The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer and Tamara Moss

It’s all fun and games until someone ends up dead.

Six months ago, season four of reality show 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?

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Marissa Meyer and rising star Tamara Moss comes a twisty thrill-ride, filled with sabotage, betrayal, and puzzles to die for.

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A twisty YA thriller where puzzles, performance, and survival collide on a reality show with deadly stakes.

Pre-Reading Thoughts

A reality competition built around escape rooms felt like a perfect setup for a high-concept YA thriller, and I was hoping for smart puzzles, a contained cast, and tension that comes from out-thinking rather than outrunning the danger.

Post-Reading

As I thought…
This hits a really satisfying balance in terms of cast size - enough contestants to keep things interesting, but not so many that it becomes hard to track who’s who. Each character brings a distinct skillset to the game, and watching those talents play out inside the escape rooms was one of the highlights. The puzzles themselves are clever and layered; I never would have made the connections the contestants do, which made their successes genuinely impressive rather than convenient.

It surprised me by…
How well it handled the “reality show gone wrong” premise without tipping into excess. The stakes escalate naturally, and the tension comes as much from sabotage and manipulation as from outright danger. It’s also worth noting that while this is the first book in a series (something not made clear in the blurb), it avoids a hard cliffhanger - there are threads left dangling, but the main arc feels complete.

Overall Thoughts

The Escape Game is a fast-paced, puzzle-driven thriller that rewards attention and cleverness. It plays with performance, deception, and strategy, asking how far people will go when they know they’re being watched - and when survival depends on staying one step ahead of everyone else.

A strong recommendation for readers who enjoy high-concept thrillers, contained settings, and mysteries that hinge on intelligence rather than brute force.

Vibe Check

• Colour Palette: neon lights, stark white rooms, warning red accents

• Soundtrack: ticking clocks, electronic pulses, rising tension

• Season: anytime, but best read in one sitting

• Mood: sharp, suspenseful, competitive

• Scent: cold metal, ozone, recycled air

Tarot Pull: XII of Scythes (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Tarot)
Featuring Ethan Raine lurking behind the scenes, this card reflects the book’s focus on deception, manipulation, and games played out of sight. In a story where cleverness and sabotage are as dangerous as any physical threat, victory depends on knowing who is really in control.

For Fans Of

Young Gothic by M.A. Bennett and reality-show thrillers where the games are just as dangerous as the people playing them.