Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Great whodunnit with memorable characters. Would love to see more of Mimi and Addie

This was a great whodunnit set in a locked house with lots of interesting characters. I loved Mimi and Addie and their relationship as they set out to investigate the murder of their blackmailing hosts……

Three and a half stars.

Mimi is a septuagenarian living on Mackinac Island in Michigan, living her best life of bridge, crosswords, and the occasional Gibson martini. Then she receives an invitation to a Jazz Age themed auction party at Jane Ireland's extravagant mansion - the kicker is the invitation comes with a side of blackmail, Jane knows Mimi's secret and the price of silence is to buy a specific lot at her auction, no matter the cost.

Mimi has been estranged from her only living relative, her granddaughter Addie, since Addie started dating Brian. But when she receives the invitation/threat she knows she needs Addie's keen mind to help her ... at the very least she needs to tell Addie her darkest secret before it gets exposed.

When they arrive at Jane's party there's a motley group of guests, including Jane's son-in-law (who is also rumoured to be her lover), her brother, her life coach, a tv host, a famous artist, a pianist, a perfume creator (and there may be more). There seems to be a brittle atmosphere and Jane is seen arguing with guests at different times in the evening, before retiring to bed at just gone 9pm.

With the mansion's drawbridge raised and an extreme storm blowing in, the party are set to spend an uncomfortable night together, and then they find Jane's body and Mimi is accused of the murder. Can Mimi and Addie draw on all their resources to solve the mystery before more bodies pile up or the police can get onto the island from the mainland?

This sort of mystery harks back to some of the great locked room mysteries, all the guests (and staff) have secrets, most of them are also being blackmailed, some of the guests are co-conspirators, most of them are lying, the power has gone out and they are all trapped in the mansion which has lots of secret passageways (cue duh, duh, duh music).

I enjoyed this, I didn't guess the identity of the murderer and there were plenty of red herrings along the way. Maybe my only quibble was that it was a bit convoluted at the end.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

OK, this was a bit of a weird read, so I should make clear what to expect. You see, based on the title, and Addie’s occupation, I was expecting a something a bit… well, meta, I suppose. Something that invites the reader to play along, plays tricks with them, you know the sort of thing. And that’s not what this is.

Yes, there are plenty of references to Poirot, but to the utter delight of Brad at Ah, Sweet Mystery! it seems primarily to the TV programme, not the books. And who in their right mind would put on the dreadful adaptation of Appointment With Death to unwind?

No, what this is, is a fairly straightforward cosy murder mystery with a few modern mentions, notably to computer games, but at the end of the day, this is a grandmother-granddaughter teaming up to solving a crime in a situation where everyone should be panicking but mostly seem strangely relaxed.

At the end of the day, there were too many clichés without anything new being done with them. Fans of cosy mysteries will enjoy this – Addie and Mimi are pretty good company, especially Mimi – but just read it with your eyes open.

Attending a swanky charity auction should be fun but for Mimi the only reason she is there is because she is being blackmailed. She brings along her grand-daughter Addie, herself struggling with a lawsuit against her ex, but before Mimi can confess, there is a scream and their hostess is found dead. As the weather isolates the mansion and the body count rises, can Mimi and Addie solve the puzzle?
I really liked the modern update of the Golden Age of Crime Writing trope of the 'locked room' in this story and there are lots of references to Christie et al in the narrative. The cast of characters is varied and the story is moderately interesting but...I really felt that there was too much here and the actual plot seemed lost in the cleverness of it all. It's a jolly enough read but felt rather contrived.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Great whodunnit with memorable characters. Would love to see more of Mimi and Addie

77 year old Mimi lives on her own on an Island in Lake Michigan. She is surprised to receive an invitation to a party hosted by her celebrity neighbour, Jane. But the notes accompanying her invitation fill her with more than surprise; they fill her with fear. She is being blackmailed.
Recently Mimi's not been getting on well with her only grandchild, Addie, but inviting Addie to attend the party with her seems a good way of building bridges. Addie, a game designer, is glad to have a break from the misery of betrayal from her former partner and agrees to go to the party with Mimi.
They arrive as the snow is falling and join a mixed group of guests. In a theatrical move, the drawbridge across the moat is raised, cutting the guests off from the rest of the world. The scene is set for murder and when it happens, the guests discover that the earlier snow has turned into a storm and no-one can get through to them. It's up to Mimi and Addie to try to solve the murder.
I really enjoyed this book. If I'd had the opportunity, I'd have sat down and read it in one go. It is a real page turner and left me guessing who the murderer was right up to the big reveal.

This story opens with an interesting plot line that grabbed my attention. Mimi, is retired and living in the beautiful setting of Mackinac island in the Great Lakes. She receives an invite to a party and art auction hosted by her very wealthy neighbour. This seemingly pleasant invite though includes instructions to bid on a certain lot and threatens to expose Mimi’s secret if she doesn’t comply. Mimi is determined to face up to the challenge and invites her granddaughter, Addie, to accompany her.

