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How The Games Began
They whisper about "nature versus nurture," don't they? A pointless debate. Are monsters born, or are they made? I can't speak for the others, but for me, the answer is simple: I've always been this way. Empathy? A foreign concept. Emotion? A weakness I do not possess. My purpose is singular, my desire pure: to inflict pain.
My work began in Boston, a proving ground for my particular art. However, a change in circumstances led me to New York, with its endless supply of vibrant, naive youth. They are my chosen medium. At each scene, I leave my mark, a tribute to my craft. Two simple Polaroid photographs: one capturing the fleeting spark of life, the other, the stark, beautiful emptiness of its absence.
Then, he appeared. A rival artist in my new city. His methods are crude, reveling in ritualistic mutilation, feeding on the fear he creates. A different kind of predator, but a predator nonetheless.
Now, a new dynamic has emerged. I've begun to work in his hunting grounds, and he, in mine. The authorities scramble, asking themselves the wrong questions. Are we competing? Communicating? They fail to grasp the exquisite simplicity of it all.
***
How the Games Began dives deep into the minds of these two sadistic killers as they unleash unthinkable evil, highlighting their need for media attention, notoriety, manipulation, and control over everyone around them. The desperate race to stop them before they strike again has begun. The novel is gruesome, with a lot of graphic detail. Check author website for TW.
My work began in Boston, a proving ground for my particular art. However, a change in circumstances led me to New York, with its endless supply of vibrant, naive youth. They are my chosen medium. At each scene, I leave my mark, a tribute to my craft. Two simple Polaroid photographs: one capturing the fleeting spark of life, the other, the stark, beautiful emptiness of its absence.
Then, he appeared. A rival artist in my new city. His methods are crude, reveling in ritualistic mutilation, feeding on the fear he creates. A different kind of predator, but a predator nonetheless.
Now, a new dynamic has emerged. I've begun to work in his hunting grounds, and he, in mine. The authorities scramble, asking themselves the wrong questions. Are we competing? Communicating? They fail to grasp the exquisite simplicity of it all.
***
How the Games Began dives deep into the minds of these two sadistic killers as they unleash unthinkable evil, highlighting their need for media attention, notoriety, manipulation, and control over everyone around them. The desperate race to stop them before they strike again has begun. The novel is gruesome, with a lot of graphic detail. Check author website for TW.
Kindle Edition
First published July 18, 2025
11 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
About the author
Alistair B. Hayward
3 books17 followersAlistair B. Hayward is the author of gripping, disturbing serial killer thrillers, including the controversial The Games We Play and the new psychological supernatural mystery, Echoes of a Killer.
With a penchant for high-functioning psychopaths and visceral storytelling, Alistair weaves narratives where ordinary settings harbor extraordinary darkness. His writing is fueled by a love for 80s slasher films and a fascination with the psychology of violence. In Echoes of a Killer, he introduces a unique twist to the genre: a protagonist whose salon chair becomes the most dangerous seat in Los Angeles.
Alistair lives in Auckland, New Zealand. Despite the darkness of his books, he insists he is quite nice in real life.
With a penchant for high-functioning psychopaths and visceral storytelling, Alistair weaves narratives where ordinary settings harbor extraordinary darkness. His writing is fueled by a love for 80s slasher films and a fascination with the psychology of violence. In Echoes of a Killer, he introduces a unique twist to the genre: a protagonist whose salon chair becomes the most dangerous seat in Los Angeles.
Alistair lives in Auckland, New Zealand. Despite the darkness of his books, he insists he is quite nice in real life.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 14, 2025
Book one was grate and thought it was already intriguing idea to see how everything came to be with this prequel.
I say this one blew me away. As good as the first book was this one was simply better.
It was really good to see how Pete and Linda were first introduced, and of course, how the games started. This book was much longer then the first one, but for good reasons. The deaths were blooded and the characters were exploring more in-depth.
I also found the right to be a big leg up. And you always gotta appreciate when the author takes the time hone their craft and become a more skilled writer. This slide to be much more intimate read where you can get in the mind that’s more thoroughly.
If you like the first book, you’re going to love this one.
I say this one blew me away. As good as the first book was this one was simply better.
It was really good to see how Pete and Linda were first introduced, and of course, how the games started. This book was much longer then the first one, but for good reasons. The deaths were blooded and the characters were exploring more in-depth.
I also found the right to be a big leg up. And you always gotta appreciate when the author takes the time hone their craft and become a more skilled writer. This slide to be much more intimate read where you can get in the mind that’s more thoroughly.
If you like the first book, you’re going to love this one.
July 1, 2025
Review: How the Games Began – Alistair Hayward
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
"I was 10 years old, and I was obsessed with Ted Bundy. The murder trials had me hooked" with a hook like this, who wouldn't be intrigued to read how the games began.
If im being brutally honest, I was quite apprehensive about reading this ARC, the prequel to The Games We Play, especially as I'd never read a novel that was over 500 pages long (Stephen King, im looking at you), but as I delved further into the story of how serial killers were made, I was intrigued, and knew without a word of a doubt that I NEEDED to read this...if only to see David's humble beginnings.
𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝑹𝑬𝑫𝑨𝑻𝑶𝑹
𝑻𝑯𝑬𝒀 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒚.
𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝑩𝑬𝑮𝑼𝑵
I knew The Games We Played was epic when I first read it, but nothing could have prepared me for How the Games Began.
This prequel is every bit as chilling, gritty, and unflinching as its successor… it may even more so.
Alistair doesn’t just write about serial killers, it made me feel like he actually understands them. The level of detail, the psychological depth, the sickeningly plausible motives, he really knew what he was talking about.
From the first Polaroid left by the Say Cheese Killer to the butchered horrors carved up by the Manhattan Butcher, every chapter sunk its hooks into me.
Hayward literally dropped me into 1990s Boston and New York, then lets your mind go wild with all the darkness. Each chapter tightened the noose, dragging me deeper into the madness unfolding across 1990s Boston and New York.
This story gave me a front-row seat to the horror, and the mayhem, and the murde, and I know that writing from inside a serial killer’s mind isn’t easy, especially not when it’s done so convincingly, but somehow, Alistair made it all work flawlessly. It was RAW, BLOODY, DISTURBING, and I was absolutely addicted.
There was strong character development to the point where Alistair brought you into the lives of the victims only to read about their lives getting snuffed out by the killers.
I almost didn't want to read anymore back stories of the characters who you grew to love only to lose them in a whirlwind of blood and gore, but only Alistair will make you fall in love with the characters with his vivid storytelling that you feel like you know them, even if it was for a short moment.
This latest work by Alistair will appeal to all true crime junkies, who love a bit of dark fiction, and will not disappoint.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
"I was 10 years old, and I was obsessed with Ted Bundy. The murder trials had me hooked" with a hook like this, who wouldn't be intrigued to read how the games began.
If im being brutally honest, I was quite apprehensive about reading this ARC, the prequel to The Games We Play, especially as I'd never read a novel that was over 500 pages long (Stephen King, im looking at you), but as I delved further into the story of how serial killers were made, I was intrigued, and knew without a word of a doubt that I NEEDED to read this...if only to see David's humble beginnings.
𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝑹𝑬𝑫𝑨𝑻𝑶𝑹
𝑻𝑯𝑬𝒀 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒚.
𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝑩𝑬𝑮𝑼𝑵
I knew The Games We Played was epic when I first read it, but nothing could have prepared me for How the Games Began.
This prequel is every bit as chilling, gritty, and unflinching as its successor… it may even more so.
Alistair doesn’t just write about serial killers, it made me feel like he actually understands them. The level of detail, the psychological depth, the sickeningly plausible motives, he really knew what he was talking about.
From the first Polaroid left by the Say Cheese Killer to the butchered horrors carved up by the Manhattan Butcher, every chapter sunk its hooks into me.
Hayward literally dropped me into 1990s Boston and New York, then lets your mind go wild with all the darkness. Each chapter tightened the noose, dragging me deeper into the madness unfolding across 1990s Boston and New York.
This story gave me a front-row seat to the horror, and the mayhem, and the murde, and I know that writing from inside a serial killer’s mind isn’t easy, especially not when it’s done so convincingly, but somehow, Alistair made it all work flawlessly. It was RAW, BLOODY, DISTURBING, and I was absolutely addicted.
There was strong character development to the point where Alistair brought you into the lives of the victims only to read about their lives getting snuffed out by the killers.
