This is the first book I’ve read by Alex and definitely won’t be the last! I was completely held hostage by my kindle the whole way til the end. The darkness, mystery, suspense, tension, twist and turns kept me on the edge of my seat. I was shocked by everything that was revealed. After being forced into early retirement, something she doesn’t want yet, detective Charlotte Dawes accepts the offer to help the local police of Oak River. Getting farther than the local cops, she realizes the newest victim was moved and slowly pieces together these victims connections. The paintings of a victim, amazingly described, depicted the horrific murders. Will charlotte and Mona crack this dark and twisted game, or will they be next?!

The Darkest Game follows Detective Charlotte Dawes who was brought in to help with a small town murder case. This was a unique premise and I really enjoyed the twists.

This book was very twisty! I enjoyed the characters and I liked this mystery/thriller very much. I particularly enjoyed the portrayal of Charlotte’s character as well.

Sometimes the smallest of communities can be hiding the biggest of secrets, and this story is one such example, as a Chicago detective discovers when she investigates a case in one such town.

After a woman's death is initially dismissed as an accident but then found to be anything but, subsequence events indicate that something truly sinister is taking place.

Charlotte needs to find out how the death of a local artist fits into this disturbing pattern. Who is using her work to make a point? And for that matter, what is the point being made?

An intriguing mystery and a crime investigation all tied together neatly in this absorbing police procedural, this one gets 3.5 stars.

The Darkest Game by Alex Sigmore is a chilling thriller that is full of mystery and suspense. If you like your thrillers dark and twisty, definitely give this a shot!

After a failed undercover investigation, Detective Charlotte Dawes is being forced into an early retirement. With 20 years on the job and a staggering number of cases solved, being a detective is all Charlotte knows. When she is given the opportunity to help her former bosses friend with a body that was found, she eagerly jumps on the case. Working with the newbie detective in town Mona LaSalle, Charlotte soon realizes that this was no accidental death. It starts as a string of murders that on the surface have nothing in common. Then when local artist Robin goes missing and is soon found murdered, the only clue is a disturbing painting done by Robin herself. As Charlotte and Mona try to find clues to unmask this vicious killer, can they manage to stay ahead of the killer or will they find that they are his next victims?

This is the first book by Alex Sigmore that I have read and I can definitely say that I will check out more of his books! This book had me on the edge of my seat and I definitely want more! The tension surrounding the paintings was well done, ramping up the suspense and anticipation. The pacing was just right in my opinion, never feeling too rushed but also not a slow burn. One tiny thing I felt detracted from this story was that it felt like I was missing a bit more emotional depth. Definitely not a deal breaker though. Hoping for a sequel out of this one!

Thank you to NetGalley, Alex Sigmore, and Storm Publishing for this ARC! Publication date is June 4th 2025.

The beginning starts off slow but once the pace picks up it's non stop action and suspense. I loved Charlotte's character. It took me awhile to get invested in Mona. The mystery is full of twists and kept me guessing. I would read this author again.

First time reading this author. Great book, looking forward to reading more.
Fast paced, intriguing, couldn’t put down. Many unexpected surprises, but keeps you guessing.
I really enjoyed this book, the style of writing and the characters. This one was a page turner.
The story and the characters were very intriguing.

After a woman’s body was discovered along a river in Oak River, the local police dismissed it as an accidental drowning, and a thorough investigation was never conducted at the time. Several years later, the investigation was reopened, and Detective Charlotte Dawes, known for the staggering number of investigations she had completed, was brought in from Chicago to aid the local police in their investigation. Upon initial examination of the body, Dawes convinced the police that someone had moved the body away from the area where the murder originally occurred to the edge of the creek.
Soon after, a local artist was murdered, and the scene where the body was found matched one of her original paintings. Dawes became extremely concerned after reviewing the artist's other paintings. They predicted the grisly way in which a string of the town's citizens would soon die.
As panic gripped the town, Dawes discovered a link between the first victim and a local cop. It soon became evident that the murders were carefully planned in a town where closely kept secrets are the norm, and the town folks are strongly resisting her investigative efforts to the point where her own life could be in danger.
The twists and turns will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Wow, what a surprising read!

