3 stars

I did not finish this book. The premise sounded great and a chance to “visit” Wales sounded wonderful. Such lovely and dramatic scenery. I did not know that there was a Welsh independence movement. So, I learned something which was great. This is how the book received a three star rating from me. I read about half the book, but I just couldn’t put up with her attitude any longer.

However, I did not at all like the main character DS Ffion. I found her lazy, stubborn, borderline incompetent, insubordinate and rude.

I want to thank NetGalley and Sourcebooks Books Landmark/Sourcebooks Landmark for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read and review. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

This is the second novel in the series. It was a good read and I really enjoy the characters.
The book is set in a small Welsh town that is known for it's beautiful mountain and lake. A reality show called "Exposure" is being filmed on the mountain. One of the contestants goes missing after a huge revelation on the show. Detective Ffion Morgan and Detective Leo Brady come together once again to find the MisPer. Ffion is wild and so is the dog she just adopted. The interactions between Ffion and Leo are witty and amusing. We also get to know a new DC, Georgina Kent.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC! I will definitely be getting my own copy when it comes out!

Seven excited contestants gather on a remote mountainside location in Snowdonia, Wales. The reality show they’ve been selected for is called Exposure and they expect to show their wilderness survival skills to win a cash prize. However, cocky producer Miles Young has something else in store for them. Each has a deeply hidden, shameful secret and if the other contestants can guess it, they will be eliminated. There is also a challenge involving spiders, snakes and the like. When this shift is revealed on the first episode, it’s too much for one contestant. He runs away, choosing the bleak mountain surroundings over perceived humiliation. Enter DC Ffion Morgan and her overly large dog Dave. Ffion is a perfect choice to head the search for the missing contestant. She speaks Welsh, knows the countryside and the local people working on the show. She’s the wrong choice because she’s stubborn, independent and annoyed at having to work with Leo Brady, hiding her interest in him. Ffion realizes that there is more hidden on the set of Exposure than the contestants’ secrets. Will she solve the case before this situation explodes?

An atmospheric location, well described quirky characters and a plot full of twists and surprises make A Game of Lies a must read. This is the second in a series by the talented Claire Mackintosh but can be read as a standalone. Put this on the top of your TBR stack! 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark and Claire Mackintosh for this ARC.

A Game of Lies is another very solid, twisty psychological thriller from Clare Mackintosh. Seven contestants cast in a reality tv show are isolated in a small mountain community in North Wales. The contestants vying to win the show, called Exposure, discover that the show has a much more sinister, evil premise than they expected. Turns out the show is not about surviving exposure to extreme conditions but exposure of their deepest secrets. When a contestant goes missing Detective Ffion Morgan of the Welsh Constabulary and DS Leo Brady from the Cheshire England force are once again thrown together to find him. The author does a wonderful job humanizing her characters and the dialog is often quite funny. Add in vivid descriptions of the Welsh countryside and you have a series that I hope will continue. Although this book can be read as a stand alone I think it was helpful to have read The Last Party, the first book in the series.

FINALLY, I WAS JEALOUS OF THE UK READERS WHO HAVE HAD THIS OUT FOR ABOUT A YEAR NOW. IT IS FINALLY AVAILABLE TO US READER'S AS AN ARC!!

I first discovered this author from her book "Hostage" which to this day still is my absolute favorite. However, this is definitely a close second. This is the second book is a series starring Detective Fifon and Leo. Ahh, I missed these two, and that ending! There HAS to be another book, but at least we know their fate.

This was such an interesting concept and I think way more thrillers need to have a reality TV element because this reality TV show was pure entertainment but contestants worst nightmare. Needless to say, I won't be signing up for any reality TV shows. The editing, the backstabbing, the betrayals, it's a perfect mix to add a murder. Why not? And that's exactly what happens. There are two different mysteries going on and lots of red herrings!

One of the mysteries involving a contestant named Ryan highlights the fragility of mental health and how reality tv can make it that much worse. Also it brings into light, the delicate balance and need for entertainment for viewers while protecting contestants from mental breakdowns.

This was a great thriller and a great commentary on reality TV. Excellent novel and I can't wait to read the next mystery in this series!

THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND THE PUBLISHER FOR THIS ARC IN EXCHANGE FOR A FAIR AND HONEST REVIEW!

DC Ffion Morgan is assigned to a missing persons case.
A reality show contestant has disappeared, and Ffion discovers that the reality was not who could survive, but who could best hide their deepest darkest secrets from Exposure.
It is not long before someone is murdered, and Ffion has to find out whether it was a contestant that was responsible.

This is the second of the DC Morgan series, set in Wales. Ffion is a DC in a stiflingly small village where everyone knows your business - or do they?
Ffion has her own way of solving cases, often going against the rules, but her methods get things done.

A very enjoyable police procedural, I really enjoyed this one, and I liked that the main characters have their private lives developed in the book.
The unconventional way that Ffion solves her cases and chases clues is entertaining as well, as she lands up in all types of trouble.
I would, however, like it if the translation of the Welsh phrases was in the book.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

A twisty follow up to the first in the series! Love these characters and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Highly recommend!

Mixed reviews that claim some readers didn't enjoy the mystery as much as the first book or couldn't connect with the reality show contest characters don't sway my five-star (rounded up from four and a half) rating. My inner romantic compelled me to give this rating, overriding my usual thriller-seeking, puzzle-loving, mystery-nerd self. That ending brought such a deep smile to my face that, as you reach it, most readers will likely agree with me.

Of course, I can readily give five stars to any book written by the brilliant author Clare Mackintosh, as she's an auto-approved author for me.

Let's not forget how, from the moment I read the first DC Morgan book, I fell in love with Cwm Coed, a small fishing town nestled between Wales and England. I adore the vivid, realistic characters, the peculiar, eccentric, complex family dynamics of Ffion (I adored her Mam Ellen Morgan and wished we could see more of her in this book), her unresolved feelings with her ex, and her fiery new love relationship with DS Leo Brady, which might be sabotaged by her own insecurities.

After the earth-shattering end of the first book, the story continues a few weeks forward from where we left off, with Ffion adopting Dave, a very needy, couch-eating, people-jumping, fart-bombing, humongous dog from the shelter. DC George Kent, an introverted, closed-book, work-oriented woman, has recently transferred to their team as DS Leo starts dating a very pushy lady and tries to spend more time with his son. He erases Ffion's number after she didn't return his dinner invite, as we remember from the end of the first book (but also remember what Ffion was dealing with when she received the text). It seems like their lives are moving forward in separate ways until they meet in another case related to one of the highest-rated reality shows, "Exposure." Seven contestants have signed up and are trapped in the Welsh mountains, each with ugly, dirty secrets that could ruin their lives if exposed. The producer, Miles Young, the founder of Young Production, chose the contestants without giving them information about the secret revelation part and made them sign a contract that restricts them from leaving the competition. Now they are stuck in a place where their entire futures are at stake. As if this circumstance isn't frightening enough, they also have to face their fears in a pond, including falling snakes and spiders if they refuse to come clean about the truth.

Ffion and George pay a visit to the Exposure camp to examine the bones found around the campsite. But Ffion finds herself involved in the competition because her sister/daughter Seren is dating a young production assistant, Caleb. The contestants also pique her interest, including Ffion's drinking buddy, postal worker Ceri Jones, who is competing against Pam Butler, an authoritative headteacher, Aliyah Brown, a beautiful childcare practitioner, Jason Shenton, a flirting, charming firefighter, Henry Moore, a tall, dark-haired, wise accountant, Lucas Taylor, the reverend with dark secrets, and Ryan Francis, a man with a troubled past. When one of the contestants goes missing before the revelation process, turning it into a murder mystery, the authorities get involved in the investigation. Leo joins the team as the lead investigator, making things extra challenging for both Ffion and him. Their unresolved feelings lead them to act like stubborn, immature children who make false assumptions about each other, while George is caught in the middle of their hot-cold war. The focus on the investigation turns it into an enigmatic murder case with many motives but no suspects. Anyone could go to great lengths to prevent their secrets from coming out or to avenge the person who already ruined their life. But who did it? The clock is ticking, everyone is a suspect, and most of them have iron-clad alibis. How will Ffion, Leo, and George piece together the complex puzzle to find the perpetrator?

I thoroughly enjoyed the well-constructed, twisty murder mystery and the structure that goes back and forth to reveal the secrets and motives each contestant carries and acts upon. The different perspectives shed light on hidden clues within the chapters, keeping us guessing. I appreciated the writing style, and the characters already feel like close friends. Plus, my romantic inclinations swayed my opinion. I can't wait for the next book in the series. By the way, George Kent is an impressive, fresh character, and learning more about her backstory at the end made me love her even more. I'm definitely looking forward to getting to know her better in the next book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for sharing this amazing book's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Loved this addition to the DC Morgan series! Mackintosh writes such compelling plots with believable characters. The tension between Ffion and Leo was so palpable and the side characters were phenomenal. The game show twist was highly creative and set the perfect stage for a murder mystery. I really liked how the main POVs were interspersed with those of the side characters. It helped make the story engaging from start to finish. I really hope we get more Ffion books because I need to know what happens next! Also, Dave is the best character hands down.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I had a hard time getting into this book. I skipped around but nothing grabbed my attention. I enjoyed her last book so decided I would wait for the Audio book. That may grab my attention more. This just didn’t do it.

Detective Ffion Morgan is only somewhat interested in the new reality show filming outside of town. Until of course everybody finds out live on the air that the contest isn’t some survival thing like everyone was lead to believe. No instead it’s all about secrets... all of the contestants have one and it’s big enough that it could destroy their lives. So all they have to do is play the game and guard their secrets. In the middle of the night one of the contestants goes missing fearing the reveal of their secret. Ffion isn’t too unhappy about getting called in on it because it brings her back to working with Leo. Who she never quite had the courage to express any type of feelings for before. But their complicated relationship has to take a backseat when in addition to the missing person they end up with a murder. Everybody has a secret and it appears someone is willing to kill for theirs...

I liked this but Ffion was a frustrating mess a lot of the time. She never met a bad decision that she didn’t dive head first into. Maybe Leo should run the other way. Georgina seemed like an interesting character I would love to learn more about her. The secrets of the contestants and the way the show went on was pretty crazy. It’s also rather terrifying to think that someone could unearth things about you that nobody else knows and weaponize it for entertainment. Also Dave is the real hero of this whole book.

Hope there is more to come in the series.

A Game of Lies is the second book in the series. I enjoyed this one a lot more than the first. I think the author has refined their writing. The first book was difficult for me to get through because it’s set in Whales and the names and language used was very specific to the area. While I can appreciate that, it did make it difficult for me to read. A Game of Lies is also set in Whales and captures the culture there, but it was much easier for me to read and understand.
I would consider this story more of a mystery rather than a thriller. It is character driven more than anything else, which I typically don’t enjoy however these characters are interesting and kept me engaged. I hope there are more to come in the series!

Thanks to Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark, Sourcebooks Landmark for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

MacKinnon knows how to pace a perfectly thrilling story - even in a small Welsh town with limited suspects.

In Game of Lies, we visit Ffion again in her small Welsh town. Ffion Morgan is hanging on to her detective job by a thread and still harboring a flame for Leo. Her squad is called out to a the set of a reality show to investigate.

It's a bare bones set but the 8 actors/stars have been signed under false pretenses and the few staff on hand have their hands full when one of the actors disappears.

Ffion has to juggle all of her complex relationships - with her office, her ex, her love and her daughter/sister and mom as she tries to locate the man before the worst happens.

Completely believable, endlessly bingeable, I cannot wait for what happens next to Ffion! #AGameofLies #ClareMackintosh #Sourcebooks