I almost didn't want to read anymore back stories of the characters who you grew to love only to lose them in a whirlwind of blood and gore, but only Alistair will make you fall in love with the characters with his vivid storytelling that you feel like you know them, even if it was for a short moment.
This latest work by Alistair will appeal to all true crime junkies, who love a bit of dark fiction, and will not disappoint.
June 27, 2025
"It's a beautiful day to be a psychopath."
Y'all, I'm just sitting here trying to figure out what I just read! It was so gruesome and so visceral I felt like I could smell the blood through the pages.
This book is the prequel to The Games We Play, Haywards debut novel. But what is so great about this book is that it can be read as a standalone. But if you want the entire crazy ass experience, read both of them. You will not be disappointed.
The chapters are short, which you know I love, and nothing hits like a good serial killer novel.
If you are a fan of American Psycho, you will enjoy this book. It definitely gave me those vibes.
This book is about David. He knows from a very young age that he's different from everyone else. He has no emotion, no empathy. He just wants to inflict pain. And he's fine with that. We get to see his evolution of becoming the serial killer that he is and how he manipulates everyone around him.
Y'all, I'm just sitting here trying to figure out what I just read! It was so gruesome and so visceral I felt like I could smell the blood through the pages.
This book is the prequel to The Games We Play, Haywards debut novel. But what is so great about this book is that it can be read as a standalone. But if you want the entire crazy ass experience, read both of them. You will not be disappointed.
The chapters are short, which you know I love, and nothing hits like a good serial killer novel.
If you are a fan of American Psycho, you will enjoy this book. It definitely gave me those vibes.
This book is about David. He knows from a very young age that he's different from everyone else. He has no emotion, no empathy. He just wants to inflict pain. And he's fine with that. We get to see his evolution of becoming the serial killer that he is and how he manipulates everyone around him.
July 20, 2025
After loving The Games We Play, I was so excited that this prequel was coming out! It’s a long one, but it totally kept me interested the entire time with how gory and unhinged the scenes were. If you love disturbingly dark books, then this one is for you!!
FYI: There’s an animal abuse scene in the beginning that I had to skim over, as that’s a huge trigger for me, so just check the triggers before starting this one!
FYI: There’s an animal abuse scene in the beginning that I had to skim over, as that’s a huge trigger for me, so just check the triggers before starting this one!
July 10, 2025
Last year I read The Games We Play, which I thought was great! So when the author approached me with an offer to read and review an ARC of the prequel, I said hell yes!
Hayward knocked it out of the park with How the Games Began! It is gruesome and visceral (and very detailed), with short chapters, which I love. There is also a twist at the end that I did guess but it was brilliant!
This book can easily be read as a stand-alone but I highly recommend you read both for the complete crazy ride.
Expected publication date for How the Games Began is 18/7/25
Hayward knocked it out of the park with How the Games Began! It is gruesome and visceral (and very detailed), with short chapters, which I love. There is also a twist at the end that I did guess but it was brilliant!
This book can easily be read as a stand-alone but I highly recommend you read both for the complete crazy ride.
Expected publication date for How the Games Began is 18/7/25
June 26, 2025
This book is a prequel to The Games We Play, Haywards firs novel. It’s a story told through the eyes of a psychopath - showcasing the thoughts and feelings (or lack there of) of young men developing into a “monster” terrorising the streets.
I’m not sure if I should be worried about how well the author is at getting into the mind of such gruesome psychopaths… he seems like such a nice guy! Ha but in all honesty, Alistair has obviously done his homework because the reader is absolutely able to see things clearly from a psychopaths point of view - which will be unsettling for many!
I finished this book while I was home alone and my husband was on holiday - to say that it left me unnerved would be an understatement but that’s a testament to the author who can create something both gruesome and readable.
As with all of Alistair’s books, these books are not for the faint of heart. Imagine all possible trigger warnings and then insert them here. I’ve read a lot of messed up stuff but there are some scenes in this book that will stay with me for life. Gee, thanks Alistair!
Congrats on your second book!
July 18, 2025
Brutal, disturbing, and impossible to put down.
