A great cozy mystery novel for people who grew up loving Clue and Colonel's Bequest! This is a solid trapped-in-a-mansion-with-a-killer book, with interesting characters, and a great tag team of Mimi and her granddaughter Addie as our intrepid pseudo-detectives. I had absolutely zero idea who the killer would be, and I thought it all tied up really well. Do you like Only Murders In The Building? Then I'd recommend this book.

As a Michigander I was excited about a cozy mystery set on Mackinac Island, but around 25% in and I’m not feeling connected to the story or characters. Putting down for now.

A delightful locked-room murder mystery set in a local-to-me location, This Is Not A Game was pure fun! The dynamic between Mimi and Addie had me smiling the entire time. Honestly, who couldn't love a granny that drinks Gibsons and named her snowmobile Joan Rivers?

THIS IS NOT A GAME starts out well enough, with a nicely peppery relationship between an estranged grandmother and granddaughter. But once the mystery, involving the grandmother being blackmailed, kicks in, it falters considerably. Multiple suspects are initially introduced by their first names only, a grievous editorial choice that makes the characters hard to track. Our heroes make some unforgivable decisions, like destroying evidence. The setting, in picturesque Mackinac Island in Michigan, would seem to be a reason to read the book but the action is almost entirely confined to a snowbound house. And the pacing drags. A disappointment.

This was such a fun and refreshing read! I absolutely loved the mystery-solving duo of Mimi and Addie. It was my first time reading a grandmother-granddaughter pairing, and their dynamic brought so much heart and humor to the story. Their banter and bond made the unfolding mystery even more engaging, and I found myself rooting for them the whole way through. It was a unique twist on the cozy mystery genre that kept me interested.

Big thanks to the publisher, author and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this debut!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Read if you like:
☠️ small town setting
☠️ single POV
☠️ third person POV
☠️ lots of characters
☠️ grandma/granddaughter mystery solving team

I loved the scenery the author painted in this book. I really felt like I was on Mackinac Island 🩷🩷 The smells and sounds and everything. I love when the author does such a good job with the descriptions that I can picture the story in my mind.
I loved Mimi and Addie! I loved watching their relationship form and how everything wrapped up nicely in the end 🩷
This was a very exciting mystery story, with lots of things constantly happening and tons or murder 🤪🤪 I really, really enjoyed it!
I have to admit I did see the end coming 🤪🤪 but I was guessing right up until the every last minute.
Thank you so much to Penguin Group Dutton and Kelly Mullen for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review 🩷🩷

This was such a fun, cozy murder mystery with just the right amount of chaos. Think Golden Girls meets Only Murders in the Building with a touch of Clue—and I was totally here for it.

Mimi is a vibe all on her own—martinis, sass, and secrets—and her dynamic with Addie adds heart and humor to the whole story. The grandmother-granddaughter duo is what really carries the book. Their banter is sharp, their relationship feels real, and watching them try to piece together a murder (while dealing with their own drama) kept me hooked the whole way through.

The mystery itself had solid twists and that classic “everyone’s a suspect” vibe, which I love. The setting—a glamorous mansion on stormy Mackinac Island—makes it even better. Plus, the dachshunds? Iconic.

Overall, it’s clever, charming, and just plain entertaining. I’d definitely read more from this series if it turns into one!

THIS IS NOT A GAME by Kelly Mullen introduces readers to Mimi, a resident of Mackinac Island, Michigan, and her videogame designing granddaughter, Addie. Mimi and Addie attend a local gala which morphs into a locked room mystery after a murder occurs, and guests are trapped due to a storm. That may sound conventional, but debut author Mullen provides plenty of twists and suspects as she compares the two women's sleuthing adventures to a video game: "about stimulating the hypothalamus of the player. Making them feel joy, pride, empowerment, victory, self-determination." At one point Addie says, "as players, we need to ask ourselves what mission we need to complete. What is this level telling us?" There are also multiple whimsical literary and game references (e.g., Carmen San Diego) throughout. Poor Mimi, though, "was silent as she tried to absorb everything... just revealed to them. It was becoming difficult to discern who was a victim and who was an accomplice in this whole blackmail scheme." The surprises keep coming in THIS IS NOT A GAME, a light, entertaining read. Hopefully, Mullen will have future opportunities to hone her craft and develop these inviting characters further.

