Bad Games

By: Jeff Menapace

Narrated by: Gary Tiedemann

Length: 8 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

Participation is not an option....

The Lambert Family is heading to Crescent Lake, a rural cabin community in western Pennsylvania, for an idyllic weekend getaway. Some fishing, some barbecue, some games...

The Fannelli brothers are heading to Crescent Lake too. Some stalking, some kidnapping, some murder, definitely some games - though not necessarily the type of games the Lamberts had in mind.

But it doesn't matter. The Lamberts are going to play whether they like it or not.

An intense psychological thriller, Bad Games has the dark, mind-bending terror of Cape Fear combined with the fish-out-of-water dread and suspense of Deliverance.

So let Jeff Menapace's best-selling thriller keep you up all night as it delves into the mystery of nature versus nurture when comprehending the evil in man, along with the will and determination an innocent family must summon to fight back against horrific odds.

Bonus! Includes the first chapter of the pulse-pounding sequel, Vengeful Games.

©2013 Jeff Menapace (P)2015 Jeff Menapace

Critic reviews

"If you liked Jonathan Kellerman's Guilt, you'll love Bad Games. Read on if you dare!" (indiereader.com)

"This psychological thriller will keep you totally captivated and enthralled." (Top Ten Psychological Thrillers)

Bad to the Bone!!

If you could sum up Bad Games in three words, what would they be?

SuspensefulExcitementAction

What other book might you compare Bad Games to and why?

Fear the Worst - Linwood BarclayBoth books had me jumping while I listened to the audiobook.

Which character – as performed by Gary Tiedemann – was your favorite?

The Fannelli Brothers & Patrick!! It's hard to narrow it down to one, because Mr. Tiedemann did an excellent job with the narration on this book.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When The Fannelli Brothers traded the doll for the candy. That's when the reader know that the Bad Games was just starting.

Any additional comments?

Highly Recommended!!

Really enjoyed it

This is my first audible book i've listen to and finished. Gosh those brothers were disgusting. Major assholes!
The Narrator was awesome and i just couldn't put this book down. I even got angry and sad from time to time. Overall it was an awesome story and i recommend it. P.S. Amy is my favorite character. She knew all along. My hero!

OH MY GOD

Any additional comments?

This book was so incredibly good I actually am having a hard time putting into words how difficult it was for me to stop reading it. "Bad Games" is a horror/thriller about an unsuspecting family that finds themselves in a boatload of trouble when they should just be enjoying a relaxing vacation. From the very top, Jeff Menapace had me feeling uneasy and bewitched by this tale. The suspense mounts in such a way that the tension is palpable, the effect is dramatic and you simply can't stop listening.

There was something hauntingly realistic about this tale. There are no ghosts, no demons, nothing paranormal. Just a cute family of four and two sadistic, twisted brothers up to no good. People vs. people and the local cops are no help. The premise (and the details) are so believable that I'll be paranoid about vacationing on a lake for the rest of my life. Gary Tiedemann does an astounding job with the narration in this book; his work on this really brought the story to another level. I would definitely seek out books written by Menapace and narrated by Tiedermann again!! 10/10

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

many twists and turns. edge of your seat.

it really keeps you going just when you get it figured out it goes another direction.

Suspenseful, Page Turner

Narrated perfectly, enjoyed this Audiobook immensely.
Looking forward to starting the next book in this series .

Amazing!!

I bought this book because it was on sale, but man did I absolutely love it! This quickly became my absolute favorite series! So many twists and unexpected events! This series is a must read!

Wow. The only word that comes to mind.

At the start, I was concerned I was really going to dislike this story. But as it went deeper and deeper, I became fascinated with the story, both sides as it were. Ripe with horror, violence, sex and romance, this was definitely a story for those who love extreme plot changes. I am excited for the second book in the series.

Not Your Typical Get-Away

I was afraid this was going to tun out to be a typical "couple gets beaten up then overcomes the odds to survive." Actually it was pretty good from the start to finish. Just enough action to hold your attention.

Tale of two brothers who "randomly?" select a family to kidnap, brutally beat and then kill solely for their own amusement.

Unfortunately they picked the wrong family.

Characters were devloped very nicely with just the right amount of background and insight to make them believeable. I liked the relationship between husband and wife and interaction with both kids.

Family get-away for the weekend turns into a nightmare at Crescent Lake. Small-time cop doesn't believe them when report someone stalking them so they second guess the events - I guess they should have gone with their first instinct.

Not too gory but enough details to help you vision the injuries.

Not one of those stories that I would go right out and pre-order the next Book, but I definetely want to see the next chapter in this family's life.

Well written and great narration.

Good but not great.

Overall this book was solid. Keeps you on the edge of your seat. Narrator did a nice job as well. The one major issue I had with it was the author's attempt at being cute. Through most of the book, the husband and wife engaged in this corny and goofy love bird talk. It was so cheezy that it was borderline unbearable at times. It's worth a listen.

A Good Old Suspense Story

Where does Bad Games rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It is not the best in terms of literary merit, but it is very good as a kind of airport paperback book. I listened to it straight through (except for before bed because too creepy), so it must have been good.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Oh, definitely. The author is very good at drawing out the suspense. One thing he does that I like is use the time in between major events to build the characters and show them interacting on a day-to-day basis. So while they are carrying on joking, having dinner, etc., the plot is still creepily moving toward the next twist. Often there is a bad guy lurking in the background. Very cool way of unfolding a suspenseful story.

Which character – as performed by Gary Tiedemann – was your favorite?

Hmmm. I liked the daughter because was kind of no-nonsense for a six-year old.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Definitely. I couldn't make it my go-to-sleep book, though, because it really is kind of creepy and scary. But outside of that, I listened to it continuously.

Any additional comments?

I'd recommend this book even for those who like heavy and cerebral stuff. It is not either of those, although it thinks it is at times (the whole nature vs.nuture subtheme), but it is a good old suspense story that is both enjoyable and interesting.
HOWEVER, I WOULD NOT recommend it to the easily shocked. The author really does draw out the violent scenes, and he doesn't have any reservations about including children, gore, or near-pornographic sexual situations. I don't think any topic is off-limits in a book, but I can truly see how someone would find parts of this text gratuitously violent and even offensive. If you are a weeny, don't go here.