Thank you Netgalley and St.Martin’s Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Escape Room is a great captivating book. 4 people in a team building activity, in an elevator...Good psychological thriller!

I could not put this book down and when I had to I was annoyed! I loved the back and forth between Sara Hall and those trapped in the escape room. I will definitely read anything this author publishes. Highly recommended!

Vincent, Jules, Sylvie, and Sam are working in the financial district and their work brings them grueling hours but high dollar paychecks. As their rich lifestyles become their norm, they are willing to make to business deals at any cost with no regard for the lives their contracts destroy. Competition is fierce for an upcoming possibility of a promotion and the four of them are called to a mandatory team building meeting. The find themselves locked in an elevator escape room. They have to solve the clues to escape. As time goes by, they begin to wonder if they will ever get out but teamwork proves to be a daunting task as secrets and betrayals are revealed. Things spiral out of control as tempers flare and desperation takes over.

This was a fast moving, suspenseful novel. The character development was fantastic. Overall, I loved the book but I was expecting a conclusion with a little more bang (although I still did enjoy the ending) so I rated it as a 4.5. I highly recommend this book.

I received this book through Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Netgalley.com, to St. Martin's Press, and to Megan Goldin for this opportunity

The Escape Room was a twisting thriller, leaving me hanging until the very end to find out how four associates came to be trapped in the “escape Room.” It started out as a team building exercise, or so they thought put on by their firm. The story went from the elevator to different perspectives leading up to the elevator.
Vincent, Jules, Sylvia and Sam work for a prestigious Wall Street firm. The more money they made, the greedier they became.
I found this to be a super unique, page turner! I would definitely recommend it!
Thank you to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this advanced copy.
This will appear on my blog December 10, 2018.
www.colecampfireblog.com
LanaLCole@yahoo.com

The idea of this story was interesting as I've never read anything like it. However, I did find it to drag and be slow in some parts.

Four investment bankers walk into an elevator... This could be the start to a really corny joke but instead is the beginning of a gripping, engaging, stay-up-all-night suspense thriller from Megan Goldin. The bankers are told that the elevator meeting is an escape room exercise, and their jobs may be on the line. However, once the activity gets started, they realize more than their jobs may be on the line. In fact, their very lives may be in jeopardy, and everyone has a secret.

This book is told along two separate timelines, one from the individuals trapped in the elevator, and one from a former colleague of theirs. I found this setup heightened the experience of the novel, because it left the reader with no idea as to what happened in the past or why the individuals were actually being tortured in the elevator. 

I personally loved the voice that Goldin brought to this novel. Her writing kept me intrigued with this book and propelled me through the pages in record time. The puzzles in the escape room were also refreshing. The ones that didn't require background knowledge of the characters were fun to figure out before the participants could. In fact, I wish there had been more, I had my notepad out ready to decipher codes (have I mentioned I love escape rooms?). 

I found myself wanting a little more from the ending and the resolution of the mystery, but I feel like the build-up made up for it. I suppose I wanted a more shocking conclusion, it all happened so suddenly. Regardless, I recommend this book as it was a wild ride from start to finish and I look forward to seeing what future works come from Goldin. 

*I would like to thank the publisher, author, and NetGalley for providing an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of The Escape Room (from NetGalley). All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What a thriller! I thoroughly, AND I MEAN THOROUGHLY, enjoyed this novel. Brilliantly written, this book keeps the reader just barely out of accurate prediction-making range! Intelligent, yet naive, Sara gradually became one of the stronger characters that I have become acquainted with in a while! This novel is full of enough suspense and drama to really entertain--I finished it in just two days' time. (I needed to finish it once I assembled enough foreshadowing of impending events and at the same time was able to spare a few solid consecutive hours.) It might be worth considering making this book into a movie! I think the deception and backstabbing alone would draw the the attention of the general public...That being said, I will keep an eye out for future novels from Megan Goldin!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Megan Goldin for the ARC!

WOW!!! Talk about a game of patience. This person was definitely playing the long game! I’m not going to give it away by telling you who it was or what all happened.

I will say, I think I would have gone crazy while being locked in an escape room with no sure fire way to get out.

I want to try one, but I do believe I will stick to the ones I know are scripted and manned. You know, like the ones you find in a mall or other shopping areas.

Definitely a terrific read!!

I received an advanced copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book had me on the edge of my seat the whole time! It was definitely a book that kept you thinking! I would definitely recommend this book to fellow readers. Thank you!

The opening of the story won points with me for the suspenseful set up. It was very atmospheric and definitely set a great tone. Also, the set up is quite the game of chess as pawns manipulate and demostrate varying degrees of power in some seriously ruthless endeavors. Through flashbacks the story is related to explain how we got to the opening scene and it's clear that the mains of this story are being manipulated & their character flaws & vices capitalized upon by someone and they don't realize it. They were all awful so there's little sympathy even when they are treated harshly by another in the group.

Unfortunately, that suspense wasn't kept at a high pitch for most of the book. It's not a criticism but this story had a lot of information to relate as dirty dealings went and while steady it didn't lend itself to the "OMGWTH??!!" factor. When you open with shooting and blood running out of an elevator, I am going to be stuck on that until we loop back to the moment before that. I did find it somewhat of a compulsive read because for as many times as I had to put it down, I wanted to get back to it. The back quarter of the book really saved it for me as the murderer is revealed and then all the pawns fall and the most powerful chess piece remains standing, The Queen. She rolled up everyone, slipped away and all I could hear was the music at the end of the Jason Bourne movies.

