The Blame Game

by Sandie Jones

Publisher: Minotaur Books an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group

Ginasbookreport Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.75 stars rounded up)

Genre: Mystery/Thrillers

Read This If You Love: Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney

She wants to be everything to everyone, but making yourself indispensable is dangerous. — The Blame Game

The Blame Game is a fast and light mystery read. At under 250 pages, this is a great little novel if you want something to boost your numbers and be a light “popcorn” type of book. (Side note: When I was in high school band, we were taught the concept of a “popcorn” band. In other words, the band that’s okay and entertaining, but if you need to miss something to buy your popcorn, you won’t miss much. I’ve found that some books I read are “popcorn” books…it’s entertaining and easy-to-read if you want low to no commitment. They aren’t a MUST read, but they have a space because sometimes you just need some fluffy reads! I don’t see them as a negative, fwiw.)

When Naomi, a psychologist with a specialty in domestic abuse, finds her office door open and a file missing, she gets chills. What is happening? Did she just forget to lock up and misplaced the file or is something more nefarious taking place? Naomi cares about her patients so much and goes above and beyond to help them…perhaps more than she should. The Blame Game has a sense of impending doom lurching all around Naomi, which creates a paranoia for the reader. 

None of us knows what life has planned for us. We’re all going in blind. —Naomi

SPOILER ALERT

If you don’t wan any spoilers, do not read any further. If you do…

Okay, I had this one figured out in the first few chapters. In the middle section, I started to think I was wrong and was like, “WOOHOO, she got me!” Sadly it all came back around and exactly what I suspected the solution was. 

Plus, I was so frustrated by WHY Naomi didn’t just talk to her husband, friend, or the police and be honest? It felt to me like it all would have been cleared up easily if she didn’t keep lying. Naomi was as responsible for being a suspect as those framing her. I just wanted more of a complex mystery versus Naomi contributing so much to the chaos.