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| The Murder Game | 
 enlarge | Author: Beverly Barton
Publisher: Zebra
Category: Book
List Price: $6.99
Buy New: $0.01
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Avg. Customer Rating:  (18 reviews)
Sales Rank: 71305
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 384
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 6.8 x 4.1 x 1.3
ISBN: 0821776908
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780821776902
ASIN: 0821776908
Publication Date: February 1, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
New Game
The game is simple--he is the Hunter. They are the Prey. He gives them a chance to escape. To run. To hide. To outsmart him. But eventually, he catches them. And that's when the game gets really terrifying... New Rules
Private investigator Griffin Powell and FBI agent Nicole Baxter know a lot about serial killers--they took one down together. But this new killer is as sadistic as they've ever seen. He likes his little games, and he especially likes forcing Nic and Griff to play along. Every unsolvable clue, every posed victim, every taunting phone call--it's all part of his twisted, elaborate plan. And then the Hunter calls, wanting to know if they're really ready to play... But Winner Still Kills All...
There's a new game now, and it's much more deadly than the first. A brutal psychopath needs a worthy adversary. He won't stop until he can hunt the most precious prey of all--Nicole. And with his partner in a killer's sights, Griff is playing for the biggest stakes of his life.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 13 more reviews...
A new game is afoot... December 7, 2008
The Murder Game is a follow up to Barton's the Dying Game, bringing back private investigator Griffin Powell and FBI Agent Nicole Baxter. I haven't read The Dying Game in awhile, but this was good enough that I might have to revisit that book as well.
The fist game is over. Half the killing duo is dead, and the winning half is bored. Beauty queens are no longer worthy prey, and the Hunter has discovered that killing is just no fun without an opponent. But that's not a problem. He has an idea for a new game with new prey. Kidnapping athletic women and hunting them in his own private forest is one thing, but bringing in Griffin Powell and Nicole Baxter, the only two people aware of his existence? Now that could be real fun.
So far, I've yet to read anything by Beverly Barton that has disappointed me. And this book is no exception. It was nice to see some of the characters in the Dying Game brought back and explained a bit more. You can tell Barton really cares about these people and wants their story told. And the Hunter is appropriately chilling as well. Recommended for fans of Barton, Iris Johansen, and Tami Hoag. You'll love this one.
 "Disappointing" December 3, 2008
1 out of 4 found this review helpful
I recommend reading "The Dying Game" in the sequel first
before reading "The Murder Game." The Dying Game: For
five-years, Cary Maygarden, a serial killer, went on a
murdering spree until he was caught in the final game.
Special Agent Baxter and PI Griffin put the pieces together,
once they saw the ballistics reports, that two bullets had
been found in Maygarden's body. One bullet had come from
Powell's sharpshooter's rifle and the other from an unknown
source. Agent Baxter and Griffin had been convinced that
there had been another second Beauty Queen killer. Agent
Baxter tried to get the FBI to dig deeper. The killings ended
with Maygarden's death. There was no evidence that a
second person had been involved, and the case was closed.
A year later, a new killing game involving the best Athletes
Pudge could find on the internet. He calls Nicole and Griffin
to play his new game and gives them each a clue. Nic and
Grif decided to work together to catch the serial killer.
Pudge abducted Nicole while she was taking her walk and
kept her prisoner while playing these Sadistic games to torment
her. Pudge kills his victims in three week. The FBI and Griffin's
PI Agency are racing around the clock to locate Nic.
The hunter underestimated Nic then discovering that she's
stronger than his other victims.
Griffin finally tells Nicole of the ten missing years from his
past that included Yvette and Sanders. Nic and Grif have a lot
in common, even though, in "The Dying Game" they couldn't
stand each other. Certainly the chemistry in "The Murder Game"
had made up for the lack of it in the first book in the series.
However, I liked Nicole and Griffin, I thought their character
role were outstanding and I liked the chemistry between them.
