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The Game Is Murder
In this fresh and immersive murder mystery that riffs on crime classics, the reader is put in the role of the Great Detective, reinvestigating an infamous never-before-solved case from 1970s England.
You are invited to a very special murder mystery party. The game is simple: Listen to the witnesses. Examine the evidence. Solve the case. Be careful. Trust no one. All might not be as it seems.
If you agree to play the role of the Great Detective, you must undertake to provide a complete solution to the case. A verdict is not enough. We need to know who did it, how they did it, and why. Are you ready? Can you solve the ultimate murder mystery—and catch a killer?
A word of warning: Unsolved mysteries are not permitted. . . .
You are invited to a very special murder mystery party. The game is simple: Listen to the witnesses. Examine the evidence. Solve the case. Be careful. Trust no one. All might not be as it seems.
If you agree to play the role of the Great Detective, you must undertake to provide a complete solution to the case. A verdict is not enough. We need to know who did it, how they did it, and why. Are you ready? Can you solve the ultimate murder mystery—and catch a killer?
A word of warning: Unsolved mysteries are not permitted. . . .
454 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 29, 2025
218 people are currently reading
16176 people want to read
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June 9, 2025If I had to give this a rating, I'd say 3 or 3.5 stars, but honestly, this feels more like a puzzle in the way of "Cain's Jawbone" versus an experimental mystery novel, so I'm not going to rate on GR. I'd if you're looking for a novel-esque mystery puzzle game, this is for you. If you're looking for a metatextual mystery novel, this may not hit
June 18, 2025
Thanks netgalley & berkley publishing for the chance to read and review.
Silly & quirky, however, it took too long to get to the point. Things were over explained and I was dying to get to the end. I actually had a headache at one point because everything was so convoluted. Breaks the 4th wall and I felt like I was arguing with myself, the characters and the author, which was confusing at times.
Unique concept and I've never read anything like it before. So, I'll give it that.
Act 1: Interesting, never before read anything like it. Ends with a twist.
Act 2: More evidence and evaluation, but now the MC has a name and it isn't you.
Act 3: Confusing, repetitive. Needs revised & cut down to like 3 chapters for the reveal. I got bored and it was no longer silly & quirky. It was too much.
it was not a fun reading experience.
Silly & quirky, however, it took too long to get to the point. Things were over explained and I was dying to get to the end. I actually had a headache at one point because everything was so convoluted. Breaks the 4th wall and I felt like I was arguing with myself, the characters and the author, which was confusing at times.
Unique concept and I've never read anything like it before. So, I'll give it that.
Act 1: Interesting, never before read anything like it. Ends with a twist.
Act 2: More evidence and evaluation, but now the MC has a name and it isn't you.
Act 3: Confusing, repetitive. Needs revised & cut down to like 3 chapters for the reveal. I got bored and it was no longer silly & quirky. It was too much.
it was not a fun reading experience.
August 12, 2025
"OOoooHHh look at meee! The Author is a character! The Reader is a character! This Character is actually TWO guys! Or is HEeeEe?! Does it even matter!?! OOOooohhhHH MYSTERY!"
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 21, 2025
Described by the publisher as a murder mystery in which the reader ‘plays the role of the Great Detective’, The Game is Murder sounded fun. I expected an interactive Choose Your Own Adventure style book like Max Nightingale’s Murder in Tinseltown (although hopefully better executed than that book, which didn’t quite work). It turned out to be nothing like that, but something very different.
The novel is written in the second person with an unnamed narrator – presumably the author – directly addressing you, the reader, and positioning you as a character in the story. It begins with you arriving for a murder mystery party at the London home of David Verreman and his brother Daniel:
The lights are on at 8 Broad Way. The steps have been swept and the brass door-knocker has been polished. For this is an occasion. Walk up the steps and tap lightly open the door. They are expecting you.
Before you take your seat at the dinner table, David addresses you and the other guests, explaining the purpose of the party. You’re gathered here tonight to attempt to solve an historic crime involving the Verreman family – one evening in 1974, a servant was found murdered in the basement of the family home. Everything points to the killer being Lord Verreman, David and Daniel’s father, who was believed to have mistaken the woman for his wife. Lord Verreman fled before he could be arrested and the crime has remained unsolved ever since. Your fellow guests include suspects, witnesses and medical experts; your task as the Great Detective is to listen to their evidence and try to solve the mystery.
This may sound straightforward enough so far, but you quickly discover that the author is playing games with you and nothing is really as it seems. Without wanting to spoil too much, the direction of the story changes several times and so does your role in it. This is not the sort of book you can really become immersed in as it’s impossible to forget that you are, in fact, reading a book and are being manipulated by the reader/narrator into believing or not believing certain things. It’s something people will either enjoy or they won’t and I’m sure it’s a book that’s going to massively divide opinion!
There are lots of nice little touches, such as quotes from classic mystery novels at the start of each chapter, a ‘contract’ between author and reader laying out the rules of the investigation and some games and quizzes (which I suppose form the interactive element of the book). However, there were other things I just found irritating, such as naming characters after real crime authors: Wilkie Collins, Gaston Leroux etc. And there’s no real opportunity for the reader to actually direct the course of the investigation or solve the crime for themselves, which is the impression I’d been given by the blurb (and why I was hoping for more of a choose-your-own-adventure structure).
