‘A Dangerous Game' is a riveting tale flipping between two POVs: WPC Dexter (Dexie) and Inspektor Schroder (Harri). This suspenseful adventure is set in London in December 1952, during the devastating smog. The use of this freak weather event and international tensions post-WWII grounds the fictional story and heightens the intensity of the peril and mystery. Mandy Robotham's writing is smooth and engaging. Note, there is some foul language.

If you enjoy reading high-stakes historical fiction, then I recommend this book to you! The hints of romance between the main characters is a nice addition, and I would love to see them solve more cases together in future books.

Special thanks to the Publisher, Avon Books UK, and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I've read a number of Mandy Robotham books and this one by far has been my favorite. The combination a cat and mouse game and the Great Smog of London made for a thrilling atmospheric read. I love finding historical fiction reads that highlight life postwar Europe. Robotham's eye for historical detail brought the story alive. I need to go back and read her first Harri Schroder book now.

📚 a dangerous game - Mandy Robotham 📚

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you to @netgalley for accepting me on this ARC 🙊

Blurb - London, 1952. Seven years after the chaotic aftermath of World War II, London has is coming alive again, with jazz clubs and flickering cinema awnings lighting up the night sky.

But for widowed Helen ‘Dexie’ Dexter, she’s still a woman in a man’s world. She longs to prove herself as an officer in the London Metropolitan Police, yet she’s stuck intervening in domestics and making tea for her male colleagues.

Then Harri Schroder arrives, seconded from Hamburg to the Met. Haunted by the loss of his wife and child, Harri is unlike any man Dexie has ever known. Compassionate and sharp-witted, he sees her not as a threat, but as an intelligent, canny officer full of potential.

And when Harri is tasked with hunting down a Nazi war criminal-turned-respected-businessman, with connections to the upper echelons of British society, it’s Dexie he turns to for help.

But as their bond deepens, a deadly fog engulfs London. Dexie and Harri must expose the fugitive before he vanishes, risking everything for justice – and each other…

Thoughts - this was a gripping read and really enjoyed reading the characters journeys. This is the first thriller I’ve read set in this timeline but o really did enjoy.

#bookreview #booksbooksbooks #arcbookreview #netgalley

Mandy Robotham’s A Dangerous Game excels in its atmospheric portrayal of post-war London. Set in 1952, as the city struggles to rebuild after the war, the story draws readers into the harrowing days of the infamous London Smog. Inspektor Harri Schroeder, a German detective fluent in English, is called to London to help investigate a deadly plot. There, he meets Constable Dexter ("Dexie"), a determined young woman navigating a male-dominated police force. Together, they must stop a man whose actions could destroy everything.

The setting is vividly rendered, and as someone familiar with the London Smog from The Crown, I could easily visualize the suffocating, toxic atmosphere. Robotham’s exploration of grief is equally impactful; both Harri and Dexie bear deep emotional scars from the war, and their resilience makes them compelling protagonists. Inspired by Sherlock Holmes, the dynamic between these characters feels fresh yet familiar, with Dexie’s sharp instincts complementing Harri’s thoughtful approach.

The novel’s core message that winning a war doesn’t ensure moral righteousness for all involved resonates deeply. The political intrigue driving the plot keeps the tension high, and the satisfying conclusion ties together the story’s complex threads.

Thank you, Avon Books UK and NetGalley, for providing a digital galley of this gripping historical thriller.

A Dangerous Game by Mandy Robotham is a real page turner. I think this book is probably my favourite by this author to date. It was fast paced, full of intrigue, suspense, danger, and kept you guessing what would happen next.

The main character Harri Schroeder, a German policeman is on loan to the London police force where he pairs up with Helen Dexter an English constable. Together they are on a secret assignment in search of a Nazi war criminal who was the financial mastermind for Hilter. As the search for the accused continues the deadly fog of 1952 rolls in causing lots of havoc and many deaths. This book keeps you on the edge of your seat and reading well into the night. Will they be able to catch their man or will he escape again?

This is a great story with well developed characters. I would highly recommend it. Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK for an advanced copy of this book.

I love how I always learn something new when reading a Mandy Robotham book. This time, I learned about The Great Smog which affected London in 1952, taking thousands of lives, and yet an event I knew nothing about.

At the start of the year (and the last few days or 2024), we had a smog problem in my city, which I couldn't help but think back to as I read A Dangerous Game. Luckily, our smog wasn't as deadly as the one described here, but it was certainly harder to breathe.

So I related to Harri and Dexie in more ways than one would expect! And Harri specifically, was a character I wanted to see more of, after reading The Hidden Storyteller, so I'm glad he got his own book, and a little romance to boot.

It was also nice to see Georgie and Max making a cameo appearance, and helping out in their own way. But Harri and Dexie were the real stars, I loved seeing their dynamic duo in action as they tracked down a Nazi hiding in plain sight, and got to know each other on a deeper level in the process.

Through Dexie, we got to see what life was like for a policewoman back in the 50s, down to the tiniest detail (yes, someone did make her fetch tea as if she were a secretary). It only made me appreciate Harri all the more, because he always praised his fellow colleagues back in Germany, and was adamant nothing would've been solved if it hadn't been for them.

He also gave Dexie the space to be herself, and treated her like a person, one more than capable of doing her job. It's no wonder she fell for him, really, I would too!

We got to explore post-war London, which I don't read about often, and see the effects WW2 had on every person we encounter.

Which reminds me, there is a moment where a character hesitates before making a decision, and even I can't say what I would've done in their place. I know my brain would've panicked and it probably would've ended exactly the same.

As that was happening, the image that flashed in this character's mind was chilling and brought tears to my eyes.

On a lighter note, there's a cute canine companion, who's one of my favourite characters in the book!

The plot was engaging and well-researched. I had no trouble following all the threads, thanks to Robotham's excellent writing.

You can read A Dangerous Game on its own, or you can start the journey with The Berlin Girl, get to know Georgie who started it all, and then follow her on a different adventure in The Hidden Storyteller where she meets Harri, and the rest is history. Hah. I had to.

Whichever book you choose to start with, you won't regret it, because Mandy Robotham is a master of historical fiction. You'll be pulled into the lives of her characters in no time.

*Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

This novel takes place in London in 1952, seven years after the end of WWII. Helen ‘Dexie’ Dexter has been striving to prove herself as an officer in the London Metropolitan Police, hoping to move up in the ranks, but she has one thing working against her.... she is a woman. Then, Harri Schroder gets sent from his station in Germany to hunt down a Nazi war criminal-turned-respected-businessman, with connections to the upper echelons of British society, He partners up with Dexie for the job. Then, just as they have found their man, a deadly fog engulfs London. Dexie and Harri must expose the fugitive before he vanishes

I loved this book. It made me feel like I was right there in the thick of it all. There was high-stakes action, intrigue, lots of history, and even some romance between Harri & Dexie. If you are a fan of historical fiction, then you will love this.

Once again Mandy has delighted her readers with a delightful story set in London in 1950s. Harri Schroder, of Berlin, has his third case. This time he is on secondment to the London Metropolitan Police. He expected a goodwill busman’s holiday but he is specially chosen for a mission involving a mysterious businessman with a suspicious new identity.
With his links to Germany’s past history and a new partner being a WPC Dexie, a woman in a man’s world, the scene is set for another adventure. There is much to get excited by and enjoy : post war British culture, prejudice in the workplace and in society, this novel has it all. There is sadness and joy; love, tears and some laughter, not to mention fog and pollution.
I enjoyed this story sooo much. This is another must read from Mandy. Thank you for bringing these characters to life in this engaging story. And thank you NetGalley for the advance copy - my review reflects my own thoughts freely given.

I am a huge fan of Mandy Robotham and really enjoy the way she builds up her stories.

I also love that there is always a connection to WWII and how it impacted different types of people all over the world.

In this latest book, we are in London in 1952 during the week of the Great Smog with German Policeman Harri and English Constable Dexie.
Together that are on a secret assignment in search of a Nazi war criminal who was the financial mastermind of war.
They don’t get given all the details and find themselves in precarious and life threatening situations along the way.
This started a bit slow but turned into a page turner that I couldn’t put down!

A huge thank you to Author Mandy Robotham, publisher Avon and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

It's 1952, just seven years after the war ended. Nuremberg Trails have put most of the Nazi war criminals behind the bars but Inspector Harri from Hamburg police have been called to find a Nazi war criminal and the war criminal was someone that Harri used to know--someone that he used to be trained at police cadet with. Together with a British officer, Dexie, Harrie and Dexie must find this person before he would flee again.

This was an interesting historical fiction read. I actually enjoyed reading it and learned so much tits and bits about what life was like after the war. The story is also well written and realistic and the author must have done research on this topic before writing the story. Overall, I actually enjoyed reading this historical fiction. This also could be read as a thriller since there is some mystery is also involved in the story. Overall, this story is worth four stars.

A Dangerous Game by Mandy Robotham

It didn't take me long before I realised this was not the first outing for The character Inspektor Harri Schroeder . I hadn't read about him before but I really enjoyed the book and could feel The atmosphere of the smog of London.
Enjoyed seeing how him and Dexies developed and enjoyed how they went about solving the case.

This was a solid historical fiction novel, but it felt like it was missing something. I was kind of waiting for it to end. I loved the idea, the concept, and the characters. There was just something about this book that couldn't keep me interested.

Harri amd Dexie are a dynamic detective due. With 5 days and a unforgettable fog settling in on 1950s London. This pair has to identify amd capture a ex-Nazi villian before things go awry. Fast-paced, a new historical setting (for me) and characters who have depth and intelligence made this a great read.

#netgalley #ADangerousGame

Mandy Robotham is one of my favourite historical fiction authors. Her work is well researched, her character voices are authentic, and novels are interesting. A Dangerous Game is not the same as the others for starters it took place after WWll. The story is set during the killer fog that hit London in December 1952. It introduces two characters from previous books this could set the pace for a new series. If you like historical fiction mixed with thriller espionage this book will be for you!

Thank you #netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A light enjoyable read. It took me about 10 chapters before the story really kicked it. I liked the relationship between the two detectives

It was December, 1952 when Harri Schroder arrived from Hamburg, seconded to the Met with a job ahead of him he was unaware of as yet. Constable Helen Dexter (Dexie) was told to show Harri around, give him the ways of London. Soon Harri was attending Scotland Yard, and when he was told he had to identify a former Nazi, an SS man who had connections to the upper echelons of London's government, and he only had five days to do it, he was gobsmacked. Requesting Dexie accompany him - she was an intelligent, quick witted young lady, just the sort of person to direct him through London's streets - the two of them were given the use of a car, and left to their own devices.

But when a thick, pea soup fog settled over the streets of London, with no breeze to move it on, the poisonous sulfur-laden air was dangerous, both to the elderly, and anyone trying to find their way through the city. And when Harri was kidnapped, it was up to Dexie to find him. The danger was high, with the ex Nazi too close for comfort, Russians also after him, and no one else to aid Harri and Dexie. What would be the outcome to this dreadful hunt between a war criminal and his minders, and those who were trying to find him?

A Dangerous Game is another phenomenal historical mystery by Mandy Robotham and it was great to welcome Harri Schroder back again. We first met Harri in the author's previous book - The Hidden Storyteller, which I read recently - he's an excellent character and stamped his place well and truly into A Dangerous Game. I love this author's writing, and fortunately I have a couple more of hers to read yet. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley & HarperCollins UK for my digital ARC to read and review.

A really great read, full of suspense and thrills.

A cleverly crafted mystery thriller set in the great smog of London in the 1950s. The stench of the capped fog of London was extremely difficult for all travelling the streets, and none more so than Harri (the German detective on secondment) and Dexie (the English Police Constable) as the are tasked to track down a Nazi before he signs a nationally important contract. MI5, spies and corruption - the story has it all. It’s a very atmospheric novel, leaving me feeling that I too was living under the cloud of fog. I loved the two protagonists as they inch by inch grow their trust and faith in each other, until ultimately……
Mandy Robotham’s style of writing makes for an easy, fluid and compulsive read of the ‘can’t put down’ variety.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers Avon Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent read. Really enjoyed it from start to finish and captured the era brilliantly. Recommended.

This is a sequel to "The Hidden Storyteller" and "The Berlin Girl" and while not absolutlely necessary, I do think it would be better reading them in the correct sequence. I always enjoy this author and was not disappointed with this one. Not only was it a great historical thriller about hunting for a Nazi, I learned something new (London's 1952 Great Smog), always important for the best in the genre. While the book dealt with a serious subject, it also had some humour (much of it courteous of a small dog) and some romance. I really hope to see these wonderful characters again. Thank you to NetGalley for the digital advance reading copy . 4.5/5 stars

I like historical fiction and this authors books. I really liked Harri's character in The Hidden Storyteller and was eager to know more about him. I think A Dangerous Game is a very entertaining and atmospheric read. The story is set during the killer fog that hit London in December 1952. Harri is seconded to the Met and paired with Dexie to identify someone from his past. I think the authors writing is good and the plot line very believeable. The story is easy to follow and I think Mandy Robotham connects well with her readers through her characters. I love that the story is told through either Harri or Dexie and I could picture them and the intense fog conditions in my mind when reading. I particularly like the inclusion of two characters from previous books and knowing how they are. I was drawn into the story quickly and the author held my interest to the last page. The ending is perfect. Just perfect. I would really like to see these two characters in future books, hint hint .....

Overall a very good read with likeable, relateable characters (mostly) and I'd recommend A Dangerous Game if you're a fan of historical fiction. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

4 stars