I was very happy to fall back into Ffion and Leo’s life. About 18 months has passed since they worked together (and had a quick passionate affair) and both feel like they are on unequal footing with each other. A missing person from a reality show brings them together again to investigate. Things in this reality show aren’t what they seem…. Lies and danger is all around.

A Game of Lies is a suspenseful and entertaining second installment of the DC Morgan series. I can't say that I enjoyed it quite as much as the first book, The Last Party, but it was still a solid read that kept me guessing right up until the very end.

I'm not gonna lie, I have a weakness for bad reality television so the premise of this book was right up my alley. It's actually the whole reason I started the series – I was approved for this one on NetGalley and immediately requested the first installment from the library so that I wouldn't miss out on any of the backstory.

A Game of Lies doesn't exactly pick up where the events of the previous novel left off. In fact, you quickly find out that it's been almost a year and half since Ffion and Leo last spoke. I think the soured relationship between the two is actually the entire reason that I didn't like this one as much as its predecessor. In the previous novel, Ffion and Leo were awkward with each other but in an endearing way. And then in this book, they just seemed to mostly hate each other? There's lots of bickering and hurt feelings and misunderstandings and huffing around in a snit (mostly by Ffion). You know those 80s rom-coms where all of the drama could have been avoided if the two characters had just had an honest conversation with each other? It's like that (and is just as frustrating).

There's also a lot less of Cwm Coed's residents in this one. Several of them make an appearance, and Caleb (Seren's boyfriend) and Ceri (the postwoman) play important roles, but overall the story is much more focused on the reality show contestants and crew and their filming location outside of town. And don't expect the contestants to be particularly likeable, because (much like the residents of The Shore from the last novel) they absolutely are not. At least this is another one where you don't feel too bad for the murder victim.

The mystery itself is suspenseful and twisty, and I think I suspected almost every character of murder at one point or another … well, except for the actual murderer, that is. I also did not see the twist regarding the murderer coming at all.

And, of course, the setting in Wales is fantastic.

Overall, this one's definitely worth a read if you enjoyed the first book in the series. It's not quite as delightful as its predecessor due to Leo and Ffion's fractured relationship, but the suspenseful plot and solid writing make for an entertaining read nonetheless. 3.75 stars, rounded up.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.

Although not as good as some of Clare Mackintosh's other books, this was fairly good. Even though I struggled to get into it, I was able to get into it about halfway through the book, and the ending was surprising. Overall, good read.

A wonderful follow up! This series is one of my favorites. I really enjoy this author and all the twists and turns she delivers!

In A Game of Lies by Clare Mackintosh, seven reality show contestants are stranded in the Welsh mountains, and they have no idea what they've signed up for. Each of these strangers has a secret. If another player can guess the truth, they won't just be eliminated, they'll be exposed live on air. The stakes are higher than they'd ever imagined, and they're trapped.

I really wanted to like this book, and the premise sounded so promising and exciting. However, I had a hard time getting invested in story. It was slow in parts, and I could not connect with any of the characters. I really didn't like Detective Ffion Morgan; there was just something about her that grated on my nerves. I normally really enjoy reading Clare Mackintosh books, but this one was not for me.

#AGameOfLies #NetGalley @Sourcebooks

Over I truly didnt like that the book starts out with 4 pages about farts. Maybe not my type of humor but over all, decently written.

A young woman falls into a high-stakes life of crime. Things get murky and suddenly she has no idea who - if anyone - she can trust. Leisurely paced for a novel of suspense, but fans of the genre will still enjoy it..

I read this as an ARC from Netgalley. Thank you! First, I did not realize this was part of a series. You don’t have to read it in the order because I obviously read as a standalone just fine. I was intrigued by the plot and the reality tv story line. Unfortunately I had to drop a couple stars because of my inability to read/pronounce a lot of places and names, or translate another language in this book. Definitely a barrier there for me. I still enjoyed the book but also didn’t feel we needed different pov’s throughout. Felt a bit repetitive.

I can definitely say I enjoy reading about reality tv shows much more than I enjoy watching them because this was the aspect I found most intriguing about this book.

A group of competitors are secluded in a game of secrets and lies. Each individual has a secret and if it’s guessed by another they are exposed. I didn’t much care for one particular secret, considering it felt slightly misogynistic.

When one contestant disappears and it’s not part of the show, Detective Ffion Morgan steps in. Soon, it clear a murderer is in their midst and she must track down the culprit.

This lacked a bit of that umph I was hoping for. Some parts were really well done while other aspects were clunky and unanswered.

This was enjoyable for its good parts, but I’m not sure if I’d continue reading this series.

I really enjoyed this! This is a sequel and I thought even better than the first! I love the character of Ffion and the romantic tension with Leo! Fun read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for my approval to read and review this book.

This is the second DC Ffion Morgan book, which follows on from The Last Party after 17 months. The story begins with a reality TV show set on Dragon Mountain called Exposure where there are 7 contestants trying to win £100.000 by surviving 2 weeks to be declared the winner as they are whittled down from 7 to 1! I loved how the plot was well written full of twists and turns. The characters are believable and the chemistry between Ffion, her Mum, Seren, Caleb and Leo are fantastic. This book was unputdownable and the ending came as a huge surprise to me once all the twists came together. I highly recommend this book. I really hope there is a third book to come.

A worthy second installment to the DC Morgan series! I fell in love with the town, the characters and all of their backstories from the first book, so I couldn't wait to read this one. The storyline was unique and exciting with many twists and secrets that will keep you guessing along the way. I have to admit to being frustrated with Ffion and some of her choices, and this led to my four-star rating as opposed to five. I understand that she is a complex character, but I was not happy with her throughout most of this book. Her sarcastic humor and her love for farts were on point though. She had me giggling to myself at times. I know, I know. My immaturity is showing, but who doesn't laugh at fart jokes?!

I didn't love this one as much as the first book, The Last Party. Despite its length, it was phenomenal! It was still a great read and continuation of Ffion's and Leo's story. I am completely obsessed with the characters and cannot wait for book three!

Thank you to the author, Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley for granting me digital access in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the eARC.
I didn't read the first book, but this second one can definitely be read as a standalone.
Detective Ffion Morgan likes reality shows, and by chance gets involved in one that's filming right near her in the Welsh Mountains. The show has turned from a wilderness adventure into one that absolutely shocks the participants, (as well as the audience): their innermost secrets are in danger of being outed on tv. It could ruin their lives. One of the contestants is so racked by fear, he disappears and the police are trying to find him.
It's a riveting read, I loved it! None of the contestants are that likeable, but I do like Ffion, as difficult as she can be, (especially when it comes to her love life) and I loved Dave, her anxious, crazy rescue dog. The ending was very satisfying
and I hope there's another one being written!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for sharing this advance copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I liked that this was a Welsh setting, with some local phrases slipped in, and that the story maintained a small-town feel. But more than that, I specifically liked the premise of a game show/reality show mystery. As a Survivor/Big Brother/Love is Blind fan, I kept placing myself in those universes and considering how these same events would unfold there.

The book felt balanced, even with quite a lot of characters (including staff and contestants of the reality show), and I felt that the pacing was pretty solid. I wasn't on the edge of my seat for most of the book, but I did feel like I was eager for each new nugget of information the team unfolded.

Another fun addition to the experiences of main character DC Ffion Morgan included new coworkers, a complex love interest/history, and a chaotic dog!

This was book 2 in the DC Morgan series, and admittedly, I had not read the first book. Still, I quickly caught up to who the characters were and what their motivations were. If you're interested in this book and are anticipating the April 2024 release date, I recommend reading book 1 in the meantime!

A Game of Lies is not my favorite MacKintosh book as it is slower than her others.

That said it is still a good read full of surprises. Most of the characters are not very likeable, which made it harder for me to connect with them and the book.
The premise is good and very timely with reality shows that go too far and are a ratings game.

A reality show is being filmed with a surprise when the contestants gather for the beginning. A pod where contestants face their worse fears was very creepy.

A worthwhile read but not the fastest I have read.

A Game of Lies is a fascinating story about a reality show gone terribly wrong. Exposure is seemingly a survival show involving seven contestants who try to outlast each other living on a remote mountain camp in Wales. However, once the show begins airing the players find out the true stakes: each one has a devastating secret that if correctly guessed by another player will be exposed live on the air. Everything goes sideways after the reveal when one of the players disappears. Detective Ffion Morgan and her new partner Georgina Kent investigate, along with DS Leo Brady. The search becomes more complicated when the show's producer is found dead. Is the missing player also a killer? Did one of the other players kill to protect a secret? The unraveling of the mystery is told form multiple POVs and keeps the reader guessing along the way. The subplot of Ffion and Leo's complicated relationship is also a highlight, with a particularly satisfying ending. I love Clare Mackintosh books and this one was another good one. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.

7 contestants are stranded in the Welsh mountains for a new reality show. Each of them has a secret they don’t want exposed. The aim of the game is to reveal somebody else’s secret while keeping your own. Then a contestant goes missing and Ffion Morgan is on the case, supervised by her should be boyfriend Leo and chaperoned by her dog Dave.

Loved this. The contestants were spoiled and not particularly nice people. I found myself rooting for them to be exposed and eliminated from the show. The book had so many red herrings and the ending was teased out. Ffion is a great character. She seems totally disorganised, disregards rules but is good at her job. She’s a strong woman and I hope there are more books to come. Especially after that cliffhanger!

Have you ever looked forward to a book so much that you feel pure joy when it’s finally there? The second installment of DC Morgan’s series was such an anticipated read for me, since I absolutely loved the first book. I even felt thankful afterwards because I thought I’ve grown tired of police investigations, and that made me happy.

In the game of lies the main plot is centered on a reality show where the contestants applied under false pretenses. Instead of a survival show, they have inadvertently signed up for a exposure show, where you have to win to not having your secrets exposed. No wonder that this leads to a contestant disappearing, because some secrets are too dark to be revealed.

I immediately felt drawn in by this premise. My secret is that I’ve secretly watched tv-shows, being both fascinated and disgusted by myself for peeking into others lives. I loved how this show especially raised moral questions like aren’t we all a part of a culture where we devour news about others missteps? Why do we need to do so? This was not a big part of the book, but I liked that these questions were raised.

Apart from that this was an excellent read. There were lots of contestants with valid motives for acting out, and if you pay close attention while reading the ending will satisfy you. I felt the author really had thought through how it all should play out, writing a plot that was watertight and where events made perfect sense when you were given the last puzzle piece. I also loved seeing what happened between Ffifon and Leo. The feelings and reactions they evoked from each other felt real.

I’m very happy I got to read this book! Thanks to netgalley, the publisher and the author for letting me read the arc!

This was my first read from this author not knowing it's the second in a series. Lucky for me, it can be read as a standalone although it does give a little away from the first book. That said, I really enjoyed this one. It had a lot of humor in the beginning but became serious and intense at the right moments. I loved the reality show aspect and how it showed the way narratives can be completely twisted to give the viewers the necessary drama needed for ratings and the success of the show, not caring if it destroys the lives of the contestants in the process. It's actually quite sad when you think about it. The protagonist was a very stubborn one but I still found her very likeable and can see why this series is created around her. The mystery was well done as I never would have guessed the outcome. I hope to see a third in the series and what the future holds not only for her, but for her family and the other supporting characters as well. All in all, this one was a great read that earns four stars from me.

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this ARC.

This is the second in Clare Mackintosh's crime series featuring DC Ffion Morgan, in her thirties, and we once again become acquainted with some familiar offbeat characters, set amidst the beauty of the location of Cwm Coed. I have never been a fan of reality shows and here the author provides a contemporary social commentary on the popular format, one which much of the public voraciously devours, irrespective of the often exploitative and dubious ethics that drive them. A TV reality show, Exposure, comes to the area with 7 contestants, expecting a usual I'm a Celebrity type of format, each with their own particularly murky secrets, unaware of the true purpose of the show, but prevented from leaving, when they learn the truth, by the tight contracts they have signed.

What follows is a reprehensible game of lies no-one sees coming, along with tasks set, and consequences if their dirty secrets fail to be identified, epitomising the worst of a genre that wallows in the car crashes it generates. Ffion has acquired a terrific companion, the challenging farting rescue dog that is Dave, who has the kind of traits that make quite the impact! The wonderful workaholic DC Georgina Kent has joined the team, she and Ffion make their way to the reality show camp over a reported pile of bones. Before they know it they have a missing person and a murder on their hands. DS Leo Brady's circumstances have changed, he is now part of Chesire CID and lead investigator, free of the awful Crouch. The promising relationship that developed previously between him, and the now insecure, unprofessional Ffion, now moves into territory that leaves a lot to be desired.

As might be expected from the talented writer Mackintosh, there are her trademark twists galore, along with a host of suspects, all with potential motives, with a storyline delivered from multiple perspectives. This is mostly a fun, humorous and entertaining dark crime read that had me gripped, although Ffion's character, at times so irritating, grated in how infantile it was. One of the major strengths of this series are the wide and disparate characters, good and bad, who manage to snag my interest and who I want to know more about. I look forward with great interest to the next in the series. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.