When I first came across this book via NetGalley I knew immediately it would be up my alley. As I began to read it, however, I found that the beginning felt too slow and it took me a while to really get into the book. Once I began reading it was fine, it just took a hot minute to actually get invested in the story.

Maybe about the 40% mark did I find that the pace quickened and the crime-telling was engaging, efficient and had me on the seat of my chair. The last 80%, I couldn't read fast enough. This book is unpredictable and twisted. The concept the "The Darkest Game" was brilliant and after finishing the book, all I could thing was "WOW. That just happened."

I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you to Storm Publishing for the advanced reader copy!

Book Publish Date: 4th June 2025

2⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an advanced copy of The Darkest Game.

Charlotte is a detective who messed up on her last case so her boss sent her to a small town to investigate a body that was found. She finds that it is not an accidental death it is murder. The killer is playing a game but can she outsmart him.

This was your average run of the mill thriller. There was not anything that really stood out to me about it.

Charlotte has had a bad string of cases as a two-decade veteran detective. She hasn't solved anything in ages, and just had a massive flop with a case that could have ended her career on a high. About to be forced into retirement, she begs to be given one more chance. She's sent to a small town to help them with a random body they've found, but nothing is as it appears, and she finds herself embroiled in a twisted game she wasn't prepared for.

*****

This was such an addictive novel. The pacing was fast and steady, with multiple perspectives and narrators that were unreliable to the reader, as well as to themselves. I found myself trying to puzzle out whether Mona was a genuine lead, or something nefarious, whether other detectives and the town working against them was part of the game, and who exactly John was.

I loved that we had the contrast of Charlotte as an experienced, albeit slightly jaded detective, and Mona as someone living on idealism and naivety as to what the job entailed as someone new to field work. Seeing Charlotte's reaction to her behaviours and trying to parse out what was genuine and what was suspicious had me absolutely hooked.

If you're looking for a mystery that will keep you intrigued until the last page, this one is for you!

*****

Thank you to Storm Publishing for the digital ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

An exciting thriller that's a fast paced read. A detective from Chicago is sent out to a small town to help on her last case before enforced retirement. Working with the newest detective in the town, she finds the case becoming more and more complex. This is a cleverly plotted story that centres around a series of gruesome murders. This is the first book I have read by Alex Sigmore and I shall be looking to read more.

Detective Charlotte Dawes is being forced into early retirement after a botched undercover investigation, but she’s given the opportunity to help her former boss’ close sheriff friend down in Oak Creek with a decomposed body that was found by a fisherman near Crystal Creek.

Oak Creek Detective Mona LaSalle and her arrogant partner, Ramsey, have been assigned to the case of the decomposed body. The small town of Oak Creek is quiet. The biggest crime they’ve had is a few robberies here and there, but nothing like what Detective LaSalle is about to stumble upon.

It’s there at Crystal Lake, hovering over a body, where Charlotte and Mona meet for the very first time. Before they’re able to ID this body, another body has been discovered but the scene around this body almost feels like a painting. Once that scene is processed, another body is found depicting similarities to the last one.

Can Charlotte and Mona find the killer before it’s too late?

I’m a sucker for a small town murder mystery and this one gave me the creeps! I devoured this book in a day and was left wanting more from this author. As I wait for another book in the Oak Creek series, I’m going to start the Emily Slate series that consists of sixteen books on Kindle Unlimited. His writing reminds me of authors like Karin Slaughter and Sam Holland, which I absolutely love!

Did I just find a new go-to author? I think I did. 🙂

The Darkest Game is a chilling thriller that weaves murder, art, and mystery.
When a series of deaths mirror local artwork, Detective Charlotte Dawes must unravel the truth
She works with local detective Mona LaSalle to unmask the killer.

