What do you think?
Rate this book
Game Players
When a gang of six children playing in their den in the woods spot a man burying drugs nearby, it marks the beginning of the end of their childhoods.
Unsure what to do, the children dig up the drugs and take them away. But when the dealer, who they watched bury the stash, shows up dead, the youngsters are thrown into turmoil.
Scared of what might happen, the children tell the police about the body they have discovered.
Meanwhile, a group of gangsters start searching for their missing drugs.
Soon the children and their families become the target of the vicious criminals who will stop at nothing to retrieve their narcotics…
Unsure what to do, the children dig up the drugs and take them away. But when the dealer, who they watched bury the stash, shows up dead, the youngsters are thrown into turmoil.
Scared of what might happen, the children tell the police about the body they have discovered.
Meanwhile, a group of gangsters start searching for their missing drugs.
Soon the children and their families become the target of the vicious criminals who will stop at nothing to retrieve their narcotics…
250 pages, Paperback
First published May 18, 2018
191 people are currently reading
228 people want to read
About the author
Anita Waller
48 books470 followersI live in Sheffield, UK. I am retired and have recently fulfilled my lifelong ambition of becoming a published author with Bloodhound Books.
I am married (almost 50 years to Dave) with three children and seven grandchildren.
I am a patchwork and quilting tutor as well as a writer.
My first book was Beautiful and my second, a sequel to Beautiful, is called Angel.
I am married (almost 50 years to Dave) with three children and seven grandchildren.
I am a patchwork and quilting tutor as well as a writer.
My first book was Beautiful and my second, a sequel to Beautiful, is called Angel.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
June 3, 2018
Gritty, menacing, and meticulous!
Game Players is a well-paced police procedural that introduces us to a ruthless mob boss, a relentless police officer, amateur criminals, flawed parents, and a tight-knit group of six innocent children whose inquisitive nature will unintentionally trigger a chain of catastrophic events that will lead to a trail of dead bodies.
The writing is dark and intense. The characters are secretive, impulsive, and in over their heads. And the complex plot told from multiple perspectives interweaves into a compelling story with lots of twists, turns, surprises, violence, and murder.
Overall, Game Players is an intricately woven, engrossing mystery with lots of action and a great cast of characters that is highly entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable.
Thank you to Bloodhound Books for providing me with a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at https://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
Game Players is a well-paced police procedural that introduces us to a ruthless mob boss, a relentless police officer, amateur criminals, flawed parents, and a tight-knit group of six innocent children whose inquisitive nature will unintentionally trigger a chain of catastrophic events that will lead to a trail of dead bodies.
The writing is dark and intense. The characters are secretive, impulsive, and in over their heads. And the complex plot told from multiple perspectives interweaves into a compelling story with lots of twists, turns, surprises, violence, and murder.
Overall, Game Players is an intricately woven, engrossing mystery with lots of action and a great cast of characters that is highly entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable.
Thank you to Bloodhound Books for providing me with a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at https://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
July 11, 2018
GAME PLAYERS by Anita Waller is an engaging crime fiction novel about how the lives of six children and their families can change through the consequences of their action…on one fine summer day.
When a gang of six children playing in their den in the woods spot a man burying drugs nearby, it marks the beginning of the end of their childhoods. The Gang of Six as they liked to be called include:
1)Mark Brownlow-Twin-Sole-Leader (11 ½ years old)
2)Dominic Brownlow-Twin-Second-in-command (11 ½ years old)
3)Freya Brownlow-Sister (9 years old)
4)Ella Johnston-Freya’s best friend (9 years old)
5)Sammy Walker-likes Freya (11 years old)
6)Daryl Clarkson-Sensible one, smart and most important one in the gang as he kept them alive.
Their lives will be forever changed!
But what should they do? Dig up the drugs and turn them over to the police, since the police station is close to their hidden den.
Unsure what to do, the children dig up the drugs and take them away. But when the dealer, who they watched bury the stash, shows up dead, the youngsters are thrown into chaos.
The children are so scared now and tell the police about the body they have discovered.
In the interim, the gangsters start searching for their missing drugs.
Soon the children and their families become the target of the vicious criminals who will stop at nothing to retrieve their narcotics…
In this novel, the children’s characters are at the forefront, and the reader gets to get to know each character’s personality in detail. They are all different and each have an important role to play in this novel. This is a dark creepy fast-paced domestic thriller that keeps you guessing throughout. I highly recommend this read and can’t wait to read more from this author.
Many thanks to Bloodhound Books via Netgalley for my copy.
When a gang of six children playing in their den in the woods spot a man burying drugs nearby, it marks the beginning of the end of their childhoods. The Gang of Six as they liked to be called include:
1)Mark Brownlow-Twin-Sole-Leader (11 ½ years old)
2)Dominic Brownlow-Twin-Second-in-command (11 ½ years old)
3)Freya Brownlow-Sister (9 years old)
4)Ella Johnston-Freya’s best friend (9 years old)
5)Sammy Walker-likes Freya (11 years old)
6)Daryl Clarkson-Sensible one, smart and most important one in the gang as he kept them alive.
