‘Miss Marple meets Only Murders in the Building’ Jennie Godfrey

FIVE-STAR READER REVIEWS:
‘Such a fun read!’
‘My favourite book this year’
‘Fantastically done’

77-year-old Mimi is giving up her usual evening crossword and Gibson martini to attend her neighbour Jane Ireland’s extravagant auction party.

None of the other guests know that Mimi has been blackmailed into attending, which is why she ropes her granddaughter, Addie, into accompanying her.

As Addie spots celebrities in the halls of Jane’s grand old mansion and Mimi wonders how to confess the real reason for their presence, a scream pierces the air. Jane is dead.

And when the second body turns up, Mimi and Addie soon become the unlikeliest of sleuths as they race to narrow down the suspects.

In a house whose labyrinthine rooms are brimming withsecrets, it’s going to take more than a Gibson to survive the night . . .


PRAISE FOR THIS IS NOT A GAME . . .
‘Fabulous, over-the-top fun’ The Guardian

‘A delightful game of twists’ Chris Chibnall

‘Slick and witty’ Daily Mail

'Agatha Christie brought bang up to date' Clare Mackintosh

'Deliciously twisty' Lucy Clarke


'A thriller with a twist!' Cosmopolitan

'A quirky variation on Golden Age locked room mysteries with a modern zest of eccentricity and humour' Crime Time

'This locked room mystery delivers classic whodunnit drama along with a sprinkle of joy' i Paper

‘A grand finale reveal Poirot would be proud of’ Woman & Home

'A wonderfully vibrant take on the classic whodunit!' Kristen Perrin

'Crackles with wit and cosy crime goodness' Vaseem Khan

Slick and witty * Daily Mail *
Mullen debuts with an impressive closed-circle whodunit * Publishers Weekly *
A thriller novel with a difference * Cosmopolitan *
Fabulous, over-the-top fun * The Guardian *
Locked room murder mystery at its best * The i Paper *
Thrilling and heartwarming... This Is Not a Game is a playful mix of classic whodunnit and modern wit stirred to perfection * Criminal Element *
Despite the title, this is absolutely a game from the first word to the last * Kirkus *
A fun, atmospheric debut with sharp humour and classic whodunnit charm * Dead Good Books *
A quirky variation on Golden Age locked room mysteries with a modern zest of eccentricity and humour, US author Kelly Mullen’s debut is very much a crowd pleaser in the mould of the KNIVES OUT movie series * Crime Time *
A grand finale reveal Poirot would be proud of * Woman & Home *

Kelly Mullen has worked as a producer in Hollywood and as a marketing executive in New York and London. During the pandemic she took online writing courses through Curtis Brown Creative and The Novelry, which reignited her childhood passion for writing. She is the author of This Is Not A Game, which was inspired by a two-week stay at her grandmother’s house. A Murder in Eight Cocktails is her second novel.

As an executive producer, her credits include Academy Award-nominated Trumbo starring Bryan Cranston and Helen Mirren, and AppleTV+’s Dads produced with Ron Howard. Her creative work for brands has won more than 50 awards, including Cannes Lions and Clios.

Born and raised in Iowa, Kelly is now a dual citizen of the US and UK. She lives in London with her husband and their rescue cats.