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Jeff Menapace
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Bad Games - A Dark Psychological Thriller (Bad Games Series Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Jeff Menapace (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 out of 5 stars 5,881 ratings
The terrifying bestseller, now optioned for film and television.

Patrick and Amy Lambert and their two children are heading to rural Pennsylvania for a remote getaway at the cabin. When the family stops at a filling station along the way, a stranger strikes up a conversation and insists on paying for their gas.

Patrick and Amy find this a little odd.

Later, at a nearby diner, Patrick and Amy are shocked to discover their six-year-old daughter has secretly traded her treasured doll for a single piece of candy to the very same stranger.

This is no longer just a little odd.

The Lamberts don’t know it yet, but the game has officially begun.

A terrifying suspense thriller, Bad Games will keep you up all night as delves into the evil in humankind, along with the will and determination an innocent family must summon in order to fight back against unspeakable odds.


What readers are saying about Jeff Menapace and the Bad Games series:

"Outstanding...I have read horror before like John Saul, Dean Koontz and Stephen King, and they never bothered me as Bad Games did."

"Jeffery Deaver look out... this guy plays with your head."

"I have been a lifetime reader of Dean Koontz, Stephen King, James Patterson, Lisa Gardner, and various other suspense and horror authors... I have found a new author to add to my list of greats."

"I love the Prey series by John Sandford, and the Michael Bennett series by James Patterson. If any of these appeal to you, I strongly suggest reading this RIGHT NOW!!”

"Will scare you to death... Menapace will become a household name along with Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and Richard Laymon."
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  1. Book 1 of 5
    Bad Games Series
  2. Print length
    312 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    February 18, 2013
  6. File size
    3.1 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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  1. She enjoyed food shopping as much as she did a pothole after an alignment.
    Highlighted by 58 Kindle readers
  2. “Some people say environment makes us who we are. So, I guess it’s up to us to change that environment, make our world a friendlier place to live in.”
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From the Publisher

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Every page of Menapace's writing explodes with chills and thrills." - Michaelbrent Collings, International bestseller and Bram Stoker Award finalist

"I find the author to be ridiculously talented. - Red Adept Reviews

"Bad Games is definitely a 'just one more chapter' kind of book.' Next thing you know, it's 4 a.m. and you're too scared to go to sleep." - Patrick Logan, bestselling author of the Chase Adams FBI Thriller Series

"An insanely entertaining and tension-filled psycho thriller. Not for the faint of heart! - Jeff Strand, Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of Pressure

"Some authors try to 'scare' you; Menapace drags you kicking and screaming through the pages until the terrifying end . . . and you always come back for more." - Erik Therme, award-winning author of Resthaven

"If you're looking for a ride to explore the darkest parts of humanity, all with relentless suspense and non-stop chills, look no further than Jeff Menapace. Hop on, and hang on tight." - Michael Robertson Jr, bestselling author of the Lance Brody Series

"If you're a Richard Laymon fan, check out Bad Games...a gritty and very dark read that's rough around the edges in a refreshing way." - John Dixon, 2x Bram Stoker Award winner

"Jeff Menapace is one of the rising stars of the horror thriller genre...he can scare the daylights out of the best of them." - J. Chambers, Amazon Hall of Fame, Top 10 Reviewer

"This book kept me very lonely at night. Why lonely? My wife wouldn't hang out with me until she was done. So if you liked Bad Games, you might want to check Vengeful Games out!" - Editor, OHFB.com

From the Author

The Bad Games books:

  • -Book 1 - Bad Games
  • -Book 2 - Vengeful Games
  • -Book 3 - Bad Games: Hellbent
  • -Book 4 - Bad Games: Malevolent
  • -Book 5 - Bad Games: Psychopath
  • -Bad Games Box Set: (Books 1-3)
  • -Bad Games Box Set: The Complete Series (Books 1-5)

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00BIP1S8E
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Mind Mess Press
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 18, 2013
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ 1st
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3.1 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 312 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 5 ‏ : ‎ Bad Games Series
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 5,881 ratings

About the author

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Jeff Menapace

Jeff Menapace

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A native of the Philadelphia area, Jeff has published multiple works in both fiction and non-fiction. In 2011 he was the recipient of the Red Adept Reviews Indie Award for Horror.

Jeff's debut novel BAD GAMES was a #1 bestseller that spawned four acclaimed sequels, and now the series has been optioned for feature film.

