The Long Game- Book Review

The Long Game by Simon Rowell

Expected Publication: 3rd August 2021
Genre: Mystery, Crime, Police Detective

4.3 Stars

Detective Sergeant Zoe Meyers is back in action after a recovery break of 4 months. Her first day at work takes her to a crime scene in the sweltering heat of Melbourne. Accompanied by her loyal service dog, Harry, Zeo, works with her team to find the killer.

A small meeting with an investigative journalist leads her to examine a couple of past cases. And when her current case follows the same pattern, Zoe knows it’s all too neat. The killer isn’t the one the evidence points to. Her team is hesitant and doubtful. After all, Zoe is back from a break, and the case isn’t meaty enough for her.

But instincts are never wrong, and when Zoe starts digging for the truth, things become clear (or maybe not). Zoe isn’t the one to give up, and she’s vowed to get the killer behind the bars.

The Long Game sounds like a perfect police mystery, and in many ways, it is. The writing is neat, crisp, and steady. The plot flows well, though it seemed a little too easily tied up at the end. Zoe is assertive, methodical, and smart. She knows to trust her instincts and connect the dots. She’s also brave and capable.

However, Zoe is still recovering and gets panic attacks (hence the service dog) because of the previous case. Don’t worry, though. The details of the case are shared as flashbacks in the book. The last flashback is longer with all the information and comes at a crucial time. I skipped it, completed the book, and went back to read the flashback. Since it has no relation to the current case, this method worked great for me.

The book is standalone but has all elements of becoming a successful series. The relationship between Zoe and her dog is naturally woven into the story. We also see her dynamics with other police personnel. (There should be a mandatory nasty guy in the office, and we do have one here).

The case unfolds without too much drama. I enjoyed that my thoughts were almost always in sync with Zoe’s. I didn’t have to mutter about her not seeing what’s right in front of her. Zoe reminded me of Eve Dallas from the In Death Series by JD Robb. Eve has been here for a long time, and it’s natural to compare. Zoe can stand on her own and assert her identity if the author decides to turn this into a series.

Since I could finish it in two days, I added the extra 0.3 stars.

Overall, this is a good crime thriller to enjoy without stressing the grey cells. The Australian setting and police procedural were fun to read. I haven't read any until this book.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Text Publishing.

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