I really, really, really enjoyed this book! Lots of twists and turns and really gets your mind going. As a big fan of Rachel Abbott I was not disappointed. I didnt want the book to end and was left wanting to know more about what happened to them all after. Maybe they'll be another book to follow?

I am a massive fan of Rachel Abbott's previous books so was thrilled to be accepted for an ARC of this one.

I think it says it all that I'm devastated that I've finished it. I loved how real the characters felt, I loved how there were several little mysteries to solve along with the big mystery and I loved how twisty the book was. I also liked the references to Penzance as that's where I'm from!

I would have liked a bit more closure from the ending (maybe something like where the characters all were 6 months later) but I think that's mostly because I didn't feel ready to let them go.

I would fully recommend this book and all of the others by this author.

I love Rachel Abbott's books and this was no exception. I loved the premise of the group of friends re-gathering a year after a suspicious death and really enjoyed the way the story was developed and the parts played out. It kept me guessing and it was one of those books I really look forward to picking up again. Some books are so easy to put down and leave - Rachel Abbotts are not! And this one was great.

I have read all of Rachel Abbott’s novels and admire her as an author for a huge number of reasons. Her storylines, plots and characters never disappoint and once again she has delivered a top notch read.

Lucas and Nina are getting married in Cornwall in his stunning, sprawling mansion set close to a private cove within beautiful gardens. He has invited his closest friends from his childhood to stay over for the weekend. This includes Andrew, who is now married to Chandra, Matt, who is now married to Jenna and Nick and Isobel who are twins.

The morning of the wedding tragedy strikes as Lucas identifies his sister Alex, who lives in the grounds of the estate, floating dead in the cove. Alex had suffered an awful kidnapping some years before and this adds to the intrigue and plot.

One year later he invites them all back and announces, ‘The Murder Game’ whereby he insists one of them is a killer.

This is an exceptional ‘whodunnit’ in so many ways from the surroundings of the estate, cove, boathouse and boat to a group of friends who hadn’t seen each other for several years and all the secrets and lies from their childhood days coming to the surface. Cleverly plotted and, mainly told be Jenna, Rachel Abbott releases the twists and turns with precision.

Thank you to NetGalley, Headline and Rachel Abbott for this ARC of The Murder Game in return for my honest review.

Exceptional read and highly recommended.

I love Rachel Abbott's book so was delighted to receive an early readers copy of this one. It is a murder mystery with plenty of twists and I did enjoy it, but there was something about the characters in this one that I couldn't connect with. Perhaps there were too many of them in such a small setting and none of them had many redeeming features!
It was a good solid enjoyable read though, but I would recommend some of the author's other books over this one if you are starting off reading her books.

Well! Where to begin! This latest Rachel Abbott offering, had me gripped from the opening paragraphs to the very last word.. The tension and intrigue threading through the pages was fast paced and multi-faceted, with almost every character under suspicion at various times throughout. Each time one particular character was in the frame as a 'definite' culprit, so the rules changed, and led me on a different tangent. Without giving anything away, I did eventually slot quite a lot of the resolutions into place, but as usual, Rachel led me on a merry dance to reach those conclusions. A fantastic read and one I thoroughly recommend to all! I would like to thank Headline and Netgalley for allowing me an early reader's copy of this book.

This solid read from an established author begins in a large house in Cornwall and involves a group of characters who meet to celebrate a wedding. The story is mainly told from the perspective of Jemma, one of the guests.
A year later they are together again as they are somehow all linked to a tragedy that occurred and they all seem to have secrets.

It's a solid whodunnit with interesting characters and plot line.

I struggled at times as I found the writing surprisingly difficult and slow. However, I persevered as I've read previous books from this author and enjoyed them.

Overall, it's a decent read with all loose ends neatly tied up and twists aplenty.

3* Good Read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to preview.

This was a interesting story set around a wedding weekend in the country where things don't quite go as planned. In saying that this book is a Stephanie King story, the detective is not the most important part of the story.
The story was put together well and kept me guessing until the end.

This is the second book in the Stephanie King series and I have to say this is my favourite.

Lucas and Nina are getting married in Cornwall so they invite Lucas’s childhood friends and their partners to their big day. Tragedy strikes and the wedding party is cancelled.

A year later Lucas invites his friends back for their anniversary, but it’s not all champagne and cocktails as he wants them to play the Murder Game and he has their costumes and their roles all planned out (Like a murder mystery weekend but the murder may have been committed a year ago) Lucas wants the truth revealed and thinks the game will expose who killed his sister. Lucas plays with his guests like a cat with a mouse, manipulating them until he gets to the truth.

This had me hooked!! I felt like I was one of the guests analysing the others to reveal all their secrets. I suspected everyone and loved the twists and the final reveal at the end, outside storm Denis was raging but I was so engrossed in this murder mystery book the roof could have blown off and I would have carried on reading, oblivious to everything!!

A must read series. I can’t wait for book number 3.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

It took me a while to get into this book, I don't know, I wasn't really feeling it to be honest. I was just OK in my opinion.

Rachel is such an accomplished writer. I have loved all her book so far and this one is no exception. A great twisty and taut thriller than keeps you guessing all the way through!

I really enjoyed this terrific mystery story, thanks net galley for allowing me to read this early edition of this story.
It really brought back memories of stories when people gathered together some one died and you have to guess the murderer., also a weekend we had away called the murder weekend.
Friends gathered for their friends wedding, but instead of a wedding there was a suicide, also a murder.
I never guessed the ending and cannot say any more.
Loved it, well done again Rachel Abbott.

The Murder Game is an unputdownable psychological thriller with plenty of twists that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Friends and family gather for Lucas's wedding at his Cornish home, but no one got married that day. Instead, tragedy struck leaving us with the dead body of Lucas's sister. One year later, Lucas invites everyone back to his home for what anyone would assume is a memorial. This is actually the murder game and Lucas intends to find out who killed his sister. This book was one wild ride. The characters are well-developed. The setting is vividly beautiful. Readers who enjoy a solid murder mystery will want to check out The Murder Game.

The Murder Game by Rachel Abbott.
Friends gather at Polskirrin stately home for Lucas’s wedding to Nina.
Unfortunately his sister is drowned that evening and the wedding is cancelled.
One year later Lucas has all his friends gather at his house once more.
He is sure that one of the guests has murdered his sister and he has devised
a weekend where they play The Murder Game in the hope of finding the killer.
Most of the guests have known each other for years and have past grievances, secrets and have something to hide.
There were plenty of clues to digest and I had figured out how this was going to end.
I enjoyed this book and read it in one sitting.
Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Im a fan of Rachel Abbott and love her Tom Walker series of books! So I was delighted to be given the chance to read something a bit different! I was slightly disappointed the story didn’t grab me as much and in fact I think it could have been 100 pages less. I continued to read it and towards the end there were some twists in the story line ( I wasn’t expecting) an overall good read!

Rachel Abbott is on a league of her own. What I find most refreshing about her novels is her unique way of going about plot - she has her own signature style of story that takes you by the sleeve and hurtles you along a twisted path of delicious mystery.

This book was no different. When I found out I had been accepted to read The Murder Game, I immediately read the book's predecessor, And So It Begins, which wowed me, and which made me all the more eager to start this one.

Before I even begin my review, I must first praise whoever wrote the blurb, because it masterfully sets up the rest of the book. I find myself reluctant to discuss the plot, because I think going into it with just the blurb is the way forward.

For the first 20% of the book, we follow Jemma Hudson on the eve of Lucas Jarrett's wedding to Nina at his beautiful Polskirrin estate. Jemma had never before met the wealthy Lucas, her husband Matt's childhood best friend, or indeed his other friends: Andrew, Nick, or Isabel. Several mysteries present themselves by way of reclusive sisters and buried tensions, and by the time Act One closes with a bang and the wedding does not go forth, we are fully invested in what is to come - the eponymous Murder Game. Detective Sergeant Stephanie King makes her appearance at Polskirrin, and then again a year later, as Jemma and the rest of the wedding guests are invited back to Polskirrin to play a dangerous game of whodunnit.

As aforementioned, I am reluctant to say more. All I can say is this story did not, at first, go as I thought it would, but I'm glad it took the direction it did - a classic Abbott story.

Although I was able to figure out the whodunnit aspects of the book - albeit that might be because I am a murder mystery fiend - I was shivering throughout the entire novel, anticipating the next terrible move. And that is exactly what makes Abbott a master; that we can figure out some aspects of the story and be completely blindsided by the others, that even when we think we think we know what's going to happen, the apprehension does not abate, the yearning to read more does not dwindle.

The only gripe I have with this book is Chandra, Andrew's partner. I mean, really? A Korean-Nepalese woman who only eats Kimchi while others enjoy the set menu? The only one who says mysterious spiritual things, dwells silently by fountains, and gives people special bracelets? Really? Kimchi is to food as French Fries is to food. It's a side dish, and not one people will have everyday as their main meal. It comes across a little silly, a little stereotypical, and a little too 'othering' - though not too big a dealbreaker, it did admittedly slightly bother me.

I highly recommend this book to any mystery lover, with the caveat to have a look at content warnings if there are any of you who would like to avoid certain sensitive subjects.

I was very pleased to be given a chance to read this book early. Rachel Abbott never disappoints and this one was just as gripping as all her previous books. Thoroughly recommend!

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I did not realise that this was book No.2 in the series but it did not stop me enjoying this thriller

I was thrilled to receive an advance copy of Rachel’s new book.

This didn’t disappoint & had me hooked from the outset. It reminded me of an Agatha Christie novel but with a modern day slant to it.

The dynamics of the group of friends was intriguing. Plenty of twists to keep you guessing. Finished this in a day as it had me captivated.

A group of friends gather at a Cornish mansion for the wedding of the house's current owner. But instead of a wedding, there's a death.

A year later, the survivors reassemble. The house owner is convinced that the death is not all that it seemed, and the house party are drawn into a bizarre attempt to discover the truth.

Annoying, self-absorbed characters.