I’ve always been a fan of Robin Caroll, and Stratagem did not disappoint. The main story line centers around a psychological game/escape room created by Grayson Thibodeaux. A game in which his ex-wife is murdered, and all signs point towards the ex-husband. The plot develops with police interviews of all of the participants in the house during the game. It creates a “who-dunnit” feel as I found it intriguing to see a crime scene through the various character’s accounts of the same event. Several characters had the motivation to commit the crime, and the reader gets caught up in putting the pieces together along side the detectives on the case.
This is a different style from some of author’s romantic suspense novels. This seems to fall more into the mystery/police procedural category. I rather enjoyed the departure from the traditional girl-meets-boy-on-the-first-page type of scenario, and if you’re a fan of romance, this might not be your favorite plot line. But it worked for me. While not action-packed suspense, this story dives into the psychology and motivations behind the crime. I’d recommend this book anyone looking for an intriguing mystery.
I received an ebook review copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.