Free time for Jeff is spent watching horror movies, The Three Stooges, and mixed martial arts. He loves steak and more steak, thinks the original 1974 Texas Chainsaw Massacre is the greatest movie ever, wants to pet a lion some day, and hates spiders.

He currently lives in Pennsylvania with his wife Kelly and their cats Sammy, Bear, and Baby Girl.

Follow Jeff on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Goodreads, Instagram, BookBub, and Amazon:

https://www.facebook.com/JeffMenapace.writer

http://twitter.com/JeffMenapace

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffmenapace

https://www.goodreads.com/jeffmenapace

https://www.instagram.com/jeffmenapace

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jeff-menapace

https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B004R09M0S

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
5,881 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this psychological thriller engaging from the beginning, with well-developed characters and a writing style that's both visual and believable. The book moves at a lightning pace and keeps readers on the edge of their seats, making it a gripping page-turner. While customers appreciate the gory content, some find it excessive.

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SuspensefulReadabilityWriting qualityCharacter developmentPacingPage turnerEdge retentionGory content
656 customers mention "Suspenseful"491 positive165 negative

Customers find the book suspenseful, describing it as a good psychological thriller that catches readers right from the beginning and stays interesting throughout.

"...the slow inexorable buildup of tension and the author allowing my imagination free rein to fill in the details of the twins' warped personalities..." Read more

"...ecstatic at the thrill of continuing to read this fascinating, psychological thriller of a roller coaster ride into the wee hours of the morning for..." Read more

"This was a really good book with a semi original idea. The characters were believable for the most part in the beginning...." Read more

"...The book is much more bizarre, spooky, creepy & weird than the movie ever could be!..." Read more

553 customers mention "Readability"503 positive50 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, describing it as addictive and great from the beginning.

"Absolutely one of the best books ever...HIGHLY RECOMMEND" Read more

"An enjoyable read for those of us who enjoy thrillers, especially psychological thrillers...." Read more

"Just finished reading this today!! Absolutely loved it!! Had me hooked from page one!!..." Read more

"This was a really good book with a semi original idea. The characters were believable for the most part in the beginning...." Read more

203 customers mention "Writing quality"156 positive47 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, describing it as spectacularly and very readable, with one customer noting the effective narration by Gary Tiedemann.

"...The author's writing style is very visual for me ... I winced when the characters did; I felt the pain when blows were struck.... I found myself..." Read more

"...Stars for that and for being easy to read. But the ugliness of the action was cringeworthy, not entertaining. That’s my main complaint...." Read more

"...The writing is exceptional and the story is well-paced, with mounting tension that will take you to the edge of your seat...." Read more

"...My two biggest problems with the book are the dialogue and the ending...." Read more

124 customers mention "Character development"97 positive27 negative

Customers praise the well-developed characters in the book, with one customer noting how the hero and heroine are present throughout the story, while another mentions the author's excellent job with dialogue between the protagonists.

"...The good guys are likable and the despicable twins made my skin crawl and want to wreak a just vengeance upon them myself...." Read more

"This was a really good book with a semi original idea. The characters were believable for the most part in the beginning...." Read more

"...The storyline is great, the characters even better! I found myself wondering what I would do if I were put in the same predicament as the characters...." Read more

"...The characters are realistic and relatable. I bonded with Patrick and Amy instantly...." Read more

112 customers mention "Pacing"86 positive26 negative

Customers praise the book's pacing, noting that the story never lags and moves at a lightning speed, with some finishing it in just two days.

"...a while to actually get to the abducting the family and it seemed pretty quick and relatively easy to get away from them once they were...." Read more

"...The suspense in this book is spot on. Things move along at a nice pace, and I felt the urge to keep reading...." Read more

"...BUT...it was still a page-turner I read very quickly, and there just aren't too many of those I've run into lately...." Read more

"...The ending also took forever and really slowed down the pace of the book...." Read more

49 customers mention "Page turner"49 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging, describing it as a page-turner from beginning to end.

"...I was hooked and kept turning pages. But something happened after a while. The dark tale became an ugly tale...." Read more

"This dark tale yanks the reader in, grabbing them tightly, spinning them around while tossing them up and down, keeping them off-kilter...." Read more

"...Spectacularly written, twists, turns and second guessing!!! Could not put it down!! Caleb. My gosh!!..." Read more

"...It is a page turner, so well written!..." Read more

47 customers mention "Edge retention"47 positive0 negative

Customers praise how the book keeps them engaged, describing it as a gripping page-turner that maintains suspense throughout.

"This dark tale yanks the reader in, grabbing them tightly, spinning them around while tossing them up and down, keeping them off-kilter...." Read more

"Menapace has a grip on my psyche. I started with the Caleb books and came to these when I finished. Maaaaan I wish I would have started here...." Read more

"...The tension is breathtaking, the bad guys are brilliantly cunning, and the situation is an absolute nightmare...." Read more

"This is a very interesting book that has kept me on edge! Hard to put the book down because you want to know what is about to happen next! Great read!" Read more

104 customers mention "Gory content"33 positive71 negative

Customers have mixed reactions to the gory content of the book, with several finding it shockingly violent and nasty, while one customer appreciates how brilliantly cunning the villains are portrayed.

"...The couples insistent sexual banter was borderline ridiculous and corny...." Read more

"...The violence in this book was pretty spot on as well. The images in this book are gruesome, so keep that in mind if you plan to pick this one up...." Read more

"The opening of Bad Games was really great. Introducing the wicked antagonists was crackerjack...." Read more

"...My body is so sore from being locked to the horrible, vicious things that take place in this book...." Read more

Make sure you have the sequel on hand, you’ll want to continue right away after finishing!!
5 out of 5 stars
Make sure you have the sequel on hand, you’ll want to continue right away after finishing!!
Just finished reading this today!! Absolutely loved it!! Had me hooked from page one!! I was unable to put it down needing to know what happened next. Looking forward to reading Vengeful Games. Wish I had purchased them together so I could continue reading immediately.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Rebecca A. Lewis
    5.0 out of 5 stars Bad Games
    Reviewed in the United States on June 9, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Absolutely one of the best books ever...HIGHLY RECOMMEND
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  • Grammie
    4.0 out of 5 stars Very good first effort that builds the suspense slow & steady.
    Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2014
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    An enjoyable read for those of us who enjoy thrillers, especially psychological thrillers. The premise, a totally innocent family out of familiar surroundings caught up in strange uncertain set of events that escalate, is familiar but with a slightly different take on the evil ones and their goal.. I particularly enjoyed the slow inexorable buildup of tension and the author allowing my imagination free rein to fill in the details of the twins' warped personalities and exactly what they do.

    Although there is gore it is neither excessive nor did any of it cross the line for an old habitue of true crime novels, police procedurals, thrillers etc. In fact, based upon today's standards for even prime time TV, I can only think of a few scary or romantic scenes in the book that might require a little careful editing. The good guys are likable and the despicable twins made my skin crawl and want to wreak a just vengeance upon them myself. Last, for an Ebook I found the finished, edited product to be better than usual - a real plus.

    There were some things that made me stop at a 4 star rating. Although the evil twins' characters were shown to have at least some small element of balance the All American perfect family were just too perfect and were demonstrated with somewhat repetitive dialog Their characters, especially the parents, and a full relationship of ups and downs should have been developed better. The other thing has to do with the plot. Without, I hope, giving anything away I was disappointed that a few seemingly very inconspicuous breadcrumbs earlier in the plot suddenly sprouted neon lights and blaring horns towards the end of the book and blazed a path to the by then not so surprise ending.

    In conclusion, I enjoyed this enough that I have already purchased the sequel and a few Sugar Daddy short stories.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • B Rappe
    5.0 out of 5 stars Make sure you have the sequel on hand, you’ll want to continue right away after finishing!!
    Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2025
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Just finished reading this today!! Absolutely loved it!! Had me hooked from page one!! I was unable to put it down needing to know what happened next. Looking forward to reading Vengeful Games. Wish I had purchased them together so I could continue reading immediately.
    Customer image
    B Rappe
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Make sure you have the sequel on hand, you’ll want to continue right away after finishing!!

    Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2025
    Just finished reading this today!! Absolutely loved it!! Had me hooked from page one!! I was unable to put it down needing to know what happened next. Looking forward to reading Vengeful Games. Wish I had purchased them together so I could continue reading immediately.
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  • Kindle Customer
    3.0 out of 5 stars hard to get through, in the best way!
    Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I read alot of dark books, I even read splatterpunk and most of the time I don’t even blink twice at what I’m reading…. but this was hard to get through! It wasn’t detailed but it made my heart race and the lack of details made your mind go to dark places on their own. I was rooting so hard for the good guys, and absolutely hated the bad ones. it took a while to really pick up the pace but once it did it hit hard and fast. good read!
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  • Avid Reader
    5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptionally suspenseful
    Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2013
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I have written only one other amazon review previously but after reading this novel, I simply had to.

