Clara’s Verdict
Every so often, Audible releases an original that genuinely deserves the word ‘event’. We Play Games by Sarah A. Denzil is one of those. I was sceptical going in – the psychological thriller market is saturated, and full-cast productions can feel gimmicky when the writing doesn’t hold up. Here, the writing absolutely holds up. Denzil, already known for Silent Child and The Broken Ones, delivers something that feels tailor-made for audio: multiple competing voices, a marriage that unravels in real time, and a sense of paranoia that builds with each passing chapter. This is a genuinely gripping listen – not just a competent thriller dressed up in famous voices.
About the Audiobook
Effie and Ben May look, from the outside, like the archetypal London power couple. They’re attractive, financially comfortable, and socially polished. The move to Ivy Oaks – an exclusive gated community – appears to be the logical next chapter: stability, quiet, perhaps a family. In reality, their relocation is the opening move in a new game, because Effie and Ben con people for sport. It’s what holds their marriage together. But Ivy Oaks has its own secrets, and the Mays are not the cleverest players in the room for nearly as long as they believe themselves to be.
Denzil structures the narrative through four distinct perspectives, giving each character a moral register that shifts as the stakes escalate. The Mays are not sympathetic protagonists – they’re manipulative and at times genuinely frightening – but they’re utterly compelling. The themes at the heart of the story are familiar ones in literary fiction: performance, identity, the corrosive effects of living a lie. Denzil handles them without melodrama. The gated community setting works brilliantly, evoking a world where surface appearances are everything and genuine trust is impossible to establish or maintain.
Clocking in at 8 hours and 41 minutes, this is a tight, efficient production. There is no filler here.
The Narration
The ensemble cast is exceptional, anchored by Billie Piper as Effie and Dan Stevens as Ben. Piper brings a coiled intensity to Effie that keeps you constantly off balance – you’re never quite sure whether you’re witnessing calculation or genuine feeling. Her voice has a quality that makes even Effie’s most unpleasant moments oddly watchable. Stevens is a more divisive choice: his delivery is deliberate and even, which some listeners found flat or monotone. I’d offer a partial defence – Ben is a man who uses emotional distance as a weapon, and Stevens’ controlled performance captures that. That said, if you’re expecting warmth from him, you won’t find it.
Shane Zaza and Avita Jay round out the main cast admirably. The production values are polished throughout, and the decision to use distinct voices rather than a single narrator pays off enormously. Each chapter feels genuinely inhabited.
What Readers Say
Reviewers on Audible UK have responded warmly. One described being “hooked from the get-go,” praising the dark, twisty plotting and the way Denzil gradually peels back the Mays’ façade. Another called it a “cracking listen” and a “popcorn thriller done right” – something meant as a compliment, noting the pleasure of surrendering to a story that doesn’t pretend to be more than it is. The multi-narrator format received particular praise for making the audio experience feel cinematic. At 4.5 stars, it’s a strong debut Audible Original from Denzil, and the small number of ratings only means the wider audience hasn’t caught up yet.
Who Should Listen?
If you read Gillian Flynn and wished her female protagonists were even more dangerous, or if you’re a Paula Hawkins fan who’s grown comfortable with the unreliable narrator formula and wants something a little sharper, this is for you. It’s also an excellent entry point for listeners curious about full-cast audio drama – the format here is handled intelligently rather than theatrically. Fans of Big Little Lies and domestic noir more broadly will find plenty to enjoy.
Available exclusively on Audible UK, We Play Games is included in the Audible Plus catalogue. Listen to We Play Games on Audible UK and find out who plays the winning hand.
