What a thrilling novel. Stratagem by Robin Caroll kept me on my figurative toes from start to finish, and I enjoyed it immensely. As Grayson Thibodeaux undergoes investigation for the death of his ex-wife during a game he created, mystery and suspense fill the storyline with well-plotted twists and turns that left me unsure of which characters I could trust. So, if you’re looking for an intriguing read, check out Stratagem—but be prepared: this page-turner is hard to put down, so make sure you have plenty of time for reading.

Thanks to Celebrate Lit, I received a complimentary copy of Stratagem and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. ( )

3.5 stars (rating may differ if site limits ratings to whole stars): I would deem this a psychological mystery/thriller.

Psychologist Grayson Thibodeaux and Sociologist Colton York have cashed in on the escape room craze by setting up custom games (all of which include at least one escape room) and marketing their business not only to those just looking for a fun activity, but also to businesses looking for team building activities etc. Deets PR hires them to set up an elaborate game to test 4 employees who are up for an open ad executive slot--one of the employees just happens to be the ex-wife of Grayson.

For most of the book, I thought Grayson was a psychiatrist--mostly because the book states that Grayson and Colton met via a fraternity and via med school. I didn't realize psychologists and sociologists attended med schools to be able to practice.

Though Grayson did most of the game development (based on information provided by the applicants themselves via their employer), Grayson is out of town with college friends during the actual game and Colton is the on-site coordinator. Annabelle dies and Grayson, as the ex, is the prime suspect.

The author did a good job of having a number of suspects with possible motives:
*Grayson
*Tim (the man Annabelle cheated with and whom Annabelle broke up with)
*Emmi (Tim's wife)
*The other 3 employees up for the same promotion
*Pam (Grayson's assistant who is fiercely loyal to him and who witnessed how she treated him)
*Other Game's on You people who also witnessed Annabelle's treatment of Grayson
*Colton (Grayson's business partner)

I kind of guessed which branch the perpetrator came from but I didn't guess the actual person until at or just before the reveal. (I'm not very good at guessing whodunit correctly most of the time, so if you are, you may have a different experience.)

Parts were very good and other parts I felt that there wasn't enough depth. It was also a bit weird to go back in the narrative and see certain scenes through Annabelle's eyes to tell us what happened during her time in the game. ( )

Deep in the gritty underbelly of New Orleans, psychologist Grayson Thibodeaux loses everything when his wife leaves him to climb her company’s corporate ladder. He buries himself in his job of creating mind-bending adventure games for businesses as team-building explorations. When his ex-wife’s company hires Grayson’s to create an elaborate game, he doesn’t see how things can get worse. Until she dies during the course of the game he created…makmaking him the prime suspect for murder.


My Thoughts: Everyone loves a good mystery and this is no exception. Fast paced and keeps the reader guessing until the end. With so many twists and turns that keeps the readers' interest.



This is a well-written novel with interesting characters that the reader will easily identify with. This is my first novel from Robin Caroll, and it won't be my last. I truly enjoyed her writing and the plot for this novel was interesting.



Not only a mystery but a story about forgiving as well. A wonderful read for those who love a good mystery and suspense book. ( )

I was quickly page turning to find the answers here, and find out who committed the murder and why. The author was great a keeping me guessing and it wasn’t until about three fourths of the book was finished that I thought I had the answer, but did I?
I recommend this book for a clean, interesting murder mystery that will keep you guessing, shaking your head and changing your mind.

I received this book through Celebrate Lit, and was not required to give a positive review. ( )

I'm starting my review with a warning about the book. When you start this book, make sure you allow yourself time to read the entire book in one sitting. Why? To put it simply, because there is no way to read this book without stopping. The story line is rich in intrigue and takes us to the dark places of a person's emotions. I was shocked at first to read that a company thought the only way to pick who would get the promotion out of four people was to play a game. It's not just any old game, folks. It's a game specifically designed to use past hurts, fear, manipulation, anger and secrets against you. How will each person act in different situations is where the real nitty gritty goes.

To understand the master mind behind the game, we get to meet Grayson. I enjoyed him so much and found his intelligence to be quite impressive. I thought it was cool that the four people didn't know they were playing a game, but trying to outshine their peers in front of the boss. They were watched at all times like a lab rat which is kinda creepy. The author delves into their past in a way that brings out the darkness in some and in others an almost give up attitude. I can tell you right now I would never want to play this type of game. I did forget to mention that one of the players in the game is Grayson's ex-wife. Anna Belle is the epitome of girl gone bad. There is nothing nice I can say about her. She was mean, vindictive and down right evil. Anna Belle is the woman that other women hate and men fall all over for her attention. Someone definitely has it in for her, when she is found dead . The first person the police point a finger at is Grayson. I wasn't surprised because it is a given the ex-husband is automatically the top pick as the killer.

Anna Belle is certainly not a popular person and I'm not sure anyone shed a tear over her death except maybe her mother. There is however another character I found to be extremely annoying. Danielle and Grayson's friend Brandon are investigating the death. Danielle is so determined to prove Grayson guilty that she made me want to stomp on her feet several times. She is so relentless in proving Grayson guilty, that she has tunnel vision. Her character is so well developed I loved to hate her. She was one of my top picks of stand out characters in the story.Her nastiness towards Grayson is evident when she says to him, " Although , you know sometimes murderers will do bad things to themselves to garner sympathy and try to throw off suspicion."

It is a cat and mouse chase as Grayson tries to figure out what went wrong in the game, as the police start closing in on him. I was literally turning pages fast because I had to know who the killer was. I had my list but I was very wrong. The author has included faith in the book but not in a preachy way. Grayson really stands on his beliefs and will face the question of is he able to forgive. That is one of the great lessons in the book and one of the hardest things people have to deal with. The author knows how to shock readers with intense drama and an ending that will have you looking for more books by this very gifted author.

I received a copy of this book by Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion. ( )