The Players cover art

The Players

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The Players

By: Darren O’Sullivan
Narrated by: Emma Pallant, David Thorpe
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About this listen

Do you dare read the twisted psychological thriller that readers are calling 'breathtaking' and 'unputdownable'?

'Saw meets I See You in this dark, twisted and deadly game of kill or be killed. I held my breath from beginning to end' C L Taylor, author of The Perfect Couple

This is a game where nobody wins…

The Host has a game for you.

Kill or be killed.

Kill, or lose someone you love.

You are the next player.

You have a choice to make.

A nerve-shredding cat-and-mouse serial killer thriller that will keep you guessing and reading into the night, perfect for fans of Adrian McKinty, John Marrs and Steve Cavanagh

©2020 Darren O’Sullivan (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers Limited
Crime Thrillers Psychological Suspense Thriller Thriller & Suspense Fiction Crime Game

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All stars
Most relevant  
A gripping story and a very enjoyable listen however it left me with many questions afterwards. Also didn't think the hosts identity matched the one writer had portrayed.

Gripping but I need answers

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kept me engaged throughout. loved it. great reader too. highly recommend :) looking for others from same author :)

amazing

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The ending makes you think. Very true to society today. I love this mix of characters the views from them all. The story line.
Good narration.
Draws you into their lives and you really feel for them.

Great book.

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Managed to finish the book but left feeling underwhelmed. Sorry but I didn’t think the male narration matched the character.

Disappointed

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OMG this book was amazing! I love dark and disturbing psychological thrillers and this book is up there with the best! This isn't your usual serial killer story because the 'killer' (known as The Host) doesn't actually kill. He forces others (The Players) to do it.

The book reminded me a lot of the Saw movie franchise and I would imagine this is where Mr O'Sullivan got his inspiration. The story is brilliantly disturbing and chilling with twist after twist and made compulsive listening and my heart was racing long after the book had finished. I liked the way that social media discussions played a part in the book, allowing us to know what the residents of Peterborough felt about the horrific games.

I also really liked the protagonist, DI Karen Holt, who refused to give up even though she knew she could lose her job. I'd love to see more of her in another book, please Mr O'Sullivan!

Great narration by Emma Pallant and David Thorpe made this one of my favourite listens of 2021.

Jaw droppingly brilliant!

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I was drawn in from the very start, I just couldn't put it down. It poses some moral dilemmas and I think the fact that the scenarios are so "ordinary" makes them even more terrifying. Would definitely recommend

Another Hit From Darren O'Sullivan

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ridiculous idea that only works for a narcissistic and feeble minded generation. I really give up

🙄

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