This one was an okay for me. Readable, but not truly my style. Would try the author again, though.

I waited AGES for this one to come out – as with all Bookouture crime books to be honest – and it did not disappoint!

Ruby Preston and the team are back and they are against the clock more than they ever have been before, thanks to the copy-cat murders that are taking place across the city. There is nothing to find fault with, as always with Mitchell's work. She doesn't faff about, doesn't bore us with unimportant words and that makes for a much more enjoyable read when it comes to her books because you know that every word matters.

The team are on the hunt for a murderer who is already behind bars. Bit of a hard one that is! Not one for using her family ties to help her at work, Ruby ends up having to face the fact that perhaps Nathan's connections are the only way she is going to get the answers they need to catch one of the worst killers they have had on their patch for years and when he comes through for her and gets her in front of the notorious Mason Gatley, Ruby is in a situation she has never imagined she would be.

Now, as much as I loved this book, it really is brilliantly written and ticks all the boxes, and a few more, when it comes what you need and want in a superb police procedural. Mitchell knows her stuff and it shines through in her writing, I am also pretty devastated that this is the last instalment of the Preston/Crosby series that we have all come to love so much.

Mitchell is now with Thomas and Mercer publishers and so this series is now finished. What a shame! Obviously it's great news for the author, she is doing what is right for her and had left us with no cliff-hangers wondering what the hell happened with the various storylines that we have devoured over the last three books. It feels very strange writing this, three books, it feels like so many more! I adore this team and was going to marry Nathan (HE IS REAL!!!!!).

As always, Mitchell weaves a wicked web of lies and deceit that will keep you gripped and stuck to the pages until you have devoured every single word!

Murder Game by Caroline Mitchell.
Detective Ruby Preston Crime Thriller Series Book 3.
To catch a killer, you must first think like one…
A killer is playing a twisted game of life or death with his victims. After he captures them, a countdown begins. He marks the time by sending clues to the whereabouts of the women he has taken in three disturbing images: alive, tortured, dead. 
A brilliant read. I love this author. Great story and characters. Can't wait to read the next book. 5*.

This is the 3rd book in the DI Ruby Preston series, and they honestly just get better. The book would read nicely as a standalone but I do think you would miss out on small references to the previous books' events and how they shaped Ruby's live. Well written, gripping, thrilling until the last word! Recommended!!!!

DS Ruby Preston is trying to find a copycat serial killer who is following the actions of the original serial killer arrested 10 years ago named Lonely Heart Killer .He is targeting women who cheat on their spouses and after capturing them sends pictures of their whereabouts to their homes before killing them.Ruby and her team must race against time to find the killer before he claims anymore victims while keeping one step ahead of Mason Gately the creepy, psychopath Lonely Hearts Killer .

Murder Game is third and final book in Detective Ruby Preston series and I would suggest reading the series in order even though the book can be read as a stand-alone. It’s a fast paced great read in an exciting series but I enjoyed the other ones a little more than this one .

I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.

This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

Another great Ruby Preston novel! Is this the last one? I read that it was, and the ending had a bit of a finality about it. I cannot find a confirmation though. I would not be disappointed if they continue, as the character has really grown on me. As I've mentioned in other reviews, I've never been a huge fan of the relationship between Ruby and Nathan, but it didn't bother me as much in this book. I suppose he's grown on me a little bit too, or he's been toned down a bit. The case in this one is chilling, and the ending took me by complete surprise. Certainly worth the read, and you'd be able to follow along just fine if you haven't read the previous two. Of course, as always, starting from the beginning of a series is the best thing to do.

It looks like we've got a copycat on our hands... though the "Lonely Hearts Killer", Mason Gatley, is in jail where he belongs, some strikingly similar crimes are taking places all around the city. While Mason advertised for lonely wives looking for a bit of side action in the newspaper, this new murderer has modernized the whole thing: he finds them on the internet. The victims think they'll have a fun night away from their significant other. For some of them it's a regular thing, some are trying it out for the first time, bored with their lives as they are. They don't count on becoming the next victim of this new serial killer following in the footsteps of Gatley. Soon after their absence is noted by their loved ones, they're sent evidence and photos... one where the person is alive and whole, one after being tortured, and one where they are dead.

Detective Ruby Preston has a bit of an in: her gangster boyfriend Nathan can get her in to speak with the man who started it all, Mason Gatley. Some of the details of the crimes weren't made public, so they assume he must have mentored someone. He's interested in Ruby, but is more keen to toy with her than help her out. Her co-workers aren't thrilled with her visiting the vicious killer more and more, but she'll do whatever it takes to save the next victim.

I loved getting inside the man of the killer as we guessed who he could possibly be. The story is chilling and flows smoothly, making it easy to get through quickly. Another great one from Caroline Mitchell.

