Welcome back to another Weird Wednesday. But, for the next few months, it’s a different kind of weird. Since I’ve made a personal goal to read all 32 books that made it into this year’s Books of Horror Indie Brawl, instead of posting haunted locations articles, I am going to be posting my reviews of each book until I have finished them all!
Today's review is: Puzzle House by Duncan Ralston
"Six strangers arrive at the home of preeminent puzzle master Alexei Vasiliev for the reading of his will. Among them are the deseased's widow, who'd already begun divorce proceedings, a virologist troubled by actions in his past, and a convicted murderer on day release. The potential beneficiaries will split Vasiliev's $150M fortune if they participate in his last great work. The choice is leave the house with nothing or continue in the hope of solving the six interconnecting escape rooms within this house. Once there, the participants soon discover Puzzle House is far deadlier than it appears, and that making their way through the rooms may be a matter of life or death. Someone is watching their every move, toying with them, turning them against each other. With their lives on the line, they are forced to wonder, is it all just a deadly game created by a gleeful sadist, or something far more sinister?"
It is no secret that I am a major Ralston fan. I love his prose and the way he tells stories. He is a master at introducing characters that you find yourself rooting for. Was I rooting for all the characters who found themselves trapped inside Puzzle House? No. But I did have my favourites!
As I waited to find out what the theme of the next room would be, and how the group would decide to work through it, I was on the edge of my seat. I was trying to figure out the catch inside each room before the characters figured it out... which they always did, though sometimes too late.
The whole way through the book I was looking for the key to the original mystery. There was no way this psycho was just going to let them all live and split his money. Or was there? Was he just so obsessed with creating the ultimate puzzle, that if they were clever enough to make it through alive they would be free to take their winnings?
The answer became more evident as they made their way through each room. And let me tell you...
Nothing. I'm not going to tell you anything!
Through all the twists and turns, Puzzle House is a wild ride of "what the f is going on here?" and "what did we get ourselves into?"
I challenge you to read it yourself and see if you can figure it out... before it's too late.
Where to find this book: Amazon.ca: https://a.co/d/gmVopJo
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