I thought, it was apparent thoughout the book. It was the only
reason I was able to finish "The Murder Game"
The Murder Game was very disappointing. I had to force
myself to finish the book. Too many errors in spelling, and
some sentences were turned around. The main reason, I didn't
like The Murder Game was the serial killer. He was a sadistic
beast who killed for the sport of it and being in control over
the women. The theme completely turned me off. I will not
be reading any books for awhile from Beverly Barton. I like
whodunit murder mystery, and in this case, The Murder
Game fell short.
Although, I do recommend her other books
(Cherokee Pointe Series,
The Fifth Victim, The Last To Die, As Good As Dead!)
What She Doesn't Know! After Dark, and the Defense
Attorney, Quinn Cortez gets his own story in Killing
Her Softly. I believe these were Beverly Barton's best.
 Review November 13, 2008
FBI agent Nicole and Private investigator Griffin thought when they ended the Beauty Queen killer that the nightmares would end but they were wrong...dead wrong. Nicole Baxter and Griffin Powell team up once again to stop a serial killer only this time it wasn't by choice. They both received a personal invite by the killer himself. Nicole and Griffin will do everything in their powers to put a final stop to the madness.
The killer or as he likes to call himself "the hunter" is glad that both Griffin and Nicole have accepted his challenge. He was ready for a new and worthy opponent to hunt and he has just the perfect prey in FBI agent Baxter. The hunter likes to play with his victims first by letting the women experience temporary freedom and then hunting them down for the ultimate kill. Also this killer scalps the women for trophies. Agent Baxter's scalp will be his pride and glory.
The Murder Game is the second book in this series. The Dying Game is the first. Though I have not read The Dying Game yet, you don't necessarily have to read it in order to enjoy The Murder Game. It's been a little while since I have read a Beverly Barton book and after reading The Murder Game a book that I have been wanting to read for a little bit now, I am excited to say I won't let another long period go by again without reading one of Ms. Barton's books again. Once I started this book I had a very hard time wanting to put it down. It moved at a great pace. The way the killer took on his prey was very sinister and I loved it. I am already on the hunt for the next book I am going to read by Ms. Barton.
Full of suspense and romance! August 7, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Loved it! I would recommend reading The Dying Game first since this one picks up where that one left off. The Dying Game was the first book I've read by Barton, but now that I've read two of her books - I'm definitely looking to read more!
Great suspense May 20, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Special Agent Nicole Baxter would like to keep as much distance between herself and private investigator Griffin Powell as possible. It should be easy to do. They live in different states, socialize in different circles, and neither of them like anything about the other. But when someone calls her with a revelation about a serial killer, she is willing to listen. The caller will give one clue to her and one to Griffin. If she plans on ending The Murder Game before the caller has a chance to capture his next victim, she will have to work with the most arrogant and self-promoting man in the business.
THE MURDER GAME is riveting from the first page. A few chapters into the book, I became aware that this book is a sequel. It didn't matter. Ms Barton was able to handle the back story in a way that I didn't feel cheated or confused. She sporadically dropped in just enough information to fill in the gaps but allowed me to stay focused on the present story.
Tense...talk about nail-biting. I couldn't believe what was happening. About one hundred pages from the end, Ms Barton pulled the biggest surprise of all. My mouth hung open for a good twenty pages (in a good way). I kept thinking, are you kidding me? How is this possible? This was no sucker punch, simply good story-telling. I never saw it coming, but should have. All of the clues were there.
The only problem I had was when Ms Barton would jump forward in time without a scene break. This was infrequent but enough to mention. And toward the end of the book, a few spots, not many, felt a little Mary Sueish to me.
The characters in this book were fabulous. I was right there with them, feeling every emotion, and there were plenty to share. If you like a good thriller, that isn't gory, (okay, a little, tiny bit) you need to read this book. There are so many twists and turns, you'll feel like you are getting a workout. I did.
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