This story starts off pretty intense. The prologue of the book did everything it could to suck me in and then the roller coaster ride began. After that it was up and down all the way to the shocking end.

Throughout the whole book, we follow two timelines. First there is the story of the four people trapped in the elevator, presumably to maneuver through a corporate version of an escape room. The other timeline is that of Sara, a former co-worker who disappeared.

The puzzle for the reader is to figure out how and where these two timelines intersect. Or do they? And what is the final clue that will get the people out of the elevator?

The Escape Room is a wonderful, exciting, race-to-the-end kind of story that you will not be able to put down once you start it. And trust me, you do not want to miss it!

Vincent, Jules, Sylvie, and Sam are ruthlessly ambitious high-flyers working in the lucrative world of Wall Street finance where deception and intimidation thrive. Getting rich is all that matters, and they'll do anything to reach the top. When they are ordered to participate in a corporate team-building exercise that requires them to escape from a locked elevator, dark secrets of their team begin to be laid bare. review: This book intrigued me from the start, mainly because the thought of being locked in an elevator is terrifying. The book is told in the four perspectives of the co-workers and as the story unfolds you find out how this came to happen. This first fourth of the book was, admittedly, a bit slow for me but Sara's chapters really helped the story progress well. I found that a lot of the dialogue and details were unnecessary, but learned a lot about the finance industry. Overall, I found myself having to suspend reality for this book. While it was fast-paced and a quick read, I didn't love it. I suggest giving it a shot if you enjoy a quick suspense book, though! rating: 3 out of 5 ⭐️

The escape room is a dramatic plot where the characters struggle to keep their lives in an elevator. Characters with different personalities but all bad and decadent. The main character is the one affected by the actions and bad intentions of the other characters and is the one who decides to build a revenge. A well written plot, narrated and conducted by the author. Characters described perfectly. Written in fast paced invites the reader to continue reading.

If you're like me and you love psychological thrillers, but have grown tired of the alcoholic or amnesiac female lead character floundering around as she tries to make sense of the confusion surrounding her, have no fear! This book is completely unique, intensely woven, and a definite thrill read for summer!

"My mother used to tell me that the best revenge is to live well."

Alternating between two timelines, two settings, and multiple points of view, this story reads like a fast-paced roller coaster, up and down, around and around until you slam to a stop with the full and glorious knowledge of what has actually transpired. Fair warning though, this book is so hard to put down! I found myself reading as much as I could in between the short and sporadic moments in my day when my kids were engaged. Then I would binge read at night until I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer! One night, my husband took us to a rock concert where I would read between sets because I NEEDED to know what was going to happen!

"Everything we did was to project the impression of vigor. Inside, we were withering."

Based on the synopsis, you have a sense that due to the power driven and affluent nature of these successful Wall Street rising stars, there are going to be discussions centered on greed, sexism, manipulation, and materialism; however, nothing can prepare you for the full impact of what this story has to say. By the very nature of the genre, it's better to step into the pages knowing very little other than the fact that things are definitely not what they seem!

Lured into a team building challenge inside an escape room, these morally bankrupt individuals must finally confront their awful pasts. And what could possibly go wrong? A lot.

This was unlike any thriller I have previously read and highly recommended! I can't wait to read the author's next book, which can't come out soon enough!

I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher. This is my honest and thoughtful review.

Four coworkers are called together to perform a team building exercise. The exercise is a game of escape room….in an elevator! This exercise turns into a deadly game of revenge.

This book moved like lightening. I never knew who I was supposed to trust. And when I thought I had it figured out, it twisted again!

There is not a single like-able character in this book. Every single one of them are greedy and so competitive you just want to “Gibbs slap” them all. You have to give the author credit! Anyone who can create a bunch of BAD characters like this…needs a high five. Plus, she kept a small elevator as her main focus and kept the reader entertained.

Need a fast-paced read….THIS IS IT!

I’ve been through my share of team building exercises in my corporate life, but none were like this, fortunately! It was all I could do to hang on tight for this wild and crazy ride that had me glued to the page devouring every word. This author definitely has a new fan, and I highly recommend this phenomenal psychological thriller!

*I read an early edition of this book freely and voluntarily, having made no commitment to provide feedback and receiving no compensation of any kind from any source.

The cover of The Escape Room says it is gripping & unforgettable read. You know what? I totally agree! I just finished this book & I’m like, “DAMN!” Let me clap for this book & say again, I love a revenge story! As I turn the first few pages, the final scene is clear. We know the ending, but how did we get here?

METHODICAL, CALCULATING & SLICK
Much like Wall Street, The Escape Room by Megan Goldin is reminiscent of the famous Gordon Gecko. Greed certainly is good, until it bites you in the ass. Well, let’s just say some people get what’s coming to them in The Escape Room. While the story may not be totally believable, throw caution to the wind! This is an enjoyable thrill ride that you’re sure to remember. Goldin takes her time in outlining who was chosen for the room & why. I love that because it makes the ending (which we already know from the beginning) all the more enjoyable.

THE VERDICT
I am Really Into This book! This is a tale of sweet revenge, decadence & lies. All of this keeps me tearing through the pages.

Special thanks to Megan Goldin, St. Martin's Press & NetGalley for providing our copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.

The story started out slow for me and I was a little bored. I thought about stopping, but I was intrigued enough to continue. There were times when the pace picked up, but I found myself skimming a lot. The story goes between past and present, leading up to current events and tying everything together. While the story did come together, the ending was somewhat disappointing. I don’t feel that we were given a satisfying conclusion...there was only partial closure.

A page turner and hard to put down once you get started. There are past and present events that switch chapters continuously but it is easy to follow. After getting acquainted with the characters you'll keep going to try to figure out what's happening and why. You can almost guess but not quite get there until the author wants you to find your way around the escape room characters. While there is an ending, there is opening there for the imagination to guess at what happens or for a sequel. Enjoyed the suspense!
I received this book as a complimentary copy for a unbiased review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Talk about team building gone wrong! This story had me hooked from the beginning. This psychological thriller is extremely well written, compelling and definitely a page turner.

Sarah Hall has gone through many struggles. When she lands her dream job at a high financial firm with a six figure starting salary, she didn’t realize how demanding it would be. But in order to provide for her ill parents financially, she is thrilled at the opportunity to work long hours. But she didn’t realize how much it would cost her.

If you’ve ever done an escape room, figuring out clues to break out in a certain period of time, this book is for you! Four colleagues think they are doing a team building exercise, but little did they know they may not come out alive.

I couldn’t wait to see what was going to be revealed next. I did figure out the main twist, which almost made me give it three stars which is my guideline I use, but the fact I couldn’t put it down made me give it four.

You won’t regret picking up this one. On sale now! Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for and advanced copy. This review is my own opinion.

I was completely vested in the outcome of this book. The characters are very complex and well developed. One can imagine this scenario in the ruthlessness of today's corporate world. Four characters under the guise of team building, wind up trapped in an elevator which they assume is part of the plan. When they can't get out, they begin to realize something else is going on. The book dives into each character's point of view regarding their ambition with the company. This book will have you riveted until the end!


Also reviewed on B&N and Kobo under the name IrishEyes430

Sarah Hall is a recent MBA graduate looking to put her degree to use in the extremely luxurious world of Finance. Struggling to find a job, by chance, she runs into Vincent in an elevator who hands her his business card and asks her to come in for an interview. Quickly she is dazzled by the perks and lifestyle that comes along with the Job. Her team members consist of Sylvie, Sam, Jules, Lucy, and Vincent. Although they spend countless hours together, Sarah has always felt out of place being the newest member. Flash forward, the team is invited to an Escape Room excercise , all eager to prove themselves knowing the company could possibly be laying people off. But when they step in the elevator and doors shut and the lights go off, they realize that this is no ordinary competition. It's a game of survival. Trapped in the dark secrets of each of their terrible doings come to light from their climb up the corporate ladder. Can they put aside their rivalries and work together to find a way out?

