#NoEscape

by Gretchen McNeil

"a #murdertrending novel" #3

Libby audiobook 10 hours

Narrated by: Rebecca Gibel

Published:  2020 (this version 2022)

Genre: YA murder mystery

There WILL be spoilers, so stop now if you plan to read this book. Persey (short for Persephone, but that's her middle name and she's really touchy about being called anything other than Persey) is a 17 year old who is freakishly good at figuring out puzzles. She solves the "unsolvable" library escape and wins a place in the national escape room championship. (First prize is $11 million  . . . )

What I liked:

• the escape room theme (Office, Loft, Collection, Cavethedral, Spike Pool, Classroom, Tea Room, . . . )
  
• interesting characters
  
• the curiosity about who was the killer and how the story would turn out
• the narrator's vocal work
  

 

What I didn't like:

• virtually everything else!
• there was no indication in audio of when we were experiencing a flashback to the protagonist's earlier story, so that was jarring. One moment, you're in an escape room trying frantically to solve a puzzle and the next you're in Persey's dining room having a shouting match with her dad.
• Persey's dad was beyond horrible. To constantly berate her and tear her down while idolizing his awful son . . . it was unimaginable. No wonder mom is a raging alcoholic.
• The scene in the Iron Maiden room . . . I was shouting "narrate what you see!" Because of course the people without the night vision goggles wanted information about what she was seeing and what all of them were facing. So frustrating!
• So many times, they were having stupid teen conversations instead of focusing on the task at hand. That was maddening.
• The deaths - Bryan smashed on the head, Arlo decapitated, Shawn drugged and frozen in place, Wes . . . well that was understandable. He has only himself to blame. Riot crushed to death, McKenzie shot by "Kevin," . . . Nila spared, Persey of course surviving.
• Kevin actually being Lincoln Brown, sadist and brother of Persey was almost the most disappointing part of the story. Persey going along with his plan was the worst!!!
• What an awful story.