Fair Play starts like a classic murder mystery set in the modern times. A group of friends gather in a big country home in order to celebrate New Year's Eve and Benjamin's birthday. His sister Abigail has written a Jazz Age murder mystery as part of the festivities, which either person having their own character and role to play. The night is a roaring success, with plenty of fun and drinks. Everyone goes to bed however Benjamin is the only one who does not wake up.

In the aftermath of the murder, a famous detective arrives to the house to investigate. While the characters all stay the same people, the book setting shifts slightly back to the Jazz Age. While they are all still in the same house, instead of it being an Airbnb, it is now Benjamin and Abigail's stately home, complete with house staff such as maids and butlers. As this storyline unfolds, with the detective trying to solve the murder, we see Abigail come to grips with her brother's death in the modern timeline. This was slightly confusing at first and probably even more so because of the ARC formatting, but once I grasped it, it was easy to roll with it. The detective storyline is very meta, full of references to the Golden Age of detective stories, the rules these books need to adhere to and the different tropes and characters within it. As well as breaking the fourth wall, with the detective often saying things like 'of course, we'll explore that more in chapter 20'. The present day storyline is very poignant and explores grief and bereavement. Both strands were repetitive at times but it does fit the story.

While I did overall enjoy the book, the last part wasn't to my taste. It quite possible I just didn't 'get' it and it was too sophisticated for me! What I did love was the fact it was set in Ireland. No particular towns or places are mentioned, however the story has Irish references throughout (Gardaí, Easons, Gaeltacht and camogie being a few I caught) as well as a few phrases in Irish. It's a really nice touch, a nice nod to the author's heritage without it being a focal part of the story.

An experimental and fun take on a murder mystery, cleverly blending the modern day and Golden Age of detective stories.

Fair Play is a who-dunnit mystery but unlike any other. I read this a couple of weeks after reading Murder on the Orient Express and really enjoyed the parallels but also the blatant distortions of the genre too.
The story begins as you'd imagine - setting the scene (a New Years' Party in a large stately home), introducing the characters through their encounters, etc. and then, of course, the crime. What follows next, however, is a cast list and references to the rules of a murder mystery story. This was a really surprising take and one I really enjoyed. This play on genre carried on throughout the book, with things such as the detective stating, "We will discover that in chapter 23...". In Fair Play, the reader is made a part of the story and frequently invited to consider the crime, the clues and the perpetrator.
I really enjoyed this unique murder mystery, including the ending, which is usually a make or break moment for me and this genre.

Abigail and Benjamin are close siblings and every year Abigail throws a party for Benjamin's New Year's birthday. This year their friendship group meets at an AirBnB to play a murder mystery game but this is one with a twist as Benjamin ends up dead. Now there are parallel storylines set in the modern day and in the Golden Age of Detection, as Abigail struggles to cope with grief, a consulting detective tries to solve the crime.
This is a very strange book and takes some getting used to. On one hand it is a murder mystery steeped in tradition and full of references to the great novelists of the past. On the other hand it is a treatise into grief. I'm not sure if either narrative is fully resolved but it's rather fun along the way!

This one was not for me. I found the set up confusing and the book lost its flow once tbe mystery began in earnest.

This one missed the mark for me and should not be marketed as a murder mystery, as to play fair, it just isn't.

At the beginning of the book I thought I was in for a treat and this novel would be similar to the Ernest Cunningham series by Benjamin Stevenson. This novel contains a list of rules for detective novels and breaks the fourth wall in a similar manner but Stevenson does this so much better, in my opinion.

In part one of this book we are introduced to a whole cast of characters, however they turn out to be mostly one dimensional. But all this is irrelevant as the murder mystery part is not the point of this book. In part two the plot becomes very strange and confusing. But what I took away after reading this section is that the book is really about the journey of dealing with grief, especially when it's unexpected and sudden and you're looking for answers or someone to blame.

I was hoping for part three to bring about a resolution that would explain everything but in all honesty, it left me feeling annoyed and unsatisfied.

