After a woman’s body was discovered along a river in Oak River, the local police dismissed it as an accidental drowning, and a thorough investigation was never conducted at the time. Several years later, the investigation was reopened, and Detective Charlotte Dawes, known for the staggering number of investigations she had completed, was brought in from Chicago to aid the local police in their investigation. Upon initial examination of the body, Dawes convinced the police that someone had moved the body away from the area where the murder originally occurred to the edge of the creek.
Soon after, a local artist was murdered, and the scene where the body was found matched one of her original paintings. Dawes became extremely concerned after reviewing the artist's other paintings. They predicted the grisly way in which a string of the town's citizens would soon die.
As panic gripped the town, Dawes discovered a link between the first victim and a local cop. It soon became evident that the murders were carefully planned in a town where closely kept secrets are the norm, and the town folks are strongly resisting her investigative efforts to the point where her own life could be in danger.
The twists and turns will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Wow, what a surprising read!

When I first came across this book via NetGalley I knew immediately it would be up my alley. As I began to read it, however, I found that the beginning felt too slow and it took me a while to really get into the book. Once I began reading it was fine, it just took a hot minute to actually get invested in the story.

Maybe about the 40% mark did I find that the pace quickened and the crime-telling was engaging, efficient and had me on the seat of my chair. The last 80%, I couldn't read fast enough. This book is unpredictable and twisted. The concept the "The Darkest Game" was brilliant and after finishing the book, all I could thing was "WOW. That just happened."

I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you to Storm Publishing for the advanced reader copy!

Book Publish Date: 4th June 2025

2⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an advanced copy of The Darkest Game.

Charlotte is a detective who messed up on her last case so her boss sent her to a small town to investigate a body that was found. She finds that it is not an accidental death it is murder. The killer is playing a game but can she outsmart him.

This was your average run of the mill thriller. There was not anything that really stood out to me about it.

Charlotte has had a bad string of cases as a two-decade veteran detective. She hasn't solved anything in ages, and just had a massive flop with a case that could have ended her career on a high. About to be forced into retirement, she begs to be given one more chance. She's sent to a small town to help them with a random body they've found, but nothing is as it appears, and she finds herself embroiled in a twisted game she wasn't prepared for.

*****

This was such an addictive novel. The pacing was fast and steady, with multiple perspectives and narrators that were unreliable to the reader, as well as to themselves. I found myself trying to puzzle out whether Mona was a genuine lead, or something nefarious, whether other detectives and the town working against them was part of the game, and who exactly John was.

I loved that we had the contrast of Charlotte as an experienced, albeit slightly jaded detective, and Mona as someone living on idealism and naivety as to what the job entailed as someone new to field work. Seeing Charlotte's reaction to her behaviours and trying to parse out what was genuine and what was suspicious had me absolutely hooked.

If you're looking for a mystery that will keep you intrigued until the last page, this one is for you!

*****

Thank you to Storm Publishing for the digital ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

An exciting thriller that's a fast paced read. A detective from Chicago is sent out to a small town to help on her last case before enforced retirement. Working with the newest detective in the town, she finds the case becoming more and more complex. This is a cleverly plotted story that centres around a series of gruesome murders. This is the first book I have read by Alex Sigmore and I shall be looking to read more.

Detective Charlotte Dawes is being forced into early retirement after a botched undercover investigation, but she’s given the opportunity to help her former boss’ close sheriff friend down in Oak Creek with a decomposed body that was found by a fisherman near Crystal Creek.

Oak Creek Detective Mona LaSalle and her arrogant partner, Ramsey, have been assigned to the case of the decomposed body. The small town of Oak Creek is quiet. The biggest crime they’ve had is a few robberies here and there, but nothing like what Detective LaSalle is about to stumble upon.

It’s there at Crystal Lake, hovering over a body, where Charlotte and Mona meet for the very first time. Before they’re able to ID this body, another body has been discovered but the scene around this body almost feels like a painting. Once that scene is processed, another body is found depicting similarities to the last one.

Can Charlotte and Mona find the killer before it’s too late?

I’m a sucker for a small town murder mystery and this one gave me the creeps! I devoured this book in a day and was left wanting more from this author. As I wait for another book in the Oak Creek series, I’m going to start the Emily Slate series that consists of sixteen books on Kindle Unlimited. His writing reminds me of authors like Karin Slaughter and Sam Holland, which I absolutely love!

Did I just find a new go-to author? I think I did. 🙂

The Darkest Game is a chilling thriller that weaves murder, art, and mystery.
When a series of deaths mirror local artwork, Detective Charlotte Dawes must unravel the truth
She works with local detective Mona LaSalle to unmask the killer.

This is a suspenseful story that keeps readers guessing until the final page. A must-read for fans of dark, twisty crime fiction..

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy, for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book. I liked the characters, I thought the plot was clever and kept you guessing. I thoroughly enjoyed how it unfolded. Highly recommend.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
"The Darkest Game" Is a Brilliantly Twisted Ride Through the Shadows of Crime and Deception

The Darkest Game is everything I crave in a crime thriller—dark, intelligent, and absolutely relentless. From the first chilling chapter, the story pulls you into a dangerous web of lies, betrayal, and secrets that refuse to stay buried. The tension is thick, the atmosphere ominous, and the twists… genuinely shocking.

The pacing is masterful. Every chapter dangles a clue or a red herring, keeping you second-guessing until the final, stunning reveal. The protagonist is complex and deeply human, carrying both grit and vulnerability, and the antagonist is chillingly elusive. It’s a game of cat and mouse where the rules keep changing, and no one is ever truly safe.

