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The Delta Games #1
The Mystery of Locked Rooms
Three friends team up to find a hidden treasure in an abandoned 1940s fun house.
Twelve-year-old Sarah Kelley wants nothing more from her seventh-grade year than to beat the hardest escape room left in her town with her best friends West and Hannah. But when her house receives a foreclosure notice everything changes. After her father became ill two years ago, things have been bad, but she did not think they would become lose-your-house bad.
She feels helpless until the day Hannah mentions a treasure rumored to be hidden in the walls of an abandoned fun house. According to legend, Hans, Erik, and James Halloran were orphaned at eight years old and lived with different families until they were able to reunite as adults. Their dream was to build the best fun house in existence. They wanted the experience to be more than mirror mazes and optical illusions, so they not only created elaborate riddles and secret passages, but they also claimed to have hidden a treasure inside. Sarah, West, and Hannah decide to explore, but once in, they realize the house is unlike any escape room they've attempted.
Twelve-year-old Sarah Kelley wants nothing more from her seventh-grade year than to beat the hardest escape room left in her town with her best friends West and Hannah. But when her house receives a foreclosure notice everything changes. After her father became ill two years ago, things have been bad, but she did not think they would become lose-your-house bad.
She feels helpless until the day Hannah mentions a treasure rumored to be hidden in the walls of an abandoned fun house. According to legend, Hans, Erik, and James Halloran were orphaned at eight years old and lived with different families until they were able to reunite as adults. Their dream was to build the best fun house in existence. They wanted the experience to be more than mirror mazes and optical illusions, so they not only created elaborate riddles and secret passages, but they also claimed to have hidden a treasure inside. Sarah, West, and Hannah decide to explore, but once in, they realize the house is unlike any escape room they've attempted.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published April 2, 2024
101 people are currently reading
12088 people want to read
About the author
Lindsay Currie
18 books981 followersLindsay Currie is a #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of mysteries for young readers, including the Delta Games series and It's Watching, She grew up on Nancy Drew and loves a good twisty tale. When she's not writing, Lindsay can generally be found looking for an adventure of her own. She loves researching forgotten history and recently relocated from Chicago to a 220 acre farm in downstate Illinois where she finally gets to see stars every night, and take hikes every day.
Coming soon: THE HOUSE WITH NO KEYS (October 2025) and X Marks the Haunt (February 2026)! For more details on Lindsay's upcoming books, please visit the My Books tab at the top of the page.
To find out more about Lindsay, please visit her website at www.lindsaycurrie.com. Twitter: https://twitter.com/lindsayncurrie Instagram: @lindsayncurrie
Coming soon: THE HOUSE WITH NO KEYS (October 2025) and X Marks the Haunt (February 2026)! For more details on Lindsay's upcoming books, please visit the My Books tab at the top of the page.
To find out more about Lindsay, please visit her website at www.lindsaycurrie.com. Twitter: https://twitter.com/lindsayncurrie Instagram: @lindsayncurrie
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 597 reviews
September 27, 2024
⛥☽ 4.5 ☾⛥
⇢ ˗ Crack the codes. Find the treasure. Escape the house ᯓᡣ𐭩
a story that combines puzzles, perseverance, and the power of hope alongside friendship.
a whirlwind of emotion, adventure, and the human spirit.
an epic journey that's as spectacular as it is moving. very fast paced and engagingᡣ𐭩
p.s. always loved books like this and makes me feel like i’m back in middle school again🌟📖💖
⇢ ˗ Crack the codes. Find the treasure. Escape the house ᯓᡣ𐭩
a story that combines puzzles, perseverance, and the power of hope alongside friendship.
a whirlwind of emotion, adventure, and the human spirit.
an epic journey that's as spectacular as it is moving. very fast paced and engagingᡣ𐭩
p.s. always loved books like this and makes me feel like i’m back in middle school again🌟📖💖
April 12, 2024
✰ 3.5 stars ✰
“Life throws curveballs sometimes. We can’t always plan, can’t always predict. But maybe, just maybe, with hard work and a little luck, we’ll be okay.”
Much like Charlie who visits Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, in the hopes to to win the prize that could help his family in their financial crisis, twelve-year-old Sarah is also faced with the same impending fiscal troubles that could force her family to move away from a town that she loves and Hannah and West, her friends who share her penchant and passion for escaping from locked rooms, which they work together to break as a team - the Deltas. 'West and Hannah are the best thing that ever happened to me. I can’t lose them.' 😥 And when the Deltas decide to break into an abandoned funhouse designed by triplets, but was never able to open for the general public, in the hopes of finding the treasure that was promised to the victor that was able to break through all the tricks and clues that they had in store - it'll be the toughest challenge the Deltas have ever faced, or it may very well be their final one as they uncover what lies behind The Mystery of Locked Rooms. 🚪💰🚪
“They learned the hard way that sometimes you can’t control or predict things. Life is…challenging.”
Having already been familiar with Lindsay Currie's writing style, I knew that I was in good capable hands; and I'm happy to say that she did not disappoint. I love mysteries and I love solving puzzles and she delivered that in spades. The history behind the fun house, itself, is enough to lure me in with the pretext that there is more than enough danger and sadness that lingers behind the making of it. So, when they do make their way through - the tension and danger only mounts - craftily so - that makes it apparent that it will take a lot of willpower and determination, as well as crafty ingenuity to make their way through. 🥺 'The riddle doesn’t surprise me. There’s always more to escape rooms than it seems.' It is an engaging middle grade mystery, full of quips and clever clues that interested me enough to want to know what awaited them at the end.
Considering that it was built during World War II, the likelihood that it was not entirely a safe fun house to venture into was quite evident, as the Deltas faced many near-misses and some rather elaborate tactics that most trick rooms wouldn't adhere to. But, what I liked most - that Lindsay Currie has proven to me before - is that the fear factor felt real - that there is a tinge of sadness - a haunting of loss to why the triplets - 'three goofballs who love riddles, codes, and math' - weren't able to open their beloved idea to the public. And as the Deltas venture deeper into each room - there lingers that slight haunting edge that they don't know what they're walking into is safe or not - something that makes their efforts and struggles all the more daunting for me.😟
“This is how it always is with us. We might not fit in with everyone else, but we fit perfectly together.”
