Games People Play is a mystery/thriller novel currently slotted for release in spring 2027, published by Rowan Prose Publishing.
The Blurb
Six random people. Five locked doors. Four secrets. Three days. Two dreams. One killer. And then there were none.
Six strangers are invited to a private island in the middle of Lake Michigan for an all-expenses-paid stay. The guests believe it’s too good to be true until someone is found dead on a jogging trail. Then, a guest vanishes overnight.
You may think you’ve read this type of mystery before.
You haven’t.
A well-known gaming company has invited these guests to playtest their board games on their private island. At first, the atmosphere is fun and lively, until each game grows more serious with higher stakes.
You may think you’ve encountered this gimmick before.
You haven’t.
Edwin Glasse, a former baseball player, is one of the gamers for the weekend. With each alarming event, he grows more concerned that he isn’t playing a game, but is a pawn in one. With the playtesters dwindling and suspicions rising, Ed considers revealing a horrible choice from his past. The other players are hoarding their secrets, too.
Perhaps onen of them really knows what’s happening on the island.
You may think you found a unique novel of suspense and terror in your hands.
You have.
A novel for fans of The Guest List by Lucy Foley and One by One by Ruth Ware, Games People Play will satisfy readers who enjoy thrillers, mysteries, and suspense.
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The Book
This adult thriller contains mysterious elements with isolation vibes. The games play a key role in the mystery. The question is are they planning a game, or is it playing them?
From the blurb above, you may think this is Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. While I love Christie’s masterpiece, it really wasn’t an inspiration. I admit, though, the novel hit the same notes. You may also wonder if it’s like the series Squid Game or the movies Would You Rather or Truth or Dare. Not exactly. The games are more of the “killer” than the contestants. Again, if you like the psychological horror of being trapped in a game, you’ll certainly like Games People Play.
Games People Play is what I call a “hard R,” meaning it has more profanity than your average adult book and about the same sex and violence as a typical thriller. Trigger warnings include racism, homophobia, misogyny, religious discrimination, torture, drug use, alcohol use, suicidal tendencies, gambling addiction, abortion, elderly abuse, depression, and abuse of the mentally ill. I realize this is a long list, and my purpose was and never will be trigger any hurtful feelings. These topics are not dwelled upon for a lengthy portion of the novel but used to show character depth.
The Games
In Games People Play, the imaginary PlayCo company develops family or adult board games. If PlayCo existed, this might be their catalog (i.e. you may find some of these games in the novel).
Murder!: Each player takes the role of a psychotic killer inside of a mansion and must hunt down the other players and murder them.
Bird Calls: You take the role of a birdwatcher. Each player receives a notebook and flips cards, looking for various species of birds. You select a natural habitat based on the clues about the bird. This game comes with an app to allow players to hear a soundtrack of bird calls as they play.
Stay tuned to this page for more about the novel Games People Play and PlayCo games.