The Escape Game

Puzzles and mystery abound in this escape room thriller from Meyer (The House Saphir) and Moss (Lintang and the Pirate Queen). Following the harrowing conclusion to the fourth installment of wildly popular locked-room competition show The Escape Game—during which the body of a contestant named Alice was unexpectedly found on-camera—producers invite 20 teens to participate in the fifth season’s taping. The attendants are divided into five teams, one of which includes returning competitor Sierra, Alice’s sister, who discovered the corpse. Though Sierra was a prime suspect in Alice’s death, she was never charged. Now she’s back for another shot at the $1,000,000 prize—and to solve the mystery of her sister’s murder. While Sierra’s teammates are aware of her reputation, she earns their trust with her steadfast persona and code-cracking savvy. As Sierra juggles puzzle-solving and investigative clue-gathering, she cultivates a list of suspects that include the show’s charming host, the brilliant Game Master, and members of the production crew. But when a new body is found, Sierra is once again under suspicion as everyone goes on high alert. Complex puzzles, room maps, and contestant interviews punctuate high-octane sequences and ramp up tension throughout this inventive whodunit. Briskly paced chapters alternate between Sierra and her teammates’ third-person perspectives, engendering readers’ investment by offering brief compelling glimpses into the intersectionally diverse characters’ enigmatic histories and sometimes conflicting motivations. Ages 14–up. Agent: (for Meyer and Moss) Jill Grinberg, Jill Grinberg Literary. (Apr.)