I’ve read both this author and series before. This aptly titled twisty second instalment can be read on it’s own. It’s set in a lovely remote area of forests near a small community in North Wales. The author paints a charming visual of the landscape I could see in my mind. There’s a new Reality TV show being shot here behind locked gates to keep the nosy press out and the suspense building. There are the contestants, a cameraman, a producer and presenter. It’s a very small crew on a shoestring budget. The reality of the show’s theme instantly sends all the contestants into a panic, they’ve been mislead. Everyone has secrets, most have those that they don’t want revealed. But has one of them killed to protect their secret? One thing is for certain – everyone is lying about something. As the series gains viewers, momentum increases, the press and even a YouTube channel wannabe begin camping around the compound.
When one of the contestants goes missing DC Ffion Morgan is dispatched. She’s a complex character who has complicated relationships with her Mam, her ex, her co-workers and boss, well pretty much everyone. She’s abrasive, abrupt, no nonsense, uses fowl language and doesn’t follow orders well. She’s also really familiar with the terrain and community where she lives and knows most everyone. They all become suspects with obvious motives when a murder occurs. But who has the most to lose when lies and secrets are exposed? A very clever plot with relatable people and believable secrets.
An advanced reader’s edition of “A Game of Lies (DC Morgan, #2) by Clare Mackintosh, published by Sourcebooks Landmark, was provided by NetGalley. Anticipated Publication 04/23/2024. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.

Exposure: Seven contestants living in the remote Welsh mountains for two weeks--subjected to challenges and public votes and the elements. What could go wrong, right? It's typical reality TV, but Detective Ffion Morgan wasn't expecting such a show to be filmed practically in her backyard. When the show's producer, Miles, turns the table on his seven players and reveals that he will expose their greatest secret on live TV unless they are the last one standing, ratings soar. But soon a contestant is missing, which was not part of Miles' script. And when a murder hits the Exposure cast and crew, things take an even more dramatic turn. Most of the suspects were on camera or have an alibi; can Ffion untangle the group's secrets before the killer strikes again?

I loved the first book in this series. Ffion is one of my favorite characters-a flawed but brilliant detective with an acerbic wit. The story begins with her being called out by her boss for not being a team player. That may sum up our Ffion perfectly, but she's loyal and she won't quit on a case. You don't need to read the first book to enjoy this one, but I do recommend it, especially as you'll enjoy the personal dynamics more. With a person missing, Ffion must call upon DS Leo Brady from the first book, but the two have a... history... together.

The "locked reality show" concept in the Welsh mountains works great here. We have a small cast of characters. You get to know your reality show players, the small crew, and Ffion and her family. There are limited suspects, but we soon learn there are plenty of people the group wouldn't mind dead. Nothing heightens emotions like being on camera, false pretenses, and the public revelation of secrets. Clare Mackintosh has a way of writing books that just keep you guessing--I was genuinely surprised at the whodunnit.

Adding to the well-plotted story is Ffion's well-written character, as we delve into complex dynamics with her family, Leo, and work colleagues. Ffion must work with someone new on her force, Georgina Kent, as well as deal with Leo coming back into her life. I just adore prickly Ffion. She's so smart and hides her insecurities by forging ahead without thinking things through at times. Mackintosh writes her vulnerabilities so well, and I sure hope there will be a book #3. (And I hope it features Ffion's smelly, lovable dog, Dave!)

Overall, this is an excellent mystery--exciting and atmospheric with a complex, thoughtful lead detective.

Although this book is the second in the series you can read it without having read the first. It is slow moving but the tension grows with the pace. It helps to keep you hooked. I found the story an entertaining concept

Twisty mystery that takes place during a reality show. Seven contestants have arrived for the taping of the show “exposure.” All the contestants are thrilled to be there and possibly win the prize money offered. What they don’t know is that they were all brought there under false pretenses. What they thought was a survival in the elements contest is really a show about exposing their darkest secrets. All the contestants are extremely angry and disappointed, but which one is angry enough to kill the creator of the show. Fast paced whodunnit that is full of twists.

“A Game of Lies” is an engrossing, enjoyable read start to finish. It was a worthy follow up to the first of this series., The Last Party. Though I’m not a fan of the reality TV genre, it was a fantastic setting for this story. A bunch of disparate strangers forced to exist together….what could possibly go wrong? The characters were equally fascinating in their own unique ways. The plot twist did reinforce the idea that things are not always as they seem. DC Ffion Morgan is back and I was happy to see her again. She and personal complications are oddly endearing. The recently promoted DS Leo Brady, Ffion’s former romantic interest, is also back and leading the investigation. The sparks from book 1 may have been replaced the icicles for most of the story. We get a sense of many things that need to be said between the two, that take no shortage of bravery and risk to get to. All in all, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read and I do hope the author is planning to continue the series. A shout out to Netgalley for the ARC as well as Dave the Dog for comic relief.

