I really enjoyed this fast paced escape room thriller from Duncan Ralston. I didn't want to put it down once everyone was in the house and the puzzles began. I also like that the author took a chance with a weird/unexpected ending. My main complaint is that some of the information that certain characters needed to know to solve the puzzles seemed very unrealistic. Overall, I would say the writing wasn't great, but it was a fun, fast paced read that I enjoyed. Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC.

** ARC provided by NetGalley **
The Ghostland Series was pretty amazing and crazy so I knew this book would be no different. Not only was the story-line wild and action packed, there is so much detail and bits of history thrown in to really suck you in. For me this read like a mashup of House on Haunted Hill, Escape Room & a pinch of the film Identity. Not only are the characters fighting for their lives while solving near impossible puzzles, they are each competing for what they believe is a vast amount of money while in an unknown and dangerous location. Only once things take a deadly turn there's no going back for anyone. I really enjoyed this book and how intricate some of the puzzles were. I did not see a lot of the book coming and the only thing I'm not a fan of was the abrupt ending. Perhaps this is not the actual end of the Puzzle House realm as the world they are in drastically changes by the books end. Really enjoyed this and will continue to keep an eye out for more from the author!

I guess never show up for a puzzle masters will and testament. Lovers of escape rooms will enjoy this fast pace read and cheer on the "lucky" players as they navigate puzzle house. Also I need to know what happens next as the novel ended on a cliff hanger 🤔

Imagine for a moment that you were notified that you were named a beneficiary to a rather wealthy yet eccentric tycoon who made his money from puzzles, despite not knowing the man personally. Better still, you had never heard of him before getting the aforementioned news. For many folks, regardless of what means they may or may not have, it would be more than fair to assume that they would jump at the chance to take home a fraction of the wealth the dearly departed left behind.

But would you be willing to risk your life for said fortune?

That’s the opening plot point for Duncan Ralston’s latest novel, Puzzle House.

Cover of Puzzle House
Wicked House Publishing

Set in California, six (though seven on a technicality) strangers are invited to the reading of the last will and testament of one Alexei Vasiliev, a world-renowned Puzzle Master. All that is requested of the potential inheritors is that they solve the deceased’s final puzzle, namely his mansion, which has been converted into a multi-level escape room. The reward is great, but after the first puzzle, it becomes clear that solving the labyrinth is a matter of life and death.

In this cruel and macabre game, we primarily follow three contestants: Henry Hall, a detective-turned-prisoner who killed a fellow officer of the law; Joy Reese, an actress who is also the estranged widow of the late Vasiliev; and Dr. Oscar Evans, an epidemiologist who is coming to terms with his own all-but-pending death due to cancer. They, along with the other “guests,” all have their own reasons to want to take home the riches promised, but some are more willing than others to cut out the competition—killing them, if necessary.

Off the bat, I will say that Ralston has mastered the art of keeping his readers’ attention, as one could easily devour this book in an afternoon. Rarely did a chapter end without me wanting to jump right into the next one. The pacing of the story was never an issue, nor was the author’s ability to make people worth reading about.

Within a chapter, Ralson successfully presented the members of the main trio as fully developed people, realistic characters with admirable traits and human flaws. Not once did I question the legitimacy of anyone’s actions, so Ralston gets an A+ when it comes to the cast.

The biggest letdown of the novel for me was its depth. The end was somewhat predictable even though it threw me for a loop, and I desperately wish our author provided better substance to go along with this horror show. Again, I never questioned the motives of our protagonists or antagonists, but elements of this novel left me with my hands held out, asking for more, like my name was Oliver Twist.

I craved more details on the ancient Egyptian lore that was a backbone to this tale, ached to learn more about the mysterious shadowy corporation and the shady lawyer who lured everyone into the death trap that is Puzzle House, and I would not have complained about getting more insight into the other players of this game, especially Henry’s main antagonist. I’m not exaggerating when I say that when I turned the final page, I flipped back and forth a few times before asking out loud, “That’s it?!” My disappointment, however, could be easily rectified with a sequel and/or prequel. I will be waiting for that, Mr. Ralston, and I expect many other readers will be demanding the same.

All in all, I highly recommend this book to lovers of horror, gore, and mystery thrills, especially to those who enjoy Hellraiser, the Saw franchise, and The Cabin in the Woods. Eager readers can expect Puzzle House to be available in mid-September.

