This Is Not a Game Summary, Characters and Themes

This Is Not a Game by Kelly Mullen is a suspenseful mystery thriller set against the backdrop of the isolated, picturesque Mackinac Island.  The story centers on Mimi, a reclusive older woman, and her granddaughter Addie, a young game designer, who are drawn into a complex web of secrets, blackmail, and murder during a high-society auction party.

Combining elements of family drama, corporate intrigue, and classic whodunit tension, the novel explores themes of trust, betrayal, and the challenge of confronting dark truths within close-knit communities.  The atmospheric setting and intertwined relationships set the stage for a gripping unraveling of hidden motives and deadly consequences.

Summary

The story begins on Mackinac Island, a small, car-free community where Mimi lives a quiet, solitary life.  Her days are filled with simple pleasures—tending to her plants, socializing with a small bridge group, and enjoying the calm of the island.

This tranquility is abruptly disturbed when Mimi finds a mysterious blue envelope at her home containing an invitation to a lavish auction party hosted by her wealthy neighbor, Jane Ireland.  Along with the invitation are two threatening letters demanding Mimi buy a specific manga, Memento Mochi, at the auction.

The letters reveal Jane knows a secret about Mimi, although the nature of the secret is unclear.  Feeling cornered but determined, Mimi plans to confront Jane at the event, enlisting the help of her estranged granddaughter, Addie.

Addie, meanwhile, is navigating her own troubles in Chicago.  A young game creator recently separated from her fiancé and business partner Brian, she faces the fallout of their breakup and legal uncertainties regarding the ownership of their successful game Murderscape.

Despite her cynicism and heartbreak, Addie receives Mimi’s invitation and sees it as an opportunity to reconnect and perhaps find some clarity.

Upon arriving at Mackinac Island, Addie reunites with Mimi at her Victorian cottage.  Their reunion is cautious but filled with an undercurrent of unresolved family tension.

Mimi, a pragmatic and decisive woman, contrasts with Addie’s introspective nature.  They discuss Jane Ireland, whose scandalous reputation and controversial relationships have made her a polarizing figure on the island.

Despite their differences and past grievances, Mimi and Addie join forces to face the challenges ahead.

At the auction party held at Jane’s extravagant estate, the Lilac House, the atmosphere is elegant but strained.  The guest list includes a mix of locals and outsiders, each carrying their own secrets and motives.

Suspicious characters abound, including a printer named Jim Towels, a perfumer Veronique, and Jane’s brother Gus, who is working as the estate’s chef.  The party unfolds under Jane’s commanding presence until she unexpectedly dies from a fatal stab wound, clutching a cryptic note.

The shock of her murder throws the guests into confusion and suspicion, and Mimi and Addie find themselves at the heart of the mystery.

A violent snowstorm soon isolates the mansion, with the local police officer absent and no immediate help available.  The group is trapped, tensions rise, and mistrust spreads as everyone realizes the killer is among them.

The hosts, Jane’s son-in-law Matthew and housekeeper Barb, try to maintain order, but the discovery of the missing murder weapon and Jane’s wedding ring deepens the unease.

Addie’s experience as a game designer specializing in murder mysteries gives her a unique perspective on the real-life crime unfolding around her.  Together with Mimi, who uses her social intuition, they set out to investigate.

They build a timeline of events and map clues to understand the sequence of the murder.  Mimi becomes entangled when her fingerprints are found on the murder weapon due to an accidental cut, complicating her position.

As they question guests and explore the mansion, they uncover the complicated family history behind Jane, a former NASA scientist who dramatically changed her life after marrying into the Ireland family.  They meet Jim Towels, who admits to writing the warning note Jane held before she died but denies involvement in the murder or blackmail.

Tensions among the guests become apparent through overheard arguments and suspicious behaviors, especially involving Matthew and a guest named Kimiko.

Their investigation reveals secret passages within the mansion, hidden rooms filled with artifacts related to the family’s Prohibition-era past, and conflicting alibis.  The atmosphere grows increasingly dangerous when the housekeeper Barb is found murdered, and Addie narrowly survives an attack by a masked assailant.

Mimi’s emerald necklace goes missing, and evidence begins to point toward some guests more than others, including Woody, a pianist with a shadowy role in the blackmail scheme, and Lillian, a life coach whose suspicious actions and theft add to the mystery.

