A Game Most Foul

by Alison Gervais

A mystery about a teen writer determined to discover what happened to a missing classmate, who finds herself caught up with a pair of very familiar detectives named Watson and Holmes. All her awakening powers of observation will be put to the test as she finds that the thing she thought was holding her back just might be her greatest strength.

Attending the prestigious Ashford College’s writing seminar is a dream come true for Jules Montgomery, but the summer isn’t unfolding as she hoped. Navigating London with her gradual hearing loss is difficult, and hiding it from her classmates is a challenge. Even worse, she can’t seem to shake a case of writer’s block. When a fellow student goes missing, neither the police nor their teacher, Professor Watson, seem that concerned. Jules and her new friends Percy and Suruthi are determined to get to the bottom of the case and they’re not the strange man who frequents Jules’ aunt’s antique shop is eager to help—and his name is none other than Sherlock Holmes.

Now there are two mysteries to solve. What happened to their missing classmate? And how can it be that Watson and Holmes—two fictional characters from the Victorian era—are alive and well in the 21st century? The only way to find answers might lie in a quote from one of Watson’s old “You see, but you do not observe.” Jules may not be able to hear all that well, but without her hearing aids, she can certainly see more than the average person. And nothing about this is case is average.

Genres: Mystery, Young Adult, Audiobook, Contemporary, Mystery Thriller, Book Club, Thriller

352 pages, Hardcover

First published June 18, 2024

Reviews

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

***AUDIO BOOK VERSION***
A Game Most Foul is a fun YA mystery book with two characters in modern day times called Holmes and Watson slam dunk in the middle of it. We follow Jules, who's flown over from the states to attend a writing seminar at a prestigious college in London. Just after joining the course and making friends, one of them disappears, leaving her and her friends frantically trying to find out what's happened to her because the police and their teacher don't seem to be very concerned. Jules finds herself embroiled in two mysteries, struggling to navigate her hearing, which is declining daily, and complete her course when she's got a serious case of 'writers block'.
This was so fun to listen to on audio and perfect for YA to learn more about Sherlock Holmes and Watson and lead them on to possibly reading books about them stemming from reading this book. The narrator was easy to listen to and did a great job breathing life into each character.

[Esme · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book started out really strong but then the plot took a bit of a turn for the weird and not exactly in a good way. I do think the story would have been a bit better with a different outcome. I did like the whole Sherlock and Watson plot point but I wish there would have been a bigger focus on the mystery of it all... again with a different ending.

I did really appreciate the fact our main character had hearing aids and I loved how that part of the character was written and explored through the book.

I think it could be a really great book if it would have maybe had a bit more editing but I do think some people will love this story.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

[Lastblossom]

tl;dr
A relatable lead and an intriguing mystery, with the inclusion of Holmes and Watson somehow being the least interesting thing about this.

Thoughts
This is going to sound weird, but I loved everything about this book except Holmes and Watson. I knooow! But let's start at the beginning. Jules is a great lead - complex, smart, determined, and extremely human. Her struggles with herself, her writing, and her dreams were all very relatable. I also loved having an OwnVoices author talk about learning to live with hearing loss. Her friends are great, with contrasting personalities that both shine. Add to that some light romance, and you've got a very promising recipe. I'd be more than happy to watch the three of them solve mysteries forever. But that's not exactly what we get, because then we get Watson and Holmes, and an old mystery of theirs instead. Now don't get me wrong - I love Holmes and Watson, and I'll read any incarnation I can get my hands on. But I had invested a lot into the three young writers at the start, and I didn't enjoy seeing them take the back seat in a mystery they were already handling with a decent amount of competence. I really don't know how this could've been handled differently, but I do know that I was very eager for the kids to shine, and they didn't get as much screentime as I would have liked for them. I am saying this in the complimentary sense, dear author. I liked your characters, and they didn't need help. The mystery itself is serviceable. I didn't feel let down, but there weren't any huge surprises either. This book is marketed as being for Holmes fans, but it resonated with me much more as coming of age story about young writers.

Thanks to NetGalley and Blink for the advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun, twisty YA murder mystery that features a hard of hearing American teen girl in London for a summer writing semester where she makes new friends, falls in love and helps solve a decades old Sherlock Holmes mystery (plus the case of her missing fellow student).

With supernatural elements, great #ownvoices disability rep and excellent audio narration by Khristine Hvam. Highly recommended for those who enjoy something a little different and classic murder mystery authors like Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun supernatural mystery in which Homes and Watson are not only real people, but still alive in the 21st century.

I’m surprised to see this listed as a YA mystery, as it reads a lot more like Middle Reader, and is very age appropriate for a slightly younger audience. I enjoyed it as an adult reader too as a clever mystery and a fun spin on an updated Sherlock Holmes novel.

The backstory for why Holmes and Watson are still hanging about in 21st century London (or indeed, actually alive at all) is a bit clunky and probably could have been better-conceived and executed, but the story is fun enough that it doesn’t matter all that much, and their run-ins with the modern characters are enjoyable and clever.

