This book is 100% capitalizing on the current trend in entertainment today, escape rooms. People coming together to willingly get locked in a room where they have to solve clues to lead them to more clues until they escape the room. It's a fun experience that is supposed to bring the group together, and help you examine how you think and solve problems. The Escape Room by Megan Goldin takes this idea and twists it so 4 coworkers are stuck in what they think is a work sponsored activity - escape room elevator. Over the course of the book the coworkers face their weaknesses, failures and selves to struggle to escape the elevator. The ending or twist is a letdown, but the confrontation between the coworkers as they're stuck in the elevator is well written.

What I wild ride!

You follow two different story lines. One is a group of co-workers in an elevator, turned Escape Room and the other follows a woman as she is looking for a job. At first the stories have nothing in common and you slowly see how they are connected. This is a common writing trope in thriller and this one does it the right way. There is a nice balance between the two story lines, with each of them usually ending on a cliff hanger that keeps you wanting to read.

I thought that the corporate world side of the book would not be my thing but it was actually very intriguing because of how corrupt that world can be and you don't know who you can trust,

I highly recommend this one!

I have such mixed feelings about this book that I'm still struggling to wrap my head around a rating. On one hand, this book was compelling, a page turner, and wasn't entirely predictable. There were plot twists I didn't see coming and it got really dark, really quickly. On the other hand, there were definitely parts of it that didn't make sense, the writing style was a little jarring and sometimes redundant and I felt like we had a huge build up only to be dropped off so quickly at the end. It felt like freefalling on a roller coaster.

There are winners and losers in this world. The winners are the one percent who get to live the dream. The losers are everyone else.


The characters from the beginning were unlikable. Every single one of them. The book focuses on two timelines, both taking place at Stanhope and Sons firm in New York City. These characters are entitled, rich assholes. Simply put. But there's something really refreshing about that. One timeline focuses on 4 people stuck in an elevator, who seem to be playing an involuntary game of the "Escape Room" with clues and puzzles. The second timeline follows Sara several years prior who starts out as a lowly analyst and works her way up the corporate ladder at Stanhope and Sons. The corporate life was interesting at first, but it did get a little boring as it went along. There was also a lot of emphasis placed on how people are perceived, particularly women in the corporate workplace. There were multiple conversations about how women needed to dress in the corporate world and how it was so much more difficult for women than it was for men. A valid point, but it got redundant. I also found it a little jarring at the beginning as the chapters switched between timelines because one timeline was in 3rd person and one timeline was in 1st person. However, I totally understand by the end why the author made that choice.

The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting


Overall, I actually enjoyed this book. It wasn't exactly what I was expecting going into it, but it definitely messed with my mind. If you enjoy thrillers that really dive into the minds of the characters, and the reasons why they go to these extreme actions, you might enjoy this book.

CW: Rape, sexual assault, being drugged, suicide, murder, car fire, burning alive, gun violence, claustrophobia, survivor's guilt, depression, alcoholism, drug use

Wow! I wasn't sure what to expect from The Escape Room. What I got was a fast-paced, intriguing thriller. I would definitely recommend giving this book a chance!

Really I'm shocked that this book has a cumulative review score of 3.97 on Goodreads. It's honestly the best thriller that I've listened to in months! It isn't exactly a suspenseful book since the reader pretty much knows what is happening... we don't know the how or the entire why. It also isn't exactly believable but I didn't mind that. Revenge is sweet and that is what this book is all about. I feel like that is what really makes this book relatable. I mean, how many of us have wanted to get some revenge on someone who has wronged us?

So here we are... cut throat investing in New York. We have co-workers who undermine and screw each other over to try and get to the top before the others, or even sabotaging others so they look better. This group of co-workers is more than cut throat... they are literally cut throat capable. I picture a group of kids in business attire all trying to climb a literal ladder on top of the other... you see this, right? Poor Sara didn't stand a chance in that place. She was too kind, too considerate.

I think we've all had that time in our life where we've thought about revenge... we might have even given a bit of revenge ourselves. But Vincent, Jules, Sam, and Sylvie all give pettiness and greediness a whole new meaning that I found myself understanding and perhaps even agreeing. I really think Megan Goldin did a fantastic job of making the reader question their own ethics. Is the culprit even guilty for what happened in there? I mean, if we lock a group of people in a room are we to blame if they kill each other? I think this book will make you question what is right and what is wrong when we're pushed and pushed passed our limit!

As the first book I've read of Megan Goldin, I can confidently say I will be watching for more books from this author. She writes with a confidence that made me unable to stop listening to this story. I was nearly as obsessed as the ones going after their paydays. I found it completely fascinating that I was so in love with a story that had no real mystery. We are told the story kind of in a backwards double narrator style. It really worked for me. I found the revenge thoroughly enjoyable, utterly compelling!

Take 4 extremely unlikable characters, trap them in an elevator, and have their lives depend up[on escape. That's a recipe for an intriguing story as far as I am concerned. Add the fact that the elevator escape room is a team building exercise for a company that is about as evil as can be, and you ratchet up the suspense. Make the narrator someone outside the elevator recounting history of and with the elevator inhabitants. Megan Goldin masterfully combined all those elements into a novel I couldnt set down. It's fairly balanced, the pacing is good though at times the story stalled as character info was related. There were twists and turns, I enjoyed trying to stay a few steps ahead. I was thoroughly entertained and would definitely read more from Megan Goldin.
4.0
I received my copy through NetGalley under no obligation.

Read this in a few hours, although none of the main characters are likable and several plot points felt borrowed or predictable (see also: I read/watch too much horror). However, if you enjoy thrillers, it's worth the read.

Escape rooms have been a fad for awhile now. I did one a few years ago, and one was enough for me. I liked the concept more than the experience. But I appreciate the industry’s creativity in constantly creating new scenarios for the puzzles. As for me, I’d rather read a book.

Luckily, Australian novelist Megan Goldin has written a thriller that takes place in an escape room, and reading The Escape Room is definitely a more appealing option than doing an escape room. It’s a taut thriller that readers will want to gobble in a single gulp.
Click on the link below to read the complete review...

This is a new author for me and I LOVED this book. It had all the thrills I expected and a few scares thrown in for good measure.
The author takes us on a journey that most won’t soon forget. I’m already a bit of a coward in elevators and this didn’t help.
It’s a great story with a great subject. The people felt so real to me and in parts I definitely felt like I was right there. The two alternating voices kept me questing and on the edge all the way through. A very good book that I highly recommend.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #StMartin’sPress for this ARC. The review is my own true feelings.

A huge 5 stars for me.

Take this review with a grain of salt, I may not be the proper audience for this book. I do love suspense/mystery books, but this one just did not catch my attention. I struggled to get very far into this book, and after several attempts over many days, I only read about 30%. I rarely don't finish a book, but this is one of the few. It just did not grab me. I know many people surely enjoyed it. I just could not get into the premise, which seems like a good one. The characters were not well developed, and the story did not flow smoothly for me. I wish they had established more of a relationship between the characters before getting to the escape room, where a good bit of the story takes place. Again, this is just my opinion. I would only recommend this book with reservations.

AMAZING!! One of everyone’s biggest fears is turned into a plot full of revenge and paranoia. Will be posting a much longer and in-depth review as this book surely deserves.

Sara Hall landed her dream job at a Wall Street finance firm. There she met heavy hitters Vincent, Jules, Sylvie, and Sam....four finance execs who play a very ruthless game to stay ahead. The salaries, egos, and risks are large. They would do just about anything to stay on top....anything. Ethical or not. When a surprise team building exercise requires them to escape from a sealed elevator, dark secrets are revealed.

