The Game Is Murder by Hazell Ward

It took me more than a week to finish this book. I’m not a fan of murder-mystery games, but for a debut, Hazell Ward has put in an outstanding effort. Kudos to the author! A 2.73 Goodreads rating feels like an unpopular opinion to me. This book deserves a fairer look.

The story is packed with a lot of extraneous detail, and at times, it feels quite repetitive. As a reader, I needed to piece together the context of the game, figure out who to trust since almost no one can be, and work with the minimal clues given.

Set in 1974, the book tells the story of Lord John Verreman, a professional gambler accused of brutally beating his children’s nanny, Mrs. Sally Gardner, to death. At the time, he had separated from his wife, Antonia, who later claimed he had tried to kill her. Her testimony, however, was dismissed due to her unstable mental state. The prosecution’s case relied on circumstantial evidence, and when Lord Verreman fled before trial, he left behind only a strange letter. He has remained missing ever since, and the truth of what happened that night was never proven.

Fifty years later, Max Enygma, a former detective, receives a mysterious invitation from Lord David Verreman to attend a murder mystery party. What begins as a harmless game soon unearths the echoes of a real crime one that still haunts the Verreman's. David’s eccentricities and delusions blur the line between reality and performance, and Max realizes that solving this case could restore not only his reputation but also his belief in justice.

In the end, The Game is Murder isn’t just about uncovering who did it, but understanding how the past continues to play its hand. It’s a slow, meticulous read, but one that rewards patience with a chilling sense of satisfaction.

Kill Your Darlings by Peter Swanson

The chapters are arranged by years, which gives the story a clear timeline even when the narration moves in unexpected ways. This structure builds suspense, slowly reveals backstory, and shows how past choices ripple into the present. Despite the slower pace, I loved it so much that I’m giving it a solid 5 ⭐.

This is the story of Wendy and Thomas Graves, childhood sweethearts who grow into a troubled husband and wife. They seem destined to be together, but from the start I was intrigued. I wanted to understand why Wendy remained so deeply tied to Thom despite his infidelity and drinking problem. As the years pass, their true colors surface, and the tension deepens.

For much of their marriage, Wendy only knew Thom was working on a mystery novel. When she discovers that his book involves a murder, it shakes her to the core. A story the world was never meant to know. Told in reverse, the narrative lets us peel back the layers of their relationship, with Wendy secretly imagining what life would be like if Thom died naturally. Dark as it sounds, there is a sharp humor in those private fantasies, because sometimes we do kill people in our heads. 😅

The ending was outstanding and gave me the answers I was waiting for. Having read Peter Swanson before, I can say this is another brilliant example of his gripping style. I also enjoyed the book and movie references scattered throughout, which made me want to check out a few myself.

One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune

Alice Everly is a freelance photographer, a loyal friend, a caring sister, and a devoted granddaughter. After a breakup leaves her feeling unmotivated, she takes it as a chance to pause and rediscover herself. After her grandmother’s hip surgery, Alice steps in to help with her recovery, and together they decide to rent a lakeside cottage at Barry’s Bay, a place Alice hasn’t visited since she was seventeen.

There she meets Charlie Florek, the boy she once captured in a photo she titled One Golden Summer. Now living nearby, Charlie quickly charms not only Alice but also her grandmother. I found their chemistry instant and heartwarming, with a nostalgic spark that made me smile as I read.

Some parts felt a little draggy, and the ending leaned a bit on the pretentious side, but the story still left me with warmth. What really carried the book for me was the tenderness between Alice and Charlie. Their bond felt sweet, genuine, and quietly powerful, like slipping back into a memory that still glows.

Overall, One Golden Summer is a cozy, nostalgic read that celebrates second chances, the pull of a long-ago crush, and the way summer can linger in the heart long after the season has passed.

Never Flinch by Stephen King

I have to admit, my experience with Holly Gibney’s earlier series wasn’t the best. But with Never Flinch, Holly and King truly make a comeback.

In this fourth installment, the police receive a threatened letter from an anonymous figure calling himself the mastermind behind the Surrogate Juror Murders. Victims are found with slips of paper naming the jurors from the Alan Duffrey trial. Duffrey was a man falsely accused of being a pedophile, framed by his own colleague, and left to die in prison. Justice failed Duffrey. Now the killer has taken it upon himself to deliver punishment. Cold, merciless, and strangely righteous, his message is simple, if the system won’t hold the guilty accountable, he will.

Meanwhile, Holly Gibney, now running the Finders Keepers agency, takes on bodyguard work for feminist speaker Kate McKay. Kate is controversial, branded a zealot for hearing the voices of oppressed women. But not everyone admires her. One religious zealot is convinced Kate is defying God and will stop at nothing to silence her.

These two psychos intertwined in the last hundred pages, creating a finale that is messy, unsettling, nerve-wracking, and absolutely unputdownable. I dragged this read over ten days just to savor it though believe me, it begs to be devoured in one sitting. King reminds me why he’s my favorite storyteller. This one gets a solid 4.8⭐ from me. And since nobody asked, I’m now reading Mr. Mercedes. 😅

No One Would Do What The Lamberts Have Done by Sophie Hannah

This novel is unlike anything I’ve read before. It’s a book about a book, told by an unnamed writer who recounts the outrageous story of the Lamberts: Sally, Mark, their children Rhiannon and Tobes, and their beloved dog, Champs. But Champs isn’t just a pet. In Sally’s eyes, he is more than family.

The trouble begins when a policeman arrives at the Lamberts’ home with shocking news. Champs has been accused of biting Tess Gavey, their prickly neighbor. Devastated, Sally is swept into a bizarre escape party organized by Corinne Sullivan, another eccentric neighbor. From there, everything spirals wildly out of control.

The Gaveys are portrayed as overreacting, callous, and repulsive, but it’s the Lamberts, with their chaotic, surreal, and magnetic antics, who steal the show. Honestly, they deserve a movie series of their own. Their ridiculous adventures make the whole situation feel even crazier.

What fascinated me most was Sophie Hannah’s balancing act. So much of the story feels painfully real, yet just as much is deliberately distorted, filtered through the lens of an unreliable narrator. I was constantly asking myself what’s true, what’s fabricated, and who can be trusted.

This was my first Sophie Hannah novel, and despite the mixed reviews I’d seen beforehand, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Her writing is sharp, playful, and unnerving all at once. For its originality and wit, I’d give it 4.5 ⭐