Disgraced Detective Charlotte goes to a small town to help on a case. Little did she know a serial killer was hiding in this small town and is playing a sick and twisted game with the town's new Detective Mona. I enjoyed reading this book from the start so many puzzles and layers to this book. I liked trying to figure out the serial killer with Charlotte and Mona. This was not a quick read but more like a slow mystery but I loved it! If this was a series I would definitely keep reading about Mona. Great book! Recommend if your looking for a mystery!

Quite a slow starter but it livened up once they started investigating a case where a body was found by the river. Detective LaSalle is being bullied by her partner Ramsey, so it is good to see her come in to her own supported by Detective Charlotte Dawes, an experienced Chicago detective trying to save her career. I liked the chemistry between the 2 female leads and would like to read more of them working together in future. The reveal near the end was good, I hadn't seen that coming!
My first book from the author but I would read more.

This is a proper, keep-you-up-at-night psychological murder drama, which I absolutely loved. The characters took a while for me to warm to them, but that made it all the better as all their good and bad points were unveiled. There was no perfection, or 'best agent ever', just a group of people working hard to try and discover what is going on. The development of the two lead detectives, Charlotte and Mona, was lovely to read about, even if it was done with a backdrop of bloodshed. The kinks and twists of the plot were strong and kept me guessing. A tour de force.

This was an average read for me. I felt it was slow paced and didn’t pick up until about the 70% mark. From there on out, it moved quickly and loose ends were tied up by the last page. I enjoyed Charlotte’s character but didn’t connect with Mona. I quickly grew tired of Adam and found myself skimming through most pages that included him. The overall mystery was intriguing, but the story didn’t unfold as I imagined.

THE DARKEST GAME - This is an unexpected, delightful surprise. The subject matters are dark but the interesting characters, intriguing story lines and the author's writing style made for an immersing read. The two female detectives worked well with each other, and in a way, helped with healing themselves. Source: Netgalley. 5*

First and foremost, a huge THANK YOU to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and author, Alex Sigmore for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review. Publication date is currently set for June 04, 2025.

I saw this one on NG with the tag lines She never asked to play… and An Oak Creek Thriller; and I thought to myself, there's no way I can pass on putting in a cheeky request. All the stars aligned that day for my request was approved.

The Darkest Game is my first read from this author, and, mind blown - all I can say is: Alex Sigmore, why haven't I read you before?

Detective Charlotte Dawes is a seasoned cop. With over twenty years on the force some might say she is on the way out, but for Charlotte, who has made this job her life's work, she isn't ready to join a community knitting group anytime soon. But that scenario seemed to be playing on a never ending loop in her head lately, as a series of bad luck and case results not falling her way was leaving her with an unfavourable reputation within the Department.

"She's had a series of bad cases lately, and this was her chance to turn it all around. This was how she showed them all that there was no expiration date on a good cop."

When she botched an undercover investigation into Victor Karkoff – the man with one of the biggest and most elusive drug running operations west of New York, Charlotte knew then that she would be forced to retire.

But lady luck was on her side in the form of a lifeline when her boss in Chicago received a call from a long-time friend and work colleague who was the Sheriff in a small town called Oak Creek. The decomposed body of a woman was discovered near a river bed in the small remote town. In an act of grace, he sends Dawes out to Oak Creek to assist the local police in one last case.

I'm kind of fangirling right now. Honestly; I had zero expectations going into this one and was blown away by how much I enjoyed it. Right now I'm wondering if (more like hoping) there will be more Detective Charlotte Dawes to land in this reader's lap – please don't disappoint and tell me this was a one-off!

This thriller was equally driven by its characters as well as the coded mystery elements. Although instead of coded numbers, the 'code' in this mystery was art – paintings done by one of the victims.

If I haven't tempted you to pick this one up yet, here's a quick list of my five Crime Solving Stars:

🌟Our main characters: Detective Charlotte Dawes and Detective Mona LaSalle – the old and the new – one with 20+ years of experience and the other, newly minted. I loved everything about these two and how the author paired them together. As the story progressed, the author filled you in on their backgrounds, how their thought processes worked and just how well they complimented each other.
🌟The secondary characters are integral to how the story plays out and as such, they are also well developed.
🌟This is a complex and fast-paced tale with layers and twists that will definitely keep you engaged.
🌟If you don’t mind the macabre, there are some shocking and disturbing scenes as the plot unfolds.
🌟The ending contains a surprise that caught me off-guard.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Storm Publishing for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

When killing is a work of art and works of art turn into killings.
Not altogether a bad premise for a murder mystery, fairly clever and original but the pace didn’t really hold my interest until the last few chapters so I can’t wholeheartedly recommend this one. I did like the coded mystery and the action once the pace upped its game but the characters weren’t quite likeable or engaging enough for me to get very invested or involved. Good light read though.

