Kelly Mullen

Mix one old flame with a splash of suspicion for the perfect...murder. In the seaside haven of Carmel-by-the-Sea, Willa Keane’s marriage is in a rut. As a retired interior-designer-turned-influencer, she’s sure life begins at fifty-five, whereas her husband, Marty, is more interested in watching his beloved birds. So when Willa is invited to the opening of the chicest new cocktail bar in town, she hopes the evening will rekindle their flame. But arriving at the party, Willa is shaken to discover it’s being hosted by her charming ex-husband, Paul. The night is thrown into even deeper chaos when the bar’s enigmatic owner is found dead on the rocks below. A suicide message suggests there’s no foul play, but Willa’s heightened senses aren’t so sure. Now she must solve the mystery together with her husband…and her ex-husband. Can they find the killer before another victim is served their last cocktail?

‘Miss Marple meets Only Murders in the Building’ Jennie GodfreyFIVE-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

''Fabulous, over-the-top fun'' The Guardian''A delightful game of twists'' Chris Chibnall''Slick and witty'' Daily Mail_____________________________________Two unlikely detectives. A killer cocktail of suspects.A Gibson martini garnished with three silverskin onions is 77-year-old Mimi’s favourite cocktail. It is best served with a crossword puzzle, not as an apéritif at Jane Ireland''s extravagant auction party.But given Mimi has been blackmailed into attending Jane''s event, at a grand old mansion on Mackinac Island (Michigan’s answer to The Hamptons), there are worse drinks she could spend an evening sinking.Thankfully for her, she''s roped her granddaughter, Addie – who is escaping the heartache caused by her manipulative ex-fiancé – into accompanying her. While Addie spots celebrities and socialites in the manor''s labyrinth of dark rooms and Mimi wonders how to confess the real reason for her presence at the soiree, a scream pierces the air.Jane is dead.And when a second body turns up, Mimi and Addie soon become the unlikeliest of sleuths in a race to narrow down the suspects.In a house that contains as many secrets as the people within it, it’s going to take more than a Gibson to survive the night…_____________________________________More love for This Is Not a Game...''Miss Marple meets Only Murders in the Building. Entertaining from start to finish'' Jennie Godfrey''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 is locked-room murder mystery at its best’ i Paper ‘…A grand finale reveal Poirot would be proud of’ Woman & Home''A wonderfully vibrant take on the classic whodunit, This is Not A Game tackles the locked room mystery with warmth and humour, serving up a crime solving duo that I couldn’t stop rooting for. After finishing the book, I was craving three things - a visit to Mackinac island, a Gibson, and more from author Kelly Mullen!'' Kristen Perrin''Mullen’s debut introduces us to a sparkling new crime-fighting partnership: acerbic septuagenarian Mimi and her smart-as-a-whip granddaughter, Addie. In This Is Not A Game, the pair find themselves trapped together on an island mansion as murders ensue. Crackles with wit and cosy crime goodness'' Vaseem KhanThe Bookseller''s ''10 Titles not to miss in April'' pick__________________________Readers are raving about This Is Not a Game...***** ''LOVED this book so much that I couldn''t put it down... Please tell me there are MORE?!!''***** ''This was a fantastic and fun read!''***** ''This Is Not a Game is an absolute gem of a mystery! From the moment I started reading I was hooked...''***** ''A mysterious murder in a luxury mansion with two delightful sleuths - what more could you ask for?! This laugh-out-loud whodunnit had me reading late into the night, eager to know what happened next... A fantastic debut from Kelly Mullen!