Justice may be blind, but human moral code isn’t.A dead teenager and a new partner. Neither is something new in Homicide Detective Matt Byron’s life. But this case pokes at ghosts from the past that Matt thought he’d left behind. On top of that, his new partner brings his own demons.Guilty or innocent. Those are the shades the law allows. But all the gray zones surrounding the mystery of the … mystery of the victim’s death shake the two weathered detectives.
To solve the case and find their mental peace afterward, Matt and Taylor have to take a good long look at their pasts, and nothing pretty is unearthed.
more
A unique study of what makes a bully and his victim…is it really fiction?
With a touch of O. Henry, the great American short story writer, Svolgart has taken a sensitive subject and made us look at both sides of this issue. This book is so different from my normal fare but a wonderful read. The tragic death of a high school quarterback who loved cars and racing brings together detectives Matt and Taylor. Who did it and more importantly, why? My feelings fluctuated from caring to loathing but did the characters deserve that? Such a beautiful but heartrending story. In the process of getting to the truth of this crime, the lead characters Detectives Byron and Samson discover some of their own truths. Taylor being Matt’s third partner in three years. To say he is hard to partner with is an understatement. Matt’s wife and family are a lovely addition to the story showing that he was always worthy.
What happens when not all the “bad people” get their payback? (This is partially where my loathing came into play.) Just as in O. Henry’s fiction, the end blew me away. Shocking but settled my angst like a freshly washed sheet covers a newly made bed. Something so refreshing about it. Hard to explain…tragic, yes, but stirring and fair. I volunteered to review an ARC of this book through BookSirens and if I could, I would give this book more than 5 stars! Highly recommended!
Received as a review copy, this is an honest review. The odd and mysterious death of a sixteen year old young man brings detectives Matt and his partner into their own pasts whom both are haunted by. A beautifully layered journey that has shocks and twists so unexpected. A brilliant read, highly recommended.
The Paths of A Bully and Victim Collide
The book had much to offer in terms of the perspective of high-school struggles. The backdrop of the various characters will, sadly, resonate with many readers with rough pasts. It sheds light into the different perspectives of different types of people along with both the short and long term impacts on their lives.
Suffice to say that this was brilliantly written and has much to offer as food for thought. It is a mix of emotions, turbulent pasts, unfortunate relationships, revenge, unresolved feelings, tears and good-old policework. Not exactly my kind of theme but that has nothing to do with the quality, depth or brilliance of the work. 100% recommended.
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is such a great detective story and a coming of age story all in one. It has great characters, plenty of action, great police procedure and, for the most part, natural-sounding dialogue. The characters are relatable and not some inflated version of what detectives are. It was also an interesting twist to have the partners be on opposite sides of the bully/victim equation. But this story could use the services of a good editor, or at the least, a good proof-reader. How many times can you misspell brake/brakes in one chapter? 5 times! It was very disconcerting to me to be reading along and an obvious spelling error/typo catch my attention. I would have to reread the sentence to be sure that I understood what was supposed to be there; not necessarily what was there. However, I will admit to being a tad OCD when it comes to typos. I also admit to not understanding why an author would not use family, friends, or a beta group to make sure that the majority of errors are caught before launch. With a bit of editing help, I think Mr. Svolgart has a solid 5-star novel. I recommend it.
I received an advance review copy from BookSirens and this is my honest opinion. I want to thank them and the author for allowing me to read it.
This book is filled with a compelling story beginning on the first page, all of the way to the last. Super wonderful characters and a storyline, both very realistic and sure to keep you reading.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A Game Called Payback is an interesting read about bullying from the perspective of the bully and the bullied.
The characters are well developed and reveal their own youthful experiences. The storyline is well written and captured my interest from start to finish.
I read and reviewed this book with no obligation.
This was my first time reading from this author.
It was a really good read, the story was well written, the characters well written well as well and I feel the way they werr written definitely showed how they were coping the murder of the young boy in the story.
There was characters that were bullied, or were the bullier, and this was something I could relate to due to being bullied a lot in my high school years. I liked being able to read from the different perspectives.
A Game Called Payback by Martin Svolgart
This is my first time reading this author and I was happy with the story so it will not be the last time I pick up one of his books! Well written book, fleshed out characters that you get to know and understand how they are processing the murder of a teenage boy, while also coming to grips with their own youth and being bullied or bullying. Great story, easy to read and hard to put down! Thank you to the author for this ARC book and letting me leave my honest opinion.
The plot was intense, powerful and thrilling and held me captive all the way through! The characters fairly leaped off the page, and the tension was palpable. If you are looking for a book that you just CAN’T put down, then this is DEFINITELY the book for you!
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so