Thank you Berkley Pub for the free book! #BerkleyBookstagram #BerkleyIG #berkley #berkleypub

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐌𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐇𝐚𝐳𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐝
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟐𝟗, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

This was an immersive murder mystery where the reader is put in the role of detective. This was definitely a unique concept and I really appreciated the approach to this one. The reader was about to listen to the witnesses, examine evidence, and solve the case with the goal of solving a murder mystery and catching a killer. I really wanted to love this one, but it was really hard for me to get into it. It was also a little too long for me and somewhat drawn out. Again, I loved the concept and I think I would read something like this in the future if it was a little shorter. Maybe I’m just not meant to be a detective! If you enjoy books that are immersive in nature, this one might be for you!

Posted on Goodreads on July 28, 2025: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around July 28, 2025: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on July 29, 2025
**-will post on designated date

I was excited about this book, which was supposed to be an interactive murder mystery, and I was all for it. Unfortunately, the book missed the mark for me. I think it is incredibly difficult to write a story in which the narrator is breaking the fourth wall, but there is no way for the reader to actually interact with the book.
As the reader, we are the head detective in a murder. It is our job to listen to the story of everyone at the dinner table and try and solve the murder. At times, I found the story a bit slow and my mind wandered.

I loved the idea of this original cozy mystery. The writing is descriptive.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.25⭐️ I was about to DNF this at 15% but I had to keep going a bit longer to be fair. It just started off so confusing because honestly it felt like an info dump and it was hard to match the info to the characters. There was so much potential here because we get to solve a mystery, funn, but it would have been nice if we eased into it more. The reveal at the end of Act 1 was twisty and it added a lot to Act 2. The structure for the storytelling in Act 3 was different and a lot easier to follow. I think the court scene in Act 3 was a bit dragged out at then the last half was moving very quickly. Overall, I wish the pacing was just better in this book but after Act 1, I felt drawn in.

I think this book just wasn’t the right fit for me. I had a hard time staying focused and following the plot, though others might enjoy the writing style more than I did.

You, the Great Detective, after agreeing to the contract at the beginning of the book, are charged with solving the murder of Sally Gardener. Well, not actually solving it, but you must decide if David Verreman’s father actually committed the murder in the 70s. With little solid evidence and spotty witness testimony, what will you decide?

Overall, the concept of this novel is interesting. I enjoyed the banter between the narrators and incorporation of A.N. Author; however, this was too much in one story. The changes of structure and “rules” were overwhelming. This would not be a story I feel I could dread in small pieces or I feel I would be even more confused more often than I was. I liked the actual murder mystery portion, but I’ll admit I did struggle.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC!

This was... not what I was expecting? I'm not sure what the author was trying to accomplish with this one, but whatever it was it didn't resonate with me.

DNF at 13%. I wasn’t adequately drawn in by the story. It was an interesting idea for a book, but I didn’t truly feel compelled to keep reading. Also, it would work better as a physical book than a kindle file due to the interactive elements. This could work for others but it wasn’t for me.

Unique take on the murder mystery. This should have been right up my alley but I found it confusing. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. My frustration which others might not have led me to DNF. Over to others.

This book took too long to get into and was overly complicated from the start. I struggled to maintain a hold on the plot because of the style of writing. I think it would be really interesting of you enjoyed the style but it just wasn't for me.

I wanted to like this one but I found that it was needlessly wordy at some points and took far too long to get to the thick of the plot by which time I had long lost interest. Going into this I was excited about a unique reading experience and joust found myself forcing to plod through. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I featured The Game is Murder in my July 2025 new releases video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5JWYTfUVq4, and though I have not read it yet, I am so excited to and expect 5 stars! I will update here when I post a follow up review or vlog.

I really really did not like the writing of this book. Some will probably like it but I didn’t. I think the author is not for me but will try another book

For me, this books parts were greater than the sum. Many of the components of the book worked for me, but when brought together into one novel, it lost something. In short, it was doing too much.

The book opens in second person which was jarring, and requires a lot of trust by the reader to continue with. Once the author had earned that trust and momentum was building — just when the reader was bought into the format — it changed. That’s just one example.

What worked:
• court room/dinner party/cold case mystery
• detective who loves the murder mystery genre
• mentally ill client who “plays all the parts”

What didn’t work:
• the author as a character: I liked calling the author as a witness on its own, but in the story it didn’t work for me. It also portrayed the author as an archetype that felt trite.
• broken fourth wall with “narrator” commentary
• changing POV — this made reviewing the evidence feel incredibly redundant; all the witnesses gave their testimonies in act one, the we heard it all again.

I see what the author was trying to do, and I believe the executed on what they set out to do. However, for me, the format wasn’t something that appealed to me in conception or execution.

I do not like the style of writing in the book. I found the author's note to be fairly condescending.

Do you like mysteries? Do you fancy yourself the detective ready to take in all the clues and solve the crime? Would you like a fancy detective name like Max Enigma? The Game Is Murder is a quirky, and very meta, murder mystery where you the reader are asked to participate in solving the crime. The year is 1974. Lord Verreman, who has given up his job to become a professional gambler, and is doing very poorly at it, is estranged from his wife Lady Verreman. In a cruel twist of fate the latest nanny for their son David (or is it their sons David and Daniel) is brutally murdered. But was she the actual target of the murderer or was it Lady Verreman who was. That all depends on if you believe that Lord Verreman, who has been missing now for 50 years, was the murderer. This story takes you on a mystery romp that leaves you guessing at times and laughing out loud at others. Oh, and don't forget the narrators, and A. N. Author, the prime witness for the defense. If you are looking for a change of pace in your murder mystery genre this is just the book for you.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC!

Unfortunately, this book is just not the one for me. I found the "meta" perspective to be tiresome and long-winded, and it just never really captured my attention.

"In this fresh and immersive murder mystery that riffs on crime classics, the reader is put in the role of the Great Detective, reinvestigating an infamous never-before-solved case from 1970s England.

You are invited to a very special murder mystery party. The game is simple: Listen to the witnesses. Examine the evidence. Solve the case. Be careful. Trust no one. All might not be as it seems.

If you agree to play the role of the Great Detective, you must undertake to provide a complete solution to the case. A verdict is not enough. We need to know who did it, how they did it, and why. Are you ready? Can you solve the ultimate murder mystery - and catch a killer?

A word of warning: Unsolved mysteries are not permitted...."

Oh. Oh yes.

Thanks netgalley & berkley publishing for the chance to read and review.

Silly & quirky, however, it took too long to get to the point. Things were over explained and I was dying to get to the end. I actually had a headache at one point because everything was so convoluted. Breaks the 4th wall and I felt like I was arguing with myself, the characters and the author, which was confusing at times.

Unique concept and I've never read anything like it before. So, I'll give it that.

Act 1: Interesting, never before read anything like it. Ends with a twist.

Act 2: More evidence and evaluation, but now the MC has a name and it isn't you.

Act 3: Confusing, repetitive. Needs revised & cut down to like 3 chapters for the reveal. I got bored and it was no longer silly & quirky. It was too much.

It was smartly written I suppose, but the meta thing wasn’t for me. It got old pretty quickly and the last third of the book went on way, way too long.

If I had to give this a rating, I'd say 3 or 3.5 stars, but honestly, this feels more like a puzzle in the way of "Cain's Jawbone" versus an experimental mystery novel, so I'm not going to rate on GR. I'd if you're looking for a novel-esque mystery puzzle game, this is for you. If you're looking for a metatextual mystery novel, this may not hit