Their lives will be forever changed!
But what should they do? Dig up the drugs and turn them over to the police, since the police station is close to their hidden den.
Unsure what to do, the children dig up the drugs and take them away. But when the dealer, who they watched bury the stash, shows up dead, the youngsters are thrown into chaos.
The children are so scared now and tell the police about the body they have discovered.
In the interim, the gangsters start searching for their missing drugs.
Soon the children and their families become the target of the vicious criminals who will stop at nothing to retrieve their narcotics…
In this novel, the children’s characters are at the forefront, and the reader gets to get to know each character’s personality in detail. They are all different and each have an important role to play in this novel. This is a dark creepy fast-paced domestic thriller that keeps you guessing throughout. I highly recommend this read and can’t wait to read more from this author.
Many thanks to Bloodhound Books via Netgalley for my copy.
July 3, 2018
They are called the Gang of Six. Six youngsters around the age of 10 or so. Friends one and all. They have fashioned a hide-away in the woods. They think they're safe since the police station is within a few minutes away.
But it's not as safe as they thought. As they sat whiling the time away, they happen to see a man burying what looks like drugs very close to their hideaway. Not sure what they should do, they decide to dig the bags up. They'll decide what to do with them later.
The next day, they stumble across the man, a drug dealer, who was hiding the drugs .. only he's dead with his throat cut. Scared out of their minds, the kids report the body to the police ... after making sure they all have the same story. There's no mention of the drugs.
But someone is searching for those drugs and will stop at nothing to get them back.
That summer will see these kids lose their innocence ... maybe even their lives ... when the children and their families become the target of the vicious criminals
In the beginning, this has a feel of STAND BY ME to it. But as the story progresses, it's gets much darker, much more dangerous. As characters go, the kids are fantastic... almost too much so. They are best friends, and they all take care of each other. Some of the parents merit an honorable mention, some don't.
The story premise is a good one, although the ending didn't quite meet my expectations. There are several twists and turns that I didn't see coming, and kept me glued to the pages.
Many thanks to the author / Bloodhound Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
May 20, 2018
The age of innocence, children running free, playing in woods, building dens over the long six week holiday from school. And then they witness one man’s actions and things never be the same again.
I loved the camaraderie between the six children. It’s a proper gang that run together, causing mischief and playing in the woods. Such a contrast with the cutthroat nature of the set up of the gangsters. The Sheffield mob are not afraid to cut one of their own loose whereas the Gang of Six have each other’s backs no matter what! I was really rooting for the gang to get through all of this and I will admit there were a few gasps and hand to mouth moments as I read.
This is the first book I’ve read by Anita Waller and it won’t be the last. I was lucky enough to meet the author last October and hear her read from 34 Days which piqued my interest in her books. Many of my bookish friends have read her novels and rate them highly so I’ll have to get myself some to read, starting with 34 Days!
This is a very gritty read. This might sound weird but it was very Yorkshire and it’s meant as a complement. I could hear the locals in the story sounding just like the people I know from the City of Steel. Yorkshire folk are a hard and loyal bunch and the author has captured this perfectly in the Gang of Six despite their young age. Add into the mix, the ruthlessness of the gangsters and you’ve got a cracking crime thriller.
I loved the camaraderie between the six children. It’s a proper gang that run together, causing mischief and playing in the woods. Such a contrast with the cutthroat nature of the set up of the gangsters. The Sheffield mob are not afraid to cut one of their own loose whereas the Gang of Six have each other’s backs no matter what! I was really rooting for the gang to get through all of this and I will admit there were a few gasps and hand to mouth moments as I read.
This is the first book I’ve read by Anita Waller and it won’t be the last. I was lucky enough to meet the author last October and hear her read from 34 Days which piqued my interest in her books. Many of my bookish friends have read her novels and rate them highly so I’ll have to get myself some to read, starting with 34 Days!
This is a very gritty read. This might sound weird but it was very Yorkshire and it’s meant as a complement. I could hear the locals in the story sounding just like the people I know from the City of Steel. Yorkshire folk are a hard and loyal bunch and the author has captured this perfectly in the Gang of Six despite their young age. Add into the mix, the ruthlessness of the gangsters and you’ve got a cracking crime thriller.
May 1, 2018
Anita Waller is an author whose books I never quite know what to expect. She has a knack of shocking and horrifying me. Obviously I mean that in the best possible way.
The story definitely has a sense of Stand By Me by Stephen King about it. I think because the story heavily features the children characters which isn't always that usual in this genre of book. It certainly made it even more appealing.