The mystery itself is interesting, with several suspects and lots of clues, alibis and red herrings. Because it’s a crime that has already taken place, though, we only see it unfold through the statements and testimonies of the people involved, which means things become quite repetitive in the middle as we hear the same incidents described by several different characters. Overall, I found the book entertaining in places, but too ambitious and not really what I’d expected or wanted. I think other readers will love it!
The novel is written in the second person with an unnamed narrator – presumably the author – directly addressing you, the reader, and positioning you as a character in the story. It begins with you arriving for a murder mystery party at the London home of David Verreman and his brother Daniel:
The lights are on at 8 Broad Way. The steps have been swept and the brass door-knocker has been polished. For this is an occasion. Walk up the steps and tap lightly open the door. They are expecting you.
Before you take your seat at the dinner table, David addresses you and the other guests, explaining the purpose of the party. You’re gathered here tonight to attempt to solve an historic crime involving the Verreman family – one evening in 1974, a servant was found murdered in the basement of the family home. Everything points to the killer being Lord Verreman, David and Daniel’s father, who was believed to have mistaken the woman for his wife. Lord Verreman fled before he could be arrested and the crime has remained unsolved ever since. Your fellow guests include suspects, witnesses and medical experts; your task as the Great Detective is to listen to their evidence and try to solve the mystery.
This may sound straightforward enough so far, but you quickly discover that the author is playing games with you and nothing is really as it seems. Without wanting to spoil too much, the direction of the story changes several times and so does your role in it. This is not the sort of book you can really become immersed in as it’s impossible to forget that you are, in fact, reading a book and are being manipulated by the reader/narrator into believing or not believing certain things. It’s something people will either enjoy or they won’t and I’m sure it’s a book that’s going to massively divide opinion!
There are lots of nice little touches, such as quotes from classic mystery novels at the start of each chapter, a ‘contract’ between author and reader laying out the rules of the investigation and some games and quizzes (which I suppose form the interactive element of the book). However, there were other things I just found irritating, such as naming characters after real crime authors: Wilkie Collins, Gaston Leroux etc. And there’s no real opportunity for the reader to actually direct the course of the investigation or solve the crime for themselves, which is the impression I’d been given by the blurb (and why I was hoping for more of a choose-your-own-adventure structure).
The mystery itself is interesting, with several suspects and lots of clues, alibis and red herrings. Because it’s a crime that has already taken place, though, we only see it unfold through the statements and testimonies of the people involved, which means things become quite repetitive in the middle as we hear the same incidents described by several different characters. Overall, I found the book entertaining in places, but too ambitious and not really what I’d expected or wanted. I think other readers will love it!
Want to read
March 14, 2025ARC received! Thank you, Berkley!!
I don't know what to expect with this one. The synopsis is so intriguing. I'm really excited to check it out, but also a little nervous. Fingers crossed it goes well! LOL
I don't know what to expect with this one. The synopsis is so intriguing. I'm really excited to check it out, but also a little nervous. Fingers crossed it goes well! LOL
March 23, 2025
ARC for review. To be published July 29, 2025.
3 stars
In this book you, the reader, are the Great Detective, reinvestigating a never-solved case from England in the 1970s. Your job? To determine who, how and why.
So, this was…..different. A bit meta. It was just OK for me. I think some people will like it, others will think it’s a bit too precious. I honestly don’t have any strong feelings one way or the other. The clues to figure out the “who” are there, even though I didn’t put them together.
3 stars
In this book you, the reader, are the Great Detective, reinvestigating a never-solved case from England in the 1970s. Your job? To determine who, how and why.
So, this was…..different. A bit meta. It was just OK for me. I think some people will like it, others will think it’s a bit too precious. I honestly don’t have any strong feelings one way or the other. The clues to figure out the “who” are there, even though I didn’t put them together.
September 4, 2025
I see this has gotten a rather low goodreads score and want to recommend the audiobook at elevated speed, the narration is really well done. I found it funny and fairly satisfying at the end.
April 26, 2025
Not a bad novel, quirky and fun but way too long
July 18, 2025
Thanks Netgalley for providing a copy to review. My opinions are my own.
I tried. I really tried to get through this book. But at the end of the day I was dreading picking this up again and genuinely falling asleep at most of my attempts.
I was intrigued by the premise and that I would be part of the book and solving the murder that has been reopened by the son who doesn’t believe his father has committed it, but I think I expected something a bit more dynamic than effectively 20% of the start of the book information dumping onto me, barely any character development or personalities shown on the page, and just an incredibly boring repetitive read.
It’s such a shame I have to put this book down before I finish it, because the idea behind it had so much promise, but it just really wasn’t for me. It’s still really unique though and I applaud the author for attempting something so far outside the box.
I wish them luck in their future books, and might give another a go, who knows.
I tried. I really tried to get through this book. But at the end of the day I was dreading picking this up again and genuinely falling asleep at most of my attempts.
I was intrigued by the premise and that I would be part of the book and solving the murder that has been reopened by the son who doesn’t believe his father has committed it, but I think I expected something a bit more dynamic than effectively 20% of the start of the book information dumping onto me, barely any character development or personalities shown on the page, and just an incredibly boring repetitive read.