Best of teams come in threes and this trio of friends really brought their A-game when it came to supporting one another and helping each other out in a tough pinch - 'Deltas never give up.' I loved their sense of unity and compassion they had for each other - recognized when they needed to keep each other level-headed and even hold a hand during the darkest of hours. West's dry humor and Hannah's adventurous sass were a nice balance to Sarah's more grounded, but still very keen sense of identifying all the hidden clues they could have missed out on. 'Fortune favors the bold.' I'm glad that they weren't always on a solid footing, though; that they had room for arguing and making bad calls, but still found a way out of the problem they were in. 👍🏻👍🏻
It was a nice touch to have some of the challenges cater to their respective talents that allowed them to test themselves to the extreme, while never abandoning faith in each other. Their shared love for locked rooms may be on the same level, but the courage and loyalty they showed one another was portrayed very well. 'Because that’s what this is…a big, big game. It’s time for the Deltas to succeed now too.' I liked how West and Hannah were so different from Sarah in personality, but they didn't hesitate to stick around with her when she needed them - proving that once a Delta, always a Delta. 🤝🏻
“Sometimes it takes several tries to uncover the clue we're digging.”
Their adventure also is an important lesson for them, Sarah, especially; that even when life isn't going according to plan, it doesn't mean that it is the worst of things. Things have a way of working out for the better and with a little bit of optimism and faith, luck will shine on the fortunate ones. Her heart had been in the right place from the start, with her motives for finding the treasure and what led her to the funhouse in the first place all the more worthwhile and intriguing. I liked how each locked room presented a different setup that was more intricate, if not impossible than before. 'We all deserve to feel brave now and again.' But, with enough tact and thought, easily solved, which the three of them excelled at.
At times, I did find the humor was a bit out of place in terms of the actual scene, but I guess it is what twelve-year-olds tend to do - make jokes even if they don't exactly make sense. 😊 The ending was a bit too much of the fantastical sense, as in all's well that ends well, but considering the lengths they went to find the treasure, I suppose a fairy-tale-esque ending seemed deserving. Still, it was a fast-paced and engaging read, one that won't disappoint middle grade readers, including myself. It definitely makes me more eager to check out the rest of Lindsay Currie's books as soon as I can. 📚💟
“Life throws curveballs sometimes. We can’t always plan, can’t always predict. But maybe, just maybe, with hard work and a little luck, we’ll be okay.”
Much like Charlie who visits Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, in the hopes to to win the prize that could help his family in their financial crisis, twelve-year-old Sarah is also faced with the same impending fiscal troubles that could force her family to move away from a town that she loves and Hannah and West, her friends who share her penchant and passion for escaping from locked rooms, which they work together to break as a team - the Deltas. 'West and Hannah are the best thing that ever happened to me. I can’t lose them.' 😥 And when the Deltas decide to break into an abandoned funhouse designed by triplets, but was never able to open for the general public, in the hopes of finding the treasure that was promised to the victor that was able to break through all the tricks and clues that they had in store - it'll be the toughest challenge the Deltas have ever faced, or it may very well be their final one as they uncover what lies behind The Mystery of Locked Rooms. 🚪💰🚪
“They learned the hard way that sometimes you can’t control or predict things. Life is…challenging.”
Having already been familiar with Lindsay Currie's writing style, I knew that I was in good capable hands; and I'm happy to say that she did not disappoint. I love mysteries and I love solving puzzles and she delivered that in spades. The history behind the fun house, itself, is enough to lure me in with the pretext that there is more than enough danger and sadness that lingers behind the making of it. So, when they do make their way through - the tension and danger only mounts - craftily so - that makes it apparent that it will take a lot of willpower and determination, as well as crafty ingenuity to make their way through. 🥺 'The riddle doesn’t surprise me. There’s always more to escape rooms than it seems.' It is an engaging middle grade mystery, full of quips and clever clues that interested me enough to want to know what awaited them at the end.
Considering that it was built during World War II, the likelihood that it was not entirely a safe fun house to venture into was quite evident, as the Deltas faced many near-misses and some rather elaborate tactics that most trick rooms wouldn't adhere to. But, what I liked most - that Lindsay Currie has proven to me before - is that the fear factor felt real - that there is a tinge of sadness - a haunting of loss to why the triplets - 'three goofballs who love riddles, codes, and math' - weren't able to open their beloved idea to the public. And as the Deltas venture deeper into each room - there lingers that slight haunting edge that they don't know what they're walking into is safe or not - something that makes their efforts and struggles all the more daunting for me.😟
“This is how it always is with us. We might not fit in with everyone else, but we fit perfectly together.”
Best of teams come in threes and this trio of friends really brought their A-game when it came to supporting one another and helping each other out in a tough pinch - 'Deltas never give up.' I loved their sense of unity and compassion they had for each other - recognized when they needed to keep each other level-headed and even hold a hand during the darkest of hours. West's dry humor and Hannah's adventurous sass were a nice balance to Sarah's more grounded, but still very keen sense of identifying all the hidden clues they could have missed out on. 'Fortune favors the bold.' I'm glad that they weren't always on a solid footing, though; that they had room for arguing and making bad calls, but still found a way out of the problem they were in. 👍🏻👍🏻
It was a nice touch to have some of the challenges cater to their respective talents that allowed them to test themselves to the extreme, while never abandoning faith in each other. Their shared love for locked rooms may be on the same level, but the courage and loyalty they showed one another was portrayed very well. 'Because that’s what this is…a big, big game. It’s time for the Deltas to succeed now too.' I liked how West and Hannah were so different from Sarah in personality, but they didn't hesitate to stick around with her when she needed them - proving that once a Delta, always a Delta. 🤝🏻
“Sometimes it takes several tries to uncover the clue we're digging.”
Their adventure also is an important lesson for them, Sarah, especially; that even when life isn't going according to plan, it doesn't mean that it is the worst of things. Things have a way of working out for the better and with a little bit of optimism and faith, luck will shine on the fortunate ones. Her heart had been in the right place from the start, with her motives for finding the treasure and what led her to the funhouse in the first place all the more worthwhile and intriguing. I liked how each locked room presented a different setup that was more intricate, if not impossible than before. 'We all deserve to feel brave now and again.' But, with enough tact and thought, easily solved, which the three of them excelled at.
