Escape Room: Game Zero

Eden has played many escape rooms before and is confident in her ability to solve them. She decodes and follows online clues from a user named Ami to find The Escape – an incredible new game set to change the world, but being kept secret by the tech company that built it. Finding that the location of the host technology park is very close to her home, she ventures out at dusk, encountering a murmuration of starlings that somehow transports her into The Escape.

Having almost immediately met Ted, an online player who claims to be testing the new game, both characters are plunged into danger. A series of challenges follows as the two attempt to solve puzzles and find the keys required to unlock The Escape. However, it later appears that there is far more at stake than either player could have ever foreseen, and whereas Ted should be able to remove his VR headset to stop playing, Eden fears that she is stuck there while her memories of her real life are fading fast.

The theme continues from the first Escape Room book, but you wouldn’t have to have read the first book to enjoy this one: the characters are new, and there is no continuation of the plot.

This is typical Christopher Edge with themes of teamwork, resilience and courage, and a strong, unpredictable ending. It reminded me of Jumanji and will appeal to readers who enjoy stories of gaming, adventure and other worlds. The catchphrase says it all: it’s only a game if you can stop playing.