Oh this book is fabulous with all the twists and turns. Yes, the guilty one is not hard to figure out but the why and how is amazing. The whole twisted idea of the games is fascinating. and I thought the team building I have been part of was bad..just imagine being put into the game. Pam was an amazing character with her sass and in your face ways. Anna Belle was a stinker, Tim was a whim and then there is Grayson. Never in a minute did I think he was involved. But he sure does some crazy things. Okay, got a little wrapped up in the story and characters. This book was an attention grabber. If I could give it more than 5 stars I sure would!
Thanks for letting me read this one!

There were so many things I liked about this book! For one, the plot was quite unique, a psychologist who, after years in private practice, now designs psychological games for his own company. Grayson was such a likable guy, even as an ex-husband with a shrew of an embittered ex. So it feels so unfair when he is accused of the murder of someone he loves. In fact, I believe one reason I did enjoy the story so much was because of his wholesome character. You may or may not guess who did the killing but will love the ride along the way, regardless.

This was an great read. It fast-paced and interesting the entire book, and it kept you guessing. This was my first book by this author and I’ll be on the look out for more. Great plot, well written, and all around a wonderful read. Two thumbs up.

I quite enjoyed this book. The fast-paced storyline was very cinematic at times and I was surprised at who the villain was. I thought some of the conflict was a bit forced, but the author explained it well All in all, a good story.

Wait, you mean I didn't have to finish this until the end of the month? Wull, shoot. Why am I still up at 11 pm?

I certainly got up in the thread of the story and wanted to read it through to the end. It's not the thickest plot. Even *I* spotted the villain about midway through the book, and I'm not great at that. That can be a good thing.

The style degenerates into a number of spots into infomercials about New Orleans or whatnot, or occasional preachy passages. Occasional, but they're there. I'm not sure which abuse of literary style bothers me more...I mean, the man (man? Robin?) capitalizes "Realtor," for the love of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

I'd give it 2.4 stars, but I can't punch it to 3. "It was ok" sounds just right.

Stratagem is a very timely murder mystery that centers around the currently trending escape room theme. Grayson is a former psychologist who now works at his own company, Game's on You, where he develops personalized escape rooms that use clues from each participant's personal life. Unfortunately for him, his ex-wife, Anna Belle, is murdered during a game she was attending with work colleagues.
Caroll layers on new clues and information, keeping the compass point spinning from suspect to suspect. Each character is well developed with their own unique personality, with even the supporting characters feeling fleshed out with unique motives and possible secrets. Throughout it all, Grayson acts realistically, ever the good guy without coming across as perfect or sanctimonious.
If you're looking for a new, cozy thriller to read during the weekend while snuggled up in bed, this is the perfect pick. The quick pacing and introduction of new clues and hints keeps the book moving along. The end is satisfying without being too predictable.

A tense well written page turner kept my interest from opening pages.well drawn characters will be recommending to my friends,Thanks @shilohpress #netgalley

Robin Carol has a winner in Strategem, a murder mystery that focuses on a game designer whose ex-wife is found dead while taking part in a game he designed. The author has designed an excellent game of her own as clues are dropped throughout the story to confuse and/or guide the reader to a satisfactory conclusion.

Stratagem by Robin Caroll, a well written mystery with several twists. Grayson has set up an intricate weekend for the company his ex-wife works for and when she dies during that weekend the blame falls on him. He knows he didn't do it but the evidence starts to stack up against him...

This was an interesting concept and it does seem "escape houses" for team development are becoming the thing to do for team building. Grayson Thibodeaux designs simulation adventures and his current design is used in a corporation to determine who should be promoted, the catch, his ex-wife is one of the contestants and she dies during the simulation so he is the prime suspect in her murder. The plot twists and turns as the investigators discover more to the story for each suspect that they interview. A rapid paced who dunnit!

A High-Stakes Simulation Adventure Leaves Grayson Thibodeaux the Prime Suspect. . .for Murder

Deep in the gritty underbelly of New Orleans, psychologist Grayson Thibodeaux loses everything when his wife leaves him to climb her company’s corporate ladder. He buries himself in his job of creating mind-bending adventure games for businesses as team-building explorations. When his ex-wife’s company hires Grayson’s to create an elaborate game, he doesn’t see how things can get worse. Until she dies during the course of the game he created…making him the prime suspect for murder.

I'm assuming such things exist as grown up games like was in the book. I can safely say I would never want to participate in one. This was still an interesting book. I never knew where it was going to take me. It took me awhile to figure out who did it. The characters were well developed real. The female detective had a chip on her shoulder that I didn't think she was ever going to let go of. If you like mystery you will love this.

I was given this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.

In this novel, the murder happens right away. The rest of the book unfolds who did it and why. As I typed those two sentences, it occurred to me that's how all mysteries start out. But this one was different. It seemed to me that the author put the challenge out front rather quickly for the reader to figure out who the murderer was. The book was not a page turner for me, but it was one that was a comfortable read and one that I wanted to return to and enjoy. Grayson and his partner, Colin, run a company that develops adventure games for corporations to use as team building experiences. Grayson's ex-wife is killed in a game he designed. Of course, the "ex" is the prime suspect. A hot shot detective is after Grayson, but her partner, who is Grayson's friend, tries to keep her reeled in and focus more on the facts. I enjoyed how this book revealed the complications of relationships and how the mind works. In my opinion, if a company like this were to exist, I think I'd pass on this type of game. But wait, the participants don't know they're in a game.. I will look for more books by this author.

I received a free e-book from NetGalley for an honest review.

This one was hard to put down! I loved the escape room style games and the mystery that came from playing it. This is a well written mystery that I enjoyed.

I love getting absorbed into a good murder mystery and trying to solve the story before the ending. And this one has all the makings of a great read.

The depth of the character's enhanced every aspect of the story. Seeing the main character, Grayson, a Christian who struggles with forgiveness, gives that extra reality to the story.

It's a great mystery that I highly recommend.

This book is well written with mystery and suspense. It holds your attention from beginning to end. If you have never read any of Robin Caroll"s books you are missing out on a really good author.. Thank you Barbour Publishing Shiloh Run Press via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. I really enjoyed the book and finding a new author. This is my honest opinion.

Genre : Christian Fiction, suspense, mystery, thriller
My rating: 4.5 stars!
Language: Clean!
Age Range (my opinion): 16+
Content: To put it bluntly - An affair, an abortion and some kissing. Nothing was "dirty" in my perspective, they mostly just talked about how so and so had an affair and how one had an abortion. Nothing was cringe worthy and so, I would consider this "clean" for adults. Perhaps not for children under the age of 13...
Favorite Character: Grayson, Brandon and Pam

Conclusion:
That was an amazing thriller! Personally, I spotted who did it three chapters in, but why the person did it, blew away my mind. It was fast paced, action packed and very good! This was my first time reading anything by this author and I am impressed. The writing was very well done, character developments were great, and the story had some plot twists that I was not expecting. All in all, this was a fantastic book and I highly recommend it.

*I received a free copy of this novel from Barbour Publishing through NetGalley for my honest review*

"Stratagem" by Robin Caroll is a suspense-filled read. If you enjoy clean, mysteries, you will enjoy this book. This book has a slight twist in solving the mystery.

This book takes place in New Orleans. A company is having a team building exercise involving an escape room. During the time of the game, someone is murdered. The ex-husband, who helped plan the game, is the main suspect. This book had some twists and turns in solving this mystery.

Robin Caroll is one of my favorite inspirational suspense authors. I do recommend this book and all of her books.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest opinion.

STRATAGEM. by Robin Caroll ...... Barbour
Grayson,his ex AnnaBelle, has died.of unusual circumstances..Where was he, playing golf for 5 days. A controlled game he had designed, she participated in, seeking a promotion, and died. Consultant for the police for two years, so anyone taking the lead on the case would know him. The two that got the lead, one says no, the other says guilty. What was Anna Belle really like, a woman after power, sleeping with to get more clients, loving the freedom, to do what she wanted. Who else wanted the promotion to leave voodo dolls. Greed showed up in other areas, making this a plot of twists and turns, of what was the motive, or was she just in the wrong place. . Another good thriller once again by the author, Given ARC by Net Galley and Barbour for my voluntary review and my honest opinion.

If you love mysteries and suspense stories, you will love this book. If you enjoy escape rooms, you will also love reading this modern suspenseful story. I loved the background and plot of this story. The main character, Grayson, creates adventure games for businesses to have team building activities. However, he uses the employee’s backgrounds, strengths, and especially weaknesses to plan these games. He plans a game for his ex-wife’s company so that the company can determine who to promote. However, he did not plan for his ex-wife to be murdered. This is a Christian suspense book and includes topics of forgiveness and how to get through difficult times. There are several characters you meet during the book who could be the murderer. The book leaves you guessing throughout on who could have killed her. I highly recommend this book! You will not be disappointed!
***I was given a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review. This is my honest opinion. Even though I received this copy free, I have purchased her books before.

Fans of police dramas will enjoy this one set in New Orleans. A company who creates elaborate live game challenges with escape rooms has a surprise feature: a murder. Things get complicated as the victim is the ex-wife of the game creator.

This story was an interesting one, with a complex plot gradually building the suspense and drama through police interviews, some flashbacks, and eventually an action filled climax. There were so many people who could be the murderer that it surprised me when finally revealed. It was well written, creating a lot of character depth with meaningful dialogue and some heavy topics, with added faith. Grayson is a man who struggles with forgiveness understandably, and shows a lot of grace to others though the circumstances are difficult. Loved the conversation he had with Monique, as he wrestles with the "what-ifs" of his failed relationship; I found a lot of wisdom and encouragement in that. Others who care to "speak the truth in love" to him, like his colorful assistant Pam, were sources of inspiration too. Ultimately knowing that God can create something good out of our mistakes is a comforting thought.

Recommend to readers who enjoy crime mysteries with some action and faith elements. No romance here though the topics of marital problems and divorce are discussed.
4.5 stars