Wow, this was a roller coaster! Nicola (Nic) has a chance meeting on a plane to France. James, a wealthy British man, charms her and they end up traveling together. When she meets his friends, she is understandably nervous. But, the real issue is that one of the friends brings along Juliet, James' former girlfriend. When James assures Nic that there is nothing between them, Nic can't shake the feeling that he is wrong.
Juliet continues to do things to unnerve Nic. She undermines Nic at every opportunity, slipping things into the conversation to upset Nic. James brushes them off.
This is a tale of manipulation. It is creepy to see how devious some people can be, but the shocker is the ending!
I enjoyed this quick read, completed it in one sitting!

Thank you Siena Sterling, William Morrow, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC e-book. Murder mysteries will forever hold a soft spot and this one with its English scenery and fabulous life I could only slightly dream of, well it was great. Like the game of clue you must go through the characters to figure out who could have been a killer and even I had a hard time narrowing down the suspects. This book was an enjoyable read and I almost finished it in one sitting. I just had to solve it

3.5⭐️

Nicola Harris met James Shuttleworth on a flight to France. She thought she had lucked out and got an empty seat next to her but he boarded just as the doors closed and proceeded to talk the whole flight. By the time they landed, Nicola was pretty sure she was in love. James invited her to a weekend away with his aristocratic friends. She definitely feels like an outsider.

And then James’s ex, Juliet, shows up. She’s beautiful and charming and everyone loves her. But the thing about Juliet is that she’s extremely manipulative. And her current manipulation is around turning the group against Nicola so she can have James to herself. But when her games turn deadly, Nicola makes the perfect suspect.

I like watching the average everyday person interact with the super rich and this book was full of that. I liked watching the world view of Bella and Nicola clash against everyone else. Bella spends most of the story trying to make herself more posh to fit in. I also found the instant love between Nicola and James to be fascinating because it just sounds so far fetched.

My biggest complaint was the pace of this book. It was the slowest of slow burn. The bye line of the books is when the games turn deadly and no one died until the last 4% of the book. There was just a lot of build up to an anticlimactic ending. Also, the end “twist” was completely out of left field. Any book can have a huge surprise twist if you just pull a random character with little connection into the spotlight.

Thanks to Netgalley and William Marrow for providing this ARC to me!

dumped by her boyfriend at the same time. Therefore, she decided to fly to Paris for a couple of weeks for a vacation and a chance to regroup. On the flight, she was seated neat to James, an Englishman. As they chat, he ends up inviting her to his family’s villa and then back to his home in London. Skeptical at first, she finally agrees. The villa is lovely, and his apartment is nice. As they spend time together, she finds herself falling in love with him.

They are invited to a shooting weekend at the home Hugo and Trez, a soon-to-become earl and countess. Their home is huge and they are joined by Nigel and his girlfriend, Bella along with a man named Badger who surprisingly brings a woman named Juliet. She used to be a part of their Cambridge university crowd and was once James’s girlfriend. She has spent several years in Hong Kong. The woman is lively and seems to take over the room and conversation.

After the weekend, Juliet seems to turn up everywhere and Nicola wonders what is going on with her as so many people think she’s wonderful, but Nicola is convinced something isn’t quite right about the woman.

As this story plays out, we see that the rich can be different in how they treat people and how they react to and accept situations that would leave others totally appalled. I was truly mesmerized by this book and couldn’t put it down. Perfectly created characters and an ending that made my jaw drop. Don’t miss it!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I thought this was very engaging and entertaining; the characters were written very well, and the book had a nice flow that made it hard to put down. I was totally invested through the whole thing, and I’m giving it a solid four stars for being a fun, thrilling read.

Most of the book is a slow burn, where not much happens but the stage gets set for things that will happen later. I was never bored. When it all comes together, it’s very satisfying, though there were times when I wanted to smack Nicola for acting like such a big baby instead of taking a step back and better planning her next move.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I’d recommend it to those who like mysteries and psychological thrillers.

