Unfortunately I couldn’t get into this book and had to give up reading it at 20% this book may have got better as it went on but it just didn’t engross me

Loveeeee!
This was amazing! I cannot fault this author I thought the book was great!

Thank you so much for allowing me to read this book!

Described as an ‘immersive’ detective novel, in The Game is Murder the reader is invited to take an active role in solving a fictional murder, a crime which bears a strong and somewhat tasteless resemblance to the actual 1974 murder of Sandra Rivett, nanny to the children of Lord Lucan, who famously disappeared that evening, never to be seen or heard of since.

In the book, the shadowy figure of the detective acts as the reader’s proxy and events are orchestrated by David Verreman, son of the absconding aristocrat, who was a child at the time of his nanny’s murder. Evidence is produced, key witnesses revisit their statements and are cross-examined, and movements on the night in question are reconstructed.

This is quite an interesting approach, but it just doesn’t come off. It’s well-nigh impossible to feel any emotional engagement with the characters; and the references – with which the book is packed – feel too clever-clever. At not much short of 500 pages it’s overly long and really drags in places. In fact, by the time The Game is Murder finally draws to a close, the reader, even if they’re taking their whodunnit responsibilities seriously, has probably lost the will to live. Sadly, I really wanted to love this, but just couldn’t.

I can’t work out if I liked this book or not. The writing style is so different to anything I’ve ready before and I found tricky to follow at times although I had to keep going to know how it ended so it definitely sucked me in.
It definitely requires concentration although the book did say that at the start.
I wasn’t sure if I was meant to actually complete the different questions or if it was actually part of the writing style.
Confusing is my main thought on it!

I am sorry to day that this was not my cup of tea. I tried ever so hard to get into it but found all the narrative rather boring. I found i was forcing myself to read it and finally decided to give up.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This sounded a really interesting book and exactly the sort of thing I would read, but as in the book nothing is what is seems to be on the surface. You are at once the Great Detective tasked with solving the crime, also the juror and the I feel somewhat spoken down to reader. It’s all really rather confusing and somewhat surreal and a hard discounted read. Did I enjoy it ? not really although it’s a clever concept.

Very original, different interesting book. I like it, but I had a bit difficult to read its complete different than everything that I read before.
I recommend to anyone that is tired of the mystery and suspenseful books that read in a normal way.
I am pleased that I read this book, give me a different way of thinking, and how look into it.

A great read. I really enjoyed it. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an ARC.

This was a complicated read at first as you adjust to the narrative style but once your in there's no escape as it's captivating.

A truly unique mystery novel that's unlike anything else I've ever read - enjoyable- exciting and fascinating.

It was almost like playing a board game. Give it a try!

I dove into Hazell Ward’s The Game Is Murder expecting a straightforward whodunit—and instead found myself cast as the Lead Detective, charged with reopening a dusty 1970s cold case. Ward’s decision to shatter the fourth wall and enlist readers in the investigation is nothing short of brilliant. Clues are laid out like game pieces, witness statements read like puzzles, and every turn of the page feels like another move on the board.

What stood out most was how effortlessly the novel evokes the era: vintage details and period vernacular enrich the setting without ever bogging down the central mystery. Ward’s layered plot boasts plenty of satisfying twists, and puzzle enthusiasts will relish the challenge of teasing out tautly woven leads.

That said, there are moments—particularly in the middle—that wade into repetitive territory. Some interview transcripts and evidence breakdowns felt like déjà vu, slowing my momentum just as I was ramping up my detective’s hunches. And although a handful of characters burst with personality, others drift into the background, their identities sometimes melding into one another amid the sprawling cast.

Despite these hiccups, The Game Is Murder delivers a fresh, interactive spin on the classic murder mystery. Its inventive format and clever storytelling more than compensate for a few pacing stumbles. If you’ve ever fancied yourself a sleuth, this is your chance to prove it—look for it on shelves July 29!

I received an advance copy of this novel. All thoughts and impressions are entirely my own. Many thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the eARC.

What a very long, dull and convoluted read.
Weird imaginary characters and scenes, a murder that no-one cared about that took place 50 years previously.
Couldn't wait to end it and not going to lie, I definitely skipped a lot of repetitive waffle.

Hazell Ward’s The Game is Murder offers a fresh and imaginative spin on the traditional murder mystery. Rather than following a detective character, the book casts the reader as the Lead Detective, tasked with reopening a cold case from the 1970s. Ward masterfully breaks the fourth wall, turning the story into an immersive, game-like experience. This interactive format is one of the novel’s greatest strengths—engaging the reader directly and transforming the narrative into an active investigation. The atmospheric setting vividly evokes the era without overshadowing the plot, while the multi-layered mystery unfolds with rewarding twists and turns. Fans of puzzles will especially enjoy the intricate design and the intellectual challenge of connecting the clues.

That said, the book isn’t without its rough patches. The pacing lags at times—particularly in the middle, where certain witness interviews and evidence reviews start to feel redundant. While the interactive structure is engaging, it can also bog down the story when it becomes overly detail-heavy. Additionally, although some characters are vividly drawn, others lack distinction, making it difficult to keep track of the expansive cast amid the complex storyline.

