I read this one in a single day because it was so fun, and I just didn't want to put it down until I knew the ending. A perfect book for people who love mysteries, puzzles (obviously), and a well crafter series of plot twists and turns, I instantly purchased a copy of this one for my husband.

Puzzle House tells the story of six strangers who are summoned to the home of the puzzle master, Alexei Vasiliev for the reading of his Will. They are told that they will split his fortune, as long as they can work together to escape the Puzzle House.

As someone who LOVES escape rooms and this genre of book, I was super excited to read this one and it didn't disappoint. I was drawn in right from the start and got totally sucked into the story, the characters and the puzzles.

This was a quick and easy read, although a little gory at times. The last quarter of the book got pretty weird and I'd have preferred it to have continued in the same vein as the rest of the book, but otherwise I really enjoyed this.

My thanks to NetGalley and the Publishers for sending me this ARC in return for an honest review.

I requested this book based on a review that I saw on Instagram. Thank you to NetGalley and Wicked House for providing me with the digital ARC.

I finished this book in one sitting! It was a fun, exciting spin on the escape room genre. I feel like there were parts of the story that reminded me of the movie Escape Room that came out in 2019. I will say, however, that Ralston provided his own twist to the story that added another layer of depth.

The one thing I didn't like was that there wasn't a whole lot of time to get to know the characters before things started to kick off. It's only a short novel, less than a 170 pages. I would have appreciated having some more connection and investment into who these characters were before they entered the house. The novel moves really quickly and I felt like some of the choices that the characters made didn't make sense. Maybe that would have changed if there had been more time spent developing them.

That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed this. I couldn't put it down and needed to figure out the reasoning and motivations behind the creation of the house. The ending was a surprise for me and I had made some predictions that ended up being completely wrong. I enjoy a book that leaves me guessing!

This book is perfect for someone who enjoys puzzles/escape rooms and wants a quick, fun read! There wasn't a whole lot of gore, so if that is your concern, it's easy to skip over those parts!

Thank you to NetGalley and Wicked House Publishing as well as the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
#NetGalley #WickedHousePublishing #PuzzleHouse #DuncanRalston
Author:Duncan Ralston
Publisher: Wicked House Publishing
Publication Date: September 25, 2023
Themes/Trigger Warnings: strong female characters, cultish, evil humans, supernatural,graphic violence, some gore, domestic abuse, child murder discussed
Duncan Ralston is amazing. I want that on record. This book is another delightfully fun offering, although his Ghostland is still my favorite. This one is about a wealthy man who invites six apparent strangers to participate in a puzzle in order to be his successor. What follows is basically Saw meets Hell House. Eccentric guy has something to prove so he put some people through the ringer.
This is a little different from the author’s usual content. If you’ve read “Woom”, you’ll know he enjoys extreme horror and shock. I also enjoy those things. I enjoyed this book also. I felt the character development in this one was better. The characters were better established and either likable, or unlikable, respectively. I liked Henry a lot. His character drew a lot of empathy and I enjoyed unraveling the layers that made him up. The puzzles were also fun. Delightfully evil and some fun gore.
Could this book be part of a series? I really hope so. While the end had some really fun components, it seemed to end abruptly without answering some questions. I hope it’s a cliffhanger, because then I would call it a successful end. If this is the true end, I find it unsatisfactory.

A lot of fun and a lively adventure. I think the gore might be too much for my younger crowd but adults may enjoy the twists and turns. The book moved swiftly and it is easy to read in one sitting. I didn't feel any emotional connection to the characters which I missed. I wish I could feel real emotion when they got into trouble.

Puzzle House by Duncan Ralston
4.5 stars

Six individuals find themselves in a house of escape rooms determined to outsmart Alexei Vasiliev, the worlds foremost puzzle master and creator of the puzzle house, and split the 150 million fortune up for grabs. They quickly discover that the stakes may be higher than they thought when one less guest makes it past the entrance room but it is too late to turn back.

This book took me for a loop! I'm surprised to say I only caught on to one of the big plot twists in this story, and the rest caught me off guard. Anyone who has an interest in dark puzzle or escape room horrors will need to read this book. Each room at first seems catered to individuals in the group and they are all very interesting designs with a ton of puzzles and interesting clues and traps. The individuals each give a unique look to the story and to the puzzle solving like all the deep lore of history from Rudy the University Professor specializing in all sorts of ancient history. Or Joy who has insights into her ex-husband Alexei's personality and how he may have crafted his puzzles.

The relationships between the characters was very heartwarming at times and I could really feel myself connecting and cheering for some of them. Overall the book was short but fast paced and packed with a ton of action especially at the end when things just get crazy really fast. I felt like the last few pages went by TOO fast and because of a cliffhanger I was left feeling I needed more. There better be a part two! Keep an eye out for this author because I know I will be patiently waiting for a sequel.

********SPOILERS TO FOLLOW*********

The big separation that happens half way through the book that starts to move things from a normal horror to more of a supernatural or magical horror may be the divide between readers. I know this sort of thing can put people off if they simply want gore, horror, and scares. However the second that book was compared to the necronomicon I was hooked. The idea that the deaths in the puzzle rooms aren't just for some dead madman's entertainment and could be ritualistic sacrifices for something way bigger and spookier is a plot that really makes this book shine.

I thought this had such an interesting concept but ultimately fell flat in execution for me sadly. I was hoping to feel more intensity and stress and it just lacked the thrills for me.

Really enjoyed this “escape” house with a deadly twist.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC.

I wanted to like this book so bad. A puzzle master creates escape room type puzzles in his house and traps people in them? Saw vibes? Excuse me yes give it to me! However the execution…..not there. I didn’t enjoy the characters as they fell flat, the puzzles were underwhelming and the characters figured them out in unbelievable ways, and the motive fell flat. I really enjoyed the beginning of this and it just felt more and more like a chore the longer I read. I feel like if this was extreme horror it might have saved it for me but since it wasn’t I was bored. Still looking forward to reading more from this author as I read and enjoyed Woom.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was drawn to this due to the concept of it. I enjoy reading and watching escape room themed books/movies. Right away I already knew how the story would go and who the survivor was going to be Yet, that did not stop me from still reading this book. In fact, I did read the majority of it in one sitting.

Out of the six characters, there was not one that I particularly liked. Therefore, when their impending doom came, I was not sad for them. The puzzles for each room were not overly complex as each was specialty designed with each character in mind. So, once they figured that out, it was not too hard for them to solve.

Overall, I did like this book and would read another from this author.

I started out loving this book - six strangers invited to a house to claim a very large inheritance from a complete stranger. It's not really about that though, it's much more convoluted. I was getting right into the fatal locked room puzzle thing, which was over the top, but I was liking it. The end was just too much for me. Just plain bizarre, and seems to be the lead in to a sequel. It kind of ruined it for me, which was a disappointment.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a copy.

I’m not sure how I feel about this book. It started off super fast paced, intriguing, and kept me on my toes, but then towards the last quarter of the book, It got very weird and I was truly not expecting the supernatural twist. Maybe if I knew the author and the writing style more I would’ve been more accepting of this, but it just went from slightly far-fetched reality to “this is impossible.” I really liked it and it only took me 24 hours to read, but the ending really threw me for a loop and I don’t know if I can get over it. I would say a solid 3.5 star read because I really couldn’t put it down!

Sadly, I expected more from this book. I really went in hoping it would be like the Saw movies where its gory and clever and fun with all the puzzles. Unfortunately though it just didn't hit the mark for me. I didn't necessarily enjoy all the Greek myology aspects within the puzzles, I found myself often bored and wasn't really interested. I absolutely loved Ralston's book 'Woom' and will of course give some of his other work a try, but I'm sad this one was a miss for me.

Alexei Vasiliev is dead. He made escape rooms in life and has one last, grand puzzle left for after his death. The first three chapters introduce the first three players: Henry Hall who is in solitary, a former cop kept separate from the general population; Joy Reese is a movie star and Alexei's widow; Dr. Oscar Evans is an epidemiologist who has been ignoring the signs of his own cancer. Oh, and Henry has a handler named Atkins who doesn't seem to fit in his own skin. These three (four?) come together and solve the first puzzle which gets them the option to either keep playing or to leave the house. All continue to play where they are joined by Dr. Rudyard Thomas, an associate professor of archeology. As they wait, Joy notices a timer counting down and the five of them witness a devastating act which leads to a sixth member joining them, Ileana Athanasiou, a politician.
I really liked the first three quarters of this book and there were hints about what the end was going to be but it still felt a little like a hard left turn. I think other people would enjoy this book more but I am just grateful that I finished it during the daylight hours.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out September 15, 2023
ARC kindly provided by Wicked House Publishing and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Six strangers are summed to the reading of the last will and testament of world-famous Puzzle Master, Alexei Vasiliev. Instructed to work through a series of escape rooms, anyone who successfully makes it through will split the one hundred- and fifty-million-dollar estate he's left behind. All from different walks of life, the six invitees agree to take on the challenge..... only to immediately understand that it's very unlikely they'll all survive.

