If This is a Game, it's Pretty Lame... (Reviewing the mystery novel, The Game is Murder)
There’s something that feels really... squicky , about leaving a negative review. Regardless of what the something being reviewed is , any unflattering remarks reflect poorly on someone’s service, skills, manners, or—in the case of a book—their art... and that’s a hard thing to do (let alone, be the recipient of). Nonetheless, a not-so-great review has a purpose. It’s essentially a warning sign, letting others know to proceed with caution (and why). So consider this, at best, a triangular yellow yield sign... to stop, and look both ways, before proceeding with Hazell Ward’s The Game is Murder . From the synopsis, it sounded like a slam dunk. There were comparisons to Netflix’s Glass Onion and Agatha Christie. The promise of “razor-sharp twists” and “sly misdirection”. It’s also a period piece—set in the 1970s—which, in theory, put a cool, interesting spin on things. And, perhaps the most enticing, was the novelty o...