Despite these minor shortcomings, The Game is Murder remains an engaging and inventive read. Ward’s bold narrative approach and clever construction make this more than just a mystery—it’s an experience. Ideal for readers who love solving puzzles and want to step into the detective’s shoes.

This is the ultimate locked room mystery for all Agatha Christie lovers out there. If you loved Clue, this the the right read for you!

I was really looking forward to reading this ARC because I think the concept of this book is really clever for a detective novel.
However, I found it hard to stay fully engaged.
The middle section picked up pace, though I’ll admit I ended up skipping a few parts. Overall, I did enjoy the story, but felt it became a bit too drawn out with all the testimonies and started to feel repetitive at times.

I was unable to finish the book. I found it difficult to follow the storyline and overall could not stay engaged with it.

My thanks to NetGalley and Michael Joseph publishing for a copy of “ The Game Is Murder” for an honest review.

I thought this was a very original and clever idea for a new style of whodunnit which, for me, was just the right side of quirky.
The writing style was humorous, and characters well thought out,even though sometimes people weren’t who you thought they were., or even there at all !
It was a book where a lot of the time you weren’t sure what was really going on but it was enjoyable getting to the end …if it is the end ?

This is a mystery for you to solve with the author twisting the plot not the clues

Sounds confusing but as you read you will see it's meant to be if it was straight forward where is the mystery. You get to be the detective (and a few other roles but let's stick to detective). When your invited to a murder mystery evening or is it a cold case to revisit. A lord of the realm went missing the Nannies dead and his wife (the separated wife of Lord murderer or is he)? Sorry the wife has been beaten and runs to a nearby pub to raise the alarm. The case was from the 70's but the event is in the present, as I say it's a cold case

This has plenty of twists that need looking at the clues or evidence never change but your understanding of them can. You get to investigate but it's a book so you feel your investigating this is a clever way to right a murder mystery and I enjoyed it. But beware the author get distracted with the side story that's your role and what the author and reader are. I know sounds confusing put like this but it's really not when you read it. Definitely a 5 star experience

This was an interesting read, definitely quirky and fun and unlike most murder mystery type novels. Only thing I would say is that it was a touch too long

The Game Is Murder by Hazell Ward is a chilling and cleverly written thriller that pulls readers into a dark world of deception, manipulation, and deadly games. Ward crafts an intense psychological narrative that keeps you guessing at every turn, masterfully blurring the line between hunter and prey. The story follows a mysterious string of murders tied to an elaborate game—one that forces the characters to confront their deepest fears and darkest secrets.

I had high hopes for this when I read the blurb....how sadly disappointed I am.

A detective is invited to a dinner party. He is tasked with solving the greatest unsolved murder mystery - an extremely thinly veiled retelling of the Lord Lucan mystery. At this party, the detective meets some of the main players: David and Daniel Verreman (the hosts), the original police detective, a coroner, and multiple witnesses. All the detective has to do is solve the murder by the end of dinner and not leave any loose ends.

This books is separated into 3 acts: In the first act everything appears as it should. We arrive at the party and go through some preliminary questions and there are even some spaces for us to sign a 'contract'. The evidence of the case is laid out and each of the people gathered gets their chance to add their bit to the story. By the end of the first act (about 30% of the book) you have a clear grasp on what happened and how the verdict at the inquest was reached. But this is by no means the end of the story.

We then enter Act 2. In this act the detective gets given a name and begins to interrogate the evidence. It is at this point that the book takes a wild swerve off the rails as we learn that there are not 13 people at dinner - there isn't even a dinner, it's just the detective and David Verreman in a decaying old house trying to work out the results. David appears to be suffering with some kind of psychosis as he talks to his 'brother' Daniel, an apparently separate part of his personality and not a real person at all. However, at this point the solving of the mystery was still interesting enough to keep my reading even though the writing had slipped into something that I couldn't get to grips with.

We finally enter Act 3: the court case itself which takes place in the basement of the old house. At this point all of the witnesses show back up again, though it is unclear if they are really there or if it is merely David Verreman acting out all the parts again. And for the third time we get taken through the evidence from both a prosecution perspective and a defence perspective. By this point I was worn out with hearing the evidence and just felt more and more tangled as the writing takes weirder and weirder turns - sometimes addressing you as the reader, sometimes having whole conversations between the author and the narrator, and sometimes looking at things from the perspective of the, currently being held hostage and drugged, detective.

After this third instalment of the evidence we are then posed a series of questions about the evidence - 31 in total, and given multichoice answers. At this point I was noting my choices hoping it would lead me to an ending based on my choices....it didn't. This section goes on for WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY longer than is necessary before we finally return to the dining room from the beginning of the story for the unmasking of the killer....

Talk about an anti-climax. After all that reading, after all that almost giving up because I was bored I had hoped for an ending I could believe and I was left very disappointed. This is another part of the book that takes longer than is necessary as each persons evidence and potential guilt is weighed against how this type of character appears in other detective fiction books.

To sum up - that was several hours of my life I'll never get back.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.