As of now this appears to be a standalone, but the ending leaves the possibility of a sequel open. I hope it gets one.

*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

[Steff Fox · Rating 2 out of 5]

For any book that is taking a beloved IP and reworking it into something new, there are always bound to be a number of reasonably disappointed readers. It is, as they say, a hazard of doing business. All that said, there are often many who do it incredibly well, thus mitigating the quantity of those who will fall into that camp. As I started A Game Most Foul I had genuinely believed that this might be one of those sorts.

But, ugh! For a minute there, I was actually substantially impressed with Alison Gervais’ rework of our beloved Sherlock Holmes stories. But then that ending…

I get an odd sense that Gervais was somewhat influenced by the 2009 Sherlock Holmes film—which I loved, by the way—when she was writing this. The thing is, there are aspects of that film that worked really well largely due to the way in which it was presented. The fact that the film did not go too far in one direction, but rather left it somewhat up to interpretation with a slight leaning in both directions depending on how you looked at it, is why (at least, in my mind) the film was successful.

Gervais just jumps off the cliff of a single direction, leaving absolutely nothing to interpretation. I didn’t exactly hate this about the book since there had to be some sort of explanation and, up to that point, the characters were actually written fairly well.

But then there’s the mystery that began everything, a question to the fate of a classmate. Now, there’s usually much satisfaction in the answer to Sherlock Holmes’ mystery questions. We have a lot of fun trying to suss out what the answer will be and we genuinely enjoy being right or wrong when we do. Gervais’ book really didn’t leave much for us to guess at, unfortunately, which admittedly takes a lot of the fun out of it.

And, perhaps most unfortunate of all, the answer was awful. I was so painfully disappointed in the route Gervais went with this mystery. The big twist reveal at the end was monumentally disappointing and not at all in line with the source material she’s pulling from. Desperation may cause desperate acts, but even then I could not justify the choices she took with this book.

My dear Watson and Holmes, I am truly sorry.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Kate Willis · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a writer, Sherlock Holmes nerd, and Alison Gervais fan, this was one of my most anticipated reads this year, and it didn't disappoint! 🙌🙌

The meandering style took some getting used to at first, but I'm starting to think this was an intentional homage. Also, the plot came together at the end, like WOW. 😍

The characterization of Holmes and Watson was perfectly on-brand yet original feeling, and I especially enjoyed the deduction scenes. I really liked the writerly MC too, and the HOH rep was fantastic.

That twist though. I didn't see it coming at all, and I for one really liked it. 🤍

Without spoilers, there are multiple crimes in the story and a bit of the supernatural.

[✧ Beanie Reads ✧ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this audiobook edition of A Game Most Foul.

Can I say this was amazing? No. But did I enjoy it way more than I expected? Yes.

There was something just... really nice about this book? It's probably lower-end Young Adult, but it was just *nice* reading a book like that. It didn't want to be too angsty, too edgy, too play-the-line-of-NA. It was just a fun tale for teens to enjoy.

I can't say I'm the most knowledgeable on Sherlock and Holmes, but they were really fun in this book. The weight of living for so long had some interesting effects on them, and their bond was truly wholesome and sweet, even if they did beat on each other occasionally xD

The main cast, though a bit generic, were fun, and it was nice to see more Hard of Hearing representation (not that I have it, but always nice for any rep for various disabilities). All of the trio were writers, which also gave them points. I did wish there was more writer-y fun in this, but alas v_v We had a mystery to solve.

Speaking of mystery, it... fell short for me. It wasn't the absolute worst, but it was definitely a disappointment. There were so many fun things that could have been done, especially regarding the situation with Sherlock and Watson. I would have loved for there to be, well, just more to the situation. More of the supernatural, more of a tie in. As it was, the truth was just lack luster, and I was very blah about it even if, again, not the worst.

It was a very fun YA Mystery, though. I'd have enjoyed more of a series from this, but given the way it ended (though preferably more paranorml-y)... I do not foresee that coming xD

[Heather - Just Geeking By · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm normally pretty open when it comes to narrative voices, but this one pushed my buttons. Jules is an American student studying in London, and is written with a distinctly tourist voice. The author is also American, and I'm guessing has visited London at least once (they included an Oyster card), but that seems to be where their knowledge of London and England seems to end.

Something that particularly irked me was when the class introduces each other. The narrator goes into specific detail about where she is from in America, right down to the town name. There are six classmates, two of them are main characters and their introduction is provided in dialogue, while the other three secondary characters are summarised. One of the secondary characters is an American who grew up in Ontario.

The two main characters are English, and the other characters secondary characters are European (French and Belgian). What bothered me was none of them were introduced with as much geographical detail, and it didn't feel like it was just a character quirk. The English girl just says 'London', and as a Londoner I can tell you that most of us will at the very least say which part of London (i.e. North, South etc.) or give a borough name because London is HUGE. Likewise, the English boy says 'Kent', again, Kent is rather large.