At times, I did find the humor was a bit out of place in terms of the actual scene, but I guess it is what twelve-year-olds tend to do - make jokes even if they don't exactly make sense. 😊 The ending was a bit too much of the fantastical sense, as in all's well that ends well, but considering the lengths they went to find the treasure, I suppose a fairy-tale-esque ending seemed deserving. Still, it was a fast-paced and engaging read, one that won't disappoint middle grade readers, including myself. It definitely makes me more eager to check out the rest of Lindsay Currie's books as soon as I can. 📚💟
June 16, 2025
The Mystery of Locked Rooms is a fun, puzzle-solving, adventure story for middle grade to teenage years (and even adults) about three friends; Sarah, Hannah, and West who call themselves the Deltas. The trio are really good at doing escape rooms and escaping them in record time, even winning some prizes along the way. When Sarah comes home to find an eviction notice on her front door and her mum tells her they may have to up and leave and go stay with her grandparents for the foreseeable future, Sarah's world is shook. Her father has CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) and isn't able to work, or do much at all anymore, and her mums been doing two jobs to try to make ends meet. When Sarah comes across an old, deserted funhouse that was never opened to the public but claims to have treasure if you can beat each room and find it, the trio set out in secret to do what they do best; win it.
This was such a lovely and entertaining story with many morals to learn as well as the beauty of friendships and overcoming fears and disbeliefs on many levels.
This was such a lovely and entertaining story with many morals to learn as well as the beauty of friendships and overcoming fears and disbeliefs on many levels.
December 11, 2023
Are you looking for a great middle grade read with adventure, riddles, and a set of unbeatable kids?
This is the book!
Sarah, West, and Hannah are three best friends who just happen to be excellent escape room players. The Deltas (as they like to be called) are threatened to be torn apart when Sarah’s house faces foreclosure. In an effort to save her family, and stay close to her best friends, the Deltas decide to find treasure…in an abandoned funhouse.
My daughters and I loved reading The Mystery of Locked Rooms. It was so much fun, and had parts that made us compassionate for the characters. (We even took a personality test on the author’s website so we could see which “Delta” we were like.) I loved seeing the character development for the kids. All three matured in ways that readers will be inspired by.
Read if you like:
-The Goonies
-Willy Wonka
-Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library
Now we all want to go to an escape room and try to beat the buzzer!
This is the book!
Sarah, West, and Hannah are three best friends who just happen to be excellent escape room players. The Deltas (as they like to be called) are threatened to be torn apart when Sarah’s house faces foreclosure. In an effort to save her family, and stay close to her best friends, the Deltas decide to find treasure…in an abandoned funhouse.
My daughters and I loved reading The Mystery of Locked Rooms. It was so much fun, and had parts that made us compassionate for the characters. (We even took a personality test on the author’s website so we could see which “Delta” we were like.) I loved seeing the character development for the kids. All three matured in ways that readers will be inspired by.
Read if you like:
-The Goonies
-Willy Wonka
-Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library
Now we all want to go to an escape room and try to beat the buzzer!
October 18, 2025
I dont like that the premise of this book is breaking the law. The kids also vandalized the fun house and broke something.
December 8, 2024
A fun and exciting new feather for Lindsay Currie's writing cap! She has delved onto a new path in the middle grade mystery forest so to speak, and though this doesn't follow her tried and true paranormal excitements and intrigues, the puzzles, lessons and history still formulate the "bones" of this new tale. The most important aspect being the trials of everyday life, the support of those around you (friends and/or family) and how sometimes the only way to get there is through it. Also, that the past and those who experienced it still have knowledge and wisdom to teach the present. I really appreciate the inclusivity of mental/physical health challenges portrayed but not the focal point. An absolute good read for any time of year.
April 9, 2024
This reminded me of all the best parts of Book Scavanger and The Final Word! A fantastic middle grade full of puzzles and clues, teamwork and red herrings, peril and adventure.
March 26, 2024
Thank you to Edelweiss for the review copy of The Mystery of Locked Rooms by Lindsey Currie. This book was fabulous! Though very different than the creepy middle grade thrillers Currie usually writes, this book brings the same wonderful character development!
Three friends team up to find the legendary hidden treasure in a 1950's fun house. They soon discover just how much they still have to learn about each other, and themselves. This book is filled with humor as well as tender moments.
Reading this as an adult, I found some of the three youngsters choices to be suspect, but my students could really get into this! I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who has enjoyed Lindsey Currie's books in the past, as well as anyone who loves treasure hunts.
Three friends team up to find the legendary hidden treasure in a 1950's fun house. They soon discover just how much they still have to learn about each other, and themselves. This book is filled with humor as well as tender moments.
Reading this as an adult, I found some of the three youngsters choices to be suspect, but my students could really get into this! I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who has enjoyed Lindsey Currie's books in the past, as well as anyone who loves treasure hunts.
May 16, 2024
4⭐️
☠️ The adventure and danger of The Goonies meets the wacky whit of Wonka. The Deltas overcame fears, maximized their strengths and persevered through some major challenges together, all in the name of friendship.
💪🏽 I love the way the characters work together, allowing each one to have their moment and put their skills to work. They uplift each other, balance each other, and best of all never give up on each other. These are the types of friendships we all need. The ones worth fighting for.
📖 While this is definitely a Middle Grade book, I found myself immersed in the escape room adventures as an adult reader. It’s a great book for building middle grade reading stamina, and has a very feel-good “character growth” kind of ending. I highly recommend reading this along with your Middle Grade kiddos as a fun adventure together.
🍿 I love the imagination of each room, and could totally see this concept being made into a movie. Seeing these rooms would be fascinating. Well done to the author. 👏🏼
#LongLivetheDeltas
Thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebook Kids, and Lindsay Currie for providing me with a complimentary ARC to review!
☠️ The adventure and danger of The Goonies meets the wacky whit of Wonka. The Deltas overcame fears, maximized their strengths and persevered through some major challenges together, all in the name of friendship.
💪🏽 I love the way the characters work together, allowing each one to have their moment and put their skills to work. They uplift each other, balance each other, and best of all never give up on each other. These are the types of friendships we all need. The ones worth fighting for.
📖 While this is definitely a Middle Grade book, I found myself immersed in the escape room adventures as an adult reader. It’s a great book for building middle grade reading stamina, and has a very feel-good “character growth” kind of ending. I highly recommend reading this along with your Middle Grade kiddos as a fun adventure together.
🍿 I love the imagination of each room, and could totally see this concept being made into a movie. Seeing these rooms would be fascinating. Well done to the author. 👏🏼
#LongLivetheDeltas
Thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebook Kids, and Lindsay Currie for providing me with a complimentary ARC to review!
