This one was definitely interesting. There were some interesting points, but some of the stuff Naomi was doing for her clients was a little overboard. Never knew if Jacob was ever telling the truth, or just lying to get blame off of him. Not sure where her sister came into the picture, but that was a strange point in the book. Missing files, doors open, and a vacation house that happened to be empty. Well, until Jacob moves is with Naomi's help. I found it hard at times to keep up with the book. Thanks to Sandie Jones, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The Blame Game was a great quick read, popcorn thriller. Full of unreliable characters, and one that’s willing to trust everyone and twists right and left.

Naomi is an ex-pat living in the UK with her husband Leon. They live on a gorgeous estate where she has a private practice as a psychotherapist who specializes in domestic abuse cases. When two of her clients go into crises at the same time, she's left juggling their needs and her own responsibility as their therapist. It's clear to the reader that Naomi has a history of crossing boundaries with her clients in a way that has driven a wedge between her and Leon. This thriller asks the question of how much help is too much? A really quick, tense read with a twisty ending.

Honestly this book was a mess the plot wasn’t great and the psychologist literally has no professional boundaries which is the whole reason for all her problems. Wouldn’t recommend

This one was unfortunately not for me. I was so disappointed because Sandie Jones is an instant read for me. This one was just too slow and I could not connect with the characters.

This book was amazing, suspenseful and thrilling. It was unique and unforgettable with not knowing who is doing what until the end. Nightly recommend..

3.5 stars rounded up. I have conflicting feelings about this one. On the one hand it kept me on the edge of my seat and I couldn’t put it down. On the other, the main character made me so frustrated!! She entirely caused everything to happen to herself and could have avoided all these problems by just telling the truth (especially when there was no reason to constantly lie all the time about everything??).

3.5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
The Blame Game kept me engaged enough to finish in just a couple of sittings.

For me, none of the characters were likable, even the main character Naomi, but she was tolerable. Though she blurred a lot of lines and made some stupid decisions, I never questioned her innocence.
There were parts of Naomi's past that were worked into the story, but as it unfolded, it seemed that certain developments were just added in to throw the reader off and keep them guessing. It never went anywhere and just felt like there were loose ends by the conclusion. I had unanswered questions and didn't like that.
On the plus side, I was able to figure out part of the twist before the end, but not entirely!

Overall, I thought The Blame Game was a satisfying read. It wasn't my favorite by this author, but I'll still be interested in checking out their future releases.


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*Complimentary copy for review provided by St. Martin's Press. All opinions expressed here are honest and entirely my own.

I don't think this author is for me. The Blame Game had really good vibes and moment until the 50% and then everything went off the rails. The unreliable parts were full of plot holes and head scratching How did we get here tangents. As we progressed towards the end, the development and writing became so messy. I will say, Karissa Vacker is an amazing narrator and she at least provided me a listening experience I was happy with.

The Blame Game is quick read for those looking for a fast and engaging psychological mystery that keeps you guessing. Full of twists and turns, we as the reader never know who or what we can trust. There were lots of layers including both Naomi and Jacob's pasts, which I appreciate as it added more depth to the story.

The main character, Naomi, was incredibly frustrating at times and hard to connect with. Some of her decisions (i.e. getting WAY too close to her patient) were hard to get behind, but also essential to the plot. I think she may have been the one needing counseling more than her clients, but that's not for me to decide 😅

Overall, I thought this was interesting but maybe not quite as intense as her other works, like The Other Woman. Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for my gifted copy - all thoughts are my own!

A thrilling and captivating story that I could not put down! I loved the characters, loved the writing style and loved the book!! 5 stars!

"The Blame Game" by Sandie Jones is a gripping psychological thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. Jones masterfully crafts a tangled web of secrets, lies, and shifting alliances that kept me guessing until the very end. The characters are intricately developed, each harboring their own dark motives and hidden agendas. The narrative unfolds with skillful pacing, building suspense and delivering unexpected twists that added layers of complexity to the story. Jones explores themes of betrayal and manipulation with finesse, creating a tense and atmospheric reading experience. While some plot points may be slightly predictable, the overall execution and the shocking climax make "The Blame Game" a compelling and satisfying psychological thriller, earning it a solid four stars.

This is a quick read with a fast-paced plot and ongoing action and twists. Naomi, a psychologist that specializes in domestic violence, has a new client, Jacob. He wants to leave his abusive wife and is afraid of what she will do. This is a case of a doctor getting too close to their patient. Naomi lets Jacob use her rental property. Then Jacob disappears, as well as all of Naomi's files on him. As the police begin to ask questions Naomi is afraid that secrets from her dark past may surface, especially as it seems that she is a suspect.
Since this is a short book there is not a lot of fluff and the story keeps you guessing. Good choice for a quick thrilling read.

3.5
A quick read with steady pacing. The twist is predictable but I still enjoyed it.
I wasn't feeling Naomi at all, I didn't like her unconventional ways, the secrets and lies she kept from Leon or her backstory and she crossed so many lines with her patients. She’s definitely not a likable character.

New suspense readers would enjoy this one.

This book was... interesting. I feel like there were a lot of red herrings and compounding events. The chapters were SUPER long, but I did feel like each chapter concluded nicely.

This book was short and fast paced, but i struggled and ended up skimming a lot towards the end. Didn’t really care for a lot of the characters.

Naomi is a psychologist who get way too involved in her patients' lives. When one of her patient's file goes missing, she begins to wonder if something sinister is going on or if it's something to do with her past.

This book made me want to yell at the main character, Naomi, so many times. The decisions she made were so over the top and extreme that it didn't feel realistic at times. Throw in unprofessional police investigators and it just fell kind of flat for me.

Seriously, what kind of therapist lets a patient live in their guest house, and doesn't tell their husband? I get that Naomi cared about her patients but come on. No one would do that!

I always love an unreliable narrator, but this time it didn't work for me.

I enjoyed the audiobook and that the book was a quick read.

This is a story about Naomi, a psychologist who specializes in domestic abuse. The story quickly takes off. I have to say, however, that I kept finding myself a little confused about what was going on. The plot was pretty good - I always enjoy stories told from the point of view of a professional (I.e., psychologist, teacher, doctor) and their “patient.” I also love a psychological thriller. I felt like the character development could’ve been a little better and I felt like the twists were a little out there instead of being true twists, if that makes sense?overall, it was an okay read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of The Blame Game by Sandie Jones.

I really enjoyed this book and am so thankful to have an early copy! You'll love it! Thank you so much to netgalley for this advanced readers copy!