This was a great book. I loved every paragraph, every sentence and every word of this masterpiece! I read it in 12 hours, which is a lot for me to do! It had everything and more laid out in the novel! I sure hope There is more to come from this author! I am totally hooked!

I hate to say this, but this was the least favourite of the series so far. The reality show characters just did not suck me in, nor did the plot.

3.5 stars
An enjoyable police procedural featuring Detective Ffion Morgan and a reality television show called Exposure filming on a mountain near the small town Cwm Coed in North Wales close to the English border. Seven contestants believe that they have been selected for a survival show but are shocked to find out during the filming of the first episode that the show is actually about exposing each person's deepest, darkest secrets live on air. One of the contestants goes missing after the first show and Ffion and her partner, Georgina, as well as DS Leo Brady (an English detective that Ffion has a romantic past with) are called in to conduct an investigation.

This is the second in the DC Morgan series but can be read as a standalone - I haven't read the first book and enjoyed this one. A great premise, a great sense of place, solid plot and well-written with unexpected twists. The pace is steady and not particularly suspenseful until towards the end but still an enjoyable story. I liked Ffion with all her rough edges and difficulty showing emotion and her rescue dog, Dave, is the best.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for sending a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Ooo yes, another great read by Clare Mackintosh! Definitely a novel of thrill and suspense. The drama was there the whole time and I loved the characters. Will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat.

A Game of Lies is book 2 in the DC Morgan series. I have not read book 1, but not having read the first book was not a problem in following along with the narration of book 2. This model could stand on its own. A Game of Lies is also the first Clare Mackintosh novel that I have read. The plot was easy to follow and the central characters were nicely defined. There are a lot of secondary characters who are less important to the plot. The setting is in North Wales, and the author injects some Welsh phrases, although she does translate them. I am not sure why the Welsh phrases are included? Perhaps the author wants her readers to remember the setting? But since most people in Wales are bilingual, I am unsure what purpose it serves. I suspect, the Welsh intimidates many readers, at least judging from the reviews that I read. My 15% DNA from Wales does not include any innate ability to understand any of the Celtic languages. But I digress.

A Game of Lies begins as a missing person case but becomes a murder investigation. The basic plot focuses on a reality TV show, which certainly reinforces my decision never to watch reality TV. There is a great deal of deception and manipulation. It was easy to figure out who was going to be murdered, which as soon as it occurred, was pretty easy to figure out how the crime was committed. It really is impossible for the victim to scream while being strangled, just saying. It is embarrassing that it took the police so long to figure out that basic problem and what it means. However, even though I did figure out the crime quickly and even the identity of the guilty party, I still enjoyed the novel. The protagonists Ffion, Leo, and Dave held my attention. This is a good read, but was not compelling. Mackintosh has down the basics and knows how to tell a story.. There is the promise of a very good novel in A Game of Lies.

Thank you to the author, publisher Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley from providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review. 3.5-4 stars

I couldn’t wait for this 2nd book in the DC Morgan series as I loved the DC Ffion Morgan character. A new case, once again crossing jurisdictions, also brings back DC Leo Brady. Ffion, Leo and new character DC Georgina Kent must try to find a mentally unstable contestant who has escaped from a reality tv show that is filming in Pennsylvania y Ddraig Mountain. And who can blame him for running when the show’s producer got the seven contestants there under false pretenses. Thinking that they were there to battle in a “Survivor” type competition, instead they are there to try and expose each other’s secrets. Soon a murder occurs and the contestants are all suspects. Ffion’s usual character flaws are brought to the forefront as she tries to do her job but at the expense of trying to protect a local contestant’s secret from being found out. Will Ffion’s prickly personality cost her her job and a potential relationship with Leo? Pick up this page turner to find out!

The author is trying to do too many things, which bogs the story down, at times. The welsh, while interesting, slows the story. Frequent introductions of misc characters slows the story. Ffion should have been fired, many times over, and there’s only so many times we can suspend belief that she hasn’t. The romance with Leo is devolving into stale tropes.
The farting scene at the beginning of the book almost made me stop reading. I could not believe this stupid, stupid scene made it in the book. The next book will make or break this series.

Thank you NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and Clare Mackintosh for the advanced copy of A Game of Lies in exchange for my honest review.

I loooved this book, and I will be 100% transparent and say I really did not care for the first book in the series. In my opinion this one was back to Mackintosh's typical style of unputdownable-ness (yes that's a word now).

As thriller lovers I think we all love when a book has many characters who are holding onto secrets, and the fact that that's pretty much the entire premise of this book was really enjoyable for me.

Mackintosh remains one of my all-time favorite authors and she absolutely knocked it out of the park with this one.

A Game of Lies will be on US bookshelves April 23!

