eARC Review: The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer and Tamara Moss

The Escape Game
by Marissa Meyer and Tamara Moss
Publication Date: April 7th 2026
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Find This Book: The Escape Game
Source: NetGalley eARC
Rating: 4/5

It’s all fun and games until someone ends up dead.

Six months ago, season four of The Escape Game ended in horror when contestant Alicia Angelos was found murdered on set.

Now season five is underway, and new contestants are ready to put their skills to the test solving the show's trickiest escape rooms. There's Adi, the cryptographer; Carter, the math whiz; Beck, the wannabe game master, and . . . Sierra Angelos, the girl who got away with her sister’s murder. Or so everyone believes.

But Sierra’s not just here to win. She’s here for justice.

When the contestants begin uncovering clues that hint at the identity of Alicia’s true killer, it becomes clear that the stakes aren’t high in this competition, they’re deadly. If these teens want to win—and survive—the game, they must solve the biggest mystery of who killed Alicia Angelos?

The Escape Game is a fast-paced reality competition with a dark sub-plot: a murder mystery. The novel blends puzzles, high-stakes competition, and amateur detective work into an entertaining and suspenseful read. From the start, it hooks the reader with its eerie premise—after a contestant was murdered during a previous season, a new group of teens returns to the set, stepping closer to the truth behind that crime.

One of the book’s strongest aspects is its concept. The escape-room setting is creative and keeps the story moving at a brisk pace, as the contestants race not only to win the game but also to stay on set long enough to uncover more clues. The combination of challenges and mystery makes the setting feel fresh and engaging, and fans of thrillers and puzzle-based stories will likely find a lot to enjoy.

However, the book’s biggest weakness lies in its character development. With four main characters rotating through different POV chapters, it’s difficult to fully connect with any single one. While the multiple perspectives add variety, they also limit how deeply the story explores each character’s personality and motivations. As a result, the emotional stakes—especially surrounding Sierra and her murdered sister, Alicia—don’t always feel as impactful as they could have. This ultimately knocked the book down a star for me.

Still, I enjoyed the story overall, and with an open ending that clearly sets up another installment, I’m hopeful that future books will allow for a stronger connection to these characters.