I’m always on the hunt for good horror books; I fell in love with James Herbert’s twisted mind at the tender age of 11 and have been seeking that delicious feeling of heart-pounding fear ever since!🫣

I saw Puzzle House on NetGalley and - loving anything escape roomy AND billed as a horror - hoped I was in for a creepy read. While it may not have left me in the crapped-pants state I was hoping for, I did really enjoy it. Mainly for the weird setting rather than any connection with any of the characters; I can’t say I was bothered when various characters were (occasionally slightly gruesomely) killed off. Although saying that, I did enjoy the dynamic between the convict and the prison guard, their barely controlled disdain for each other provided a few amusing moments.

While this started off strong, for me the ending kind of ruined it. What started off as a fun (albeit obviously twisted) game of high stakes suddenly turned into a weird, gargoyles-come-to-life, perpetual-night, demon-roaming reimagined world story that ended on what I assume is meant to be an opening for a sequel. But for me that ending came of out of nowhere, I feel like this would have been a better story if it had just ended a couple of chapters earlier. But perhaps I missed the point of it 🤷🏼‍♀️

Either way, I enjoyed most of this. There’s a lot about ancient cultures and theology, which I always enjoy reading about. As horrors go, there were a couple of creepy moments but nothing to write home about. I’d still recommend it though, it’s a short read and it definitely entertained me 🖤

Creepy, and definitely a book for fans of the Saw franchise. The perfect mix of plot and spooky. Give this a try if you are wanting a scary read this fall

<i> I thank the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC</i>

This is my first 1 * read in 2023. I thought of giving it 2* when i was at 80% of the book, just to keep my 'no 1* ' record intact, but the ending was so bad that this doesn't deserve anything more. I requested for this book because the description was intriguing. But this was a waste of time. I might not be the target reader for this kind of book.
I didn't find the puzzles or the solutions anyway clever. The participants discuss some ancient history, rituals, symbolism and easily come up with solutions.
Even the random selection of participants and the conspiracy theory was laughable. The plot was incidental and riddled with plot holes.

The ending seems to suggest a sequel, but I won't be reading any other book by this author

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this book.

I just finished this book and I'm left wondering what the hell just happened? This cliffhanger! Maybe there will be a sequel? I think there is definitely room to explore a sequel, because I have so many questions. What is it with Infiniti? How did Atkins become evolved? What was Vasiliev's goal?

If you're looking for Escape Room in novel form, this is it.

Puzzle room drama + reality TV bickering and mistrust = a great read! The ending didn't disappoint either :)
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review!

Fun and fast paced. It was thrilling and the puzzles were fun. It kept me wondering what was going to happen in the end. It was a nice short book that didn't take long to read and kept me interested.

Hall is a ex cop turned prisoner offered a choice to go to a will reading and give some money to his wife or be put with people he put in jail. Six people are invited to this will reading.. only one of them knows the deceased this is no ordinary will reading. They are trapped inside the house. They have six deadly puzzles to solve. Can anyone escape? Full of twists turns and action. Fast paced intense read.

Puzzle House was a quick read and interesting story. It started off so good with the character building in the beginning but I did felt like I got lost along the way. The majority of the storyline was the challenges based around gods and mythology making it hard for me to decipher exactly what was happening. If I had more knowledge of those things prior to reading, I think I would’ve found it easier to follow along. Overall, it was still a good read.

Thank you @netgalley for the ARC of Puzzle House by Duncan Ralston.

This book is reminiscent of the Escape Room movies. There is a good amount of body horror, so it is not recommended for the faint of heart. There are some shocking twists and it keeps you on the edge of your seat.

6 strangers are invited to the house of Alexei Vaseliev for the reading of his will. Only one of them actually knew him, his ex wife. He is a well known puzzle master and has created a house of puzzles. The winner of the puzzle house will receive his fortune. The strangers soon learn that the puzzles are life and death and only one will make it out alive.

This book was a fun ride from beginning to end. The writing isn’t distracting from the main story and the characters felt real. I really enjoyed the puzzles and bits of knowledge added in. My only frustration is a wish we had a little more closure as to why/how at the end. Since this was a puzzle book I expected there to be a logical reason. Still a really great read!

