Jackie’s Reading Corner

SYNOPSIS

Four strangers are missing. Left at their last known locations are birthday cards that read:

YOUR GIFT IS THE GAME. DARE TO PLAY?

The police aren’t worried – it’s just a game. But the families are frantic. As psychologist and private detective Dr Augusta Bloom delves into the lives of the missing people, she finds something that binds them all.

And that something makes them very dangerous indeed.

As more disappearances are reported and new birthday cards uncovered, Dr Bloom races to unravel the mystery and find the missing people.

But what if, this time, they are the ones she should fear?

MY REVIEW

This is one of those books you don’t want to put down until you have finished it, it has you gripped from start to finish. For a debut novel it’s a great story keeping you engrossed and scared at the same time.

Four people have vanished after they each received a birthday card inviting them to play a game. Would you log on and play a game if you received an anonymous birthday card? Would you be at least a little intrigued? These people don’t know each other they are strangers. The police aren’t worried because they are all adults. Psychologist Augusta Bloom and her business partner Marcus Jameson who is ex MI6 are looking into the disappearance of one of the four. It’s not long before they realise there is more going on and it’s not something pleasant, they are becoming a part of the game.

I loved Augusta Bloom and Marcus Jameson. Bloom remains calm, cool and analytical whereas Jameson has a more explosive side. They complement each other well. The start of the book was a little slow but then it picked up and you are drawn in to the game. The tension gradually rises perfectly. Bloom and Jameson find themselves draw more and more into the game and not only have to rescue themselves but others as well.

But then there’s also teenager Seraphine’s story. Was she evil? Or was she just a bit lost and broken?

I think the story is quite cleverly written, after all how many of us fill in surveys online? We get them through all the time. It may just be little things like where would you go on holiday abroad or stay in the UK? Another might ask what tea we drink? Then what car do we drive? Before you know it all this information can be collated and manipulated into something sinister! They may know more about you than you know!

This is such a well thought out and brilliantly written book, and this is just the first with Augusta Bloom in I can’t wait to see what happens in the following book.

I give this ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️out of ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book is available now as an ebook and audiobook and as a paperback from the 12th December 2019.

I would like to thank #netgalley and #Black Swan Publishers for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.

THE AUTHOR

Leona Deakin started her career as a psychologist with the West Yorkshire Police. She is now an occupational psychologist and lives with her family in Leeds. This is her debut thriller.