Each year, for her brother Benjamin's New Year's Day birthday, Abigail gathers the same group of friends for a party. There is drinking, eating and general merriment, culminating in an elaborate murder mystery. Abigail, the self-appointed organiser of the group, prides herself on making sure everything is perfect: the clues; the character assignments; the moment the investigation begins. This year's party, in a gorgeously grand eighteenth century home in the countryside, goes off without a hitch. The victim is brutally slain, the clues discovered and the culprit identified. In the early hours of the morning, the friends pour themselves into bed, sated with food, drink and fun. However, when the sun rises, one of the guests is discovered dead inside a locked bedroom, and suddenly the game becomes horrifyingly real. Who killed Benjamin? Why?

All of a sudden, the reader is transported into a 1920s detective story, complete with the genre's rigid set of rules, set pieces and characters - a figment of Abigail's grieving mind conjured up to make sense of her brother's death. The juxtaposition of the 'investigation' and the unbearable, overwhelming sadness she feels is effective, and it brings a much needed levity to the devastatingly sad narrative of Abigail trying to face life without Benjamin and find meaning in how he died. Fair Play pokes fun at the conventions and formulaic nature of old-fashioned detective stories, and there are some laugh out loud moments when Hegarty sends up the genre tropes, such as the detective's bumbling Watson-esque sidekick and the sudden materialisation of an assortment of servants holding important clues to the investigation.

For most part I was captivated by this weird little tale, which is at turns moving and amusing, and I found the choice to blend the two narratives a clever, interesting one. Fair Play also explores the complexities of sibling relationships and the strain of navigating long-term friendships once they have been outgrown but not yet completely discarded. However, I found the ending unnecessarily drawn-out; the point that was being made by it could have been established in fewer chapters or in one longer scene.

I was reminded of West Heart Kill, the 2023 Dann McDorman novel which celebrates and parodies the classic detective story, and I would definitely recommend that book to readers who enjoyed this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of Fair Play by Louise Hegarty in return for my honest review.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I was intrigued after reading the bio, unfortunately this book was not for me I found it quite a slow read and a little confusing in places.

Fair Play is a really unique read - I was expecting more of a typical murder mystery and it gave us a twist on that. However, I found it a puzzling read but in the sense that I didn't always keep track and it left me with questions so I wan't fully engage as I was second-guessing myself. I feel it's one I might come back to and read now I know the structure but this time round, it wasn't for me.

Fair Play by Louise Hegarty 🃏

Thank you to @netgalley for what originally was an ARC. I apologise for the feedback being after the official release.

Fair Play is a twist on the crime fiction genre, that is laced with deep sorrow, yet also humour.
Abigail hosts a murder mystery birthday party for her brother each year, but this year it ends with an actual death . . . 🕵️

The story is told in two parts, starting as your usual fiction novel, introducing the characters, providing background context and taking us through the events of the night. However, the novel then takes a turn and is set up as a classic “who dunnit?!” with a set of rules for the reader to follow! It even breaks the fourth wall!

I felt that I was not into this genre enough to truly appreciate the wit that coursed through the second half. There were a lot of throwbacks to famous crime detectives, like Sherlock and Poirot. This is a book for crime enthusiasts!

I enjoyed the exploration of Abigail’s grief and how this affected her experiences. What happens when the person who ties you to others is then gone? How do you answer the questions that you now have when left?

Fair Play has a really cool setup—a 1920s murder mystery party that turns into a real-life whodunit—but it doesn’t quite live up to the promise. Louise Hegarty’s writing is thoughtful, and you can tell she’s aiming for something deeper than the typical mystery. There’s a strong emotional emphasis here, especially around grief and loss, which gives the story a unique angle. But at times it feels like it can’t decide what it wants to be. It tries to be both a twisty murder mystery and a character study about processing trauma.While some parts work well, others drag a bit. The pacing slows down in places, and the mystery itself kind of fades into the background. Still, it’s an interesting debut. The vibes are great if you like that classic murder mystery feel, and the writing has great moments!

When is a murder mystery not a murder mystery? When it is a study of grief. Fair Play is playing with the tropes of a classic whodunnit to explore what happens to those left behind after tragic event. This is inventive and clever with an emotional heart.

Dnf. Maybe this just wasn't for me but I did not enjoy it in the slightest. I persevered and persevered but ultimately wished I hadn't bothered.

