The escape game by Marissa Meyer and Tamara Moss

I love mystery stories and eagerly picked up The escape game, intrigued by its unique premise – a murder of a young woman, Alicia Angelos, on the set of an escape-room themed reality game show. A new season is set to go with contestants excited awaiting the beginning of the show. There is Carter, whose online name is Kick it Carter, a math whiz, Beck who designs his own escape rooms, Adi who is great at cryptography and Sierra Angelos, the sister of the murdered girl and who everyone believes is her murderer. As the show progresses it is obvious that someone is behind the scenes manipulating clues and keeping Sierra’s team guessing about what happened to her sister.

Marissa Meyer is the successful author of many novels including The Lunar Chronicles, while Tamara Moss has written adult mysteries under the name of Tamara Moss Bailey, and their collaboration results in a thrilling read, where the reader is taken from one escape room to another.  Sierra, Adi, Carter and Beck must use their unique skills to escape the rooms and learn to trust each other, while all having different agendas and needs as contestants. As well as the challenge of unpicking clues, deciphering codes and escaping locked rooms, they face danger as it becomes increasingly clear that someone is out to get them. They are locked in a freezer, Carter’s drink is spiked and Adi must face the machinations of his manipulative mother. And will Sierra find out who murdered her sister?

It is told from multiple viewpoints, with flashbacks to the previous season when Alicia was murdered. The reality show hosts, contestants and behind the scenes workers are vividly described as the reader gets to know the inner thoughts and dreams of the contestants.

The Escape Game is a gripping thriller and the tension is kept up to the stunning conclusion. And there is a sequel to follow with more adventures for the team! Fans of The Inheritance Games series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes are sure to love this. 

Themes: Thriller, Reality television, Escape room games, Ciphers, Puzzles, Murder.

Pat Pledger