Recommendations based on "The Escape Room"

Instant New York Times Bestseller“Unimpeachably terrific.” —The New York Times Book ReviewFor fans of Ruth Ware, Shari Lapena, and Donna Tartt: a twisty, fast-paced, cinematic literary thriller, and an ingenious book within a book, by the #1 internationally bestselling author of The Enigma of Room 622Marcus Goldman is riding high. The twenty-eight-year-old writer is the new darling of American letters, whose debut novel has sold two million copies. But when it comes time to produce a new book, he is sidelined by a crippling case of writer’s block. He travels to Somerset, New Hamprshire, to see his mentor, Harry Quebert, one of the country’s most respected writers, hoping to jar his creative juices as his publisher’s deadline looms. But Marcus’s plans are upended when Harry is sensationally implicated in a cold-case murder: Fifteen-year-old Nola Kellergan went missing in 1975, and Harry admits to having had an affair with her. Following a trail of clues through the backwoods and isolated beaches of New Hampshire, Marcus must answer two questions, which are mysteriously connected: Who killed Nola Kellergan? And how do you write a book to save someone’s life?Translated from the French by Sam TaylorNamed a Best Book of the Summer by CBS This Morning, Us Weekly, The Hollywood Reporter, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Parade, Houston Chronicle, New York Post, Tampa Bay Times, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and The Daily BeastNow a 10-part TV series on EPIX, starring Patrick Dempsey, Ben Schnetzer, Damon Wayans Jr., and Virginia Madsen

The Sunday Times bestseller!From award-winning author Jane Casey comes a powerful Maeve Kerrigan crime thriller which will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final page!Don’t miss the newest Maeve Kerrigan and Josh Derwent thriller – THE CLOSE – Coming March 2023. Available to Pre-Order now!Guilty?A year ago, Leo Stone was convicted of murdering two women and sentenced to life in prison. Now he’s been freed on a technicality, and he’s protesting his innocence.Not guilty?DS Maeve Kerrigan and DI Josh Derwent are determined to put Stone back behind bars where he belongs, but the more Maeve digs, the less convinced she is that he did it.The wrong decision could be deadly…Then another woman disappears in similar circumstances. Is there a copycat killer, or have they been wrong about Stone from the start?‘Magnificent’ Marian Keyes‘Clever, classy crime fiction’ Erin Kelly‘Brilliant’ Fiona Barton‘Terrific’ Sarah Hilary‘I adored this book’ Liz Nugent‘Authentic’ Jo Spain‘Compulsive’ Patricia Gibney‘Powerful’ Helen Fields‘Kept me turning the pages long into the night’ Rachel Abbott‘Emotional’ Sinéad Crowley

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY’S BREAKOUT AUTHOR TO WATCH IN 2020“Brilliant and stunning . . . an absolute must read.” – GILLIAN FLYNN“A well-constructed package of dynamite.” – STEPHEN KINGA most anticipated book by The New York Times • USA Today • Entertainment Weekly • Marie Claire • Elle • Harper's Bazaar • Bustle • Newsweek • New York Post • Esquire • Real Simple • The Sunday Times • The GuardianONE OF THE MOST BUZZED ABOUT DEBUTS IN YEARSAN INTERNATIONAL SENSATION SOLD IN 24 TERRITORIES AND COUNTINGExploring the psychological dynamics of the relationship between a precocious yet naïve teenage girl and her magnetic and manipulative teacher, a brilliant, all-consuming read that marks the explosive debut of an extraordinary new writer.2000. Bright, ambitious, and yearning for adulthood, fifteen-year-old Vanessa Wye becomes entangled in an affair with Jacob Strane, her magnetic and guileful forty-two-year-old English teacher.2017. Amid the rising wave of allegations against powerful men, a reckoning is coming due. Strane has been accused of sexual abuse by a former student, who reaches out to Vanessa, and now Vanessa suddenly finds herself facing an impossible choice: remain silent, firm in the belief that her teenage self willingly engaged in this relationship, or redefine herself and the events of her past. But how can Vanessa reject her first love, the man who fundamentally transformed her and has been a persistent presence in her life? Is it possible that the man she loved as a teenager—and who professed to worship only her—may be far different from what she has always believed?Alternating between Vanessa’s present and her past, My Dark Vanessa juxtaposes memory and trauma with the breathless excitement of a teenage girl discovering the power her own body can wield. Thought-provoking and impossible to put down, this is a masterful portrayal of troubled adolescence and its repercussions that raises vital questions about agency, consent, complicity, and victimhood. Written with the haunting intimacy of The Girls and the creeping intensity of Room, My Dark Vanessa is an era-defining novel that brilliantly captures and reflects the shifting cultural mores transforming our relationships and society itself.Includes a bonus conversation with Kate Elizabeth Russell, Grace Gummer, and Jessica Williams (editor of My Dark Vanessa).

