An absolutely fantastic young adult book. Had me absolutely gripped from the start. I love the mystery and story that is being portrayed from the start. The fact the book is based around a VR game will definitely draw a lot of young readers in to this very interesting and intriguing book.
Would highly recommend

'Let's Play Murder' is a book unlike any other I've read before. It's deliciously dark and gripping, with a world I'd personally never encountered in fiction. This world? Inside a VR game.

As someone who doesn't play VR or have any knowledge about (or interest in) it whatsoever, those who know me were surprised when I told them I was reading this novel and greatly enjoying it. When I explained the plot, however, with protagonist Veronica and other players being trapped in The Game and forced to solve a murder mystery in order to escape, they understood my interest. After all, who doesn't love a twisted mystery? With this in mind, *please* consider reading this book even if you too don't care much for VR or science fiction. I found it truly fascinating and enjoyed learning about Virtual Reality, as well as experiencing it through the narrator's eyes.

Speaking of experiencing it, Kesia Lupo has a true gift for immersing readers in fictional settings! I truly felt like I was beside Veronica in the freezing cold snow, then inside a ghostly, bone-chilling mansion. All of my senses were appealed to - and creeped out - thanks to the vivid, detailed descriptions and polished prose. The writing is so clever and creepy though, that I would advise everyone not to read this before bed. (Unfortunately, however, I didn't take my own advice because I simply couldn't put it down!)

With plenty of cliff-hangers at the end of chapters, and page-turning plot twists (some of which I was THRILLED to predict!), there is a lot in this book to keep you hooked. The story is fast-paced with plenty of character exploration and very high stakes. The ending too is very satisfying and feels like a perfect end to the book.

A thoroughly enjoyable and gripping YA novel which drew me in from the very start. The context of VR did not spoil the story for me by being overly techy but instead was used to create an intriguing and ominous world. I loved the spookiness of the setting, the fear of being trapped in a game you couldn't get out of and the threat of unknown opponents.
I love a murder mystery at the best of times and really enjoyed this aspect to the story. The breaking down of the game added a whole new dimension, making this an edge-of-your-seat thriller/horror. The far reaching effects of VR gave lots of food for thought and, although some questions were left unanswered, I felt this added to the story rather than took away from it.
The mix of real characters versus NPCs was cleverly done and I engaged with Veronica and the high stakes involving her brother Max. A couple of the characters felt a little 2D but Charlie was strong and entertaining.
The story had a great structure. I loved the time limit on each floor and how it was framed by the rising snow in the windows. Each level led to a new section of the story with more clues relating to the murder mystery, increasing tensions within the group and spooky occurrences. The 80's vibe added to the atmosphere and I could see this making an incredible movie.
The twist at the end was great and really satisfying. I wasn't completely surprised by Veronica being an unreliable narrator but it was enough to pack a punch and build on the cleverly planted seeds. For me, this novel was gripping, fresh, different and executed brilliantly!

Oh my god! I devoured this! A group of people find a door in there VR games leading them to participate in The Game, a dark web creation. This murder mystery offers the once in a lifetime prize of your dreams coming true, a premise that everyone can want and relate to. From start to finish this book kept me on the edge of my seat with so many twists and turns, as a reader your suspicious of everyone and are trying to work out who done it! I was fully immersed and was shocked and in awe of its epic conclusion! I only wish the book was longer as this story deserved more detail!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me early access to this read!

The Game is a dark web virtual reality game unlike any other. The prize is to have your deepest and darkest wishes come true but, in order to gain them, you must first solve a murder and compete against other individuals before time runs out.

I loved the premise and, as the synopsis stated, it felt like an escape room plot with an Agatha Christie style mystery at its centre. I thought the dynamics of The Game were well introduced, aided by our protagonist's lack of knowledge about it. An early focus on the murder mystery was quickly developed as the set-up was addressed with enough information imparted to clue the reader up on what was occurring but without bogging them down in too much science or background knowledge.

As the primary characters' time within the game increased new developments occurred which split the focus between the mystery and the new, maturing ones. I became just as intrigued by these and was never quite sure who to trust or where exactly the novel was taking the reader.

This remained an interesting and immersive read. I did not feel truly bonded to many of the characters but, I believe, this was impossible to do given the many secrets all were hiding and the lack of trust each individual was able to provide the other with. Our protagonist remained one to root for until the novel's conclusion, where I was left open-mouthed and in awe of the final reveals placed there.