There were other things as well that were irritating me, but I won't get into those. Generally, I think most readers will be fine with this, especially if they're from outside the UK. If you are British, and you're not a fan of tourists, you'll probably find the narrative voice quite annoying as well.

The disability representation does seem to be good from what I saw (I DNFed at the end of chapter 4).

[Maggie Carr · Rating 3 out of 5]

My favorite part of this book was the representation. Being a hearing aid user in my early 20s, it is rare to find authors willing to write characters that reflect me but Alison Gervais nailed it. I could relate to so much of how Jules convinced herself that she hadn't heard something important, or was overcome with tinnitus or dead hearing aid batteries.

This book reminded me a lot of Tuck Everlasting (Babbitt) crossed with Sherlock Holmes and Sir Watson in a modern day Ashford College Writing Seminar in London.

[Rowan Meklemburg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and honestly review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.

I would like to thank this book for demonstrating that I have indeed moved on from my YA phase. YA is what got me into reading years ago, and a lot of YA novels continue to be special to me, but this one won’t be one of them.

Not because it’s bad! This book was solidly fine. If you’re looking for something easy to read, a little Sherlock and Watson mystery brought into the modern day - you should enjoy this.

For me, the dialogue in this felt quite stilted, the plot felt… less like we were experiencing it through the characters, and more like the main character was slowly narrating each plot point to us. It was a lot of telling, very little showing.

The characters themselves were fine, but I didn’t grow attached to them at all, they didn’t feel like real people, just little archetypes.

Again, I think for a younger audience, this would be fun and engaging! If you’re still in your Young Adult era, if you love stuff like Enola Holmes, this might be right up your alley.

3⭐️

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Juliette goes to a summer writing seminar in London. One days while hanging out with a classmate. She vanishes. Juliette with the help of two of her other classmates work together to see if they can find the classmate. On the way they stumble upon a century long mystery..,,why is Sherlock Holmes and John Watson still walking around?

This book was cute, but didn’t fully keep my interest the full time. It definitely forced a romance that wasn’t really necessary on all the other plot lines they had going on.

I want to thank NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC of this book

[Lindsay Rankin]

I was interested in this book because I love mysteries and Sherlock Holmes. However I didn’t enjoy either aspect of the story. I’ve read other books by Blink publishing, and I love that they publish YA books that have clean romance and no swearing in them. I appreciate that this book met my expectations there, but I was very disappointed by the spiritualist/occult plot points that were in the book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I'm already familiar with the author, so I didn't read the book description and the book jacket until halfway through. The other book that I've read of Alison Gervais was realistic fiction, so when this one took a speculative fiction turn, I was very surprised. I felt as though the characters were well built and the plot kept me turning the pages till the end. And the ending surprised me. I will enjoy reading more from this author!

[Micaiah Boyea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for providing access to this audiobook in return for a review!
This was a bit of an odd book. I think it’s supposed to be YA and indeed, the characters are barely-adults, newly graduated from high school and about to start college. It makes kind of a big deal about this at the start of the book. But it is written in a very juvenile manner. The dialogue and the overall story are absolutely middle grade. This would likely not appeal to many teens/young adults past about 13/14. Perhaps it is meant to make middle graders “feel more grown up” reading about college kids, while retaining the cleanliness of a juvenile book? Moving on, the story was ok. Overall it was just kind of an ok book. The characters were a little flat, one dimensional, stuck in their stereotypes. But still likable. I don’t understand why a certain character did what he did and don’t think that was necessary. This was fantasy yes, but that bit went too far. It did keep me guessing because I never would have thought the author would have dipped to that level to solve the main mystery of the book. It was an interesting idea, but I don’t think it belonged in a juvenile book. If this could have been an adult book, very macabre, gothic, intense, more of a sophisticated thriller- then all of it could have worked out much better, in my opinion, and it would have been “worth” tainting the character of the character, if that makes sense. Trying not to spoil anything! Or, the simpler way to fix this book without a total rewrite since it is close to publish date or maybe already there, is to change the ages of the characters to be about 14. At least then the juvenile feel could be retained and not feel out of place.

[Marcia - itsabookthing2021 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed A Game Most Foul. I really liked the diverse characters and the disability representation. The main character being American in London I felt was depicted well, being from the UK myself I felt the other representations of characters were slightly lacking which I imagine is due to an American writing about a place they're not familiar with, I say this with no disrespect and I didn't particularly find it damaging to the storyline, I only mention it as the characters all introduce themselves and it's only the American character that has lots of detail about her.
Storyline wise I was gripped, I really liked how this story developed the twists and turns were somewhat surprising and I really enjoyed the mystery of it all. I thoroughly liked Watson and Holmes, I felt their storyline was really good, it was creative and unique.
The writing did capture me and I was eager to find out the ending, the pacing was well placed and the story flowed really well. I certainly would read more by Alison Gervais.