I think this book had some promising portions and some parts are compelling but the two story lines just didn't work for me.

Thank you to Pan Macmillan, Picador and Netgalley for providing me with a complimentary copy to read and review

I read Fair Play in one sitting, and while I enjoyed a lot of it and had a strong desire to find out what happens next, I found it ultimately confusing. The murder mystery starts off strong, but as the story progresses, things get muddled. There are multiple storylines happening without much explanation, and the detective’s weirdly meta commentary only added to the confusion. I struggled with inconsistencies, like the sudden shift from an Airbnb to a family estate, which threw me off. While it’s an interesting concept, the execution didn’t quite work for me. Still, I didn’t dislike it - it was just a bit too perplexing.

This was an intriguing debut novel that toes the line between a traditional murder mystery (very traditional, like Agatha Christie style) and a try-hard experimental text on grief. I enjoyed the experience but can’t say I loved it.

What a weird book.

This story began as an old-fashioned murder mystery. Abigail had invited some friends over to celebrate her brother Benjamin's birthday. But the next morning he is dead. So one of them must be the murderer. She hires a detective to solve the problem. After that the book gets really confusing.

I think I did not understand the book. There are at least two different stories going on without any explanation as to why or what they are about. The detective breaks the third wall, well sort of, and says things like something will happen in chapter sixteen and he refers to his older cases by names that sound like book titles. It is very strange and very boring at the same time. Nothing happens because it is all very repetitive. It took me a while to realise that there were several stories being told, and I got confused when I noticed the discrepancies. For example, Abigail invites the friends to an Airbnb to celebrate, but suddenly it is her family's house, complete with servants. It was so confusing and disturbing.

It took me two weeks to read the book and it was a real struggle. I read the term "Meta Murder Mystery" in other reviews. I have never heard of this genre and obviously it is not for me. Unfortunately, I have nothing good to say about this book. It's boring, confusing, the characters are flat and the ending... I don't know what it was. Maybe I just didn't get it.

Fair Play is a locked room suspense about a group of friends sharing an Airbnb on New Years Eve to celebrate Benjamin’s birthday. Everyone but Benjamin wakes up the next day, and so a professional detective is called in to help. Think Knive’s Out. This is by far one of the most unique books that I’ve read in a long time and not my usual jam. I felt muddled and confused and out of control and yet at not time did I feel that Louise Hegarty had lost control of this which was comforting but a little annoying considering I felt so at odds with it all. I felt as much a victim as, well the victim, but I knew there would be a satisfying conclusion and it was satisfying. Did I enjoy this nudge nudge wink wink book? I’m not sure but then I must caveat that by saying I was not a huge fan of Knives Out but that is not to say I have the knives out for this book. What I will say is fair play to Louise Hegarty for the absolutely epic plotting skills showcased in this book.

For me this was 3.5 stars but I believe that is more a reflection on me as a reader and the types of books I usually read. I think this will be an absolute banger for the right readers. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read an advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I loved the premise of this book and was excited to read it. It started well and I was entertained until the book split. I enjoy Agatha Christie and like the reference to the old crime mysteries but was slightly confused as to the other narrative and how they entwined. I also found the repetitiveness too much for me. Not my cup of tea, but I'm sure there will be some cult fans out there as it is an unusual book!

Rather confusing in places but an interesting mystery. A tale of grief and making sense of loss.
I could see what the author was trying to do with this one, I think and the story with the detective and the locked room mystery was a clever twist. Maybe too clever.

It took me so long to work out what actually was happening in this book - particularly with the introduction of the murder mystery section - but I did enjoy it even if I am still not 100% sure about what actually happened!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC.

'Fair Play' offers a clever twist on Golden Age detective fiction by juxtaposing the tidiness and order of murder mysteries with the messy realities of grief.

