From the very start of this book I was left completely intrigued, knowing straight away that this was not going to be your run of the mill Police procedural. Luca Vest really draws you in, leaving you, and seemingly the Police, with so many questions that I knew this was not going to be a book I wanted to walk away from. Who is the mystery man we first meet? Why does he wish his identity to remain a secret given that he is so ready to open up to the officers about what he has done? What exactly is it that he is hiding, because I was absolutely certain that nothing was quite as it appeared ... Well. To find out the answers to all of those questions I had to wait quite some time, but that was okay because when I settled into the heart of the story, I was more than happy to go along for the turbulent, thrilling ,and sometimes chilling, ride.

It's really hard to go too far into what this book is about without giving away spoilers, but the basic premise surrounds the eponymous 'game', a series of challenges set by an online forum, deep in the dark web, which seem increasingly bizarre in nature but, for some reason, people seem to undertake. Some of the game is outline throughout the book as a series of chapters that follow the players - two at a time - and outline their actions and the leves of game they have to undertake. There is something off about the game, something that made me feel uneasy, even though it as impossible to put my finger on it at first. Luca Veste has built that tension up beautifully, expanding upon the nature of the challenges as the novel progresses, allowing readers to learn more about the players. Although it pulls you away from the main investigation thread of the story, it really does build the suspense and the tension and just made me want to keep on reading that 'one more chapter'. The true nature of the game remains hidden to the last, but it is quite shocking and yet scarily believable. I can't tell you why, but the reasons behind the game, the justifications if they can be called that, certainly created a sense of anger in me as a reader and yet a kind of resigned acceptance that it could possibly happen. Perhaps not in the same dramatic fashion that the author has created, but certainly that arrogance and that anger - it's rife across the globe right now.

Alongside the game is a missing persons investigation, headed by the books protagonist, Detective Constable Mark Flynn. The circumstances of the disappearance are suspicious, and the family of the missing girl are a troubled bunch, from the distraught mother, the almost indifferent siblings to the angry and scary looking Uncle. To us, the readers, it is clear that the girl is likely to be linked to the 'game' but not clear quite how. But the family and the police know nothing of its existence, and the author has again created a very believable look into the lives of the people who are suffering a rollercoaster of emotions and the slow and painful investigation that may or may not bring the girl back home. I liked Flynn as a character. It is clear he is a little like a fish out of water, a misfit in the major investigation team he has only recently joined, and that sense of isolation plays alongside the story brilliantly. He's a troubled soul, full of self doubt and nowhere near as confident as he perhaps should be, and yet his determination made me want to see him succeed, and his quiet approach, where we only occasionally see him vent his frustrations, makes him a character I would happily read more about.

There is a good amount of emotion tied up in this book that ebbs from the page, be it grief, fear or just plain old fashioned anger. The pacing in the story is spot on, the tension building to a very dramatic and pulse pounding showdown where the mysterious opening chapter is finally explained in full. In fact it is not just the opening chapter, the interviews between Police and suspect interspersed amongst the main narrative and making me even more desperate to find out what was going on. I was left satisfied by the conclusion but perhaps also a little hopeful. It wasn't exactly a definite full stop - perhaps there is a chance we can hear more from Mark Flynn. I'd certainly sign up to read it.

Tapping into the ongoing obsession with online forums, chat rooms and anonymous figures inciting others, people that they have never met, to do things that may seem untenable, it is scarily believable too. Full of intrigue, tension, action and a big dose of emotion this is a book I'd definitely recommend.

The Game is the latest part psychological thriller, part police procedural, from crime writer Luca Veste, set in Liverpool, and is a chilling read touching on the themes of guilt, atonement, manipulation, the battle of good versus evil and the utilisation of the internet for nefarious purposes. It all starts when various people are contacted either by a telephone call, email or a text stating that their deepest, darkest secret has been discovered and that the Game Master will not hesitate to reveal the secret to the world if the player, or more appropriately victim, does not comply with the instructions given at all times. Two players go head-to-head where they must work their way through the tasks and try to accomplish all of the levels set out for them. The players aren't allowed to skip a level, but they are assured that once they successfully complete all stages they will be free from The Game forever. Mainly carried out online and advertised for all the world to see people are able to follow the twisted game to fruition and even put forward challenges of their own to add to the many tasks if the Game Master approves of it. Those behind it think nothing of destroying a life, or even going so far as to kill in the name of The Game...