It’s such a shame I have to put this book down before I finish it, because the idea behind it had so much promise, but it just really wasn’t for me. It’s still really unique though and I applaud the author for attempting something so far outside the box.
I wish them luck in their future books, and might give another a go, who knows.
July 18, 2025
I wanted to like this one but I found that it was needlessly wordy at some points and took far too long to get to the thick of the plot by which time I had long lost interest. Going into this I was excited about a unique reading experience and joust found myself forcing to plod through. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
September 18, 2025
It was really intriguing in the beginning, and they really do give you everything you need to know to solve the case. But the incessant breaking of the 4th wall!!!! It got really old really fast!!! Just let me read and solve the damn mystery!!! Aaaannnnd!!!!!!! All the spoilers of popular mystery books, so many spoilers for so many books!!! Why the hell would you do that, even if the books are old?!!! It does not make you on par with those authors!!!!! I change my mind, one star.
August 18, 2025
***Advance review copy received from NetGalley in return for an honest review***
The Game Is Murder is built on an ambitious concept—inviting the reader to become “The Great Detective” and solve an old murder—but unfortunately, the execution just doesn’t deliver.
The book is slow, self-conscious, and far too pleased with its own cleverness. The characters feel flat and distant, making it hard to invest in the mystery or care about the outcome. There’s a lot of telling rather than showing, and the narrative voice is more interested in being meta than being engaging. At almost 500 pages, it drags considerably—bogged down by repeated exposition, theatrical flourishes, and a structure that ultimately felt more like a gimmick than a story.
If I hadn’t been reading this to review, I wouldn’t have finished it. It’s a long and frustrating slog, and while the idea had potential, the book never quite figured out what it wanted to be. A miss for me.
The Game Is Murder is built on an ambitious concept—inviting the reader to become “The Great Detective” and solve an old murder—but unfortunately, the execution just doesn’t deliver.
The book is slow, self-conscious, and far too pleased with its own cleverness. The characters feel flat and distant, making it hard to invest in the mystery or care about the outcome. There’s a lot of telling rather than showing, and the narrative voice is more interested in being meta than being engaging. At almost 500 pages, it drags considerably—bogged down by repeated exposition, theatrical flourishes, and a structure that ultimately felt more like a gimmick than a story.
If I hadn’t been reading this to review, I wouldn’t have finished it. It’s a long and frustrating slog, and while the idea had potential, the book never quite figured out what it wanted to be. A miss for me.
August 1, 2025
Hazell Ward's debut novel, "The Game Is Murder," is the literary equivalent of a magician revealing their tricks while simultaneously pulling off the most audacious illusion you've ever witnessed. This isn't just a murder mystery—it's a brazen deconstruction of the entire genre that somehow manages to honor and demolish its conventions in equal measure.
The Crime Scene: A Georgian House of Mirrors
The story begins with what appears to be a straightforward premise: you, the reader, are invited to play the Great Detective at a murder mystery party investigating the 1974 case of Sally Gardner's brutal killing in the basement of 8 Broad Way, London. Lord John Verreman stands accused of murdering his estranged wife's nanny, and all evidence points to his guilt. Simple enough, until Ward starts pulling the rug out from under every assumption you've ever made about reading a mystery novel.
What makes Ward's approach so unsettling is how she weaponizes reader expectations. The novel's structure, with its three acts and chapters titled after classic mystery novels, initially suggests a cozy homage to the Golden Age of detective fiction. But Ward has far more subversive intentions. She transforms the reader from passive observer to active participant, then strips away that agency with surgical precision, revealing the contract between author and reader as something far more sinister than we ever imagined.
The Great Detective: Maximillian Enygma and His Unraveling
Ward's protagonist, Maximillian Enygma, emerges as one of the most compelling anti-heroes in recent mystery fiction. A washed-up private detective struggling with addiction and mental health issues, Enygma embodies the damaged genius archetype while simultaneously critiquing it. His investigation of the Verreman case becomes both a quest for professional redemption and a descent into a metafictional nightmare where the rules of detective fiction become literal constraints.
Enygma's character development brilliantly mirrors the novel's thematic concerns. As he delves deeper into the case, citing classic mystery novels with the fervor of a literature professor, we watch him realize he's trapped in a story with rules he cannot break. His dependency on medication becomes a metaphor for reader dependency on genre conventions, while his increasingly desperate attempts to solve the case reflect our own need for narrative closure.
A Murder Most Meta: Breaking the Fourth Wall with a Lead Pipe
The central murder—Sally Gardner's death in Lady Verreman's basement—serves as both genuine mystery and elaborate metaphor. Ward presents us with all the classic elements: the locked room, the suspicious husband, the lead pipe wrapped in elastoplast, and a cast of witnesses with secrets to hide. But the real crime isn't Gardner's murder; it's what Ward does to the reader.
The author's masterstroke lies in how she gradually reveals the artificial nature of the dinner party setting. The thirteen guests, all named after famous mystery writers and their characters, aren't just witnesses—they're literary archetypes forced to play their roles in an endless loop of detection and revelation. When Enygma finally deduces that jury foreman Raymond Postgate is the real killer, it's less a solution than an indictment of how mystery fiction manipulates both characters and readers.
