PUBLICATION DAY: April 23, 2023

Ffion Morgan is back to solve another murder in her hometown situated in Northern Wales. This time around, a reality TV show is filming in their area and drama ensues almost immediately. What began as a survival game turns to a more dangerous game of exposing hidden secrets - when the rules change drastically, one participant goes missing. When a murder occurs Ffion must use all her wits to discover who did it. Will working with Leo again cause complications that she would rather avoid? Or will she finally learn to let someone in?

PROS and CONS:
Ffion is back for more! I love this prickly detective! I found this one a little harder to get into than the first in the series, keeping track of all the characters was a bit tricky in the beginning. But as we got to know the contestants and crew, it was easier to keep everyone straight, and to try to figure out who the killer was, and why. The love story (in my opinion) felt a bit forced, but I’m always here for a happy ending!

READ IT?
If you enjoyed the first in the series, you’ll enjoy this one too!

4 Stars

I love reality TV, especially competition shows, so the premise of this book was automatically appealing to me. I also enjoyed the quirky characters, and the Welsh countryside setting. Overall, this is a solid read that should have wide appeal. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, a second book in a series that I actually enjoyed way more than the first, unheard of! This was a really exciting story, with equal parts mystery plot and thriller atmosphere. Like a Survivor show gone wrong, where everyone has secrets, and we have to puzzle the pieces. Even if you didn’t totally love the first book in the series, I’d still recommend giving this one a try. I thought the concept was much more intriguing, and I was totally hooked into it. I also like the side characters way more in this one too. I love that we got to go deeper into Ffion’s personal and family life, and her budding relationship. I love Clare’s writing and ability to build suspense. You’ll be hooked on this twisty, fun, fast-paced read, with a snarky, lovable detective.

In this second book in the Ffion Morgan series, Ffion and Leo Brady are brought together again on a case that’s gaining international attention. A reality tv show is filming near Ffion’s town, one that is supposed to be a Survivor type show, but when the contestants show up, it turns out to be something else entirely. When someone dies, Ffion and Leo must work together again to figure out what’s going on.

I enjoyed this book overall. I thought the plot, and the plot twist, were really unique and fun. I didn’t guess the twist, and when it happened I was shocked. I liked seeing our two main characters again, and I feel like they both had a lot of character growth in this book. I will say, I don’t love the romance between these two. It’s entirely based on miscommunication, and they both seem very juvenile within this relationship. I’m hopeful it gets better in the next book. Overall, I did enjoy this, and I do plan to continue in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

A group of contestants are stranded in the Welsh mountains under false pretenses. They all thought they were going to be on a survivor type show but the producer had other ideas. Now they are pitted against each other in order to reveal what secrets each one is hiding.. One contestant leaves, but did he really? Part of the stranded group type genre, it did contain some surprises.

This is the second book in the Detective Ffion Morgan series and while it’s marketed as a stand alone I think it would be helpful to read book one to get the background for book two. I really enjoyed returning to this small Welsh mountain town setting with a beautiful lake. In this installment a reality tv series is using the woods of the mountain to film a show that said it was a survival show but the contestants quickly find out it’s a show meant to reveal their secrets. As the police begin to investigate the disappearance of a contestant, it leaves them wondering whether some secrets need to stay buried.

This is a slow burn mystery where we get to know the characters and learn more about Morgan’s relationship with her new partner Georgina as well as building on her relationship from the last book with Leo. I enjoy what a complicated person Morgan is and watching her navigate the world. I liked spending time in Cwm Coed again and look forward to the next installment of this series. I did not do this on audio but I would be curious to go back and listen, if just to hear the Welsh pronunciation of so many of the words.

A Game of Lies is the second novel in the DC Morgan Series, so naturally, I had to go back and read the first in the series, The Last Party.

I thoroughly enjoyed both mystery/ thriller novels, but I think Game of Lies was my favorite (well, so far, hoping there will be more). It starts with a group of contestants gathering in a remote area of Wales, on Mirror Lake (Llyn Drych). They all think they are in for a survival contest where they will have to fend for themselves. In two early twists, they learn they are actually there because they each have a terrible secret and one by one the game will reveal them to world, unless they turn on each other. Then, a contestant goes missing and the whole enterprise starts to go off the rails, all the way to murder.