📚Book Review📚
Thanks to @netgalley and @picadorbooks for the proof copy of Fair Play which I’ve literally just finished. I’ve a lot to say but I’ll try to keep it succinct for the benefit of the gram. This is a whodunnit but not in the normal sense. It’s set today but feels at times like you’re back in an Agatha Christie novel (to which there are many AC references). I loved part one, the whole murder mystery set up, location, character choice etc and then it changes. By part two the book also moves back and forth with location, character and dialect and this is where it all gets a tad confusing (Google the concepts of meta and fourth room if you feel the need) and at this point it almost became a DNF, however I clung on and am glad I did. I think my biggest issue was reading it on a kindle - this is not a novel for ebook formatting, you need to be able to flick back and forth for the story to work, to check facts and confirm things if that makes sense and I couldn’t do this which was a frustration. I’m glad I stuck with it, and it’s a clever concept. If you’re a crime fan I think you’ll love it, but buy the physical book I beg of you. I would have rated this higher had I had a physical copy).

Fair Play is a modern domestic thriller that channels classic Cluedo‑style intrigue: a single house packed with suspects, a ticking clock, and plenty of red herrings. Louise Hegarty’s lively ensemble, each character armed with a clear motive and a memorable quirk, kept me engaged, and the short, cliff‑hanger chapters whisked me through the story. I especially enjoyed the playful trail of clues: there’s just enough misdirection to make guessing the culprit fun without feeling unfair.

Where the novel wobbles is depth. The high‑concept setup sometimes overshadows emotional resonance, leaving a few characters feeling more like chess pieces than people. A key twist also arrives a touch too early, which seasoned mystery readers may spot, draining some tension from the finale. And while the narrative is entertaining, it skims over richer thematic territory that could have added weight.

Overall, Fair Play is a clue‑strewn romp perfect for readers who want a light, puzzle‑driven mystery; think The Maid meets a spirited game night. It won’t satisfy those seeking profound character studies, but it delivers solid weekend entertainment.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Sadly, this book just wasn’t for me, but I’m sure I’m in the minority here and other people will enjoy the book. Sometimes a book just isn’t for you and this was the case for me but I did finish the read so all credit to the author and I hope the book has great success.
My thanks to NetGalley and Pan MacMillan, Picador for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

So this book was not what I expected at all.
I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it to be honest. I went in expecting a typical murder mystery and it's hard to say too much without giving away any spoilers, but it definitely wasn't that!

I felt like the book started off slow and the first part was a little stilted. Maybe that style of writing was intentional but it almost made me stop reading. However I wanted to make it to the murder at least and at that point the style changed completely. We are suddenly thrust into an old school, golden age detective novel complete with famous detective and nods to all the rules of the genre. This is interspersed with a portrait of the main character's grief and her efforts to process it and carry on with her life.

I've never read anything like it before and it is an interesting idea. I just felt like the murder mystery part was maybe a bit too clever for its own good and the jumping around left me a little confused. So while I didn't love it, it definitely left a lasting impression and I'll be thinking about it for a while.

I found the premise of this book really interesting and the book started well for me. I was interested to see the tropes and 'rules' for writing a golden age detective novel as they are some of my favourites to read.

The first part of the book follows the murder mystery evening for a combined new year's eve/birthday celebration and we meet our main cast of characters. This part ends with the start of the book's own mystery and we head into part 2.

I found part 2 really interesting as it divides between the continuation of the storyline begun in part 1 in the modern day as characters struggle to deal with the grief felt in the aftermath of a sudden death. While simultaneously we see the story Play out in a golden age detective novel with all of the rules and tropes from the beginning coming into play.

I thought this was a fresh and fun way to look at the genre and how it has developed and changed over time as new plot devices are used and some of the more outdated plot devices and rules are ignored/changed.

Towards the end of part 2 is where I got lost in understanding what had actually happened in the present day section and then we hit part 3.

I was then completely confused with part 3 and how it fit with the first parts of the story however after reflection I think it is further commentary on the grieving process, though I'm not certain on that.

Although the ending went over my head I think this was a clever and enjoyable read and I would definitely read from this author again and recommend this book to those who read and enjoy detective novels and plays on that genre.

I loved the idea of this high-concept murder mystery novel; I did my undergraduate thesis on crime fiction so was excited to see what kind of suvbversions Hegarty had up her sleeve for this one. Unfortunately, I found Fair Play to be middling at best.

Abigail and Benjamin are twins - orphaned ones, at that, so they are one another's whole world. Or so Abigail thinks. For Benjamin's birthday, Abigail hires a grand house on a lovely estate to throw a murder mystery birthday party - drinks are drank, secrets are spilled, and in the morning, Benjamin is dead. Things get weird when Inspector Auguste Belle arrives, promising to solve the crime in fewer than 30 chapters. He's a Poirot type, complete with dull-witted assistant. The locked room mystery now centres not on an Airbnb, but a family home, with staff and gardens. This change isn't communicated in any meaningful way, and had be checking and double-checking my ARC for printing errors.