The Verdict: Guilty of Literary Innovation, Sentenced to Mixed Reception
Ward's ambitious experiment succeeds brilliantly in several key areas while stumbling in others, which explains its polarizing reception. The novel's greatest strength lies in its intellectual audacity. By making the reader complicit in the storytelling process, Ward creates a genuinely unsettling experience that lingers long after the final page. Her encyclopedic knowledge of mystery fiction transforms what could have been a shallow pastiche into a genuine love letter to the genre, even as she systematically dismantles it.
The book's literary devices work particularly well:
The contract appendices create genuine unease about the reader's role
Chapter titles referencing classic mysteries serve as both homage and trap
The shift from second to third person emphasizes the loss of reader agency
The nested narrative structure mirrors the Russian doll nature of mystery fiction itself
However, Ward's experiment occasionally prioritizes concept over execution. The middle section, where Enygma presents evidence during the courtroom scenes, becomes repetitive and overly didactic. While the author's point about the arbitrary nature of mystery evidence is well-taken, the delivery sometimes feels more like academic thesis than engaging fiction.
The Author's Gambit: Risk vs. Reward in Genre Fiction
As a debut novelist, Ward demonstrates remarkable confidence in tackling such an ambitious project. Her background as an adult education teacher and current PhD candidate shines through in the novel's careful construction and deep literary knowledge. Having won the CWA Short Story Dagger in 2023 for "Cast a Long Shadow," Ward clearly understands the mystery genre from both writer and reader perspectives.
The novel's self-aware humor prevents it from becoming entirely pretentious. Ward's narrator frequently breaks character to comment on the absurdity of the situation, and Enygma's exaggerated Belgian accent (deliberately terrible) provides comic relief while simultaneously mocking Hercule Poirot's mannerisms. These moments of levity keep the experimental elements from overwhelming the story.
The Evidence Doesn't Lie: Technical Achievement and Literary Merit
Ward's prose style adapts cleverly to serve her metafictional purposes. The writing deliberately shifts between styles—sometimes mimicking Golden Age formality, other times adopting noir grittiness, and occasionally breaking into direct authorial commentary. This stylistic flexibility demonstrates Ward's technical skill while serving the novel's thematic exploration of genre boundaries.
The mystery itself, when stripped of its metafictional elements, proves surprisingly solid. The Sally Gardner murder has genuine stakes, believable motives, and a solution that plays fair with the reader. Ward hasn't sacrificed mystery craft for literary experiment; instead, she's enhanced both by interweaving them so thoroughly.
Final Judgment: A Flawed but Fascinating Debut
"The Game Is Murder" succeeds as both homage to and critique of classic mystery fiction, though its experimental nature will inevitably divide readers. Those seeking a straightforward whodunit will find themselves frustrated by Ward's deliberate subversion of expectations. However, readers willing to engage with the novel's intellectual challenges will discover a genuinely innovative work that expands the possibilities of mystery fiction.
Ward has created something genuinely unique: a mystery novel that questions the very nature of mystery novels while delivering a satisfying solution to its central crime. The book's flaws—occasional pretentiousness, uneven pacing in the middle section, and perhaps too much self-referential cleverness—are outweighed by its originality and ambition.
This is a debut that announces a significant new voice in crime fiction, one unafraid to challenge both writer and reader expectations. While not every experiment succeeds, Ward's willingness to risk failure in pursuit of innovation marks her as an author worth watching. "The Game Is Murder" may not be a perfect mystery, but it's an essential one for anyone interested in where the genre might go next.
The Crime Scene: A Georgian House of Mirrors
The story begins with what appears to be a straightforward premise: you, the reader, are invited to play the Great Detective at a murder mystery party investigating the 1974 case of Sally Gardner's brutal killing in the basement of 8 Broad Way, London. Lord John Verreman stands accused of murdering his estranged wife's nanny, and all evidence points to his guilt. Simple enough, until Ward starts pulling the rug out from under every assumption you've ever made about reading a mystery novel.
What makes Ward's approach so unsettling is how she weaponizes reader expectations. The novel's structure, with its three acts and chapters titled after classic mystery novels, initially suggests a cozy homage to the Golden Age of detective fiction. But Ward has far more subversive intentions. She transforms the reader from passive observer to active participant, then strips away that agency with surgical precision, revealing the contract between author and reader as something far more sinister than we ever imagined.
The Great Detective: Maximillian Enygma and His Unraveling
Ward's protagonist, Maximillian Enygma, emerges as one of the most compelling anti-heroes in recent mystery fiction. A washed-up private detective struggling with addiction and mental health issues, Enygma embodies the damaged genius archetype while simultaneously critiquing it. His investigation of the Verreman case becomes both a quest for professional redemption and a descent into a metafictional nightmare where the rules of detective fiction become literal constraints.
Enygma's character development brilliantly mirrors the novel's thematic concerns. As he delves deeper into the case, citing classic mystery novels with the fervor of a literature professor, we watch him realize he's trapped in a story with rules he cannot break. His dependency on medication becomes a metaphor for reader dependency on genre conventions, while his increasingly desperate attempts to solve the case reflect our own need for narrative closure.