This story is intense. I despised most of the characters, as they really were willing to do just about anything to keep their status and positions at the company. It was hard to continue reading as their facades came down, revealing their true nature. Creepy. Suspenseful. Intense. Great read! The story builds slowly mixing flash backs with present time. The slowness got a little bit frustrating for me, until I started to figure out what was coming. Then it made much more sense. Stick with it....it moves slow for awhile, then things speed to the inevitable crash at the end. Boom.

Awesome suspense! Horrible, ruthless characters that I would despise in real life. But they were perfect for the plot of this story!

I'm a bit claustrophobic following being trapped in an elevator for several hours during a power outage when I was a child. That made this particular story a bit more creepy for me. I would not like a team building exercise that involved me being locked in a tiny room....especially an elevator in the dark. Nope. No way. And ruthless assholes trapped in a locked elevator trying to figure out clues....it's not a pleasant scenario.

This is the first book by Megan Goldin that I've read. I will definitely read more by this author!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

Imagine going into a team building escape room, but then fighting for your life! That is exactly what happened in this book. Will the four wall street employees who's careers hang in the balance due to bad deals, be able to solve the puzzle in time to get out of the escape room alive? I'm not going to tell you! But you should definitely read this to find out. While all the characters were highly unlikeable and you could see why they were put in this situation, you will not be able to put this down, as time counts down and you are on the edge of your seat wondering what happens next. Great debut!

I want To thank St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book and the review expressed is my own and unbiased opinion!

What fun it is. going into into a compelling story blind with no preconceived notions of where the writer will take you.
The story revolves around six central characters (very important) but only four will engage in The Escape Room. All the players within the story are Wall Street executives who seem to live by the rule "Dog Eat Dog" and they will definitely bite anyone who gets in their way, even the hand that feeds them. The high finance world is a cutthroat business but this book brings it to a completely different level. The four employees going into the escape room received a summons that this activity was a mandatory requirement for their yearly work performance review and hopefully enhancing their yearly bonuses. Little do these four know that by the time their game is over that they may be fighting for their lives instead of who deserves the highest bonus.

I have mixed feelings about this book. The storyline was very seducing and the storytelling was very good, yet their were many flaws and I found them disruptive in my conception of the story (unrealistic). The opening of the book was outstanding and the descriptions of the all the characters were wonderful but so much emphasis was put on appearances that it left them very shallow without any other redeeming qualities. They seemed more like walking and talking Barbie and Ken dolls instead of actual human beings. The last third of the book brought excitement but it was so unrealistic and cheesy that I had a hard time believing in what was taking place and it changed from what could have been a five star novel to three and half stars for me. Sadly, the one character I was rooting for really let me down and I was very disappointed in their actions and was hoping for another or different twist by the end of the story.

I do recommend reading this novel and forming your own opinion because it is interesting and a fast read!

I have given "The Escape Room" 3 1/2 Nonescapable 🌟🌟🌟✴ Stars!!

Vincent, Jules, Sylvie and Sam are in a bad place -- trapped in an escape room. The ruthless four live in the world of Wall Street finance and will do anything to get to the top--including participating in the corporate escape room exercise held in an elevator. Tensions rise as they struggle through the clues, and darker secrets start to emerge.

I was pleased to find a book that brings suspense to a corporate environment as it seems that most thrillers that I read happen outside of work. If the average person spends most of their time at work, it would make sense that there are deep relationships there and the propensity for drama and suspense. The Escape Room brings in the idea that many people spend most of their time with their co-workers and challenges the notion that you really know the people you work with.

The book kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. The ending was a bit unbelievable, but it was so fun that it didn't matter. I definitely enjoyed the Escape Room and would recommend it, with the warning not to take the ending too seriously--but to enjoy the ride. The elevator ride...

Love stories that tap into trending aspects of pop culture. The Escape Room is suspenseful and clever! You find yourself playing along with the characters—sometimes outwitting them. Rather than have random people playing, she chose Wall St which brings a little more satisfaction with the demise of certain characters. A fast and fun weekend read.