I loved the start of this book. I loved the way you get a brief glimpse into some of the character's lives as they're informed they've been summoned. I also loved that it jumped right into the story and the pace moved quickly. While I won't spoil it by going into detail, this one was definitely, 100% unequivocally horror *not* mystery/thriller. They can be two very different audiences and this one is for the former, for sure. I personally am a little squeamish about movies like 'Saw' where people are actively tortured, and this one (for the most part) wasn't as grotesquely torturous, it's definitely got some pretty gross elements. Still, I did love certain elements, like the creepier rooms were deeply creepy and I loved it!

This was a little gross for me and the ending was just.... odd. The ultimate solution was very bizarre and way too out there for me. However, the writing is very good and the book was a quick read. Highly recommended for all horror fans, and for mystery/thriller readers who are more on the adventurous side.

3.5 rounded down.

This grabbed my attention from the start. A millionaire passes away, and has turned his will into a game. He chooses 6 candidates to attempt to make their way through a house of puzzles he has built to win the grand prize at the end. When they agree to give things a shot, they don't realize that it will become a deadly game.

I loved the introduction to the characters, and the set-up of the plot. About halfway in, I started to get bored. Partly because it was difficult to imagine some of the puzzles in my mind, so I was just waiting for the characters to figure things out and move on. Near the end, there was a twist I didn't see coming, which I appreciated....then there was another twist with an abrupt ending to the book.
I thought my kindle malfunctioned for a minute....then I realized that it had truly ended. The ending felt rushed and incomplete to me. You won't get many answers with this one.

The beginning of this starts really strong introducing the characters who will be entering puzzle house. At about the 50% mark, I kind of started not enjoying everything happening. This didn't feel all that original, and I was really hoping for more of a twist in the plot. The end got pretty weird out of nowhere, and I feel like it was too close to the end to introduce a whole new twist without much explanation.

I’m a big fan of this author and this book is a quick read that did not disappoint. The story centers on 6 strangers who are summoned to the house of a recently deceased rich guy who had promised his fortune to those that can solve a series of puzzles. Ralston is never afraid to kill people off so we quickly see that these puzzles are more deadly than anyone was expecting.

For a short read, I think we got to know the characters pretty well. I enjoyed the creativity of the puzzles, though I did get a little lost during some of the conversations around mythology. The ending was abrupt and left me with some unanswered questions.

Overall, I enjoyed this quick read and thought it was creative and enjoyable. Definitely more horror than mystery but I expected that. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Writing: 5/5
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5

Themes: Mystery, Suspense, Horror

Puzzle House is about a group of people who are asked to a will reading of a famous puzzle maker. In order for them to get their money they have to solve the deadly puzzle house. I really liked the mythology aspects to the story. It added another level than just a group of people trying to solve different puzzles. Sometimes the puzzles and clues seemed random and they were lucky someone in their group always knew about the obscure facts. The writing was well done and it was easy to follow the story. I wouldn’t mind if the author added more book to this world.

I received an arc and am leaving an honest review.

I love puzzles and thrillers, so when I saw the cover and read over this book's plot, I immediately added it to my TBR.

Six strangers are summoned to the will reading of an uber-rich, deceased man who was a puzzle master. They must solve problems in an escape room puzzle throughout the deceased’s mansion. If they win, they win the treasure. If they lose, they die.

The plot initially grabbed my attention. It seemed like a high-stakes thriller that would be a page-turner. The overall pacing of the novel is good; from the very beginning, you meet three characters in detail, so you care about the people playing the "game".. Each room is unique to the characters and their expertise. For example, one of the characters is an expert in Egyptian history, and one of the rooms follows this theme. Another room is a medical lab, nodding to the doctor in the group. Ralston gives you a lot of twists and turns. What starts as an innocent escape room game gets darker as the book continues.

I initially believed that this was a thriller/mystery. However, the novel suddenly shifts into the horror genre, and there’s no indication that this will happen. Also, there were so many unanswered questions at the end. I’m unsure if the author is setting up a sequel. This reminded me of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton (one of my favorites). The plot also reminded me of a twist on Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory because the participants play for a prize. However, Puzzle House did not provide a clear resolution or explanation of events. It also introduces gore, violence, and supernatural elements that might not appear to some readers who prefer a more realistic approach.

This is my first read by Duncan Ralston. He is a Canadian author who writes dark fiction, horror, and thrillers. His most-known novels are Woom and Ghostland. If you’re familiar with Duncan Ralston’s work, you may better understand the novel than I did. However, many readers may find the sudden change in tone off-putting, especially if they aren’t into the horror genre.

I gave this book 3/5 stars. It was an entertaining and suspenseful read. I wanted to know what happened at the end. However, it left me confused and unsatisfied by the end. I would recommend this to fans of horror/thriller and puzzles who don't mind ambiguity and gore. I want to read more books by Duncan Ralston in the future because I like his unique writing style.