Second in the DC Morgan series, this time Detective Ffion Morgan is on the set of a reality TV show as one of the contestants goes missing. Working through solving the mystery is challenging, when each of the contestants is hiding some sort of secret. We find ourselves right along with Detective Morgan as she works to solve the mystery, but also riding along with the TV show as secrets are exposed one by one.

I thought the premise of this was fun and unique - not only did we have the main mystery, but also the smaller storylines along the way as we learned the characters and what secrets they hold. This made for a plethora of unreliable and untrustworthy characters - my favorite type in a mystery!

With that said, the multiple characters and fluctuating plot lines between mystery and TV show got a bit confusing for me. I found it hard to connect with the story or invest in the mystery too much, and it fell flat. But really, it could just be me.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review!

I love this series! Ffion is such a great character and the premise of this book was a total winner. Scandalous reality show filming on a mountain in Wales, sketchy producer drops a bomb, contestant goes missing! These contestants have secrets to kill for and I was hooked! 🪝
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It was a joy to be back with Ffion and Leo as they worked the case and I loved the addition of George too. Dave the dog was adorable. If I had a criticism it would be the amount of characters. At times it was hard to distinguish between the male contestants, cameraman, assistant, producer, security, etc. I also would have loved more of the actual show as opposed to it ending early.
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The book ended on a bit of a cliffhanger and I can’t wait til the next one!!! Thanks so much to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for my e-arc!

Could not get into this for the life of me. Previously enjoyed other books by this author, and love reality TV and survivor so I thought this would work for me but just couldn’t connect with the characters. Probably a me problem.

3.5 stars

A Game of Lies by Clare Mackintosh is a suspense/police procedural about seven reality TV contestants who are all now suspects in a murder. Set in Wales, A Game of Lies is the second book in the DC Morgan series but can be read as a stand alone.

Seven contestants are tricked into believing the reality show they've signed up for is similar to Survivor, when in fact the show is set up to expose each of their darkest secrets. Lets just say that the contestants do NOT respond well to that info at all and when their anger results in a murder, DC Ffion Morgan is called in to investigate.

Ffion is dealing with a lot of drama, in this case and in her personal life. She is a strong character and is working with a new partner named George, who offers a good balance for Morgan. I hope that George continues in this series. Morgan's love interest Leo is back from book one and is also a part of the investigation. And Morgan also has a rescue dog named Dave who brings a lightness to the story.

There are many POVs in this book - from the many reality show contestants to Morgan, Leo, Morgan's mother, etc. There was a lot going on, but the story was still slow in the beginning. It picks up in the middle of the book when the investigation starts.

I am looking forward to going back and reading book 1 in this series. I am also looking forward to the third installment, due out in the fall. I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys police procedurals, easy mysteries, and a little romance.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Thank you so much to @sourcebookslandmark and @netgalley for the copy of this eARC!

The story takes place in the Welsh mountains, where 7 contestants are put on a reality show The twist? It’s not about surviving the elements – it’s about survival through lies! Each contestant must complete challenges while trying to keep their deepest secrets hidden. If someone guesses your secret correctly, you’re out. The game’s goal is to ensure that one contestant’s secret never gets revealed, and if the group can’t figure it out, public voting comes into play. But if a contestant fails to guess the right secret, things get dark – very dark.

Enter DC Morgan and DC Georgia Kent when a pile of bones is found at the camp. What was supposed to be a routine investigation quickly spirals into a murder mystery with a missing person, and everything escalates from there.

I’ll be honest – the book does move a bit slow at times, but the chapters from the contestants’ POVs were so gripping. Each character has a motive for murder, and I was kept guessing until the very end. The twists? I did not see that coming – especially the revelation of the actual murderer!
Also, the setting in Wales is just chef’s kiss perfect for a story like this.

By the end, I was literally giggling and kicking my feet – I never thought a thriller would make me react like that!

You can definitely read this as a standalone, but I’d still recommend starting with The Last Party since a lot of the events in that book shape the relationships in this one.

If you love locked-room-style mysteries with a dash of humor and a lot of suspense, this one’s for you. I recommend A Game Of Lies for a fun, twisty ride!

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a little backlogged with my ARCs but working diligently to get caught up. I really enjoyed the first book in this series and the second did not disappoint! It could also be read as a stand alone if you haven’t read the first but I would suggest reading it in order because the story is so good! This story takes you to a game show where a contestant goes missing after they realize it’s not about survival like they initially thought, and all about exposing each other’s deepest darkest secret. I really love how the author throws in some Welsh language speaking amongst characters. I would recommend to anyone who likes psychological thrillers and mysteries!

FFion Morgan is working a very tricky case. The reality TV show Exposure has someone missing. While investigating, the producer is killed. But, everyone on the show has an alibi. Ffi finds this strange, and knows something is off. Exposure's premise was a surprise to the contestants - they thought it was a survival show, but it was something else entirely.
She is also working with Leo, with whom she had a relationship in book 1. But Ffi blew it, although she still has feelings for him. He is in charge of the investigation and has to reprimand Ffi a few times. Ffi is also dealing with Dave, a rescue dog, and her daughter's relationship and uni issues. All in all, her life is not easy!
I enjoy Mackintosh's books, and this was no exception. It was complex, thrilling, and hopeful at the end. Looking forward to the next book!