At first I really enjoyed this book. However, it seemed to drag on. The back and forth of timeframe got confusing and the storyline lost its appeal.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for an ARC of The Escape Room by Megan Goldin

What a fantastic page turner! I really enjoyed this one. The story is told from two POV flashbacks to Sara Hall and the elevator escape room. Sylvie, Sam, Vincent and Jules are ruthless finance bankers working on Wall Street. They are made to participate in an escape game team building exercise. Soon after secrets are revealed and they start to turn on one another. The real truth of Lucy comes out, and questions of what happened to Sara Hall. They soon realize that it isn’t a game but a fight for their lives.

I’m looking forward to reading more from this author 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Let me start off this review by saying I’m absolutely petrified of elevators and avoid using them at all costs, so this book was guaranteed to give me the heebie jeebies from the start! The idea of being stuck in one without any means of getting out makes me break out in a sweat just at the thought, so the claustrophobic feel of The Escape Room got under my skin from the word go.

Vincent, Jules, Sylvie, and Sam are summoned to a meeting in a high rise building, but when they get there they’re told they are about to take part in a team building exercise. They enter the elevator thinking it’s going to take them to their destination when suddenly the lights go out and it shudders to a standstill. And so begins The Escape Room challenge. But it soon becomes clear that this is no ordinary competition, and soon they find themselves caught up in a dangerous game of survival.

Trapped in the dark, the four colleagues must put aside their differences and attempt to solve a series of cryptic clues. But as their dark secrets begin to emerge, they soon begin to realise that someone is about to make them pay for the terrible deeds they’ve committed in their ruthlesss climb to the top of the corporate ladder.

What follows is a tense and gripping psychological thriller that skips back and forth between two timelines, one told from the point of view of new recruit Sara Hall several years earlier and the second from inside the claustrophobic and deadly elevator.

The Escape Room by Megan Goldin kept me gripped from beginning to end. It’s a page turner of a novel, with some unexpectedly moving and shocking moments as our characters find themselves caught up in the cut throat world of Wall Street. The four colleagues have very few redeeming features, but this didn’t take away from the story as you can’t help but find yourself willing the inhabitants of the elevator to finally get the comeuppance they deserve.

The Escape Room is a chilling and addictive debut thriller that I would highly recommend.

'The Escape Room' is a psychological thriller which has depth and nuance as it examines the culture of toxic masculinity as well as the lengths some women will go to to play with 'the big boys'.

Written in alternating chapters between a first person narrative (Sara Hall) and third person for the people trapped in the escape room (an elevator)this is a taut story of privilege, abuse of power and retribution.

Led by greed, 3 men and 1 woman from the same firm,Stanhope and Son, are invited to essentially what is a building site.

They know they are going to an escape room situation, that much was clear from the invite, however, what they, and the reader, do not know, is that the escape room is actually the elevator itself...

It's late on a Friday, no one is expected to notice that they are missing until Monday at the latest. Can they work together and survive this test, and in doing so, work out why they are being punished?

As the story interweaves with Sara's, a graduate who is living in poverty, eeking out an existence as a waitress begins her entry into what is a very exclusive working environment, the damaging nature of neoptism, power and financial gain is swiftly exposed.

There is nothing that these people will not do to protect themselves and their position at this firm, nothing at all.

Which means there are absolutely going to be casualties...

You are constantly kept on your toes as the trapped people struggle to work out the ingeniously hidden clues-the chapters which focus on the elevator are so claustrophobic that you eagerly want to skip to Sara's story for some 'air'.

The way that Sara quickly realises that she is in a gilded cage and that the mainpulation of facts, figures and rationale takes precedence over being, basically, a decent human being, is chilling.Businesses obviously have to make money to stay afloat but there are ethical ways of doing it.At Stanhope however, you do things their way or the consequences could be deadly...

I would thoroughly recommend this book for a great weekend read, it's one you will find hard to put down for sure.

Warning-this might not be a good book if you are claustrophobic and contains brief descriptions of sexual assault which are part of the story but not gratuitous at at all.