Core Ruleset

I have read all of the books Timothy Bryan has written and have enjoyed all of them and this one is no exception. The author requested that I read and review this book and I was not only happy to do it, but I was also excited to read another one of his books.

This particular book was of interest to me, as my husband is a Dungeon Master and has been for years. So, RPGs have been a big part of our family. I also play RPGs myself, but in video game form.

Core Ruleset is a creepy, eerie, and downright thrilling book. The story takes place in Elk Grove where the small city of suddenly inundated with several cold-blooded murders. The main character is Terry Brandt. He works as a security guard for his day job but moonlights as a DM for some very rich locals. His personal life is very depressing. His job is boring and going nowhere and he lives with his abusive father and has no relationship prospects. There are two other main characters, Dani and Hideo, detectives investigating the strange number of weird murders plaguing the area. Can they figure out who the murder is and stop them before they become victims themselves?

I don't want to say much more as I don't want to give any spoilers. There is a twist near the end that I never saw coming. I love the premise of the book. The characters are well written and the details surrounding the role-playing were spot on. Either the author is a D&D player, or he did some deep research. The story was descriptive, and I could easily visualize the events that took place. Overall, this is another great book from this author. If you love a good horror thriller, then this book is for you.