Book Review – All The Wicked Games By Lauren North

I first met Lauren North at Harrogate Crime Writing Festival and I’ve been fortunate to meet her a few times now. I have to say she’s one of the loveliest, most supportive authors I’ve ever met. My partner, Graeme, has read a number of her books and urged me to read one. I started with All the Wicked Games, but I’ve heard her books just get better and better.

The blurb:

Are you ready to play?

Best friends Cleo and Rachel spend their evenings pretending to be people they’re not, inventing elaborate stories to escape the monotony of their real lives. It’s all harmless fun – until they play the game on the wrong person…

It’s your move now.

Five years later, Cleo is still struggling to come to terms with the night that destroyed her friendship with Rachel and almost cost them their lives. And then she receives a text: Rachel is missing. Have you seen her?

There’s only one person to blame.

Wracked with guilt for failing Rachel the last time they were in danger, Cleo races to find her friend. But could the past be repeating itself? Only this time, they’re caught up in a far darker game.

The rules don’t matter when the goal is revenge.

My review:

I’ve always enjoyed psychological thrillers. Partly the reason is because I enjoy a page-turner that has lots of dark twists and turns. So All the Wicked Games was the perfect book for that. I always like to connect with the main character and I found myself being carried along with Cleo as she relates her story. I enjoyed the flashbacks and how the story switches between the past and the now, so we begin to build up a picture of what really happened.

Though, do we really? Lauren shows she knows how to wrong foot the reader exceedingly well, and to keep them on their toes until the very last page.

I already have two more of her books on my TBR pile and I can’t wait to read them.

19 responses to “Book Review – All The Wicked Games By Lauren North”

  1. I’m gonna buy it! I love psychological thrillers!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I love them too. I can’t wait to read the next one.

      Liked by 1 person

  2. Hi Esther, a lovely review. I’m well into Graeme’s book.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. That’s excellent, Robbie. I hope you’re enjoying it.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Very much. I like the homeless people angle

        Liked by 1 person

  3. Sounds like an exciting book!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It was a great read.

      Like

  4. nikidaly70 Avatar
    nikidaly70

    That looks soooooo good. Definitely adding it to my tbr pile. Thnaks for the recommendation! 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I’ve got some of her others on my tbr pile and they look fab. Hope you enjoy!

      Liked by 1 person

  5. That sounds like a great and very exciting book, and you wrote a very helpful review. She sounds like a great author. No wonder you want to read her books.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thank you, Thomas. She is such a lovely lady and a great author too.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. That is great to hear

        Liked by 2 people

  6. Sounds good! Thanks for the review!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thanks for reading, Dawn.

      Liked by 1 person

  7. With your great review and the blurb, this sounds captivating to me, Esther.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thanks, Tim. It is captivating.

      Liked by 2 people

  8. Thanks for the review, Esther!

    It does sound like an intriguing read. Congrats to Laurrn North!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thank you for stopping by, Resa.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Pleasure is mine!

        Liked by 1 person

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