“Wildly entertaining.”—New York Times Book ReviewFrom the bestselling and award-winning author comes a wickedly clever and fast-paced novel of greed, revenge, obsession—and quite possibly the perfect murder.Simon and Vicky couldn’t seem more normal: a wealthy Chicago couple, he a respected law professor, she an advocate for domestic violence victims. A stable, if unexciting marriage. But one thing’s for sure: absolutely nothing is what it seems. The pair are far from normal, and one of them just may be a killer.When the body of a beautiful socialite is found hanging in a mansion in a nearby suburb, Simon and Vicky’s secrets begin to unravel. A secret whirlwind affair. A twenty-million-dollar trust fund about to come due. A decades-long grudge and obsession with revenge. These are just a few of the lies that make up the complex web... and they will have devastating consequences. And while both Vicky and Simon are liars, just who exactly is conning who? Part Gone Girl and part Strangers on a Train, Look Closer is a wild rollercoaster of a read that will have you questioning everything you think you know.

In a small seaside community, there’s always somebody watching…Twisty, pacy, and superbly plotted, Last Seen is the perfect psychological page-turner for fans of Clare Mackintosh and Sabine Durrant.Seven years ago, two boys went missing at sea – and only one was brought to shore. The Sandbank, a remote stretch of coast dotted with beach huts, was scarred forever.Sarah’s son survived, but on the anniversary of the accident, he disappears without trace. As new secrets begin to surface, The Sandbank hums with tension and unanswered questions. Sarah’s search grows more desperate and she starts to mistrust everyone she knows – and she’s right to.Someone saw everything on that fateful day seven years ago. And they’ll do anything to keep the truth buried.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • WINNER OF THE EDGAR AWARD FOR BEST NOVEL • NEW YORK TIMES BEST CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR“Defiantly populated with living women . . . beautifully drawn, dense with detail and specificity . . . Notes on an Execution is nuanced, ambitious and compelling.” —Katie Kitamura, NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW (Editors' Choice)"A searing portrait of the complicated women caught in the orbit of a serial killer. . . . Compassionate and thought-provoking." –BRIT BENNETT, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Vanishing HalfRecommended by New York Times Book Review • Los Angeles Times • Washington Post • Entertainment Weekly • Esquire • Good Housekeeping • USA Today • Buzzfeed • Goodreads • Real Simple • Marie Claire • Rolling Stone • Business Insider • Bustle • PopSugar • The Millions • The Guardian • and many more!In the tradition of Long Bright River and The Mars Room, a gripping and atmospheric work of literary suspense that deconstructs the story of a serial killer on death row, told primarily through the eyes of the women in his life—from the bestselling author of Girl in Snow.Ansel Packer is scheduled to die in twelve hours. He knows what he’s done, and now awaits execution, the same chilling fate he forced on those girls, years ago. But Ansel doesn’t want to die; he wants to be celebrated, understood.Through a kaleidoscope of women—a mother, a sister, a homicide detective—we learn the story of Ansel’s life. We meet his mother, Lavender, a seventeen-year-old girl pushed to desperation; Hazel, twin sister to Ansel’s wife, inseparable since birth, forced to watch helplessly as her sister’s relationship threatens to devour them all; and finally, Saffy, the detective hot on his trail, who has devoted herself to bringing bad men to justice but struggles to see her own life clearly. As the clock ticks down, these three women sift through the choices that culminate in tragedy, exploring the rippling fissures that such destruction inevitably leaves in its wake.Blending breathtaking suspense with astonishing empathy, Notes on an Execution presents a chilling portrait of womanhood as it simultaneously unravels the familiar narrative of the American serial killer, interrogating our system of justice and our cultural obsession with crime stories, asking readers to consider the false promise of looking for meaning in the psyches of violent men."Poetic and mesmerizing . . . Powerful, important, intensely human, and filled with a unique examination of tragedy, one where the reader is left with a curious emotion: hope." —USA TODAY“A profound and staggering experience of empathy that challenges us to confront what it means to be human in our darkest moments. . . . I relished every page of this brilliant and gripping masterpiece."—ASHLEY AUDRAIN, New York Times bestselling author of The Push

The truth can be dangerous in the wrong hands…1661, North Berwick, ScotlandOne stormy night, healer Honor Seton and her daughter Alice are summoned to save the town lord's wife – but they're too late. A vengeful crusade against the Seton women leads to whispers of witchcraft all over town. Honor hopes her connections can protect them from unproven rumours and dangerous accusations – but is the truth finally catching up with them?Present day, North Berwick, ScotlandAfter an explosive scandal lands her husband in prison, Tess Blyth flees Edinburgh to start afresh in Thistle Cottage. As she hides from the media’s unforgiving glare, Tess is intrigued by the shadowy stories of witchcraft surrounding the women who lived in the cottage centuries ago. But she quickly discovers modern-day witch hunts can be just as vicious: someone in town knows her secret – and they won’t let Tess forget it…A hauntingly compelling timeslip novel from the author of The Girl in the Picture, perfect for fans of The Forgotten Village and The Witchfinder’s Sister.Readers LOVE The Secrets of Thistle Cottage!‘A beautifully written book and a gripping tale, frightening at times, funny at times, but a most enjoyable read.’ – NetGalley Reviewer, 5 Stars‘I loved this book! Historical fiction and a thriller to boot!’ – NetGalley Reviewer, 5 Stars‘Great stories of witchcraft… unexpected turns along the way… This has everything.’ – NetGalley Reviewer, 5 Stars‘The Secrets of Thistle Cottage offers the reader a trip to a lovely coastal location and then pulls you in to a time warp… a great book… but be prepared to read it in one go.’ – NetGalley Reviewer‘I enjoyed the different timelines. This has some witchcraft added in the mix and was so dang good!’ – NetGalley Reviewer‘An enjoyable read… The author sets the scene with eerie and atmospheric detail.’ – NetGalley Reviewer

