I loved this murder mystery. Addie and Mimi felt like fresh and new voices and i loved seeing them work together to solve the murder. It did take a little bit for the book to get going and once i was in, i was hooked! The side characters were all so different and i thought they all brought something special to the story. The plotting was done well and by the time the end rolled around, all the points of evidence made sense. I would read more Kelly Mullen as this was such a fun murder mystery.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this book.
Unfortunately, I have decided to DNF this book and will not be posting a review online. I will give feedback here about my reasons. I DNFd this book at 59% and feel that I gave it a fair chance.
The book is very predictable. It felt like every other thriller mystery without any new surprises or twists to keep me invested. I battled to connect with the characters and found the plot a bit boring.
The writing was good, but not good enough to keep me reading.

I enjoyed this book. A quirky story of blackmail, murder, gaming, amateur sleuthing, family relationships, locked house situation and some very complex dynamics.

Mimi is being blackmailed, she invites granddaughter Addie to attend an event she’s been invited to as a way of providing her some backup. Addie is going through her own issues with her ex-partner and ex-business partner and her relationship with Mimi has been strained. Their dynamic builds throughout the narrative and has a lovely ending.

A great, quick read and fantastic debut from Kelly Mullen, I hope Mimi and Addie will return.

This debut novel is a fresh and witty take on the classic locked-room mystery. The story follows an unlikely detective duo: Mimi, a sharp-tongued, martini-loving septuagenarian with a secret, and her estranged granddaughter, Addie, a video game designer. When they are trapped in a lavish mansion on Mackinac Island during a snowstorm, the host is found murdered, and it's up to them to figure out who among the guests is the killer.

What a ride! This had me totally hooked from the start it's twisty, clever, and just the right level of sinister fun. The mix of mystery and high-stakes drama was addictive, and I kept telling myself “just one more chapter” (famous last words). A couple of the plot turns felt a touch far-fetched, which is why it’s not a full five, but honestly, I didn’t care because I was having too much fun. Four very solid stars. Perfect for fans of Ruth Ware or Alice Feeney

I received a free copy of this. The following review consists of my own thoughts, and has not been influenced by the author, the publisher or Net Galley.

I read this within a couple of days. I'd have read through the night if I didn't have work in the morning, but I did use both lunch breaks to continue reading. This one gripped me, and while I know many reviewers will dangle a book being nostalgic of Agatha Christie, or other brilliant authors within that genre, this one does fulfil those requirements. It has everything; multiple people stuck in a castle during a blizzard; everyone has a motive to kill; red herrings galore; and also the wonderful touch of none of these characters are likeable. Think the people in Stephen's Kings -Myst-, or, more recent, -The Walking Dead- game. Most of them rub the reader the wrong way. You don't like them. You want them to die... but you'd like if it they spill their secrets before they do so.

But you have very little sympathy when they do.

And while I don't normally like reading a book where most of the characters drive you crazy, and you are cursing them under your breath as you read, this one didn't irritate me like that. This pushed it from a general crime book, to one that worked more as a thriller. There were so many twist and turns that I completely lost track. And yet, I didn't mind that I didn't guess correctly who were responsible for the deaths. Yes, deaths. Everything you think you know at the beginning, is wrong.

Oh, so wrong.

And I love that.

I will state that something that I loved, that might not be liked by other readers, is the constant dropping of current influencers, and gamer references. It might be viewed as irritating, because that might not be something the reader is interested in. I loved those little nuggets, because it made it feel more like this was a game, that the reader was watching someone else play rather than a book. This is a great way of rounding out one of the characters, who is a game creator herself, but it might not click with anyone who doesn't love this field.

I highly recommend this book, though I do want to add one caveat. When I finished this, a few months previously, I held off from reviewing because an audiobook was coming out. I wanted to listen to it because I thought it would enhance my experience and make me love this book even more. Unfortunately, the narrator grated. Her voice kept kicking me out, and I found myself zoning out and not paying attention. There had been changes made from the proof I had read, and the final product, and I wasn't giving the book the justice it deserved by listening. So, I wouldn't advise to buy the audiobook. Get the kindle book, or, buy the physical book.

Stars: 4.5

This was everything I wanted in a murder mystery, and more! For a debut novel, this is an absolute cracker and I’m excited to see what Mullen does next. The book contains a lot of quick wit and sharp prose which makes it for a really easy read.

Delicious, arch, mischievous
—
Cosy mystery meets killer in the house thriller with added game theory and crossword solving, PLUS intergenerational snarkiness, camp characters to the max, secret passages and figurative masks galore: don’t say I didn’t warn you that this is the maximalist crime novel you didn’t know you needed.