Daryl was my favourite out of the children. He hasn't the best of home lives and he takes it upon himself to be one of the more responsible elders in the group. The others look up to him and I had a real emotional connection with Daryl.
Some of the characters surprised me and had me changing my mind in how I felt about them. This is what I love about this authors books as she has you thinking one way only to send you hurtling in a different direction. Even though there maybe children in the book, it certainly isn't one you would want your child reading!
Game Players has to be one of my favourite books by this author. There is a certain amount of foreboding and I could feel my heart racing the further into the story I got. A tense and thrilling read that I couldn't devour quick enough to see how it was going to end. Loved it!
My thanks to Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
The story definitely has a sense of Stand By Me by Stephen King about it. I think because the story heavily features the children characters which isn't always that usual in this genre of book. It certainly made it even more appealing.
Daryl was my favourite out of the children. He hasn't the best of home lives and he takes it upon himself to be one of the more responsible elders in the group. The others look up to him and I had a real emotional connection with Daryl.
Some of the characters surprised me and had me changing my mind in how I felt about them. This is what I love about this authors books as she has you thinking one way only to send you hurtling in a different direction. Even though there maybe children in the book, it certainly isn't one you would want your child reading!
Game Players has to be one of my favourite books by this author. There is a certain amount of foreboding and I could feel my heart racing the further into the story I got. A tense and thrilling read that I couldn't devour quick enough to see how it was going to end. Loved it!
My thanks to Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
May 19, 2018
When I was younger I loved reading The Famous Five and The Secret Seven. Game Player reminded me of these stories, but an adult version.
I started this book one morning and ended up reading it in one sitting. I couldn’t put it down. It’s a captivating read about how one summer can change the lives of six children and their families.
This is an engrossing read that I pretty much inhaled. I highly recommend this read and can’t wait to read more from this author.
I started this book one morning and ended up reading it in one sitting. I couldn’t put it down. It’s a captivating read about how one summer can change the lives of six children and their families.
This is an engrossing read that I pretty much inhaled. I highly recommend this read and can’t wait to read more from this author.
May 27, 2018
When a gang of six children witness something from inside their den, little do they realise how much what they decide to do next, will affect all their futures.
As with other books I've read by Anita, she leads you down one path, and then, as is the case with this story, leads you a different forest path! I really liked the introductions to all six of the gang. Their personalities then shone through their relationships with each other. Each child had a role to play in the group and it reminded of a bit of my childhood.
What happens next didn't happen in my childhood thankfully! The tension builds nicely as the children and their families find themselves in danger and when the number of deaths starts to increase both the parents of the gang and the police beginning joining all the parts of the puzzle together.
How everything is all tied together is done really well. I do sense there could be a possibility of a follow up to this story - which I'd definitely read. A great suspense thriller.
As with other books I've read by Anita, she leads you down one path, and then, as is the case with this story, leads you a different forest path! I really liked the introductions to all six of the gang. Their personalities then shone through their relationships with each other. Each child had a role to play in the group and it reminded of a bit of my childhood.
What happens next didn't happen in my childhood thankfully! The tension builds nicely as the children and their families find themselves in danger and when the number of deaths starts to increase both the parents of the gang and the police beginning joining all the parts of the puzzle together.
How everything is all tied together is done really well. I do sense there could be a possibility of a follow up to this story - which I'd definitely read. A great suspense thriller.
June 5, 2018
Thank you again NetGalley! Six young school kids form a “Gang” and spend their time building a Den in the woods and hanging out there...just typical kid stuff. While hanging out in their Den, they spot someone hiding something in the woods. Of course they become curious and dig it up, choosing to keep it a secret. This one choice starts a chain of terrible consequences, that not all six kids make it through. After a few surprise twists, it starts getting exciting.
The ending wasn’t a big surprise, but I did stay up half the night to finish it! The children were all very likable and I even started to feel sorry for some of the “bad guys”. I definitely recommend it if you’re looking for a quick read with murder, drugs and thugs. This is the first book I’ve read from Anita Waller. I’ll admit I had trouble decifering some of the quirky sayings and unknown words (to me, anyway), but it added a little humor to the seriousness of the story. #GamePlayers #NetGalley #Amazon
The ending wasn’t a big surprise, but I did stay up half the night to finish it! The children were all very likable and I even started to feel sorry for some of the “bad guys”. I definitely recommend it if you’re looking for a quick read with murder, drugs and thugs. This is the first book I’ve read from Anita Waller. I’ll admit I had trouble decifering some of the quirky sayings and unknown words (to me, anyway), but it added a little humor to the seriousness of the story. #GamePlayers #NetGalley #Amazon
May 17, 2018
This is a good book which centres around a group of six children who cone across some drugs in the woods, and then a dead body.
They work out a plan for the drugs but the next day when they find the body they realise they must tell the Police.
The Police start investigating the death of the local man but the children still have the drugs hidden.
