Follow the rules and everybody gets hurt . . .

One Sunday morning after a long night of partying, Henrik "HP" Pettersson, a slacker with a lot of ego and very little impulse control, finds a cell phone of an unfamiliar make on a commuter train. Through insisting and slightly uncanny messages that refer to him by name, the phone invites him to play a game. HP accepts without hesitation.

The rules are that HP must complete tasks that...

Murder is such a buzz kill. . . .

It's been four months since HP Pettersson was dragged into a ruthless Alternate Reality Game that nearly cost him his life. Although he now has everything he ever wished for--freedom, money, and no responsibilities--he isn't satisfied. He's plagued by insomnia and paranoia, and misses the adrenaline rush of the Game. He misses the attention. At times, he even hopes the Game Master...

"With the breakneck pace of the trilogy but a more mature narrative command, de la Motte deftly spins out these divergent strands, until the intricate outlines of a deadly spider's web finally become visible--and inescapable."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

In the first of two new action-packed thrillers by the...