June 13, 2025
This was fun. I enjoyed the characters and their dynamic as well as the lessons each needed to learn. The chronic fatigue syndrome rep was cool too.
The whole thing was one big escape room, but the story wasn't written in such a way that you could solve it along with the characters so the solutions weren't as satisfying.
I was left with a general feeling of enjoyment, but I was expecting more of a twist or payoff or something.
Also, that cover is the coolest.
CW: characters lie and break-in to the funhouse.
The whole thing was one big escape room, but the story wasn't written in such a way that you could solve it along with the characters so the solutions weren't as satisfying.
I was left with a general feeling of enjoyment, but I was expecting more of a twist or payoff or something.
Also, that cover is the coolest.
CW: characters lie and break-in to the funhouse.
dnf
April 12, 2024dnf @ 25%
the story wasn’t pulling me in sadly. it turns out i don’t really care about people solving escape rooms. /: this hurts because i love LC’s middle grade horror novels, but don’t think this type of book is for me!
thank you to Netgalley, Sourcebooks Young Readers, and Lindsay Currie for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
the story wasn’t pulling me in sadly. it turns out i don’t really care about people solving escape rooms. /: this hurts because i love LC’s middle grade horror novels, but don’t think this type of book is for me!
thank you to Netgalley, Sourcebooks Young Readers, and Lindsay Currie for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
January 26, 2025
4.25 stare! RTC, but I feel like this was Currie's best one yet
September 30, 2023
“Long live the Deltas.”
🔺
Sarah Greene and her best friends West and Hannah excel at escape rooms. Each brings something to the group, which they call the Deltas, but when Sarah’s dad’s chronic fatigue syndrome means he can’t work and her mom is struggling to make ends meet, Sarah finds out their house is being foreclosed on. The result will be Sarah and her family will have to move away from their town to live with her grandparents. That’s when Hannah tells Sarah about the local legend of Hans, Stefan and Karl Stein who created the ultimate funhouse, only to abandon it when one of the triplets died. Rumor has it they left treasure at the end of the sixteen-room escape house. Together the Deltas set off to solve the ultimate escape room and win the prize for Sarah’s family.
🗝️
This MG mystery is a departure from @lindsayncurrie horror and I was here for it from the beginning. Most of the story takes place in funhouse so there was never a lull—which kept the pace of the book moving quickly. I also loved how Currie gave equal attention to each character, allowing them to grow and share with one another instead of the other two propping Sarah up the whole time. Fans of The Goonies, Willy Wonka, Mr. Lemoncello’s Library and The Inheritance Games will love this riddle filled adventure story out April 2!
CW: chronic fatigue syndrome, financial issues
🔺
Sarah Greene and her best friends West and Hannah excel at escape rooms. Each brings something to the group, which they call the Deltas, but when Sarah’s dad’s chronic fatigue syndrome means he can’t work and her mom is struggling to make ends meet, Sarah finds out their house is being foreclosed on. The result will be Sarah and her family will have to move away from their town to live with her grandparents. That’s when Hannah tells Sarah about the local legend of Hans, Stefan and Karl Stein who created the ultimate funhouse, only to abandon it when one of the triplets died. Rumor has it they left treasure at the end of the sixteen-room escape house. Together the Deltas set off to solve the ultimate escape room and win the prize for Sarah’s family.
🗝️
This MG mystery is a departure from @lindsayncurrie horror and I was here for it from the beginning. Most of the story takes place in funhouse so there was never a lull—which kept the pace of the book moving quickly. I also loved how Currie gave equal attention to each character, allowing them to grow and share with one another instead of the other two propping Sarah up the whole time. Fans of The Goonies, Willy Wonka, Mr. Lemoncello’s Library and The Inheritance Games will love this riddle filled adventure story out April 2!
CW: chronic fatigue syndrome, financial issues
November 27, 2023
I love this type of story that is focused on a specific game. Perfect for adventure-solving clues and escape room lovers. And a great book to join famous classics (movies too) with the same theme.
A team of three children (Sarah, Hannah, and West - adventurous, courageous but also nerdy) embark on a perilous journey in a famous abandoned escape house, never once solved before. Most have been caught by the police before even solving the first room.
The Deltas (their group name) are confident they can do it. They will face each room and clues for a noble cause. They risk everything to help Sarah, the main character find a treasure and stop her from having to move away with her parents.
What I love most about this book is that it doesn't take too many pages at all to present us with the problem and plunge us into the game. We're in the fun house along with the children trying to find the treasure. Each room and clues are easy to visualize and understand and we never don't feel lost.
Has a great ending.
I've read a digital advance copy but I'm excited for it to be out and collect the physical one. Meanwhile, I am curious about other works from this author who is new to me.
Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for this e-ARC.
A team of three children (Sarah, Hannah, and West - adventurous, courageous but also nerdy) embark on a perilous journey in a famous abandoned escape house, never once solved before. Most have been caught by the police before even solving the first room.
The Deltas (their group name) are confident they can do it. They will face each room and clues for a noble cause. They risk everything to help Sarah, the main character find a treasure and stop her from having to move away with her parents.
What I love most about this book is that it doesn't take too many pages at all to present us with the problem and plunge us into the game. We're in the fun house along with the children trying to find the treasure. Each room and clues are easy to visualize and understand and we never don't feel lost.
Has a great ending.
I've read a digital advance copy but I'm excited for it to be out and collect the physical one. Meanwhile, I am curious about other works from this author who is new to me.
Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for this e-ARC.
August 13, 2025
A long-forgotten funhouse... a hidden treasure... and a trio of friends who are ready for a challenge.
✏️ Review ✏️
Overall, The Mystery of Locked Rooms provides for an intriguing, ultimate-escape room escapade. The first part of the story seemed to fail at delivering enough adventure to keep me interested in the story, as all too often my mind wandered to other books I wanted to read and so I considered DNFing it. I'm glad I kept reading, though, because the ending got more exciting... and more suspenseful.
While the author did try to bring some character development to this story's foundation, it is minimal at best. Not to say there isn't any development (and some of it is good, don't get me wrong), but I kinda thought most of it was too forced somehow; almost like jamming a piece of metal into a motor: yes, the sparks (the characters' development) may be exciting to see, but you also just slowed down the motor (the story) and probably ruined the motor in the process as well. The stories with the most balanced effect are those that apply the character development to the story's motor in a steady, almost unnoticeable stream of lubricant; so that as the story progresses, you begin to see just how efficiently and smoothly the story's motor is beginning to run — no sticking obnoxious metal into the motor! But The Mystery of Locked Rooms is one of those stories that jams metal into the story's motor for quick and noticable character development that, while nice to see at the moment, damages the story's presentation in the process.... Okay, I probably sound like I'm teaching some high-end lit class or something 😄, but I hope that that metaphoric illustration helped to get across what I trying to say.
