now homeless, whose life she was partially responsible for ruining with a story about a conflict of interest. The writing was good and it opened with a really gripping scene set at Ascot, but I found the explanations of what the different companies were doing with the information they were obtaining by various (including nefarious) methods repetitive. I also found it complicated, which is perhaps why the author put the explanations in regularly. The parts where Casey reflected on the effects of her stories on both the person she exposes, but also innocent people who form part of the collateral damage, were interesting, and I liked Esther.
September 10, 2023
Investigative journalism can be a dangerous business as is evidenced in Holly Watts novels and this is no exception. Right out the gate Casey is in a spot of bother at the horse racing that opens up the world of match fixing in football. My intrigue here was high however it soon descended into daft unnecessary and confusing action.
What started out as sharp and engrossing writing, once the plot became more and more implausible the writing became cliched and patchy. Was a shame as very interesting in the first half and beyond silly in the second. Take, very much, of 2 halves.
What started out as sharp and engrossing writing, once the plot became more and more implausible the writing became cliched and patchy. Was a shame as very interesting in the first half and beyond silly in the second. Take, very much, of 2 halves.
June 19, 2023
This the fourth Casey Benedict novel I have read, and they just get better. Casey is one of the most intelligent, resourceful, ruthless and relentlessly human protagonists I know. The world she operates in is so depressingly credible, but it is presented in such a way as to make it fascinating, compelling, and terribly real. I highly recommend.
May 9, 2023
Casey Benedict is an investigative journalist who, quite by accident (?), finds herself investigating match fixing and betting irregularities. But who is setting up who and maybe she is the one being used! A complex, fast paced thriller which looks at the shadowy world of gambling. Brilliant!
May 21, 2023
This series just gets better and better. Holly Watt is an excellent writer and her journalist lead Casey Benedict is one tough and feisty heroine! The action is fast-paced, the characters well drawn and the plot engrossing. More please.
July 6, 2024
This was quite an exciting book, at times thoughtful and informative as well. I had never thought much ab gambling or hedge funds so I learned a bit.
At times the plot was too far fetched, even for a thriller.
This would make a fab film! I picture Jennifer Lawrence as Casey.....
At times the plot was too far fetched, even for a thriller.
This would make a fab film! I picture Jennifer Lawrence as Casey.....
April 14, 2024
Review to follow
July 22, 2024
Totally gripping and worth read
Read
February 17, 2025Not for me.
September 18, 2025
Vrij gecompliceerd boek over financiën, macht en moord.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews