Fun & Games
By Duane Swierczynski
Paperback | Kindle
Mulholland Books
Release date: June 20, 2011

In Fun & Games, a former cop named Charlie Hardie, has taken a new job as a professional house sitter. His latest job in Los Angeles goes completely wrong when a movie actress finds refuge in the house that Hardie is protecting. The actress, Lane Madden, claims that a group of hit men are determined to kill her and Hardie finds himself thrown into the mix to protect her from them.

Fun & Games, the first book of the Charlie Hardie trilogy, was the one book that I was really looking forward to reading. I’m a fan of crime and thriller genres so this was a fantastic book to read. The book read like an action movie on steroids. Every chapter was a cliffhanger and I thought that there was no way Hardie could make it out of these situations alive. Boy was I wrong. Author Duane Swierczynski writes this novel the way I wish most action movies would come across: fast-paced, surprises left and right, and an ending that makes you excited for a sequel. The novel felt like a mash up of Home Alone meets Die Hard.

The characters were also very likable. I really enjoyed the characters of Charlie Hardie and Lane Madden, the story’s main characters. The chemistry between them was both enjoyable and hilarious at times. The villains of the story were also fantastic. I really like the use of a different kind of leader for the villains. I think it’s rarely been done before.

I think the most wonderful part of the novel is when the reader finds out how the villains are orchestrating ways of killing Hardie and Madden. That realization is the most interesting part of the book, as well how Hardie gets himself and Lane out of each situation.

Overall, Fun & Games was, well, a lot of fun. The characters were awesome. The story was a thrill ride. If you like a fast-paced and exhilarating story that keeps you wanting more, I highly suggest picking up Fun & Games. You won’t regret it!