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Wednesday, February 11, 2026

 Finished: A Game of Lies (Mackintosh) The second book in a series about the investigations of Welsh Detective Constable Ffion Morgan. I really enjoyed the first one and this one was just as good! In the same small town of Cwm Coed, contestants have gathered for a reality survival who in theshow in  Welsh mountains. There are only a handful of them and they are each eager to outsurvive the other for the large money payout for the only survivor. When the first episode airs, everyone is watching the show, including the reluctant Ffion. There is a huge twist and shock to the contestants right off the bat. The smarmy show producer informs them on live television that this is not about survival at all....but about who can figure out everyone's dark secret before they figure out theirs. The secrets, ranging from bigamy, crossdressing, stealing school money, infidelity and more are each secrets that could ruin the life of the contestant back home if discovered. The secrets are kept in a locked, steel box. Each show there will be an accusation against someone whose secret a player thinks they know. If they are right, that person is eliminated. If they are wrong, the accuser must sit in the confession shack where items from there worst fears (spiders, snakes, water, etc.) will be piped in for three minutes. If they don't last, they will be eliminated. Needless to say, there is chaos in the camp when the cameras aren't rolling and a distraught contestant has gone missing. Enter Ffion to investigate what has happened and try to find him in the rough Welsh terrain. Also enter British Detective Leo Brady, who worked with Ffion to uncover the murder in the first book, and mayybbbbbe became a love interest? After acting on their feelings while the first investigation was going on, it was ambiguous at the end whether they would continue. We find out that Ffion, who has massive trouble showing her feelings, did not last in the relationship and bolted. She hasn't spoken to Leo in almost two years. And now, in he walks as the assigned lead investigator! I love reading about how each of them is so awkward and unsure, but still obviously have feelings for each other. We get to know a new detective named, Georgina (George), who Ffion finds annoying and cold, but ends up being anything but those things as she helps with the case. We get to know each of the contestants, the producer, the only camera man, the only assistant and the only security guard as well. And, we get to know all the secrets and see those families reacting! When the producer is found murdered in his editing room, the missing person investigation now expands to include a murder investigation. Everyone is a suspect! It's a fun story, reading how Ffion, Leo and George solve the crimes and reading about how everyone was impacted by their secret afterwards upon returnig home. And, especially seeing where the Ffion and Leo relationship stands at the end of the book! I will wait a bit, but definitely be reading the third installment. :-)

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