5 Stars – A Brilliant New Series with a Gripping New Heroine

As a longtime fan of Alex Sigmore’s other series, I couldn’t wait to dive into The Darkest Game, and it absolutely exceeded expectations. Sigmore has a talent for crafting dark, atmospheric thrillers, and this new installment with Detective Charlotte Dawes brings that signature intensity while introducing a fresh, compelling protagonist I’m already hooked on.

Charlotte is sharp, intuitive, and carries the weight of her past cases with a quiet strength that makes her incredibly relatable. From the moment she arrives in Oak Creek, you can feel the tension simmering beneath the surface. The town may seem quiet, but it’s hiding layers of secrets—and the murders are as chilling as they are creative. The way the killer uses art to stage the crimes adds a disturbing yet fascinating dimension to the investigation.

I especially loved how the mystery kept me guessing, with eerie twists tied to haunting paintings that seemed to predict the future. Every chapter adds a new piece to the puzzle, and the sense of urgency builds perfectly. Sigmore knows how to draw readers deep into the setting, and Oak Creek comes alive as a character of its own—beautiful, mysterious, and dangerous.

This is the start of something special. If you loved Sigmore’s previous work, prepare to fall in love with this new world and its darkly addictive pace. I can’t wait to see where Charlotte’s story goes next.

Thanks to Ms Sigmore, NetGalley, and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Darkest Game is a good thriller that weaves elements of suspense, art, and small-town intrigue. From page one, we know that a killer transforms art into murder, merging the creative world with dark psychological twists.

Detective Charlotte Dawes is an engaging protagonist, bringing her own experiences and expertise into the investigation. Sometimes, she can be frustrating as she wants to prove herself, but she is on the edge of being pushed out of her job. Mona, the detective of Oak Creek, is also a good character. Charlotte and Mona played well off each other, and I would be interested to see if other books with these two characters are written.

The storyline is thought-provoking, especially as Charlotte uncovers the eerie connection between the murdered artist and her hauntingly prophetic paintings. Each murder feels like a piece of a puzzle, and as panic spreads through the town, I feel the urgency and tension that the author builds.

The character dynamics, particularly the interaction between Charlotte and Mona, plus other local police, add layers of complexity and intrigue to the plot. Overall, The Darkest Game is a very good page-turner filled with artful deception and suspense. I would recommend it for fans of crime fiction.

#TheDarkestGame #NetGalley @Stormbooks_co

They found the body at Crystal Creek in chapters 3 and 4, Wasn’t it supposed to be Oak Creek instead?

I love how this story it hooks you in when you start reading it. Mona and Charlotte are fantastic characters! I wanted to read more about them!

The killer’s POV makes the story even creepier, especially with his murders being inspired by these paintings.
I was a little confused when the killer was talking to the victim. At first I pictured him dragging a corpse around like Leatherface but it turns out it was all in his imagination. That visual sticks with me whenever I read his POV.

The plot twist when the killer was revealed genuinely shocked me. I’ll definitely be reading Alex Sigmore’s other books.

I got involved fully with this and then.... I wasn't. Read 75% and although good it didn't fully capture my thoughts. It was original game play murder most gruesome serial offender themed and I enjoyed it as far as I got to. Usually I won't put a book down when I've got this far but there you go..... I did.

Detective Charlotte Dawes is heading into forced retirement due to a botched undercover investigation when she’s given the opportunity to assist on one last case. She doesn’t expect much, as it’s not her typical Chicago beat, but a case out in a small town called Oak Creek. There she meets Mona, a fresh detective saddled with a stubborn and antagonistic partner, Ramsey. The rest of the force aren’t much better, but when Charlotte proves she’s got the skills they need, she and Mona become dual leads on the case. It’s nowhere near an accidental death as previously believed, and it’s not long before another victim is found.

Charlotte and Mona feel the crimes are connected somehow, but they can’t find the evidence to back it up—or anything more than a hunch, really. But when the first clue is discovered that just might be what they need, they’re horrified to realize the case hits much closer to home than either detective expected. Can they stop this disturbed perpetrator before anyone else gets hurt?

Charlotte and Mona make a good team, if not a little clichéd. The older, seasoned vet paired with the rookie detective isn’t anything new, but these two breathe some fresh life into the characters. The scenarios and attitudes of officers were realistic, with the worst ones never fully accepting the women in charge but being put in their place accordingly. And some people you thought would be safe turned up as the next victim, which was a nice change and totally unexpected. The ending was fantastic, not predictable but totally believable.
I would easily read more books about these two in this small town, and I think any mystery fan would agree!

I haven't read such a twisted murder mystery in a long time. Charlotte is a successful detective in Chicago but her last case backfires in a big way. She's on the verge of forced retirement when she's asked to go to Oak Creek to help out after a body is found dumped by the creek. Together with Mona, the detective in Oak Creek, they start their investigation only for more bodies to turn up, all posed to mimic paintings. This case just got bigger and bigger with a serious twist at the end. The two women become friends along the way and help each other see that life isn't just about the job. A fantastic story that I read in a day.
Thanks to Netgalley, Storm Publishing, and Alex Sigmore for the free ARC. All opinions are my own.

Loved this thriller! Even as Charlotte is forced to retire from her detective job, she is still interested in solving crimes. So when a decomposed body is found in Oak Creek, she teams up with Mona to investigate. And what they find is both shocking and fascinating as there are multiple bodies and they are somehow connected to paintings. What is going on in this small town? Great mystery and red herrings abound!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Chilling, gruesome, dark.
Excellent novel. I love the fact that the main characters were female detectives.
This is my first novel by this author, and definitely won't be my last.
The puzzles that are solved by new detective Mona, and the clues that veteran detective Charlotte were well thought out.
The killer thought he could outwit the detectives and failed.


Definitely a winner, and I think fans of Chris Carter will love this book.

5/5 stars from me.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

Possible spoilers


I enjoyed the pairing on new detective Mona, ànd older, wiser, on her way out Charlotte.
Mona was very interesting, on one hand super enthusiastic, on the other able to detatch from her emotions completely.
It doesn't take long to realise there's a game afoot, and the killer has a bigger plan.
It was good to see these two use there different methods to follow the clues.
I found the killer a bit of a let down to be honest. He was definitely the weakest point of the book for me.
A good read non the less.

My first Alex Sigmore novel but definitely not my last. This was dark and creepy and it unfolded beautifully. Once I started I could not put it down. Brilliant characters kept me captivated from beginning to end. Great read.
Thank you NetGalley, Alex Sigmore and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.

In small villages, the police also come across dead bodies, but these often involve accidents. That’s why it’s understandable that, when they are called because a resident has discovered a corpse, they initially assume it’s an accident rather than foul play.

When Charlotte Dawes, a seasoned detective from Chicago, comes to assist, she notices different things, and it quickly becomes clear that it’s not as innocent as it seems.

It soon turns out to be the beginning of a series of murders that appear to have nothing in common, and Charlotte and her local colleague work day and night to stop the killer. Although he seemingly makes it easy for them by leaving hints, he also shows himself to be particularly intelligent and cunning.

Can they stop him before he makes his final victim and achieves his ultimate goal?

The whole story moves at a fairly fast pace, which I really appreciate. The author has also created fantastic characters, and the fact that we got to look inside the killer’s mind is always a plus for me.

The book is well-crafted, and everything fits together. This is my first book by this author, and I look forward to reading more from him. I'm a fan and happily give it 5 stars.

Thank you

Detective Charlotte Dawes is not having a good time of it. Unable to close a case for two years, her latest effort in bringing a high flying criminal down has blown up in her face.

Despite having a good relationship with her boss, Lieutenant Whiteside, it’s time for Charlotte to go, retirement is certainly on the horizon whether she wants it or not. When another jurisdiction asks Whiteside for assistance in discovering the identity of a dumped body, Dawes begs for the chance to go and help out, purely in an advisory capacity of course! But again has she bitten off more than she can chew?

This was a good read right from the off. A new author for me and I enjoyed the writing style and the characters were well depicted with a suspenseful plot. Creating Sergeant Ramsey as a character we love to hate was a smart move ;).

Will look out for more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing.

Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of The Darkest Game by Alex Sigmore due to be published June 4, 2025.

When new detective Mona LaSalle finds a body, she gets her first case with the help of Detective Charlotte Dawes, who has worked on more murder investigations than she’d like to remember. When a friend of Mona’s turns up dead with her friend’s mysteriously gruesome paintings also discovered, Mona and Charlotte have a huge mystery to solve. Can they find the killer in time?

What a great thriller! This was my first book by this author, and it will not be my last. I did not see the twists coming at all – a great book!

#NetGalley #AlexSigmore #StormPublishing #TheDarkestGame

This is my first book by this author and let me tell you it won’t be my last! I was completely blown away it was sheer brilliance. I didn’t want to put the book down but life kept getting in the way it was pure awesomeness!