I still enjoyed reading The Mystery of Locked Rooms because it's a fun, clues-filled, high-stakes,dangerous, suspenseful, creative escape room adventure. Sound like your kind of story? Then let the Delta Game begin! "Fortune favors the bold."
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📊 A Quick Overview 📊
👍🏼 What I Liked:
• The last half of the plot — has the most excitement and suspense.
• The many clues, puzzles, and challenges that make this book fun to read.
• The fact that the MCs' wrong actions have apparent consequences even when these actions were done for "a good cause."
👎🏼 What I Did Not Like:
• The beginning of the story — just didn't seem to have enough drive to keep me interested.
• The forced character development in some parts of the story.
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
❓ To Read or Not To Read? ❓
— Would I recommend this book? Yes.*
— To whom? To those who like middle grade fiction featuring an escape room adventure that has puzzles, challenges, clues, and other fun stuff. In other words this is your ultimate escape room dream come true!
*(Note: I leave it up to each individual to decide the maturity and discernment level required to read the books I recommend, based on my content warnings below [in my Book Breakdown]. My content warnings [if any] should always be considered alongside my recommendations when deciding who these books are best suited for.)
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📖 BOOK BREAKDOWN 📖 (Overall: 3/5)
~Fundamentals: (1=worst; 5=best)
— 📈 Plot: 3/5
— 📝 Writing: 3/5
— 👥 Characters: 2.5/5
~Content: (0=none; 1=least; 5=most)
— 🤬 Language: 1/5
• One vain use of God's name, three uses of "cr*p," two uses of "j**z," and one use of "heck."
— ⚔️ Violence: 0/5
— ⚠️ Sexual: 0/5
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📣 Random Comments 📣
• (None)
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
💬 Favorite Quotes 💬
• (None)
✏️ Review ✏️
Overall, The Mystery of Locked Rooms provides for an intriguing, ultimate-escape room escapade. The first part of the story seemed to fail at delivering enough adventure to keep me interested in the story, as all too often my mind wandered to other books I wanted to read and so I considered DNFing it. I'm glad I kept reading, though, because the ending got more exciting... and more suspenseful.
While the author did try to bring some character development to this story's foundation, it is minimal at best. Not to say there isn't any development (and some of it is good, don't get me wrong), but I kinda thought most of it was too forced somehow; almost like jamming a piece of metal into a motor: yes, the sparks (the characters' development) may be exciting to see, but you also just slowed down the motor (the story) and probably ruined the motor in the process as well. The stories with the most balanced effect are those that apply the character development to the story's motor in a steady, almost unnoticeable stream of lubricant; so that as the story progresses, you begin to see just how efficiently and smoothly the story's motor is beginning to run — no sticking obnoxious metal into the motor! But The Mystery of Locked Rooms is one of those stories that jams metal into the story's motor for quick and noticable character development that, while nice to see at the moment, damages the story's presentation in the process.... Okay, I probably sound like I'm teaching some high-end lit class or something 😄, but I hope that that metaphoric illustration helped to get across what I trying to say.
I still enjoyed reading The Mystery of Locked Rooms because it's a fun, clues-filled, high-stakes,
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📊 A Quick Overview 📊
👍🏼 What I Liked:
• The last half of the plot — has the most excitement and suspense.
• The many clues, puzzles, and challenges that make this book fun to read.
• The fact that the MCs' wrong actions have apparent consequences even when these actions were done for "a good cause."
👎🏼 What I Did Not Like:
• The beginning of the story — just didn't seem to have enough drive to keep me interested.
• The forced character development in some parts of the story.
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❓ To Read or Not To Read? ❓
— Would I recommend this book? Yes.*
— To whom? To those who like middle grade fiction featuring an escape room adventure that has puzzles, challenges, clues, and other fun stuff. In other words this is your ultimate escape room dream come true!
*(Note: I leave it up to each individual to decide the maturity and discernment level required to read the books I recommend, based on my content warnings below [in my Book Breakdown]. My content warnings [if any] should always be considered alongside my recommendations when deciding who these books are best suited for.)
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📖 BOOK BREAKDOWN 📖 (Overall: 3/5)
~Fundamentals: (1=worst; 5=best)
— 📈 Plot: 3/5
— 📝 Writing: 3/5
— 👥 Characters: 2.5/5
~Content: (0=none; 1=least; 5=most)
— 🤬 Language: 1/5
• One vain use of God's name, three uses of "cr*p," two uses of "j**z," and one use of "heck."
— ⚔️ Violence: 0/5
— ⚠️ Sexual: 0/5
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
📣 Random Comments 📣
• (None)
📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚📚
💬 Favorite Quotes 💬
• (None)
January 21, 2024
I was given an ARC of this book to read and man it did not disappoint! I couldn’t put it down! I loved the three characters and their support of one another and even more, I loved the Escape Room plot points. This book is amazing - I can think of so many kids who are going to absolutely love it!
January 1, 2025
If you love escape rooms and riddles this is the book for you.
June 5, 2025
Fun little adventure Xav handed to me. It brought back the feeling of reading Nancy Drew books or Baby Sitter’s Club mystery series books. I do wish there had been more riddles/puzzles the reader could have tried to solve. It was beautiful, however, to read of the mixed heartbreak, anxiety, and resilience of a young girl with a sick dad, and to see a sick, minimally capable father portrayed with such love and dignity.
