I was expecting a choose your own style story with this 'interactive' murder mystery, but actually it's something a bit more out there, that left me at times baffled, and at times irritated. It's definitely something different, and I'm sure there are plenty of readers who will love it. And it's difficult to review without giving away all the different twists and turns (that I didn't see coming, nor did I always follow!) I was reading very carefully, convinced that I would be having to solve the crime at the end...that doesn't happen really, and it's a good job because I would have guessed incorrectly!

I wondered, as I read, if this would be better as a dramatisation - there are lots of bits breaking the fourth wall (talking to the reader directly) that would work well for an actor turning to the camera. In a book it's trickier, and I did rather enjoy the snarky narrator, and although I was confused by some of the tricks, I did like them to begin with. But midway through I began to tire of the repetition of the evidence yet again, from another character or from the same character but in a different way. It slows everything down, and it's irritating to read, especially if you're reading carefully on the chance that you might pick up on something you should be noticing. None of the characters are nice, as well, which makes it harder to read.

But if you're looking for something very different, and you don't mind a slow reveal, then do give it a try!

This book offers a novel concept (pun very much intended) and the chance for the reader to participate in the unravelling of an unsolved mystery based on a cold case.

While the book itself does not quite live up to the concept due to some practical limitations, including pacing issues, I did like the fact that it gives the reader something very unusual to work with and the opportunity to have a different kind of reading experience.

Plus, it was a nice way of giving a nod to classic crime novels of the past!

Unfortunately this title fell flat for me in a few ways. When I read the premise of this, it felt fresh and new, as I don't think I've ever heard of a mystery that explicitly involves the reader as a character - sadly I found the actual reading experience somewhat unpleasant. I also found it quite hard to follow what was being said by characters and hard as well to keep track of what had been done or said when we returned to it later. I'm sure this book will still have a large audience but it just was not one I could appreciate as much as I had hoped.

This was quite a compelling read and very engaging. I have never read a book like this where the reader is addressed as part of the mystery unfolding. It had me intrigued to see how the story goes.

That being said, I believe the book had some pacing issues especially in the middle. As interesting as the style was, somewhere in the middle it got repetitive as we heard the same thing from different characters’ pov. Some characters felt like they weren’t fleshed out well, that they were interesting but weren’t given enough time to develop.

All over quite enjoyable and a fun new experience!

I was really happy when I got accepted to read this as the description sounded new, interesting and exciting. I love puzzles and murder mystery so this seemed ideal.

I had expected it to be more immersive but because of the twists and turns it was hard to keep track and I kept having to go back to double check things.

I also kept forgetting characters and who had said what, and so there was lots of stopping and having to go back and find out.

I think a physical copy would've worked better, so that might not be an issue with the book more the format of the ARC, and I would definitely pick up a physical copy from the library and take another stab at it.

It did remind of the choose your own adventure books from my childhood, which I used to love, and I appreciated that.

I was looking forward to reading this book but it fell flat of my expectations. I enjoyed the writing style of the book as I have never read a book where you are in it as the reader. The pace of the book at the beginning was ok but as you went on it seemed to get slower with stuff happening but a lot of information repeated quite a few times which left me feeling like the book was a bit of a slog! The twists and turns within the book I did not see coming and I did not fully suspect the person until it was revealed. Overall the book was ok but the pace felt very off.

I was enthralled by the concept of this book with its novel approach to the classic murder mystery and enjoyed the theatrics of the introduction and set up.

There are many different accounts, warnings that people may lie and perspectives vary upon each re-telling of the same evening. There is quite the motley crew of characters around the dinner table and intricate descriptions of the different courses served.

Clues and red herrings abound and the narration is quite tongue in cheek with its mildly mocking, chiding style, berating the reader at almost every opportunity.

Beyond that something just didn't quite gel for me and as such I fear I may not have done the book justice - I will be interested to see if others take to it more and can imagine it would work very well as a one off televised drama.

My thanks to the author, NetGalley and Michael Joseph Penguin Random House for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this book just wasn’t for me. I was really excited by the idea of this and appreciated the opportunity to experience a new style of book but the execution just didn’t work for me and my brain!

The unlikeable characters didn’t help and it felt very long but worse was the difficulty in reading, perhaps my comprehension and understanding enough to keep up with all the information from all directions.

Alongside that there are the almost “cut to camera” scenes where the reader is spoken to more directly which I felt jarring and bought me completely out of the story I was already struggling with.

Would be perfect for people who have far more patience than me, perhaps someone who could read it in just a couple of setting though I think the repetitive nature of it may become tiresome quicker!

THIS sounded like a good premise for a good read. However, I really struggled with the constant changes to environment and identities. Half way through, I was confused by the plot or lack of it. I thought it was trying to be too clever. I became unsure of the timeline and the similarity of the core crime to the Lord Lucan story didn't help. I gave up with it. I may go back to it later but I did give up on it in the end.

