I am both a sucker for a haunted mansion AND an escape room so this was truly something I was so very excited for!! This is such a perfect spooky story for middle grade readers which artfully also balanced themes of self-discovery, reflection and facing your fears. This book had such an eerie atmosphere that truly reminded me of some of the stories I was entranced by growing up.

I really enjoyed Juliana Brandt's book Monsters in the Mist, so when Exit Nowhere showed up I was excited to read another spooky story. This started off a bit slow for me, but quickly the action picked up. I think the nuances of the friendships were a nice side story and I appreciated how the characters grew and evolved. There were definitely enough scary parts that would keep kids reading, and I loved the description of the haunted mansion that acted as a giant escape room.

3.5 stars rounded up. This was a fun middle grade haunted house novel. I thought it was just the right amount of creepy for the target age group. I liked the characters and the way their friendships grew. It's the kind of mysterious story I would've really enjoyed when I was younger.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

This books is very similar to Lindsay Currie’s Book Mystery of Locked Rooms. I liked the story but felt like it had holes. There is a strong paranormal vibe with this book as well. This books is a great recommendation for those who like ghost stories with some mystery.