Bonnie arrives on a remote sea fort off the coast of England to take part in a mysterious reality TV show. Competing against seven strangers, she must solve a series of puzzles to win the prize money, but this is no game – and the consequences of failure are deadly.
No one leaves.
Under scrutiny from the watching public, the contestants quickly turn on one another. Who will sacrifice the most for wealth and fame? And why can’t Bonnie shake the creeping sense that they are not alone?
The only way out is to win.
When the first contestant is found dead, Bonnie begins to understand the dark truth at the heart of this twisted competition: there’s a killer inside the fort, and anyone could be next. If Bonnie wants to escape, she needs to win…
Are you ready to play?
Perfect for fans of TV hits like The Traitors and Squid Game, this high-concept thriller is about the dark side of reality TV….
When a reality TV show turns into a serial killer’s twisted competition; can eight contestants solve the puzzle before it’s too late?
I love an escape room. There’s something very satisfying about working through a series of puzzles, and it’s fabulous when you can beat the clock and get out. After reading The Escape Room I will absolutely definitely never ever be contemplating entering any form of televised or streamed game show, and most especially not one based on an escape room concept. However I will most definitely be recommending The Escape Room to thriller readers as this book is wonderful. I was curious to see how it would work as a storyline and I think it was fantastically executed. Despite knowing I was holding the story in my hands and of course retained the ability to set it down or close my eyes, I still felt the rising heart rate and the panicked breathlessness as I followed the contestants through their challenges.
The story is well told, mainly from the perspective of Bonnie, but we have a few little peaks behind the scenes to throw a brief glance towards the puppet master of sorts. There are some very tense moments and some which made me feel so very grateful to be reading in a wide open space where I had choices and the ability to get up and walk away! Whilst it’s difficult to allow the reader to completely join in with the game, there are the opportunities to have a crack at a few of the puzzles and test yourself.
This isn’t a book for the faint hearted but it’s a gripping read. I didn’t care for a few of the characters and there were a couple who were hard to figure out. I suspect readers will have a spectrum of opinions on them but they definitely worked well together as a group. I liked being kept in suspense and never really knowing what would be the next challenge and if it would be achievable! I haven’t actually done an escape room since reading – I’ll definitely be alerting someone outside before I go in!
About L.D. Smithson: L. D. Smithson was born in Staffordshire and now lives in Ilkley. She is an occupational psychologist and a crime writer who has published under another name.
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