This was another fun murder mystery with Detective Ffion Morgan. I loved the premise of this book. A reality TV show with a twist that sets all the contestants on edge? Yes, please!
I loved seeing some of the same characters from Mackintosh's previous book, The Last Party. Although you don't need to have read it to enjoy this book. This is a quick, fun read! Thank you to Netgalley, @claremackwrites and the publisher for this ARC!
Book 17/150

While I can't say I was 100% interested in the plot of this book, the core group of characters in this series is definitely growing on me. I even took time to google the pronunciations of all of the Welsh names and I was definitely surprised by some of them.

The main plot is about a missing contestant as well as a murder on the set of a reality TV show. That part was so-so, but I did really enjoy the development of Ffion (DC Morgan) and revisiting her family and hometown. Overall, an enjoyable read and I'd be interested to see where this series goes.

I received an ARC of this novel through NetGalley.

This setting for this mystery is quite interesting. Seven people, selected from 45,000 applicants, are selected to (what they think is) a survival TV reality show. However, they were duped. The producers of the TV show have discovered deep, dark secrets on all seven contestants and the objective now becomes: how to avoid having your secret revealed. This infuriates the contestants and a murder occurs.

The plot is quite clever and intricate. The reader only learns a little bit about each contestant, but each contestant's dirty little secret is revealed to the reader. The contestants, along with staff from the TV producers, all become murder suspects.

Following all of this gets complicated at times, but the pace of the book is good and fast. The author does a good job of resolving the numerous questions raised about the murder and the consequences of the secrets being revealed.

Detective Constable Ffion Morgan’s latest case involves a missing person who was competing on the reality show Exposed filmed in the outskirts of her North Wales village. Not only is Ffion well acquainted with a cast member and a crew member of the reality show, her ex-husband Huw and love interest Leo are involved in the search for the missing man. Tensions rise as contestants seek immunity to stay in the competition and a YouTuber lurks outside the action, ready to do whatever it takes to get the viral content needed to boost her channel.

Having adored the first book in the series THE LAST PARTY and Ffion as the lead character, I was excited to read A GAME OF LIES. In addition to beloved characters from the first book, this book features Dave the rescue dog with attachment issues and Georgina, a new DC who partners with Ffion on the case. I loved the new characters and hope they continue to be part of the series.

The book alternates between the points of view of various characters, doling out clues as the story progresses. Ffion juggles dog ownership, her feelings for Leo, and drama from her friends and family while working her cases. Ffion, a beautifully flawed character with a keen investigative brain, makes a fantastic lead character. While she grows with each installment, she has plenty of issues to explore. I really enjoyed seeing her interact with her boss. I couldn’t help but sympathize with Ffion’s dilemmas including having to deal with Alun, her obnoxious coworker, and finding her footing with temporary partner Georgina.

The reality show premise creates cool plot developments and more crimes to investigate. The Wales setting is both fresh and familiar with its small town atmosphere. I found the reveals to be satisfying, and I loved the ending.

Whenever Clare Mackintosh releases a new book, it’s on the top of my to-be-read list because it’s always a fantastic read, and A GAME OF LIES is no exception. I look forward to seeing what tricks Mackintosh has up her sleeve for book three.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to Sourcebooks for providing an Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley.

4-5 stars. Such a great dive into the chaos behind the scenes of reality TV, and a murder mystery that completely kept me guessing. Thrown in a romance that was unconventional and sweet, and it’s a great combination for a book. Thank you @netgalley for the ARC.

I used to love Reality TV but got a bit fatigued with it being everywhere.

So to put a detective novel, in a reality series, and have contestants apparently willing to do anything to win was a win win for me.

Also i didn't have to watch the voting episodes, or the episodes where contestants sit around doing nothing.

I didn't realize when I requested this that this was a second novel with Fionn and Leo, but that didn't detract from the plot.

When I was reading this I got the end of the first half and seriously looked at my kindle thinking where is this going in the second half? Safe to say didn't expect what came out and the level of secrets they were all keeping.

And in some instances why?

Never mind this kept me going to the end - with a little wobble when I thought she had taken her dog back to the Rescue Centre. Not sure I will go again with a third novel but this one was enjoyable and kept me guessing through the second half anyway.

This is the second installment for DC Morgan. I didn't enjoy the first book but was intrigued by the plot so tried this one out. Overall, I like DC Morgan (Ffion) and Leo. Her family and coworkers kind of blended together for me. The mystery surrounds contestants on a survivor like reality show. There are multiple viewpoints, including the reality show contestants, but I don't know that hearing directly from them regarding events that have already happened is necessary.

The contestants think they are going to be competing to "survive" in the elements, but really they are competing to keep a secret. Is one of them hiding so much, they are will to commit murder. A contestant goes missing and then someone turns up dead. Again, we have the multiple viewpoints until we finally find out who the killer is.

Overall a decent read. Ffion is a flawed character and I'm not sure that I really like her? She is abrasive to everyone around her but a great detective so we just put up with this. And then the ending? I don't know that I need to read any more stories featuring Ffion.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

This thrilled and featured likable and familiar characters. The latter were multicultural and revealed layered nuances. That it revolves around a murder investigation showed its purpose. Given that, one sees other issues about intimacies and morals. These issues seem to highlight how lies need exposure.

I love all of Clare Mackintosh's books, but this latest series might be my favorite. The setting is incredible and the mystery plots are so devious and twisty. A huge kudos to her for knocking this newest book out of the park.

Well-crafted, detective story, taking on reality, competitions with an unusual setting, the remote Welsh, mountains. I enjoyed the last Detective Morgan book and d be interested in this developing into a series.

A Game of Lies is the second in the DC Ffion Morgan series (following The Last Part) although you don't need to have read the first book to enjoy the second one. Ffion is called into investigate the disappearance of a contestant on a game show set in the nearby mountains. The stakes are raised when there's a murder in the group, and Ffion must act quickly before any other lives are lost.

I really enjoyed this book! Ffion is such an interesting and well-rounded character. Unlike most heroes of police procedurals, she's conflicted about whether she even wants to be on the force. And her complicated relationship with fellow officer Leo adds to the intrigue (although her behavior can definitely be frustrating at times!).

My favorite thing about the book is the setting. Clare Mackintosh does an amazing job of setting the scene in an out-of-the way Welsh village that seems a million miles away from London or the rest of the UK. Can't wait to read the next installment in this series!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Like others, I didn't realize this was the second book in a series, but I can also confidently say that didn't keep me from enjoying this book. I do want to go back and read the first one though! I thought this story's concept was super clever, taking place in a small town, in the backdrop of a reality show. When the contestants on the reality show realized they've been hoodwinked on the show's concept, basically, all hell breaks loose, and the main character Ffion (a DC) is tasked with trying to untangle the mess while also navigating her complicated personal life. All in all, I truly enjoyed this book, there were a lot of different twists and I thought it was smart and intriguing.

I really enjoyed this story but I am not a fan of the main character. I will still continue with the series if there are more books but I need something exciting to happen!

Disappearances, murder, this book has all the elements we love in a good thriller. It did take me a little while to get into the book but I hadn’t read the previous one so I didn’t know the characters like some other readers seemed to. Once I got going though it was a fast and furious read to the finish.

I didn't realize this was the second book in a series, but I think you'd be fine to read it without reading the first one. There was enough context to know what was going on with the characters. I overall really like it. My only real critique was that it felt like it dragged a bit at points. Overwise it was a fun read!

I was a huge fan of this author's stand alone, and I am really enjoying this new series. I like the modern day elements to the mysteries, enjoy the complicated the characters, and love the setting. Already looking forward to the next installment!

DC Ffion Morgan is an investigating officer in her hometown. She’s called out to a farmhouse where Exposure a reality show is being filmed. The reality show aired its first episode with a bombshell headline shaking up the plot with secret confessionals that could destroy each of the contestants. One contestant had a meltdown after learning that this was not a survival show.
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After reading about Clare Mackintosh’s grief I feel awful that I can’t give five solid stars. Her writing style doesn’t line up with my reading style. Clare was a police detective before she was a writer. Her knowledge and expertise is insightful in the DC Morgan series. For the life of me I struggle to find a steady easy flow to her writing. Maybe it’s because I’m from the USA and unfamiliar with the Wales locations and Welsh language. Pronouncing the names is a battle which I find I create new names that I can easily identify. Same goes for the locations if I can’t pronounce them I’m skipping them or creating a place I’m familiar with. I can’t paint a picture in my mind to a place I’ve never seen or heard of.
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There’s a barrier I can’t seem to break thru with Clare Mackintosh’s writing style. It reads very similar to the first book which I struggled with as well. I have trouble keeping track of the numerous characters. I’m terrible with remembering names. As a result I have to highlight and takes notes. In doing so I lose momentum with the words.
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The most interesting aspect of this story is the game itself. Reality tv is an unscripted show intended to provide entertainment to its viewers. Game of Lies is about a reality tv show where secrets are exposed on National Television. It’s a clever way to investigate a missing person case by working with the crew and contestants during filming.

It’s simple. Survive and keep your secret. That’s all these seven reality stars have to do in the Welsh Mountains. They weren’t sure what they signed up for, but now they know, and they’re invested. If the other contested guess their secret, they’re out. Simple as that.

When a contestant goes missing, Detective Ffion Morgan has to come and figure out what everyone is hiding, and she can’t trust any of themse.

When a murderer strikes, Ffion knows everyone has not only an alibi…but a secret worth killing for.

This is the second book in the series featuring DC Ffion Morgan. While this is a series, I do think that this one would work fine as a stand-alone. I enjoyed the format of this one, it has a reality television series as the main point of the plot and throughout the book we get different points of view from the contestants. It was interesting to see who all made up the show and the show was focused on a secret they each wanted to protect, some of them were a little silly in my opinion, but they were important to the characters and that was what mattered. There is a character that goes missing, and the secret he was protecting was shocking. Ffion is an amazing character and I loved being back in her world. She did another fantastic job. Her character is witty and entertaining, and I love her dog. I enjoyed that there were other repeat characters as well. The side characters were well developed and brought a lot of added depth to the story. As with the first story in this series, this one is a little slow, so fans won’t be surprised. While I do tend to prefer my books have a faster pace, this one did have nice even pacing that I appreciated and I had time to savor the details so it worked.

Another knock out of the park by author Clare Mackintosh. I can’t wait to see where this series, and Ffion go next.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark, @bookmarked and Netgalley @netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

My question is, will there be a book 3 in the series? Although this is a stand alone book, mainly about a police woman called Ffion, that takes place in Wales, I have the feeling there is more to come. The story revolves around 7 reality stars who are stranded in the Welsh mountains. Not unlike "Survivor" they can be voted off, but first they have to reveal a secret from their former lives. One contestent disappears and there is a murder and attempted murder. I felt that thee story lagged at times. Not quite as good as the predessor., the Last Party.

All life is a management of risk. Just how far will you allow yourself to dangle on the edge?

A Game of Lies is the second book in this series created by Clare Mackintosh. It reads perfectly as a standalone. But if you really want to get a feel for this female lead character, it would round things out by pursuing the first book. She's so worth it.

DC Ffion Morgan (Two repetitive intial consonants here) is police officer working for the North Wales Police Department. She's in Criminal Investigations in Bryndare along the border. Ffion brings a particular quirkiness to the job. She's recently divorced and still marinating in her family issues and relationship problems.

Clare Mackintosh adds dollops of humor here and there with hilarious dialogue and snarky comebacks. Ffion is a rare creature. She's recently adopted a rescue dog by the name of Dave. Dave has issues, too. He experiences high anxiety when separated from Ffion. Dave works through these issues by munching on the remnants of Ffion's mother's sofa.

A call comes in about bones being found in the Pen y Draig mountains. Ffion and DC Georgina "George" Kent head up there to investigate. It appears that a TV reality show is filming on site. Miles Young of Young Productions has grouped seven contestants who will match wits against one another for the grand prize. But there's a catch to it all. Said contestants will have their deepest, darkest secrets revealed if they lose the match.

And soon one of these contestants goes missing in the bitter cold of Wales. His secret was devastating. The others dread the outcome of this game, including Ffion and George. The pop culture show has viewers tuned in every night. But there's an enormous price to pay.........including for Miles the producer.

A Game of Lies is a solid read with an interesting storyline and a bevy of peculiar characters. It's my hope that Clare Mackintosh is already working on the next edition. Bravo, just bravo.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Sourcebooks Landmarks and to Clare Mackintosh for the opportunity.