On new Year's Eve 2022, Abigail welcomes a selection of guests to an Airbnb for their annual murder mystery party to celebrate her brother Benjamin's birthday. The next morning, Benjamin doesn't wake up and his bedroom door is locked; when they break down the door, he is dead. The novel takes a surprising turn at this juncture, as celebrated detective Auguste Bell arrives to investigate (accompanied by his 'Watson', Sacker), but now Abigail is the owner of the house which has a butler, a maid and a gardener, and the novel has turned into a classic crime story (and a rather knowing one at that - Bell frequently refers to the chapters of the story and the various 'rules' of detective fiction from writers such as S.S. Van Dine and Ronald Knox.)

The accounts of Bell's perfunctory investigation and often arbitrary deductions are punctuated with sections which revert to the novel's initial setup as Abigail navigates the the complexities of grief, returning to work and re-connecting with friends. We might, therefore, imagine that the murder mystery represents what Abigail longs for most at this stage: a world with rules and (as the title implies) a sense of 'fair play' which enables to make sense of the loss she has experienced rather than the sense of chaos that now engulfs her.

I found this a compelling and engaging read with an intriguing premise which raises interesting questions about how death is viewed in fiction and real life. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC to review.

I’ll start this review by admitting that Fair Play is a bit off of my typical reading genres (fantasy, romance and literary fiction), but the synopsis left me curious, and I jumped at the opportunity to request it on NetGalley.

Fair Play has a very strong start, and I was really interested in the group and overall plot. Comes the second part, and my enthusiasm increases as it begins with several sets of rules and conventions of murder mystery books. This was the cherry on top of the cake for me, as it took me on a trip down memory lane to a time I was discussing mystery books with a friend who loved them, and first told me about these conventions, which help you be a real-life Poirot and solve that case before the end of the book.

Imagine my disappointment, when after eagerly reading the rules, I am patronized a few pages later and told to read them, as I if I would have skipped them. Here it’s when things start going down for me… I don’t mind narrators speaking directly to me, there are some brilliant books doing that (e.g. Italo Calvino’s “If on f on a winter's night a traveller”), but you need to understand your audience. I wouldn’t ever skip something the author purposefully included, and I am deeply annoyed by the assumption.

Additionally, I didn’t love the self-aware detective Bell, as he never seemed quite fully formed, much less the playfulness of his interactions with me, letting me know in which chapter I would get certain revelations.

However, there are some things I believe this book did very well such as the realistic and touching portrayal of grief, the homage to the genre and the blend with the literary fiction genre.

Fair Play is a promising debut, with a somewhat uneven execution. Still, I’ll keep an eye on Louise Hegarty next release.

If you enjoy a more experimental narrative style, this book is for you!

<i>I would like to thank Pan Macmillan | Picador for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review</i>

This had such a strong start that I immediately felt like I was in for a great time. Good tone, cast of characters and set up. I thoroughly enjoyed it for the first 100 pages or so. It had solid nods to genre, genuine intrigue and a character to connect with in Abigail. From there, it got too meta for its own good. I totally get that the meta path is what it's going for and some people will love it. But for me, it felt circular and unsatisfying. It was eventually so relentless that I was ready to get off the ride well before it was over. Promising set up and it should fine its audience, it just didn't quite hit for me.

New Years Eve begins with a group of friends celebrating not only New Years Eve but a birthday on New Years Day. However, when the group wake up the next morning one of the party is dead and so begins the locked room mystery like no other.

I love a locked room mystery and I can honestly say that this was like no other. I'm not sure I entirely 'got' the concept but I enjoyed the ride. Was this Abigail's way of dealing with Benjamin's suicide? Or a trickery by the eminent detective to bamboozle the reader? An interesting and unusual read that has been reflecting on the story longer after I finished the novel.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

This book is clearly not for everyone, but it was 100% for me!! Heres the thing, I've read the reviews, and I can totally understand what people are thinking,  but all of those elements that switched others off, I enjoyed; lots!!

The story is introduced as a modern murder mystery with a group of friends gathering to celebrate New Year and (the soon to be dead) Benjamin's birthday.

The plot then deviates from what you might expect, with two plot lines exploring what may have happened to Benjamin and how everyone is connected.  The police declare his death a suicide, but it's hard for his family and friends to accept and they look for an alternate solution. Could he have been murdered?  The two storylines explore Benjamin's life and, in turn, the impact of grief.  We see some of Benjamin's sister's life after her brother's death and how she searches for answers.

