A Game of Lies: This reality TV show has a dark side... The twisty Sunday Times top 10 bestselling thriller (DC Morgan)

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Yet another Claire classic. This one with a great reality Tv theme (given all the respect it deserves), and with a plot that I suspect owes more than a nod to the influence of Columbo and Banacek. In de bergen van Wales gaat de nieuwe realityshow Exposure van start en de eerste aflevering start direct met een schokkende mededeling. De zeven deelnemers denken dat ze meedoen aan een survivalprogramma, maar de show draait daadwerkelijk om het ontmaskeren van hun diepste geheimen, geheimen die ze voor iedereen in hun leven verborgen hebben gehouden. Wie is bestand tegen deze immense druk? Welke deelnemers zullen de anderen proberen te ontmaskeren terwijl ze geconfronteerd worden met hun grootste angsten? Wie blijft als winnaar over en wint een enorm geldbedrag? And when a murderer strikes, Ffion knows every one of her suspects has an alibi . . . and a secret worth killing for.

What sets this book apart is its unique premise. While reality shows have become a popular subject in contemporary fiction, "A Game of Lies" takes the concept to a new level. The idea of contestants having to reveal their secrets adds an extra layer of tension to the story, and the fact that the secrets are guessed by their fellow contestants makes it even more interesting. The book explores themes of trust, betrayal, and the lengths people will go to protect their secrets. Finally, I do hope number three is underway as I can’t wait for my next dose of Ffion, Leo and Dave who hopefully will be less er, Dave!It’ll be my first visit to the famous Bert’s Books, in Swindon – and I can’t wait! Join me for a glass of a fizz and a chat about A Game of Lies. CHORLEYWOOD, UK: 25 SEPTEMBER 2023 Seven reality contestants are camped out in the Welsh mountains, for the reality show Exposure. Except when the game begins the rules change and the whole point of the game takes a turn that none of them see coming and it strikes terror in many of them. The next morning, one of the contestants is missing and a search begins, with Detective Morgan being one of the officers involved. Apart from that this was an excellent read. There were lots of contestants with valid motives for acting out, and if you pay close attention while reading the ending will satisfy you. I felt the author really had thought through how it all should play out, writing a plot that was watertight and where events made perfect sense when you were given the last puzzle piece. I also loved seeing what happened between Ffifon and Leo. The feelings and reactions they evoked from each other felt real. Wanneer er uiteindelijk zelfs een moord wordt gepleegd, weet Ffion dat al haar verdachten een alibi hebben. . . én een geheim dat het waard is om voor te doden.

Stranded in the Welsh mountains, seven reality show contestants have no idea what they’ve signed up for. This was a great thriller and a great commentary on reality TV. Excellent novel and I can't wait to read the next mystery in this series! One of the mysteries involving a contestant named Ryan highlights the fragility of mental health and how reality tv can make it that much worse. Also it brings into light, the delicate balance and need for entertainment for viewers while protecting contestants from mental breakdowns. The mystery itself is suspenseful and twisty, and I think I suspected almost every character of murder at one point or another … well, except for the actual murderer, that is. I also did not see the twist regarding the murderer coming at all.Let's not forget how, from the moment I read the first DC Morgan book, I fell in love with Cwm Coed, a small fishing town nestled between Wales and England. I adore the vivid, realistic characters, the peculiar, eccentric, complex family dynamics of Ffion (I adored her Mam Ellen Morgan and wished we could see more of her in this book), her unresolved feelings with her ex, and her fiery new love relationship with DS Leo Brady, which might be sabotaged by her own insecurities. Al snel na deze bekendmaking verdwijnt één van de deelnemers spoorloos van het terrein en wordt rechercheur Ffion Morgan belast met het onderzoek. Ze moet weer samenwerken met brigadier Leo Brady, met wie ze een geschiedenis heeft, en de duistere kanten van het programma komen naar boven terwijl ze informatie verzamelen en onderzoeken wat er gebeurd kan zijn. Wanneer er vervolgens een moord wordt gepleegd, zijn er veel verdachten en net zoveel alibi’s… maar wie vertelt de waarheid? Is er een geheim dat ten koste van alles moet worden bewaard? When one of the contestants goes missing, it’s awkward. Once the production manager is found murdered then they know they’ve got a problem. I love Ffion and her refusal to play by the rules, especially with the addition of an unruly rescue dog called Dave. Her will-they-won't-they-well-they-already-did-but-will-they-again relationship with English DS Leo Brady is also very believable and it's interesting to see how it plays out in the context of the investigation. Can't wait for book three! As for the setting, that is fantastic. You really do feel the Welshness via the language, the local characters and their roots and the area is beautifully described so it exudes atmosphere. It makes me want to jump into the car and get myself to Wales!

The characters in the book are well-developed and each has their own story to tell. The reader gets to know each of them intimately, and as the story progresses, their secrets are slowly revealed. The author does an excellent job of building tension and suspense as the characters' secrets are uncovered one by one. The reader is left guessing until the very end as to who the murderer is and what their motive might be.

COOKHAM, UK: 23 SEPTEMBER 2023

Overall, this one's definitely worth a read if you enjoyed the first book in the series. It's not quite as delightful as its predecessor due to Leo and Ffion's fractured relationship, but the suspenseful plot and solid writing make for an entertaining read nonetheless. 3.75 stars, rounded up. Op ongeveer de helft van het boek vindt er een moord plaats. Het verhaal wordt dus langzaam opgebouwd en er komen nogal wat verschillende personages op je af. Je maakt ook steeds sprongen in de tijd, dus je moet bij elk hoofdstuk goed kijken om welke dag het gaat én vanuit welk personage je leest. Soms vond ik dit een klein beetje rommelig. De vele zinnetjes in het Welsh hoefde voor mij ook niet zo. In the game of lies the main plot is centered on a reality show where the contestants applied under false pretenses. Instead of a survival show, they have inadvertently signed up for a exposure show, where you have to win to not having your secrets exposed. No wonder that this leads to a contestant disappearing, because some secrets are too dark to be revealed. Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2016, Cognac Prix du Polar Best International Novel