[BookishKarina · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A Game Most Foul" is a captivating mystery novel that seamlessly blends contemporary issues with classic detective intrigue. The story follows Jules Montgomery, a teen writer grappling with hearing loss and writer’s block, who attends a prestigious writing seminar at Ashford College in London. What starts as a promising summer quickly turns into an enthralling adventure when a fellow student mysteriously vanishes.

Navigating London presents a unique set of challenges for Jules, who is determined to keep her hearing loss hidden from her peers. Her struggle adds a layer of depth to her character, making her both relatable and inspiring. As she contends with her personal hurdles, Jules’s sharp observational skills become her greatest asset—echoing the famous Sherlockian principle, "You see, but you do not observe."

The novel takes an intriguing turn when Jules, along with her new friends Percy and Suruthi, decides to investigate the disappearance themselves. Their amateur sleuthing gains an unexpected ally in a peculiar man who frequents Jules’s aunt’s antique shop: none other than Sherlock Holmes himself. The presence of Holmes and his companion, Professor Watson, raises intriguing questions about their existence in the modern world, adding a layer of fantastical mystery to the plot.

Author cleverly interweaves the classic detective duo into the narrative, honoring their legacy while placing them in a fresh, contemporary context. The dynamic between the teen sleuths and the legendary detectives is both engaging and thought-provoking, providing readers with a sense of wonder and nostalgia.

As Jules delves deeper into the mystery, her ability to observe becomes pivotal. Her hearing loss, initially perceived as a hindrance, transforms into a unique strength that allows her to notice details others might miss. This aspect of the story is handled with sensitivity and insight, highlighting the theme that our perceived weaknesses can often be our greatest strengths.

"A Game Most Foul" is not just a mystery novel but also a tale of personal growth and resilience. Jules’s journey is one of self-discovery and empowerment, set against the backdrop of a cleverly crafted whodunit.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an audiobook arc of this book. This was just what I wanted and needed at the time. All thoughts are my own.

[Carrie Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

When I picked up A Game Most Foul by Alison Gervais, I was expecting a young adult mystery with a little bit of ‘magical realism’ thrown in (with the Holmes & Watson angle) and a dash of romance. And I got all of those things – and enjoyed them. But this book also took a direction I was NOT expecting, a couple of twists that kept me locked into the story, my mind whirring as I tried to put the pieces together. I’m still mulling over these twists, to be honest, and -while I’m not completely sure how I feel about them yet – I can’t argue the fact that the author’s clever plotting here definitely got my attention and kept it.

When we meet her, our main protagonist Jules (short for Juliet) is excited and nervous about the very exclusive writing intensive for teens that she’s been admitted to in London over the summer. I immediately liked Jules’ personality and the various layers to her character, from how she navigates being hard-of-hearing in the awkward world of adolescence to her exploration of what her love of writing will look like long term, and her low-key attraction to one of her classmates (Percy). I also think that teen readers who are standing on the threshold between adolescence and adulthood, weighing their options and trying to find purpose, like Jules is will find her infinitely relatable. Two of her classmates in the writing seminar – Percy and Suruthi add vibrancy and humor to the mix (though I would have liked to see some deeper layers to each of them beyond the archetypes they represent), and the three of them make a formidable team. Especially when one of their classmates disappears and they realize just exactly who their writing professor and his oddball friend really are. That’s when you need to buckle up because the tone of the book and the direction of the plot shifts into something much more than a ‘simple’ missing persons case from here on out.

Bottom Line: A Game Most Foul by Alison Gervais is an incarnation of Holmes and Watson like you’ve never seen before, a bit of the paranormal wrapped in mystery with a couple of stunning twists. The trio of Jules, Percy, and Sularthi are easy to picture – and easy to love – as teenagers who become fast friends who are drafted into service as amateur sleuths with the mysterious disappearance of their classmate. This is mostly a light and entertaining read that doesn’t require a lot of emotional investment or mental energy (and I mean that as a compliment) until those twists hit and then you’ll sit up and engage with the story on a whole other level. And while I wasn’t entirely satisfied with the ending, I would definitely read a sequel to see if a couple of loose ends (in my opinion) are tied up and explored further.

Reviewer’s Note: Followers of my reviews may want to be aware that there are some infrequent uses of God’s name as an exclamation in this book.

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

first reviewed at https://readingismysuperpower.org/2024/06/27/book-review-a-game-most-foul-by-alison-gervais/

[Nicole Austin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Blink for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"A Game Most Foul" by Alison Gervais brings together elements of magical realism and mystery into a very unique and engaging story. The book follows Jules Montgomery, a hard of hearing teen writer attending a prestigious writing seminar at Ashford College in London. If you are a fan of Sherlock Holmes, specifically in different interpretations of Sherlock (like if you ever wondered how Holmes would act in the modern era), you will definitely enjoy this book.