Don’t miss the next Will Trent thriller, This Is Why We Lied, coming this August!INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER"There's deception, sabotage, violence, family secrets . . . all the stuff you could want from a fictional page-turner."— theSkimmRecommended by Washington Post • theSkimm • GMA.com • Popsugar • Bustle • Atlanta Journal-Constitution • Augusta Chronicle • Sun-Sentinel • Mystery and Suspense Magazine • and more!He saw what you did. He knows who you are…From the New York Times bestselling author of Pieces of Her and The Silent Wife, an electrifying standalone thriller.AN ORDINARY LIFE…Leigh Collier has worked hard to build what looks like a normal life. She’s an up-and-coming defense attorney at a prestigious law firm in Atlanta, would do anything for her sixteen-year-old daughter Maddy, and is managing to successfully coparent through a pandemic after an amicable separation from her husband Walter.HIDES A DEVASTATING PAST...But Leigh’s ordinary life masks a childhood no one should have to endure … a childhood tarnished by secrets, broken by betrayal, and ultimately destroyed by a brutal act of violence.BUT NOW THE PAST IS CATCHING UP…On a Sunday night at her daughter’s school play, she gets a call from one of the firm's partners who wants Leigh to come on board to defend a wealthy man accused of multiple counts of rape. Though wary of the case, it becomes apparent she doesn't have much choice if she wants to keep her job. They're scheduled to go to trial in one week. When she meets the accused face-to-face, she realizes that it’s no coincidence that he’s specifically asked for her to represent him. She knows him. And he knows her. More to the point, he may know what happened over twenty years ago, and why Leigh has spent two decades avoiding her past.AND TIME IS RUNNING OUT.Suddenly she has a lot more to lose than this case. The only person who can help is her younger, estranged sister Callie—the last person Leigh would ever want to drag into this after all they’ve been through. But with the life-shattering truth in danger of being revealed, she has no choice...“A high-stakes thriller . . . Her heroines are believable, flawed and courageous.” –OYINKAN BRAITHWAITE

‘WOW! WOW! WOW! What a read!’ NetGalley reviewer‘The blockbuster of the summer!’ NetGalley reviewer‘THAT twist. I did not see it coming!’ NetGalley reviewerYou’re looking over your shoulder, thinking someone’s watching.You’re checking the doors are locked, spooked by a noise.You’re running through the woods, convinced you’re being followed.You’re being stalked. And they won’t stop until you’re theirs.If you enjoy reading twisty psychological thrillers that leave your heart racing, then you’ll love The Stalker from USA Today bestselling author, Sarah Alderson. Perfect for fans of Karin Slaughter and Harlan Coben.Readers love The Stalker:‘Wow!! What an ending!… Suspense, intrigue, and lots of twists and turns!… Then BAM! I did not see that ending coming at all!!… Wow, what a crazy good book!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘What a book. Couldn’t put it down, had me reading in into the night.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Had me on the edge of my seat… I did not expect the twists and turns throughout this book at all!… The ending had my head spinning, I was so shocked and couldn’t believe how clever this was.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Gripping… I devoured in a couple of sittings! Nothing is quite as it seems… Brilliant!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘I loved this book. The mystery was amazing and I read this in one sitting!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Are you ready for a pulse-pounding, edge of your seat thrill ride?… I was glued to pages from the very beginning, dying to see what would happen in the end and wow…was there a big twist!! I never would have guessed this one!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Detective Cassie Maddox is still trying to deal with the events of In the Woods. She is out of the Murder Squad and has started a relationship with fellow detective Sam O'Neill but is too badly shaken to commit to Sam or to her career. Then Sam is allocated a new case, that of a young woman stabbed to death just outside Dublin. He calls Cassie to the murder scene and she finds the victim is strangely familiar. In fact, she is Cassie's double. Not only that, but her ID says she is Lexie Madison the identity Cassie used, years ago, as an undercover detective. With no leads, no suspects and no clues, Cassie's old undercover boss spots the opportunity of a lifetime: to send Cassie undercover in the dead girl's place. She could pick up information the police would never hear and tempt the killer to finish the job. So Cassie moves into Whitethorn House, poses as a post-grad student, and prepares to enter Lexie's world.