I’m delighted to be hosting today’s turn on the Deadly Game blog tour and sharing my review of Matt Johnson’s amazing new thriller. But first a little bit about what Deadly Game is about… 

The Blurb

Reeling from the attempts on his life and that of his family, Police Inspector Robert Finlay returns to work to discover that any hope of a peaceful existence has been dashed.

Assigned to investigate the Eastern European sex-slave industry just as a key witness is murdered, Finlay, along with his new partner Nina Brasov, finds himself facing a ruthless criminal gang, determined to keep control of the traffic of people into the UK. On the home front, Finlay’s efforts to protect his wife and child may have been in vain, as an MI5 protection officer uncovers a covert secret service operation that threatens them all…

Picking up where the bestselling Wicked Game left off, Deadly Game sees Matt Johnson’s damaged hero fighting on two fronts. Aided by new allies, he must not only protect his family but save a colleague from an unseen enemy … and a shocking fate.

My Thoughts

Deadly Game is the second book in the Robert Finlay series, the first being Wicked Game. I have to confess to not having read the first book and I did worry initially that Deadly Game wouldn’t work as a standalone. I didn’t have to worry as Johnson has written the book in such a way that you get enough information about what happened in the first book making it easy to pick up and follow.

Police Inspector Robert Finlay has been assigned to a new team to investigate people trafficking and the sex-slave industry. This brings him, inevitably, into contact with a ruthless Eastern European gang intent on keeping their business going. This becomes personal when the life of a fellow police officer comes under threat. We learn that in the previous book attempts were made to take Robert and his family’s life and this threat has not yet fully diminished, leading you into a world of spies, terrorism and conspiracies.

The prologue draws you in immediately and sets the tone for the rest of the book. The tension you initially feel does not let up as Deadly Game twists and turns its way through to its dramatic and breath taking conclusion. The writing is slick and smooth with short chapters that tease and keep you turning those pages. I found myself muttering ‘oh my God’ frequently to the book. I could really see Deadly Game on the big screen, it would make a great movie!

Characters, whether good or bad, are really important to me in a book. Robert Finlay comes across as real and authentic, and Johnson has done a great job in creating a believable character. As ex-SAS and recently having had his and his family’s life on the line he is suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder. Despite the dark and frantic nature of the book, Johnson has portrayed this aspect in a sympathetic, knowledgeable way. It does not get in the way of the character, rather the subtle way it is dealt with adds to the character and those around him. Finlay is really likeable and I will definitely be following his story throughout the rest of the series.

There is so much going on in Deadly Game, and with dual storylines it could easily get muddled and confusing but Johnson pulls it off seamlessly. This is not your straight forward detective story and I really enjoyed the thread involving MI5 and MI6 which gives it a real edge. With conspiracies, cover-ups and doubts over who is to be trusted, Deadly Game is fast-paced and keeps you on your toes throughout.

Johnson has created a gritty and current novel dealing with, sadly, very real issues. It is disturbing yet credible and has a real intelligence behind it. Days after finishing the book I still find myself worrying about one of the characters demonstrating just how immersed you become in this book. I eagerly anticipate the next book in the series.

Highly recommended, Deadly Game is tense, topical, exciting and gripping. More than ‘just’ a detective novel it really packs a punch and leaves you breathless!

Published on 15 March 2017 by Orenda.

A huge thank you to Matt Johnson and Karen Sullivan at Orenda Books for the copy in exchange for my unbiased and honest review and for inviting me to take part in the blog tour.