I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and Bookouture, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased

Huge fan of Caroline and this book did not disappoint! Thoroughly enjoyed it

I love this series. Ruby and her team come across realistically, as do her family. The book has warmth and wit as well as a trusty plot. I have read all three of these and they don't disappoint. I really didn't see the final twist coming. More please.

Book three in the Ruby Preston series (and the final one…I’m not crying you are), this book keeps up with fantastic storytelling and suspenseful books that have come before it.
There is a serial killer who meets his victims through an online dating for married people site. He promises them a night like they have never experienced before. He meets them in posh hotels and seduces them and once they are in his hotel room he tortures and kills them. This has all the hallmarks of a serial killer called the Lonely Hearts killer that is already serving time, so it looks like the police have a copycat on their hands…except this killer knows things that he shouldn’t, information that was never released to the public and only the police and the original killer know about.
I’m not going to lie, I was gutted when I found out that this is to be the last Ruby Preston book. As a reader I found her character to be so believable and warmed to her and her team in the very first book.
I loved the interactions that Ruby had with the original serial Killer Mason (who in my head for some reason sounded like Anthony Hopkins) this gave a totally new spin on things and added a whole new dimension to the story as Ruby tried to out think Mason. Full of twists and turns and a fantastic plot that kept you guessing until the very end this book is an easy five stars.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for a copy of this book to read and review

A great finale to the Ruby Preston series, I highly recommend it.

Thanks to Bookouture for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Yet another amazing read from Caroline Mitchell. Book 3 of the Ruby Preston series is just as face paced and full of suspense as the first two. I really cannot wait for more.

I love Caroline Mitchell's books, she is a definite favourite of mine.

A killer is on the loose and Detective Ruby Preston is desperate to catch him before there are too many victims. Excellent book that had me gripped all the way through.

Highly recommended and a full 5 stars again!

DI Ruby Preston is my secret heroine, and even more so after reading this latest instalment. The scenes with Mason Gatley, literally made my skin crawl, they were so well written. This is one book that will have you sat on the edge of your seat, with the lights on, because its such a well written and well thought out thriller, you will be engrossed and every little noise will make you jump!

Follow Detective Sergeant Ruby Preston around London as she tries to catch a killer before they kill again.

Although this is the 3rd novel in the series, it can so easily be read as a standalone.

I have read the 2nd Ruby Preston novel called Sleep Tight and Murder Game is the same high quality writing and storytelling. I love how you get both sides of the story, Ruby Preston with her team of detectives plus chapters from the bad guy/killer.

The plot of Murder Game is very good. I like how you get the full story and not just the gritty crime detection bits. I like how each character’s lifestyle is fully explored. I like how Caroline gently guides you through the technical bits of Police work, so that the average reader fully understands what is going on and why.

Ruby Preston is at a loss with the identity of the killer and the story points the reader this way and that. I found Murder Game a very entertaining read. I finished this book and I thought WOW! All the little details of the story made my head buzz. Yes, it all added up and just illustrates how easily a civilised society can harbour some very dangerous people. The feeling I got from the end of this novel gave me such a rush. I can find nothing wrong with this book and once again Caroline gets the top score of 5 stars from me. Murder Game was simply a pleasure to read even though readers who are married will glance at their ring finger quite often!

I have enjoyed the other books in this series starring Ruby Preston and this book is no exception.

Ruby gets involved in a particularly nasty series of murders and she is racing the clock to find the perpetrator. In order to gather information, she must call in some favours from her partner Nathan, who is still on the wrong side of the law, although he seems to be making a big effort to go straight. The two of them are also making inroads into starting to get to know their daughter better, and seeing the softer side of both Nathan and Ruby in this way is rather sweet and adds some much needed light in which is otherwise a book full of shade.

This is a bit of a creepy, intense book and the murderer is not someone who is obvious within the first few chapters, so that is definitely a win! The author does a great job of weaving all the different strands of the story together and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture.

Brilliant! Ruby is an excellent detective and a very likeable person! Her character is so well written you think you know her! I have read all the books in this series and cannot wait for the next one. Would make a good television series.

A story of cat and mouse. Kidnapping, torture and death. Someone is kidnapping married women, then sending the husbands three pictures, alive, tortured, and then dead. This is not the first time this kind of sickness has happened. Mason Gatley was put behind bars for doing the exact same thing ten years earlier. Dubbed the Lonely Hearts Killer. Now Detective Ruby Preston has been sent a picture, and the count down is on for her. She wants to think like the killer, so she talks her boyfriend into letting her talk to Mason Gatley. But is this really a good idea? He could lead her astray and not in the direction she really needs to be. Ruby isn't afraid to bend a few rules to get what she needs to solve a crime. But could this one be the one that stops her forever? I would like to thank Net Galley for a copy of this book. The review is voluntarily done and my own unbiased opinion.

