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Playing With Death

the terrifying new thriller from the number one bestselling author

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About this listen

 'This fast, furious, twisty thriller kept me on the edge of my seat' Chris Ryan

'If Stephen King had collaborated with Michael Crichton on a thriller, it might have been as good as this' Peterborough Evening Telegraph

A UNEXPLAINED DEATH

The discovery of a horribly mutilated corpse launches FBI Agent Rose Blake into a puzzling investigation. The victim was alone at home with no signs of forced entry. Who - or what - burnt him to death?

THE GAME BEGINS

Strips of rubber melted to the body emerge as evidence that the victim was wearing The Skin, an innovation that takes users deep into a virtual world.

ESCAPE OR DIE...

When a body with identical wounds is discovered, Rose realises that in the darkest corners of the Dark Web, a brutal killer is playing a deadly game. A game with no rules - and no mercy. To stop it, Rose must play too...

(P)2017 Headline Publishing Group Limited©2017 Simon Scarrow Crime Thrillers Mystery Police Procedurals Technothrillers Thriller & Suspense Women Sleuths Technology Fiction Game Thriller Scary

Critic reviews

This fast, furious, twisty thriller kept me on the edge of my seat (Chris Ryan)
If Stephen King had collaborated with Michael Crichton on a thriller, it might have been as good as this. It's a grab-you-by-the-throat page-ripper'
What starts as a gripping killer thriller morphs into a serious and frankly scary examination of the possible threats the development of AI poses for humanity
An edgy, pacy, futuristic and oh so very polished cyber thriller (www.trevtwinem.booklikes.com)
Grips you from the beginning and races to a most exciting and enigmatic ending (5 stars, www.crimesquad.com)
Praise for Simon Scarrow's novels:
'Scarrow's [novels] rank with the best'
Gripping... [Scarrow's] sense of plot and pace is strong
Intrigue, treachery and violence... intense action, beguiling characters and authentic detail
Top stuff
Gripping... Ferocious and compelling
An amazing roller-coaster of a ride... Fantastic... A cracking historical thriller (Manda Scott)
A fast-moving and exceptionally well-paced historical thriller
All stars
Most relevant
Good attempt by Scarrow to write something departed from the excellent Macro and Cato series. However while the concepts in this not-too-distant cyber thriller are interesting, the execution isn't great. There are some glaringly obvious plot 'twists' - 'Skin' being advertised in media, but none of the FBI guess that the victim is wearing one... As well as a few gaping holes in the story - Where did the fire that killed the first victim come from?

I don't read many crime thrillers, preferring historical fiction, but I was able to guess the majority of the story from fairly early on. Diva is an interesting 'character' though if Scarrow is planning to continue this into a series of books 'she' has far too much power. One phone call from Rose and pretty much any bad guy can be located...

In summary it was an interesting listen, but I won't rush to listen again. Back to Macro and Cato!

Average thriller with obvious plot

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