Game by Barry Lyga Narrator: Charlie Thurston
Series: Jasper Dent #2
Published by Little Brown on July 16, 2013
Genres: Young Adult
Length: 13 hours, 28 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Library
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In an effort to prove murder didn't run in the family, Jazz teamed with the police in the small town of Lobo's Nod to solve a deadly case. And now, when a determined New York City detective comes knocking on Jazz's door asking for help, he can't say no. The Hat-Dog Killer has the Big Apple—and its police —running scared. So Jazz and his girlfriend, Connie, hop on a plane to the big city and get swept up in a killer's murderous game.
In this second book about Jasper Dent, Jazz is fresh off his victory in helping to solve the killings in his hometown of Lobo’s Nod. Now the NYPD has shown up at his door and want his help in solving another serial killer case in New York City.
This is another good addition to the series. I continue to love Jazz, Connie and Howie. They are fun characters. I liked seeing Jazz out of his comfort zone. Not only being in the large city of New York, but also with Connie. Jazz has some real problems with the idea of having sex. I’m sure knowing your father is a rapist and murder can do that to a young boy, especially when your father was training you to be his protege. So far, Jazz has been able to avoid sex. Connie is tired of waiting though and staying in a hotel in NYC gives her the opening she’s looking for. Or so she hoped. I’m mean really, do you really want to see a kid like Jazz thinking about sex after spending the day looking at serial killer evidence? (I will say there is no sex in this book, but it is discussed)
There is also some time Connie and Howie are doing some investigation of their own in Lobo’s Nod (Connie doesn’t spend the entire time with Jazz in NYC). New information about Jazz come to light and Connie and Howie have to figure out what to do with this new information they have.
Jazz also gets to meet his aunt for the first time. He calls her to ask her to stay with his grandmother who has dementia, while he’s in NYC. His aunt makes quite the impression on young Howie.
This is another great suspense story for young adults. While, I didn’t know exactly who the killer was, I did figure out some parts prior to the characters. I loved watching Jazz go through all the pieces. They do seem to come pretty easy to Jazz. You do have to have a little bit of suspension of disbelief in the fact the amount of information sharing that the cops do with a teenage boy. That is something I mentioned about the first book, but it is even more true here. Is the NYPD really going to look up some boy from a small town to help them solve a serial killer case? Probably not. But if you can let that fact go and just immerse yourself into the story, it is a lot of fun.
Game does end on a bit of cliffhanger. I plan to tackle book three very soon. I can’t wait to see where Jazz, Connie and Howie end up. To know what will happen with Jazz’s father, Billy Dent. I also need to learn the secrets of Billy Dent’s sister.
Narration
Charlie Thurston continues to do a great job with the narration of this story. He does voices of women and men really well. I think he does a wonderful job of bringing out the tension in the scenes. One thing that really stood out for me in this book is voicing Jazz’s grandmother. When she sees her daughter for the first time in many years, it really brings out the child in her. I thought Thurston did a great job with that scene. I will be sure to pick up the next book on audio as well.
Listen to a clip of Book 1 here:
About Barry Lyga
Barry Lyga is a recovering comic book geek. According to Kirkus, he’s also a “YA rebel-author.” Somehow, the two just don’t seem to go together to him.
When he was a kid, everyone told him that comic books were garbage and would rot his brain, but he had the last laugh. Raised on a steady diet of comics, he worked in the comic book industry for ten years, but now writes full-time because, well, wouldn’t you?
The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy & Goth Girl is his first novel. Unsoul’d is his latest. There are a whole bunch in between, featuring everything from the aftermath of child abuse to pre-teens with superpowers to serial killers. He clearly does not know how to stick to one subject.
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I started listening to audiobooks when a new book in a series was coming out and I wanted to get a refresher, but didn’t have time to read all the books (I think it was Anita Blake). I fell in love. I stayed with strictly re-reading books that I’d already read for a long time. I eventually tried an audiobook for something that I hadn’t read first and was hooked there too. Now, I listen to audio for both re-reads and first time. I have some series that I’ve given up reading and only listen. I try to get any many books/audiobooks from the library to help save on my budget. Books on CD and the newer digital downloads from the library really allow me to listen more. I then purchase my favorites (because who can wait in line for your favorite book??) and less mainstream books from Audible or some other online retailer.
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It still sounds like I want to listen to this series. Mount TBR says it won’t happen soon tho. It’s different from my normal reading and so it has appeal. I’m in a very odd reading mood right now. Luckily I have lots more suspense, mystery, thrillers on my current agenda than contemporary romance. Well certainly not all contemporary romance, just certain tropes.
I’ve been reading more thrillers and suspense too. I’ve seen this listed as both thriller and as horror. I think you could go either way with it. I just find it really interesting. I really love the characters and the plot is interesting too. I know what you mean about that ever growing TBR pile. I feel the same.
Oh wow, that sounds like a story that I would like. Not my usual type of story but I do get in the mood for a story like this at times.
This isn’t my usual type either. Mostly because I’m a not a big fan of YA, but this sounded interesting. I’m so glad that I tried it.
I really enjoyed book one and never continued. Your review has renewed my interest. I am glad the narration was so good.
I think this entire series is great. I finished book three just a few weeks ago (review coming here next month). I really terrific series.
Oooh, this sounds different and interesting. I must check it out. Great review!
It is a really great series. I recommend starting with the first book, I Hunt Killers.
I was surprised to see you picking this one up b/c it’s YA but then I saw the comment above 🙂 I remember when the first book came out and then this one and I had wanted to read these but of course, I never got to them. I was working at the library and this was a book I was quick to recommend to older teen boys who were reluctant to read b/c of the mystery and subject matter. I sure hope I didn’t scare any other them!! Sounds like I was safe on it being a good book, though.. phew!!!
YA isn’t normally my thing, but I do have a fascination with serial killers, so I had to try this. I think this is a great book for teenage boys. I don’t think it will scare most of them. It is full of suspense that will keep them reading.
Thank goodness!! I really miss the library job 🙁
I really enjoyed this series when I read it several years ago. I thought that the whole series was really well done and I do remember this one ending with cliffhanger. I am happy to hear that the audio was well done. Glad you enjoyed this one!
I’ve finished the series (book three review is next month). I’m really happy with how everything wrapped up. It was a great series.
Good to see this series is still going well. It’s good to see that Jazz is out of his comfort zone, due to his father and his past.
Jazz was very much out of his comfort zone in this book.