I could not put this book down! loved how it alternated from Sarah's point of view from the past and then what was going down in the Elevator in the current time. Honestly, I did feel at times some of the things that happened in the Elevator were a little unbelievable, but that's the point of a book right? Authors can write whatever they want! I usually do not read to many Mystery & Thriller novels but this one wants to make me read them all! The suspense was killing me, and I had an idea how it was going turn out BUT I was pleasantly surprised at the twist I was not expecting! This is a perfect summer thriller to get you thinking and trying to figure out the clues along with the rest of them!

4 1/2 ⭐️‘s

Enter the world of high finance. A world where money is seductive and where greed flourishes. Stanhope and Sons (I mistakenly typed that Sins at first) which might be a much more apt name for it😉) is a mega financial firm in New York, a firm that supplies lavish lifestyles in exchange for hard work and firm loyalty. A firm that basically owns you, but if you play the game correctly, you will be richly rewarded and if you don’t, your life just might be in danger.

Enter Sara Hall, a struggling MBA looking for the perfect job. Be careful what you wish for.
Sara gives her all to Stanhope and is soon living the dream, but things aren’t always what they seem.

A few years later four of Sara’s colleagues are summoned to an abandoned “work in progress” building for an Escape Room adventure. What should have been a team building experience soon gets out of hand and lives are at stake. As secrets and lies are exposed, the four are soon questioning everything. Who exactly is behind this Escape Room and will they escape with their lives.

Told in alternating chapters of Sara Hall and The Elevator, this book is an edge of your seat thriller. A truly unique book. There were a few snippets that were repeated between the chapters, but nothing that really detracted from the overall excellent book. Goldin is a gifted writer. Can’t wait for her next book!

In the high powered world of finance it is definitely a dog eat dog world. In this dual timeline book we follow a group of four high powered bankers who were all called to a last minute meeting on a Friday evening for a teambuilding exercise in an elevator escape room. Or at least that's what they thought.

I couldn't flip the pages fast enough in this book. The story is compelling and interesting. There are moments where you actually feel like you are in the elevator with them. The reveals that came throughout the book definitely had me off-kilter and trying to guess, what was going to happen next.

My main complaint is with the ending. I felt it got a little over the top in the end, but it didn't deter my enjoyment of the story overall.

I definitely will be recommending this book to friends who enjoy a good mystery/thriller and I'm excited to see what she writes next.

This is one of those books where I love to hate the characters. The only character I felt for was Lucy. The rest are your typical greedy, rich finance people who care about nothing but themselves and the money that affords their lifestyles. If you can suspend reality and enjoy this for what it is, you’ll have a lot of fun with it. I always find it interesting that people can do this with movies but not so much with books sometimes 🤷🏻‍♀️.


There were some moments in reading that made me think of the movie Devil (of course, it's the elevator action). You really never know what people are capable of until they're put in a high stress situation. While the end few chapters got a little bit "woah", I actually really enjoyed this part! We know from the synopsis that secrets come to light and as usual, these don't sit well with the other occupants. The back and forth from Sara's climb from Chicago to NYC and up the corporate ladder is well done and I do like how everything fans out. It's a man eat woman world out there!

I think the problem with The Escape Room is the expectation. You’re expecting this crazy escape room with puzzles to be solved in a locked elevator and that’s like maybe 1% of the book. Yes they’re locked in the elevator but the escape room “plot” you’re expecting is really nil and just an idea, not reality - which I suppose at the end of the day is exactly what happens to the characters in the book so same, same? *wink*

A Team Building Exercise Turns Nasty

The life of Wall Street bankers is luxurious, but cutthroat. The job is so demanding that you must be on the top of your game, or suffer the consequences. When four top level executives are called to a meeting in an isolated building, they know they must comply.