MURDER GAME is the third book in the Detective Ruby Preston series by Caroline Mitchell. After enjoying the first two books in the series, I was anxious to read the next book. This is a great series with believable characters. This is a dark gripping serial killer thriller/ police procedural with a shocking twist.

The books in the Detective Ruby Preston series include:

SLEEP TIGHT (Book 1)
LOVE YOU TO DEATH (Book 2)
MURDER GAME (Book 3)

A killer is playing a twisted game of life or death with his victims. After he captures them, a countdown begins. He marks the time by sending clues to the whereabouts of the women he has taken in three disturbing images: alive, tortured, dead.

In a race against the clock, East London Detective Ruby Preston must play the killer’s terrifying murder game and decipher the clues before more women die.

The killer preys on married wealthy women looking to cheat on their husbands, who have joined an illicit online group called Debauchery, for a satisfying one-night stand. After he gets them to a hotel room, he drugs them, ties them up, removes their ring finger and then kills them. The victim is held for a three days, where the killer takes pictures of them and sends them to their husbands. The killer also sends the victims wedding ring finger in the mail to the spouse.

In this case, a copycat serial killer is copying the famous Lonely Hearts Killer, Mason Gatley, who was put behind bars ten years ago for murdering six women in exactly the same chilling way.

Ruby, desperate for information, asks her gangster boyfriend, Nathan Crosby, to set up a dangerous meeting with Mason Gatley, to let her see into the twisted mind of a murderer.

But dealing with Mason Gatley, is a dangerous game. Is he really helping her catch the killer? Or is she going to be the next victim?

I really enjoyed reading this well written fast-paced novel. The characters are strong and involving, and the tension doesn’t let up.

Many thanks to Bookouture via Netgalley for my copy.

Part three of the Ruby Preston series, and it just keeps getting better!

A killer is stalking bored rich housewives who fancy a bit of a stroll on the wild side. He's judge and jury on the unfaithful and his punishments are capital.Ruby Preston is on the case and it becomes apparent that this isn't the first time crimes have been carried out this way. Soon she finds herself in a deadly game of cat and mouse with incarcerated serial killer Mason Gatley. He might be locked away but could the Lonely Hearts Killer be behind these new crimes?

I've really liked previous Ruby Preston novels but the one thing that has bugged me is sometimes they have been more about her personal life than the detective side of things. For me the balance was slightly scewed. But this has just the right balance. A great story that kept me hooked throughout.

Murder Game is the third book in the Detective Ruby Preston series written by Caroline Mitchell and published by Bookouture. I am such a fan of this series and have reviewed both of the previous books on damppebbles in the past (click HERE for my review of book one, Death Note and click HERE for my review of book two, Sleep Tight). My love for Ruby and her tough guy beau, Nathan is pretty darn strong so there was no way on earth I was going to miss this latest instalment.

The first two books shine so brightly for me because they’re exactly what I enjoy reading; a delusional yet completely different serial killer in each book with a pretty consistent M.O. The killer knows what they’re doing, why they’re doing it and they’re going to keep on doing it until Ruby and DI Downes catch them. Perfect! The reader is introduced to another dark and evil mind in Murder Game but this time there’s a rather sinister twist. Convicted of six murders, named The Lonely Hearts Killer and stuck behind bars for a few more years, Ruby has the displeasure of meeting Mason Gatley. It seems their latest offender is basing his crimes on Gatley’s from back in the day (DI Downes was a DC at the time so we’re talking a few years ago!). I loved the tension Gatley brought to the pages of Murder Game. What a thoroughly loathsome character but I have to confess to secretly enjoying Ruby’s stand-offs with the vile killer!

What makes this series stand out head and shoulders above others is the relationship between Detective Sergeant Ruby Preston and the love of her life, local gangster, Nathan Crosby. The chemistry between the two characters really sparks and my reaction to them in the first book really surprised me, especially as romantic relationships don’t really work for me in crime fiction (if I wanted soppy stuff I would read romance – that’s my opinion anyway!). I felt that chemistry was lacking a little in Murder Game. It certainly wasn’t as full on or as intense as the first two novels and I missed it.

If I’m honest, I felt the entire Crosby family were a little absent in this latest instalment. Murder Game focuses more on the investigation rather than the relationships between the characters. With any other series this would have pleased me no end but I couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. I wanted more of Nathan’s mother and her inherent dislike of Ruby because she’s a copper. More of Nathan’s caustic, sadistic brother, Lenny who always lends a vile edge to the story. I really felt their absence.

Would I recommend this book? Absolutely! If you’re a fan of the serial killer thriller then you really must read this series because it’s incredibly special and one of my all-time favourites. I adore Ruby Preston and I adore Mitchell’s writing.

Four out of five stars.

I chose to read and review an eARC of Murder Game. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.