This Is Not a Game is a debut novel by Kelly Mullen. I found it to be a fast-paced closed-door murder mystery in the style of Agatha Christie. I loved the duo of septuagenarian Mimi and her granddaughter Addie, who is a video game creator. The setting is Mackinac Island, which is a a place that has been on my bucket list for a while. I highly recommend it!

Synopsis:
Widow Mimi lives on idyllic Mackinac Island where cars are not allowed and a Gibson with three onions at the witching hour is compulsory. Her granddaughter, Addie, is getting over the heartbreak of her fiancé, Brian, dumping her and cutting her out of the deal for the brilliantly successful video game, Murderscape, they invented together (with Addie doing most of the heavy lifting).

When Mimi gets an invitation from local socialite Jane Ireland--a seventysomething narcissist who is having an affair with her son-in-law--to a charity auction, it is the perfect excuse to get Addie to join her for the weekend. What Mimi isn’t telling Addie is that a blackmail threat from Jane looms over the party’s invitation.

In case the scene wasn’t already set for a turbulent weekend, a big storm rolls in, trapping everyone in the mansion. And then, Jane’s body is found. Soon Mimi and Addie are caught in a dangerous game, relying on their skills (Mimi loves a crossword puzzle, and Addie is a brilliant game designer, after all) to narrow down the suspects. When another body turns up, the sleuthing pair realize someone else is playing a deadly game, and they might not survive the night. . . .

Thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for the advanced digital copy of the book.

4.5 stars! THIS IS NOT A GAME was very clue-esque! I loved the grandma/granddaughter sleuthing relationship (reminded me of Mother Daughter Murder Night). I read this as an e-book and audio together and it was a quick read.

*Thank you to Dutton and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

What a fun mystery! Full of puzzles, secrets, and deception, this book will keep you guessing until the very end. I loved the references to gaming, puzzles, and classic mysteries. It's clear that Kelly Mullen has a real passion for the genre. Murderscape is totally a game that I would play, as a fan of all things Nancy Drew and riddles. I've always wanted to visit Mackinac Island, so it was cool seeing a book set there! It also was a surprisingly perfect environment to induce that "snowed-in isolation" that locked room mysteries are known for. This is a book that I think would naturally lend itself to a series, but can also stand on its own if that isn't pursued.

This Is Not a Game is a locked-room mystery that brings a quirky twist to the classic murder-at-a-mansion setup. Widow Mimi lives on idyllic Mackinac Island where cars are not allowed and a Gibson with three onions at the witching hour is compulsory. Her granddaughter, Addie, is getting over the heartbreak of her fiancé, Brian, dumping her and cutting her out of the deal for the brilliantly successful video game, Murderscape, they invented together. The two women, grieving, prickly, and fiercely independent in their own ways, are thrown into a weekend charity party gone murderously wrong.

With a blizzard trapping them in a remote estate and bodies beginning to pile up, Mimi and Addie become an unlikely detective duo, using their respective talents: Mimi’s puzzle-solving obsession and Addie’s game-designing logic to try to unmask the killer before time runs out.

While the intergenerational sleuthing angle is a refreshing concept, I found This Is Not a Game to be a fairly by-the-numbers amateur sleuth mystery. The murder plot unfolds in familiar beats, and the “trapped in a mansion during a snowstorm” setup, though atmospheric, doesn’t bring anything particularly new to the table. For me, the most enjoyable part was the banter between Mimi and Addie.

Ultimately, while charming in premise, this debut didn’t quite stick the landing. Fans of cozy mysteries and murder puzzle tropes may find enough to enjoy here, especially if they’re drawn to books like Knives Out or The Thursday Murder Club. But for readers hoping for a fresh take or an unpredictable twist, this one plays it a little too safe.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

For some reason I had trouble getting into this book. There was something about the grandmother / granddaughter relationship that was off-putting. They were sort of mean to each other which is not what I was expecting. Listening to the audiobook and having someone say the things out loud might have exasperated that fact too. It ended up being a decent mystery and I am glad I finished the book, but the relationship made it hard to get into the mystery solving. If there was a second book, and having their relationship start off at a better point, I would read it. Probably.

**Thank you to Dutton Books and NetGalley for the eARC of this locked-room thriller!**

I adore escape rooms and enjoy locked room thrillers so much. Throw in a winter storm and some silly dialogue and I am in there!!

The granddaughter / grandmother crime solving duo in this book were so enjoyable to read and this is one I absolutely flew through. Settle down with a nice cup of tea on a rainy day and crush through this one!!

Mimi can't stand seeing her grand daughter, Addie, suffer through a broken heart. When the chance to attend a charity event weekend in an isolated mansion. When a storm rolls in and the hostess is found dead, the mystery becomes an exercise in solving the murder without becoming the next victim. This Grandmother and Grand daughter duo make excellent investigative partners. This may be Kelly Mullen's debut, but she's penned a winner with Mimi and Addie.

Thank you NetGalley! This book had some of my favorite aspects of a who dunnit/ locked room type mystery. I loved that the characters solving said mystery were different than the usual detectives. This is a great book if you’re looking for a break from more graphic thrillers.

Kelly Mullen’s This Is Not a Game is a twisty and brilliantly crafted thriller that blends family drama, dark secrets, and murder into a captivating whodunit. Widow Mimi and her estranged granddaughter Addie make for an unlikely sleuthing duo, but their dynamic is what truly makes this story shine. Their strained relationship adds depth to the tension, as personal growth intertwines with the unfolding mystery.

Set on the picturesque yet haunting Mackinac Island, the novel’s stormy night in a trapped mansion perfectly sets the stage for suspense and intrigue. Mullen excels in creating a cast of eccentric and flawed characters—each brimming with secrets—that keeps you guessing who’s behind the chaos. The twisty plot, from the salacious blackmail to the high-stakes murders, feels fresh and unpredictable.

With its clever balance of dark humor and chilling thrills, This Is Not a Game is a must-read for fans of mysteries with sharp dialogue, richly drawn characters, and suspense that keeps you hooked until the last page. Mimi and Addie’s journey is every bit as heart-pounding as it is emotionally rewarding.

Mimi loves her quiet life on Mackinac Island. Sure, during the summer, their small Michigan island is overrun with tourists, but once the temperatures fall and the snow hits the forecast, it’s a quiet life. She had bought a small house with the help of her late husband’s life insurance, and Mimi is happy to live there alone, with her nightly Gibsons, her bridge club, and her snowmobile named Joan Rivers.

But then she gets invited to an event at the home of a local celebrity. Jane Ireland is a descendant from an old money family, and she is well known for her outrageous lifestyle. Her current boyfriend is also her son-in-law Matthew, which has caused quite a stir. She is having a charity auction, and Mimi is invited. Mimi is generally not invited to things like this, but this time she can’t miss it. Really, she can’t miss it, because she is being blackmailed. She has to go and bid an outrageous amount on a certain piece in the auction, or her worst secret will come out. Mimi knows she has to go, but she doesn’t have to go alone. She emails her granddaughter for help.

Addie is a game developer who lives in Chicago. She and her boyfriend had developed am interactive murder mystery game called Murderscape, which is hugely popular. Brian had gone on to propose to her, and then recently, to dump her. Now, he’s taken sole ownership of the company that owns Murderscape as well as full credit for the game, so when Microsoft made a lucrative offer for the company, he also took sole ownership of the check they wrote him. Addie has spent her time since leaving working her day job at an ad agency, watching Dateline, and considering hiring an attorney and getting what is due to all her hard work on the game.

But when Addie gets the email from Mimi, she doesn’t hesitate before heading to Mackinac Island to help her. Mimi doesn’t tell her about being blackmailed, but Addie agrees to go to the party with her. But things don’t go quite how they expect. Mimi and Addie arrive at the party and get their cocktails, waiting for the auction to start. When it does, Mimi bids on what she’s been told to, but the price is far more than she was informed it would be. Addie is stunned, and they step outside so Mimi can have a cigarette. She explains to Addie that she’s being blackmailed. And when they go back inside, they find out that Jane has been murdered.