An inventive and ambitious novel. A quirky murder mystery where the reader is presented with a series of clues and red herrings. An unknown and unreliable narrator, directing and misdirecting us in our search for the truth.
This reminded me a little of Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone. A host of unlikeable characters and some clever references to the great murder mystery authors in history.

A fun read. I love a good murder mystery book so thank you for sending me this. Excited to read more of Hazell in the future

Whilst I enjoyed this book, it was rather too meta for me.
The narrator was not an endearing character and the narration whilst on the whole engaging did pull you out of the story on far too many occasions.
I was expecting more of a chose your own adventure book, which the word interactive seems to imply, this was simply not the case.
It’s a divisive book and I’m not sure that it’s one that quite works to its full potential.

Whilst not a direct criticism of the book and story itself there were far too many formatting issues in the ARC to make this an enjoyable read.

This book wasn't quite what I was expecting, as I thought it might have been in the style of a Choose Your Own Adventure novel. However, I do think the premise is clever, but it was slightly too meta for my taste and I couldn't get along with the writing style. Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC.

I was obviously intrigued enough by the premise to request this book, but it has left me cold. I don't like the writing style or the structure both of which just don't work for me. There is an overall feeling that this writer iss trying too hard to be smart and original, but it fails as far as I'm concerned.

This is like one of those Murder Mystery Weekends, but in book form, but the guests at the dinner part are there to solve an unsolved murder. Alas I found everything about this irritating and have consigned it to my To Be Deleted list.

Hazell Ward’s debut, The Game is Murder, is an ambitious take on the murder mystery genre that invites you to step into the role of the Great Detective.

The premise is undeniably intriguing: you’re a guest at a dinner party tasked with solving a decades-old crime involving the Verreman family. The catch? You can’t just name the killer; you need to explain how and why they did it.

The book is clever and immersive, with layers of evidence and conflicting testimonies that challenge you to think critically. However, its “meta” approach, where the narrative directly addresses you, the reader, might not work for everyone. While some will find this self-aware style innovative, I found that it pulled me out of the story.

It’s also a long read, and the retelling of the same crime from multiple perspectives can feel like overkill. For me, the closed-circle setting and extended length made it difficult to stay engaged.

That said, Hazell Ward’s sharp prose and creative concept will undoubtedly appeal to fans of puzzles and interactive storytelling. If you enjoy books that break traditional narrative boundaries, this might be your cup of tea. For me, though, it was too long, too repetitive, and I couldn't get into it.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read The Game is Murder by Hazell Ward in exchange for my honest opinion.

What if you were invited to solve one of the most famous unsolved murder cases of the century? Not as a bystander, but as the Great Detective.

In The Game Is Murder, you are plunged into a highly immersive murder mystery party, where your skills of deduction are put to the ultimate test. You’ll listen to witnesses, examine evidence, and work through a complex web of clues to solve the case. But be warned—this is no ordinary mystery. You must not only provide a verdict but also explain who committed the murder, how they did it, and why.

With every twist and turn, the case challenges your ability to trust the right people, question the motives of everyone around you, and decipher what’s real versus what’s misleading. It’s a mind-bending experiment in crime fiction, exploring one of the most enduring mysteries of the twentieth century.

Can you solve the case, or will you be left with more questions than answers? The Game Is Murder is a thrilling, interactive journey into the world of unsolved crimes and the minds of those who attempt to crack them.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

It just didn't work for me...
I didn't like the writing style or the structure of the novel. I found it rather messy and lacking flow. Possibly it would've worked better as an actual book (ARC was a kindle version) with the seating plan and name list. But even then, I don't think this book would work for me personally.
All of the characters were weirdly off putting and the narrator just kept irritating me.
I was expecting something like "write your own story", but it wasn't that. Every page was a struggle. I read a lot of untraditionally written novels. Some were better, some were worse. But this was somehow unbearably bad.

I really struggled with this book, although I loved the concept of it and it is certainly different to anything I’ve ever read before.

I wanted to be gripped by it but unfortunately I just wasn’t.

I really struggled to get into this book. Normally murder mysteries are my bread and butter, and I love the opportunity to get my little grey cells working overtime. Unfortunately this just didn’t click with me. I found the meta stuff actually quite patronising and condescending and times which made it a genuinely unpleasant read.

Sadly DNF at 25%.

The Lucan case in narrative. I didn’t enjoy the style of writing- might work better dramatised. It was terribly difficult to follow.

The ambition might have been better executed with a less well known murder but Lucky Lucan is well known and so seedy and distasteful that I couldn’t read any further.

Appreciate the opportunity