What sets this book apart is its ability to blend gritty realism with emotional depth. The stakes are high not just on a physical level, but psychologically, too. You’re not just turning pages to see what happens—you need to know.

If you’re a fan of smart, atmospheric crime thrillers that don’t play fair with your expectations, The Darkest Game is a must-read. It’s not just a story—it’s a trap you’ll willingly walk into.

Thank you to Netgalley and Storm publishing for this ARC!

4.5☆

A body is found by a river in the small town of Oak Creek, where murders are as rare as 2-3 a year. Presumed a fishing accident, out of town detective, Charlotte Dawes rocks the town on discovering it is murder.
Arriving to assist, Dawes is on her last case. Once a brilliant cop, she's out to prove herself again.
Local artist Robin goes missing and is soon found brutally murdered, the only clue an incredibly disturbing painting by the artist herself.
Paired with newly promoted Detective, Mona LaSalle, the pair are in a race to get ahead of the killer, but can they solve the clues in time?

I loved this book. It kept the reader on their toes over who and what the links between the killer and the victims could be. Teasing options for who the killer could be. Just when the reader is convinced they've worked it out, along comes a dead end and another twist in the tale! I enjoyed seeing the relationship between the two detectives develop. Dawes, the older officer, takes LaSalle under her wing after experiencing for herself the disgusting behaviour her current partner displays to her.
I'm hoping that this might be the start of another series by the author as although this is my first time reading their work, I really enjoyed it, and I'd like to see how LaSalle's career progress.

**Rounded up from 4.5 stars **

thrillers with a psychological edge, this one is a must-read.

Detective Charlotte Dawes is exactly the kind of lead I love in a crime novel—smart, relentless, and just damaged enough to make her feel real. Her arrival in Oak Creek shakes up the small-town dynamic in all the right ways, especially as she quickly sees what the local police don't (or won’t) admit: this is no accident. There’s a killer in town, and they’re playing a terrifyingly calculated game.

The use of artwork to foreshadow the murders was absolutely chilling and one of the most original elements in the story. It added a surreal, almost gothic tone to the investigation, and the tension kept climbing as each new painting hinted at another death. The pacing was tight, the twists were well-placed, and just when I thought I had it figured out—bam, another layer was revealed.

What kept this from being a full five stars for me? A couple of the secondary characters felt a little underdeveloped, especially given the complexity of the plot. I would have loved just a bit more emotional depth from the townspeople affected by the killings.

Still, this was a dark, immersive, and gripping read. Charlotte Dawes is a character I definitely want more of, and Oak Creek’s secrets were juicy enough to leave me hoping for a sequel.

This is a new series for this author. It is a well written book that will keep you reading into the night and begging for more. I anxiously await to read more of this series.

This is my first read by the author but it won't be my last. A very good, character driven thriller, filled with mystery and drama. I really liked Charlotte, the main character, she is easy to like with all her flaws and the plotting was quite original. The pacing is fast and the small town setting worked very well. It is light reading, definitely worth a read and one I would recommend. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Murder, turned into a twisted game.
The first body was thought to be an accident, but the second one…. The second one was gruesome and the clue was left. This was just the beginning.


I read this in two evenings and I had to force myself to put it down and go to bed the first night.

Thank you to Storm Publishing, NetGalley and Alex Signore for the early read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | A Suspenseful Ride with Just Enough Twists

The Darkest Game by Alex Sigmore is a solid, edge-of-your-seat thriller. Right from the beginning, it pulls you into a dark, intense atmosphere where secrets and lies are around every corner. The plot kept me guessing, and just when I thought I had it figured out, something unexpected happened.

The main character was relatable and well-written, and I liked how the tension built steadily throughout the story. There were a few parts where I wished for a bit more detail or depth, especially with some of the side characters, but it didn’t take away from the overall experience.

If you're into psychological thrillers with a shadowy vibe and lots of suspense, this one’s definitely worth a read.

First of all thank you for approving my request!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The authors writing style had me hooked throughout this book.

I didn't want it to end, a book I really couldn't put down.

Who is killing seemingly unconnected members of a small community and leaving clues? Detective Mona LaSalle and Charlottes Dawes team up to find out.

This book was absolutely phenomenal! The character development of the two main protagonists throughout the book was an amazing addition to the wonderful twists and clues throughout the book. While I was able to guess who the main perpetrator was near the end of the book, I was still intrigued and enthralled by the ending. I absolutely recommend picking up this book next week (June 4th) when it is released and will be looking for more by this author in the future.

I loved this thriller, unexpected surprise

It was well written and easy read but slow at the beginning and then gets fast paced. The 2 female detectives worked really well together and helped each other to heal through a difficult and challenging serial case murder.

Wow I didn’t expect the ending to be xxxxxxx and made it all the better for me as I found it was unputdownable towards the end. Winner for me

Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing

A compelling murder mystery, The Darkest Game (2025) by Alex Sigmore features Chicago detective, Charlotte Dawes. In trouble for ruining an ongoing investigation, Charolette is sent to assist, when a woman’s body is found in Oak Creek. Partnered with newly minted detective, Mona LaSalle, an engrossing investigation is begun with no forensic evidence or apparent motive. Then a local artist is murdered and the body is posed as one of her paintings, setting off panic amongst the town who fear it may be a serial killer. As the body count mounts, the detectives try to get ahead of the killer, leading to a bloody confrontation and surprising climax reveal. A quality police procedural and gripping tale that is a four and a half star crime read rating. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without any inducement. With thanks to Storm Publishing and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes.

Although Alex Sigmore is a well established author this is the first book he has written that I have read. The story of loss, loneliness and connection is well told and as with many authors has chosen the world of art to utilise in his story. Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.