The Escape Room

This book is highly unbelievable, and yet, that's what made me enjoy it more. The luxurious, over the top, adrenaline fueled lifestyle of these investment bankers and where it takes them was a wild ride. All the characters were likeably unlikeable to me, and trying to see how the majority of them would get themselves out of this team building event turned nightmare kept me guessing. The ending was satisfying and somewhat vindicating. It gave me a solid icky claustrophobic feeling at times. I enjoyed the writing and will continue my reading through all of Megan Goldin's books.

This alternates between chapters in the past, from Sara Hall's perspective, and chapters in the present. Sara's chapters show how she became an employee at Stanhope, a big investment firm. The chapters in the present focus on four Stanhope employees, Vincent, Jules, Sylvie, and Sam, who have been told to take part in a mandatory team-building exercise, an escape room. They all reluctantly agree to do it because they know their positions at Stanhope are currently precarious, but as they enter an elevator and the lights go out, it's clear that there's something fishy about this assignment. What connection do the employees trapped in the elevator have to Sara Hall, and who's behind their supposed escape room invitation?

I found this on a show more list somewhere that called it a "locked room mystery." Er, it's not. It does end up reading something like a mystery - you gradually discover that bad things have happened to several people connected to Stanhope, and Vincent, Jules, Sylvie, and Sam seem to be involved somehow - but there's nothing "locked room" about it. A thriller/mystery in which a bunch of people are trapped in an elevator doesn't automatically make it a locked room mystery.

Anyway, the initial setup was interesting, but also deceiving. Technically, the story doesn't include an escape room exercise, even though that's what Vincent, Jules, Sylvie, and Sam think they're going to be doing and that's how it's initially presented. They do get a few clues and puzzles they have to work out, but if you're looking for a thriller/mystery featuring an escape room, you'll probably be disappointed.

This is more of a workplace story. Sara went into business and finance because she figured it'd be a way for her to earn more money earlier in her career - an enticing prospect since both of her parents have health problems and she knew she'd be supporting them financially at some point in the near future. Unfortunately for her, getting her first job was more difficult than she expected. Her interview outfit alone was more than she could afford, and even when she finally got hired at Stanhope, she still had to buy a new wardrobe so she'd fit in.

At every step, trying to earn more money seemed to involve spending even more money, and Goldin certainly presented it as a vicious and addictive cycle. Even Sara found herself getting caught up in it. Sure, she was earning enough money to help her parents out, but Stanhope was taking up so much of her time that her chances of actually visiting her parents when she wanted or needed to weren't great.

Early on, readers learn that, at some point, Sara Hall will end up dead. The portions of the book in the present take place several years after her death, and one of the things that kept me glued to the story was the mystery of what happened to Sara. Initially, I thought that her boss (Vincent - yes, elevator Vincent) might've recruited her for suspicious reasons, or maybe she committed suicide after the ridiculous workload got to her.

I won't spoil things, but I will say that Goldin probably dragged the mysteries on a little longer than necessary. I found myself getting impatient during the last hundred or so pages, waiting for the pace to pick up. There just weren't enough new things going on in the elevator or new revelations from Sara's past.

As for the ending...I guess all the pieces fit together, and it technically worked out due a few conveniently timed events. But I don't know that it really worked for me. That said, at least I finally got to see things fall apart for several of the Worst People, although by that point I really wanted to see Stanhope itself fall, and sadly Goldin didn't go that far.

Overall, this was an okay read that would have been better if it had picked up the pace and wrapped up sooner. Also, I wish the escape room element had been a lot stronger. Still, I'd definitely be willing to try another book by Goldin.

(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.) show less

THE ESCAPE ROOM is a crazy & claustrophobic thrill ride. Four of the most unlikable investment bankers you’ll ever come across are summoned to a team-building exercise in the elevator of a vacant high rise office building. They’re not inside long before realizing there’s something sinister about this particular escape room challenge…

I went into this book not knowing much about the plot, and I think that’s the best way to read it. The chapters alternate between time in the elevator, and time before, where we get a good look at the four “contestants,” Vincent, Sylvie, Sam, and Jules. Really, their life & work style made me cringe. It’s hard to believe people would live, work, and behave this way for the sake of money, show more money, money.