May 31, 2025
I love puzzle books and this is packed full of them! The mysterious house seemed like a lot of fun and it made me want to try an escape room. I also liked that the story talked about friendship and going through hard times. I'll look forward to the next one.
did-not-finish
February 3, 2025DNF at 1%
Yeah, I know, 1% seems like so little. How could I know from that small amount that this book was not gonna be for me? Well the biggest issue, and the third thing that angered me the most about this book is that it is another middle grade book, written for middle graders, by an adult who has clearly not spent any time in the presence of middle graders. The kids in this talk like no kid has ever talked. If you talked to a 12 year old about their friends they would say something like “Sarah is my best friend. We have math together and we both like soccer.” Things they have in common, and the level of closeness they share. They would not say something like “We are like the three sides of a triangle. Without any one of us we would just be an L, and everyone knows L is for ‘loser’”. It’s trite and cutesy and if you know 12 year olds, they hate trite and cutesy. Sometimes I can deal with a narrator voice of a preteen/teen if the book is not written for kids, say The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, because the audience is far enough from their own preteen/teen years that it won’t break the illusion. But when the audience is the age you are writing and you get that voice wrong, it feels like pandering to them. And middle graders, more than any other age, are excellent at rooting out inauthenticity like this. (In their YouTubers, not so much, but in books, absolutely) I currently work with predominantly middle graders at the teen center and the way to talk to them is as yourself. If you try and put on a front they will clock that and lose respect for you. It’s terrifying, for sure, but it is also freeing. Middle grade books are looked down on enough, and kids deserve media that sees them and reflects their experiences, not whatever this is. Media portraying kids that was clearly based on no actual experience is a particular pet peeve for me for this reason and why I knew within the first 5 minutes that this book was not it.
What were the other two things that bugged me, you ask? Significantly smaller details but combined with the above, things that I want to complain about. Read further for some nitpicking:
1. The opening line has the MC comparing a laser grid, a common trope in spy media, to an Indiana Jones movie that she admits she has never seen. There is TONS of content for kids about spies that she would be more likely to compare it to before a movie she has never seen. A cursory google says that there was a cartoon entry in the Spy Kids franchise that first released in 2018 that a 12 year old potentially could have watched when she was the target audience for it. And that I found by googling for 5 seconds. Could the author not have done that? Rather than using what is clearly a cultural touchstone for her? Also which Indiana Jones movie has lasers? I haven’t seen them recently but I don’t remember that being a thing.
2. Escape Rooms: MC also mentions that they are one of only 8 teams who “beat the clock” at the Escape Room that is the opening scene of the book. Presumably this means that they completed the room in under the (usual) hour time limit. There is no mention of not using hints or doing it in a record time, or even if the team size being unusually small (it is, every room I have been to was made for 5+). My usual team is 3 people and we have never not completed the room in the hour, but our markers of our good runs are if we don’t use hints and if we get it in smaller increments than the full hour (under 30 minutes, for example, is a point of pride) Anyone who does escape rooms on the regular will tell you that if you are actually participating and utilize the stuff at your disposal (clues, hints, etc) that getting it done in an hour is typical. They are, ultimately, entertainment, and the job of the escape room is to balance good puzzles that are a challenge but not impossible with the time limit. People want to walk away feeling accomplished and smart, otherwise they will not return.
Either of these points would have been minor annoyances without the voice issue, so it is possible that there is an explanation that I didn’t get to, but when you fumble the opening that much I have no desire to give you any more of my finite reading time.
Yeah, I know, 1% seems like so little. How could I know from that small amount that this book was not gonna be for me? Well the biggest issue, and the third thing that angered me the most about this book is that it is another middle grade book, written for middle graders, by an adult who has clearly not spent any time in the presence of middle graders. The kids in this talk like no kid has ever talked. If you talked to a 12 year old about their friends they would say something like “Sarah is my best friend. We have math together and we both like soccer.” Things they have in common, and the level of closeness they share. They would not say something like “We are like the three sides of a triangle. Without any one of us we would just be an L, and everyone knows L is for ‘loser’”. It’s trite and cutesy and if you know 12 year olds, they hate trite and cutesy. Sometimes I can deal with a narrator voice of a preteen/teen if the book is not written for kids, say The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, because the audience is far enough from their own preteen/teen years that it won’t break the illusion. But when the audience is the age you are writing and you get that voice wrong, it feels like pandering to them. And middle graders, more than any other age, are excellent at rooting out inauthenticity like this. (In their YouTubers, not so much, but in books, absolutely) I currently work with predominantly middle graders at the teen center and the way to talk to them is as yourself. If you try and put on a front they will clock that and lose respect for you. It’s terrifying, for sure, but it is also freeing. Middle grade books are looked down on enough, and kids deserve media that sees them and reflects their experiences, not whatever this is. Media portraying kids that was clearly based on no actual experience is a particular pet peeve for me for this reason and why I knew within the first 5 minutes that this book was not it.
What were the other two things that bugged me, you ask? Significantly smaller details but combined with the above, things that I want to complain about. Read further for some nitpicking:
1. The opening line has the MC comparing a laser grid, a common trope in spy media, to an Indiana Jones movie that she admits she has never seen. There is TONS of content for kids about spies that she would be more likely to compare it to before a movie she has never seen. A cursory google says that there was a cartoon entry in the Spy Kids franchise that first released in 2018 that a 12 year old potentially could have watched when she was the target audience for it. And that I found by googling for 5 seconds. Could the author not have done that? Rather than using what is clearly a cultural touchstone for her? Also which Indiana Jones movie has lasers? I haven’t seen them recently but I don’t remember that being a thing.
2. Escape Rooms: MC also mentions that they are one of only 8 teams who “beat the clock” at the Escape Room that is the opening scene of the book. Presumably this means that they completed the room in under the (usual) hour time limit. There is no mention of not using hints or doing it in a record time, or even if the team size being unusually small (it is, every room I have been to was made for 5+). My usual team is 3 people and we have never not completed the room in the hour, but our markers of our good runs are if we don’t use hints and if we get it in smaller increments than the full hour (under 30 minutes, for example, is a point of pride) Anyone who does escape rooms on the regular will tell you that if you are actually participating and utilize the stuff at your disposal (clues, hints, etc) that getting it done in an hour is typical. They are, ultimately, entertainment, and the job of the escape room is to balance good puzzles that are a challenge but not impossible with the time limit. People want to walk away feeling accomplished and smart, otherwise they will not return.
Either of these points would have been minor annoyances without the voice issue, so it is possible that there is an explanation that I didn’t get to, but when you fumble the opening that much I have no desire to give you any more of my finite reading time.
August 28, 2025
The majority of the book is set within the confines of an abandoned, never opened fun house. Everything from finding the way in to finding the treasure is a puzzle. The different puzzles are themed and different areas of the structure give insight into the personalities of the three brothers who built the fun house.
Now given that the previous two books by Lindsay Currie I've read have been ghost stories based on actual events and actual locations. With that in mind, I half expected either of both of those things to be true with this book. It's not. Instead it's more of a Gen X middle grade homage to The Goonies (1985).