The characters, particularly Jules, are a highlight of the book. Jules' perspective offers a unique insight into the Deaf and Hard of Hearing culture, providing readers with an honest portrayal that is both authentic and refreshing. I really like how the book focuses on Jules coming to terms with her hearing loss and how she begins to accept it, like how she stops hiding her disability and acknowledges that being hard of hearing is who she is now. I thought the side characters acted like authentic teenagers, though I wish they had more development rather than Holmes analyzing them without the readers or the characters themselves acknowledging their faults or learning to grow from them. There was a member of the writing seminar that was technically a part of the seminar until the very end, but he hardly ever showed up and had zero importance to the plot; I feel like he should have either been removed altogether or given more importance. The romance in the book was sweet as it progressed in a natural way; the romance itself felt a little young, which fit with the book and the writing style. I also like how the romance didn’t overwhelm the actual plot, which can sometimes be an issue with YA mystery books.

The most interesting part of the book was the inclusion of Holmes and Watson, which added depth to the story, keeping it from being a standard mystery. There were references to classic Sherlock Holmes stories throughout, so if you are familiar with Holmes, you will definitely enjoy those connections. The plot is so unique with Sherlock and Holmes living in the modern era, but I wish that their backstory had more development. Jules didn’t actually do a lot of discovering on her own; a lot of the information was just handed to you. There was a lot of “tell” instead of “show” with the plot, especially with the overall mystery of the missing girl that is resolved at the end of the book. This kept the mystery from being super engaging to me since it didn’t require much guess-work from the reader as the information is just handed to you.

Still, I think this book holds appeal for fans of mysteries and Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts, particularly those interested in exploring a fresh perspective on familiar characters. I did enjoy the characterization of both Sherlock and Holmes in the book; I just wish there were a bit more characterization as well as more development of the mystery. I would rate this book a 3.5 out of 5.

[Hailey]

What I Liked:

- The tidbits about Oxford were fun. I didn't know about the Narnia door until I read A Game Most Foul.

- Jules, Percy, and Suruthi were fun characters and well-developed. Gervais balanced Jules's hearing loss well with her character, making it a part of her but not all of her character (if that makes sense). Suruthi's character, while a little over the top, felt realistic, which can be a tricky thing to do with a personality as bold as hers.

- For the most part, I felt that Gervais's versions of Holmes and Watson felt fairy in line with Doyle's original characters.



What I Struggled With:

- The side characters were pretty flat. I honestly forgot about one of the students in the writing seminar until he popped up again. While I understand needing to populate the story, I think the side characters either should have been further developed or cut. They don't add anything really to the novel as they currently are.

- There were a couple times were the interactions between Holmes and Watson felt weird and childish. It's been a while since I've read the original novels, but those instances felt inaccurate with Doyle's characters, and how Gervais's versions acted most of the time.

- This is a little nitpicky. but Jules's jetlag didn't feel realistic. I've traveled overseas several times and never had minimal jetlag like Jules did. Maybe Gervais and I have simply had different experiences with jetlag, but that initial feeling of inauthenticity did pull me out of the novel a tad.

- The prologue felt clunky, and I think you could skip it without missing anything. Because of the back cover copy, the reader is already clued into the fact that Holmes and Watson are alive in the modern era. However, in the prologue, Gervais never refers to Watson by name, though it's clear that he's the POV character, rather calling him "the man." It led to clunky writing.

- Some of the key revelations in the book relied on telling, rather than showing. As a result, it felt like Jules and her friends didn't do much to solve the mystery, but were rather given the information.


- I didn't like how the mystery was solved. It might be simply because I like the original Watson character, but it left me feeling a little betrayed. I also am not a fan of spiritualism, the occult, etc., so I didn't enjoy those elements being added.



Overall:

While I still like the premise for A Game Most Foul, the book itself is unfortunately not for me because of some "bumps" in the writing and how the mystery was resolved. However, I do think several of my dislikes came down to personal preference, so A Game Most Foul might be a great read for you.


Cautions: seven instances of coarser language; two instances of British swearing; two kisses; light-moderate romance; mentions of the occult and seances; Watson and Holmes's immortality is caused by some sort of spiritual interference

(I received an eARC through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)

[No Apology Book Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much thanks to Alison Gervais, Blink YA Books, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to a free eaudio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Jules goes to London for a writer's workshop and finds out her professor is THE Dr. John Watson. But how? And who is locked in the professor's office binge-watching sitcoms? One of her classmates has gone missing, and Jules and her new friends Percy and Suruthi try to investigate.....but they could use some help.

I adored this book, save for how it ended. It was written with charm and energy, with a steady pace that kept things moving but also gave you time to absorb information. The mystery and intrigue hooked me.

I loved Jules as the lead. Relatable, down-to-earth, girl-next-door. I love when characters are hearing impaired, I find it so fascinating. Percy and Suruthi were decent secondaries, but I'm afraid I didn't find them as endearing as Jules. Percy was bland and dorky and awkward, but not in an endearing way, more like I wince every time he opens his mouth. Suruthi brought the energy, but again, she just struck me wrong. A bit pushy, a bit forward. Unfortunately I felt no chemistry between Percy and Jules; I could see his shy little crush on her, but her interest in him felt more like pity. Their kisses felt cringy and forced, their relationship trite.