It was fun trying to figure out the puzzle as the elevator occupants sweated away & got to learn more about each other than they bargained for. This book is a darkly satisfying thriller that might make you think twice about willingly entering an escape room!

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. show less

Vincent, Sam, Sylvie and Jules are at the height of their profession. They have worked hard and their ambition knows no bounds. They have received an email telling them that they are to meet for an escape room test. They get into the elevator hoping that this won’t take long and they can get back to their busy lives. But the elevator stops, the doors won’t open and the lights go out. That’s when they realize that this isn’t a game and they’ll have all they do to survive. But these four people have always been dangerously competitive and the stress and fears from their confinement are soon combustible.

This was a fun, fast read. Although some of the plot didn’t come as a surprise to me and the book didn’t get my heart show more racing, I enjoyed the story. It was like watching a train heading for a wreck – you knew there was going to be a blow up scene and you couldn’t look away. The author does a very good job of bringing her characters to life and slowly building the plot. The only likeable characters were Sara and Lucy but it’s fun having Vincent, Sam, Sylvie and Jules to despise. And such an excellent moral lesson is in this book. Watching these people claw their way to the top with the only goal being to make more and more money was sickening. They worked so many hours, they never had a chance to enjoy what they were earning. Completely crazy but the author ensures that her characterizations are believable. She takes great care to show how these people got to where they are. The scenes in the stuck elevator are the best parts and the author has great fun getting these four ruthless people to turn against each other even more as their suspicions and distrust grow.

Recommended.

This book was given to me by the publisher in return for an honest review. show less

This is not great literature, but it was a fun read and, at times, hard to put down. It had a great opening, but the story and ending weren't as good. I figured out the big secret early on. And the ending left me disappointed as the hero was no better than the villains. There was nothing to feel good about at the end of the story.

The book provided a fascinating look into the world of investment banking...but I'm not sure how realistic that view is.

Have you ever been stuck in an elevator with 3 people you can't trust? Getting out with their lives intact may be difficult.

The story goes back and forth between Sara's story and "The Elevator". Sara is a sad and lonely woman who thinks she has finally found success at a large New York company, only to be caught up in the mysterious death of her co-worker and friend and eventually losing her job because she asked too many questions. Her life is in ruins and it looks pretty bleak.

Jump to a year or so later and Sara's four colleagues are stuck in the company's elevator assuming they have been called there for an escape room game where they have to answer clues to get out. Little do they know, someone has found out their secrets and plans show more to make their life a living hell.

The characters are naive, brilliant, contemptible, and shallow. The emotions will run high when one reads about the low and backstabbing things these people do because of money and power. And some are too naive to see it before it's too late.

I was blown away by this story! It is so original and well-planned out that I was glued to it to the end. Let's just say, revenge is sweet. A chilling read that will make you look at your co-workers a bit differently. Recommend highly!

Thank you to Ms. Goldin, St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to review this book with no expectations of a positive review given. show less

Sara Hall landed her dream job at a Wall Street finance firm. There she met heavy hitters Vincent, Jules, Sylvie, and Sam....four finance execs who play a very ruthless game to stay ahead. The salaries, egos, and risks are large. They would do just about anything to stay on top....anything. Ethical or not. When a surprise team building exercise requires them to escape from a sealed elevator, dark secrets are revealed.

This story is intense. I despised most of the characters, as they really were willing to do just about anything to keep their status and positions at the company. It was hard to continue reading as their facades came down, revealing their true nature. Creepy. Suspenseful. Intense. Great read! The story builds slowly mixing show more flash backs with present time. The slowness got a little bit frustrating for me, until I started to figure out what was coming. Then it made much more sense. Stick with it....it moves slow for awhile, then things speed to the inevitable crash at the end. Boom.

Awesome suspense! Horrible, ruthless characters that I would despise in real life. But they were perfect for the plot of this story!

I'm a bit claustrophobic following being trapped in an elevator for several hours during a power outage when I was a child. That made this particular story a bit more creepy for me. I would not like a team building exercise that involved me being locked in a tiny room....especially an elevator in the dark. Nope. No way. And ruthless assholes trapped in a locked elevator trying to figure out clues....it's not a pleasant scenario.

This is the first book by Megan Goldin that I've read. I will definitely read more by this author!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.** show less