"The Puzzle Room" by Duncan Ralston presents an intriguing premise that captures the reader's attention from the start. Especially for someone who does escape rooms regularly like me. However, the pacing at times feels uneven, with moments of intense suspense followed by lulls that hinder the overall flow. Also if you dont know much about Egyptian or older history parts are really hard to follow. Additionally, while some characters are well-developed and relatable, others lack depth and could have been more fleshed out. Despite these shortcomings, the unexpected twists sprinkled throughout the story do manage to create moments of genuine surprise. Overall, "The Puzzle Room" offers an enjoyable read, but falls slightly short of reaching its full potential.
Thank you NetGalley, Publisher, and Duncan Ralston for the ARC!

I almost rated this one 4 stars until I read the last page. I was so mad at how it ended! I really enjoyed the book as a whole, though. It gave me Saw vibes which I loved. I did kind of guess some things throughout which I knocked a star off for just because I thought it could have been more surprising. If the last page was wrote differently or maybe a little more was added to it, it would have easily been a 4-4.5 star read. I really enjoy Ralston’s work, so either way I’m glad I read this & would recommend!

Puzzle House: A Novel by Duncan Ralston left me exhausted! Once I started reading I just couldn’t stop and although some descriptions were incredibly graphic and gory I just kept going - just like the characters in the story.

This would make an amazing movie as it is very visual and fast moving. Absolutely incredible and scary. A thriller that leaves one breathless and heart pounding! Characters are vividly developed adding depth to the story.

The publisher’s blurb is excellent:

Six strangers arrive at the home of preeminent puzzle master Alexei Vasiliev for the reading of his will. Among them are the deceased's widow, who'd already begun divorce proceedings, a virologist troubled by actions in his past, and a convicted murderer on day release. The potential beneficiaries will split Vasiliev's $150M fortune if they participate in his last great work.
The choice is simple: leave the house with nothing or continue in the hope of solving the six interconnecting escape rooms within this house.
Once there, the participants soon discover Puzzle House is far deadlier than it appears, and that making their way through the rooms may be a matter of life and death. Someone is watching their every move, toying with them, turning them against each other. With their lives on the line, they are forced to wonder, is it all just a deadly game created by a gleeful sadist, or something far more sinister?
Highly recommended!

This review is based on a complimentary copy from Wicked House Published via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#PuzzleHouse:ANovel #NetGalley #NetGalleyBingo - reviewed right after finishing

This book follows six strangers who arrive at the reading of the will of a puzzle master named Alexei Vasiliev. Some know him (including his widow) and others have no idea what they're doing there.

They learn that they will earn his $150M fortune if they proceed through and solve his puzzles.

This was billed as Saw meets Escape Room - and it definitely has some of those elements at its core. However, I didn't feel the stakes of this. I am always down for horror for horror's sake, but we really didn't get an opportunity to understand anyone's motivations so the stakes didn't feel real. It was a fun read, but ultimately I felt a bit underwhelmed.

Listen this book was SO SO GOOD ! The world building, the character building and development , the in depth descriptions, all of it. So much happens at the end of the last two chapters I was literally on the edge of my bed reading this. This book is not even officially out yet but I NEED to know what happens next !! This book kind of reminded me of a Saw meets the house from the 13 ghost movies? Maybe even cabin in the woods but WOW. This was so good I could not put my phone down reading it. So many things happen in this book it is absolutely insane. Greek mythology, conspiracies, mystery, murder, rituals , and a puzzle house?!
So glad I was able to read the ARC of this.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Six people find out that they are being invited for a will reading for an inheritance from someone that they don't know (well, five of them don't know the deceased). They wind up in a mystery house, trying to earn the money by finding their way out of all the rooms. But one by one, they start to not make it on to the next room.

I wanted to like this book more than I did. It seemed like an interesting premise, a cross between Saw and Escape Room, both of which I like. But it just never really fully sucked me in. There was some back story happening with a corporation, but I never feel like that was well explained and just made it more confusing to follow. The characters didn't seem very well developed or likable. I feel like there was a lot of back story that could have been developed more but wasn't, which made me feeling like I was always missing something.

The good things - great concept, plenty of potential, and a decent ending. Just wish it had been developed better.