Detective Tully Jarsdel and his partner, Oscar Morales get the case when a man who worked at a museum is found shot multiple times in his home, which was trashed as if the murderer was searching for something. While investigating they find evidence of fraud and their leads send them from Los Angeles to Catalina where they uncover more than they bargained for, like the main suspect in their murder is killed. And both detectives are attacked. Tully is nearly killed the second time he is attacked and they finally get the pieces of the puzzle to why both murders happened.

Interesting but not really my cup of tea. Well written I just personally couldn’t get into the story. Predictable and honestly it was a struggle to keep my interest. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!

I absolutely loved this Los Angeles-based crime novel! I was born and raised in Los Angeles, brought up on the traffic-jammed freeways and the vast gardens of the Huntington in Pasadena, and oh! how I loved this book! The nuances of human behavior weaved throughout all the characters were fascinating. No matter how prestigious the institution, humans will always gravitate toward the direction of most power and rewards. Schneider wrote expertly about humans and Los Angeles, two of my favorite topics!

Unfortunately, I DNFed this book as really hard to get through. I got to 58% and knew I finally had to give up.

I love police or crime based thrillers but this one was not it for me. To be completely honest, this was a disappointment compared to the first 2 books in the series.

A gritty tale of greed, corruption and murder under the Californian sky, cleverly plotted with enough twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish and blessed with a terrific cast of exquisitely drawn characters.
I really loved the writing

Highly recommended murder mystery that deserves to be enjoyed without any moderation whatsoever!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen for this wonderful ARC

This book follows Detective Jarsdel as he unravels a case that leads him through the archives of Huntingdon Library and Gardens. The museum curator has died and Jarsdel is assigned the case alongside Detective Morales. Jarsdel’s past as a history professor gives him an interest in cold cases which is where this case is destined to go. A crime with no suspects which will quietly fade away without being solved. Although the pace was a little slow at times,I loved the setting of this book and the Hollywood vibes and the intriguing Catalina Islands. This is a great book to pick up for any mystery and police novel lovers. I didn’t realize until later that this is the third book following detective Jarsdel. I love that it can be read as a stand alone, but I will definitely be picking up the first two books as well. Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the copy.

I limped through this the best I could. The premise was promising but the writing fell short for me.

I love a good police procedural. I will watch Law & Order marathons and read books in this genre quite a bit. Unfortunately, this book just did not grab or hold my attention. I found myself 30% of the way through and just did not care that the character had been murdered or remember why the investigation was taking place. Further, one of the main character's loved ones is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and the information around this diagnosis is not factual. I understand that this is a work of fiction, but it would have taken very little research to ensure the information around something like pancreatic cancer is somewhat factual. Therefore, I just could not find it within myself to finish this book.

Bad things happen every day. No one knows this better than LAPD Detective Tully Jarsdel. He also knows that bad things often go unpunished—all it takes is a glance at his dusty stack of cold cases to see that time is kind to sinners.

A museum curator is found shot point-blank, his home torn apart. It's the sort of random crime destined to fester in an evidence locker. But it's a case tailor-made for the academic turned detective—he can't leave any question unanswered. In pursuit of an untouchable killer, Jarsdel soon uncovers a web of fraud and corruption that leads him to sunny Catalina Island, Hollywood's bygone playground. There, nothing is as it should be: the past is ever-present, and Jarsdel unwittingly finds himself embroiled in a widespread conspiracy. While reckoning with a dark legacy, he'll exhume long-buried secrets of LA's troubled past and with it, deadly consequences

1 *star*

Unfortunately a DNF for me!

I really don't like to give a bad rating to a book, but this time I have to admit that I had a very hard time reading this book. I found this book very slow and I didn't connect to any of the characters.

Thank you for the experience!
I hope somebody else would enjoy this book far more than me!
#NetGalley

I felt this book was much better than the second book and on par with the first book in the story and the plot. The narrative doesn’t go on a tangent and sticks to the core plot. The case is unravelled in a step wise way methodically. The chapter length in the second part could be trimmed to maintain the pace. Some readers might find the pedantic nature of Tully grating, but the author has curtailed it a lot in this book and I would recommend them to give this book a try.

This book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. This is mystery and intrigue and darkness…the officials work to discover the person who murdered a man.…mystery and mayhem…characters who are likable and some not so much…frightening at times…the story moves somewhat slow.y…

The Darkest Game is the third novel in the Tully Jarsdel police procedural series, set in Los Angeles, with the chief protagonist being a former history professor who decided to do something with his life that means something. Here, he's paired in an odd couple situation with seasoned homicide detective Oscar Morales. Jarsdel is also odd man out at the Hollywood precinct, being a bit more intellectually inclined than most. The Case here is a bit obscure, involving a museum curator at the Huntington Library and Gardens and his untimely demise in a Hollywood hills home. The clues will lead Jarsdel and Morales through the archives of the museum and across the water to Catalina Island, a paradise 26 miles from Los Angeles, yet a world apart. It involves lost treasure and pirates. This one is a bit slower-paced than the first two books in the series and never quite gets to Freeway speeds.

I really dislike giving negative reviews but I found this book really hard to get through. This was not helped by the endless banter between the two main detectives involved in the case. The plot itself was slow and I just did not warm to any of the characters. thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy of this book.

Poisoned Pen Press,
Thank You so much for this eARC!

The Darkest Game is Joseph Schneider's third novel.
And my first read of his.

I was so thrilled to see I was approved for this ebook!
The description sounds so damn good!
Here to say Joseph doesn't disappoint either!
The intriguing cover is what caught my attention.
Then the description, so I hit that request button.

Our character is an LAPD Detective, Tully Jarsdel.
And a museum curator is found shot. While chasing a killer Tully discovers a big web of lies, fraud and corruption. And the trail leads him straight to Catalina Island, Hollywood's forgotten area.
Nothing is what it seems here. And this LAPD soon finds himself involved in a big world wide, messy conspiracy.
Can Tully dig up the past without the deadly consequences?
A story about dread, greed, and anguish; how it spreads like rot, and how one detective struggles to keep it at bay.

This was a fast paced, wild, intriguing ride!
An engrossing police procedural that had me hooked within the first couple pages!
Joseph is a brilliant and masterful storyteller.
He can create such a vivid story and one that was full of excitement.
There's plenty of action. A high level of suspense, and the mystery will keep you glued to the pages until the final conclusion .. when all is revealed.
The characters are solidly drawn.
A perfect read for crime, thriller novels lovers.

This was my first book to read by this author but I cannot wait to read more! The characters stay with you long after you finish the book. Such a great story and fast read. Highly recommend!!!