This is an interesting little murder mystery with interesting well thought out characters.
Was enjoyable and would recommend if you like this genre or Agatha Christie style books!

This book was really quite good fun. A kind of cost mystery that for me, sat somewhere between an Agatha Christie mystery and a good old game of Cluedo. The only difference between the book and Cluedo is that there were more murders, and no-one was called plum, even if some of the characters often acted like one ... This is a locked room (island) mystery, with blackmail and subterfuge at it's heart, and a whole cast of characters who could have been ripped out of one of Christie's finest. Even the party the guests (and victims) were attending had a flapper theme to it. But in place of Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot we had Grandmother/Granddaughter team Mimi and Addie in a fight to the end to unmask a killer before one or both of them became the next victim.

The author has followed a tried and tested format with this book but it works really well here. The setting is perfect - Mackinac Island - which sits in the north of Lake Michigan and is generally closed to tourists during the winter season. And yes, that is pretty much where we, and our unwitting amateur sleuths, find ourselves in this story. And to make matters worse, a grand snow storm is heading towards the island making an already isolated location that little bit more remote. Not to mention the moat and drawbridge around the venue for the party ... When the hostess is found murdered, the guests are going to have to work hard to survive long enough for help to arrive. And with Mimi as one of the prime suspects, it's no wonder that she and Addie are so determined to work out who really dunnit.

I enjoyed how the author has brought the story together. With blackmail at the heart of everything, it's not really a surprise that the party takes a dark turn, but there are many laughs along the way. Mimi and Addie are really chalk and cheese, but work well together in this context. Mimi is a long term Mackinac resident who has great instincts and a way of putting people at ease even if she would rather be left alone. Addie is co-creator of a series of crime related computer games and between them, they have all of the smarts, if not the clues, to solve this particular puzzle. They were a fun pair to spend time with, if a little frustrating at times. Alongside some of the other party guests, they really made the read quite fun, particularly when watching Mimi interact with Veronique, whose abilities as a 'super smeller' come in handy in unexpected ways.

There were a few elements of the book that felt a touch convenient, the weather for example, but it didn't stop my enjoyment of the story. There is a lot of time spent on the set up, but the back and forth between the characters, especially our two leads, really made the book for me. Watching them puzzle through the various clues, especially as, much to Mimi's bemusement, Addie tried to relate them to the various stages and aspects of an online game, was quite addictive, and whilst few of the guests had redeeming qualities, and some were more obviously suspect than others, Kelly Mullen kept some of the key reveals under wraps and still delivered the odd surprise or two towards the end. And I'll admit to being a little curious about Mackinac now too. Maybe somewhere to think about as a future holiday destination?

A fun read with great lead characters that fans of cosier crime reads will enjoy.

This was a fun murder mystery that is description packed to help you guess what happened along with the characters. There was bits of humour that shined through which I enjoyed. It definitely was a little slow at times but definitely worth a read.

A great murder mystery with a brilliant twist. I loved our crime solving duo. It took a little to fully immerse myself into the story but once I was there I was hooked.

A cozy murder mystery novel with a modern twist. An enjoyable read but a bit difficult to get into if you only read a couple of chapters at one time.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK for the advance copy of this book.

Addie and Mimi are a brilliant crime solving duo! I would have loved to go to a murder mystery evening with my grandma as she had a love for crime books and shows that I share. It was probably the afternoons watching Murder she wrote and Poirot with my gran that started me off. Addie's relationship with her grandma isn't as close but she did have a lot of interesting memories and both her and Mimi did have troubled pasts. You can understand their dynamics more as the tale unfolds!!

Mimi is brilliantly fun and a little blunt. I like her character and think she's the sort I'd get on with. She has great instincts and is also I little feisty! She loves Addie and it's great to see their relationship improve as Addie works through an issue of her own.

There's a certain kinda fel to this that is reminiscent of the classic murder mystery books/programmes I've encountered over the years and I love the familiarity of that. You know the plot twists are coming and you look forward to the twists and turns. It's a fun read and I reckon would make a great series.

Good fun, a locked room mystery with wicked characters, secrets and lies. A light, quick read that passed the afternoon nicely!

I was drawn to this book by the premise; a cosy murder mystery with an older protagonist, a blackmail scheme and an amateur detective.
The plot moved at a steady pace and I enjoyed the ride.

This Is Not a Game is a very promising debut from Kelly Mullen. A cosy-ish mystery, reminiscent of those locked room mysteries from the Golden Age. 🗝🍸
This is not so much locked room as locked mansion. Throw in a party, a blizzard, a moat and drawbridge, secret passages, and a killer and you get a rather fun whodunnit. 🗝🔪
I loved Mimi, our Gibson drinking central character. Think sassy Jessica Fletcher, who likes a cocktail or three. 🍸
The rest of the dramatis personae are a mix of likeable and loathsome characters. All have secrets, and all of them are suspects. 🗝🔪
It took me a while to figure out who did it, thanks to a couple of well placed red herrings, but therein lay the fun. 🗝🔪
I thoroughly enjoyed this lighthearted, cosy mystery. Thanks to Random House UK and Netgalley for the digital ARC.
This title will be available on 24/04/2025.

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?!

⭑⭑⭑✩✩

~

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.

~

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.