This Is Not A Game by Kelly Mullen, a review [ad/gifted*]🔪

*thank you to @netgalley, the author and @penguinrandomhouse for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! as always, all opinions in this review are my own💕

i LOVED the premise of this book. a cosy murder mystery with an older protagonist, a blackmail scheme and an amateur detective? it sounded right up my street! and initially i felt like the beginning was going very well, i liked the set-up, i liked the characters and a winter setting seemed ideal for this kind of mystery. however, that is kind of where the positives stopped for me🫣

i don’t love to be negative about books but i do feel it’s important for me to be open and honest about books that don’t work for me and give my reasonings why. my main reason was that although this book should have been a relatively quick read, it took me a while to get through and the ending didn’t seem worth it for me! although it was a whodunnit kind of mystery, i found that i didn’t particularly find myself interested and that i would have needed a huge plot twist to make up for the slow pace, which i didn’t feel like i got. also, the characters seemed to bounce about a bit in terms of their personalities which made them feel less believable. unfortunately, the combination of these things just made this book not that enjoyable for me😢

rating: ⭐️⭐️ (2 out of 5 stars).

i do feel like if you like cosy mysteries, an in-depth mystery and some eccentric characters, you may enjoy this one a lot! unfortunately, it just wasn’t for me💗

this book will be released on April 24th 2025 in the UK!🗓️

I expected something pretty phenomenal from this book and although pleasant, I have to say I was a little disappointed.
The ‘suspect’ characters felt a little flat and it took me a long time to remember who was who which I consider a bad sign.
There was a lot of secret rooms and passages which always feels like a bit of a cheat.
It was fine but it didn’t blow me away and the final page felt really disconnected and just plain annoying. She chose a man over her career?!

⭑⭑⭑✩✩

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This was a fun little murder mystery, in places it felt like it dragged and maybe missing just that little something extra, but overall wasn’t a bad read. If you like this genre then id definitely say give it a go.

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Thanks to NetGalley and Kelly Mullen for the ARC copy 🫶🏼

Love, love, love this book.
Locked room murder mystery set in the present day but with all the golden age vibes.
The relationship between Grandmother and Grand Daughter is complex, flawed and so, so well written. The wit made me laugh out loud on more than one occassion. I have struggled to put Mimi and Addie's story down and gone up to bed early to carry on reading it.
A triumph of a story.
Highly recommend.

The blurb of this book is SO good. I was enticed into its pages by the promise of a really good murder mystery - a granddaughter along with her grandmother attempting to save the day by solving the murder, or murders, in this cosy crime thriller. It is set on an island in a freak snow storm where the weekend guests in the mansion house are snowed in with a murderer at large. Oh, and I forgot the power cut. What more could I ask for?

Unfortunately, the book didn't quite deliver. I found Mimi's attempts at witty repartee grated after a while. I didn't find the relationship between Mimi and her granddaughter, Addie, believable and there was little depth to the other characters.

Having pondered on my review, however, I've come to the conclusion that this might work better visually. I could really see it as a murder mystery on TV perhaps. It just didn't really work for me as a book. I do seem to be among the minority, however, as it has gone down a storm with a lot of other readers.

"This Is Not a Game" by Kelly Mullen is an interesting mix of a locked room mystery and gaming elements, offering a unique plot.
The story follows Mimi and her granddaughter Addie, who are invited to a party by Mimi’s neighbour on Mackinac Island. Mimi is compelled to attend due to a threat involving a long-held secret.
The plot maintains engagement and suspense throughout. However, the character development lacks depth, which may make it challenging for readers to relate to and connect with them.
Dialogue between Mimi and Addie sometimes appears forced and unrealistic.
At times, the pacing of the book slows down, causing certain sections to feel extended and less engaging. A more consistent pacing could help maintain the reader's interest.
Some plot twists are predictable, reducing overall excitement and suspense. Incorporating more unexpected turns could enhance the thrill.
Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley UK for the ARC.
3.5 stars rounded up

As a recent lover of closed-house murder mystery books, I was really excited to read this one.

It was so much fun following Mimi and Addie work together to try and find out who is murdering people. The pacing of the story was good - it was engaging and had enough detail to make me feel immersed.

The only negative about his book was the writing - the style was a bit all over the place, and Mullen did switch between American English and British English, which did take me out of the story a little.

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-arc.

This is Not a Game by Kelly Mullen is a fun closed-house murder mystery with a glamorous gothic setting and a compelling amateur sleuth duo. Mimi, a sharp and sophisticated 77-year-old with a taste for Gibson martinis, and her granddaughter Addie, who is nursing a broken heart, make for an enjoyable investigative pair. Their banter and chemistry add charm to the story, and the secluded mansion on Mackinac Island provides the perfect setting for a high-society murder.

The plot moves at a steady pace, with plenty of secrets, shifting alibis, and the requisite red herrings to keep readers engaged. The atmosphere is well-crafted, making it easy to picture the grandeur of the party and the tension rising as the body count increases. However, while the book is entertaining, the characters beyond Mimi and Addie feel somewhat one-dimensional, and the mystery itself is not as complex or surprising as it could be. The resolution ties things up neatly but lacks the punch of a truly jaw-dropping twist.

Overall, This is Not a Game is an enjoyable, light mystery that fans of classic whodunits will appreciate. It doesn’t reinvent the genre, but it delivers an entertaining ride with a likeable lead duo.

Good fun, a locked room mystery with wicked characters, secrets and lies. A light, quick read perfect for holidays.

Loved this book! One of the best thrillers I’ve read in a long time. Had the feeling of an Agatha Christie with a modern take. If you like thrillers this is a must read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an advance e-copy of This Is Not A Game by Kelly Mullen. 3.5 stars.

If you are a gamer and a mystery fan, this is definitely a book for you!

This was a fun locked room murder mystery with gaming elements weaved all throughout. Mimi and her granddaughter Addie find themselves stepping into the shoes of the likes of Poirot as they set to unravel a string of murders whilst attending an auction at a neighbour's mansion home.

From the introduction of Mimi, I found her a fairly unlikeable character; however as the story and her relationship with Addie progressed, I enjoyed her sarcasm and quips.
Each Mimi and Addie have their own stories going on, both of which I found enjoyable. However; not being a gamer myself I found the constant reference to game play throughout quite irritating and at times felt it was crowbarred in to remind us Addie is a games developer, rather than in adding to the story overall. The mystery itself also felt a little unrealistic, but I enjoyed it none-the-less and I liked the setting of Mackinac.

This Is Not A Game is not a good book either. The first thing that hits you is that the writer can't make up her mind to write in UK English or US English. Drove me bonkers, first of all autumn then fall, then back to autumn and back to fall again as an example. Erratic spellings. The characters are very flat and don't seem to connect to each other. This is so far removed from Agatha Christie as it's possible to be. It's always worrying when this comparison is drawn. The plot had too many holes you could drive a double decker bus through. Poorly written, not much content. Could easily have been a short story. Couldn't even make up it's mind as to whether it was set in 2025 or the 1950s. Frankly, boring

Murder, martinis, and Mimi - what more do you need?

*This Is Not a Game* is such a fun book, think Cluedo & cocktails! Mimi is our fabulous 77 year old who attends a cocktail party with her granddaughter Addie and the bodies start piling up. Mimi and Addie have to trade cocktails for clues and figure out who’s bumping people off before they’re next.

The best thing about this book has to be Mimi & Addie together. Mimi is sharp, she’s funny, and she’s got that grandma energy that’s totally iconic. Addie’s more grounded and emotional, and their dynamic together is super sweet.

If you’re into cozy mysteries with grandmas, high-society drama, and the occasional cocktail inspiration, *This Is Not a Game* is 100% worth a read.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC and I hope there is more to come from Kelly Mullen!

Thank you for the opportunity to review this ARC of "This Is Not a Game". Set on a remote island in the middle of a snowstorm, in a locked mansion, murder occurs. It is down to Grandmother and Granddaughter duo Mimi and Addie to solve the murder.

I really liked this book overall, it gave me vibes of Agatha Christie's "And then there were none" but wasn't a copycat of it. I was intrigued throughout who the murderer was and it kept me guessing with subtle clues along the way as to who it was, so it wasn't a huge surprise at the end. I liked the gamer references and it felt almost believable in a silly kind of way.

I did find some of the character relationships a little farfetched and didn't like how distant the relationship between Mimi and Addie was as it became a bit unbelievable that they would work together if they didn't get on very well.

Overall a cosy-ish mystery, with lots of intrigue, well developed characters and a good plot

A very enjoyable book. Mimi receives an invitation to a party but it also includes a blackmail letter. Nervous about going on her own she invites her granddaughter, Addie to join her. Set on the island of Mackinac (pronounced Mackinaw) a fierce storm blows in. When the host is murdered, Addie, who is a developer of a successful murder mystery computer game, starts to investigate. Although it is a 'And then there were none' type plot, the characters are eccentric and written with a humour. Everyone has something to hide so with each interview more lies are revealed. It's an easy read and I read it over a 24 hour period. I look forward to more by this author.

Unfortunately this wasn't for me, I found the writing style hard to get into and the story lacking. The characters fell flat and the story was similar.

It's early November on Michigan's Mackinac Island, and 77 year old Mimi has been blackmailed into attending the scandalous Jane Ireland's auction at her isolated mansion, which she's co-hosting with her son-in-law (who's also her lover). In a bind, Mimi ropes in her heartbroken granddaughter Addie to attend the auction with her. But also in attendance are numerous other frenemies of Jane's, including the unlikely named Jim Towels. But as the storm takes hold, and the auction starts, so too do the murders. Soon Mimi and Addie find themselves the prime suspects, so both being puzzle fans they decide to turn detective to find the guilty. In doing so they discover that Mimi isn't the only blackmail victim, not by a long shot.

Although a murder mystery, this book was so funny, with some definite laugh out loud moments. The mansion shut off from the rest of the island by a moat, with the storm and the rising body count, and a cast of characters, almost all of them with something to hide, gives off And Then There Were None vibes. Add to that it's many secret passages which helps to increase the tension. You then have Jane Ireland, the 70-something narcissistic socialite, who's understandably estranged from her only child for having an affair with her son-in-law, both of whom have their own secrets. And then there's the relationship between Mimi and Addie, recently strained due to a falling out, who have to work together to bridge the generational gap and investigate the murders, and in doing so they start to see and appreciate the other's point of view.

This was really good, and I recommend it when it's published on 24th April.

I found this book really hard to read as the writing style felt like it was going to be set in like the 40s to 60s but then with the mention of fitbits you know this is set in present. So for me it felt odd reading.

Irascible grandma brings her game designer daughter to a dinner party and murder ensues. There's a moat with a raised drawbridge and a snowstorm, so the guests have little to do but mingle, bitch, and worry about who's next.
The various guests and staff are well-drawn, even the house itself has secrets, and it all adds up to a lot of fun - even with the necessary video gamesplaining for anyone who isn't a gamer (I am, and I would play the heck out of Murderscape).

I usually enjoy a locked room murder mystery having cut my teeth decades ago on Agatha Christie and thought with the side interest of modern day virtual reality murder games this would be a great book. Unfortunately I found it very slow going with two dimensional characters and the dialogue was so unrealistic which made reading it like wading through treacle. I did consider not finishing it, but pressed on to the end, which was supposed to be like a Hercule Poirot denouement but was more of a damp squib.