★★★★★ 4
Exciting YA adventure
Format: Hardcover
📚 Do you find yourself shouting answers at game shows? Have you ever braved an escape room? Or maybe you’re just a sucker for a book with stenciled edges? If you answered "yes" to any of the above, I invite you to step into this original YA murder mystery.
The plot follows a team of teenage contestants navigating an escape-room-themed reality show through, puzzles, sabotage, betrayal, and... murder.
💭 I showed up for the pretty book cover, but stayed for the cleverness of the plot. It was suspenseful, entertaining, and very educational! I think adults and teens alike will get a kick out of the riddles woven throughout the story.
The characters were such a highlight for me. Watching four complete strangers transform into a close-knit team over the course of the season was so fun. Friendship, loyalty, and trust are the heart of the book, but there’s also plenty of romance, crime, and amateur sleuthing. I was hoping for a slightly different direction for the finale, but it was still an unexpected, action-packed ending.
⚖️ All in all, the story inside was just as good as the "pretty book" aesthetic on the outside. This was an exciting, fresh YA mystery. 4/5 ⭐ from me!
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Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2026
