This Is Not a Game

Paperback Published on: 29/01/2026
Price: £9.99
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Synopsis

Introducing your new favourite whodunnit. Perfect for fans of Gilmore Girls and Knives Out.

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.

Publisher information

  • Publisher: Cornerstone
  • ISBN: 9781804951606
  • Number of pages: 384
  • Dimensions: 197 x 128 x 23 mm
  • Weight: 268g
  • Languages: English

Customer Reviews

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This Is Not a Game
This Is Not A Game
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Mimi lives on an island called Mackinac quite happily. She keeps herself to herself and turns down invitations from neigh... READ MORE
Monica Hanna
This Is Not a Game
Fun murder mystery
This is an enjoyable locked room murder mystery with a duo of feisty protagonists. Mimi and her granddaughter, Addie are invited to a party by a local cel... READ MORE
Nicola Mackenzie-Smaller
This Is Not a Game
High praise for Kelly
This Is Not a Game is a locked-room cosy mystery involving a sassy and smart grandmother-granddaughter duo who must put their differences aside to solve a ... READ MORE
Blaise Alert
This Is Not a Game
PERFECT HOLIDAY READ
An enjoyable read. Loved the descriptions of everything from houses to Gibson’s ( thanks for the recipe) and of course all the characters. Easy to read and... READ MORE
Susan Bloomfield
This Is Not a Game
A new multi-generational sleuthing duo for your bookshelves
It's early November on Michigan's Mackinac Island, and 77 year old Mimi has been blackmailed into attending the scandalous Jane Ireland's auction at her is... READ MORE
Romie Petronzi
This Is Not a Game
Not for me
If I had not committed to reviewing this, I would not have read it to the end. The storyline is hackneyed. A group of people on an island for a party are c... READ MORE
Douglas Osler
This Is Not a Game
Tries too hard
Attending a swanky charity auction should be fun but for Mimi the only reason she is there is because she is being blackmailed. She brings along her grand... READ MORE
Jo-anne Atkinson
This Is Not a Game
Locked-room murder mystery.
This is a fun locked-room murder mystery set in the US. Although I didn’t especially like the granddaughter-grandmother duo of detectives, the plot, charac... READ MORE
AliceMaudMary
This Is Not a Game
For fans of Golden Age crime and the Golden Girls!
Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for ARC. Game developer Addie is at a crossroads: does she sue her former lover or not? She's grieving that bad b... READ MORE
Pauline McGough
This Is Not a Game
The host is murdered at a party on an island when a storm prevents the guests from leaving
Three and a half stars. Mimi is a septuagenarian living on Mackinac Island in Michigan, living her best life of bridge, crosswords, and the occasional G... READ MORE
Alison Robinson
This Is Not a Game
Cozy Read
A cozy and funny whodunnit with some great characters :) Perfect read for evenings by the fire. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance rea... READ MORE
maria smith
This Is Not a Game
Excellent!
A locked room mystery with a unique edge . Mimi is being blackmailed and she’s not a happy lady ! She is invited to an extravagant auction at a party he... READ MORE
Zoe Hitchen
This Is Not a Game
What fun!
"The mansion looked like a vampire's lair designed by Henry VIII." Septuagenarian Mimi is having a small blackmail problem and invites Addie, her (recentl... READ MORE
Janice Tangen
This Is Not a Game
This is not a game but really fun to play along.
A classy, twisty, glamorous locked room murder-mystery. Mimi and Addie (Grandma and Granddaughter) reunite to go to a swanky party at the local celebri... READ MORE
@itsreadingtimesomewhere
This Is Not a Game
A must-read for mystery fans!
I absolutely loved this - a fantastic locked-room whodunnit with an engaging modern twist in the video-game-inspired approach to puzzle-solving and a centr... READ MORE
G L
This Is Not a Game
A triumph of a story - current day locked room murder mystery with golden age vibe
Love, love, love this book. Locked room murder mystery set in the present day but with all the golden age vibes. The relationship between Grandmother and... READ MORE
Deborah Rayner
This Is Not a Game
BRILLIANT!
Thank you #netgalley for allowing me to read this BRILLIANT murder mystery! LOVED this book so much that I couldn’t put it down! The characters were all... READ MORE
Paula Claire Jones
This Is Not a Game
Interesting
Mimi is invited to a do at one of her neighbours who she as gone out of her way to avoid. She feels she has to go. She decides to invite her granddaughter ... READ MORE
Marcia Cyr
This Is Not a Game
Meta murder mystery game within a game
When does a murder-mystery become a game? When does a murder become a mystery-game? Whose in charge, the gamer or the murderer? Rosemary, Mimi to her fr... READ MORE
Denis
This Is Not a Game
Interesting read
Mimi is invited to a do at one of her neighbours who she as gone out of her way to avoid. She feels she has to go. She decides to invite her granddaughter ... READ MORE
Marcia Cyr
This Is Not a Game
Locked room murder mystery set in the present day but with all the golden age vibes.
Love, love, love this book. Locked room murder mystery set in the present day but with all the golden age vibes. The relationship between Grandmother and... READ MORE
Deborah Rayner
This Is Not a Game
locked room mystery and IT gaming
A locked room mystery, in effect, with the background a fancy dinner party in an isolated big house with all concerned either being, or involved in, blackm... READ MORE
Jacqui Huntley
This Is Not a Game
Couldn't put it down!
77 year old Mimi lives on her own on an Island in Lake Michigan. She is surprised to receive an invitation to a party hosted by her celebrity neighbour, Ja... READ MORE
Frances A Pearce
This Is Not a Game
A great whodunnit
This was a great whodunnit set in a locked house with lots of interesting characters. I loved Mimi and Addie and their relationship as they set out to inve... READ MORE
Cathu Sowden
This Is Not a Game
A nice cozy murder mystery
Set on the island of Mackinac, Mimi is sent an invite to an auction held by the wealthy Jane. However, attached to the invitation is a threat: bid on and b... READ MORE
L Hubb
This Is Not a Game
atmospheric and cosy read
Mystery Lies Secrets Betrayal And all before the final auction commences. "A scream pierced the air. They stared at one another for a moment, frozen and... READ MORE
Tarah Harvey
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
This Is Not a Game
Modern Agatha Christie!
Agatha Christie in modern form! This felt like everything I LOVE about a classic murder mystery, it grabbed my attention and held it the whole time, I coul... READ MORE
Emma Copland
This Is Not a Game
Fabulous debut!
Fab debut! I read this offshore and flew through it. It's a typical locked room murder mystery with enough twists and turns to keep you gripped throughout.... READ MORE
Stefani Duncan
This Is Not a Game
Delightful
This Is Not a Game by Kelly Mullen is a delightful, fast-paced mystery that blends suspense with wit, all wrapped up in a setting of wealth, glamour, and o... READ MORE
Marniefp
This Is Not a Game
Excellent
An excellent locked room murder mystery where the guests attending an exclusive party are being blackmailed. When the weather changes and the house is cut ... READ MORE
Lynn Houghton
This Is Not a Game
Fun cosy mystery
Mimi lives on Mackinac Island on Lake Michigan. She is grandmother to Addie and has looked after her since Addie’s parents died. Addie is now a gamer havi... READ MORE
Lynda’s Book Reviews
This Is Not a Game
This is not a Game
Well wasn't this a bit of a blast! We start with Mimi opening an invitation to a party which she really doesn't want to attend but kinda has to cos non-att... READ MORE
Ashrae
This Is Not a Game
A tense mystery
Addie is still in love with her ex-fiance Brian, but it is evident that he used her to get ideas for their co-created video game. Mimi, Addie's grandmother... READ MORE
Jim
This Is Not a Game
Five stars!
This Is Not a Game is a unique locked-room debut that weaves together a memorable intergenerational relationship and a gaming angle. Set against the backdr... READ MORE
The Secret Book Review
This Is Not a Game
Humorous murder mystery
A cost humorous murder mystery that just loses a bit of pace at times. Perhaps it could be defined as a modern day Agatha Christie story. Thanks to the pub... READ MORE
Richard Angrave
This Is Not a Game
Great story
This was a really great read filled with well written characters and witty dialogue. The pace was just right and the story kept me interested throughout. ... READ MORE
Jill Rogers
This Is Not a Game
Five Stars!
This Is Not a Game is a unique locked-room debut that weaves together a memorable intergenerational relationship and a gaming angle. Set against the backdr... READ MORE
The Secret Book Review
This Is Not a Game
a warm, nostalgic embrace of the genre, perfect for readers seeking a familiar yet enjoyable escape
voking the nostalgic charm of classic whodunits, this debut novel immerses readers in a traditional locked-room mystery. Set on Mackinac Island in the Grea... READ MORE
Brian Wilde
This Is Not a Game
Great fun, read it!
Good fun, a locked room mystery with wicked characters, secrets and lies. A light, quick read that passed the afternoon nicely!
Lindsey Watts
This Is Not a Game
Great read
Addie is a game designer with her partner Brian but when he tries to steal the company from her and profit from her ideas, she goes to visit her Auntie Mim... READ MORE
Cazb
This Is Not a Game
Locked room with a twist
A locked room mystery with a twist and a lot of blackmail. Mimi and her granddaughter are attending a party that neither wants to be at and they soon find ... READ MORE
Kerry Henderson
This Is Not a Game
Amazing thriller!
Loved this book! One of the best thrillers I’ve read in a long time. Had the feeling of an Agatha Christie with a modern take. If you like thrillers this i... READ MORE
Claire Coupland
This Is Not a Game
A fabulous mystery!
As a recent lover of closed-house murder mystery books, I was really excited to read this one. It was so much fun following Mimi and Addie work together... READ MORE
Chloe  O'Dowd
This Is Not a Game
Good locked room mystery
Set on a remote island in the middle of a snowstorm, in a locked mansion, murder occurs. It is down to Grandmother and Granddaughter duo Mimi and Addie to ... READ MORE
Rebecca McGrath
This Is Not a Game
Five stars!
This Is Not a Game is a unique locked-room debut that weaves together a memorable intergenerational relationship and a gaming angle. Set against the backdr... READ MORE
The Secret Book Review
This Is Not a Game
Great Book
A very enjoyable book. Mimi receives an invitation to a party but it also includes a blackmail letter. Nervous about going on her own she invites her grand... READ MORE
Douglas Howell
This Is Not a Game
A very enjoyable book.
Mimi receives an invitation to a party but it also includes a blackmail letter. Nervous about going on her own she invites her granddaughter, Addie to joi... READ MORE
Douglas Howell
This Is Not a Game
A cozy murder mystery novel
A cozy murder mystery novel with a modern twist. An enjoyable read but a bit difficult to get into if you only read a couple of chapters at one time. Than... READ MORE
Beverley Hearn
This Is Not a Game
A compelling cosy crime
Witty, whip-smart, glamorous and claustrophobic, This Is Not A Game is a dazzling locked-room whodunit. The story is set in a luxury mansion on Michigan’s ... READ MORE
Emma Alvey
This Is Not a Game
Murder and secrets
This story opens with an interesting plot line that grabbed my attention. Mimi, is retired and living in the beautiful setting of Mackinac island in the Gr... READ MORE
Anne T
This Is Not a Game
A love letter to classic locked-room mysteries
This is Not a Game was a full throttle locked-room mystery with a really interesting gaming angle that intersected perfectly with the plot. Add into the mi... READ MORE
Emily (ashortbooklover)
This Is Not a Game
Delicious, arch, mischievous
Cosy mystery meets killer in the house thriller with added game theory and crossword solving, PLUS intergenerational snarkiness, camp characters to the max... READ MORE
Huttson Lo