How the Games Began is one of the most disturbing and well-written serial killer origin stories I’ve ever read. Alistair really perfected his craft in this prequel. The writing is super clean, the pacing is perfect, and the short chapters make it way too easy to keep going. Even when the scenes get brutal, I couldn’t stop reading.
The added mixed media clips made it sooo much more intriguing. I felt as if I were reading a documentary (which I loved). The murders are graphic, detailed, and sick in the best way. It’s not just gore. It’s smart. The way the killers think, the way they plan.. it gets under your skin. It’s uncomfortable. And it makes you wonder, Alistair, how are you so good at this? These characters feel like real people!
If you are a fan of true-crime, serial killers docs, and lots and lots if gore, this is for you. This can absolutely be read as a standalone, but I do highly recommend starting off with book one, The Games We Play to get the full experience.
How the Games Began is one of the most disturbing and well-written serial killer origin stories I’ve ever read. Alistair really perfected his craft in this prequel. The writing is super clean, the pacing is perfect, and the short chapters make it way too easy to keep going. Even when the scenes get brutal, I couldn’t stop reading.
The added mixed media clips made it sooo much more intriguing. I felt as if I were reading a documentary (which I loved). The murders are graphic, detailed, and sick in the best way. It’s not just gore. It’s smart. The way the killers think, the way they plan.. it gets under your skin. It’s uncomfortable. And it makes you wonder, Alistair, how are you so good at this? These characters feel like real people!
If you are a fan of true-crime, serial killers docs, and lots and lots if gore, this is for you. This can absolutely be read as a standalone, but I do highly recommend starting off with book one, The Games We Play to get the full experience.
June 30, 2025
Another great read from Hayward! This prequel is twice as long as ‘The Games We Play’ and even more fleshed out. Alistair really knocked it out of the park with this one. The characters were extremely well built out as well as the kills. The details were all there and nothing was missed. What’s truly great about this one is that you can read it as a standalone. Although, I strongly recommend reading both to get the full effect.
How The Games Began follows two serial killers and how they choose their victims. Their overall background is developed very well giving readers even more insight. From the past to present transitions, news broadcasts, police interviews/dialogue, kills, significant others of the killer/s, and truly getting inside of the mind of a serial killer…it’s chilling, raw, visceral and deeply disturbing. The perfect concoction for any horror lover.
How The Games Began releases on July 11th, 2025. Thank you to the author for this ARC.
How The Games Began follows two serial killers and how they choose their victims. Their overall background is developed very well giving readers even more insight. From the past to present transitions, news broadcasts, police interviews/dialogue, kills, significant others of the killer/s, and truly getting inside of the mind of a serial killer…it’s chilling, raw, visceral and deeply disturbing. The perfect concoction for any horror lover.
How The Games Began releases on July 11th, 2025. Thank you to the author for this ARC.
July 2, 2025
This is the prequel to Alastair’s debut novel, The Games We Play. This was a long one and you all know how I feel about reading long books with my ADHD 🤣 But this kept me entertained the entire time and the page numbers didn’t matter. I read it in 4 days!
How The Games Began tells the origin story of serial killer David and gives the background of how he is the way he is and how the deadly games started. The story is gruesome, violent, and full of wild scenes that get you into the minds of serial killers. Just when you think you know where it’s going, a big twist hits at the end. Fast paced, disturbing, and highly entertaining, you should check this one out if you’re a fan of dark thrillers and true crime!
How The Games Began tells the origin story of serial killer David and gives the background of how he is the way he is and how the deadly games started. The story is gruesome, violent, and full of wild scenes that get you into the minds of serial killers. Just when you think you know where it’s going, a big twist hits at the end. Fast paced, disturbing, and highly entertaining, you should check this one out if you’re a fan of dark thrillers and true crime!
September 2, 2025
How the Games Began by Alistair B. Hayward is the prequel to his previous novel The Games We Play.
How the Games Began follows the life of David, a serial killer, as he goes off the college, and later moves to New York.
This novel is full of disturbing details and descriptions that will have you both gagging and eager to continue reading.
Alistair does a phenomenal job of keeping you engrossed, ready to find out what happens next with our killer. He weaves of story of depravity so deep and dark that you’ll question your own sanity.
The world of darkness that he creates is not for the faint of heart, but it’s intriguing. Getting into the mind of a serial killer, seeing how his life began is something that fascinates me, which is why I think I enjoyed this book so much.
