This Is Not a Game by Kelly Mullen

Rosemary "Mimi" Louise MacLaine knows her place and is assured in it. She's been on the island of Mackinac for a very long time and knows how her life will run. At least until a mysterious invitation appears on her doorstep. It's an invitation... and an order. Unless she comes to the party and bids on (and wins) a specific item, her dirty secrets will be revealed. It is the latter direction that has Mimi reaching out to her granddaughter, Addie for the first time in months.

Addie is fighting her ex-boyfriend for recognition that she deserves on the massively hit video game that she helped him put together. She argues with her grandmother over that same man and now she's been dumped and pushed out of the company. But her normally unemotional grandmother has reached out with an olive branch and Addie is willing to try. 

The two attend the party. It's hosted at the mansion of a woman who is infamous for cavorting with the man her daughter is still married to. And it's an eclecticc group of people who are gathered, including one who Addie is sure she knows under another name. Of course, there is a murder. And a snowstorm. So it's up to Mimi and Addie to figure out what happened.

There was a little too much going on for me, especially at the end, but I generally enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more by the author. 

Three and a half  stars

This book comes out April 8, 2025

ARC kindly provided by PENGUIN GROUP Dutton and NetGalley

Opinons are my own