Sheena's Review of "Bad Games"

Bad Games by Jeff Menapace

 

Book Summary

 

PARTICIPATION IS NOT AN OPTION...

 

The Lambert Family is heading to Crescent Lake, a rural cabin community in western Pennsylvania, for an idyllic weekend getaway. Some fishing, some barbecue, some games...

 

The Fannelli brothers are heading to Crescent Lake too. Some stalking, some kidnapping, some murder, definitely some games...though not necessarily the type of games the Lamberts had in mind.

 

But it doesn't matter. The Lamberts are going to play whether they like it or not.

 

An intense psychological thriller, Bad Games has the dark, mind-bending chills of The Bad Seed combined with the fish-out-of-water dread and suspense of Deliverance.

 

So let Jeff Menapace's highly anticipated novel keep you up all night as it delves into the mystery of nature versus nurture when comprehending the evil in man, along with the will and determination an innocent family must summon to fight back against horrific odds.

 

SHEENA'S REVIEW

 

Jeff Menapace has become one of my new, all-time favorite authors (and I don't say that lightly.) Bad Games is a million dollar lottery winner.

 

This man can WRITE. From the very first pages (ok, can we really say a Kindle has pages??) of this book, I was mesmerized.

 

His writing style reminded me of vintage Stephen King  (back in the day when I still loved King) ...when I would read anything he wrote and tune out the world because his words sucked me into another universe...kwim?? That's how awesome this book is.

 

Menapace builds a suspenseful story with believable characters you find yourself completely rooting for and liking.

 

I don't usually write a story synopsis in my reviews, but I will say this book is about a young family - mom, dad and two kids who unwittingly find themselves the focus of two psychopathic brothers (really psychopathic - these dudes are dark and twisted in a million different ways) and their struggle to survive them.

 

I was so into this story that as soon as I finished reading it, I immediately bought the second book, something I rarely do. (And have now bought the third, which came out just after Thanksgiving.)

 

I even transferred the novel to my husband's Kindle when we took a mini vacation with the promise that he would also be captivated - my husband ONLY reads when we go away and he's hanging out on the beach. He read it cover to cover in two days which is a record for him.

 

Awesome story. Awesome writing. I highly recommend Bad Games. Buy it. You won't regret it.