I understand they were unsure what to do but the loss of these drugs gets some nasty people interested in them and soon disaster strikes.
This is a good read which I flew through in a few hours.
Thanks to Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
They work out a plan for the drugs but the next day when they find the body they realise they must tell the Police.
The Police start investigating the death of the local man but the children still have the drugs hidden.
I understand they were unsure what to do but the loss of these drugs gets some nasty people interested in them and soon disaster strikes.
This is a good read which I flew through in a few hours.
Thanks to Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
May 18, 2018
Well the synopsis definitely did the job for me, it did not however prepare me for the journey contained within its pages and the emotions I would go through reading this story. Be prepared to put everything on hold when you pick up this book, for me it was a “one sitting read” a book that I could not put down.
The six children are a close-knit group and it was great to read a story about a group playing outside, making dens and basically building the bonds of a strong friendship. They definitely have each others backs and this really shows when they discover not only bag of drugs but then a body. They discuss the stages of what they will do and the possible outcomes of their actions. They did not however discuss every possible variable or outcome and I can say that I didn’t envisage the route this story would take.
This fast paced story had me with my heart in my mouth as I read how their childhood innocence was taken from them, the author has injected real emotion, feeling and absolutely shocking story lines within its pages as I read.
The children are fundamental to this story in making this story a really great read. The plot is twisted and although I am not going to give any details, believe when I say you will be horrified, shocked and if like me you really get into a story you will also go through the wringer. It is easy to follow and also quite detailed.
This for me was a book I absolutely loved. It had crime, mystery, suspense and murder that was wrapped around the story of six children and their families as well as a community. It showed the bond of friendship and how decisions they made were for their own justifiable reasons. This is an absolute Highly Recommended read from me.
The six children are a close-knit group and it was great to read a story about a group playing outside, making dens and basically building the bonds of a strong friendship. They definitely have each others backs and this really shows when they discover not only bag of drugs but then a body. They discuss the stages of what they will do and the possible outcomes of their actions. They did not however discuss every possible variable or outcome and I can say that I didn’t envisage the route this story would take.
This fast paced story had me with my heart in my mouth as I read how their childhood innocence was taken from them, the author has injected real emotion, feeling and absolutely shocking story lines within its pages as I read.
The children are fundamental to this story in making this story a really great read. The plot is twisted and although I am not going to give any details, believe when I say you will be horrified, shocked and if like me you really get into a story you will also go through the wringer. It is easy to follow and also quite detailed.
This for me was a book I absolutely loved. It had crime, mystery, suspense and murder that was wrapped around the story of six children and their families as well as a community. It showed the bond of friendship and how decisions they made were for their own justifiable reasons. This is an absolute Highly Recommended read from me.
September 15, 2018
Another catch up. Oh dear there are so many but I'm determined to do it. One day I'll thank myself when I'm ancient and can't afford to buy books any more and I'll be looking through what I have to see what's worth reading again.
A group of six kids, 9-11 years old are whiling away the summer days In a little hideout they have built in the little woods near their homes and, incidentally, the police station. The hideout is very well hidden. One afternoon they see a man burying a rucksack nearby? Interesting! They decide to dig it up and find drugs inside. So instead of taking them straight to a parent or the police they decide to hide them until they work out what to do. This put me off right away, it was a dumb thing to do.
Anyway, when they go back to the hideout the next day they find the man who buried the drugs brutally murdered in the same clearing. They tell the police but don't mention the drugs. That's right, they still don't mention the drugs. From there things just escalate for the kids and their families. While the kids were great characters and solid friends their choices seemed all wrong. They made a bad decision which led to more bad decisions and I'm not sure I buy it. i may still buy another book from this author however as there still lots to like in this one.
A group of six kids, 9-11 years old are whiling away the summer days In a little hideout they have built in the little woods near their homes and, incidentally, the police station. The hideout is very well hidden. One afternoon they see a man burying a rucksack nearby? Interesting! They decide to dig it up and find drugs inside. So instead of taking them straight to a parent or the police they decide to hide them until they work out what to do. This put me off right away, it was a dumb thing to do.
Anyway, when they go back to the hideout the next day they find the man who buried the drugs brutally murdered in the same clearing. They tell the police but don't mention the drugs. That's right, they still don't mention the drugs. From there things just escalate for the kids and their families. While the kids were great characters and solid friends their choices seemed all wrong. They made a bad decision which led to more bad decisions and I'm not sure I buy it. i may still buy another book from this author however as there still lots to like in this one.
May 20, 2018
WOW! ANITA HAS DONE IT AGAIN. What a bloody brilliant, outstanding, captivating story. This has to be a new favourite author for me, she just knows how to hook me left, right and centre! Loved Game Players. Anita comes up with the best stories I promise you. After Captor I had high hopes but this tops it!
A well deserved five stars from me and highly recommend. Game Players will be going into my top 20 of 2018! Brilliantly written, a fast paced read which is easy to devour. Brilliant. Would love to see this story turned into a film.