Oh, how I do love a GOOD police procedural mystery. And oh, how I do love a GOOD series, especially when I catch it at the beginning. And oh, how I do love a GOOD female lead.

This second in the Ffion Morgan series is even better than the first (The Last Party), and the first was solid. Ffion is even more complicated as the Welsh policewoman, dealing with family issues, a past romance with another detective, and a big hot mess of a reality TV show dropped into her valley in Wales. My oh my, I couldn’t turn pages fast enough.

Mackintosh, as a former policewoman, gets the ins and outs of the work - the drudgery, the frustration, the overt and subtle sexism, the desire to move up and yet still keep their hands deep in actual case-solving rather than paperwork. She is also a master of creating tension, unfolding answers a little bit at a time, and not going for some huge silly implausible twist in the end. I have read almost every one of Mackintosh’s books, save one, and I remain one of her biggest fans. She is an auto buy author for me, and will remain so.

Are some secrets worth killing for?

A Game Of Lies is the second book in the DC Morgan series by Clare Mackintosh. If you haven’t already read book one, The Last Party, you can read my review on Goodreads. This book can stand alone, but it’s best to follow the development of the investigative team.

Book one left off with Ffion Morgan(detective on the Welsh side of the border) turning down a dinner invitation with Leo Brady (detective on the English side of the border).

Book two is also set in the northern Welsh mountains - on a set of a reality TV show, Exposure, where one of the 7 guests has vanished mid-filming. The two Detective Constables are called to investigate. The premise of Exposure is that the contestant who manages to stay the 14 nights on the Pen y Ddraig Mountain without having his/her secrets exposed, is the winner. The thing is, participants think they’ve signed up for a survival-type show. They’ve been duped into taking part in this farce to uncover their secrets while the world watches. With iron-clad alibis, heap loads of motives, and no suspects, makes this a difficult case for the team.

I’m not a fan of these types of shows but I can see how both aspects of this concept attract viewers; both the pulling together to succeed and the pulling apart to expose and get a dish on secrets. The lens with which Macintosh has chosen to tell this story makes it seem as though readers are watching the action unfold. I felt the stifling closeness and the tension caused by oneupmanship. I enjoyed the thought-provoking issues we are led to question: why do we as a culture ‘enjoy’ peeking into the lives of others and gaining satisfaction at their losses?

I really enjoyed the opportunity to get to know DC Morgan a bit better. Through interactions with her family and her rascally flatulent rescue dog, Dave, we really get a sense of her boundaries and her life behind the badge. It allowed me to connect better with her.

Although I missed the tension and banter between DC Brady and DC Morgan, I liked the addition of DC Georgia Kent. Joining the investigative team changed the dynamics in a positive way. I don’t think it’s over between Ffion and Leo, though!

The sense of place was spectacular and I appreciated the examination of human nature and mental health. My only frustration was with the swearing and an initial disappointment that some of the things that drew me in with book one were missing from this one, namely the residents of Cwm Coed and the banter/tension between Ffion and Leo.

I was gifted this copy by Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

4.5⭐️

This was such a fun mystery with likable characters (hello, Ffion and Dave!) and witty internal and external dialogue. I loved the dynamic between Ffion and her family but I took half a star off because I hate, hate, hate the miscommunication trope, which was going on between Ffion and Leo. I find it irks me to no end when a simple, quick conversation will change everything... but I digress. I thought the mystery was well thought out and showed how wacky and irresponsible reality television can be. I also really loved the Welsh setting and having the Welsh language interspersed throughout the book. I had forgotten this is book two in the series and even though I have the first on my shelf, unread, it didn't matter all that much, Definitely loved this one!

The second book in the Theon and Leo detective series.
A contestant goes missing during a survivor type television show.
Theon is called to the case and Leo is called later. Both have secret feelings for each other.
The television show goes downhill from there with multiple things happening.
Told in a few povs. Mostly Theon and Leo.
Great character building in this book which I liked better than the first one.
I hope this duo gets another book

A Game of Lies had me scrambling for answers until the very end. A great thriller from Clare Makintosh, 5 stars from me!

Clare Mackintosh returns with the second book in her DC Ffion Morgan series, ‘Exposure’. A reality tv contestant goes missing and Ffion is sent to investigate.
Whilst the novel is not badly written, the premise of the tv show is just so utterly ridiculous that it ruined the story for me. The author also failed to create engaging characters that the reader cares about, thus the whodunnit mystery fell awkwardly flat. The protagonist was annoying, the plot predictable and the ending rather flat. Not a series I will be returning to.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

3.5 rounded up

So I enjoyed this book overall - back in the world of DI Ffion Morgan. This time set around a reality series called Exposure being filmed at “Dragon Mountain” with their own Ceri as one of the stars.

It felt a little more laborious than book one in the series, even tho we got more depth around other characters in the book. Kept me invested but not enough to plow through it quickly like I do with many thrillers. Pacing felt a little off on this one.