DC Ffion Morgan is called in to help solve the crimes and navigate the sticky situation this small village finds itself in. While many feel the show is cruel, the public can't seem to stop watching. DC Morgan is more flawed than some crime drama detectives that I have met in other books, but you end up liking her because of it. Especially when you meet her rescue dog, Dave, who lightens the book when it can get a little dark. If you like your British crime dramas on tv, you will like Mackintosh's DC Morgan series.

I am not a reality tv show fan but think having one as the scene for a murder is perfect! So many layers of lies and game playing, you just never know what is going on. I loved how Ffion and Leo put the mystery together bit by bit. I don't love how Ffion keeps being her own worst enemy. Oh, I am also not a fan of romance, but when it is a subplot in a good solid mystery, I am game! This one has as much mystery/suspense in the romance as it did in the overall story! Character development has been wonderful. I look forward to seeing where Ffion and the other characters go next.

While After the End is my favorite Mackintosh, it is a bit of a departure from her normal style. A Game of Lies is very much her normal style, and its the best of it. This was page turning yet smart at the same time - a rare combination. I highly recommend this for your summer beach bag.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy. A Game of Lies is the second book in the DC Morgan series. It follows Ffion Morgan, a DC in north Wales. She is investigating a missing persons case, which turns into much more. I enjoyed the storyline. I did not want to put the book down and I hope that there will be a book three!

Ffion has a complicated life. As a detective she has worked hard for her spot. She is divorced and even though another officer asked her out, she just doesn’t know how to open herself up. When they both end up working on the same case she will have decide if she wants to continue to go it alone. Exposure is a new reality show that takes an unexpected turn. The contestants have no idea they have signed up to have their most inner secrets exposed. They thought it was a survival type show. When people start disappearing and dying, Ffion and her team much come in to find out how far people are willing to go to protect their secrets.

I wanted to like this book more than I actually did. It seemed like a super long “who done it?” There was a lot of information I just didn’t need and bored me at times. The characters weren’t all that enduring…actually my favorite was probably Dave, the rescue dog.

Highly recommend this great thriller with heart pounding twists. Loved the main characters and loved to hate a few others!! The plot premise put an excellent giving this novel a spin from the average thriller/mystery.
Perfect follow up to The Last Party but also can be read as a standalone.
The ending left me anxiously awaiting more adventures with Ffion, Leo, Dave and the rest of the crew!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I didn’t realize this was the second book in a series but have no fear, you won’t be lost if you didn’t read the first! This was a quick, engaging read. I enjoyed the reality tv aspect and the anticipation of secrets being revealed. This was my first Claire Macintosh book and certainly will not be my last!

A Game of Lies
Clare Mackintosh
4⭐️

Ffion Morgan is back for this second novel in the detective series that started with The Last Party.
I loved reading The Last Party and being introduced to all the characters in Detective Ffion Morgan’s life so I was definitely excited to read A Game of Lies. I was immediately intrigued by the concept of the storyline which revolves around a reality tv show competition called Exposure. Seven contestants are brought together to compete for the big money prize and they soon learn one of the biggest twists in the game affects them all. How far will each of them go to keep their worst fear and personal secret from being exposed to the world on a tv show? Would they go so far as to kill someone to keep them quiet?

Thank you to @NetGalley and @bookmarked Sourcebooks Landmark for the eARC of A Game of Lies by Clare Mackintosh. Publication date: April 23, 2024.

Very well written - wasn't lost at all since I didn't read the first book. I'll definitely have to do that now.

Good storyline - very timely with all the reality shows around now. The switch up on the show made for even more suspense.

A Game of Lies by Clare Mackintosh is a clever novel packed with drama and deceit. Seven contestants eagerly sign up for a reality TV show set in beautiful Wales. However, they are stunned to realize the tables have turned and they are there to expose other contestants by airing their dirty laundry. Not only that but one of the contestants vanishes. DC Ffion Morgan investigates along with Detective Leo. Sparks fly in more ways than one.

Ffion is not a character I warmed to or rooted for. I also strongly dislike reality TV shows but was strangely intrigued by the premise. The plot itself was interesting but not tense enough to glue me to the pages. But there is still much to like including the Welsh scenery, twists and quirky Dave!

My sincere thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this novel.

I will never look at game shows the same after reading A Game of Lies! In a real-life version of bait-and-switch, 7 contestants find out the reality show premise is not what they signed up for. Whose secret is worth killing for and why?

DC Ffion Morgan is back to try to figure out everyone's alibi, including staff and friends. The setting is the Welsh countryside and the Exposure encampment, surrounded by a wire fence. Everyone has an alibi, but everyone also has a motive. Mackintosh masterfully creates a well-developed persona for each of her characters through backstories and retellings from each POV of their time on the set of the reality show. I loved the addition of Dave, a large rescue who thinks he's a puppy and clings to Ffion like Velcro.

Thank so much to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this book by one of my auto-read authors!

What would you do if your biggest secret was going to be revealed?
In book 2 in DC Morgan series, seven contestants are on the new reality show, Exposure. They thought it was a survival reality show but when they get there they find out it’s meant to expose them and their secrets. And they can’t leave due to their sneaky contracts.
When one contestant goes missing, Ffion and the crew investigate. And then a murder happens. Most of the contestants and crew have an alibi. Ffion must figure out all the secrets and see who is lying and what really happened.
You do not have to read book one first but I highly recommend it to get a deeper knowledge of the characters.
Can’t wait to see where the characters go next!

"A Game of Lies" by Clare Mackintosh is a captivating thriller that takes readers on a suspenseful journey into the world of reality television, where deception and betrayal lurk behind every smile.

Set against the backdrop of the Welsh mountains, the novel follows seven contestants stranded in a remote location for a reality show. As they vie for survival and recognition, each contestant harbors a secret, knowing that exposure could mean their downfall. But when one contestant goes missing, the game takes a dark turn, and Detective Ffion Morgan must unravel the truth amidst a web of lies.

Mackintosh expertly crafts a tale filled with twists and turns, keeping readers guessing until the very end. The tension mounts as Ffion races against time to uncover the identity of the killer, knowing that the truth may be more elusive than it seems. With its atmospheric setting and complex characters, "A Game of Lies" is a gripping read that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final page. Mackintosh's skillful storytelling and knack for building suspense make this novel a must-read for fans of thrillers and mysteries alike.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for this Advanced Readers Copy of A Game Of Lies.

Clare Mackintosh has ranked up top of my favorite authors as I find myself reading any books she writes without reading a synopsis.

This is the 2nd book of DC Morgan series. I loved the first and Ffion Morgan is really a complex, odd, yet loveable character.

The first book cemented some of Ffion’s secrets, her family and town. This book nicely added to that, along with a new case.

Up high on Pen y Ddraig mountain, a TV show is being filmed. This is one of the biggest things to hit Cwm Coed and townspeople are excited. A game of 7 people surviving in the wilderness, but what they don’t know is that their secrets are about to be exposed by the shows’ producer Miles. If they don’t say their secret their worst fear will be dumped on them. This show reminds me of a Survivor/Fear Factor type show. All of the sudden there is a missing contestant, upset over his secret that will be exposed for the country to see. People in town are all talking and a little afraid. Then someone ends up dead. As DC Morgan and her partner Georgina (George) start to investigate and find the missing contestant , DC Brady is brought in. Bringing Ffions feelings to the surface again.

I LOVED the character addition of Dave the dog. I laughed out loud at some of his antics and Ffions dry sense of humor. I also enjoyed that she was partnered up with George, who I think some of her life needs to be revealed more in the next book.

I love whodunnit books like this. It is like a locked room mystery but they are not locked in a room. Great scenery, characters and plot. I went back and forth on who was guilty and never did guess who it was until the actual reveal.

The ending was a cliffhanger. So I will be waiting impatiently for the third book.