Meanwhile, elsewhere in Liverpool, introverted and socially awkward, Detective Constable Mark Flynn of the Liverpool Major Crimes Unit is assigned the case of missing Emily Burns. He believes her to likely be dead as blood was found at the scene of her last known location and friends and family have heard hide nor hair since. When an unnamed man arrives at the station claiming to have murdered eight people they are dubious about whether this is the truth, and how is this related to the disappearance of Miss Burns, if indeed it is? This is a devilish and deliciously deviant thriller featuring a genuinely sick and sadistic killer who enjoys destroying peoples lives and playing twisted mind games and a cop who knows more than most how it feels to be bullied and mistreat by his peers. It's an interesting and completely compulsive mix of good versus evil and is thought-provoking in that it makes you wonder what you'd do if you were ”forced” into playing this game. The answer to that, I guess, lies in what your secret actually is. A rollicking, nail-biter of a read, The Game presents Veste at his most imaginative and riveting and is fun, entertaining and comes highly recommended. Many thanks to Simon & Schuster UK for an ARC.

Well Executed Suspense.....
Who will be asked to play The Game? Events spiral from fantasy to reality with tragic consequences. Well executed suspense from a talented author. The twists are plenty and the shocks pile up. Engaging and horrifying in equal measure.

This is a very clever crime thriller.
The story begins with someone confessing to eight murders but we don’t know who this is until much later in the book.
We’re then with DC Mark Flynn as he’s called to a crime scene where blood has been found. He’s been told to investigate a missing girl so wonders if this is linked.
There’s no body though and the family are desparate to know what’s happened to their daughter.
Soon a body is discovered but it’s not Emily - so who is it?
We’re aware from other chapters that The Game is setting people challenges and their lives are at risk if they lose, but it’s a while before DC Flynn suspects there’s something sinister going on.
His superiors want him to arrest a family member but Mark thinks it’s got something to do with The Game that he keeps coming across, and he’s right.
Soon he faces a life threatening situation for him and someone close to him.
I loved the twists and turns in this book and the story had me hooked from the beginning.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This is a bit different from the author's usual books but just as compelling. The plot centres round a group of people playing an online game of vengeance which quickly spirals into reality. The body of a young girl is found in Liverpool, an apparent suicide, and DC Mark Flynn is helping to investigate. He is a bit of a loner with a mistrust of his senior officers. There are plenty interesting characters, an intriguing plot and a real core of truth in the tale. Very topical content of online bullying and how easily vulnerable young people can be sucked into violence and bullying. This book would make a great read for parents of teenagers and I would recommend it. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Another great book from a vary talented author. Thoroughly enjoysed and was kept on the edge of my suit the whole way xx

The Game draws you in and twists you about before making you do unimaginable things including murder. This is the premise of the excellent new book, The Game, by Luca Veste.

The book is part police procedural thriller and part deep psychological-mystery and is a book I would definitely recommend

This book is shocking. Not because it has terrible murders, though it does indeed. Not because of the violence or the surprising reveals, though it has these, too, but because this is a book about the perfidious nature of online activity and the extent to which it can destroy lives. We hear a lot about the cruelty of live interaction these days and indeed, there’s a man right now showing us just how perceptions can be skewed if you perpetuate lies with enough authority.

As we begin The Game, a man is in police custody admitting to a series of 8 murders. He hasn’t asked for a lawyer, he won’t tell the police who he is; he’s just spilling out the names of his victims and how he killed them, waiting for the police to write it all down. The fact that he was found next to the dead body of a girl should surely be enough to convince them that he is serious.

DC Mark Flynn is a bit of a loner. He works in the Liverpool Major Crimes Unit but hasn’t really jelled with his colleagues and so, more often than not, he pursues a solitary path.

He is trying to work out what has happened to Emily Burns, a missing young woman. At the place where she was last seen, is a blood trail, but that hasn’t led him anywhere. Now the body of a young woman has been found murdered. While his colleagues try to find her killer, Mark is convinced that Emily’s disappearance and this murdered young woman are connected. But how and why?

As Mark investigates, it becomes clear that he is a pawn in someone else’s deadly game.

Luca Veste’s novel is a clever and deeply chilling examination of how social isolation and peer pressure can separate people from their sense of self-worth. Building on urban myths and the susceptibility of the lonely and socially isolated, The Game takes hold of people through their darkest secrets and manipulates them into committing desperate acts.

The reader learns most of what is going on through DC Flynn, but Veste cleverly draws us into The Game, too, as we learn things that Mark Flynn does not know. His propensity for self-doubt; his distrust of authority and his tendency to work alone are leading him deep into a mystery that could have deadly consequences.

Veste builds a compelling, creepy tale that has a solid core of truth and it doesn’t take too much of a leap to see how things can escalate into the scenes of murder and manipulation that the books portrays.

Verdict: Clever, creepy, compelling.

A thriller with a dash of the investigative layers of a procedural, The Game has been one of my favourite novels of 2020.

It all begins when you get a call, an email or a text – someone knows your secret and they want to ruin you. And they're out for blood.

If you don’t do what they say, they’ll tell everyone what you’ve been hiding. They will come after you, destroy you, and they aren’t afraid to kill.

The book itself starts with a man being interviewed at a police station. He confesses to killing eight people - although he won't give them his name, And, as it turns out, it's all just part of The Game.

And the fast pace doesn't let up as the book goes on. DC Mark Flynn, who is heading up the investigation into a missing girl, Emily Burns, thinks its going to be a pretty straightforward case - however, that changes after a body is found. And it's not Emily.

Mark tries to figure out the missing pieces between Emily and the girl they found. And as the web of secrets continues to unwind, the reader gets more insight into the game -- and just who might be playing,

The Game is filled with complex but carefully-created characters, and the story itself will have you gripped - although there's so many suspects that it's impossible to fully figure it out until the big reveal.

DC Mark Flynn has worked in Liverpool MCU for a while but still doesn't fell like he fits in. His colleagues either ignore him or discuss him behind his back but Mark is determined to stick it out and prove them wrong.
Mark is given the case when Emily Burns goes missing. Blood has been found near to where she was last seen but no sign of where Emily went after that. After spending time with her family Mark is still no nearer to finding out why Emily has disappeared but he has a very bad feeling about it, he doesn't think that she will be coming back to her family. When the body of a young woman is found the initial fear is that it is Emily, when it turns out to be someone else Mark finds himself alone in trying to find Emily. The rest of the MCU are concentrating on finding the killer of the dead woman. Mark feels there is a connection to Emily but no one else is listening,
Mark has to dig deep into Emily's past, someone appears to be playing a game and it's one that you can only lose.

It's hard to talk about this book without spoilers, so I'll just say it had an interesting concept. It was well-plotted with good characters.
I also liked the pace and the story from start to finish.
Thanks a lot to NG and the publisher for this copy.

An incredible rollercoaster of a ride from the opening pages to the last in the latest thriller from Luca Veste. 'The Game' tells the tale of a group of young people caught up in a vicious online game of vengeance turned real. The story is mainly told from the viewpoint of DC Mark Flynn, a young dedicated police office, who is undermined by his senior colleagues and his feelings of self-doubt. These feelings add to a unbalance to the story with the reader not entirely sure who to trust. We are also given several snapshots of the interview with the killer, and these scenes ramp up the tension as the reader wonders just who is being interviewed and if they are part of this mysterious game. Also, as the storyline around 'The Game' references a real-life urban legend there is a genuine element of creepiness to the story. The gradual reveals are exciting and surprising.
Another fantastic read from Luca Veste. A huge thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster UK for providing me with this ARC in return for an honest review.

This book started off really well but it was not what I usually expect from this author..A man is arrested with the dead body of a women, then he claims he has killed eight people. The story is about online bullying and someone knows what they have been up to. In order to keep their secrets they are asked to participate in the Game but little do they realise there are no winners. Where were the twists and shocks I expect from this author? Saying that I am sure other readers will enjoy it more just not for me.
Thanks to Simon and Schuster UK and Netgalley for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

I’d been wanting to read a Luca Veste book since seeing his appearances at this year’s online Bloody Scotland festival, appearing as part of the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers, the unlikely yet compelling band fronted by Val McDermid.

The Game centres on themes of guilt, atonement and manipulation. Various people are contacted by a mysterious voice on the end of a line, telling them that their darkest secrets have been discovered and will be revealed to everyone unless they work their way through tasks to accomplish the different levels of The Game.

Most of the action is revealed through the eyes of DC Mark Flynn, tasked with investigating the disappearance of a young woman. Mark is an interesting character, plagued by self-doubt and seemingly almost traumatised by aspects of his work. Because of Mark’s own lack of certainty in his personal and professional relationships alike, there is an unsettling feeling running throughout The Game, and I read my way through it without trusting any of the characters.

The Game, as one character comments, bears some of the hallmarks of the creepy myths that used to circulate in the school playground and probably still do. With the addition of shady online activities, the novel shows the propensity for bullying and cruelty to be organised and escalated.

I found The Game to be a suspenseful read, not one with huge reveals, but more of a gradual uncovering and sense-making of things shown earlier in the story. This is a novel that rewards paying attention to the psychology of its characters, and the unfurling of the story all felt very plausible, without forfeiting any of the tension.

Another very enjoyable read from the excellent Luca Veste and a very modern-feeling thriller. As always the characters are well drawn and the sense of place is always present. The lead cop, Mark, seems to be working on his own most of the time, and his impression of iso;ation and ostracism affects him quite profoundly. The game of the title is an interesting concept, the twists and turns are legion and the ultimate revelations surprising.

Unfortunately I was unable to finish this book. It has been seriously lacking something for me and I don’t wish to write a bad review.

A man who refuses to give his name is being interviewed at Lancaster Police Station, he shockingly admits to killing eight people. This is all part of ‘The Game’ a chilling novel about atonement. The story is told by the players, the police interview and by DC Mark Flynn.

This is a really well written and compelling novel with an all too believable premise. This initially seems far fetched but then when you reflect on what ‘sins’ the players are atoning for such as trolling and cat-fishing then it suddenly doesn’t seem beyond the realms of possibility. It has a really good brisk pace, it’s full of suspense and tension and is very chilling in places. You can feel DC Mark Flynn’s frustration as he tries to make sense of what he learns and how to convey it to the powers that be so they believe it too. I like his character as he is dogged, determined and intelligent. The plot is a bit convoluted and complex so you need to pay attention but it’s clever and different which I like very much. This story encompasses a variety of themes from bullying to jealousy and rejection as well as misogyny and the quest for power. As the conclusion approaches I don’t feel too much of a surprise by the outcome but that doesn't mean to say it’s not good. It still contains plenty of tension as it reaches a resolution.

Overall, an original and pertinent storyline which makes for an immersive read.

With thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the arc in return for an honest review.

The Game - you receive a call, you need to follow the instructions or your secrets will be revealed...

The story begins with a man being interviewed in a police cell. He has been found with a woman’s body, but, suddenly starts to confess to eight murders.

There’s a police detective, meeting a woman for sex, seemingly wanting more from the relationship, but, does he? Does she?

What follows is a decent thriller that maintains interest throughout.

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

Veste is the kind of the slightly creepy, weird, twisted suspense mixed with crime novel and with this book he's delivered another!!
Dark and difficult to out down, a must read

* spoiler alert ** 3.5 stars


I sped through this book.
It was more than a little sinister... you get a call/text threatening to reveal your secrets... and to avoid that you play The Game.
Personally,I'd say just tell my secret.

The story led us all over the place,and I'm afraid I found it all too believable.
Power of the internet,and the warped emotions of slighted ones.

Fast paced and keeps you hooked to the end