    When I first started reading this novel, I had no idea it was part of a trilogy until the end of my kindle book where I was ecstatic at the thrill of continuing to read this fascinating, psychological thriller of a roller coaster ride into the wee hours of the morning for three nights. Not only is the writing exceptional but I felt as if I were watching the movie- this has happened to me only a few times in the last 100 or so novels I have read. The author's writing style is very visual for me ... I winced when the characters did; I felt the pain when blows were struck.... I found myself several times tensing up through to the end of a chapter and wanting to read one more chapter to see how the characters fared in the next scene. I would love to see someone produce this novel into a film.

    The story begins with a trip into the country for a city living young family of four and ends in a nightmare that no one can predict or dream of. What starts out as a romantic and family outing for a weekend slowly reveals the terror to come... the writer begins giving small glimpses into the upcoming dangers the family will face... each glimpse bringing us closer to piecing together the unfolding story. At about half way through the novel, the anticipation ends and the terror begins. I did not anticipate the events unfold as they did. The last half of the book was unadulterated terror that this family experiences at the hands of these psychopaths.

    What's really different about this thriller/horror story that sets it apart in my experience of reading this genre, with the exception of the writing, is the back story of the "psychopaths". I was intrigued by the motivation and was pleasantly surprised to find the author was as well. We are given the family history of the psychopaths that provides a beginning understanding of how they may have developed- the nature versus nurture debate begins and is more fully flushed out in the next novel Vengeful Games as is demonstrated in the chapter provided in the kindle version of the novel.

    If you are a fan of psychological thrillers and like body tensing suspense coupled with the desire to stay up past your bedtime....read this novel and the ones coming after. I cannot wait to read Vengeful Games and all future novels by this author.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Calvin Pulizzi
    4.0 out of 5 stars Creepy but good
    Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This was a really good book with a semi original idea. The characters were believable for the most part in the beginning. Once the mind games start the main characters start acting like every idiot in a horror movie we all yell at, even though they comment about idiots in horror movies.

    The actual kidnapping and torture parts were "good" in that they were interesting to see what happened next.

    My two biggest problems with the book are the dialogue and the ending. Every character at one point goes off on some long winded speech that no normal or real person would use. It was just as bad as a movie villian monolgue detailing the full plans. A lot of the conversations could have been cut in half or not had at all. The ending also took forever and really slowed down the pace of the book. It did a good job of showing how normal people would cope with such a horrifying ordeal but it just took way too long to get there. There was an interesting tidbit about the villians I didn't expect. The final paragraph saved the ending and has me excited to see where the series goes
    3 people found this helpful
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  • tonja stahl
    5.0 out of 5 stars Edge of your seat Good
    Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Creepy creepy Creepy
    So good! Reminds me of the Strangers and Funny Games combined! can't wait for book 2. Edge of your seat
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Top reviews from other countries

  • frederique
    5.0 out of 5 stars excellent reading
    Reviewed in France on May 17, 2014
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    When i first saw the movie "Funny Games" by Michael Hanneke , i found it unsettling znd very disturbing.
    I then bought a kindle copy of Bad Games and i prefer the more moral ending
    I am now ready to buy the sequel : vengeful games
    Thanks Mr Menapace!
    Excellent read
    Report
  • Amazon Customer Kanchan
    4.0 out of 5 stars Nice Read!
    Reviewed in India on May 31, 2017
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    It's an enticing story, loved moving from one page to another! Kudos to the author! Would love to read more.
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  • Jathomas
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Thriller you can't put down
    Reviewed in Canada on April 30, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I did not want to put this book down. From the opening pages, this story lures you in and keeps up the suspense. Just when you think you know where the plot is going, the book surprises you with yet another twist. A great read!
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  • Jennifer90
    5.0 out of 5 stars Bad Games
    Reviewed in Germany on August 14, 2013
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This novel is definitly the best thriller I`ve ever read so far. The ending is great and reminds me of classical horror movies. Moreover, it was the first book that made me gag in disgust because the writing is so vivid and descriptive. I read it in one go, now it is nearly 5 in the morning. This aspect alone testifies for the brilliance of the thriller. Read and enjoy!
    Report
  • coco
    5.0 out of 5 stars fantastic read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 22, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Another fantastic book. Great story and fantastic author. I would highly recommend reading this book and many more by Jeff Menapace
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