Although this book is about escape rooms and puzzle solving, the puzzles that Sarah, West, and Hannah solve aren't ones that the reader is expected to solve. Some puzzle books, like the Winterhouse series by Ben Guterson. Instead, the emphasis is on the trio's friendship, mutual trust, and their individual strengths.
https://pussreboots.com/blog/2025/com...
Marginalized Home Labyrinth 666699
Now given that the previous two books by Lindsay Currie I've read have been ghost stories based on actual events and actual locations. With that in mind, I half expected either of both of those things to be true with this book. It's not. Instead it's more of a Gen X middle grade homage to The Goonies (1985).
Although this book is about escape rooms and puzzle solving, the puzzles that Sarah, West, and Hannah solve aren't ones that the reader is expected to solve. Some puzzle books, like the Winterhouse series by Ben Guterson. Instead, the emphasis is on the trio's friendship, mutual trust, and their individual strengths.
https://pussreboots.com/blog/2025/com...
Marginalized Home Labyrinth 666699
March 14, 2024
For anyone who loved Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library-you will love this one! Escape rooms meet a fun house and give the reader an exciting adventure with riddles and puzzles to solve along the way!
June 29, 2025
Sarah, Hannah and West, AKA The Deltas, make up a talented escape room team and have the T-shirts and accolades on various bulletin boards to prove it, but the stakes are higher on this latest endeavor. Built in the 1950s by triplets, a long abandoned “funhouse” is supposed to have a treasure hidden somewhere in the 16 rooms but it remains undiscovered despite attempts by many, some being arrested after vain attempts. Faced with losing her home if some serious cash doesn’t come her , Sarah and her friends resolve to find the treasure and put their gifted skills set to the ultimate test-West with his eidetic memory, Hannah’s bravery, strength and flexibility and Sarah’s research and observational skills.
Fans of Currie’s earlier works may need to be warned that this isn’t her usual scary page-turner for middle grade readers, but more of a thrill ride that leads three young people on a journey of self-discovery that further cements their friendship trio. The action and adventure start quickly with only a small number of pages spent on setting the stage and introducing the characters making this a great choice for the impatient reader who may give up on books with lengthier expository sections. Each room in the so-called funhouse is unique and described so well they will be crystal clear in readers’ minds and through the course of each room, the distinct personalities of Hannah, Sarah and West come through loud and clear. Of course there is a happy ending, after all, this is middle grade lit, but the trip to get there will have those in grades 4-7 trying to figure out the clues and wondering the whole time.
A “first choice” selection for libraries, especially ones with fans of Currie’s earlier works and those who enjoy puzzle-solving books such as Grabenstein’s Lemoncello books, the Verdigris Pawn by Alysa Wishingrad or older titles by Blue Balliett and Raskin’s The Westing Game. Text is free of profanity, sexual content and violence. Characters present as Caucasian and all seem to come from traditional homes but Sarah’s dad has Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, a condition seldom occurring in kidlit.
Fans of Currie’s earlier works may need to be warned that this isn’t her usual scary page-turner for middle grade readers, but more of a thrill ride that leads three young people on a journey of self-discovery that further cements their friendship trio. The action and adventure start quickly with only a small number of pages spent on setting the stage and introducing the characters making this a great choice for the impatient reader who may give up on books with lengthier expository sections. Each room in the so-called funhouse is unique and described so well they will be crystal clear in readers’ minds and through the course of each room, the distinct personalities of Hannah, Sarah and West come through loud and clear. Of course there is a happy ending, after all, this is middle grade lit, but the trip to get there will have those in grades 4-7 trying to figure out the clues and wondering the whole time.
A “first choice” selection for libraries, especially ones with fans of Currie’s earlier works and those who enjoy puzzle-solving books such as Grabenstein’s Lemoncello books, the Verdigris Pawn by Alysa Wishingrad or older titles by Blue Balliett and Raskin’s The Westing Game. Text is free of profanity, sexual content and violence. Characters present as Caucasian and all seem to come from traditional homes but Sarah’s dad has Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, a condition seldom occurring in kidlit.
May 3, 2024
As someone who suffers from chronic fatigue, this book made me cry. As someone who loves mysteries and puzzles, this made me immediately want to go to an escape room! I love how detailed the rooms were, it's really clear Lindsay put a lot of time and effort into both the riddles and the book as a whole, and I loved it.
notes-on-unfinished-books
May 25, 2024I read three chapters. Currie does a good job of setting up a conflict and some contrasting characters. However, the characters are not terribly believable, the plot is insanely holey, and it's impossible to take the book seriously.
December 9, 2024
An abandoned fun house filled with puzzles and wrong turns, three supportive friends on a mission, and a promised treasure at the finish line!
Actual Rating: 2.75 stars
Pub Date: 2 April 2024
Reading Format: audio (post-publication date)
SYNOPSIS: Sarah Greene is a twelve-year-old math whiz with the weight of the world on her shoulders. After her father's diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome, the Greenes' financial situation worsens to the point where their house faces foreclosure. The only solace Sarah has comes from the Deltas, her friend group with West and Hannah. The three friends love escape rooms, the more challenging the better. And when Hannah shares the local legend of Hans, Stefan and Karl Stein who created the ultimate funhouse, an estate now abandoned and rumored to hide a treasure within its sixteen rooms, the Deltas decide to risk everything to save Sarah's family.
While the premise for this middle grade novel intrigued me, as did the author's name attached to this mystery, I was disappointed with the minimal character development and inconsistent emotional tone throughout the story. It is typical to expect an unsaid history when following a friend group well-established prior to the opening pages, but the number of inside jokes and backstories that cropped up later for convenience of dialogue or bouts of humor between dangerous moments seemed to jar the narrative flow. There are many important themes, and I applaud Currie's inclusion of them: chronic illness, financial stress, supportive friendships, and problem-solving after moments of failure. And it's true that Currie covers serious topics that certainly deserve a voice in middle grade and juvenile narratives, but the moments of despair, fear, and self-doubt would then oddly be paired with a light-hearted joke by West, Hannah, or Sarah. I also found the numerous times where Hannah was to blame for a mishap or added third-act conflict to be too convenient. Unfortunately this likely won't be a middle grade that will immediately come to mind when I am asked for recommendations. If I ever do find myself recommending this, it would be for younger juvenile readers as opposed to an upper middle grade audience.
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Kids for an E-ARC copy in exchange for this honest review!