As for Holmes and Watson, I liked Gervais's portrayal of them. What I didn't like is how they took over the narrative. It became their story. The worst part? It was very half-assed. They found most information in Watson's journals and made assumptions. I don't remember them hunting down Ashley and demanding answers. I don't remember them finding many answers about Ashley in general. They just wanted to know how to end their stasis and were willing to cut corners to do it. Holmes, not obsess about the whys and hows? Hmm...

They didn't conclude the writer's workshop. We didn't learn if they completed their manuscripts and if they were any good. It's suggested that Jules got over her writer's block, but we don't actually know if she was able to successfully write again. We get almost no conclusion to her story.

And that epilogue. Really? You want the reader's last impression to be that the decayed corpses of the beloved detective duo were found by a stranger because a neighbor complained about the smell? Not a whole lot of dignity in that. I just found it so bizarre that that was how the author killed them. We're to believe they're dead, anyway.

Overall, I loved the promise of this book---the premise, too---but I was left with a bitter taste. Holmes and Watson's plight took over and the investigation into them was underwhelming.

[Cheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The twist was not one I saw coming but it was also not a likeable one, for sure.
The fact it centers around kids attending a creative writing seminar was really fun for me. I enjoyed the characters very much. I enjoyed the settings the author had us in and I liked the world my mind drew up for it.
There are a couple of twists in this book, one I do not think will ruin anything by saying that Sherlock Holmes and John Watson are main characters. Like actually still alive and living in modern day main characters! It was an interesting and inventive twist on story telling I thought. I loved it. The explanation of how they are still living comes close to the end so don't expect to understand everything right away.
The twist I won't talk about it is one I kind of wish didn't happen. I am guessing though it was the only way (maybe) to get Holmes and Watson where they "should" be. Not sure that was the author's objective but the twist is kind of disheartening for a literary character held so dear to everyone. I think there are many people who think of Watson as the real glue--for lack of a better term--behind all of the literary tales and the end of this mystery brings Watson down, tragically.
I enjoyed how the mystery of the missing student and the mystery Holmes and Watson were working on right before they died ending up being tied together.
This was a great read and I think would be a great addition to high school, even middle school, reading lists. I read a lot of YA as I have a high school student. When I review books I include info about language, sexual situations, etc in books. This book has no language and no sex. There is hints of drug use, I think. I really didn't quite understand fully what the author was trying to hint at but I think it had to do with drug use with regard to Holmes. Why would Holmes use drugs? He was over a century old and bored and possibly having effects of dementia and deterioration just because of their situation.
I was pleasantly surprised to find this book division (publisher) seems to be affiliated with Zondervan. Books don't need language, drug use, sex, and all of the rest in order to be really good and this is a prime example. Kids have issues. We all do. Taking on Jules' issue of hearing loss was confronted in this and I think it was handled well and it brought a little insight too into how she felt even though her hearing loss was "fixed" with hearing aids.
I would highly recommend and actually will do so and see if this book can make it on to the Florida Teens Read list for next year.

[Betty · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Blink YA Books for providing me with an audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review.

A Game Most Foul by Alison Gervais follows Jules, a recently-graduated American girl who uses hearing aids, as she travels to England to attend a writing seminar. When she arrives, she makes friends with some of her writing cohort, and they learn that their writing professor is THE Watson of the Sherlock Holmes and Watson fictional fame, lost in time and seemingly immortal. Once their classmate goes missing, the friends ask for the help of Sherlock Holmes himself to investigate the case of their missing classmate.

Unfortunately, this one holistically did not work for me. I'll start with the things I did enjoy:
The audiobook was produced well, and I enjoyed the narrator and the way the story was told. Additionally, I appreciated the inclusion of Jules's hearing loss into the story, and I believe it was integrated well and an accurate portrayal of disability representation. I didn't mind the three main teenage characters, and they were all written with a distinct voice.

The things that didn't work for me:
The tone of this story makes it difficult to recommend professionally. The beginning of the book reads as a pretty generic, slightly younger YA mystery, and then gets a lot darker and twisted at the end of the book. Therefore, the readers who would appreciate and be reading books that go along with the ending probably wouldn't get through the beginning half of the book, and readers who would enjoy the beginning half would probably dislike the ending.
The narrative also became slightly disjointed for me, with certain plot points leading nowhere. With the inclusion of so many characters in the writing seminar, it seemed odd that a lot of them just fade off into the background when the main mystery plot gets going. I also found the characterization of Holmes and Watson to be disjointed in the way the author portrayed them within the story (outside of any original source material), where their personalities would change wildly from one chapter to the next.