Clare Mackintosh’s A Game of Lies is a cleverly plotted, edge-of-your-seat thriller that will keep you guessing from start to finish. With her expert pacing and suspenseful storytelling, Mackintosh crafts a tale of deception and betrayal that explores the dark side of human nature. The characters are complex and well-developed, and the twists are unpredictable and satisfying. Fans of psychological thrillers will be hooked from the very first page.

A book about reality contestants. The book started off slow but I was invested as the suspension and plot thickened. I loved all of the drama in it between the contestants.

Clare Mackintosh did a fantastic job of creating a unique setting for this mystery. She brought together everyone's obsession with reality television and the secrets people hide from each other. The fictional show in A Game of Lies had skin crawling twists and a horrifying premise and I couldn't turn away until the final page. I'll definitely be buying any future books in this series and am thrilled for more

4.5 stars

"They say the camera never lies. But on this show, you can't trust anything you see." from Goodreads summary.

This is the second book in the DC Morgan series of which I am becoming a real fan. In this book, a reality show is being filmed when one of the contestants goes missing and Detective Ffion Morgan is brought in to search for the missing individual. I really enjoyed this book and especially the look at reality tv and some of the problematic elements of it. I found this to be a suspenseful read that kept me hooked the entire time. It was good to be back with these characters - especially Leo and Ffion. This is one of those books where you could easily start right here and be just fine, but you would be missing some of the connections and relationships that we got from the first book. I would recommend reading them in order if possible - the first book is titled The Last Party. Both of the books were really solid mysteries that I didn't want to set down! Also, without sharing any spoilers I just want to say what a smart mystery I found this to be - it felt very Agatha Christie like which is very high praise from me.

Readers of detective fiction and mystery readers need to give this series a try. I'm going to be impatiently waiting for book three because I can't wait to see where this series goes next. 4.5 stars and rounding up on Goodreads.

I liked this one more than The Last Party. Faster paced, more exciting, characters already established. Having the mystery be surrounding a reality TV show as fun and kept the story interesting. What a freakin' reality show too YIKES! Now I'm more excited for the third one.

Clare Mackintosh does it again with A Game of Lies. Her twists keep you guessing and her settings are vivid. Reality TV incorporated into books is a new favorite of mine!

This cop drama thriller is book 2 in the DC Morgan series but can definitely be read as a standalone. I really enjoyed the unique structure of this novel and the eerie reality tv show it features. I’m not 100% sold on our main character though. While I usually enjoy an unconventional female lead, her motivations were unclear and I found myself frustrated with her at times. But overall I didn’t want to put this story down.

A Game of Lies by Clare Mackintosh is a fast-paced and suspenseful thriller that will keep you hooked until the very end. The story follows Anna Scott, a successful businesswoman who is drawn into a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse when she discovers a secret connection between her husband's disappearance and a series of murders.

Mackintosh's writing is expertly crafted, weaving together a complex and intricate plot with a cast of intriguing characters. The suspense is palpable, and the twists and turns will keep you guessing until the very end. The book also explores themes of identity, trust, and betrayal, making it a thought-provoking and engaging read.

A Game of Lies is a thrilling and well-written novel that will appeal to fans of suspenseful thrillers and psychological dramas. With its compelling characters, intricate plot, and dark twists and turns, this book is sure to be a hit with readers looking for a fast-paced and suspenseful read.

I’m not usually a series reader but I enjoyed The Last Party a lot, and especially Mackintosh’s writing. the reality show premise of this was so much fun but I felt like for me the mystery aspect took a backseat to the show’s storyline and I was less invested as the book went along.

I love reality tv so this one was right up my alley. This is the second in a series but I didn’t read the first one and was fine, although I liked this enough that I may go back to book one someday. Anyway, the pacing was fast, the plot was strong and the secrets were juicy and fun!

This is the second installment in a series with a very unique plot which is what brought me in. The plot was well executed with good twists and turns. Characters and motives were believable.

I enjoyed the 1st book in this series, so I was thrilled to be picking up the sequel.

Our main characters are great, both Ffion, the Welsh local, and Leo the Englishman. I like their dynamic and I appreciated that we didn't get the same old 2nd book where they got together at the end of book 1 and now we have half of book 2 spent on their new relationship dynamic. We got some great secondary characters in this story, which really helped me feel more invested.

The murder at the reality tv show site seems to be a current trend, which is unfortunate because I find these books all feel the same. I'll be the first to admit that this could be due to the fact that I never watch reality TV shows, though. Part of the struggle here was that I never really felt like I got to know the contestants, so I was much less invested in the alliances and drama. The mystery didn't break a lot of new ground and I never got fully caught up in it unfortunately.

Despite the fact that I liked book 1 more than book 2, I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. I'm hoping the next one moves the character arcs forward a bit more.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

I really enjoyed the first book in the DC Morgan series, and was excited to get back into the world of Ffion Morgan. Clare Mackintosh does a great job of combining police procedural storylines with personal storylines. I was glad to see Leo was back! The reality TV show storyline was relevant and the mystery was interesting to watch unfold. Macintosh is great at keeping you guessing! Overall really well done and hoping for more Ffion!
Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for the copy through NetGalley.