A Murder Most Meta: Breaking the Fourth Wall with a Lead Pipe
The central murder—Sally Gardner's death in Lady Verreman's basement—serves as both genuine mystery and elaborate metaphor. Ward presents us with all the classic elements: the locked room, the suspicious husband, the lead pipe wrapped in elastoplast, and a cast of witnesses with secrets to hide. But the real crime isn't Gardner's murder; it's what Ward does to the reader.
The author's masterstroke lies in how she gradually reveals the artificial nature of the dinner party setting. The thirteen guests, all named after famous mystery writers and their characters, aren't just witnesses—they're literary archetypes forced to play their roles in an endless loop of detection and revelation. When Enygma finally deduces that jury foreman Raymond Postgate is the real killer, it's less a solution than an indictment of how mystery fiction manipulates both characters and readers.
The Verdict: Guilty of Literary Innovation, Sentenced to Mixed Reception
Ward's ambitious experiment succeeds brilliantly in several key areas while stumbling in others, which explains its polarizing reception. The novel's greatest strength lies in its intellectual audacity. By making the reader complicit in the storytelling process, Ward creates a genuinely unsettling experience that lingers long after the final page. Her encyclopedic knowledge of mystery fiction transforms what could have been a shallow pastiche into a genuine love letter to the genre, even as she systematically dismantles it.
The book's literary devices work particularly well:
The contract appendices create genuine unease about the reader's role
Chapter titles referencing classic mysteries serve as both homage and trap
The shift from second to third person emphasizes the loss of reader agency
The nested narrative structure mirrors the Russian doll nature of mystery fiction itself
However, Ward's experiment occasionally prioritizes concept over execution. The middle section, where Enygma presents evidence during the courtroom scenes, becomes repetitive and overly didactic. While the author's point about the arbitrary nature of mystery evidence is well-taken, the delivery sometimes feels more like academic thesis than engaging fiction.
The Author's Gambit: Risk vs. Reward in Genre Fiction
As a debut novelist, Ward demonstrates remarkable confidence in tackling such an ambitious project. Her background as an adult education teacher and current PhD candidate shines through in the novel's careful construction and deep literary knowledge. Having won the CWA Short Story Dagger in 2023 for "Cast a Long Shadow," Ward clearly understands the mystery genre from both writer and reader perspectives.
The novel's self-aware humor prevents it from becoming entirely pretentious. Ward's narrator frequently breaks character to comment on the absurdity of the situation, and Enygma's exaggerated Belgian accent (deliberately terrible) provides comic relief while simultaneously mocking Hercule Poirot's mannerisms. These moments of levity keep the experimental elements from overwhelming the story.
The Evidence Doesn't Lie: Technical Achievement and Literary Merit
Ward's prose style adapts cleverly to serve her metafictional purposes. The writing deliberately shifts between styles—sometimes mimicking Golden Age formality, other times adopting noir grittiness, and occasionally breaking into direct authorial commentary. This stylistic flexibility demonstrates Ward's technical skill while serving the novel's thematic exploration of genre boundaries.
The mystery itself, when stripped of its metafictional elements, proves surprisingly solid. The Sally Gardner murder has genuine stakes, believable motives, and a solution that plays fair with the reader. Ward hasn't sacrificed mystery craft for literary experiment; instead, she's enhanced both by interweaving them so thoroughly.
Final Judgment: A Flawed but Fascinating Debut
"The Game Is Murder" succeeds as both homage to and critique of classic mystery fiction, though its experimental nature will inevitably divide readers. Those seeking a straightforward whodunit will find themselves frustrated by Ward's deliberate subversion of expectations. However, readers willing to engage with the novel's intellectual challenges will discover a genuinely innovative work that expands the possibilities of mystery fiction.
Ward has created something genuinely unique: a mystery novel that questions the very nature of mystery novels while delivering a satisfying solution to its central crime. The book's flaws—occasional pretentiousness, uneven pacing in the middle section, and perhaps too much self-referential cleverness—are outweighed by its originality and ambition.
This is a debut that announces a significant new voice in crime fiction, one unafraid to challenge both writer and reader expectations. While not every experiment succeeds, Ward's willingness to risk failure in pursuit of innovation marks her as an author worth watching. "The Game Is Murder" may not be a perfect mystery, but it's an essential one for anyone interested in where the genre might go next.
December 28, 2025
i have never hated a book so much - tries way too hard to be clever but instead comes across as unbearably annoying & unnecessarily condescending to the reader & results in a horrifically constructed novel structure that is messy & overly ambitious & does not deliver on anything. idk why i bothered to finish this bc i wanted to bang my head against a wall for the last 90% of the book & genuinely felt enraged
September 18, 2025
DNF at 36%.
I basically never officially DNF a book. (I have a couple passive DNFs where they failed to excite me enough to keep going, but I might want to come back to them some day.) I say this to convey just how unenjoyable a book is for me to formally call it quits.
For a mystery novel to be good, we have to care about some character(s) and/or find the crime interesting. This book gave me neither.
Then it’s paired with an experiment in form that’s all over the place. That type of thing could be great fun. But I couldn’t figure out what the author was going for. Sometimes trying to be funny, sometimes inexplicably changing the situation (A dinner party. No, it’s a police interview. Now a character has split personalities. “You” are the detective. Just kidding! You are the reader, and the detective is the detective. Let’s make some funny asides about the craft and rules of writing.)
It sounded like a fun twist on a mystery novel. It was not.
It was boring and bizarrely constructed.
I never even felt like there was a mystery per se. Just a meandering dialogue and examining different pieces of evidence for no real reason.
I basically never officially DNF a book. (I have a couple passive DNFs where they failed to excite me enough to keep going, but I might want to come back to them some day.) I say this to convey just how unenjoyable a book is for me to formally call it quits.
For a mystery novel to be good, we have to care about some character(s) and/or find the crime interesting. This book gave me neither.
Then it’s paired with an experiment in form that’s all over the place. That type of thing could be great fun. But I couldn’t figure out what the author was going for. Sometimes trying to be funny, sometimes inexplicably changing the situation (A dinner party. No, it’s a police interview. Now a character has split personalities. “You” are the detective. Just kidding! You are the reader, and the detective is the detective. Let’s make some funny asides about the craft and rules of writing.)
It sounded like a fun twist on a mystery novel. It was not.
It was boring and bizarrely constructed.
I never even felt like there was a mystery per se. Just a meandering dialogue and examining different pieces of evidence for no real reason.
August 29, 2025
Thank you to the publishers for providing an ARC of this book through NetGalley.
I think this is one of those books that is like marmite, a book you will either love or hate. For me, it's hate as, while I think the format is really cool and unique and gives the novel a really cool hook, the way it's written made it seem really patronizing to me, which really put me off while reading.
Also, you literally cannot lose yourself in this novel because you are being reminded that you are reading a book on nearly every page.
I think this is one of those books that is like marmite, a book you will either love or hate. For me, it's hate as, while I think the format is really cool and unique and gives the novel a really cool hook, the way it's written made it seem really patronizing to me, which really put me off while reading.
Also, you literally cannot lose yourself in this novel because you are being reminded that you are reading a book on nearly every page.
August 21, 2025
I spent 400,000 years reading this book for a mediocre ending.
August 30, 2025
THIRTEEN GUESTS. THIRTEEN SUSPECTS. AN IMPOSSIBLE MURDER. A MYSTERY YOU MUST SOLVE - OR FACE THE CONSEQUENCES...
What if a Great Detective reinvestigated the most famous unsolved murder case of the century? What if that Great Detective was you? You have been invited to a very special murder mystery party. Thirteen guests have been gathered - rather, thirteen suspects - but only one of them is a murderer and only you can find them. Your task is simple - listen to the witnesses, examine the evidence & solve the case. But be careful, trust no one as in this story, all may not be as it seems. The ultimate murder mystery is yours to solve.
So firstly, I think this may have been one of the most uniquely written structure titles I’ve ever read, very cleverly executed & is definitely a book that requires a lot of attention - believe me, I was making notes as I was reading this to keep track!🤣
It’s also a really difficult book to review as I don’t want to give anything away! The approach is very interesting, a concept that definitely keeps you intrigued, but I feel at times it was information heavy which made things a little confusing & also slowed the pace drastically.
There are similarities to the real life Lord Lucan case but not sure this was a necessary connection, I think I was also concentrating so much on figuring everything else out that this passed over me slightly to be fair. Overall I found it an interesting, clever & intelligent read that was unfortunately overly long in length & repetitive.
What if a Great Detective reinvestigated the most famous unsolved murder case of the century? What if that Great Detective was you? You have been invited to a very special murder mystery party. Thirteen guests have been gathered - rather, thirteen suspects - but only one of them is a murderer and only you can find them. Your task is simple - listen to the witnesses, examine the evidence & solve the case. But be careful, trust no one as in this story, all may not be as it seems. The ultimate murder mystery is yours to solve.
So firstly, I think this may have been one of the most uniquely written structure titles I’ve ever read, very cleverly executed & is definitely a book that requires a lot of attention - believe me, I was making notes as I was reading this to keep track!🤣
It’s also a really difficult book to review as I don’t want to give anything away! The approach is very interesting, a concept that definitely keeps you intrigued, but I feel at times it was information heavy which made things a little confusing & also slowed the pace drastically.
There are similarities to the real life Lord Lucan case but not sure this was a necessary connection, I think I was also concentrating so much on figuring everything else out that this passed over me slightly to be fair. Overall I found it an interesting, clever & intelligent read that was unfortunately overly long in length & repetitive.
August 1, 2025
An entertaining if overlong fair play classic mystery that directly invites the reader to play detective.
This has a lot in common with a traditional whodunit, and while you’re unlikely to follow this somewhat overcomplicated narrative well enough to solve it yourself, the book does technically give you all the information you would need to do so.
The narration speaks directly to the reader, making them effectively a character in the story, cast in the role of detective. It’s really the same thing any of us do when reading any fair play mystery, it’s just that the book is directly inviting us to do so.
To that end this isn’t nearly as innovative as it seems to think it is (for the record, there are even many prior instances of books that speak directly to the reader in this regard). But the tone is delightful and humorous, and those who really enjoy the puzzle aspect of mysteries will likely enjoy this one a lot.
To me it was just ok, a bit overlong and taking on the tedious feel of a legal thriller at times, though I very much enjoyed the humor and the fact that the mystery itself is solidly plotted and solved.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
This has a lot in common with a traditional whodunit, and while you’re unlikely to follow this somewhat overcomplicated narrative well enough to solve it yourself, the book does technically give you all the information you would need to do so.
The narration speaks directly to the reader, making them effectively a character in the story, cast in the role of detective. It’s really the same thing any of us do when reading any fair play mystery, it’s just that the book is directly inviting us to do so.
To that end this isn’t nearly as innovative as it seems to think it is (for the record, there are even many prior instances of books that speak directly to the reader in this regard). But the tone is delightful and humorous, and those who really enjoy the puzzle aspect of mysteries will likely enjoy this one a lot.
To me it was just ok, a bit overlong and taking on the tedious feel of a legal thriller at times, though I very much enjoyed the humor and the fact that the mystery itself is solidly plotted and solved.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
October 7, 2025
I wish I could give this book more than 3 stars. The idea behind it is actually quite clever - almost as if the board game Clue had been written as a novel. Admittedly, I listened rather than actually reading, but I found it difficult to follow in certain scenes and imagine myself having to flip back to previous pages if I had been reading a physical book. Were the characters actually present or they a figment of the imagination?
The story follows a washed up cop turned PI as he is enlisted to try to prove the guilt or innocence of the man accused of murdering a young woman 50 years prior. It was an enjoyable book, creatively written, but I did feel like some of the many twists and turns could have been left out - and the book might have been more enjoyable if it had been about three chapters shorter.
The story follows a washed up cop turned PI as he is enlisted to try to prove the guilt or innocence of the man accused of murdering a young woman 50 years prior. It was an enjoyable book, creatively written, but I did feel like some of the many twists and turns could have been left out - and the book might have been more enjoyable if it had been about three chapters shorter.
October 21, 2025
I really didn't know what to think of this book. Some of it was amusing and some of it was very aggravating.
I don't want to say too much and spoil it, but I will say pay close attention and you will probably have to take some pauses along the way. I seriously had to put it aside because like our Great Detective I got somewhat of a headache. This is not a criticism, it's just that I couldn't absorb anymore and had to step away a bit. Quite a unique book.
I don't want to say too much and spoil it, but I will say pay close attention and you will probably have to take some pauses along the way. I seriously had to put it aside because like our Great Detective I got somewhat of a headache. This is not a criticism, it's just that I couldn't absorb anymore and had to step away a bit. Quite a unique book.
October 15, 2025
I really wanted to like this book, but almost from the start, it was overwrought. The author tried much too hard to be clever and did not succeed.
November 24, 2025
So uninviting, having repetitive prose and tedious meta-mystery structure. From a special murder-mystery party turns into a game of sleuthing and a courtroom event; I followed David Verreman the party host who is keen to uncover the unsolved murder crime that has happened in 1974 after his family nanny was brutally found murdered in their house basement. All signs pointed to his father who went missing right after the tragedy leaving the family in total despair with no closure up to present. 13 guests invited (including me?) to give testimonies with evidences and secrets that suddenly unfold and soon a play of a courtroom started.
The idea was unique for a mystery thriller with those playful narrator or instructor (or was it me?) to converse and lure the reader (or author?) in getting invested and play along with the game. I was enthralled at first but along the way it gets confusing and overexplained with repetitive clues and scenes that the whole murder tragedy grasped me in a static unappealing suspense. The crime itself did not seem that complicated but way the plot digs its backstory with bunch of red herrings trying to point on a suspect making it so unnecessarily convoluted and draggy.
Bit psycho related with tale of jealousy, wealth and revenge. Nothing suprising or twisty much though I can sense that the plot trying its hard to make it as a puzzling case. I was forced to change my role at times and the game instructions too felt demanding that I did not like the tone at all. Wish the characters can charmed me at least, yet their development were so lacked with nothing interesting, even the killer—despite his foreseen motive— barely intrigued me. I have read meta-mystery plot before but this one, frankly, just ain’t for me. Too wearisome, just glad that I did not quit and manage to read it until the end. 1.5/5*
(review copy courtesy of Times Reads)
The idea was unique for a mystery thriller with those playful narrator or instructor (or was it me?) to converse and lure the reader (or author?) in getting invested and play along with the game. I was enthralled at first but along the way it gets confusing and overexplained with repetitive clues and scenes that the whole murder tragedy grasped me in a static unappealing suspense. The crime itself did not seem that complicated but way the plot digs its backstory with bunch of red herrings trying to point on a suspect making it so unnecessarily convoluted and draggy.
Bit psycho related with tale of jealousy, wealth and revenge. Nothing suprising or twisty much though I can sense that the plot trying its hard to make it as a puzzling case. I was forced to change my role at times and the game instructions too felt demanding that I did not like the tone at all. Wish the characters can charmed me at least, yet their development were so lacked with nothing interesting, even the killer—despite his foreseen motive— barely intrigued me. I have read meta-mystery plot before but this one, frankly, just ain’t for me. Too wearisome, just glad that I did not quit and manage to read it until the end. 1.5/5*
(review copy courtesy of Times Reads)
July 16, 2025
It became obvious really quickly that this book is based loosely on the Lord Lucan case. Dates, locations and details were similar. The writing style is quirky - there are passages in which the ‘author’ talks to the reader as well as the narrator. There is an element also of split personality in the main character. It takes a while to sort out the voices and the characters. Lots of repetition of details as there would be in a court case so plenty of opportunity for the reader to decide whodunnit. An interesting book which also goes some way to explaining the writing methods used in crime novels. A couple of floor plans and maps would have helped. Don’t know if it ‘solved’ the Lord Lucan mystery.
September 3, 2025
This book was different.
It said not to skim it, but I definitely had to skim parts of it. They kept repeating things as nauseum and telling the endings of some of the great mysteries.
It was fine. Not the best. Not the worst.
The actual story was good. Showing how you can change your perspective about something and how you can be lead to believe something based on the way it’s presented to you.
I’m not sure why the Lady can’t testify about what happened to Sally Gardner. If you refrain from asking her who she think did it, why can’t you ask her about what she knows and witnessed?
It said not to skim it, but I definitely had to skim parts of it. They kept repeating things as nauseum and telling the endings of some of the great mysteries.
It was fine. Not the best. Not the worst.
The actual story was good. Showing how you can change your perspective about something and how you can be lead to believe something based on the way it’s presented to you.
I’m not sure why the Lady can’t testify about what happened to Sally Gardner. If you refrain from asking her who she think did it, why can’t you ask her about what she knows and witnessed?
dnf
December 27, 2025Thank you to NetGallery & the publisher for allowing me to read this.
I’m not going to finish this & I don’t think I would buy this.
I won’t give a rating as I didn’t read a significant amount of this book - stopped reading at 10%.
The premise seems super interesting, that’s why I requested this. I love mystery so a self insert seems super intriguing! I’ve never read a book before where I (the reader) is the detective.
However I got confused when reading, I couldn’t tell when the dialogue was referring to the scenario or referring to what the detective (I) was thinking. The second person point of view wasn’t the best to read.
I wish this gave more, but the execution wasn’t it. The writing was the main problem, the start of the plot seems good.
——————
soft dnf the writings a bit hard to get into 😭 but I will get around to reading this!
I’m not going to finish this & I don’t think I would buy this.
I won’t give a rating as I didn’t read a significant amount of this book - stopped reading at 10%.
The premise seems super interesting, that’s why I requested this. I love mystery so a self insert seems super intriguing! I’ve never read a book before where I (the reader) is the detective.
However I got confused when reading, I couldn’t tell when the dialogue was referring to the scenario or referring to what the detective (I) was thinking. The second person point of view wasn’t the best to read.
I wish this gave more, but the execution wasn’t it. The writing was the main problem, the start of the plot seems good.
——————
soft dnf the writings a bit hard to get into 😭 but I will get around to reading this!
July 9, 2025
This is a book of pure codswallop.
It is about a murder one night many years ago and the details of this are repeated over and over and over again in various guises such as a dinner party, a trial and a questionnaire! Surrounding this ‘mystery’ there are characters who may or may not be real and their dialogue is fluffed out with terrible suppositions about reality.
The lack of real direction and the various odd viewpoints are just confusing and definitely not in a good way.
I do wonder what the author was trying to convey with this very odd book. Whatever it is, it doesn’t work.
Also, the excepts from old mystery novels before each chapter are just plain boring, they do not add anything to the story and it just feels like filler.
I intensely disliked this.
Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the ARC
It is about a murder one night many years ago and the details of this are repeated over and over and over again in various guises such as a dinner party, a trial and a questionnaire! Surrounding this ‘mystery’ there are characters who may or may not be real and their dialogue is fluffed out with terrible suppositions about reality.
The lack of real direction and the various odd viewpoints are just confusing and definitely not in a good way.
I do wonder what the author was trying to convey with this very odd book. Whatever it is, it doesn’t work.
Also, the excepts from old mystery novels before each chapter are just plain boring, they do not add anything to the story and it just feels like filler.
I intensely disliked this.
Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the ARC
October 6, 2025
Look.
I am the MASTER of loving meta-mysteries and 4th wall breakers.
This was just sloppy storytelling. while starting off positively, I found that the examination (and re-examination... and re-re-examination) of the fact got tedious, rather than truly insightful.
while I doubt this was our author's intent (after all, it was NOT in the contract), it seemed very much that he was making fun of the reader the whole time... seeing how far he will go before throwing g up his hands in despair and giving up.
And hinting of a sequel at the end? I'd rather be gagged and brought to and imaginary dinner party.
I am the MASTER of loving meta-mysteries and 4th wall breakers.
This was just sloppy storytelling. while starting off positively, I found that the examination (and re-examination... and re-re-examination) of the fact got tedious, rather than truly insightful.
while I doubt this was our author's intent (after all, it was NOT in the contract), it seemed very much that he was making fun of the reader the whole time... seeing how far he will go before throwing g up his hands in despair and giving up.
And hinting of a sequel at the end? I'd rather be gagged and brought to and imaginary dinner party.
September 3, 2025
Massive conceptual failure. Props for trying something unique, but it does not work at all.
September 21, 2025
I am not sure how I actually made it through this book. It must be my never give up personality. I found it very repetitive and confusing. The concept wasn't one that I found fun in reading.
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