Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of this twisted novel.
I’ll begin by saying that while I did rate this 3⭐️, it was still an enjoyable read.
3 stars to me is a good book, enjoyable but not without flaws.

This novel started off so well. I loved getting to know each Character and the writing drew me in straight away. I was instantly eager to continue reading.

However, I found a lot of the “gods” and Egyptian mythology went way over my head. And then the twist at the end. Let’s just say this book took some wild turns and ended up so different to what I thought it was.

This book was a Saw movie mixed with an episode of supernatural where shit just kept going wrong for our characters.

Overall, enjoyable but I won’t be going out of my way to recommend this one.

This was amazing!

I had to force myself to put this down and get some sleep, otherwise I would have finished this all in one sitting. When they say 'hooked from the first page' this is what they mean.

Five strangers find themselves trapped inside the Puzzle House, with each person desperately trying to solve all the puzzles before the clock runs out. Think Escape Room meets Squid Game meets Saw, with a little bit of Dante's Nine Circles of Hell mixed in. This was bloody and shocking, but not gory or graphic. There was just enough backstory to get to know each character and you actually feel sad when (some of them) die. Honestly, I could not stop thinking about this book for 24 hours and I'm praying for a sequel. Highly recommended.

Puzzle House is reminiscent of Saw II with a touch of an Egyptian God adventure. 6 people are the beneficiaries of a puzzle master's fortune, but only if they can each solve the puzzle house and make it out alive.
The characters were well-developed, and the dialogue was easy to follow. I definitely think there were a few shocks and twists throughout, some of them I guessed and some of them I didn't. I enjoyed the added Egyptian God riddles and research. The ending definitely shocked me and stuck with me for a few days.
If you love a good and gory horror mystery, Puzzle House is for you!

The world's top puzzle master leaves behind a will and six people are summoned for the reading of this will. When they all arrive at the designated location which is the puzzle master's house, the fun and horror begins. They all stand to inherit a large sum of money but must solve six puzzles to get out of each escape room in what becomes a game of life and death. This is a fast and intense read with a horrifying twist on a locked room mystery.

I definitely DID NOT see the twists coming ... looking forward to a part 2 in the future! Will definitely be looking for more reads from this author!

This was definitely a fast paced thriller which i love! I was able to read in between my breaks and lunches at work and there were times when i didn't want to put it down!

I absolutely love the Saw movies, so this book was right up my alley. The ending was a little rushed and slightly disappointing, but I enjoyed reading this book.

I was so excited to read this book before it’s release. It was like an escape room on steroids!

A group of people are contacted about being beneficiaries on a man named Alexis Vasiliev’s will and testament. Who is also supposed to be the worlds best puzzle maker. They’re expected to arrive at the reading to receive their cut of the money.

When the group arrives they quickly realize nothing about this “will reading” is normal. They’re quickly thrown into room after room of puzzles, having to solve each rooms own puzzle to advance to the next room.

People do die within the rooms but this book isn’t gorey (if you’re someone worried about that) this is a suspense type of horror book. I loved the tie in of history and the ending was something I thought would possibly happen. But all in all this was a super fun read.

Wow! This was so so much more than a deranged escape room story!!!

6 people, unknown to each other are brought together for the reading of a Last Will & Testament of a puzzle master. Only 1 of these people actually knew the deceased; why the others are there is a mystery! Or a maybe a conspiracy? To get their new inheritance they have to be willing to solve the clues within the house.

Soon the players start to realize this is more than just a game…. Their lives and humanity’s continuance may hang in the balance.

I love the concept of games/puzzles/Saw type rooms in this story! What would’ve been beneficial would’ve been some illustrations of the gods’ symbols or the puzzles/rooms as I had a hard time picturing some of them. I also wonder why Alexei’s personality changed once he joined the company. Didn’t he love his wife for over a decade? So why did he become sadistic? What happened to the character left in the room with the gas mask? Wasn’t there another door in the box?

This was a fantastic story and if it was a series, I’d definitely keep reading! I really want to know what happens next!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Wicked House Publishing for a copy.

Puzzle House by Duncan Ralston
tells the story of what happens to the heirs—

his widow,
a doctor,
a professor,
a dean,
a prisoner.
and a politician

—of Puzzle Master Alexei Vasiliev when they arrive at his house for the reading of his will.

They are instructed they can leave with nothing or work together to solve the puzzles left for them in his house in order to gain his $150 million dollar fortune.

One by one and room by room they fall.

Will any of them successfully complete all the puzzles and receive the promised inheritance?

The story was riveting, I could not put it down!

Thanks to Netgalley and Wicked House Publishing for allowing me the opportunity to read this eARC.

This was a quick read and I enjoyed it up until the final game/ending. It would have been 5 stars if I hadn't read the ending. The games were well written and kept me interested in the character storylines but the weird sci Fi ending ruined it for me. It had vibes of a mild Saw style game and seemed thought-out but the ending felt rushed and random and out of place.