5 Stars – A Brilliant New Series with a Gripping New Heroine

As a longtime fan of Alex Sigmore’s other series, I couldn’t wait to dive into The Darkest Game, and it absolutely exceeded expectations. Sigmore has a talent for crafting dark, atmospheric thrillers, and this new installment with Detective Charlotte Dawes brings that signature intensity while introducing a fresh, compelling protagonist I’m already hooked on.

Charlotte is sharp, intuitive, and carries the weight of her past cases with a quiet strength that makes her incredibly relatable. From the moment she arrives in Oak Creek, you can feel the tension simmering beneath the surface. The town may seem quiet, but it’s hiding layers of secrets—and the murders are as chilling as they are creative. The way the killer uses art to stage the crimes adds a disturbing yet fascinating dimension to the investigation.

I especially loved how the mystery kept me guessing, with eerie twists tied to haunting paintings that seemed to predict the future. Every chapter adds a new piece to the puzzle, and the sense of urgency builds perfectly. Sigmore knows how to draw readers deep into the setting, and Oak Creek comes alive as a character of its own—beautiful, mysterious, and dangerous.

This is the start of something special. If you loved Sigmore’s previous work, prepare to fall in love with this new world and its darkly addictive pace. I can’t wait to see where Charlotte’s story goes next.

Thanks to Ms Sigmore, NetGalley, and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Darkest Game is a good thriller that weaves elements of suspense, art, and small-town intrigue. From page one, we know that a killer transforms art into murder, merging the creative world with dark psychological twists.

Detective Charlotte Dawes is an engaging protagonist, bringing her own experiences and expertise into the investigation. Sometimes, she can be frustrating as she wants to prove herself, but she is on the edge of being pushed out of her job. Mona, the detective of Oak Creek, is also a good character. Charlotte and Mona played well off each other, and I would be interested to see if other books with these two characters are written.

The storyline is thought-provoking, especially as Charlotte uncovers the eerie connection between the murdered artist and her hauntingly prophetic paintings. Each murder feels like a piece of a puzzle, and as panic spreads through the town, I feel the urgency and tension that the author builds.

The character dynamics, particularly the interaction between Charlotte and Mona, plus other local police, add layers of complexity and intrigue to the plot. Overall, The Darkest Game is a very good page-turner filled with artful deception and suspense. I would recommend it for fans of crime fiction.

#TheDarkestGame #NetGalley @Stormbooks_co

They found the body at Crystal Creek in chapters 3 and 4, Wasn’t it supposed to be Oak Creek instead?

I love how this story it hooks you in when you start reading it. Mona and Charlotte are fantastic characters! I wanted to read more about them!

The killer’s POV makes the story even creepier, especially with his murders being inspired by these paintings.
I was a little confused when the killer was talking to the victim. At first I pictured him dragging a corpse around like Leatherface but it turns out it was all in his imagination. That visual sticks with me whenever I read his POV.

The plot twist when the killer was revealed genuinely shocked me. I’ll definitely be reading Alex Sigmore’s other books.

I got involved fully with this and then.... I wasn't. Read 75% and although good it didn't fully capture my thoughts. It was original game play murder most gruesome serial offender themed and I enjoyed it as far as I got to. Usually I won't put a book down when I've got this far but there you go..... I did.

Detective Charlotte Dawes is heading into forced retirement due to a botched undercover investigation when she’s given the opportunity to assist on one last case. She doesn’t expect much, as it’s not her typical Chicago beat, but a case out in a small town called Oak Creek. There she meets Mona, a fresh detective saddled with a stubborn and antagonistic partner, Ramsey. The rest of the force aren’t much better, but when Charlotte proves she’s got the skills they need, she and Mona become dual leads on the case. It’s nowhere near an accidental death as previously believed, and it’s not long before another victim is found.