This is a suspenseful story that keeps readers guessing until the final page. A must-read for fans of dark, twisty crime fiction..

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy, for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book. I liked the characters, I thought the plot was clever and kept you guessing. I thoroughly enjoyed how it unfolded. Highly recommend.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
"The Darkest Game" Is a Brilliantly Twisted Ride Through the Shadows of Crime and Deception

The Darkest Game is everything I crave in a crime thriller—dark, intelligent, and absolutely relentless. From the first chilling chapter, the story pulls you into a dangerous web of lies, betrayal, and secrets that refuse to stay buried. The tension is thick, the atmosphere ominous, and the twists… genuinely shocking.

The pacing is masterful. Every chapter dangles a clue or a red herring, keeping you second-guessing until the final, stunning reveal. The protagonist is complex and deeply human, carrying both grit and vulnerability, and the antagonist is chillingly elusive. It’s a game of cat and mouse where the rules keep changing, and no one is ever truly safe.

What sets this book apart is its ability to blend gritty realism with emotional depth. The stakes are high not just on a physical level, but psychologically, too. You’re not just turning pages to see what happens—you need to know.

If you’re a fan of smart, atmospheric crime thrillers that don’t play fair with your expectations, The Darkest Game is a must-read. It’s not just a story—it’s a trap you’ll willingly walk into.

Thank you to Netgalley and Storm publishing for this ARC!

4.5☆

A body is found by a river in the small town of Oak Creek, where murders are as rare as 2-3 a year. Presumed a fishing accident, out of town detective, Charlotte Dawes rocks the town on discovering it is murder.
Arriving to assist, Dawes is on her last case. Once a brilliant cop, she's out to prove herself again.
Local artist Robin goes missing and is soon found brutally murdered, the only clue an incredibly disturbing painting by the artist herself.
Paired with newly promoted Detective, Mona LaSalle, the pair are in a race to get ahead of the killer, but can they solve the clues in time?

I loved this book. It kept the reader on their toes over who and what the links between the killer and the victims could be. Teasing options for who the killer could be. Just when the reader is convinced they've worked it out, along comes a dead end and another twist in the tale! I enjoyed seeing the relationship between the two detectives develop. Dawes, the older officer, takes LaSalle under her wing after experiencing for herself the disgusting behaviour her current partner displays to her.
I'm hoping that this might be the start of another series by the author as although this is my first time reading their work, I really enjoyed it, and I'd like to see how LaSalle's career progress.

**Rounded up from 4.5 stars **

thrillers with a psychological edge, this one is a must-read.

Detective Charlotte Dawes is exactly the kind of lead I love in a crime novel—smart, relentless, and just damaged enough to make her feel real. Her arrival in Oak Creek shakes up the small-town dynamic in all the right ways, especially as she quickly sees what the local police don't (or won’t) admit: this is no accident. There’s a killer in town, and they’re playing a terrifyingly calculated game.

The use of artwork to foreshadow the murders was absolutely chilling and one of the most original elements in the story. It added a surreal, almost gothic tone to the investigation, and the tension kept climbing as each new painting hinted at another death. The pacing was tight, the twists were well-placed, and just when I thought I had it figured out—bam, another layer was revealed.

What kept this from being a full five stars for me? A couple of the secondary characters felt a little underdeveloped, especially given the complexity of the plot. I would have loved just a bit more emotional depth from the townspeople affected by the killings.

Still, this was a dark, immersive, and gripping read. Charlotte Dawes is a character I definitely want more of, and Oak Creek’s secrets were juicy enough to leave me hoping for a sequel.

This is a new series for this author. It is a well written book that will keep you reading into the night and begging for more. I anxiously await to read more of this series.

This is my first read by the author but it won't be my last. A very good, character driven thriller, filled with mystery and drama. I really liked Charlotte, the main character, she is easy to like with all her flaws and the plotting was quite original. The pacing is fast and the small town setting worked very well. It is light reading, definitely worth a read and one I would recommend. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.