I realise this does not explain what the book does specifically,  but I loved discovering it for myself, so dont want to say too much.  The book asks the reader quite literally to consider life through the lens of Benjamin and Abigail and the conventions of murder mystery books.  One of the elements that worked for me that hasn't for all readers was the repetition, the replaying of events with minor details changed, and one chapter that used this style was really moving for me.  As a lover of poetry, I thought this used poetic style to engage the reader in a different way.

In essence, I thought it was wonderful and it was totally a book for me (spot the repetition)! I have adored other books that ask the reader to be ok with not understanding everything all at once, like Lanark, Cracked Mirror and Death of the Author.  Not that this story could be likened to these very different books in style or in genre, however there's something in the atmosphere of the unexplained, where you can't completely grasp elements of the characters or story.  You're left unsure, but your thoughts have been all stirred up.  I look forward to sharing theories with other readers as they discover Fair Play.

It’s been a while since I read a book in a day, but Fair Play, Louise Hegarty’s debut novel, ended up being a hard one to put down, and my sunny front garden bench proved a perfect reading spot today.

Fair Play isn’t a book that everyone is going to love - it’s genre-defying and it might feel unsatisfying for some - but it’s clever and inventive and ultimately really quite moving. It left me feeling bereft.

For most of the book this was a rather fun read - it’s Cluedo meets Agatha Christie, an homage to detective novels of the 19th Century with a splash of David Lynch surrealism, but then it pivots rather unexpectedly, shocking the reader into the realisation of what is actually going on.

The book opens with Abigail planning her brother Benjamin’s birthday party, a murder mystery party on New Year’s Eve in a rental Airbnb where Benjamin ends up dead, before shifting to their permanent residence, complete with butler, maid and gardener, and visiting detective Auguste Bell determined to uncover Benjamin’s murderer.

If you like clever, playful and experimental literary fiction m, I think Fair Play will be one you’ll enjoy.

Lots of readers have complained in reviews about the final vignette, the beach scene. I found it poignant and illuminating. Overall I don’t know if I completely loved the book but I admired and will certainly remember it and it left me stewing. 4/5⭐️

*Fair Play was published on Thursday 3 April 2025. Many thanks to Cormac Kinsella and Picador Books for the #gifted advance proof.

The author has clearly put a lot of thought into writing a unique book, part murder mystery, part story of grief following the death of a family member. Told over a few timelines.

We are introduced to the various rules about writing murder mystery novels, and they are referred back to during the investigations. For this reason I would recommend reading an actual book rather than an e book which is not yo easy to flick back.

We have a Poirot like investigator with a Watson like sidekick.

The investigation part of the book was quite tongue in cheek but the dealing with grief part was quite serious.

I’m afraid the whole thing just didn’t work for me but I would say give it a try as clearly many readers have enjoyed it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

I am not sure what this was all about. It is almost as if we got ideas and drafts about various parts of a book and I am sorry to say that I remain unsatisfied and confused by the book as a whole.

On the plus side, the bits I understood are well written with good characters and a brisk pace. I liked all the Agatha Christie references - Mallowan, Westmacott, Sven Hjerson, Hastings' red headed wife were the ones I noticed. I liked the traditional parts of the book, the crime, the aftermath, the interviews by the detective. I particularly liked the various rules for detective novels and the bit from Fred (HR) about the kitchen was very funny and surely rings true to all office workers.

I didnt mind the detective speaking directly to the reader or talking about what would happen in later chapters. I did not even mind the confusing switch from the Airbnb to the family home complete with butler, gardener and maid.

I did not mind the first couple of endings but then it became too much with all the different solutions. I felt cheated. I like a whodunnit to tell you definitively and straightforwardly who in fact dunnit. I assume I have missed the point of the very end bit with the children on the beach unless it points to the killer. Is it significant that Abigail was an old name for a maid? I suppose I could read the book again and look for things I must have missed but ...