Amid the mounting danger, Addie and Mimi uncover a blackmail scheme masterminded by Matthew, who is desperate to protect his vineyard business from legal trouble.  Jane, terminally ill, was unaware of the extent to which her estate was being manipulated.

Matthew’s accomplice, Sebastián Palacios, is revealed as the murderer, having killed Jane, Matthew, and Barb to cover their tracks.  Addie exposes Sebastián during a tense confrontation, where she also saves Mimi from harm.

The power is restored to the mansion just as the local police arrive, breaking the isolation caused by the storm.  With the case solved, Mimi and Addie reflect on their ordeal and their renewed bond.

Addie prepares to leave Mackinac, taking with her the lessons learned and a sense of hope despite the trauma.

This Is Not a Game intertwines the dynamics of a fractured family with a suspenseful murder investigation set in a richly drawn island community.  Through the perspectives of Mimi and Addie, the novel explores themes of trust, betrayal, resilience, and the pursuit of justice in the face of darkness and deception.

The blend of intimate personal struggles and high-stakes intrigue delivers a compelling narrative that keeps readers questioning who can be trusted until the very end.

This Is Not a Game Summary

Characters

Mimi (Rosemary Louise MacLaine)

Mimi is an older woman living a quiet, solitary life on Mackinac Island, where she enjoys the calm rhythms of her daily routines—gardening, bridge games, and shopping at local historic stores.  Her strong preference for privacy and simple pleasures is disrupted by the arrival of a mysterious blackmail threat tied to a secret from her past, which forces her into a tense confrontation with her wealthy neighbor Jane Ireland.

Mimi embodies a pragmatic and decisive spirit; she is a “doer” who faces challenges head-on, contrasting sharply with her granddaughter Addie’s more cautious nature.  Despite her solitary demeanor, Mimi harbors complex emotions, including regret and vulnerability, especially regarding her family relationships and the secrets she guards.

Her past actions, particularly the euthanasia of her husband, reveal a morally complicated character whose motivations are rooted in compassion and suffering, deepening the emotional core of the story.  Throughout the narrative, Mimi’s social acuity and resilience become vital as she navigates the escalating danger and mystery surrounding Jane’s murder.

Addie

Addie is Mimi’s granddaughter, a young, talented game designer based in Chicago who is recovering from a painful breakup with Brian, her former fiancé and business partner.  Her character is defined by a mixture of professional accomplishment and personal turmoil, balancing grief and loneliness with sharp intellect and creativity.

Unlike Mimi, Addie is introspective and tends to overthink, approaching situations with a strategic mindset shaped by her experience in designing murder mystery games.  This unique background gives her a distinct edge in investigating the real-life murder that unfolds, blending her fictional game skills with real-world deduction.

Addie is also portrayed as emotionally vulnerable but determined, grappling with her complicated relationship with Mimi while striving to assert her agency in both the family and the corporate world.  Her journey is one of reconciliation, empowerment, and courage as she confronts betrayal, danger, and hidden family secrets.

Jane Ireland

Jane Ireland is the wealthy and scandalous neighbor whose mysterious death catalyzes the central murder mystery.  She is a commanding figure with a complex past, including a background in astrophysics and a dramatic personal history involving family estrangement and controversial relationships.

Jane’s personality is described as controlling and at times cold, exerting influence over those around her while harboring her own secrets.  The social and legal tensions she embodies—particularly regarding inheritance, blackmail, and power—make her both a victim and a pivotal character in the unfolding drama.

Her estate, the Lilac House, is a symbol of her status and the secrets hidden beneath the surface.  Jane’s death exposes the fractures within the island community and the darker undercurrents of wealth, family loyalty, and betrayal.

Matthew Reed

Matthew is Jane’s son-in-law and boyfriend, a figure entangled in the web of intrigue, financial pressure, and deception that underpins the story.  His role as the controller of the estate and the drawbridge emphasizes his power and control over the guests trapped during the snowstorm.

Matthew is implicated as the mastermind behind the blackmail scheme and is driven by a desperate need to manage a class-action lawsuit threatening his vineyard business.  His relationships are fraught with tension and manipulation, and he uses his connections and influence to conceal his involvement in the crimes.

Matthew’s character embodies the themes of greed, desperation, and betrayal, playing a critical role in the mystery’s escalation until his death complicates the investigation further.

Gus

Gus is Jane’s brother and the household chef, a character who provides insight into the family’s history and internal dynamics.  Struggling with grief over Jane’s death, Gus represents the emotional toll that the murder and family conflicts take on those close to the victim.

His interactions with Mimi and Addie reveal the complexities of loyalty, loss, and suspicion.  Although not central to the criminal activity, his presence adds depth to the portrayal of the household’s atmosphere and the strained relationships among the guests.

Jim Towels

Jim Towels, a local print shop owner, emerges as a suspicious figure connected to both the blackmail operation and Jane’s murder.  He is depicted as obsessive and secretive, with a peculiar fixation on Jane and the note found in her hand.

While denying direct involvement in the crimes, his role as a fixer and launderer of blackmail money ties him closely to Matthew’s illicit activities.  Jim’s dual nature—as a seemingly harmless island local with a dark side—adds layers to the intrigue and exemplifies the blurred lines between innocence and guilt within the story’s tightly knit community.

Veronique Loubatier

Veronique is Jane’s French perfumer and client, who provides a unique perspective on Jane’s personality and the cold, controlling atmosphere of the estate.  Her observations emphasize Jane’s dominance and the isolation felt by those around her.

Veronique’s role also includes serving as an alibi during the critical time of the murder, adding a layer of complexity to the suspects’ interactions and contributing to the suspense surrounding the investigation.

Lillian

Lillian is a life coach and guest at the party whose erratic behavior and contentious history with Jane place her under suspicion.  Her involvement in theft, particularly stealing Mimi’s emerald necklace, and her possible attempts to manipulate or misdirect the investigation position her as a key figure in the unfolding drama.

Lillian’s volatility and secrecy reflect the broader themes of mistrust and hidden motives that permeate the narrative.

Sebastián Palacios

Sebastián is a charismatic TV host and one of the story’s darker characters, revealed to be complicit in the blackmail scheme and ultimately the murderer.  His outward charm masks more sinister motivations, including a willingness to kill to cover up the conspiracy surrounding Jane’s death and the inheritance dispute.

Sebastián’s actions embody the deadly consequences of greed and betrayal, culminating in a tense final confrontation that unravels the mystery and delivers justice.

Barb

Barb, the housekeeper, is a quietly tragic figure whose past mistakes and loyalty to the household complicate her position in the investigation.  Her discovery murdered in the mansion escalates the danger, and her revelations about guests’ suspicious behavior provide crucial leads.

Barb’s character adds emotional weight to the story, highlighting the risks faced by those caught in the crossfire of powerful interests and hidden agendas.

Alexandra (Celeste)

Alexandra, also known by her real name Celeste, is Jane’s estranged daughter whose fractured relationship with her mother and involvement with Matthew add depth to the family drama.  The password riddle tied to her name symbolizes her secretive role in the mystery.

Alexandra’s character represents the generational conflicts and unresolved tensions that underscore much of the story’s emotional and narrative complexity.  Her ambiguous motives and connections keep her as a figure of intrigue and suspicion throughout the investigation.

Themes

Family and Intergenerational Relationships

In This Is Not a Game, family connections form a complex and emotionally charged core, especially the relationship between Mimi and her granddaughter Addie.  Their interactions are fraught with years of distance, unresolved conflicts, and contrasting personalities, which the narrative explores with nuance.

Mimi’s stoic, action-oriented nature contrasts sharply with Addie’s reflective, analytical mindset, yet these differences underscore the challenges and potential growth in intergenerational bonds.  Throughout the story, their shared history, secrets, and individual regrets create an undercurrent of tension and possibility for reconciliation.

Mimi’s guardedness, shaped by her past decisions and the burden of a dark secret, reveals the emotional cost of family estrangement.  Meanwhile, Addie’s struggle with her broken engagement and professional betrayal reflects a younger generation grappling with trust and identity within family legacies.

The story uses their evolving partnership amid crisis to highlight how family can be both a source of pain and a vital anchor, with the mystery serving as a catalyst for healing and deeper understanding.  The narrative suggests that despite misunderstandings and past hurts, familial bonds can offer resilience, support, and renewed connection even in the face of danger and loss.

Secrets, Deception, and Blackmail

Secrecy permeates the atmosphere of the story, driving much of the suspense and character motivations.  The mysterious blue envelope, the demands for a rare manga, and the shadow of blackmail cast a long, oppressive shadow over Mimi’s life, illustrating how secrets can entangle individuals in webs of manipulation and fear.

Blackmail operates as a symbol of control and vulnerability, emphasizing how hidden truths have the power to disrupt not only private lives but social and financial standing.  The narrative carefully portrays deception as a multi-layered phenomenon—not only external but internal—where characters conceal truths from themselves and each other.

Jane Ireland’s clandestine activities, the complicated legal battles over intellectual property, and the cryptic notes and secret passages in the mansion all reinforce a world where appearances are deceptive, and trust is fragile.  This theme examines the corrosive effects of lies and the difficult choices people make to protect themselves or gain leverage.

The tension between concealment and revelation underlines the human need for privacy and the dangers that arise when secrets are weaponized in personal and social arenas.

Isolation and Community in a Closed Setting

The setting of Mackinac Island, with its physical separation from the mainland and the snowstorm trapping guests in the mansion, intensifies the theme of isolation and community dynamics.  The story captures how isolation can amplify fear, suspicion, and paranoia, especially when danger is present and external help is unreachable.

The closed environment forces characters into constant proximity, where social facades thin, and underlying tensions erupt.  Within this confinement, the small community’s interconnectedness—neighbors, family, and acquaintances—becomes both a source of comfort and suspicion.

The island’s car-free, quaint atmosphere contrasts starkly with the sinister events unfolding, highlighting the fragility of peaceful appearances.  This theme explores the psychological and social effects of being cut off physically and emotionally, where alliances are tested, and survival depends on trust and cooperation despite the pervasive threat.

It also reflects on how communities respond under pressure—whether they fracture into suspicion and accusation or come together to seek truth and justice.

Power, Wealth, and Influence

The story scrutinizes the influence of wealth and social status in shaping power dynamics, relationships, and conflicts.  Jane Ireland’s opulent lifestyle and her position as a wealthy neighbor set the stage for social intrigue, while the auction and the high-stakes bidding reveal the intersection of money and control.

The characters involved in the blackmail and murder are often motivated by financial desperation, greed, or the desire to maintain social standing, suggesting a critique of how wealth can corrupt and coerce.  Matthew’s manipulation of the inheritance and his orchestration of murders to protect his vineyard business underscore how economic pressures can drive people to morally reprehensible acts.

The theme also touches on corporate betrayal, exemplified by Addie’s struggles over intellectual property rights, illustrating the ruthless nature of business and legal battles behind creative success.  In this context, power is portrayed not only as a means to command others but also as a double-edged sword that isolates and endangers its wielders.

The story raises questions about the costs of ambition and the ethical compromises made in pursuit of wealth.

Identity and Self-Discovery

Amid the external mysteries and threats, This Is Not a Game foregrounds the inner journeys of Mimi and Addie as they confront their pasts and redefine their sense of self.  Mimi’s revelation about euthanizing her husband introduces themes of moral complexity, guilt, and the search for peace with difficult choices.

This personal secret is a pivotal moment that humanizes her and deepens the emotional stakes of the narrative.  For Addie, the collision of her personal heartbreak, professional challenges, and the unfolding murder mystery propels a transformation from self-doubt and guardedness toward greater confidence and agency.

Her background as a game designer specialized in murder mysteries enriches her problem-solving approach but also forces her to distinguish between simulation and harsh reality, pushing her to reconcile fantasy and truth.  The story thus examines how trauma, secrets, and confrontation with danger can trigger profound self-examination and growth.

Identity is portrayed as layered and evolving, shaped by both inherited histories and personal choices, with the characters’ development mirroring the larger narrative’s movement from confusion to clarity.

The Blurring of Reality and Fiction

Addie’s profession as a creator of murder mystery games introduces a meta-textual element that challenges the boundaries between fiction and reality.  Her tendency to analyze events through the lens of gameplay and narrative structure reflects a unique perspective on the murder investigation, where patterns and clues take on layered meanings.

This theme explores how storytelling frameworks influence perception and how real-life danger can mirror the constructed suspense of games, but with far higher stakes.  The tension between the intellectual exercise of solving puzzles and the visceral experience of fear and loss underscores the unpredictable nature of reality compared to scripted fiction.

The narrative raises intriguing questions about how people use stories to make sense of chaos, the seductive appeal of mystery, and the potential risks of conflating game strategies with actual human behavior.  This interplay enriches the novel’s suspense and character psychology, inviting readers to consider the limits of control and the unpredictable consequences when life imitates art.