Charlotte and Mona feel the crimes are connected somehow, but they can’t find the evidence to back it up—or anything more than a hunch, really. But when the first clue is discovered that just might be what they need, they’re horrified to realize the case hits much closer to home than either detective expected. Can they stop this disturbed perpetrator before anyone else gets hurt?

Charlotte and Mona make a good team, if not a little clichéd. The older, seasoned vet paired with the rookie detective isn’t anything new, but these two breathe some fresh life into the characters. The scenarios and attitudes of officers were realistic, with the worst ones never fully accepting the women in charge but being put in their place accordingly. And some people you thought would be safe turned up as the next victim, which was a nice change and totally unexpected. The ending was fantastic, not predictable but totally believable.
I would easily read more books about these two in this small town, and I think any mystery fan would agree!

I haven't read such a twisted murder mystery in a long time. Charlotte is a successful detective in Chicago but her last case backfires in a big way. She's on the verge of forced retirement when she's asked to go to Oak Creek to help out after a body is found dumped by the creek. Together with Mona, the detective in Oak Creek, they start their investigation only for more bodies to turn up, all posed to mimic paintings. This case just got bigger and bigger with a serious twist at the end. The two women become friends along the way and help each other see that life isn't just about the job. A fantastic story that I read in a day.
Thanks to Netgalley, Storm Publishing, and Alex Sigmore for the free ARC. All opinions are my own.

Loved this thriller! Even as Charlotte is forced to retire from her detective job, she is still interested in solving crimes. So when a decomposed body is found in Oak Creek, she teams up with Mona to investigate. And what they find is both shocking and fascinating as there are multiple bodies and they are somehow connected to paintings. What is going on in this small town? Great mystery and red herrings abound!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Chilling, gruesome, dark.
Excellent novel. I love the fact that the main characters were female detectives.
This is my first novel by this author, and definitely won't be my last.
The puzzles that are solved by new detective Mona, and the clues that veteran detective Charlotte were well thought out.
The killer thought he could outwit the detectives and failed.


Definitely a winner, and I think fans of Chris Carter will love this book.

5/5 stars from me.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

Possible spoilers


I enjoyed the pairing on new detective Mona, ànd older, wiser, on her way out Charlotte.
Mona was very interesting, on one hand super enthusiastic, on the other able to detatch from her emotions completely.
It doesn't take long to realise there's a game afoot, and the killer has a bigger plan.
It was good to see these two use there different methods to follow the clues.
I found the killer a bit of a let down to be honest. He was definitely the weakest point of the book for me.
A good read non the less.

My first Alex Sigmore novel but definitely not my last. This was dark and creepy and it unfolded beautifully. Once I started I could not put it down. Brilliant characters kept me captivated from beginning to end. Great read.
Thank you NetGalley, Alex Sigmore and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.

In small villages, the police also come across dead bodies, but these often involve accidents. That’s why it’s understandable that, when they are called because a resident has discovered a corpse, they initially assume it’s an accident rather than foul play.

When Charlotte Dawes, a seasoned detective from Chicago, comes to assist, she notices different things, and it quickly becomes clear that it’s not as innocent as it seems.

It soon turns out to be the beginning of a series of murders that appear to have nothing in common, and Charlotte and her local colleague work day and night to stop the killer. Although he seemingly makes it easy for them by leaving hints, he also shows himself to be particularly intelligent and cunning.

Can they stop him before he makes his final victim and achieves his ultimate goal?

The whole story moves at a fairly fast pace, which I really appreciate. The author has also created fantastic characters, and the fact that we got to look inside the killer’s mind is always a plus for me.

The book is well-crafted, and everything fits together. This is my first book by this author, and I look forward to reading more from him. I'm a fan and happily give it 5 stars.

Thank you

Detective Charlotte Dawes is not having a good time of it. Unable to close a case for two years, her latest effort in bringing a high flying criminal down has blown up in her face.

Despite having a good relationship with her boss, Lieutenant Whiteside, it’s time for Charlotte to go, retirement is certainly on the horizon whether she wants it or not. When another jurisdiction asks Whiteside for assistance in discovering the identity of a dumped body, Dawes begs for the chance to go and help out, purely in an advisory capacity of course! But again has she bitten off more than she can chew?

This was a good read right from the off. A new author for me and I enjoyed the writing style and the characters were well depicted with a suspenseful plot. Creating Sergeant Ramsey as a character we love to hate was a smart move ;).

Will look out for more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing.