Bad Games - A Dark Psychological Thriller (Bad Games Series Book 1)

Havent read a book for a couple of years , couldnt put this down finished in 2 days will definitely read more of jeffs work

Also published on My Eclectic ReadsBad Games was my first encounter with Jeff Menapace and it won't be my last, of that I'm sure.The overall story is quite different from anything I have read for a long time and it was suspenseful and a little graphic. After realising the book was described as a horror I wasn’t sure how far I would get (horror stories aren’t my thing). Luckily what I did find was a brilliantly written psychological thriller about nature versus nurture and just how far mum and dad would go to save their children.The book started off a little slow to begin and I nearly stopped reading. However, I don’t like quitting with books and told myself just one more chapter. I’m so glad I did as things escalated pretty quickly soon after.The story follows Patrick and Amy Lambert and their two children, Carrie and Caleb. They are on their way to the family lakehouse in the woods when they have a bizarre encounter at the gas station. Several further strange occurrences leave Patrick and Amy feeling spooked and vulnerable. They try to put the unusual happenings behind them and continue with their vacation. However, things soon take a more sinister turn when the Fannelli brothers put their sick and twisted plan into action, leaving a trail of death as the go.The characters were developed perfectly and I connected instantly with the Lamberts. I thought the scenes between Patrick and Amy worked well to establish their personas. However, there were a couple of times when I did think that their actions were a little questionable. I was forced to wonder if they didn’t deserve what was about to rain down on them due to what, Patrick in particular, was willing to overlook.The Fannelli brothers were clever and evil in equal measures. They are testing the theory that genetics and environment having nothing to do with their sadistic tendencies and enjoying every minute of it.One thing that left me a little perplexed was the cliffhanger at the end. I was anticipating it by the final couple of chapters but wasn’t really sure what it achieved. I would maybe like to see this explored a little more.I love a book that makes me think, and this one did. As I was reading I was asking myself what would I do in the same situation? Would I be able to do what Amy did? At the end I was left with the big question: are serial killers the product of nature v nurture?Overall Bad Games is a good read for anyone who likes dark, disturbing novels full of suspense. I will definitely be adding the second book, Vengeful Games, to my TBR list as soon as I have some space.

Great read. First I've read of this author and I've bought the whole series (1-5) because the first one was so good.Characters are likeable and it's a good paced book you want to keep reading.

Couldn’t read this book it was too incisions, well written but definitely not for me.

Well, this is a little bit darker than what I normally choose to read. I admit I am a horror fan, but the lack of anything supernatural in this book (not much of a spoiler, I promise!) leads it to be a lot more disturbing than it might otherwise be. Not that that is a bad thing, exactly, just that I wouldn't recommend this book for people who find human cruelty to be upsetting in fiction. And let's be clear here: this IS fiction, and I don't agree with a couple of reviews here that are suggesting that the author is insane or unhinged. If anything, that reaction is a credit to their writing: they have put out a book about very unhinged and unpleasant villains, and it has disturbed people. I am sure that this was the intended reaction.Having said that, I didn't find the main characters in this quite right for me. I didn't 'bond' with them the way one needs to really get involved with a story. I found the male lead corny and uninteresting, and his wife was ok but somehow a bit flat. It did not make the book unreadable, just that it took a certain something out of it for me. I was more interested in finding out what would eventually happen to the baddies than in rooting for the goodies, so to speak!I would recommend this book, but only for those who are not squeamish or offended by violence. This is a story about dangerous psychopaths on a spree- so you have to be prepared for that. If that's not your thing, I would suggest finding another book. ;)

Usually I stay away from any books promoted on Facebook or Twitter (or any other social media) as they are usually self-published, with comments controlled by the author. But for some reason my attention was thin and I impulsively bought Bad Games by Jeff Menapace. It has "hundreds of five star reviews" on Amazon, most of which are by reviewers who have either reviewed one book or lots of unrelated products.Anyway, Amy and Patrick and their 2 children are travelling to Crescent Lake for a holiday when they meet an odd man on the way. And so begins a game of hunter and hunted. The man, is one of two brothers, Arty and Jim, who like to torture families for fun and the Lamberts are their new target. Initially I was reminded of the film(s) Funny Games by Michael Haneke where well-to-do families are tortured by two brothers which is genuinely disturbing. The only real differences Menapace brings to the plot here is that he gives the brothers motive and that the brothers remove the game to their own home.You know, this book does have it problems. It relies too heavily on gratuitous violence to set itself apart from similiar plots. The dialogue between Patrick and Amy is a little trite. It doesn't appear to have been proofread (have a look at the first four lines of chapter 27). There's about 5 too many chapters at the end. The title is truly simple and uninspiring. And yet despite this, it's an exciting read. I did want to keep reading to find out how the plot played out and I quite liked the finale. This is the kind of book you read on the beach and throw away at the end of your holiday. Apparently it's part of a trilogy, but my game ends here.

Good dark psychological thriller. Read it in one sitting because these type of books grab you like that. Shows what determination couple would have to protect their family.