The Game Is Murder Audiobook By Hazell Ward cover art

The Game Is Murder

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The Game Is Murder

By: Hazell Ward
Narrated by: David John, Sebastian Humphreys
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In this fresh and immersive murder mystery that riffs on crime classics, the reader is put in the role of the Great Detective, reinvestigating an infamous never-before-solved case from 1970s England.

You are invited to a very special murder mystery party. The game is simple: Listen to the witnesses. Examine the evidence. Solve the case. Be careful. Trust no one. All might not be as it seems.

If you agree to play the role of the Great Detective, you must undertake to provide a complete solution to the case. A verdict is not enough. We need to know who did it, how they did it, and why. Are you ready? Can you solve the ultimate murder mystery—and catch a killer?

A word of warning: Unsolved mysteries are not permitted. . . . Amateur Sleuths Crime Crime Fiction Historical Mystery Private Investigators Fiction Murder

Critic reviews

"There are puzzles for the reader to solve, frequent authorial intrusions, dozens of sly, knowledgeable references to detective fiction classics and unexpected twists galore...Ward’s book is so captivating that I eagerly kept turning the pages." –The Washington Post

"A high-energy mystery, both exclamation point and question mark – like Agatha Christie on amphetamines. Imagine a labyrinth packed with ninety-degree turns and spiralling staircases and art on the walls – and a ruthless guide addressing you directly from the page – and you’ve got a sense of The Game Is Murder, a striking, playful novel for neither the faint of heart nor the slow of wit.” –A.J. Finn, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Woman In The Window

"Move over, Anthony Horowitz. First-timer Ward has entered with a whodunit just as playfully meta as yours, though in very different ways." –Kirkus Reviews

"A postmodern puzzler that dares to pull apart every trope in the book – literally.” –Antony Johnston, New York Times bestseller and author of Can You Solve the Murder?

"Readers who love true crime podcasts, and entertainment of that ilk, will be drawn to this like armchair detectives to a streaming docuseries…The word ‘captivating’ doesn’t begin to capture the full breadth of this book…" –The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

“A significant achievement, packed with insight and invention, The Game Is Murder presents the reader with a fiction killing that seems to defy explanation. It is witty and remarkable and entirely unpredictable.” –Alex Pavesi, author of Eight Detectives

"Strikingly original, but with nods to Golden Age crime, it's an ingenious story of constantly changing perspectives. Different, clever, and highly entertaining!" –Guy Morpuss, author of A Trial In Three Acts

"Clever and unusual...What an intriguing start for this author!" –FirstClue Reviews

"Excellent fun, and perfect for anyone who loves Murdle." –The Bookseller
All stars
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I liked it in general, but I found some parts of the performance distracting. Maybe just me but a lot of the outside the story parts dragged on.

Interesting concept maybe too much

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This wonderful work has complexity and offers the listeners more layers than Sunday’s lasagne. The myriad voices were perfect. This does require your attention and maybe even a list of characters. This will be better if the listener can pay full attention - - it is not one to enjoy when exhausted or inebrated. In its own category - - self-aware and a lot of fun. I hope there is something like it again soon.

Wonderfully complex with tons of “meta” fun

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This was so much fun. I have pictures in my head of the author's "board" to keep this strsight.

Wonderfully meta!

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