Six innocent children in the wrong place at the wrong time… I felt sorry for each child and what they went through, but I loved the relationship between the group and how they all stuck together. Children taking on grown up decisions should not happen, I reckon they handled the situation as best they could.
A well deserved five stars from me and highly recommend. Game Players will be going into my top 20 of 2018! Brilliantly written, a fast paced read which is easy to devour. Brilliant. Would love to see this story turned into a film.
Six innocent children in the wrong place at the wrong time… I felt sorry for each child and what they went through, but I loved the relationship between the group and how they all stuck together. Children taking on grown up decisions should not happen, I reckon they handled the situation as best they could.
May 6, 2018
Six children playing outside in the woods see a man burying a package. They recover the package, only to discover it contains drugs. Many people begin to search for the missing package and before the end of the novel, several people have died. This is one that held my interest. I appreciate the publisher and Net Galley for the opportunity to be an early reader in exchange for my fair and unbiased review.
May 6, 2018
Once again the author delivers a story so twisted it is brilliant. Fantastic characters and a story that doesn't let up ,you couldn't ask for more .
May 31, 2018
This was my first book by Anita Waller. You have a group of kids, friends, doing what all kids should do over the summer - playing. Until they witness a crime and their lives get flipped upside down as they try to do the right thing. It's a situation no kid should be put in. It's a nice story about friendship and a community shook up from drugs and murders. I kept waiting for a big twist or turn in the story. Something to make this more of a thriller than just a decent story about friendship, murder and drugs. There was no guesswork on who the bad guy was, no big shocker of an ending. It was a good story, the author did a great job with character development, I just didn't see the "thriller" aspect of this book. Having said that, it is a fast read, and if the author decides to continue the story, I would be interested to read what happens next.
My thanks to Bloodhound Books and Anita Waller for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My thanks to Bloodhound Books and Anita Waller for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 19, 2018
This is the first book by Anita Waller I have read and I’m pleased to say I really enjoyed it.
It’s what I would describe as a gentle thriller as I felt it was more character than action driven. It reminded me a little of the film stand by me, as it had a touch of a coming of age story to it.
I loved the setting of the woods. I grew up playing in the woods and making dens with my friends so I enjoyed the descriptions of the children’s innocent games as it took me back to my childhood. The Gang of Six are a beautiful creation that I hope the author writes more stories about. I found that I really cared about them and therefore felt more involved in the story as I cared about what happened to them. I really wanted to be part of their gang, involved in their games and investigations. They are really close, good friends and I wish I had such friends in childhood.
This is one of the first books I’ve read when I actually felt sorry for the drug dealer. Vinny seems, underneath everything, an ok guy whose just got into something way over his head. He’s a criminal with a conscience which is quite sweet to read about.
This isn’t an overly fast moving book but it is a hugely enjoyable one, mainly because of the characters the author has created. The action alternates between the children and Vinny, the drug dealer, which gives the reader more of a holistic view of what is happening and helps to add to the tension as you are aware of what is happening before the other side.
This is the first book by Anita Waller I have read and I’d be very interested to read more from her in the future, particularly if she was to write another story with the gang of six in it.
Huge thanks to Sarah Hardy and Bloodhound books for my copy of this book and for inviting me onto the blog tour.
It’s what I would describe as a gentle thriller as I felt it was more character than action driven. It reminded me a little of the film stand by me, as it had a touch of a coming of age story to it.
I loved the setting of the woods. I grew up playing in the woods and making dens with my friends so I enjoyed the descriptions of the children’s innocent games as it took me back to my childhood. The Gang of Six are a beautiful creation that I hope the author writes more stories about. I found that I really cared about them and therefore felt more involved in the story as I cared about what happened to them. I really wanted to be part of their gang, involved in their games and investigations. They are really close, good friends and I wish I had such friends in childhood.
This is one of the first books I’ve read when I actually felt sorry for the drug dealer. Vinny seems, underneath everything, an ok guy whose just got into something way over his head. He’s a criminal with a conscience which is quite sweet to read about.
This isn’t an overly fast moving book but it is a hugely enjoyable one, mainly because of the characters the author has created. The action alternates between the children and Vinny, the drug dealer, which gives the reader more of a holistic view of what is happening and helps to add to the tension as you are aware of what is happening before the other side.
This is the first book by Anita Waller I have read and I’d be very interested to read more from her in the future, particularly if she was to write another story with the gang of six in it.
Huge thanks to Sarah Hardy and Bloodhound books for my copy of this book and for inviting me onto the blog tour.
May 18, 2018
Well this is my second book by Anita Waller and I really enjoyed reading it.
The story begins with the introduction of the gang of six children who have a den in the woods where one day they see a man hiding bag of cocaine in the ground, later they find a young man dead... it is a story filled with twists and turns that keeps you on toes and doesn't let you stop reading.