At her age, Mimi doesn’t get surprised by much; until she’s blackmailed into attending her standoffish neighbour’s soiree with the threat to reveal her longest held secret. However, Mimi doesn’t turn up unarmed: she brings her estranged granddaughter Addie, who’s going through a breakup with the man who’s stolen her credit for a lucrative game franchise. Then, during the odd evening, the host turns up dead and the collected guests turn on each other, pointing fingers left and right, until Mimi and Addie take the initiative to investigate to clear their names at the very least, or to unmask the killer if they can, before they strike again. As a freak storm keeps the house on lockdown and no help able to get near, Mimi and Addie’s investigation reveals the secrets swirling around them, and they find they are barely keeping one step ahead of the killer, who now begins to threaten them directly.

Clever doesn’t cut it with this fiendish locked room mystery where everyone has secrets (except perhaps Addie—she just needs the proof to take down her duplicitous ex-fiancé) and plots foam up within plots. Nobody is an innocent and everybody has a stake in the death of the host, so there isn’t just one suspect. Besides the mystery, this should bear reading again with the delicious put downs, the arch asides and the general mischievousness of the characters—imagine Cluedo directed by Pedro Almodóvar.

Four and a half stars

Serviceable cozy mystery set against the charming backdrop of Mackinac Island—a place so quaint it doesn't even allow cars. The setting is honestly the book’s biggest asset: summery, exclusive, and just eerie enough when the storm rolls in and the body count starts to rise. The premise has all the cozy essentials—locked mansion, wealthy eccentrics, blackmail, and murder—but it doesn’t quite live up to its own potential.

The dual sleuths, Addie and her grandmother Mimi, bring a generational twist to the investigation, though their dynamic doesn’t always click. Mimi is interesting in her aloof, no-nonsense way, but Addie is frustrating—far too caught up in her broken engagement and the video game she helped create (and can’t stop referencing). Her constant comparisons between real murder and her fictional game, Murderscape, feel out of place and, honestly, a little cringey when victims are still warm. The mystery itself is fine—solid misdirection, a few surprises—but the final reveal is weak, hinging on a killer who’s barely present in the story.

Despite some repetitive pacing and character flatness, the book has a certain charm if you’re in the mood for something light, low-stakes, and murder-adjacent. Think of it as a warm-weather beach read with a body count—just don’t expect it to be a game-changer.

This was a fun little murder mystery book that I did enjoy reading but it didn’t offer anything new or exciting for me. The characters were very one note, I didn't feel as if there was any character development throughout the story and it felt more like a skeleton of a story that needed much more filling out.

This was a fun debut filled with an interesting collection of characters and a good murder mystery plot that will keep you thinking about all possible answers right until the end. I really liked the 2 main characters, Mimi and Addie, and thought that they worked really well as a team and I also enjoyed the inclusion of the gaming aspect which adds a fresh take on the mystery.

I loved the setting of the mansion in the middle of a snow storm that cuts the power and leaves all the guests stranded and as the host of the party is murdered in her bed, it is a race against time to catch the killer before the police can get to the location.

This book really gave me cluedo vibes with the array of characters and the different rooms in the house where various suspicious things occur throughout the novel. There's a chef, a life coach, an old actor, game show host and more all involved in this intricate web of lies and blackmail that create this intriguing plot.

There are plenty of red herrings and side quests to conquer as Mimi and Addie act like a detective duo as they try to get to the bottom of the mystery with no way of them, the guests or the killer getting in or out of the mansion.

This is Not a Game' is such good fun, a murder mystery romp like an Agatha Christie on speed through an exclusive isolated country house starring maverick grandma Mimi and her game designer grand-daughter Addie.

Mimi has been invited to a neighbour's art auction, but the invitation is accompanied by a blackmail letter telling Mimi that she will be paying full price for a particular piece of art, or her secrets will be shared with the world. Mimi asks Addie to come to the auction with her; the setting is a huge country house with its own 200 foot moat and drawbridge, hidden tunnels and secret rooms. The other attendees are an eclectic mix, TV stars, astrologers, scent-artists and local businessman Jim Towels (the best name ever!). The house-owners themselves are a controversial pair, rich socialite Jane who is dating her own son-in-law Matthew and providing gossip for everyone.

The unwilling auction guests enter the house; the drawbridge is raised- and then the murder starts. Jane is found dead in her room just before a brutal snowstorm knocks out the power and confines everyone to the house without chance of a speedy rescue.

The story is hugely entertaining, completely improbable and such a lot of fun to read. I am delighted to see that there will be another book soon!

3.5-4 stars.

This is a fun and easy-to-read murder mystery with all of the cosiness of a Golden Age novel and the same lack of any real sense of peril.

The dynamic between our 2 amateur sleuths is interesting and I enjoyed the fact that they were a grandmother-granddaughter team, resolving their own family issues whilst solving crime.

Perfect reading for anyone looking for an enjoyable book that doesn’t over-tax the stomach or brain cells.

With thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

A locked room mystery with a unique edge .
Mimi is being blackmailed and she’s not a happy lady !
She is invited to an extravagant auction at a party held on Mackinac Island in a mansion which has its very own drawbridge .
Mimi doesn’t want to go alone and decides to ask her granddaughter Addie to accompany her .
They don’t have an easy relationship and Addie has to think twice about the invitation, and agrees to go to the auction.
Addie has her own issues she has broken up with her partner and is about to embark on a legal fight for the business they grew together .
Mimi is more than a little apprehensive about the party and with good reason .
The party is hosted by the acerbic Jane and things take a dark turn when she is found dead and the drawbridge is closed and there is a power outage so that means that all of them are trapped in the mansion .
Mimi and Addie start to investigate and uncover mystery rooms , passages and more dead bodies and plenty of twists and turns .
This is a great read and I love the dynamic in the relationship between grandmother and granddaughter .
Great writing that keeps the pages turning .
Excellent !
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone .

A fun, easy to settle into, cosy crime.
I do love a cosy crime, especially when there is a cast of thousands making the whodunnit big reveal so much fun.
Feisty female leads are always the best sort, and a plot impossible to predict.

Jane Ireland is throwing an extravagant auction party at her mansion on Mackinac Island , and local woman Mimi has been invited. Well, when I say invited, I really mean blackmailed into going. She decideds to ask her grandaughter Addie along for support. Addy who is still recovering from a break up from a manipulative partner (both business & personal) , is happy to tag along.
Mimi is trying to think of a way to tell Addie the real reason for the invite, and also how to tell her the truth behind the blackmail.
However, towards the end of the evening Jane is found dead, with Mimi being prime suspect.
the island is cut off due to a vicious snow storm, so Mimi & Addie put their sleuthing hats on, and try to find the real culprit before the police can find their way through the drifts.
I found this book really entertaining, and the characters of Mimi & Addie fun to read. A great read with a bit of fun along the way.

The book is set on Mackinac Island in a Grand old Mansion with it's own drawbridge. Resident Mimi is attending an auction there as part of a blackmail note she receives. Not wanting to go alone she invites her Grand Daughter Addie from the mainland to go with her. Addie has her own issues to contend with after breaking up with her fiancé who was also the co-author of a successful online murder game she wrote.

Despite the title, the story did feel more like a game to me. I couldn't really take it seriously especially as at every turn of events Addie was comparing it to the game she co-wrote. She and Mimi take upon themselves to be the detectives after no one can gain access to the mansion due to the weather.

There were parts where I was really drawn into the drama and was enjoying reading the book. Overall it felt a little repetitive for me. Some of the dialogue was very stilted, more like a murder mystery party than a real life drama. The characters didn't feel real and although it was set in present day it seemed more like the 1920s.

I really enjoyed This Is Not a Game by Kelly Mullen.
The story pulled me in right from the start and kept me hooked the whole way through. It’s a great mix of suspense, mystery, and just the right amount of twists to keep things interesting.
I especially liked the two main characters—they were easy to connect with and had a dynamic that made the story even more fun to follow.
Mullen’s writing is smooth and engaging, easy to get into and really draws you into the world she’s created. The book had an Agatha Christie feel with a modern twist, with smart characters and a bit of a techy edge.
If you’re into stories that keep you guessing this one’s definitely worth checking.

I'm not sure what the line is between a cosy mystery and a more ambitious one, though I assume it's a relatively porous one and is as much to do with ongoing characters and a slow-burning soap opera in the background than the quality of the murders. This Is Not A Game appears to have greater ambition than just being a cosy mystery, its a little longer and there is a country house aspect to it, which means the crime needs to be solved there and then. But it is still fundamentally about an old lady and granddaughter solving a relatively bloodless murder in a locked down location, whilst quipping and drinking Gibson martinis. All of which is fabulously entertaining.

The book also sets itself a relatively high bar, as the granddaughter's interesting job is designing whodunnit video games. As such, there is a touch of inside baseball here, a slightly meta commentary on the rules of the country house murder. Her grandmother was invited to the fatal party as a form of blackmail, it turns out most everyone there was also being blackmailed. So in the best Agatha Christie fashion, its down to our intrepid duo to worm out the motives, and cross-reference that with the time of the crime - and somewhere along the line discover the secret passages and identities of their other guests. It was a lot of fun, and worked well both as a mystery and as character development for the leads, but then it knows what it is doing, because it shows you as it does it.

Thank you to Kelly Mullen, Random House UK and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review. I loved This Is Not A Game from beginning to end. I loved the relationship and banter between Mimi and Addie. The mystery throughout the book was brilliantly paced with plenty of twists and turns right to the end. The worldbuilding was really well thought out and described and there was plenty of interesting moments with Mimi and Addie - a granddaughter and grandmother sleuthing duo. I really hope there ends up being a series of books with these two - very Elsbeth (the tv series) like.