So, how to do keep readers very intrigued when the whole plot of the storyline takes place in just an elevator? Well by doing just what Megan Goldin did with The Escape Room. You write a "tight" storyline that is not only hyped with tons of intensity but one that is so engaging that it kept me up all night. I could not stop reading until I was finished, which was a matter of a few hours.

The four main charcters Vincent, Jules, Sylvie, and Sam were not that appealing but because the storyline was that great it made up for this little flaw. The story starts in the present and flashes back to the past. Each time a little more is revealed about the past including who Vincent, Sylvie, Jules, and Sam really are.

What made this book so great is the "unknown". You never knew what would happe next. So I was left waiting in anticipation. The ending of this story does end on a high note. This is nice as I hate to read a book only to be left with a weak ending.

I received an advanced review copy of this book.

I haven’t read a thriller in a long time. This book is fast-paced, engaging the reader from the first page.

Vincent, Jules, Sylvie and Sam are living luxurious lives. In their pursuit of money, each has done whatever it took to gain it. The four are asked to attend an escape room and as the clues and hours pass, secrets unravel. The team that has worked so closely together begins to disintegrate.

Despite these characters not being likable, I got caught up in each character’s story. The character behind the escape room is intelligent but the decisions made had unintended consequences. I loved how the author pulled the story together of the four characters and the person behind the escape room together. By the end of the story I was left wondering: who is the bigger villain?

The escape room by megan goldin was a gripping unputdownable book, I loved it and read it within 2 days. I'd highly recommend it to anyone

The Escape Room is an exciting, fast paced thriller that keeps the reader anxiously turning pages as they work to put together the puzzle pieces.

The book starts with two seemingly unrelated story lines. We meet Sara Hall, who recently graduated with a masters in business and finance but has yet to find a job, and we meet the several characters that are participating in a team building escape room activity. After a couple of chapters, a dramatic reveal links these two stories.

The author continues to ratchet up the tension by alternating points of view for each chapter, between Sara and the escape room participants. She doles out intriguing tidbits of information in each chapter, which propel the reader towards the end of this dark tale. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, although the ending wasn’t completely believable. Definitely recommend if you like a fast paced page turner - it was a fun book to read!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for the early copy!

I’d heard buzz about this book all over Facebook and Instagram and have been dying to read it! So first off thank you to the publisher and author for an advanced ebook copy in exchange for my honest review!

Here it goes! The buzz on this book is spot on! Four investment bankers are trapped in an escape room they think is a team building exercise. It is told through alternating timelines of the present escape room and the flashbacks of another investment banker named Sara. I have to say parts of this book were creepy and just plain disturbing! But I couldn’t put it down. I finished it in about three days. I’m going to say this is my favorite book of the year so far! It’s the kind of book I want on my bookshelves to pull out to friends and say “Read this!” Congrats to the author on writing a good summer “escape”!

A very entertaining thriller but not very believable. This did not stop me from reading though; the story was interesting and kept my attention! A clever story that was easy to follow and didn’t require much thought... it was a perfect book for the ‘reading mood’ I was in at the time. I would definitely recommend if you want a fast paced thriller that is fun.

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I love psychological thrillers!!!! This one was wonderful. Not the most believable, but if I wanted reality I could read non-fiction. I typically start losing attention in books a third of the way in but this one sucked me right in from page one.

Love how it all came together at the end and ended perfectly. I love a good revenge story.

This is the first book by Megan Goldin that I have read. I don't usually read 'psychological thrillers', however, the description of this book drew me in, and I have to say it didn't disappoint. This book is about a group of executives that work for Wall Street Finance. The executives only care about money and work long hours for lucrative deals. The story begins with four of the executives (Vincent, Sam, Jules, and Sylvie) going to a building for a mandatory team building meeting. After all 4 of the executives are in an elevator they become stuck, with no access to the outside world, in this elevator labeled as an "Escape Room". Throughout their time in the elevator certain secrets are divulged and it turns out that they really need to work together to stay alive through the ordeal. The book is told in different POV's, which at times confused me, however, after a few chapters I was able to easily follow what was happening. It was interesting learning not only about the 4 executives but also about 2 other members of their team (Lucy and Sara). The greed and backstabbing of the characters was not surprising and I really enjoyed the 'twist' along the way. Due to the way the story begins you know that there isn't a lot of hope for all of the executives to survive, however, as I was reading it was tough to decide which character I actually wanted to survive the elevator (they all turned out to be extremely self absorbed). I really liked how the book ended (although I kept thinking something else would happen to throw in another twist). This book is worth the time reading and kept me engaged trying to figure out what was going to happen next AND who was the mastermind behind the executives being stuck in the 'Escape Room'.

