Escape rooms are something I enjoy doing with my wife and prior to quarantine we often took time to try them out at various malls. We even have some tokens saved to try out an underwater themed room that is only located in one state. Now this is all to point out that I really like escape rooms so when I saw that there was a horror story title Escape Room it seemed like something I absolutely had to read. Maren Stoffels has crafted a story that showcases different voices, but provides a cohesive and creative story about what can happen when your escape isn’t guaranteed.

Mint, Sky, Alissa, and Miles all decide to go to an escape room on a Friday night after Sky finds an add at the pizza place that he works. Now before we even get to the escape room we are introduced to these characters and that fact that they are keeping secrets. Mint feels pain that isn’t hers, but she is terrified to tell anyone that she has this sort of otherworldly power. Alissa is seen as the perfect popular girl, which she hates. After an event that changed her family forever she struggles with trying to be an understanding and always available sister and someone who wants to have a life where she isn’t judged by her appearance. Sky is struggling with feelings that he can’t share and grapples with the fact that he is dating a girl that he doesn’t really want to be with, but feels obligated to remain with. Miles is new to this group and Alissa is the reason that he is joining them for this hangout. When the group arrive things are already tense and the tension only rises when the person behind the scenes begins running a plan of their own.

This book had me hooked from the very first page and I can promise you that you will not see all of the twists and turns. Escape Room is full of hidden surprises and as you read and become more involved in the story new things will reveal themselves, just like in an escape room in real life. Mint was my favorite character, though that might have been tied to her personal love of escape rooms before the one she was taking part in with her friends took a dark turn. She really grows as a character over the course of this story. If you want a read that will keep you hooked from page one and will have you searching every word for a clues this is something you need. It also makes for the perfect Halloween read. You can get your copy of Escape Room today.