All characters were very well built, bad ones are evil and easy to dislike them, on the other hand children are realistic and their actions were pretty believable. You simply start to worry about them because you know that everyone is in danger.
Storyline is great, the book itself is easy to read and I can say that I will be reading the next ones written by the author.
The story begins with the introduction of the gang of six children who have a den in the woods where one day they see a man hiding bag of cocaine in the ground, later they find a young man dead... it is a story filled with twists and turns that keeps you on toes and doesn't let you stop reading.
All characters were very well built, bad ones are evil and easy to dislike them, on the other hand children are realistic and their actions were pretty believable. You simply start to worry about them because you know that everyone is in danger.
Storyline is great, the book itself is easy to read and I can say that I will be reading the next ones written by the author.
May 18, 2018
Having read Anita Wallers previous books, I was looking forward to delving in to Game Players, and stupidly started it late at night, with an outing the next day.
I stayed up way to late reading a good 50% of this addictive read and Waller totally floored me!
I really enjoyed the Enid Blyton feel and the innocence of the six children, childhood is so short, but it is shortened quicker by their curious minds, this really was a childhood summer that changed them for ever.
A thoroughly engrossing read, where it led me down various paths, and I was changing my mind and opinions of various characters along the way, Waller expertly showed nothing in life is black and white and our choices can lead us into situations that can spiral quickly out of our control.
With the children’s voices, and an array of characters Waller gave us believability, and I enjoyed the innocence and the tight friendship bonds between the children, they really were a great gang of kids. Especially Daryl.
This is an exceptional read, and I was totally captivated from beginning to end, and had I not planned to go out the next day, I would have been riveted to read the whole book in one sitting. A dark, disturbing entity comes in to the book the further you read on and tangled tales of fascinating characters were given to us.
Highly, highly recommend.
Thank you to #netgalley and #bloodhoundbooks for an advanced copy, all thoughts on this book are my own.
All the stars for this amazing read.
I stayed up way to late reading a good 50% of this addictive read and Waller totally floored me!
I really enjoyed the Enid Blyton feel and the innocence of the six children, childhood is so short, but it is shortened quicker by their curious minds, this really was a childhood summer that changed them for ever.
A thoroughly engrossing read, where it led me down various paths, and I was changing my mind and opinions of various characters along the way, Waller expertly showed nothing in life is black and white and our choices can lead us into situations that can spiral quickly out of our control.
With the children’s voices, and an array of characters Waller gave us believability, and I enjoyed the innocence and the tight friendship bonds between the children, they really were a great gang of kids. Especially Daryl.
This is an exceptional read, and I was totally captivated from beginning to end, and had I not planned to go out the next day, I would have been riveted to read the whole book in one sitting. A dark, disturbing entity comes in to the book the further you read on and tangled tales of fascinating characters were given to us.
Highly, highly recommend.
Thank you to #netgalley and #bloodhoundbooks for an advanced copy, all thoughts on this book are my own.
All the stars for this amazing read.
May 1, 2018
Anita Waller has rapidly become an author I look out for. Game Players is a well written book full of danger and extremely fast paced. 6 children have a den in the woods and uncover a large package of drugs and then the next day find a body. We follow the children and their families as Gangsters try to find the drugs. You get to know the characters well in the story and I felt for the children and their families. From the moment I read the first page, I was spellbound by this story and could not put the book down. This book deserves more than 5 stars. I would highly recommend this book.
May 18, 2018
Mark, Dominic, Freya, Ella, Daryl and Sammy call themselves The Gang of Six, they meet up in the woods every day and play in their den. One day they spot local drug dealer Vinnie Walmsley bury some drugs. They can’t leave the drugs where they are so they dig them up. Unfortunately for them the people who Vinnie was minding the drugs for want them back and will stop at nothing for them to be returned.
This book has lots of gasp out loud moments and plenty that will make you a little weepy too (it did for me anyway). A thing that I’ve noticed from her last book and as well in this one, Anita Waller really makes you care about what happens to her characters, not an easy feat I might add!
I wish I had a set of friends as good as these six when I was younger, their friendship is just so lovely! Out of the children I liked Freya, who’s nickname was feral Freya because of her fearless attitude and Daryl the sensible one who really matures as the book goes along and becomes a leader rather than a follower.
This just personal preference mind you and nothing personal to the author, but I’m becoming a little tired of the latest fad for children being the main characters in Mystery/Thrillers. It’s super hard to get the voices right which unfortunately, to me anyway, they sound a bit more like teenagers than the eleven and nine they’re supposed to be.
Also I feel there was a lack of character description and the story seemed to run out of steam by the end, I was kind of hoping for a twist or something which didn’t come.
Overall this is more of a tale of friendship than mystery but a must for fans of Anita Waller.