This book is an excellent book filled with suspense and interesting character development. Thank you to Megan Goldin, St. Martin's Press, and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Three employees of a Wall Street investment banking firm and their manager, Vincent, are summoned to a mandatory meeting on a Friday night. With rumors of upcoming layoffs, Sylvie, Sam, and Jules grudgingly meet Vincent for the last-minute gathering. They find they will be participating in an escape room challenge being held in an actual elevator, and the results of the exercise could be used for future staff planning. However, they quickly find out this isn’t a typical escape room adventure and it’s not their careers, but their lives that are in danger.

Just as four of the main characters learn their escape room event isn’t typical, the reader figures out this isn’t really an adventure story about people trying to work their way out of an escape room. The characters do work out the clues, but that isn’t the main focus of the story. As they try to find their way out of the elevator, we get a look into each character’s life. However, we learn the most about the characters through alternating chapters from the point of view of Sara Hall, one of the group’s former co-workers. At first I wasn’t sure what her connection to the rest of the story was, but that soon becomes apparent.

As seen through Sara’s eyes, the firm and all of the characters come out looking very badly. Greed and conflict are encouraged at the firm and almost all of the employees have no problem with these directives. Sara tells a story which shows all four of the people now in the elevator behaving despicably in the past. Some of the details are both shocking and strange. I enjoyed the book overall, but it’s necessary to overlook some of the more unbelievable details. Doing that, I was able to sit back and enjoy the twists of the story. Some parts of the book moved slowly, but once it started getting closer to the end, I didn’t want to put it down. I couldn’t wait to see how things would end. The book isn’t what I was expecting, but it has an original premise and is an entertaining novel for readers looking for something a little different.

I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of St. Martins Press. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

I am not one to tell anyone how to write their story. Their story is theirs. However, I think the telling of this story could have been much better if we had less of the elevator and more of the past mixed in. 

This book is told in past and present. I usually like these kinds of storytelling, if done write. I get why it was written this way, but it still felt wrong. I almost think it would have been better had it been told from start to finish instead. I might have connected to the characters and the story more.

This book was slow and predicable. I figured most everything out fairly quickly and was ready for the book to end early on. 

I think some people might enjoy this book. Everyone's tastes are different. This book definitely left me feeling underwhelmed.

I read The Escape Room so fast, I don't think it ever left my hand! Sara has graduated with an MBA, but still cannot find a job doing what she is trained to do. She goes for an interview with a huge firm, but the man who interviews her clearly has no intention of hiring her and is downright rude. As she is leaving the firm, she happens to get in the elevator with one of the higher-ups in the company, and he ends up offering her a dream job. But something isn't right at the company she works for. Men are allowed to sexually harass and get away with it. The group she works with all have shady pasts. And somehow the group she works with all end up in an elevator, a part of an escape room group bonding meeting. But the group bonding isn't what they think. It's much worse. This book was really good! When I got to the last few chapters, I had to go back and read them again to grasp just what was actually happening. Who knew that working on Wall Street could be so deadly...

"Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review."

Loved this book very much. It had just enough sweet, sexy romance and the storyline was great! I highly recommend!

A super suspenseful fast paced story, i couldn't put this one down! A truly thrilling story from start to finish,
Highly recommend.

An escape room challenge becomes a life-or-death situation. Four young professionals participate in a team-building activity. Emotions and imaginations rise when the lights go out and they are trapped. But the cryptic clues are more like dangerous truths. Terrible deeds they committed climbing up the corporate ladder are revealed. It becomes clear that someone has to die in order for others to survive.

Was it realistic? For sure. Especially for people that have participated in an escape room before with only minutes left on the clock to decipher senseless clues and no escape in sight. Oh, just me? Okay. Well, the feeling of being trapped is real. Teamwork becomes every man looking out for him/herself. Then when you finally escape, you think of how you overanalyzed the whole scenario. Kind of how I felt about this new book. I overanalyzed the storyline so the ending fell flat.

There was so much buildup in The Escape Room. Lots of information for readers to wade through. Perhaps it was the author's tactic for a suspenseful thriller; although, it seemed like filler material. It gave me R.L. Stine Fear Street vibes. I loved those but I was not expecting it from The Escape Room. Nevertheless, I finished reading with a sense of nostalgia for the simpler times of thriller.

Happy Early Pub Day, Megan Goldin. The Escape Room will be available Tuesday, July 30.

LiteraryMarie

This mystery/thriller definitely requires the reader to suspend disbelief, but doing so allows the book to be completely and totally enjoyed. A fun, smart summer escape.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41150380

A psych thriller where corporate big shots riddled with secrets have to escape out of a locked elevator? Yes please!

