First off, a big thank you for allowing me to read this advanced copy.

I loved this book! Sweet Mother of Pearl, if you are looking for a fantastic Pshyc Thriller, please pick this one up! Team Building, coworkers, mystery, twists and turns. SOLD!

Starts of with a team of four, unlikeable folks in my humble, being required to attend mandatory team building, something we can all relate to, right? Well that is where my relatablility ended. Man....I wanted couldn’t wait to squeeze in the read time for this one. Many nights I was up way past my bed time, wanting just one more page.

You won’t be disappointed if you enjoy TRUE psych thrillers and the end will not disappoint. At least it didn’t disappoint me.

I’ll be adding this author to my TBR pile for sure.

Enjoy!

Sara Hall is a recent MBA grad, skimping her pennies to get by, when she lands a magnificent job with a NY financials firm. The first few years are golden; sure she works way too much and she’s still a bit underpaid compared to her co-workers, but she figures if she puts in the time, she’ll work her way up soon enough. Except when Sara’s co-worker, her one only true friend at the firm, commits suicide, Sara starts to see things in a different light. And when she starts to question things, she finds out very quickly that she is even more replaceable at work than her friend was. The ideas in this book were new and interesting (especially with the escape room backdrop), and I enjoyed how things played out (for the most part). But when the writing got a bit sloppy and then the ending wrapped up way too perfectly, I felt like it was truly a missed opportunity for a great---not just okay---thriller.

The Escape Room wasn’t what I was expecting, which is a good thing. I loved the way the book was intertwined chapter by chapter with the group in the Elevator and the protagonist. While there was foreshadowing, the book still kept me guessing about different aspects and kept my interest. I was picking it up every chance I got to see what would happen next. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

This is a fun, intriguing mystery that takes a rather sharp turn at the end. While it is not hard to see the major plot twist, it does come about in an interesting manner.

At first, I thought this book really was going to be about a suspense novel involving an Escape Room, but that title is misleading. It is more of a “getting justice/revenge” type of book. That was disappointing because I wanted the room to take center-stage and have the characters needing to solve more complex clues to find out how to escape rather than what the room was actually used for.

However, with that put aside, it does use the “room” in an interesting manner and as more of a punishment than setting in which the characters grow as people.

Often in these books, the character out for revenge can magically do all of these things needed to make things right. The author in this book, though, takes the time to explain just what her heroine had to do to exact the kind of revenge that would work. It was obvious that Ms. Goldin wanted more than just a run-of-the-mill type of revenge. She wanted her characters to suffer in a way that would really hurt them. And that is just good writing!

Definitely take the time to read this suspense novel! You will not only enjoy the story, but you will get immersed in how these characters face their greatest challenge, and see just who comes out on top.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an advanced copy to read. All opinions are my own.

A riveting journey and a true 3am read. Well-defined, multi-dimensional characters who move swiftly through a beautifully structured, highly dramatic work by a truly talented master of the genre.

A solid mystery/thriller to add to your list. I was definitely pleasantly surprised while reading this book, however, the title is a little misleading.

The story is really what happens when a group of people go too far down a rabbit hole and the the subsequent consequences of their actions. We get to know the characters well - their motivations and their fears - and it adds complexity to the story. There's death, mystery, and some fun puzzle pieces to put together. My only gripe is the ending, where it delves a bit into the far fetched and unbelievable. Overall, however, it was a thoroughly enjoyable ride. Just don't go into expecting a <i> Saw </i> version of an escape room - if that's what you want you're going to be disappointed.

It seems psychological thrillers are a dime a dozen lately, but The Escape Room had more of an original storyline than most of what's out today (and no "Girl" in the title - we can all be grateful for that). While you might have to suspend disbelief a bit while reading it (not uncommon really with a lot of fiction), it was a really enjoyable read overall., and I found it very hard to put down. If you're into thrillers, and tired of those more "domestic" ones, give this one a shot. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

I received this ARC in exchange for a review.
The concept of this story was intriguing and kept me engaged. I wanted to see what would happen next. And the first two thirds of the book kept me guessing. My only disappointment was I figured out who the antagonist was before the end. I didn't figure out how (that was sort of convoluted), but I figured out who.

Absolutely loved this! I couldn't put it down and wanted to keep reading as much as I could to find out. Spellbinding edge of your seat excitement.

