In this game it’s kill or be killed…
A stranger has you cornered.
They call themselves The Host.
You are forced to play their game.
In it one person can live and the other must die.
You are the next player.
You have a choice to make.
This is a game where nobody wins…
A nerve-shredding cat-and-mouse serial killer thriller that will keep you guessing and reading into the night, perfect for fans of Adrian McKinty, John Marrs and Steve Cavanagh
My Thoughts
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
If you are looking for a chilling, utterly captivating thriller then look no further. The Players by Darren O’Sullivan is undoubtedly one of the best I have read to date.
‘The Host’ choses his players at random, then explains the rules of the game to them – either kill, or be killed. If the chosen players refuse to play by his rules, he will target those they love the most, leaving the selected players facing a moral dilemma like no other. As another game begins, we are left trying to unravel the mystery of who the Host is, and why exactly he is causing such chaos within this community.
This is when we first meet DI Karen Holt – an officer who is currently suspended from work pending and enquiry. Despite this, DI Holt is determined to help her friend and colleague Detective Howard Carlson solve the mystery of who is behind this crime before any more lives are lost to the twisted game the Host has created. Even though going against the rules of her suspension could end her career, DI Holt knows she cannot sit this case out.
The story is told from the varying perspectives of DI Karen Holt and the Host as a game of cat and mouse is played between them, both of them trying to predict the others next move. The way in which this story is told is compelling and gritty, and as the games are played I found myself on the edge of my seat waiting to see how it would all pan out. The morals of good, normal people are tested to the limits in this dark tale, as they are forced in to a situation that has them doing the unthinkable to try and protect those they love.
Darren O’Sullivan has once again provided us with an intense, unforgettable story that has you captivated to the very end. This is an absolute page turner, and one that I simply cannot recommend highly enough, you must read this book!.
About the Author
Darren O’Sullivan is the author of #1 bestsellers, OUR LITTLE SECRET, CLOSE YOUR EYES and CLOSER THAN YOU THINK. His latest, DARK CORNERS came out April 2020. His next. The Players, is due for publication in May 2021
When Darren isn’t writing, he is teaching english to vulnerable young people for a charity, directing theatre, or with his 6 year old, which is his happy place.
You can follow him on Twitter/instagram @Darrensully or on Facebook via his author page Darren O’Sullivan-author
*Thank you to Sian Baldwin at HQ and Darren O’Sullivan for providing me with an ARC of this book in return for my honest review. All thoughts are entirely my own and not influenced in any way.*
Victoria Wilks 