This one was creepy and read like a low budget horror movie. It was predictable and gory but I still had a good time reading it. Not for everyone, but some will love this!

Review below is posted on goodreads.

Got this for review on Netgally.

Didn't realise this was by the same author as Woom. Puzzel House was short but very entertaining read, was intruiged by the set up and did not disappoint. Might try an pick up Woom again this year as I dnfed it previously.

In this thrilling tale penned by Wicked House Publishing, six strangers are summoned to the enigmatic home of the renowned puzzle maker, Alexei Vasiliev, for an unusual reading of his will. Among the invitees are Alexei's ex-wife, a brilliant virologist doctor, a convicted murderer on day release, escorted by his vigilant prison guard, an esteemed senator, and an erudite academic. Little do they know that this gathering holds the promise of unimaginable wealth - a staggering $150 million - but only if they can navigate through Alexei's final, deadly puzzle.

The story artfully blends elements of horror, mystery, and humor, creating a captivating read that keeps you engaged from start to finish. As the plot unfolds, the characters' intriguing backstories are meticulously explored, adding depth and intrigue to the narrative. The collaborative escape room concept introduces an exciting challenge, and readers will find themselves immersed in solving the intricate puzzles, while diligently tracing the cleverly placed clues.

Despite its strong points, some readers, myself included, may have hoped for a bit more intensity in the horror aspects of the story. Additionally, the ending left something to be desired, leading to my decision to rate this book with three stars. It felt somewhat abrupt and missed the opportunity for further exploration. Unexpected twists took an odd turn that I personally did not appreciate, and the conclusion arrived too swiftly, leaving unresolved questions.

I want to extend my gratitude to Wicked House Publishing and NetGalley for providing an Advance Reader's Copy (ARC) in exchange for this candid review. #PuzzleHouseANovel #NetGalley

Another winner from Ralston author of the infamous Room novella. Fast paced and impossible to figure out with well fleshed out characters you care about in between lots of gore and blood. Who can ask for more? Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC for my honest review. I am a huge fan of Ralston.

Puzzle House was a great thriller/horror! If you love escape rooms and mystery, this is a great read! I love how each chapter is titled and gives you a glimpse into each character's backstory. This story kept me reading till the very end and had a lot of twists. I enjoyed seeing how the characters connected to "piece" together the mystery. I hope to read more of Duncan Ralston's books!

Six strangers are called to the home of Alexei Vasiliev, a puzzle maker, for the reading of his will. Of the six strangers, there is Alexei's ex-wife, a virologist doctor, a convicted murderer on day release who is accompanied with his prison guard, a senator, and an academic. Upon arriving at the house, the benefactors learn that $150 million is up for grabs, so long as they participate in Alexei's final puzzle.

There are 6 escape rooms in the house. The strangers quickly learn that they have to work together in order to escape. However, they also discover that this is not a typical escape room - the puzzles are deadly.

The author does a great job of combining horror, mystery, and humour. Character development was excellent, with back stories explored. This is a quick and easy read. It was also fun to try to solve the escape room puzzles and keep track of all the clues.

Personally, I found the horror elements could have been upped a bit. I was also dissatisfied with the ending, which is one of the main reasons for my 3 star ranking. The ending was rather abrupt and could have been further explored. It took a weird and unexpected turn, which I did not like, and then just ended.

Thank you Wicked House Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this book because the premise seemed really interested however I was VERY warry when I saw that the book was by Duncan Ralston given what I have heard others say about his past books. However I would not but this book into that same, extreme, category. I loved the idea of an escape room as a twist on the more traditional locked room mystery but knew with Ralston this would have a horror vide (I was thinking of the "Escape Room" horror movies). I think this premise works better as a movie because I had a very hard time caring about any of these characters, which is usually my driving force to read a book. I found the ending disappointing which never leaves me feeling happy with a completed read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in advance of publication

I'm personally a big fan when it comes to games and tricks such as the SAW movies and this is the vibe it gave. I really enjoyed the games in the book and the overall story of it.

The only thing I would say is that I didn't feel attached to the characters, it personally didn't bother me if they lived or died and I think that's what I was missing, as I love feeling attached to characters when reading so then I feel more emotion when reading this book

4 stars

Listen, I loved this! I was a bit hesitant given Duncan’s previous books (which I haven’t read because I’m a scaredy cat), but this is definitely not extreme in the way that I’ve heard Woom described. I definitely felt the Saw vibes here, and that is one of my favorite franchises, so great comparison to whoever said that.
Now having read this I’m a bit more prepared to jump into Woom. The writing was great, and the story and world building were fast paced.

This book started out pretty good, i like the writing style, and some of the scenarios/puzzles were pretty intense but overall the story felt like t=you came in halfway thru a bigger story that you don't have any idea what is missing you just know you don't have all the information. The ending had me literally looking back and fore ward a couple pages thinking i had missed something? I really cant recommend this one it just didn't flow well or have much explanation for really anything that happens. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this ARC!