I really enjoyed this one and actually finished it in one day. Told with varying perspectives, The Escape Room is a semi-slow burn but Megan Goldin keeps you just interested enough to keep going. The characters are not very likeable given that they are stereotypical Wall Street finance people but that actually helped keep me engaged since it's so different from my corporate world experiences.

The Escape Room offers revenge, greed, and oh so many secrets with fantastic twists! This is definitely one to keep on your radar, on shelves 8/6!

The Escape Room starts off with an intriguing idea, then takes an unexpected turn that I didn’t see coming!

Quick word of advice if you haven’t read this one yet – skip the prologue. I’ve never really understood prologues to begin with, but this one sort of ruined the ending for me.

The story starts off with four investment bankers arriving for a last-minute Friday night meeting. Odd, but they were used to their company pulling their strings so show up when and wherever they’re told.

Finding out that their mandatory meeting is actually an escape room challenge, they’re less than pleased. Assured it will only take an hour, they resign themselves to the exercise and get in the elevator.

The chapters alternate between the present day escape room and the story of Sara Hall, which takes place in the past. Each chapter is labeled so it’s easy to keep track of each storyline.

Sara was a talented business school graduate who, because of a downturn in the economy, had a hard time finding a job. We first meet Sara during an interview. We quickly learn that the man interviewing her is a first class jerk who is only going through the motions. Poor Sara.

Meanwhile, the elevator lights go out as soon as the doors close, leaving the four bankers in the dark as the car quickly rises. Finally stopping at the 70th floor, the doors fail to open and the lights stay off. A message pops up on the small monitor, welcoming them to the escape room.

Game on.

The story pops back and forth between the escape room and Sara’s story. We follow along as Sara finally lands a job, working with the same team currently stuck in the elevator escape room.

Of the two stories, I was more interested in Sara’s. Getting a behind the scenes glimpse of life in the fast lane of investment banking was fascinating!

You know the old Fitzgerald quote that the rich are different than you and me? Well, this book more or less proves it. The money that these people throw around is amazing! And a little sickening.

Sara even mentions that her induction class was nothing short of a seduction, with generous gifts, gourmet meals, and lots of little perks. Getting them all used to the high life. By the end of the week, the entire class was fully indoctrinated into the cult-like worship of greed.

Make no mistake, these are not nice people. The more I got to know Vincent, Jules, Sylvie, and Sam, the less I liked them. Even Sara, who starts off likable and relatable, soon gets caught up in the lifestyle.

As the clues in the elevator escape room get more and more personal, tensions start to rise. While these people may have worked together as a team for years, they do not like or respect one another. At all.

And learning about Sara’s journey from bright young star to “gone, but not forgotten” was something else!

Really enjoyed the ride on this one.

Good writing, interesting (if not exactly likable) characters, and a decently paced plot, all adding up to a fast, fun read!

Thank you to NetGalley, Megan Goldin and St Martin’s Press for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Vincent, Jules, Sylvie, and Sam are ruthless and ambitious high flyers working in Wall Street finance where intimidation and deception thrive. Getting rich is all that matters to them. They are all ordered to meet and participate in a team building exercise that requires them to escape from a locked elevator where the dark secrets of their team will be left bare. The biggest mystery to solve is what happened to Sara Hall – the young shining start is that gone but not forgotten. They will have to fight for their lives.

I loved the way this author made something so popular and fun turn into a dark and twisty novel that makes you rethink ever trying another escape room in your life! I especially enjoyed that fact that it takes place in an elevator and that the author leaves you hanging by going back and forth between Sara Hall’s life and what is happening to the others lives in the elevator. This book really kept me on my toes and I couldn’t read fast enough to see what was going to happen to Sara and the rest of the team. I really enjoyed a little peek into the life on Wall Street and how cut throat is was; there are so many characters that I hated to much and others that I wanted to take home and be besties with. I enjoyed all the little story lines in this one and will definitely be recommending this one to anyone who likes a good suspenseful read!

Out July 30th!

*I received a free advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review.

The general concept of this book really captured my interest. Imagine working in a high powered realm where you are always competing with others. Then you are invited to what appears to be a team building exercise through an Escape Room game. Over time you finally realize this is not a corporate event but rather someone's attempt at revenge. Now you are stuck in an elevator with people you despise and definitely distrust.

Over the course of the book there are a lot of flashbacks to teach the reader the secrets each person has that may have something to do with why this is happening. The book has a good concept, but I must admit that some of the events are a little far fetched. But if you just want something to grab your attention, give you some entertainment and a little suspense it works.

5 stars. OMG, wow! The buzz about this book is spot on! The Escape room will make your heart pound! This psychological thriller is fast paced, adrenaline inducing and an absolute page turner! An unexpected favorite! The ending is unexpected and will leave you with a bizarre feeling of closure. A must read!