I didn't love the ending and the conclusion to the mystery, but that is a subjective opinion. However, overall I would find it difficult to recommend this book due to the disjointed nature of the narrative, and for discrepancies within plot and characterization within the book, although I appreciated the disability representation.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Blink YA Books, Blackstone Publishing, Alison Gervais, and Khristine Hvam (audio narrator) for the opportunity to read and listen to the audiobook of A Game Most Foul in exchange for an honest review.

The story follows Jules, a creative writer attending a summer writing seminar at Ashford College in England. One aspect of characterization I really appreciate is her use of a hearing aide, which adds a nice feature of diversity. The hearing loss is recent, and Jules doesn't seem comfortable sharing that as a part of herself just yet, so she does try to hide it from her seminar classmates. She was really hoping the seminar would help her with her dream novel, but even seminar's may not have the power to end writer's block.

When a newfound friend and classmate goes missing when visiting a door that inspires C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia, no one seems concerned. People do what they want, right? but the weird thing is that she was RIGHT next to Jules and suddenly...gone without a trace. Jules and two of her other newfound friends/classmates find the disappearance to be worth looking into, even if the police and Professor Watson don't find the disappearance to be anything out of the ordinary.

Jules, Percy, and Suruthi find themselves joined by a man who frequents her aunt's antique shop, by no other name than Sherlock Holmes! Of course, Holmes is perfect for mystery solving, but what's more, how is it that centuries-old fictional characters are making an appearance? Now Jules has two mysteries to solve, and she hopes she can find her friend in time.

This is a fun mystery novel with a twist on the characters of Holmes and Watson being alive and real (you'll just have to read for yourself to determine how this works). Sherlock Holmes fans will certainly appreciate what is going on with the characters and events in this novel. It is also a perfect mystery for a contemporary audience. Teen and new adult readers, as well as aspiring writers, will get thorough enjoyment out of this fun stand-alone mystery!

[Shaina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Alison Gervais for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for A Game Most Foul coming out June 18, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Attending the prestigious Ashford College’s writing seminar is a dream come true for Jules Montgomery, but the summer isn’t unfolding as she hoped. Navigating London with her recent hearing loss is difficult, and hiding it from her classmates is a challenge. Even worse, she can’t seem to shake a case of writer’s block. When a fellow student goes missing, neither the police nor their teacher, Professor Watson, seem that concerned. Jules and her new friends Percy and Suruthi are determined to get to the bottom of the case and they’re not alone: the strange man who frequents Jules’ aunt’s antique shop is eager to help—and his name is none other than Sherlock Holmes.

Now there are two mysteries to solve. What happened to their missing classmate? And how can it be that Watson and Holmes—two fictional characters from the Victorian era—are alive and well in the 21st century? The only way to find answers might lie in a quote from one of Watson’s old stories: “You see, but you do not observe.” Jules may not be able to hear all that well, but without her hearing aids, she can certainly see more than the average person. And nothing about this is case is average.

I really wanted to love this book. I love books set in England and anything Sherlock Holmes. I thought the hard of hearing main character brought good representation. I thought the set up sounded really good on paper, but the execution wasn’t my favorite. I thought the story was doing a little too much all at once. If it was just a story about Holmes and Watson living in modern day, then I probably would’ve loved that more. But then the first half of the story felt different than the second half. I was slightly confused by the ending. I would check out other books by this author.

[Corinne’s Chapter Chatter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Blink YA Books for the audio ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.

This book is what you get when Sherlock Holmes and Scooby Doo have a baby. I am reviewing the Audiobook specifically but there isn’t much to say. The narrator was Fine. He natural narration voice was enjoyable but when she did other characters it became cartoonish which just added to the Scooby Doo aspect. It takes place in England, which you only remember when the brief mentions of the location are explained such as “going up in the lift.”

A couple of characters are done with a British accent which unfortunately is not very realistic especially when certain words come out like a New Yorker. However, it doesn’t take away from the story. I appreciate that she doesn’t go overboard and reads the books instead of performing it.

For the book itself, the characters are college students but you forget that as they read like younger teenagers. This is definitely a book for the younger YA audience.

I did enjoy the historical mentions through Holmes and Watson. But the book wasn’t a mystery. It felt more like it was a lecture or recounting rather than the characters going through the adventure.

Over all the book was cute. It didn’t come as a surprise because of the cover of the book. The look of it screams that it is a juvenile story.

So for your younger readers, this is a cute story and an entry point into Holmes and Watson.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

[Jessica Higgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aww, this one was such a fun read! I loved the entire story and think mystery lovers will as well!

Jules Montgomery is having a dream come true by attending the Ashford College writing seminar in London. After she arrives, she finds her aunt who she is staying with. Her dream turns out to be a little scary when she must learn to navigate a new city and is dealing with recent hearing loss that she would prefer to keep secret from her new classmates. Now that she is at the seminar, she can’t think of a single thing to write about. When the class is out and about on a field trip one of the students goes missing and Jules along with her new friends, Percy and Suruthi have a new mystery to solve. Along with searching for their missing classmate, they are trying to figure out their odd Professor Watson and a strange man who keeps coming to her aunt’s antique shop who goes by the name Sherlock Holmes. With more than one mystery afoot and time running out, the new friends will have to work fast to solve this case that spans more than a century.