At the building they crowd into the elevator. It ascends part way, stops, and the lights go out. This is supposed to be a team building exercise. They must work together to solve the problem and get out, but it isn’t that simple.

The story is told from the point of view of the characters in the elevator and alternatively by Sara Hall. Sara was a finance graduate who worked for a time with the four. She wasn’t welcomed in the group where all members were secretive about their personal lives. Sara finds the long hours grueling and consuming. Now Sara’s past history intersects with the four trapped in the elevator.

The characters in this book are not likable. The four in the elevator are obsessed with perks and money. Their conversation revolves around investment banking. If you’re not interested in corporate greed, it can become tedious.

The plot moves back and forth between Sara’s review of the past and the tension in the elevator. This relieves some of the boredom. However, it also means that there are few twists, and you know early where this is heading. If you want a thriller that revolves around a specific corporate culture, you may enjoy this one.

I received this book from St. Martin’s Press for this review.

Recently, I have been lucky with my readings, picking books filled with original plots, brilliant characters, and writing styles which draw you in from the opening. I thought it could not get better that this. I was wrong. The Escape Room wins all my book awards.

Have you ever found yourself in an escape room? I created one during my year studying publishing at university. We based it on And Then There Were None and had the best time creating clues and then locking our friends in a classroom with a big screen showing time running out. We had a laugh, we thought we were God looking at our little humans trying to win a trophy with clever thinking, and even if they failed, everyone left standing on their own two feet. But this is no longer the memories I have when I think of this game…

I do not like comparison, but I couldn’t help thinking about The Chain when I read The Escape Room. Both authors took a more or less harmless concept and turned it into someone’s nightmare. However, there is so much originality in each book that they don’t compete, they only create a brand new category: books that I would take with me to the grave. I loved every piece of The Escape Room!

Should I sum it up in one sentence, I would say ‘four sharks in a poisoned goldfish aquarium!’

The novel is divided in two separate perspectives. No dates are given, only names. We follow Sarah Hall, a young woman who gets her first job in finance at Stanhope, well-known investment bank. From the excitement of getting such a prestigious position to a cold reality check when the toxic environment and endless hours add pressure with every passing day, the author dissects all the feelings and the situations you can face in the City, as a woman, as a junior, and as a competitor. The bright picture turns into a grey and blurry shot as Sarah settles into her new life. Finance is a cutthroat world, choose it at your own risks! I simply adored being able to take a peak at the inside of one of those big buildings filled with people who play with money to make more of it, always more.

Sarah believes she can find her place at Stanhope without losing her ethics and values, but soon, the money comes in and don’t they say it changes everything?

I love Sarah’s character. Sincere, resilient, she reminded me of myself when I was hoping to get my first job. I was ready to take on any task, I was so grateful that I was eager to please, my eyes were filled with little happy stars as I entered the world I had dreamed of. Yet, with big dreams come hard truths, and Sarah doesn’t escape the rule…

The second perspective takes us into an elevator. Now let me tell you right away; I am scared witless of elevators. My cousin abandoned me in the one that led to my great-grandmother’s apartment when I was four. I couldn’t reach the buttons and stayed thirty minutes in the cabin, crying my eyes out. I am a huge fan of stairs!!!

Back to our story. One elevator, four bankers from Stanhope on their way to a meeting on a Friday evening. The description of each character did nothing to help me to like them. Before the elevator’s doors closed, I knew I would not get any sympathy for Vincent, Sam, Jules, or Sylvie. It didn’t prevent me from being literally unable to take my eyes off the book. LITERALLY. I didn’t walk the dogs, I didn’t go to the ladies, I didn’t grab a snack. The authors knows what she is doing and she does it so well that the escapism happens right here, right now. Nothing else exist except those people, their bank accounts, and the secrets hidden by the numbers on their files.