The snowstorm has picked up, making it impossible for anyone to get to the island, and the local police officer on duty went home sick, to the mainland. No police can get to the island that night, and no one cam leave the Ireland home. So whoever killed Jane is stuck there with them. Mimi is a puzzle fanatic, and Addie has always loved studying crime. Mimi believes that they have the best chance of figuring out who the killer is, and she convinces Addie to investigate with her. But as the night goes on, more crimes are revealed. Sime items from the auction and personal items have gone missing. Matthew is also killed. And there’s the fact that Mimi probably isn’t the only person at the auction who was there because of blackmail. Addie uses all her knowledge from Murderscape and from years of Dateline to create a murder notebook and keep track of everything they know.

But the longer they’re all there, the more danger they’re in. And as Addie and Mimi go around questioning alibis and trying to suss out secrets, the bigger the targets they are painting on themselves. Will they be able to survive the storm and find a killer before it’s too late?

This Is Not a Game is a twisty thriller where everyone has secrets, everyone is telling lies, and it’s up to Harriet the Spy and Jessica Fletcher to solve the mystery. There is a stylish party, a lot of cocktails, and a locked-room mystery where the lock is an actual drawbridge that those inside can’t open without the code known only to the murder victims. This mystery is stacked with interesting characters, who all seem to be pretending to be someone different than who they are, making the plot shift from side to side.

I really enjoyed This Is Not a Game, especially the ending, which is satisfying in the best way. I liked Mimi and Addie a lot, so following them around as they try to solve a mystery was lots of fun. There were moments I had some trouble remembering who was who in the large cast of party goers, but mostly, I just liked this story so much.

Egalleys for This Is Not a Game were provided by Dutton through NetGalley, with many thanks, but the opinions are mine.

A Roaring 20s themed auction with a side of blackmail. A snowstorm in the off-season on Mackinac Isalnd. A dead body (or more?). Sounds like the making of a fantastic who dunnit.

Mimi is a saucy septuagenarian with a few secrets in her past and a snowmobile named Joan Rivers. Her granddaughter, Addie, is the co-creator of a popular murder mystery video game whose ex is moving on and taking all the credit (and cash) for the game. Together they'll need to figure out who is the murder and how to get off this island.

I was hoping for some twists similar to And Then There Were None or at least some unexpected actions or alliances. I wanted more connection between Mimi and Addie. I also wanted some resolution on the Brian situation besides just ignoring his phone call. A few other things I wanted that could be spoilers: <spoiler>I really wanted someone to have faked their death and masterminded this whole game. Or at least have Alexandra have a hand in the escapades. Why was she off the page? Why was she so blase about her husband dating HER MOTHER?</spoiler>

But I would read a sequel. Maybe Mimi can visit Addie in Chicago.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the advance reader copy. I am required by law to disclose this

#ThisIsNotaGame #NetGalley

Rosemary "Mimi" Louise MacLaine knows her place and is assured in it. She's been on the island of Mackinac for a very long time and knows how her life will run. At least until a mysterious invitation appears on her doorstep. It's an invitation... and an order. Unless she comes to the party and bids on (and wins) a specific item, her dirty secrets will be revealed. It is the latter direction that has Mimi reaching out to her granddaughter, Addie for the first time in months.
Addie is fighting her ex-boyfriend for recognition that she deserves on the massively hit video game that she helped him put together. She argues with her grandmother over that same man and now she's been dumped and pushed out of the company. But her normally unemotional grandmother has reached out with an olive branch and Addie is willing to try.
The two attend the party. It's hosted at the mansion of a woman who is infamous for cavorting with the man her daughter is still married to. And it's an eclecticc group of people who are gathered, including one who Addie is sure she knows under another name. Of course, there is a murder. And a snowstorm. So it's up to Mimi and Addie to figure out what happened.
There was a little too much going on for me, especially at the end, but I generally enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more by the author.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out April 8, 2025
ARC kindly provided by PENGUIN GROUP Dutton and NetGalley
Opinons are my own