I love picking up a clean, fun young adult book that I can confidently pass down to my kids without worrying about any of the content. Alison Gervais has done a fantastic job with A Game Most Foul, a fun mystery with lots of twists and turns and great inclusive characters. The way she included the hearing loss Jules deals with and her hearing aid will be a great thing for readers dealing with that or similar issues to see a character in a fun book learning to deal with that. The mystery with Sherlock and Watson was so fun and well played out. This book had a great mystery to it and it was all clean without language, sex or dark violence and gore that was so fun to read and refreshing. I would recommend this book to young readers that want a mystery and parents wanting a good clean book for them to enjoy.

[Sapir_library ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Short Synopsis
A teen writer is determined to discover what happened to a missing classmate. She teams up with detectives Watson and Holmes to crack the case. Attending a prestigious writing seminar in London, Jules faces challenges with her hearing loss. When their teacher and the police show little concern about the missing student, Jules and her friends take matters into their own hands. As they unravel the mystery, they encounter a man who claims to be Sherlock Holmes. Now, they need to find their missing classmate and figure out how these fictional characters are alive and well in the 21st century. Despite her hearing impairment, Jules may have the observational skills needed to solve this extraordinary case.

My Thoughts
I recently requested an audiobook ARC because I found the synopsis intriguing, but I felt it was lacking. I have realized that I am not a fan of YA or middle-grade mystery thrillers, and I think this book should be categorized more as middle-grade than YA. The main character, Jules, is a recent high school graduate attending a writing seminar before college and has a hearing impairment using hearing aids. Seeing this representation in a YA book was excellent, as it's not something I often come across.
I was not a massive fan of how the mysteries were handled in the book. They were mainly solved off-page by Percy, making it hard for me as a reader to speculate on the mysteries since there weren't many on-page clues to put together. Despite this, I enjoyed the narration of the audiobook by Khristine Hvam, who had a distinct voice for each character.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an audiobook ARC of this book. My thoughts are my own.

[BooksThrillJessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Juliet Montgomery is headed to London, as she has just been accepted to attend a writing seminar taught by Professor Watson. Navigating a new city let alone a new country is hard for Juliet, but she is determined to make the best out of this experience. Luckily, Juliet has family to stay with and soon befriends the other students in her class. Juliet has a small secret though, she has hearing loss which requires her to wear hearing aids.
Things soon take a sudden twist when the class takes a trip that ends up with one of them missing. Things seem to go from bad to worse when the cops do not take the students seriously suggesting that maybe Ashley ran away. Juliet cannot stop blaming herself since she was the last to see Ashley and was unable to hear what happened. Determined to find her new friend, she teams up with Percy and Suruthi to find what exactly happened to Ashley. They soon find out more than they were prepared for with the help of Professor Watson and his mysterious friend….Holmes.

I loved how this book gave a voice to the Hearing Loss community. I have a son who has HL and appreciated how Gervais makes the reader aware of the daily struggles that someone who is hard of hearing struggles with hearing aids and the world around them. I liked the modern take on a Holmes and Watson investigation but led by college students who band together quickly even through their differences. I however did find the concept of Holmes and Watson a little hard to grasp. Maybe if we had more of a POV from Ashley to explain more of the plot it would have helped.
*Thank you to Alison Gervais, Blink YA Books, and Netgalley for the audio copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

[Verena · Rating 3 out of 5]

"A Game Most Foul" takes place in London, where Jules Montgomery attends a summer writing course led by Prof. Watson. During an outing to Oxford, one of her classmates disappeares while exploring the city with Jules. Jules and her new friends Percy and Suruthi start their own investigation and when they discover no other than THE Sherlock Holmes in Prof. Watson's office, they enlist his help. But how is it possible, that Holmes and Watson are still alive, over 150 years after their original stories took place?

I received a complimentary download of this audio book via Netgalley and really enjoyed the narration. Khristine Hvam's voice fits Jules and the accents were well done.

While the story starts somewhat slow, I got hooked about 20% in and listened to most of the book in one sitting. The two mysteries had me intrigued and I have to admit, I wouldn't have guessed the solution to the missing person's case. I liked the squabbling between Percy, Suruthi and Jules, it felt very real. The book reads decidedly YA, maybe even middle grade, so beware if this is not your cup of tea.

I really love Sherlock Holmes and Sherlock Holmes inspired stories, but sadly, this could have been better. Holmes and Watson are very OOC at moments, and their story lost me around the 75% mark when it took an esoteric turn, I didn't expect and didn't enjoy. Up until this point I would have given the book 3.5 stars.

All in all this story had much potential but didn't feel fleshed out enough at points, the end fell somewhat flat and left questions unanswered. I really enjoyed the chapter titels and the epilogue was very well done.

2.75 stars