Puzzle House - BookWyrm

English language

Published 2023 by Wicked House Publishing.

ISBN:: 978-1-959798-15-6

(1 review)

Six strangers arrive at the home of preeminent puzzle master Alexei Vasiliev for the reading of his will. Among them are the deceased'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 and 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, …

Six strangers arrive at the home of preeminent puzzle master Alexei Vasiliev for the reading of his will. Among them are the deceased'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 and 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?

1 edition

Cari Fisher reviewed Puzzle House by Duncan Ralston

Review of 'Puzzle House' on 'Goodreads'

2 stars

This book bothered me. It's a great idea, but it didn't follow through. There was no real horror, all the deaths happened quickly and with not much fanfare except one. I didn't feel for the characters at all, and then the ending was disappointing. It went in a weird supernatural direction I was expecting also... just wasn't for me. As for the actual writing, there were annoying plot holes; for example, things were said by characters that were never told to them by other characters (eg they couldn't have known them) like the relationship with Infinity. And the infinity thing was never fully explored either. It really was a cool idea though, it just did not do it for me.

Subjects

Fiction, horror