The Escape Room was a unique interesting book. Well written and will keep your attention. I enjoyed this book.

The Escape Room by Megan Goldin

๏ ๏ ๏ Highlights ๏ ๏ ๏

Locked-Room (Elevator) Mystery
Twisted Twisty-ness
Back & Forth Narrative
Corporate Finance


๏ ๏ ๏ Links ๏ ๏ ๏


Goodreads | Booklikes | BookDigits
Amazon | Kobo | Barnes&Noble
GooglePlay | IndieBound





๏ ๏ ๏ My Thoughts ๏ ๏ ๏

Set in the world of Investment Banking, the high stakes, cutthroat, "I'll step on you before you can step on me", kind of atmosphere. Coupled with the mystery of an escape room challenge...made for a very interesting backdrop. The story is told in alternating POV's between Sara Hall and the 4 people who have found themselves stuck in an elevator...that's supposed to be an escape room. The question is...who put them there and why??? This story is not without its could-that-really-happen moments, but despite that, it's an indulging kind of Mystery/Thriller that I found quite entertaining.

I did have one issue...and it was with my advanced reader copy, it was, quite possibly the worse arc I've ever read before. There was a ton of 1's and 0's, some of which had - or + in front of them, throughout the entire thing. So flipping distracting. Has anyone else ever had this with a kindle version of an arc? I've had issues in the past with weird chapter breaks, but this was crazy they even had the numbers in between letters of a particular word.

๏ ๏ ๏ MY RATING ๏ ๏ ๏

☆4.5☆STARS - GRADE=A-




๏ Breakdown of Ratings ๏
Plot⇝ 4.5/5
Main Characters⇝ 5/5
Secondary Characters⇝ 4.5/5
The Feels⇝ 4.3/5
Pacing⇝ 4.3/5
Addictiveness⇝ 4.3/5
Theme or Tone⇝ 4.5/5
Flow (Writing Style)⇝ 4/5
Backdrop (World Building)⇝ 5/5
Originality⇝ 5/5
Ending⇝ 4.5/5 Cliffhanger⇝ Nope.
๏ ๏ ๏
Book Cover⇝ A little too much gold for me...
Setting⇝ New York mostly...
Source⇝ I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
๏ ๏ ๏

The Escape Room was an enjoyable book to read. It really didn't have the "big twist" that you expect with some of these mysteries, but it was fun to watch as things unfolded. It definitely kept your interest until the end. I could see this being made into a really good thriller style movie.

They all meet at an undisclosed location. Vincent, Sam, Sylvie, and Jules. At an invitation from their firm, they all arrive at a building for a team challenge that will change their careers for the rest of their lives. They enter the elevator and are jolted at warp speed to the 70th floor. Suddenly a message appears on a television screen in the elevator.

"WELCOME TO THE ESCAPE ROOM. YOUR GOAL IS SIMPLE. GET OUT ALIVE."

Sara Hall has been struggling to get out from the trenches of her life. As a newly graduated MBA student, Sara has been looking for an opportunity at some prestigious financial firms. In a male-dominated field, Sara is awarded an opportunity at Stanhope and Sons. This opens the door to financial freedom. But the cult-like "induction" is ominous. What happens at the firm, stays at the firm.

"Dead but not forgotten: ASLHARLA"

Sara is an immediate outcast but finds comfort in another outsider within the firm. They funnel a secret friendship. When Lucy suddenly commits suicide, Sara is taken aback by the loss and the circumstances of her death. After revealing her suspicions to the firm, Sara's job and performance come into question.

Sara knows something is not right and goes to great lengths to find out the truth.

"Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as the night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt."

The Escape Room is a gripping story of ruthless people fueled by greed. Chapters alternate between two stories from the Escape room with confounding clues, and Sara's journey on Wall Street. The characters have well-developed realities which create investment in the reader. But this strength may contribute to an often stalled storyline. This may be more of my need and desire for fast pace drama and not a reflection of the writing. But overall I enjoyed the narrative and savvy ending and can potentially see this becoming a storyline for a media show.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press, the author and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Have you ever participated in an escape room? Vincent, Jules, Sylvie and Sam have been competitors in finance for years. They now are heading to have the fun time in the escape room! Yet it is not what it was supposed to be. They realize a bit to late that this is a situation they will happen to battle.