The Game She Plays, by Siena Sterling, is a slow-burn novel of psychological suspense. For some reason, it is set in the 1980’s, but this cautionary tale of new loves and their ex-lovers could be set in any decade.
American Nicola meets posh Brit, James, on a plane, they fall madly in love, and then become engaged in a nanosecond.
Now Nicola must meet James’ old Cambridge college friends at a pheasant shooting weekend held on the grounds of a grand old manor, and she must learn to navigate the complicated relationships (and nicknames) of said chums, especially James’ old flame, the lovely Juliet, who shows up unannounced.
No spoilers here—the story played out as I thought it would, with a couple mild twists and surprises in the last few chapters. The characters were, in general, unlikeable and some were absolutely two-faced and downright detestable. The writing was good in a simple story-telling style, but the use of italics to show Nic’s inner musings eventually became tiresome.

Overall this is a quick enjoyable read.

Thank you to William Morrow/HCP and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest review.

After losing her job and her boyfriend, Nicola Harris decides to travel to London and Rome to just get away. On her flight she meets James and her plans change when he convinces her to travel to southern France with him to close up his parents’ summer home. Everything is going well until a weekend reunion of James’ friends. Nicola was raised by hippie parents in Maine and she is uncomfortable around his aristocratic friends. The weekend was organized by Trey and Hugo, who is soon to become an Earl, and activities include an organized shoot. The only other outsider is Bella, a clerk in a pharmacy who is dating Nigel. Badger, another member of the group, surprises everyone by bringing Juliet, James’ former girlfriend. She is just back from Hong Kong and her appearance ignites Nicoka’s insecurity.

Juliet has a way of making everyone like her. The group had all been friends in Cambridge,but as outsiders, Nicola and Bella can see her for the manipulator that she really is. She was best friends with Trey, who always defends her. When Nicola expresses her concerns to James, he also comes to her defense. Games that Juliet devises are used to embarrass Nicola, but she also has her sights on another member of the group. Her manipulations and betrayals lead to a devastating weekend in Scotland with tragic results.

Siena Sterling has created a character that is trouble from the moment she is introduced. Juliet oozes charm. She is sweet and helpful to James in his relationship with Nicola, so he refuses to see what she is doing. Her friendship with Trey is one sided and she will use her to get what she wants. In contrast, Bella is likable and down to earth. She is the one person that Nicola can depend on for support. As evil as Juliet is, Sterling’s story will have you glued to the pages to see just where she will strike next. I would like to thank NetGalley and William Morrow Publishing for providing this book for my review.

Thanks Netgalley, William Morrow publication and auntie Siena Sterling for the ARC.
This story / book is more like a drama and character study than thriller , mixed with surprising twists at the very end of the story.
It’s definitely a slow burn and sort of reminds you of Agatha Christie’s books. Narrated from two central women from the story Nic and Treaz we get to read in depth about each character, their personalities, backgrounds and whole narrative is set up for final act.
The author manages to build a tense atmosphere where you can anticipate something bad will happen eventually. She makes you loath for some characters, dislike the choices a few of them make , basically she manages to evoke all these emotions in the reader.
If you like slow moving mysteries with loads of drama between longtime messed up friends and their relationships, then try this book .
It’s a 3.5/5 ⭐️star read for me .
Publication Date 6/6/2023.

This book takes place in England in 1980. Nicola Harris is an American who meets the wealthy Englishman James Shuttleworth on a plane, which is the beginning of a whirlwind romance. Things go downhill, however, when Juliet, an old girlfriend of James, makes a surprise appearance at a hunting weekend Nicola is attending with James and his friends.

In addition to being a twisty thriller with a final plot turn I never saw coming, the book also gives a glimpse into class differences in England at the time the story takes place. It also has a "fish out of water" element with Nicola feeling confused and left out by some of the British customs, slang, and the fact that she doesn't have a shared history with James the way his old friends do. She bonds with fellow "outsider" Bella, who comes from Northern England and also feels she doesn't fit in with the others because of their upper class background.

I like both Nicola and Bella, and I go back and forth with most of the other characters, with the exception of Juliet, who I disliked throughout the book. The book has a sense of foreboding that tells you something bad is going to happen. However, I was surprised by all of the various twists and turns that occur at the end of the book. It seems like there are a couple of loose ends when the story concludes, but I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would rate it 4.5 stars.

Thank you to William Morrow Books and the Scene of the Crime Book Club for the advance copy of this ebook, I received the book at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

Reeling from a major heartbreak and unsure of her future, American Nicola Harris boards a plane to Europe for a little adventure. She has her trip planned, with no intentions of deviating from it. Enter charming Englishman James, who just so happens to take the empty seat next to her. He immediately puts her at ease, plans are derailed, and a whirlwind relationship begins.

He invites her to a weekend getaway with his oldest, dearest friends at an estate in the countryside. Highly affluent and well aware of their place in society (as well as others’ place), it’s immediately apparent to Nicola their worlds are vastly different. Adding to her unease, the group’s very charismatic friend Juliet appears unexpectedly, and the past she shared with James sends Nicola into fits of panic and jealousy. Over the course of several months and gatherings, suspicions only grow stronger amongst the friends.

It’s a slow burn, really taking the time to develop the characters and focusing on the relationships between them. There’s manipulation and gaslighting, secrets and betrayals, envy and greed, and you most definitely won’t like all the characters (which makes it more riveting). The twist happens at the absolute last minute, and I wish I could say I saw it coming! Overall a good domestic thriller. I’m looking forward to more Siena Sterling books.

The Game She Plays captures you and never lets up until the end! Siena Sterling's writing was engaging and thrilling, and I'm adding her to my list of authors to watch.

Nicola is on a cross-country flight and is excited for the new adventure that awaits her, and that the fact that the seat next to her is unoccupied; that is until the handsome, charismatic and rich James boards the plane. He takes the seat next to her, and Nicola finds him annoying at first, and then she finds him intriguing and quite the catch. She never expected this chance encounter on a flight to turn into a relationship, but when it does, her life is thrown out of orbit when she is plunged head first into his circle of friends When they are all together in a posh mansion to go pheasant hunting for the weekend, Nicola never expects for James's ex-girlfriend to unexpectedly show up. Enter the charming, lovable and stunningly beautiful Juliet.

Nicola can't quite put her finger on it, but she finds something off with Juliet, other than the fact that she was James's first love who left him behind to go to Hong Kong. As the weekend progresses, you realize that the group of friends has quite the past. Juliet like to play games, but Nicola finds the games annoying and is not enjoying them at all. Nicola finds herself becoming more and more angry with Juliet, and an argument begins. This argument will end up haunting one of the women forever!

The Game She Plays is an enjoyable read, and I would like to thank Siena Sterling, NetGalley and William Morrow Paperbacks for the ARC and the opportunity to provide an honest and unbiased review.

Nicola met James on a flight to Paris and after a whirlwind couple of weeks, they're now about to spend the weekend at an English manor with his old Cambridge friends. Nicola feels out of place and like she doesn't know the rules and is taken aback when James' ex-girlfriend Juliet shows up and suddenly takes center stage. Chapters are told from either Nicola's or James' friend Trez's point of view, which help flesh out the relationships between everyone, though it was a bit odd that Nicola didn't seem to understand basic British slang and kept second guessing herself. Overall, a quick if somewhat predictable thriller read, with an English setting.

Happy Thriller Thursday🖤 The Game She Plays by @siena_sterling is a British psychological thriller that follows a friend group that met during their time at Cambridge. James’ new girlfriend, Nicola, notices that there is something off about their friendships. This book is a bit of a slow burn until the end. The twists at the end were fantastic.

I recommend this book for readers who enjoy books about toxic friendships, psychological thrillers, and who don’t mind a slower pace.

Thank you @williammorrowbooks and @netgalley for allowing me to read this book ahead of publication in exchange for my honest review.

I am super disappointed. This book sounded like it was going to be so good. But it just did not work for me. The pacing of this book was so slow. I felt that the end was super predictable.

This is an English countryside manor mystery. Though you need to know that they mystery doesn’t come until about 85% into the book. Before then, this is mostly a character study of a group of university friends and a couple of outsiders. It’s Agatha-Christy-ish, but without a body almost until the end.

This was an excellent read. It has interesting characters and offers a look at a completely different life from that which most readers lead. The characters do unexpected things, and there’s a fair amount of misdirection and falsehoods shared.

I thought this book ended with the possibility of a sequel, but perhaps that’s just wishful thinking. That ending offered a surprising twist, but I admit to having had my suspicions earlier on.

All in all, a wonderful book that will keep you turning pages. I will admit to becoming impatient that there was no boy until almost the end of the book. I kept waiting and wondering, which drew me away from what was happening.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher. I thank all involved for their generosity, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reading this book.

It’s hard to define what genre this novel belongs to. There are several unexpected twists, but it’s not a normal mystery that defies the reader to figure out whodunit. It is not a psychological thriller, even if there is a lot of mental manipulation going on. The plot reminded me of the movie Peter’s Friends, with an established group of college buddies and the two outsiders who join them. Set in 1980, before the internet and cable TV made cultural differences between Brits and Yanks at least familiar, Nicola joins a “shoot” with her boyfriend James. This is a hunting party for the ultra-wealthy. Being an American, she misses a lot of the interactions. I really liked the “fish out of water” feel that foreigners get while not in their country (being myself a transplant, I can say it’s portrayed very realistically). Most of the chapters follow Nicola, but some are about Trez, a young bride married to royalty. At the center of everything is Juliet, best friend to Trez and James’ ex, who commandeers everyone’s attention and may not be as nice as she seems. It’s hard to write any more and not spoil this, because it’s the structure that is wholly original. Despite there not being a crime at the center of the novel, it is still very suspenseful. I loved the interactions amongst the characters, and I wanted to punch some of them so badly. Speaking of punches, the ending came out of thin air but made a lot of sense. I was blindsided and I loved it!
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#William Morrow!

DNF at 70%
I really wanted to like this book. It was super promising. I was enjoying having Nicola and Trez's POVs. I knew something had to happen to one of those characters since we had both of their POVs.
However...nothing was happening and I got to 70%. The only sort of exciting thing (I guess you could call it exciting) was Juliet's gaslighting of Trez and being overly nice to everybody. I kept feeling like someone had to kill somebody eventually because the synopsis of this book mentions a murder but at 70% in there was no murder.
I also found the dialogue to be a tad confusing in terms of who was speaking.
I enjoyed the setting of England but 1980 seemed like a random year to me.... and one that feels so modern that I couldn't tell it was 1980. The only way it felt like 1980 to me was that there were no cell phones. I feel as though this book could have easily taken place in modern day 2022 or 2023.
It wasn't terrible, don't get me wrong. It was just lacking thrill and suspense for me. If something had happened before I hit 50% of this book, it would have been more enjoyable.

I really enjoyed reading this! It was a page turning thriller that you don’t want to put down! There are a lot of twists and turns. The ending…I really hope there will be a second book!

Thank you NetGalley for sending this ARC to me in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this book did not land for me. I thought the initial premise was interesting, but the characters felt one-dimensional and the way the American MC was written was very odd. I felt she was portrayed as being out of her element amongst British characters, but certain 'slang' was ridiculously overplayed as novel (EX: the main character had never heard of 'wanker' or 'shite' before and asked for clarification....) It was just bizarre to me. The writing felt choppy and I think this book has a lot of potential as the twist was fascinating!

This book spent about 80% of it waiting for something to happen. Then when it finally did the book was over and you knew exactly who had committed the crime. I only kept reading because I was sure something was bound to happen any moment.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.