This book has lots of gasp out loud moments and plenty that will make you a little weepy too (it did for me anyway). A thing that I’ve noticed from her last book and as well in this one, Anita Waller really makes you care about what happens to her characters, not an easy feat I might add!
I wish I had a set of friends as good as these six when I was younger, their friendship is just so lovely! Out of the children I liked Freya, who’s nickname was feral Freya because of her fearless attitude and Daryl the sensible one who really matures as the book goes along and becomes a leader rather than a follower.
This just personal preference mind you and nothing personal to the author, but I’m becoming a little tired of the latest fad for children being the main characters in Mystery/Thrillers. It’s super hard to get the voices right which unfortunately, to me anyway, they sound a bit more like teenagers than the eleven and nine they’re supposed to be.
Also I feel there was a lack of character description and the story seemed to run out of steam by the end, I was kind of hoping for a twist or something which didn’t come.
Overall this is more of a tale of friendship than mystery but a must for fans of Anita Waller.
May 21, 2018
Well Anita Waller has managed to fulfil all my expectations and more in her new book Game players. It utterly amazes me how she can give the sense of shock and horror in one foul swoop, it sends tingles through my spine every time I delve into Anita’s imaginative storylines.
Game Players, 6 children, a stack of buried drugs and a murdered man, the lives of these 6 children is never going to be the same again. After the children decide to hide the drugs, their lives pummel into a uncontrollable spiral, there is danger around every corner, the boss wants his drugs back by any means possible. As the pages unfurl disaster strikes, the families are on tenderhooks, are they safe, can the police keep them safe.
The dynamics of the children reminded me of my childhood where we would all hang out, play games, summer holidays were awesome, just like these kids not a care in the world and feeling safe. But that safety can be shattered in an instant, something you see, hear, do can be your downfall. I felt really sorry for these kids whose split second decision altered there lives and everyone around them but I was also quite proud of their camaraderie when everything became almost unbearable.
My interpretation of the story to me, follows the naivety of the children, the conundrum of being unable to confront their fears and pass the vital information over to the police in case of backlash, but also being in the spotlight of a drug baron who will stop at nothing to get back what is his.
Anita has a written a well proportioned book with the correct balance of fear, darkness, criminality and pieces of familiar family ties which connect the whole storyline together with the awesome WoWness which will drag throughout the pages at full pelt until your reach the penultimate ending.
Anita has blown away the rest in one stroke of her pen with her new exceptional psychological thriller Game Players, even that cover tips me over the edge with the dark creepy woods. Oh the chills just thinking about it……
Thank you to Bloodhound Books, Anita Waller and Sarah Hardy for an advanced readers copy of Game Players in exchange for my honest opinion and unbiased comments for my review on the Blog Tour.
Game Players, 6 children, a stack of buried drugs and a murdered man, the lives of these 6 children is never going to be the same again. After the children decide to hide the drugs, their lives pummel into a uncontrollable spiral, there is danger around every corner, the boss wants his drugs back by any means possible. As the pages unfurl disaster strikes, the families are on tenderhooks, are they safe, can the police keep them safe.
The dynamics of the children reminded me of my childhood where we would all hang out, play games, summer holidays were awesome, just like these kids not a care in the world and feeling safe. But that safety can be shattered in an instant, something you see, hear, do can be your downfall. I felt really sorry for these kids whose split second decision altered there lives and everyone around them but I was also quite proud of their camaraderie when everything became almost unbearable.
My interpretation of the story to me, follows the naivety of the children, the conundrum of being unable to confront their fears and pass the vital information over to the police in case of backlash, but also being in the spotlight of a drug baron who will stop at nothing to get back what is his.
Anita has a written a well proportioned book with the correct balance of fear, darkness, criminality and pieces of familiar family ties which connect the whole storyline together with the awesome WoWness which will drag throughout the pages at full pelt until your reach the penultimate ending.
Anita has blown away the rest in one stroke of her pen with her new exceptional psychological thriller Game Players, even that cover tips me over the edge with the dark creepy woods. Oh the chills just thinking about it……
Thank you to Bloodhound Books, Anita Waller and Sarah Hardy for an advanced readers copy of Game Players in exchange for my honest opinion and unbiased comments for my review on the Blog Tour.
May 3, 2018
Many thabks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me this book in return for an unbiased review.
A thoroughly engaging and intriguing read that I devoured very quickly. The story was a little difficult to get through at times and dealt with a hard set of topics, despite the gentile start. However, the characters were well rounded and I felt a wide range of emotions for certain characters who were brought to the front at around the 70% mark. There are a few twists and turns that I did not see coming making it a memorable story. I just wish that all of the characters had been included in the epilogue as that would have provided more closure for me.