Who will come out on top?

What a tangled web of intrigue Megan Golden has created. The storyline captivates the reader with its insight into the cut throat world of investment banking. The characters are an odd blend that mesh together to form a high powered team that you really don’t want to mess with. The plot kept me guessing and the writing style made it very easy to read. It truly amazed me at the depths some will go in their search for revenge

The elements of a very good mystery or thriller are there, and the book takes us into the greed-filled, dog-eat-dog underbelly of the financial world in New York City, which was very interesting to experience. The setting seemed incredibly real, and it was clear the author either had experience within the world of finance or had done her research, or both. Plus, the book has a great title and hook for a thriller.

Unfortunately, this almost seemed like an early draft to me, and it made me wish there had been much more rigor during the revision process, so that exposition was trimmed to the essentials, and whatever was left was woven into the action or conveyed through dialogue. There were large portions of exposition or backstory in this that seems like the type of thing that you might see when a writer is first jotting down ideas, without yet finding a way to bring them to life. And while the main character, Sara, and a supporting character, Lucy, were very specific and well-defined, the other characters seem to fall a bit flat.

The book’s summary: In the lucrative world of Wall Street finance, Vincent, Jules, Sylvie and Sam are the ultimate high-flyers. Ruthlessly ambitious, they make billion-dollar deals and live lives of outrageous luxury. Getting rich is all that matters, and they'll do anything to get ahead. When the four of them become trapped in an elevator escape room, things start to go horribly wrong. They have to put aside their fierce office rivalries and work together to solve the clues that will release them. But in the confines of the elevator, the dark secrets of their team are laid bare, leaving the four of them dangling on the precipice of disaster. If they want to survive, they’ll have to solve one final puzzle: which one of them is a killer?

This summary sounds amazing, but I wish that the story had fully lived up to its promise. Still, it was a fun read, and I think the author has a lot of potential to write great thrillers as she grows in her craft.

Thank you to Megan Goldin, Graydon House Books & NetGalley for the copy of The Escape Room.

As this book didn't really have a "wow factor" it kept me very interested until the end. I really enjoyed how the book went back and forth between current time and past tense, it all flowed together well. If you are looking for an easy read that will keep you interested and guessing what will happen next this is the book for you.

If you're looking to be entertained by an in your face thriller- look no further! This wasn't the most well written (the dialogue for some of the characters was... Not great)- but I couldn't put it down. The characters were downright nasty, but how fun to see how it all comes together.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.

On Wall Street, the means are ruthless ambitious, greed is rampant and money is the end. When a team of four money-loving and power-hungry financial analysts are lured to an elevator for an escape room outing, how will it end? Quite horribly, I’m afraid.

The story is told from two perspectives and two timelines. First, we hear from Sara Hall, past and present, and from her four teammates presently locked in an elevator. To start, Sara succeeds at snagging a coveted position at Stanhope, the financial giant that can make you millions. Sara is run ragged by the incessant work, but reaps the rewards. There are riches to be made, but at what cost? When Sara’s only friend at Stanhope commits suicide, there are questions about it really being a suicide. A little more digging, and Sara finds out just how powerful her teammates are, and that they will stop at nothing to ruin Sara’s life.

We then cut back and forth between Sara and her teammates. Can they put aside their rivalry to work their way out of the elevator? Unfortunately, suspicion and distrust rule the event, and some devastating secrets are revealed.

The book started well enough and kept me engaged almost to the end. At the end, things got a little fantastical. I won’t give away any spoilers, but some of the machinations are so wild to make the pieces all fit together, that they become unbelievable. Really, who knows anyone who can make contact lenses to match someone’s iris pattern for an iris-reader? Still, it was definitely an entertaining book, even if simplistic and kind of predictable, but still a fun escape from everyday. None of the characters are likable, so there is no hero to root for, but if you can suspend belief for a while it’s an entertaining read.

https://candysplanet.wordpress.com/

This is one of the best books I have read in a while. The story is very well told and held my interest throughout. Unfortunately I had to stop reading so I could get some sleep otherwise I would have continued till the end. This is the first time I have read anything by this author but it will definitely not be the last. Thanks to netgalley for letting me read this book in exchange for my unbiased review.