Full review on my blog, August 29th:

I requested this one on a total whim while I was on a marathon thriller kick. I’m really glad that I did. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this half as much as I did, and I read the majority of it in one sitting. For all my sins, when I was a teenager I spent far too long on online chatting sites, so the ‘game’ that Rachel and Cleo played was both realistic and horrifying to me. The atmosphere of this book was unbelievably tense, making me increasingly anxious as Cleo tried to find her ex-best friend, the intense feeling of being watched coming through the text in a visceral way. That atmospheric feeling only got stronger as I got further in the book, and it builds to a crescendo in a fantastic way.

ALL THE WICKED GAMES has a past and present timeline, the present being Cleo searching for Rachel and the past being the events that led up to their friendship fracturing event. I liked the way that these were balanced. I didn’t feel like either storyline was being forgotten, and the way that we were fed information meant that I could start piecing together what was going on using both storylines as clues. Even with those clues, I was never quite sure what was going to happen next, and I loved how wrong-footed I felt during the last half of this book. I raced through to the ending so fast because I needed answers before I could sleep.

This is the only time I’ve ever regretted reading one of my ARCs so far in advance – because now I desperately need to talk about the ending of this book but I don’t know a single person who’s read it yet as of writing this review in May. The ending hit me like a punch, and no matter how much I thought I had unravelled of the mystery at the heart of this thriller, it still had more to shock me with. This is a pretty quick read, with all my favourite parts of the psychological thriller genre wound together in an impressive and unsettling way.

A page turner from the very first moment I read this book, I was unable to put it down. The storyline was engaging and kept me engaged. The characters were fantastic and very well written. So many twists and turns throughout the book. Every part of the book was engaging and I really enjoyed reading it. All together an amazing read

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my arc in exchange of an honest review.

The first half of this was very good, I liked the tension and the dual timeline and every character was intriguing in their own way. However, the tension kind of fell after the halfway mark and the pacing was kind of off during the rest. The ending wasn't my favourite either, it was sort of unrealistic and it didn't really feel satisfying. Overall a fun enough read though and definitely a quick one.

After reading Lauren's last book, I really expected a lot from this book and I wasn't disappointed. A very well crafted book with fantastic characters.

Lots of twists and turns. I really enjoyed this book and would love to see a movie or TV adaptation,

Brilliant!

3.5

Rachel is missing which sends Cleo into a panic and a gut full of guilt. According to Rachel’s sister Beth, Rachel was scared and “playing your game again“ and so Cleo agrees to help find her.
The novel backtracks five years to when Rachel and Cleo live together in a rundown house with rolling and rollout tenants. Their best friends both want to have the same dream job but are currently working in a shop which Rachel especially finds very dull. They start to play an online game, a dangerous one it seems and there’s a similarly dangerous one in the present day.

It starts well and I find myself very intrigued about what’s going on and definitely wanting to know more. The two timelines work well especially the present day where it’s as if Cleo is in conversation with the missing Rachel, through reminiscing she is seeking inspiration which may lead to her being found.

For about 75% of the book you can taste the fear they go through in the early timeline and sense the jittering nerves in the present day with the spectre of the past hanging over everything. It becomes clear that Rachel then and now are two entirely different people and it could be any number of people that are seeking payback.

There is tension and parts are very chilling especially as it’s clear several characters are barking mad which adds an unsettling feeling to say the very least.

However, although I can say I do enjoy most of the book it starts to feel too drawn out and the pace doesn’t pick up quickly enough for maximum impact. I’m very on the fence about the ending and having figured out part of it I find can’t entirely buy into it. I do enjoy the closing sentences which sends a shiver up and down the spine.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House UK/Transworld/Penguin for their much appreciate arc in return for an honest review.

Isn't this just the breath of fresh air!I absolutely count put this down. The plot is such a unique storyline and the whole thing is just so so well written. It keeps up a really good pace and builds that underlying tension beautifully. I loved that the plot is told from various perspectives and across multiple timelines and in this case, it's done in such a way that it never becomes confusing or blurry. It's still really easy to know who's story we're followjg and when. I just absolutely loved it. It's definitely been one of the best I've read recently

A different sort of novel for the author of One Step Behind and The Perfect Betrayal and a move away from those domestic crime scenarios.
If you like novels with multiple time lines/ points of views this is definitely one for you. While the subject matter and narrative style may be different from Lauren's other books, what it DOES keep in common with the author's previous work is the page turning style and twists. You may think you know where this one is going...and you may then find yourself a bit surprised.
The author does well in portraying and developing characters who aren't necessarily the most likable to begin with (either in their current lives or how we first find them) and slowly teasing out aspects of their lives to understand them (and what happened five years ago) little by little.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to receive an arc in return for an honest review.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book. Wow this book was absolutely brilliant the storyline was amazing and the characters where fantastic. Absolutely brilliant writing. I loved Cleo’s character. Definitely a 5 star read.

A page turner from start to end, sometimes frustrating. What will best friends who have been through near death experiences go for each other. The man who tried to kill them has came back. You do like to play games don’t you?
Thank you to Netgalley and Lauren North for the advanced copy of this book.

Great characters, great storyline. I kept turning the pages instead of turning off the light! This is one intense, twisted, dark and addictive novel! Not only is this a very well-written book with wonderfully-interesting characters, but the suspense builds at just the right pace as the story unfolds.

Best friends Cleo and Rachel live together in a shared house with little income and so they spend their evenings role playing on the internet. The portal they use (CamChat) is designed to allow 'guests' to remain anonymous and is totally random, or so it appears. Naively, they embellish their stories, thinking the rest of the 'guests' are doing the same and it is just harmless fun.

Five years later, Cleo receives a text from Rachel's sister asking for her help; Rachel has gone missing. Cleo is just about to embark on a cruise (she works as a beautician), but, as she has lived wracked with guilt since running out on her friend the last time she saw her, she feels compelled to help.

Cleo embarks on a hunt to find where Rachel has gone and comes across people from their past (several are complex & disturbing) so not necessary who they appear to be.

This is a dark, psychological thriller with twist after twist; I didn't see the last one ! I was totally engaged in the characters and the plot was well thought out and engaging. The varying timelines are easy to follow and enhance the story. All in all, a fabulous read.

Cleo receives news that her estranged best friend has gone missing. Instead of getting on the cruise ship she works on she returns to where she last saw her, a house share in Bethnal Green. Cleo and Rachel went through a lot together including a terribly traumatic event, so Cleo feels responsible for finding her.

The book is told in different time and character perspectives but it’s done very well and doesn’t become confusing. It kept my attention well even though I guessed the ending and I would recommend it to any thriller lover.

I really enjoyed reading this. The writing style was really easy and pleasant to read. The characters were fleshed out, realistic people and the dialogue felt natural.

The plot held my interest and the dual timelines were done well without being confusing. Both timelines were equally intriguing so I never got bored whilst reading. I did think the characters were a bit old to be playing silly games on the Internet, I think it would have been more believable if the lead characters were 18 or 19 rather than 24, but I suppose it isn't out of the realms of possibility!

I did guess parts of the ending but I wouldn't say that ruined my enjoyment at all as it was still fun to follow Cleo as she tried to work it all out. I wasn't a big fan of how the book ended but that is personal preference and others will love it. I feel like I need to give a special mention to side character Jan - she only featured for a few pages but her story broke me!

I would recommend the book as it was interesting and well-paced.

I really enjoyed this on the edge of your seat thriller it’s about two friends Cleo and Rachel who play games on line and pretend to be someone else with dire consequences.

After years apart Rachel goes missing and Cleo puts her life on hold to search for her friend which puts her in grave danger definitely a page turner and gripped me to the end and what an ending it was.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC

5 years earlier, best friends and housemates, Cleo and Rachael, like to spend Friday nights on Camchat, an online chat room. They starts playing ‘games’ by pretending to be other characters. Rachael starts obsessing with Camchat.
In present day Cleo is called from Rachael’s sister to advise she has gone missing and needs her help to trace her down. Despite not seeing or contacting Rachael in those 5 years, Cleo has a sense of guilt and obligation to help Rachael. Unbeknown to Cleo, someone wants to play a game with her and events soon take a sinister twist.
A really enjoyable and engaging plot, the different timeline and person perspectives were easy to follow and really felt an emotional attachment towards the characters. 5 stars to Lauren North.

Cleo and Rachel are best friends who spend their evenings pretending to be people they are not,they want to escape their boring lives all harmless fun until one night they choose the wrong person to play with.
5 years later Cleo is still struggling with what happened that night,it nearly cost them their lives and ruined their friendship.Now she needs to find Rachel because the past could be repeating itself but this time it's more deadly.
IF YOUR BEST FRIEND IS IN DANGER YOUD SAVE HER WOULDN'T YOU?
Really enjoyed the storyline it kept me gripped throughout,a chilling read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK Transworld Publishing for the ARC.

After playing games with strangers on an online video chat platform, things go terribly wrong for housemates Rachel and Chloe. The book follows the five-year echo of these events, interspersed with flashbacks. Rachel has gone missing, but the Police aren’t taking it seriously, so Chloe heads back to their old haunts to try and find her.

The story is anchored to Chloe but also shifts to other perspectives to expand the narrative beyond the protagonist’s view. Like all Lauren North novels, there’s a great deal of psychological tension. All the characters have things they’d rather hide, including Chloe. As the situation escalates the truth must come out for many of them.

North does an excellent job of building the tension as the puzzle pieces drop into place. The story grows in a natural fashion, with smooth gear changes that pull you along as things develop. There are enough signposts to hint at what’s coming next, if you’re a sleuth you might work some of it out; but this isn’t a detective novel so much as a thriller.

There are some proper dark moments that could have popped up in a horror novel, artfully incorporated and providing decent reader-empathy reactions. The amount of action, in retrospect, is rather impressive yet it never feels too rushed.

As with One Step Behind and Safe At Home, the characters are charismatic despite their cracks and chips. Even when Chloe makes bad calls, you can understand why she’s doing it and you’re cheering her on.

All the Wicked Games is a solid mixture, mostly a thriller but with co-starring roles from horror and detective fiction. The writing is high-quality as is the rendering of all the characters, even those who provide only fleeting roles. If you like things tense and edge-of-panic, this is a top choice.

Great story with so many twists and turns keeping you reading. Sometimes you think you have a handle on what is happening then there is a shift making you question it all again

The idea of this story was good but it was a slow read for me. Information was slow to come and it just wasn’t fast paced enough. The twists when they did come really didn’t surprise me asI ’d already worked out who was involved. I was disappointed with the ending. Others will probably love this book but it wasn’t the right book for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest and unbiased opinion.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cleo and Rachel were best friends 5 years ago but lost touch after they were victims of an attack. Prior to the attack, they were spending a lot of time on CamChat, an online service where you can video chat with random people. On their, they would make up stories about themselves. Now Rachel has gone missing and Cleo feels compelled to help in the search after leaving her friend following the attack. Cleo thinks Rachel may have been back in CamChat and that may have let to her disappearance.

This book was ok. I was sort of interested in what happened to Rachel but I didn’t really feel like we were getting enough new info quickly enough to keep me interested. I also didn’t think the truth about what happened really wowed me. Maybe I have read too many psychological thrillers and I can’t be wowed anymore but ultimately it was an ok read.