3.5 Stars!
What’s great about this author is her locations are by far unique and the amazing descriptions bring so much to the story.

Diving into the reality TV experience, we have a murder mystery that includes plenty of suspects. We are also following family, other officers, and even a crazy dog, who makes a huge impact on the story. You definitely have to be paying attention to all of the different levels of characters Macintosh brings to the story.

For me the plot was good, but this is where my love-hate comes in. In many aspects, I found it a little stagnant and boring due to the fact there wasn’t much excitement happening.

The lead character, Ffion, has a lot of drama, but there was not a lot of work she actually did until mid-way through. I do love her attitude and the fact that she is not predictable.

However, the author managed to completely annoy me with Ffion’s interactions with the love interest, Leo. In the last book, we actually got a little bit of build-up in hopes that it would take off in the story. But I was greatly disappointed in this one. The simmering romance started in the last book is nothing exciting

The plot is different with a twist of reality. The murder mystery is good, but a bit of a cozy mystery vibe to it. Plus, keeping track of some of the characters became a challenge.

Overall, I was not overly engaged and obsessed with the story, especially when what I was looking for in terms of her personal life did not happen. Fingers crossed Ffion mellows out and quits being so rigid towards Leo in the next book. Everyone is waiting for this!

Love me a cozy mystery with a neat little murder that has a sprinkle of unraveling the whodunit along with the detective. DC Morgan returns in this continuation series set in Wales after her book, The Last Party, along with new rescue dog Dave (got to love this giant mutt) and her former partner Leo and ex-husband. Together they try to unravel who would want to kill a very unlikeable victim, who was intent on making millions off of exposing others secrets in a reality game on live TV. Like a closed room mystery, everyone is a suspect yet everyone seems to have an alibi. The author set up the mystery well giving back stories to all the contestants, making it plausible for all of them to be guilty. But there are also twists and turns enough to keep you on the edge of your seat, along with some romantic moments for Morgan and Leo. But I truly loved Dave, who is so insecure and hates to be left anywhere but were Morgan is. That becomes her saving grace in this story. You don't need to read The Last Party to enjoy this stand alone book. It's a very light read that has you second guessing. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Many thanks to #netgalley #claremackintosh #agameoflies for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A Game of Lies is the second in the DC Ffion Morgan series and it’s just as humorous as the first. Ffion checks all the boxes for me - dog lover (and not just any dog, but a huge anxiety ridden, farting monster), a smart sense of humor, a potty mouth and some issues with authority.
There’s a reality show filming on Pen y Ddraig mountain. But not another Survivor type show. On this one, each contestant has a secret. They’re not only competing for cash, but to keep their secret hidden. A day after the first episode airs, a contestant goes missing. And not long thereafter, someone is murdered. The premise of the show is a bit OTT, but the humiliation and manipulation are real enough.
DS Leo Brady is also back, now working in the next town over. As the property where the show is filming straddles the two areas, they once again get to work together. And you could cut the tension between them with a knife. Often romance subplots don’t work for me, but this one did as it plays into each one’s character. The story alternates between their POVs along with several others.
Of course, the star of the story is Dave, the above-mentioned rescue dog, who provides plenty of comic relief.
The story is fast paced and entertaining. I had no clue how this would play out and who would be the guilty party. I will be looking forward to the next in the series. And for the record, I think this would easily work as a standalone for those who haven’t read the first book (which was another five star read for me).
My thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown for an advance copy of this book.

My second book with Detective Morgan--this one was a lot of fun! I was impressed with how much I loved the Wales setting. Slow pace but really made up for that in the end!

This is the 2nd Clare Mackintosh book I read with "The Last Party" being the first. I didn't enjoy the story of the first book that much but I wanted to give the 2nd book a chance as well. I'm glad I did. This book was much more enjoyable than the first. I kept reading because I wanted to know what was going to happen next and once the story concluded, I was immensely satisfied with the conclusion. I'm not sure if these characters will be revisited but I sure hope so!

The icy waters of Mirror Lake (Llyn Drych) separate the English shores from the Welsh village of Cwm Coed. And, sometimes the lines are blurred on which “side” should be in charge of investigating a crime.

That is how DC Ffion Morgan from the Welsh side ended up partnering with DC Leo Brady, from the English side in the first book of this series, “The Last Party”. And the pair have been reunited in book two.

Book #2 also introduces Ffion’s new partner, a transfer in named Georgina (George) who is tight lipped about her past, and Ffion’s new rescue dog, Dave who suffers from separation anxiety and flatulence. 🐕‍🦺 Woof!!

The Case: Seven reality show contestants thought they were applying to be on a “Survivor-like” reality show. But as it turns out- this show called “Exposure” isn’t about being exposed to the elements at all.

Each of these strangers has a secret.

And, If another player can guess what an opponent’s is hiding, they won't just be eliminated - their secret will be EXPOSED, on air, LIVE.

The Public also gets to vote on whose secret they would like revealed next, (allegedly) and that contestant can attempt to keep their secret from being exposed, if they can SURVIVE facing their worst fear. Horrifying!

The show is being watched by EVERYONE. Radio shows are inviting listeners to confess their own secrets, its trending on Social Media, and it has the highest viewing figures of any UK reality TV show-EVER.

Although every Reality show claims to be unscripted, the Producer had some clear storylines in mind-

The disappearance of a contestant WASN’T supposed to be part of the drama.

The pace of this book is definitely tighter than book one, which I found to be a bit slow, but for me, I may have been more invested in the outcome for each contestant if I had gotten to know them a bit before the show-maybe a chapter for each as they received the “good news” that they had been selected to participate.

But, that may just be me.

I prefer her stand-alone books, which have ranged from thought provoking fiction (After The End) to psychological thrillers such as. “I Let You Go” and high adrenaline thrillers such as “Hostage”, but I don’t gravitate towards series, so that is a “me thing”. I hope we haven’t seen the last of those-as this book ends with a strong hint that a third book is coming for DC Morgan and company.

3.75 rounded up

Expected Publication Date: April 23, 2024

Thank You to Sourcebooks Landmark for the gifted ARC, provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this ARC.

This is the 2nd book in the DC Morgan series. I also read The Last Party as an ARC and was so excited when I saw this book posted as well.
I loved the further character development of Ffion in this book, I really enjoy her character overall.

This book was told in multiple POVs and was very different story then The Last Party. I felt that the tension and plot building was well done and I wanted to keep reading to solve the puzzle!

I am looking forward to the next installment in this series!

5 stars from me!

When I requested this title, I was unaware that it was book 2 in a series. So of course (as the pedantic person I am) I had to read book 1 first. I was very impressed by Clare Mackintosh’s writing, although this kind of mystery is not what I typically enjoy (police procedural with lots of characters to keep track of). Mackintosh is setting up a series of books where the characters and sense of place are essential to enjoyment, and there is a certain type of reader who likes these, and for those readers, these books will be excellent. Quirky characters with complicated relationships and backgrounds, a unique setting (Wales), and a murder to be solved.

In this one, a reality show contestant goes missing (great set-up!) and DC Morgan (our main character) has a new case to solve. Of course there are lots of twists and turns.

I have come to realize that I don’t enjoy these types of books, even though I deeply wish I did! I enjoy watching British mystery TV shows so it’s a mystery to me why I don’t enjoy book series in the same way. This is a case of good book but wrong reader.

I received an ARC from Sourcebooks Landmark via NetGalley. The second book in the series brings back Welsh detective DC Ffion Morgan for another crime near her beautiful home. This time it involves a reality TV show being filmed in the area called “Exposure.” A fun crime mystery that incorporates the stress of social media and the secrets everyone keeps. Fans of the series will be happy Ffion has another case with Leo and some other familiar secondary characters have also returned.

Readers will love the return of DC Morgan; solving a new mystery set in the Welsh mountains. Murder messes up the taping of a reality show. Twists and turns will keep the reader guessing.

I did not read the first book featuring detective Ffion, but that did not detract from my enjoyment of this story. I loved the setting, in the Welsh countryside and the details that solidified the setting. When a reality tv show is filming nearby, the plot twist is revealed in near real time on the air. One of the contestants seemingly becomes so distraught that he runs away. DC Morgan and team investigate.

I received an advanced reader copy from NetGalley via The Thoughts From a Page Patreon.

Contestants of a new reality show risk having their darkest secrets uncovered for a chance at the prize money. When a contestant goes missing, no one can be trusted, and Detective Ffion must dig even deeper into their secrets.

I wanted to love this book. The plot was so intriguing and I loved the idea. I also enjoyed the characters and their storylines from the first in this series (though this can certainly be read as a stand-alone.) After seeing many other early positive reviews, I know I'm going to be an outlier with this review, and I'll attribute that to just not being the right audience. I am not typically into police procedurals, so I couldn't get super into this. I'm a huge fan of this authors older works, some of them being in my top reads of all time. Being interested in the plot I had to give this a try in hopes it would be reminiscent, but sadly this was not for me. Knowing that I'm a huge fan of the author makes me think others will enjoy this book and that it just isn't the sub-genre for me. I enjoyed the game show parts and the characters ongoing stories.

2.5/5⭐

I really enjoy Clare’s writing style and how she pulls you right in from the beginning. This was a great addition to the DC Morgan series and hopefully more are coming! Love a mystery plot and the main character is a complex character that I enjoyed reading about. Definitely recommend.

Apart from Louise Penny's Three Pines series, there are very few mystery series I've gotten invested in. I think Clare MacKintosh may have won me over. I enjoyed the first book in the series, although it was a little slow. This second book was more engrossing.

The premise of this mystery is perfect; reality shows, with all their betrayals and lies, just set themselves up for a murder plot. The isolated setting and myriad of characters, whose perspectives are all incorporated, reminded me of some of Agatha Christie's plots. There were definitely some subtle references to And Then There Were None. Ffion's character is pretty prickly and somewhat immature, but I do appreciate that she shows some character growth throughout. I enjoy mystery series that feature both a mystery to be solved as well as an ongoing plot thread that ties them together. In this case, there's a romance that is facilitating Ffion's growth in maturity.

I look forward to reading more in this series!

This is the second book in the DC Ffion Morgan series. Set against the backdrop of a reality TV show, there are many games being played here, and everyone involved with the show has their own agenda. The plot moves along at a good pace and kept me turning the pages. I hope Clare Mackintosh is planning another book in the series, since I look forward to Ffion and Leo's relationship developing. And for all my dog-loving friends who used to call me and want to know if the dog was all right at the end (any dog, in any book), not to worry: Dave the dog is still with Ffion at the end (that's a very minor spoiler). Recommended for anyone who enjoys police procedural mysteries.

I enjoyed this book more than I did the first one. I think all the Welsh language threw me in the first book, but with this one it felt more familiar. A new reality show is being filmed. They think it’s going to be a survival show, but SURPRISE….its not. Secrets are going to be revealed. Is someone willing to kill to keep their’s safe? Someone is dead and with a slew of suspects. Ffione is still a detective that plays by her own rules, so you know you’re in for a ride with her. Liked the characters in this one and I liked the interactions.

What a fun read. Loved the unique concept. The reality show gone too far. Loved the characters and the twists. Thank you to the author, Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

This one starts a little slow but picks up as you get further in. The reality TV show storyline presents an interesting source of intrigue and behind the scenes insight to that genre of TV. Although not my favourite Clare Mackintosh book, I did still enjoy it.
Thank You to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and Clare Mackintosh for the widget of A Game of Lies.

Thank you @bookmarked #partner for the free copy of this ebook!

This is book two in the DC Morgan series and I am happy to report I liked this one even more than the first! The setting is in Whales once again (love!) and this time it’s a group of seven people who have auditioned for a reality show thinking it was one thing and the show did a little bait and switch making them feel like they were tricked into something completely different. The risk for most is much higher than fun in games because they will be exposed in live air! 😱 Immediately after this revelation, one contestant disappears, not wanting to be a part of it. DC Morgan is brought in to find the missing contestant while sifting through people and events she can’t really trust. There is always more than meets the eye with reality TV!

I really liked this funny (the tooting dog), thrilling, atmospheric tale because it seems like something that could really happen. Although I don’t watch TV myself I used to and am aware at how ridiculous reality TV can be. Anything to make a buck and sometimes at the poor people’s expense participating! I could completely understand the stress and wanting to jump ship once the rules changed making the hunt for the missing contestant that much more stressful! The author does a great job making a cringe worthy situation into something that is is easily relatable as she slowly uncovers truths about each contestant. She kept me guessing until the end which I can appreciate! I love Ffijon as much he main character and can’t wait to see what happens next in the series!

Excellent writing and characterizations highlight this very enjoyable mystery. The protagonists are all interesting and distinctive, the Welsh setting delightful and the central mystery set around an awful reality show intriguing. Highly recommended