A thoroughly engaging and intriguing read that I devoured very quickly. The story was a little difficult to get through at times and dealt with a hard set of topics, despite the gentile start. However, the characters were well rounded and I felt a wide range of emotions for certain characters who were brought to the front at around the 70% mark. There are a few twists and turns that I did not see coming making it a memorable story. I just wish that all of the characters had been included in the epilogue as that would have provided more closure for me.
May 21, 2018
This is the first book of Anita's I have read and, although it wasn't as fast paced as most of the books I read, was still an enjoyable read and I will be looking out for more of Anita's books in the future.
The book revolves around a group of children finding some drugs and then what happens afterwards.
All of the characters are very well described and I loved the fact that the Gang of Six are all very protective of each other and enjoy playing as a gang. The author really made me feel for the group as they had their innocence ripped from them as they get dragged into the story and have to grow up very quickly.
Overall it was a very enjoyable book, which got started quickly before the pace slowed down a bit.
The book revolves around a group of children finding some drugs and then what happens afterwards.
All of the characters are very well described and I loved the fact that the Gang of Six are all very protective of each other and enjoy playing as a gang. The author really made me feel for the group as they had their innocence ripped from them as they get dragged into the story and have to grow up very quickly.
Overall it was a very enjoyable book, which got started quickly before the pace slowed down a bit.
June 9, 2018
I have read several of Anita Waller's books and thought very highly of them. In fact, they were outstanding. I was disappointed by this one. The story of six close-nit neighborhood children, drugs, and murder intrigued me, but the book really didn't hold my interest and I nearly gave up several times. There were a couple of little twists, but just not an exciting read for me. I did want to know what happened in the end which is why I continued. The end did not come through and was not exciting. However, because I loved this author's other books so much, I look forward to reading more in the future.
May 6, 2024
Book 3 by Anita Waller for me this weekend and I was not disappointed (I’m just about to begin a 4th and I’m pleased to see there are many more for me to add to the tbr pile)
Gritty, raw, distressing and disturbing, yet again the writing and narration were perfectly paired to provide a breath-stopping heart thudding thriller. Not for the faint of heart by oh my goodness another fantastic piece of work. You instantly connect with the characters, I love the style of writing and the story was perfect!
I’m off to start another 😊
Gritty, raw, distressing and disturbing, yet again the writing and narration were perfectly paired to provide a breath-stopping heart thudding thriller. Not for the faint of heart by oh my goodness another fantastic piece of work. You instantly connect with the characters, I love the style of writing and the story was perfect!
I’m off to start another 😊
March 9, 2019
This is the first book by Anita Waller that I have read and, at first, I thought I had strayed into Enid Blyton territory with the gang of children in their den in the woods. However, this echo of a more innocent time does not last; very soon the children will come to the attention of ruthless criminals, and they will have to grow up fast. Well written with convincing characters and a tense plot, Game Players will keep you reading late into the night. Thanks to Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for an advanced review copy of Game Players by Anita Waller.
May 27, 2018
A great police procedural thriller by Anita Waller. The characters are really well drawn and the bad guys are truly awful. I love the way the author didn't shy away from the most grisly of subjects, giving the reader plenty to get their teeth into. I would definitely read another by this author and highly recommend Game Players. Five stars from me!
May 25, 2018
https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...
I have read two of the authors previous books and I devoured them so as soon as I heard that she was releasing this one I knew I wanted to get a copy - and then as soon as I saw the cover and read the blurb I was desperate to get started!!
I loved this book, the pace was great, the characters were spot on and I love her fantastic writing style it is so suited for this genre and I was riveted to the story as soon as I picked up this book! It has twists and turns, shocks and honestly at times I had no idea what the end would be!
Five stars from me - I love her books and cannot recommend this one highly enough!!!
I have read two of the authors previous books and I devoured them so as soon as I heard that she was releasing this one I knew I wanted to get a copy - and then as soon as I saw the cover and read the blurb I was desperate to get started!!
I loved this book, the pace was great, the characters were spot on and I love her fantastic writing style it is so suited for this genre and I was riveted to the story as soon as I picked up this book! It has twists and turns, shocks and honestly at times I had no idea what the end would be!
Five stars from me - I love her books and cannot recommend this one highly enough!!!
May 27, 2018
The main protagonists in this story are children and the whole thing hinges upon a decision they make early on. There are characters in the book who become entangled in the story later, and we can see what a web it makes. Anita Waller tells a good story and I enjoy her writing style. This one is an intriguing idea. I feel it’s let down a little by the dialogue of the nine to eleven year olds which didn’t sound like those I know. I realise you have to make this dialogue coherent, punctuated as it so often is by gesture and grunt! Here, it didn’t quite make it for me. However, the story line was so strong that I read it with great enjoyment.
May 2, 2018
This was my first book written by this author and I was not disappointed, in fact I was hooked from the first to last page. I was captivated by the storyline, the easy style of writing and the fast pace of this thriller. A must read for all crime .lovers. Thanks to Bloodhound Books and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this outstanding book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews