The Murder Game is a fascinating exploration of Golden-Age detective fiction, shining a light on how puzzle, play, and craft intertwine in the whodunit tradition. Curran clearly knows his material inside and out, drawing connections between the games authors play with readers, the mechanics of mystery, and the cultural moment that gave rise to these classic crime novels.
What works best is the book’s balance between scholarship and readability. The historical context is rich without becoming dense, and the insights into how crime-writers constructed their puzzles—and the expectations they set for readers—make the genre come alive in a new way. It gives you both a deep appreciation for the works of Christie, Sayers and their peers, and a fresh sense of how those novels still engage us.
If I have one caveat, it’s that the level of detail and the breadth of references occasionally tip into specialist territory—readers less familiar with the genre’s history may find themselves pausing to keep up. That said, it doesn’t detract from the overall pleasure of reading this book.
Overall, The Murder Game is an illuminating, richly textured read that will appeal both to longtime mystery fans and those curious about how the genre’s mechanics work: clever, well-written, and rewarding.

A highly detailed, entertaining look at the birth and evolution of Golden Age detective fiction. While readers unfamiliar with the major authors and works of the genre may feel overwhelmed at times by the specifics (and there are many!), Curran offers readers much to appreciate and savor. He assumes readers who enjoy classic detective mysteries and puzzles will relish all of the details, and he's not wrong. One of the best aspects of the book is the discussion of the gamesmanship of dozens of authors.

Verdict: Highly recommended for lovers of the genre. A great holiday gift!

As someone who loves history in about every era ever recorded, I have to say this is one of the best Golden Age focused historical accounts I've read in quite some time! Focus on games and mystery throughout the 1920's and 1930's reminds me of the old detective noir stories and radio programs that I enjoyed devouring as a child. In some places, the information feels a bit dry especially for some readers who aren't used to that type of writing voice but I didn't mind it in the least.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves history, games and mystery! This would make a fantastic gift for any bookworm out there!

I would love to take this opportunity to thank the author, publisher and NetGalley for letting me check out this ARC book in exchange for an honest review.

Fair Play mysteries are making a comeback thanks to authors like Anthony Horowitz and Benjamin Stevenson. In this book, Curran goes back to the basics, the first and the greatest, to investigate why and how they created classics that are still widely read today. It’s just not easy to determine the audience this was written for. Definitely not for casual readers. I’m a huge fan of the classics and have read many of the books he analyzes, but definitely not all of them. There are a lot of spoilers, some are clearly marked but not all. Curran digs so deeply into the format, tricks and games, that it feels like reading someone’s doctoral dissertation. Some parts were fun, like the initiation ritual to the Detection Club, and I loved revisiting a few favorites. I also enjoyed the parts where he explores whodunits that broke the rules, but then there came a series of lists of novels (for example: where the detective was the killer, where the butler did it or where the baddie was an evil twin). When the reference was a whodunit that I’ve read (sometimes more than once), I was fascinated. The rest of the time, I just Googled the ones that sounded more interesting and added them to my TBR. I’m not an expert, but I’ve read more classics than regular readers, and felt completely over my head, that’s why I’m not sure who the target audience is, unless it’s college professors who specialize in the period. Some parts get five stars, others three so I’m rounding up because it’s really well researched.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Harper 360.