The setting in an old house with secrets passageways is described in delightful detail with Mimi and Addie doing lots of exploring. The dialogue between the grand mother and grand daughter was well paced as they tackled the investigation and Addie’s background in video game design provided a different perspective on the situation. Some of the other characters I felt were rather weak and the dialogue a bit far fetched in that some were too quick in offering up critical information to the two amateur sleuths. Overall though an enjoyable light hearted cosy murder mystery.

A locked room mystery with a twist and a lot of blackmail. Mimi and her granddaughter are attending a party that neither wants to be at and they soon find they're not leaving. Then there's a murder and they decide to find the killer.

This was very much a cosy murder mystery with a modern Agatha Christie feel to it. I loved the location and the uniqueness of the locked room side of the mystery. I have to admit that I wasn't totally sure on the killer as I was too busy enjoying the ride to the big reveal. It made sense and its a recognised way but I liked it. The plot was simple and fun. Mimi is brilliant and I loved Addie too. The ending was perfect especially that very last scene with Addie. A fun light mystery.

This Is Not A Game is a lighthearted, cosy, locked-room mystery. I love a locked room mystery as it just adds to the tension throughout the story, and you get to know the characters well as they’re all stuck in one place together and secrets get revealed. This was the case in this story too, although there’s quite a few characters and I had to remind myself who was who a few times.

I absolutely loved the duo of grandmother and granddaughter Mimi and Addie, as they worked together to try and find out whodunnit. There was great banter between them and it was really lovely to see their relationship develop throughout the story. It was fun that, as the reader, I got to follow along with the clues discovered by Mimi and Addie and try to work out what happened. However, there were some good surprises and reveals along the way and I didn’t work out who the murderer was!

The book was well-paced and built up well to the ending, which I loved as the reader finds out whodunnit along with all of the other characters as a big reveal.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC of this book.

This is Not a Game was a full throttle locked-room mystery with a really interesting gaming angle that intersected perfectly with the plot. Add into the mix two engaging protagonists and plenty of secrets and you have yourself a recipe for success.

I loved the intergenerational feel of this book with the Gibsons drawn together by blackmail and eventual violence. Both Mimi and Addie have a lot going on in their lives which is magnified by the fateful events of Jane’s party. Their relationship is the beating heart of the book and makes it stand out amongst locked-room mysteries, especially as they both come under fire. Their investigation is as much to clear themselves as it is to find out the truth.

Mimi is sometimes unlikeable, snarky and slightly bitter, but incredibly observant about people and persistent in her sleuthing. She pushes against the Miss Marple gentle type of investigating often associated with older characters in the genre – she is brazen and nosy and takes no prisoners. Addie on the other hand takes a softer tact often but needs to grow her inner confidence, dented by the actions of her manipulative ex. Her background adds a meta layer to the plot as she developed a hugely popular detective game. It adds a layer to proceedings as she interrogates the conventions of the genre and relates it to her gameplay.

The actual mystery is well-constructed with plenty of twists and turns in store. It feels like a game unfolding before your eyes, but one where you get involved too. Mullen bursts out the gates with a bold and captivating debut. The writing has a cinematic feel to it, drawing on Mullen’s background, and would lend itself well to an adaption.

This is Not a Game is a love letter to classic locked-room mysteries with a meta twist and two protagonists that find a space in your heart. Count Mullen as one to watch.

This Is Not a Game is a suspenseful and utterly engaging mystery that had me hooked from the very first page. Kelly Mullen masterfully crafts a story full of intrigue, unexpected twists, and great characters that breathe life into every chapter.
The dynamic between the grandmother, Mimi, and her granddaughter Addie is the heart of the novel. Their relationship is authentic, warm, and laced with humor—a refreshing and emotional core that adds real depth to the story. I loved watching their bond evolve as they worked together to unravel the mystery.
The plot is tightly woven and incredibly well-paced, keeping me guessing the whole time. Just when I thought I had it figured out, another layer was revealed. It’s one of those books where you keep saying, “just one more chapter,” until suddenly it’s 2 a.m. and you’ve read the whole thing.
Mimi, with her sharp mind and unflappable poise, feels like a modern-day Poirot, but with a unique charm all her own. Addie brings a fresh, contemporary angle to the investigation, making them the perfect sleuthing pair—old school meets new tech in the best way possible.
This isn’t just a mystery; it’s a story with heart and substance. The depth of character development, clever plot, and emotional resonance make This Is Not a Game a standout. Highly recommend for fans of classic whodunits with a modern twist.

Mimi is a spritely 77-year-old who lives in a Hampton's like mansion in Mackinac Island, Michigan. She is visited by her grand-daughter Adele and together they attend Jane, (a neighbour's) lavish party, However, the night quickly turns to murder and the house guests are forced to stay overnight, waiting for the police. Mimi and Adele decide to play detectives.
A light hearted easy read.

Addie is a game designer with her partner Brian but when he tries to steal the company from her and profit from her ideas, she goes to visit her Auntie Mimi on Mackinnac island.
Little does she know what she's letting herself in for. When her Auntie asks Addie to accompany her to Nelson Manor to an event hosted by Jane Ireland, a local celebrity, all is not what it seems.
Life is set to mimic art so to speak when Addie swiftly finds herself embroiled in a real life mystery when one of the party guests is murdered.

Addie and Mimi set out to investigate. If you take a smidge of scooby doo, a cup of Agatha Christie and a dram of Nancy Drew you've got the perfect recipe for this book.

A charming and breezy whodunit that relies largely on its older-younger relative pairing, This Is Not a Game has some fun flourishes with classic board games and proves a warm and cosy if slightly forgettable mystery.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ (4/5)
High-concept, high-stakes, and wildly entertaining. This thriller blends reality TV, survival games, and psychological drama in a way that feels both timely and addictive. Kelly Mullen’s fast-paced style keeps the tension high right through to the end. A must-read for fans of The Hunger Games meets Black Mirror.

A cost humorous murder mystery that just loses a bit of pace at times. Perhaps it could be defined as a modern day Agatha Christie story. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

A classy, twisty, glamorous locked room murder-mystery. This is not a game but really fun to play along.

Mimi and Addie (Grandma and Granddaughter) reunite to go to a swanky party at the local celebrity’s mansion, where incidentally Mimi is being blackmailed. However the guests get more than they bargained for when the hostess is brutally murdered, the drawbridge (an actual drawbridge!) is stuck open and a thick snow storm is cutting off any rescue. Addie and Mimi need to come together and solve this puzzle before the next body drops.

This is a great, fun story! My favourite part is the setting! The old house filled with secret passageways and rooms was so well described and designed, it made me feel like I was exploring the house myself. I could see it that clearly.

I love the grandma/granddaughter combo and Mimi and Addie were so much fun as co-protagonists. There could have been more meat to their relationship but equally I really appreciate the author’s commitment to getting on with the plot.

Addie being a murder mystery games designer was a genius touch, it gave the whole story a new dimension and made it sort of self aware, but not in a pretentious way. The parallel between video game players and the reader in a detective story and how both participate in the story was just a really nice touch.

Highly enjoyed, and I can’t say more… you’ll need to play for yourself.

Thanks #Cornerstone and #Netgalley for my #arc

Well wasn't this a bit of a blast! We start with Mimi opening an invitation to a party which she really doesn't want to attend but kinda has to cos non-attendance will lead to her secret being exposed. She also has to bid for, and win a pricey item on the charity auction being held. Yup... we're talking blackmail. So she contacts her granddaughter Addie to accompany her, which also doubles to keep her mind off Addie's split with fiance Brian who not only dumped her but is also refusing to credit her in the video game they created together.
So together they attend the soiree, at the isolated house, on a remote island, reached only by an electric drawbridge, meeting their hosts. 70 odd year old narcissistic socialite Jane Ireland who is currently dating her own son-in-law, shock horror. Along with an eclectic mix of other guests, family and friends, most of whom do not appear to fit together, or even like each other. And with bad weather coming in...
What could possibly go wrong!?!?
Well... murder for one... But the Police can't reach them to help. And then the power goes out.
But, in Addie, Mimi has the perfect partner in crime to try and solve the mystery of what in the heck is going on... And then there's another body and time is running out.
While I really applaud the author for the story, the plotting, the mystery and puzzles, I really have to admit that this was marred for me a tad by the fact that I really didn't get on with Mimi. There was something there that just rubbed me up the wrong way right from the off. In fact I think I read the opening chapter a few times and put the book down for another before I eventually put my big girl pants on and really dug in. And I am glad overall that I did. I did like Addie better and thought she was quite helpful with cracking the puzzles although I found her a bit whiny at times, especially with the repeated mention of her video game creation skills. Yes, I got it the first time, thank you. They also felt a wee bit disjointed together, and more than just the stuff from their past, but that might have been by design.
But all that said, I did have fun along the way trying to second guess it all. I did and I didn't, let's leave it there, so apart from the already mentioned niggles, it was a good solid read that, on finishing, I discover to be a debut book. I would most definitely be interested in seeing what the author serves up next time. Even if it does turn out to be a series opener as I have been known to warm to MCs I initially disliked... My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

I really enjoyed this whodunnit which gave me TMC vibes. The story features two main characters, Mimi and her granddaughter Addie, who find themselves at a super fancy auction party. Well, Mimi has actually been blackmailed into attending and bidding, and has taken her granddaughter for backup. When the host turns up dead and nobody can leave because of the weather, the pair end up attempting to uncover the murderer.

I really enjoyed Mimi’s character in this book. She’s cantankerous yet classy, as well as being unintentionally quite funny. This book was a slower pace but I felt like it suited the story well. Can’t wait to see if these characters return in a future book!