A Risky Game

Deadly stakes, dangerous secrets, and a cut-throat game where the winners are set for life. Welcome to the Boston School, and the world of the Liars Society. 

Weatherby and Jack have been tapped to join Last Heir, the most powerful secret society in the world, but the night of the first gambit, the game takes a terrifying turn. Now, Jack and Weatherby are in a race against time to discover the truth about the game—and themselves. But how do you know who to trust when everyone is a liar?  

A Risky Game follows cousins Jack Hunt and Weatherby Walker as they try to unravel their families’ secrets. In an attempt to join the Last Heir, Jack, Weatherby, and three of their friends work together to win each gambit. To accomplish this, the friends agree to always be honest with each other, even as they lie and manipulate the truth for anyone outside the group. This leads to a murky theme about honesty as the teens plan to uncover the truth by deceiving others. 

The Liars Society—Jack, Weatherby, Iris, Harper, and Prescott—can’t trust the adults in their lives. Jack’s father has made it clear that he will use any means necessary to remain on top and encourages Jack to manipulate others. For example, to win a gambit, Jack’s father says, “It’s fine for you to use Weatherby to win.” Additionally, all of the other adults also have trust issues and questionable morals. According to Iris, her mom “doesn’t believe in friends. She always says, Trust no one. It’s like her personal slogan.” Unfortunately, trustworthy adults are missing from the story’s plot. 

The story’s plot doesn’t always ring true. Throughout Weatherby’s life, her mother has worked to keep Weatherby away from her father’s family, the Hunts, who are described as “bad people.” However, in A Risky Game, Weatherby and her mother move into a house on the Hunts’ property and accept everything that comes with being a Hunt—a new car, new clothing, and a membership in the country club. Weatherby enjoys the perks of being wealthy, thinking, “The best part is that now whenever Mom isn’t working, we get to be together. There’s no laundry, grocery shopping, or errands getting in our way. We have time to talk and cuddle up on the sofa with popcorn and an old movie.” As a member of Boston School, Weatherby quickly adopts an elitist attitude and wants everyone to know she is part of the powerful and wealthy Hunt family. 

Despite initially disliking Weatherby, Jack is now completely on Weatherby’s side and is determined to keep her safe from his father, who wants Weatherby dead. Initially, Jack lacks confidence and often feels stressed. When worried, Jack picks at his nails, a habit that he cannot break because “the pain burns in a good way, until my fingers start to ache.” This habit is mentioned often, which may lead readers to think about self-harm. Out of all the characters, Jack comes off as the most genuine, and he truly wants to live a life that he can be proud of, even if that means distancing himself from the Hunt family. 

A Risky Game will entertain readers who want to immerse themselves in a world where wealth and lies rule. Neither Weatherby nor Jack is a trustworthy character, but the mystery revolving around the Hunt family is interesting, and readers will enjoy trying to decipher the clues. However, readers must be willing to suspend their disbelief and overlook the plot points that just don’t seem credible. Before reading The Liars Society Series, readers need to understand that the book glorifies wanting to be part of a wealthy, powerful secret society for personal gain. 

If you’re looking for an exciting series packed with action and mystery, you may want to leave The Liars Society Series on the shelf. Instead, read the Gallagher Girls Series by Ally Carter, City Spies Series by James Ponti, and Jack and the Geniuses Series by Bill Nye & Gregory Mone. 

Sexual Content  

• None

Violence  

• During an individual challenge, Jack drops an important key. Ulysses, another boy in the challenge, sees this, and he “lunges towards [Jack] and tries to pry the key from [his] fist.” Jack describes, “I don’t dare let go. Even after he starts kneeing me in the ribs.” Another boy jumps in and helps Jack. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

• Someone puts poison in Weatherby’s water bottle, which Jack drinks from. Later, they learn that the doctors found “benzodiazepines, a type of medicine that slows down your brain and puts you to sleep,” in Jack’s system. 
• Jack and Weatherby discover that their grandfather, Kingsman, “poisoned Grier [a relative] with a medicine prescribed to [Jack’s father].”  

Language  

• Name-calling, such as jerk, is used infrequently.  
• “Oh my God” is used as an exclamation several times. 
• A boy uses “jeez” as an exclamation one time. 

Supernatural 

• None

Spiritual Content  

• Jack is poisoned. When he wakes up in the hospital, his father says, “Oh, thank God.”