One house. Nine guests. Endless motives for murder...
In the seaside town of Hamlet Wick, nine guests assemble for a New Year's Eve party to remember.
The owner of Hamlet Hall has organised a murder mystery evening with a 1920s twist, and everyone has their own part to play.
But the game has barely begun when one guest is found dead - killed by a fatal injury to the head.
With no phone signal and no way out of the house, the others are trapped with a killer in their midst.
Someone is playing by their own rules. And in a close-knit community, old rivalries run deep...
My Thoughts
On New Year's Eve, hired actors, staff and guests gather at Hamlet Hall, the run down old manor house turned hotel, for a 1920s murder mystery evening. Following a nasty confrontation before the game gets properly underway, one of the guests is murdered and everyone in the hotel is a suspect. The victim was unpopular. As the story progresses, the reasons why are exposed. Also, details emerge of two other deaths that rocked the small community of Hamlet Wick and why the Hamlet Wick lighthouse was such a contentious issue.
I was looking forward to another historical mystery like Hindle's debut novel, A Fatal Crossing (my review) which I enjoyed very much. This latest offering has a contemporary setting which I wasn't expecting. I was hopeful that the 1920s vibes would surface as part of the mystery game. Unfortunately, they didn't; the game was scuppered before it even got started. However, there is a nod to the Golden Age of crime mysteries as the story makes use of the 'locked room' scenario and worked very well here.
None of the characters are likeable, although I did feel sorry for Will Hooper, the instigator of the murder mystery evening. Will had suffered a childhood trauma from which he hadn't recovered. Despite not wanting to draw attention to himself, he does just that when the clues in the mystery game cast suspicion on his intentions and he becomes the major suspect.
The murderer was easy to pick (not that the ambitious woman police constable did), so the reveal came as no surprise. My only question was how this person's identity remained hidden. The explanation, when offered, was simple and plausible.
I'm disappointed that this book wasn't what I expected. Nonetheless, it was a good read and held my interest to the end.
I have seen two reviews now of this book and you both say the same about how A Fatal Crossing was so good and this one was a bit of a disappointment. I want to read A Fatal Crossing so I'll start there. Too bad about The Murder Game because it looked like one I might like. Thanks for the honest review!
ReplyDeleteI rarely read books with a contemporary setting unless it is a dual time frame story. Historical fiction pre-1950 is my thing. Also, A Fatal Crossing kept the identity of the murderer well hidden and the twist at the end gave the book an extra punch. If I hadn't liked A Fatal Crossing, I'm not sure I would have picked up The Murder Game. I hope you enjoy both books.
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