Once nicely cooped up in the small space, it soon because obvious that something is wrong. Very wrong. They discover the meetings was a pretext. The real reason they have been summoned is to play. An escape room with people you don’t like? How sweet… Impatient and each with their own plans for the weekend, the team decides to get on with the game, innocently thinking they can come out of there quickly and resume their lives. But with each clue, the game becomes more personal. So personal that the regular claustrophobia you can experience in such a situation turns into a bog cloud of aggressiveness and paranoia. I marveled at the exceptional writing that made me feel I was in that place, sweat on my forehead and a knot in my stomach. I was in awe of the mind behind the schemes that led the characters to crack their shell and show their true colours.

If you believe elevators are boring, think twice. Megan Goldin’s book is as twisted as the characters in it. This novel is like no other. Served by a pace that holds your heart and squeeze it more times that I could count and a narrative style as sharp as bank notes ready to give you the papercut of your life, The Escape Room is a punchy, ruthless, and absolutely mind-blowing novel.
Mad, bloody, and more addictive than chocolate, The Escape Room is one of my favourite reads of the year and an outstanding masterpiece you must add to your collection.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I rate this book a 4 out of 5 Stars.

This was a highly anticipated book for me, between the fantastic cover, and the incredible sounding synopsis, it was a no brainer, that it would be something I want to read.

For the most part, it was a pretty fast paced read, with a very eclectic cast of characters. They all made a lasting impression. When a reader complains that a book isn’t realistic, I am okay with that, because I read books for the imagination behind them, to get lost in some crazy, dramatic plot is one of my favorite pastimes.

I really haven’t ever had a book make me feel claustrophobic before, there are some scenes in here that had me feeling as such. My heart was racing, I kind of felt closed in, while reading the elevator scenes. It was really kind of neat to experience that. I loved that creativity, and the story building. The incredible heights that “THE ESCAPE ROOM” brought me too, and then the way I so desperately couldn’t wait to see how this one ended, I found myself staying up late, and waking up early. I had both an E-ARC and a Physical copy, so I was reading from both!

The only negative I can say, is I did see a few things coming, so the surprise factor wasn’t really there for me, but I still really enjoyed this book!

Happy book birthday to my birthday twin The Escape Room! I just finished this amazing thriller tonight and it kept me guessing until the end. I loved the back and forth between the past and present. Between Sara’s perspective and the individuals in the escape room. This is an incredibly well written, edge of your seat, keeps you guessing until the end thriller. This book makes me so glad I branched into a new genre this summer! @booksparks #booksharks #bookstagram #pubday #bookbirthday @netgalley

I received a free copy of this book from the author. I had the opportunity to review or not.

If you love mysteries, you are going to love this one. A group of four Wall Street banker co-workers have been instructed, by the powers that be, to head to a particular address, get into a particular elevator, find the hidden clues, use them to escape the rigged elevator. All four answer the demand entering the elevator with the impression that they must escape the room before time expires. But the clues were very difficult to interpret. And so the four trapped people struggle to solve the clues.

This group of people are not exactly friends, nor were they friendly with other employees. The compensation awarded from the company, Stanhope and Sons, is well above the average company’s salary. The bonuses are enormous and coveted by every worker. Built around extreme secrecy it causes interesting spectrum of feelings within the elite department of our four escape contestants.

The author takes us back in time to the initial interview of Sara Hall who tells her story of working with the elite group giving us a chance to see who these people really are. I don’t normally enjoy that technique, but the author makes it work. The characters come alive for us, exposing the failings, foibles and greed of the group.

The trapped group continue to struggle, grow more and more frightened in their situation, and begin accusing each other of all manner of evil. We flash over to Sara who is heading off on her long-planned journey to a better life. Pick up this book, it is amazing. Pick a time when you can relax for a few hours – or not. Just get the book. You will not regret it.