Originally published: 31 March 2022

Author: Linda Calvey

Published by: Welbeck

Genre: Thriller

Length: 387 pages

Listening Dates: 30 Mar-2 Apr 2022

She built an empire. Now she needs to protect it.

From the dark underbelly of London to the scorching Spanish riviera, Ruby Murphy has built a crime syndicate to be feared.

When her husband is murdered in cold blood, she is devastated. But with a firm to run and a business partner to please, there’s no time for tears.

In Ruby’s world, family is everything. So when her beloved daughter gets into trouble, Ruby vows to protect her, whatever the cost. But who can be trusted, and who is out for blood?

Enemies are everywhere. But if you come for the queen, you’d better not miss . . .

Ruby is the head of an international drug cartel along with her extended family. Following on from the first book, The Locksmith, Ruby and her daughter Cathy are reeling from the brutal murder of her beloved husband Archie. Cathy has spent most of her life protected from the grittier side of her family business in expensive boarding schools. Not having the closest relationship with Ruby, they decide it is best she goes to spend some time with Ruby’s family in London to recover while Ruby stays in Spain to try and find out who is behind her husband’s murder.

I hadn’t read The Locksmith and I think if you can read it first, then it is well worth it although the back story is filled in here. It was strange reading about characters who are on the wrong side of the law, but I still really liked them. Sometime I found the story repeated itself but I could let this go because The Game was an exciting read. I loved Ruby – she is powerful and strong and ruthless and I loved that she wasn’t scared of anyone. She knows she could of been a better mother to Cathy but she thought she was doing the best by keeping her away from the family business.

Cathy’s story is hard to read – she feels betrayed by her family when she finds out some of the truths of what they have gotten up to and she ends up making some bad decisions.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Game. I liked reading about characters on the wrong side of the law who will do anything to protect their family and their business. An exiting read and I’m really hoping there is another instalment so we can find out what happens next to Ruby and her family.

Thank you to Maddie at Welbeck for the gifted hardback copy. Please check out what these other wonderful bloggers are saying about The Game!

About the author:

Linda Calvey has served 18 years behind bars, making her Britain’s longest-serving female prisoner. She moved to 14 different prisons, doing time with Rose West and Myra Hindley. But prison didn’t break her. Since her release, Linda has become a full-time author. Her fascinating memoir, The Black Widow, was published in 2019 and her runaway fiction debut, The Locksmith, in 2021.

Facebook: Linda Calvey the Black Widow