Reviewing: The Game is Murder by Hazell Ward

Read time: 2 minutes

📚 Genre: Meta-Detective Fiction
📖 Format: Paperback
⏳ Length: 464 pages | ~11 hours reading time

Book Blurb:

In The Game is Murder by Hazell Ward, a cryptic invitation draws strangers to a secluded manor for a deadly game. They must unravel complex puzzles to reveal the host’s identity—and stay alive. As clues deepen and alliances fracture, the boundaries between detective and suspect blur in a web of deception. Ward’s debut thriller offers a cerebral, high-stakes ride where every twist raises the question: who’s really in control? Can anyone outsmart the game’s mastermind, or will they fall prey to the ultimate trap?

Let’s talk about the book:

I went into this one expecting something along the lines of Murder in Tinseltown or A Most Puzzling Murder—a clever, cozy-style puzzle mystery. Instead, I stumbled into a very different beast: meta-detective fiction, a term new to me and clearly not my style.

This book is like a funhouse mirror, reflecting endless layers of “who’s solving what?” The plot zigzagged wildly—new players, shifting motives, rules that seemed to rewrite themselves. I wanted to sink into a juicy whodunit, but I felt like I was chasing my own tail, lost in a narrative that kept outsmarting itself. The story kept twisting and changing directions so many times that I found it difficult to follow or stay engaged. Rather than enjoying the puzzle, I felt increasingly lost and disconnected.

I hung on for a while, hoping for a breadcrumb trail to follow, but the constant curveballs left me exhausted. By the midpoint, I was torn: keep wrestling with a story that felt like a mental obstacle course or jump ship for something that didn’t demand a PhD in detective-ception. I chose to DNF, a rare move for me, but I needed a mystery that didn’t feel like it was gaslighting me. Meta-detective fiction might be a thrill for some, but it’s not my scene.

Would I recommend it?

The Game is Murder didn’t click for me. It’s bold and brainy, and I can see it wowing fans of intricate, self-aware sleuthing, but I found it too disorienting. If you prefer your mysteries with a clear path to the truth, you might want to skip this one. I’m retreating to my cozy crime nook instead.

What about you detectives?

Anyone out there love meta-detective fiction? Did The Game is Murder pull you in or leave you dizzy? Share your take in the comments—I want to know if this twisty tale won you over!

Find your copy here:

Amazon CA
Goodreads
Follow Hazell Ward on her author page