Actual Rating: 2.75 stars
Pub Date: 2 April 2024
Reading Format: audio (post-publication date)
SYNOPSIS: Sarah Greene is a twelve-year-old math whiz with the weight of the world on her shoulders. After her father's diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome, the Greenes' financial situation worsens to the point where their house faces foreclosure. The only solace Sarah has comes from the Deltas, her friend group with West and Hannah. The three friends love escape rooms, the more challenging the better. And when Hannah shares the local legend of Hans, Stefan and Karl Stein who created the ultimate funhouse, an estate now abandoned and rumored to hide a treasure within its sixteen rooms, the Deltas decide to risk everything to save Sarah's family.
While the premise for this middle grade novel intrigued me, as did the author's name attached to this mystery, I was disappointed with the minimal character development and inconsistent emotional tone throughout the story. It is typical to expect an unsaid history when following a friend group well-established prior to the opening pages, but the number of inside jokes and backstories that cropped up later for convenience of dialogue or bouts of humor between dangerous moments seemed to jar the narrative flow. There are many important themes, and I applaud Currie's inclusion of them: chronic illness, financial stress, supportive friendships, and problem-solving after moments of failure. And it's true that Currie covers serious topics that certainly deserve a voice in middle grade and juvenile narratives, but the moments of despair, fear, and self-doubt would then oddly be paired with a light-hearted joke by West, Hannah, or Sarah. I also found the numerous times where Hannah was to blame for a mishap or added third-act conflict to be too convenient. Unfortunately this likely won't be a middle grade that will immediately come to mind when I am asked for recommendations. If I ever do find myself recommending this, it would be for younger juvenile readers as opposed to an upper middle grade audience.
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Kids for an E-ARC copy in exchange for this honest review!
December 5, 2023
Fortune favors the bold in this high-stakes, middle-grade adventure where turning back is not an option.
Goonies meets Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library meets Willy Wonka in a mystery adventure that combines the most brilliant and unique challenges with a bit of wit and lots of excitement.
Readers will not be prepared for the caliber of riddles and clues that will stump even the most experienced escape room player.
From a circus-themed fun house to swinging ropes and trapdoors, there are 16 rooms that need to be escaped and none of them are for the faint of heart. The three main characters must face mysterious hanging boxes, giant statues, and even one lipstick wearing goat, but never fear hidden doors and grand illusions are still the center theme.
Thoroughly thought out without a detail left unturned, Lindsay Currie delivers a fast paced high tempo book that will keep readers up way past their bedtime, trying to uncover the mystery for themselves .
Every item is a clue, and every clue is its own riddle. Proving that the impossible is not truly impossible if you work together as a team.
This book is sure to be a top read of the season, proving the adventure, friendship, and solving mysteries is still the winning combination.
Goonies meets Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library meets Willy Wonka in a mystery adventure that combines the most brilliant and unique challenges with a bit of wit and lots of excitement.
Readers will not be prepared for the caliber of riddles and clues that will stump even the most experienced escape room player.
From a circus-themed fun house to swinging ropes and trapdoors, there are 16 rooms that need to be escaped and none of them are for the faint of heart. The three main characters must face mysterious hanging boxes, giant statues, and even one lipstick wearing goat, but never fear hidden doors and grand illusions are still the center theme.
Thoroughly thought out without a detail left unturned, Lindsay Currie delivers a fast paced high tempo book that will keep readers up way past their bedtime, trying to uncover the mystery for themselves .
Every item is a clue, and every clue is its own riddle. Proving that the impossible is not truly impossible if you work together as a team.
This book is sure to be a top read of the season, proving the adventure, friendship, and solving mysteries is still the winning combination.
April 5, 2024
Book review - The mystery of locked rooms by Lindsay Currie.
The story follows twelve-year-old Sarah Greene who yearns to conquer the toughest escape room in town with her friends West and Hannah. However, a foreclosure notice shatters her plans until they try to find a rumored treasure called Triplet Treasure hidden within an abandoned funhouse.
The stakes are high, and every twist and turn in the funhouse brings them closer to unraveling the secrets within. With determination in their hearts, they navigate through the labyrinthine passages, unsure of what awaits them at the end of this thrilling journey.
Escape rooms? Count me in!
This was one of my most anticipated releases this year and I'm not disappointed at all. The story is fast-paced and utterly gripping. I loved the overall suspense filled vibes of the book. The characters are well-written and they instantly became my favourites. Lindsey Currie is an amazing author who knows how to keep the readers on their toes. The Deltas are surely smart and curious to solve the puzzles and beat the game. I also love how there are little hints and clues designed on the book cover. Expertly curated!
I'd highly recommend this book. One of the best reads of the year.
The story follows twelve-year-old Sarah Greene who yearns to conquer the toughest escape room in town with her friends West and Hannah. However, a foreclosure notice shatters her plans until they try to find a rumored treasure called Triplet Treasure hidden within an abandoned funhouse.
The stakes are high, and every twist and turn in the funhouse brings them closer to unraveling the secrets within. With determination in their hearts, they navigate through the labyrinthine passages, unsure of what awaits them at the end of this thrilling journey.
Escape rooms? Count me in!
This was one of my most anticipated releases this year and I'm not disappointed at all. The story is fast-paced and utterly gripping. I loved the overall suspense filled vibes of the book. The characters are well-written and they instantly became my favourites. Lindsey Currie is an amazing author who knows how to keep the readers on their toes. The Deltas are surely smart and curious to solve the puzzles and beat the game. I also love how there are little hints and clues designed on the book cover. Expertly curated!
I'd highly recommend this book. One of the best reads of the year.
February 22, 2024
The Mystery of Locked Rooms is the perfect book for these times. Escape rooms are so enormously popular that an adventurous novel of this kind is a fabulous choice for many ages. I found it hugely entertaining, and I am sixty-six! Lest that deter you from purchasing it for younger (much younger!) people, I have grandchildren who can't wait for this book to be published. The story centers on three close friends, two girls and a boy, who love escape rooms and are extraordinarily good at them. One girl's family falls on difficult times, and the three decide to find out if the legend of a local abandoned funhouse is true. The attraction was never opened but is rumored to have a treasure for anyone who makes their way to the end. This escape house is the grandest and most rigorous of the genre, and the trio have monumental escapades within its walls. Lindsay Currie has outdone herself with this spectacular novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Young Readers. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book provided by the publisher, Sourcebooks Young Readers, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Young Readers. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book provided by the publisher, Sourcebooks Young Readers, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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