Things get stranger from here - there are fourth wall breaks, switching narratives, and overt references to the characters being in a novel. It's sort of like Sherlock Holmes meets Fleabag, but set in contemporary Ireland. There is an awful lot to follow, balancing a meditation on grief and loss with the nudge-wink of references to the Golden Age of detective stories. It left me feeling off-kilter, like I was missing the place where the two themes intersected. At first, I thought "maybe I'm just not smart enough for it!" but then I thought, no, I have a goddamn thesis in this stuff. So as much as I admire Hegarty's originality, I think she bit off more than she could chew here.

A unique concept perfectly executed. But the ending…? Still not sure about that.

Lots of clues, twists and solutions but who knows which is right?

Definitely one you’d have to read again to see what you missed. Great characters and a good whodunnit, one I’ll think about for a while.

Published at the beginning of the month this is a book that is described as a ‘dazzling locked-room murder mystery’ but it is more than that - much more. This is a book about grief, about loss and trying to find the answers and it was not until I was a fair way into this that I understood what the author was doing. In the first part we have Abigail, on New Year’s Eve, organising a murder mystery party for her brother’s birthday. She has rented a huge house on AirBnB and has invited Benjamin’s friends and is busy setting the scene. She is planting the clues, the red herrings ready for when everyone arrives. The theme is 1920s Jazz Age. The party goes well, everyone has fun and everyone toddles off to bed. In the morning they all get up for breakfast except Benjamin. And then we switch to Part 2 when famous Detective Auguste Bell and his sidekick, Stacker arrive. This part deals with Benjamin’s death as if it is a novel - we are in a locked room mystery. There is a very Agatha Christie/Poirot, even Sherlock Holmes feel to this part as the investigation uncovers twists and scandals. There are references to the Golden Age of detective novels and the author even breaks the fourth wall. It had been described as genre defying and I have to agree. I didn’t immediately catch on to what was going on but when I did - wow. So clever and inventive.

Sometimes, you pick up a book and you just know it isn't going to be for you. Within about a page, I decided that life was too short to be reading a book where the opening description sounded like a child's report on what they did that day (I did this, then I did this, then I did this). I tried to push through, I even tried it in multiple formats, but this one is going to be a DNF for me and, reading some of the other reviews, I'm not going to be alone in that camp. It sounded great on paper, but the actual execution of the book in its prose really put me off. DNF.

Fair Play opened with immense promise, and in Part One, I was convinced it would become a new favourite in the murder mystery genre. I thoroughly enjoyed its metafictional awareness and clever subversion of genre conventions. The novel’s playful engagement with the reader - inviting us to speculate on the identity of the murderer - was especially compelling.

However, as the story progressed, I found myself increasingly confused and underwhelmed. While I recognise that this ambiguity may be intentional, reflecting Abigail’s own lack of closure and the idea that real life rarely offers the neat resolutions of classic murder mysteries, it ultimately left me feeling more frustrated than reflective. It may be thematically appropriate, but it didn’t quite feel like fair play.

A lavish murder mystery turns on its head when the grand party Abigail planned for her brother Benjamin goes awry. it starts with flowing champagne, drunken kisses, and antics, but ends the following morning with hangovers and a body. The murder mystery has materialised into an actual case. Along comes a detective, who homes in on the clues of this locked mystery, as all the subjects are contained within the house. Add in a butler, some maids, and a gardener, and we have all the ingredients for a classic crime drama. An entertaining read. #fairplay #louise hegarty #netgalley

On paper, this book is right up my street. I love crime fiction, appreciate the nods to the golden age of detective fiction, and have no problem with an original concept novel, which I think this is trying to be.

Abigail hires a grand house on a lovely estate to throw a murder mystery birthday party for her brother Benjamin. The party goes into the early hours before they all go to bed. In the morning, everyone wakes, except Benjamin…

This is where things get weird. The house, which was previously an AirBnB type rental, is now a family home with a butler, maid and gardener. An iconic detective arrives to solve the murder, which is, of course, a locked room mystery.

The narrative is a odd one. The detective and his side kick are solving Benjamin’s murder like it is straight out of a book. There are fourth wall breaks with nods to the audience. Alongside this narrative is Abigail’s perspective, where she is struggling to cope with her brother’s death. I’m not sure if it was worse to listen to on audio, but the writer uses repetition to show Abigail’s deflining mental health and her reliance on to-do lists, meaning that so much of the text was repeated I actually thought the audiobook was glitching! Extremely tedious to listen to in part.

Overall what could have been an exciting and original reading experience was tedious and not remotely satisfying…

At the risk of sounding very churlish I do feel that this book tries too hard to be original. So once you get your head around what has happened and when you have to decide if it was all worth it and I simply didn’t.