How the Games Began follows the life of David, a serial killer, as he goes off the college, and later moves to New York.
This novel is full of disturbing details and descriptions that will have you both gagging and eager to continue reading.
Alistair does a phenomenal job of keeping you engrossed, ready to find out what happens next with our killer. He weaves of story of depravity so deep and dark that you’ll question your own sanity.
The world of darkness that he creates is not for the faint of heart, but it’s intriguing. Getting into the mind of a serial killer, seeing how his life began is something that fascinates me, which is why I think I enjoyed this book so much.
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October 10, 2025⋆ DNF Review: "How the Games Began" by Alistair B. Hayward
I rarely DNF a book, and it kills me to walk away from this duology I was so invested in after the fantastic first book. Unfortunately, How the Games Began proved to be an insurmountable hurdle, forcing me to quit around the 300-page mark.
This book suffers from a serious case of bloat. At a daunting 694 pages, it feels like a story that was expanded far beyond its natural endpoint. While I truly enjoyed the world and characters established in the previous book, the pacing here is utterly glacial. I spent a third of the novel waiting for a plot point that felt significant, and instead, I was buried under endless exposition and dialogue that didn't serve the core narrative. It felt less like a carefully crafted sequel and more like a detailed, unnecessary history lecture padded out to a massive size.
I love a long book when the content justifies it, but in this case, the length became the antagonist. Every time I picked it up, I felt a wave of exhaustion simply looking at the remaining page count. It became a chore I dreaded rather than an escape I looked forward to, and eventually, I just couldn't force myself to read one more word.
It is heartbreaking to have to walk away from a series I had high hopes for, but sometimes, a book's structure and editing simply make it inaccessible. This DNF is a direct result of excessive length and slow pacing. While I respect the ambition, I can only recommend this to the most dedicated fans who have infinite patience for world-building, as the experience for me was deeply frustrating.
I rarely DNF a book, and it kills me to walk away from this duology I was so invested in after the fantastic first book. Unfortunately, How the Games Began proved to be an insurmountable hurdle, forcing me to quit around the 300-page mark.
This book suffers from a serious case of bloat. At a daunting 694 pages, it feels like a story that was expanded far beyond its natural endpoint. While I truly enjoyed the world and characters established in the previous book, the pacing here is utterly glacial. I spent a third of the novel waiting for a plot point that felt significant, and instead, I was buried under endless exposition and dialogue that didn't serve the core narrative. It felt less like a carefully crafted sequel and more like a detailed, unnecessary history lecture padded out to a massive size.
I love a long book when the content justifies it, but in this case, the length became the antagonist. Every time I picked it up, I felt a wave of exhaustion simply looking at the remaining page count. It became a chore I dreaded rather than an escape I looked forward to, and eventually, I just couldn't force myself to read one more word.
It is heartbreaking to have to walk away from a series I had high hopes for, but sometimes, a book's structure and editing simply make it inaccessible. This DNF is a direct result of excessive length and slow pacing. While I respect the ambition, I can only recommend this to the most dedicated fans who have infinite patience for world-building, as the experience for me was deeply frustrating.
July 17, 2025
Firstly I want to thank the author for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed his first book and this one didn't disappoint either. I won't lie, with murders reminiscent of the likes of Jack the Ripper, I did struggle to read some scenes as there is some very descriptive torture involved. Aside from that the author has a great ability to tell a story and the plot was entertaining and kept you reading.
The book is well written and clearly well researched. A recommended book for those who enjoy the likes of Karin Slaughter but please make sure you check the trigger warnings first.
The book is well written and clearly well researched. A recommended book for those who enjoy the likes of Karin Slaughter but please make sure you check the trigger warnings first.
July 10, 2025
🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
Wow. What a ride!!
After reading ‘The Games We Play’ last year, I couldn’t wait for this book to come out! So very lucky to have been gifted this by Alistair to review, thank you so much!
This book is even darker than the first, but just as gripping, compelling and twisty. The ending! 🤯
Is it too early to request another book? 😬😂
This book is released tomorrow and I highly recommend it if you like a psychological serial killer thriller. Please note this has extreme descriptions of gore and is not for the faint hearted.
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July 18, 2025
I had the pleasure of working with Alistair Hayward as his alpha reader on "How The Games Began" and let me tell you horror readers, this is not one you will want to pass up. Keep in mind this is a sequel to "The Games We Play". It's raw, real, and visceral! It's will take you inside the mind of a serial killer with a first point of view. It's also extreme horror with just about every trigger warning you can imagine. It will shock you to your core!
August 8, 2025
𝔈𝔳𝔢𝔯 𝔴𝔞𝔫𝔱𝔢𝔡 𝔱𝔬 𝔩𝔦𝔳𝔢 𝔦𝔫𝔰𝔦𝔡𝔢 𝔞 𝔰𝔢𝔯𝔦𝔞𝔩 𝔨𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔢𝔯’𝔰 𝔪𝔦𝔫𝔡? 🖤🗡
⭐ 5/5 | Horror / Splatterpunk
A phenomenal, twisted peek into a serial killer’s mind. This prequel to The Games We Play takes us back to David’s origins — how he fell into his life, met his wife, built his circle. Hayward’s use of news articles again is a genius touch. Brutal and pitch-black — check your TWs — but worth every page.
⭐ 5/5 | Horror / Splatterpunk
A phenomenal, twisted peek into a serial killer’s mind. This prequel to The Games We Play takes us back to David’s origins — how he fell into his life, met his wife, built his circle. Hayward’s use of news articles again is a genius touch. Brutal and pitch-black — check your TWs — but worth every page.
July 30, 2025
Oh, now I knew David was a ‘delight’ but this showed him on another level…. He sure is one crazy mo-fo.
I loved ‘The Games We Play’ and this is just as dark, sadistic and f**ked up. The attention to detail is both sick and mind blowing, it’s shocking/scary what some people’s thought processes are and was interesting to see how David’s thoughts/urges developed from childhood and the normality of said childhood.
I do like David (not his actions) and find him fascinating, untill Edward and Eleanor, which I found so upsetting, partly due to their age. It didn’t stop me wanting to carry on reading, but made me realise I might have a limit with dark reads 😬😂.
I loved seeing the other side of crimes and how these were dealt with by the police especially the profiling by Katy Owen’s and how the police forces work together when linking killers. I now want to binge the first book in the (hopeful) series as this can’t be the last of David
I loved ‘The Games We Play’ and this is just as dark, sadistic and f**ked up. The attention to detail is both sick and mind blowing, it’s shocking/scary what some people’s thought processes are and was interesting to see how David’s thoughts/urges developed from childhood and the normality of said childhood.
I do like David (not his actions) and find him fascinating, untill Edward and Eleanor, which I found so upsetting, partly due to their age. It didn’t stop me wanting to carry on reading, but made me realise I might have a limit with dark reads 😬😂.
I loved seeing the other side of crimes and how these were dealt with by the police especially the profiling by Katy Owen’s and how the police forces work together when linking killers. I now want to binge the first book in the (hopeful) series as this can’t be the last of David
June 30, 2025
This was such a good read. I really enjoyed the first one but loved this one even more. It was so interesting to see how David evolved into the killer he is and how the games all started. This one was dark and gruesome with times I had to put it down for a slight break. The details proved to be important and sets the ending up for a good twist. I’m intrigued to see if there will be another book and where that will take David and the reader next.
July 19, 2025
This book is brutal. It’s gory. After reading book 1 last year this was everything I expected in a prequel and more! I loved getting more of a backstory from The Games We Play.
I throughly enjoyed getting into the head of the main characters, seeing what made them tick and the driving force behind their actions. True psychopaths.
There were some parts that were hard to read, Hayward’s writing is so descriptive that I had to physically screw my eyes up and take a break occasionally!
This book is long, but so so worth it. There’s so much packed in!!
If gory horror/thriller’s are what you’re into then I highly recommend picking up this book!
I throughly enjoyed getting into the head of the main characters, seeing what made them tick and the driving force behind their actions. True psychopaths.
There were some parts that were hard to read, Hayward’s writing is so descriptive that I had to physically screw my eyes up and take a break occasionally!
This book is long, but so so worth it. There’s so much packed in!!
If gory horror/thriller’s are what you’re into then I highly recommend picking up this book!
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