The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer & Tamara Moss
Publication Date: April 7, 2026
Summary from Netgalley:
It’s all fun and games until someone ends up dead.
Six months ago, season four of The Escape Game ended in horror when contestant Alicia Angelos was found murdered on set.
Now season five is underway, and new contestants are ready to put their skills to the test solving the show’s trickiest escape rooms. There’s Adi, the cryptographer; Carter, the math whiz; Beck, the wannabe game master; and . . . Sierra Angelos, the girl who got away with her sister’s murder. Or so everyone believes.
But Sierra’s not just here to win. She’s here for justice.
When the contestants begin uncovering clues that hint at the identity of Alicia’s true killer, it becomes clear that the stakes aren’t high in this competition, they’re deadly. If these teens want to win—and survive—the game, they must solve the biggest mystery of all: who killed Alicia Angelos?
Confession:
I do not watch reality TV at all (or game shows either), but if this show really existed I would be all in. I have also never been to an escape room, but I always thought they would be a lot of fun. If this book is any indication of the thrills in an escape room then I think I would have a really good time in one. Although I might not be clever enough.
This was a very fun and exciting read that I really enjoyed. I loved the characters, the mystery was top notch and the whole idea of a game show based on an escape room was so much fun. I enjoyed trying to figure out the clues right along with Team Helsing both in an out of the game.
We get the story from the four members of Team Helsing. They are quite the diverse bunch and they all have their strengths and weaknesses. They also have very different reasons for wanting to be both in the game and to win. Sierra was perhaps the hardest of the group to like, but she does eventually win over your heart. She grew up in foster care and has had a tough time, and her personality shows it. But as the rest of the group wins her over, she does come to understand the importance of friends. Adi was also a little standoffish, but underneath his hard exterior is a bit of a teddy bear. Beck has the biggest to lose in this fight, but he is such a charmer and I loved that he had synesthesia. Carter is so different from the others, shy and anxious, you would never know that she is an influencer. She hides behind her avatar and doesn’t believe in herself without it. All four of these teens learn to trust themselves, each other and their friendship becomes the heart of the story.
The escape rooms were brilliant and all sounded like a lot of fun. I loved the themes and all of the nerdy clues that they needed to find. This story showcased how cool nerds really are and that they can be powerful. Who needs muscles when you have brains! The descriptions of the rooms and the clues felt real, and the shifting perspectives helped to add depth to the game and the story.
The mystery of who killed Sierra’s sister was very well done. I actually guessed all of the main players in the mystery, but totally got their roles wrong! There are some great twists as well. I also liked the added aggressions from one of the other teams. They were always adding fuel to the fire, and at times I thought maybe some of them were more involved than they were. The pacing of the story was also well done with some slower parts where we got to take a breath after some very intense scenes.
I thought this was going to be a standalone, but I am thrilled that there will be a sequel. There are still some unanswered questions at the end of this story, but luckily no cliffhanger. If you love YA mystery thrillers, this is one you want to read. It has great characters, a fun premise and lots thrills.
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