Extremely well written story of corporate intrigue, employee rivalry and revenge. The characters are well developed and the story grabs you from the first page through the satisfying last page. Highly recommended.

Thank You Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for this very goooood read.

The Escape Room by Megan Goldin.

Synopsis:
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.

The biggest mystery to solve in this lethal game: What happened to Sara Hall? Once a young shining star—now "gone but not forgotten”.

This is no longer a game.
They’re fighting for their lives.

The synopsis had me wanting to read this so bad and was very excited when I was given a kindle copy to enjoy. I give it 5 stars, 10 if I could. This book grabs you from the first page and on the second page you are hooked. I couldn't put it down and finished it in a day. Some parts are far fetched to be so perfect but I kept an open mind. Vincent, Jules, Syvie and Sam are some of the characters and they are so different but have greed, money, power and success with nothing stopping them from achieving more. No matter who gets in the way. The four of them are bought together in a team building exercise by email from their company. Bringing these four together in a small space with someone on the outside pulling the strings. Soon they start spilling secrets and the elevator gets smaller and smaller. I don't want to give any spoilers away so Welcome to the wonderful world of investment banking where I'm better than you are....
C'

This book is crazy! For me, it started off a little slow but it picked up all at once and I found myself unable to put it down. It’s a tale of deception, lies, and greed with a side of revenge. I real a lot of psychological thrillers and this is the best I’ve read in a while.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Escape room is fantastic! I was sucked in the first chapter. The twist and turns were exciting, and I hoped for the ending that was given. The ending seemed a little rushed, but was still satisfying.

First of all, great job on the title because that was a great hook, line, and sinker to grab my attention! I love escape rooms and this book by Megan Goldin was no different. Obviously, it is all in your head vs. out in the real world but that makes it 10x better! Nothing beats your imagination!

You get to know alot of the main characters - Vincent the boss man along with his employees Sam, Jules, and Sylvie. It is typical work drama that you see at a big financial corp but with a HUGE plot twist. You will wonder throughout the book why they are all trapped in the elevator together and the plot unravels in true mystery/ thriller form. Finished the book in just a few days because it was such a good, easy read! I had to force myself to put down the book to sleep!

First intro to a Megan Goldin novel and I would highly recommend The Escape Room!

Interesting characters in an unusual setting. The outcome was a bit predictable. Not sure I would classify it as a thriller.

This book took a tuuuurn there at the end!

So, basically I read this book and was like okay, lots of people are dead, one girl is suspected to be on the spectrum and this author really likes to talk about sex, drugs and investment banking.

Did I love this book? No. Three stars for general creativity, quick storyline and entertainment value. I do believe that there in the last hundred pages it went off the rails, but the recovery was too fast and not enough was explained thoroughly. I also think that the characters lacked a lot of depth - you had this former model who was also a burn victim who also witnessed her twin brother die in a car accident but she was only really referred to as this icy bitch of a coworker that was also incredibly attractive - you see what I mean, here? People lived up to their stereotypes so the book was basically over once you figured out which part everyone was playing.

Good beach read. Hell, if I was had up for a book club book I'd probably throw this one out there. This is not, however, the next great american novel.

The Escape Room by Megan Golden – 4 Stars
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
ISBN: 9781250219657

I’m reviewing this to be honest with my opinion. I should only say I was glad I made it 90% to the point where it proved to have a great ending and explained the meaning for all the momentous number of words that I had previously read. Until then, I had a difficult time getting excited to delve back into the book. The plot was interesting in that instead of a story about escaping an inescapable elevator, it switches back and forth in time to detail each character’s personality, strengths, and weaknesses. One doesn’t have to read far to understand that the four in the elevator are a team of self-made elites who have no interest in anybody outside their club, or should I say “the Circle.” Unfortunately, understanding each character to that depth is not that important. My unconscious noticed this first and I started skimming page after page. However, at about 90%, or a little after, when the real storyline was revealed, the action was enthralling. If I could rate this book only on the ending, instead of the anticipated actionable, thrilling, nail-biter, page-turner as I expected, it surely would be a 5-Star. But, until then, I was generally bored and hugging just the 3-Star bar. I’m reminded that people have short memories and thus I should quickly write my review while the ending controlled my emotions. So, with that, I’ll settle on a 4-Star and hope the author in future books can consider continuous thrills and excitement throughout.

Reviewer: Rich, with Nancy’s input as well

This book is everything you want in a thriller, great writing, interesting characters (although most of them are far from likable), and a well thought out and intricate plot that keeps you guessing. Start reading it when you have a few uninterrupted hours in front of you because you will not want to put it down. The story is an emotional roller coaster in the best possible way and the ending is so satisfying!

OMG.....YES!

This captivating, engrossing book had me transfixed from page one. Waste not one minute wondering if this one is worth the read; jump in and do it. It SO is!

The book covers two storylines, the first is that of Sara Hall, a bright, MBA, up-and-comer, who is fortunate enough, as a result of a chance meeting in an elevator, to get a shot at the dazzling job of her dreams. Speaking of elevators, the second storyline involves four vile individuals who are forced to participate in an escape room type game, in an elevator, for reasons initially unclear to them and us.

As the tension amped up, I could not wait to find out what was going on, how the stories intersected and how it would ultimately be resolved. It didn't disappoint. Whoooo.....what a ride.

Thank you so much to Megan Goldin, St. Martin's Press, and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.