A Criminal Game: a Christian mystery thriller

A Criminal Game by D.L. Wood is the first book in The Criminal Collection series. After the death of her husband three years ago, Evie Diaz’s mission in life is to keep life steady for her young daughter. From her little Queens apartment to her night manager position at a luxury Manhattan hotel. Her one reprieve from the realities of life is liaising for a high stakes poker game held at the hotel. From movie stars to millionaires, big tips and flirty moments, it was a nice break for Evie. Until one night, when the game ends in trouble and all evidence points to Evie, the host goes after her with vengeance. Now she is on the run, she must unravel the plot and clear her name. Can she reveal the real culprit before she pays the ultimate price for a game she never played? 

Tagged as a Christian mystery thriller and with an opening prologue that was thrilling, I was eager to dive into this story of cat and mouse. However, I was not hooked. The events of the story take place within 24 hours and yet it was uninteresting. I didn’t quite understand why Evie was framed and the chase that ensued to find her. I liked Evie and her devotion to her daughter. I liked the Christian perspective that was nicely done, not overly preaching but very real. While it was like reading an action movie with near misses and car chases, which by design should have been exciting, but overall, I was bored. It may be that thrillers are a hit and miss for me that I don’t actively read in this genre.  However, if you enjoy mystery thrillers with a Christian perspective, I recommend A Criminal Game. 

A Criminal Game is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook