Apart from Louise Penny's Three Pines series, there are very few mystery series I've gotten invested in. I think Clare MacKintosh may have won me over. I enjoyed the first book in the series, although it was a little slow. This second book was more engrossing.

The premise of this mystery is perfect; reality shows, with all their betrayals and lies, just set themselves up for a murder plot. The isolated setting and myriad of characters, whose perspectives are all incorporated, reminded me of some of Agatha Christie's plots. There were definitely some subtle references to And Then There Were None. Ffion's character is pretty prickly and somewhat immature, but I do appreciate that she shows some character growth throughout. I enjoy mystery series that feature both a mystery to be solved as well as an ongoing plot thread that ties them together. In this case, there's a romance that is facilitating Ffion's growth in maturity.

I look forward to reading more in this series!

This is the second book in the DC Ffion Morgan series. Set against the backdrop of a reality TV show, there are many games being played here, and everyone involved with the show has their own agenda. The plot moves along at a good pace and kept me turning the pages. I hope Clare Mackintosh is planning another book in the series, since I look forward to Ffion and Leo's relationship developing. And for all my dog-loving friends who used to call me and want to know if the dog was all right at the end (any dog, in any book), not to worry: Dave the dog is still with Ffion at the end (that's a very minor spoiler). Recommended for anyone who enjoys police procedural mysteries.

I enjoyed this book more than I did the first one. I think all the Welsh language threw me in the first book, but with this one it felt more familiar. A new reality show is being filmed. They think it’s going to be a survival show, but SURPRISE….its not. Secrets are going to be revealed. Is someone willing to kill to keep their’s safe? Someone is dead and with a slew of suspects. Ffione is still a detective that plays by her own rules, so you know you’re in for a ride with her. Liked the characters in this one and I liked the interactions.

What a fun read. Loved the unique concept. The reality show gone too far. Loved the characters and the twists. Thank you to the author, Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

This one starts a little slow but picks up as you get further in. The reality TV show storyline presents an interesting source of intrigue and behind the scenes insight to that genre of TV. Although not my favourite Clare Mackintosh book, I did still enjoy it.
Thank You to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and Clare Mackintosh for the widget of A Game of Lies.

Thank you @bookmarked #partner for the free copy of this ebook!

This is book two in the DC Morgan series and I am happy to report I liked this one even more than the first! The setting is in Whales once again (love!) and this time it’s a group of seven people who have auditioned for a reality show thinking it was one thing and the show did a little bait and switch making them feel like they were tricked into something completely different. The risk for most is much higher than fun in games because they will be exposed in live air! 😱 Immediately after this revelation, one contestant disappears, not wanting to be a part of it. DC Morgan is brought in to find the missing contestant while sifting through people and events she can’t really trust. There is always more than meets the eye with reality TV!

I really liked this funny (the tooting dog), thrilling, atmospheric tale because it seems like something that could really happen. Although I don’t watch TV myself I used to and am aware at how ridiculous reality TV can be. Anything to make a buck and sometimes at the poor people’s expense participating! I could completely understand the stress and wanting to jump ship once the rules changed making the hunt for the missing contestant that much more stressful! The author does a great job making a cringe worthy situation into something that is is easily relatable as she slowly uncovers truths about each contestant. She kept me guessing until the end which I can appreciate! I love Ffijon as much he main character and can’t wait to see what happens next in the series!

Excellent writing and characterizations highlight this very enjoyable mystery. The protagonists are all interesting and distinctive, the Welsh setting delightful and the central mystery set around an awful reality show intriguing. Highly recommended

Excellent second entry in the DS Morgan series. I loved the first book, THE LAST PARTY, so I was excited there was a sequel. A GAME OF LIES follows DC Ffion Morgan as she investigates several strange happenings at the location of a reality show being filmed in the Welsh mountains, a show where the contestants will do almost anything to keep their secrets from being exposed. Leo Brady returns as the English detective working in the region of Wales that borders England. There are some new characters as well, including Dave, Ffion's gigantic, co-dependent dog. I'm continuing to look forward to more books in this series.

This is the second in a series by Clare Mackintosh. The first was The Last Party. There are a lot of references to the previous book and nuances that will be missed if you did not read the first book. The plot was interesting - a new reality show where secrets of the contestants are revealed (not something they signed up for). The result is a murder - lot of suspects and false leads. It was good but I would highly suggest reading the first book before reading this one.

DC Morgan returns!! When Ffion is called to the location of the newest reality show, Exposure, to examine bones she thinks she will only see the cast and crew on TV. But soon her and her team is investigating the disappearance of one of the contestants and a death. The book switched to different points of view which made this book just more enjoyable. I felt that the book had just the right amount of twists and turns that I couldn’t wait to find out the end. I also love books where I can’t immediately figure out who was the killer. This was the second book in the series and I can’t wait for more.

A Game of Lies returns us to Wales and DC Ffion Morgan, this time to investigate a missing person who walked away from a reality TV show being filmed nearby. Contestants had been lured by the promise of a survival-type reality show, only to find out that it was actually about exposing major lies in their lives. Now the suspension builds to see whose lie will be exposed next and which one will lead to murder.

A Game of Lies has solidified my fandom of all things DC Morgan. If Ffion Morgan's prickly and less than stellar personality wasn't enough, the addition of Dave, the rescue dog, has me firmly entrenched in this series. Dave brought a sense of comedic relief to the serious business of catching a killer.
Author Clare Mackintosh writes a detailed plot with many characters in the mix. This one finds the main character, DC Morgan, on the set of a reality show when a participant goes missing. Once again our favorite possible love interest from book one, Leo Brady, is there to represent the English side of things. After how book one ended, things are awkward between the two. This maybe relationship is prominent but not more so than the crime at hand, which I appreciate.
The crime itself is centered around a missing contestant that seems to have been pushed to0 hard by the shows creator. It's not a survival show as much as it's a can you survive your biggest secrets being put out on the airwaves for all the viewers to see. A timely story of people behaving badly in the name of ratings and modern viewership.

4.25 stars

Thank you to Sourcebooks and author for an early e-copy via Netgalley. All opinions are mine.

This was OK...not a fan of reality TV, but a fan of the author, so I requested the book. Honestly, the people are all awful...and I don't like the DCI's any better than in the first book. Sadly this is a series I am going to let go of.
Thanks you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, the summary itself got me hooked. There is no way I was not going to read a book based on a reality show called exposure with 7 contestants in remote mountainside location. It was outrageous but binge worthy premise where the contestants are ready to kill each other for the game. The contestants all have some deep hidden secrets and they will go to any extent to keep their secrets safe. It reads like a locked room mystery but I felt it slowed down a bit. Thought it is part of a series, it can very well be read as a standalone!

Another terrific novel from Clare Mackintosh, Game of Lies is the second mystery in a series set in Wales featuring detective Ffion Morgan. This time, the action takes place on the set of a reality TV series, “Exposure.” Seven contestants will vie for the chance to keep their deepest secret hidden - but are they willing to kill for it? A unique venue for the classical “locked room” genre, the character development, the setting descriptions, the plot and the fact that the action takes place over just one week make this a terrifically propulsive read. Five stars, and I can’t wait for the next one. Thanks to NetGalley for the free advance copy!

Clare Mackintosh writes some great procedural type novels. She is thorough in laying the groundwork and throwing clues in. I did not see this twist coming!

My thanks to Sourcebooks/Landmark, Clare Mackintosh and Netgalley.
This story was a bit out there. It wasn't at all what I was expecting, and I think I liked it?!
I actually had a blast reading this, and was outraged by the concept of this reality show.
I'd probably have killed Mile's myself!
Still, I'm only rating this at 3 stars. The story was great, but Ffion? That woman "who's a cop!" did the most idiotic crap! Honestly, I was amazed she was a cop in Wales. She was stupid enough, she could have been working for some southern state here in the U.S.A! Or Minnesota.
I will be reading more of this series though. It's a new series, and I know these characters will evolve over time, and I'm interested enough to continue reading. Also, it's northern Wales. It's one of my top five destinations to visit, that I've never visited!
Wales.
Scotland.
Norway.
Greece.
Croatia.
Fantastic writing.

A twisted mystery in the Welsh mountains about a dark reality show that aims to expose the secrets of the contestants. Survive the mountain and the show and you win big. But if another contestant exposes your secret or you panic when confronted with your worst fear you could lose everything. What secrets would you kill to protect? What is a detective to do when everyone has the means and motive, but no one has the opportunity? A Game of Lies reads like a locked room mystery. While it is the second book in a detective series (DC Morgan), the book does plenty to provide the reader with an understanding of the cast of the characters, revealing their personality with every thought and interaction. I would recommend this book to fans of A.R. Torre or Cate Holahan, or anyone who enjoys a modern Agatha Christie style mystery.

I very much enjoyed this novel, even more than the first one that featured Ffion Morgan. I think due to the fact that I was already familiar with the characters, the setting, and the backstory, so there wasn’t as much exposition. This time, Ffion is investigating a missing person from a reality show filming at the nearby mountain. The contestants have been chosen because of their secrets and at least one will do anything to keep his secret hidden.

I absolutely loved A Game of Lies by Clare Mackintosh! This is the second book in the DC Ffion Morgan series - and it’s even better than the first book, The Last Party. I have read every book by Clare Mackintosh and loved them all. I will anxiously await the next in this series. In A Game of Lies, the characters (who you love and hate) are well developed and the plot is interesting with great police work and lots of twists. The description of the location is outstanding! This is a very good book - I read it in a day! Thank you NetGalley and thank you Clare Mackintosh. “Keep them coming”!