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No Escape
This isn't just a puzzle. It's a lethal game of survive or die ...
Estranged twins Mabel and Kai each receive an unexpected invitation to stay for a week at their grandfather's Parisian chateau. Neither remember meeting their grandfather, and neither had any idea that he was still alive.
The author of a notoriously difficult puzzle book, their grandfather is bed bound and dying. His last wish? For Mabel and Kai to solve it. The unimaginable riches. The catch? They are trapped in the house until one of them wins ... or dies trying.
Their only other hope for escape is a mysterious student who has been working for their grandfather and seems to have eyes for both twins. But the walls are closing in and the contest takes darker and darker turns towards the supernatural. In this deadly game, there can only be one winner.
Perfect for fans of The Inheritance Games and Wednesday.
Estranged twins Mabel and Kai each receive an unexpected invitation to stay for a week at their grandfather's Parisian chateau. Neither remember meeting their grandfather, and neither had any idea that he was still alive.
The author of a notoriously difficult puzzle book, their grandfather is bed bound and dying. His last wish? For Mabel and Kai to solve it. The unimaginable riches. The catch? They are trapped in the house until one of them wins ... or dies trying.
Their only other hope for escape is a mysterious student who has been working for their grandfather and seems to have eyes for both twins. But the walls are closing in and the contest takes darker and darker turns towards the supernatural. In this deadly game, there can only be one winner.
Perfect for fans of The Inheritance Games and Wednesday.
290 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 25, 2025
3 people are currently reading
63 people want to read
About the author
M.A. Bennett
17 books303 followersM. A. Bennett is half Venetian and was born in Manchester, England, and raised in the Yorkshire Dales. She is a history graduate of Oxford University and the University of Venice, where she specialized in the study of Shakespeare’s plays as a historical source. After university she studied art and has since worked as an illustrator, an actress, and a film reviewer. She also designed tour visuals for rock bands, including U2 and the Rolling Stones. She was married on the Grand Canal in Venice and lives in north London with her husband, son, and daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
November 17, 2025
I received a copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via Tandem Collective and the publishers.
No Escape is a very cleverly put together (and researched) YA book to tease your brain and keep you questioning everything as you read it.
The story follows twins Kai and Mabel, who haven't seen each other since infanthood when their parents separated. Mabel went to live with their mother and Kai to live with their father. When they both receive a summons to go to their grandfather's chateau in Paris, neither twin can turn it down; even if they'd thought he was dead all their lives.
Told through both twins POV we find out why they have been summoned and the mystery they must unravel (with very high stakes). But the twins don't just not know each other; they dislike each other.
This was such a great and atmospheric read. I loved exploring the chateau with them and learned so much reading this. I disliked both twins at the start, but as they began to get to know each other and learn things about each other as well as themselves, they grew on me.
This book does have potential trigger warnings such as holocaust, war, and mass murder so do check triggers if needed.
The big reveal at the end was quite a shock, and I did suspect one of the smaller twists at the very end, but I was hooked all the way through this very addictive read!
No Escape is a very cleverly put together (and researched) YA book to tease your brain and keep you questioning everything as you read it.
The story follows twins Kai and Mabel, who haven't seen each other since infanthood when their parents separated. Mabel went to live with their mother and Kai to live with their father. When they both receive a summons to go to their grandfather's chateau in Paris, neither twin can turn it down; even if they'd thought he was dead all their lives.
Told through both twins POV we find out why they have been summoned and the mystery they must unravel (with very high stakes). But the twins don't just not know each other; they dislike each other.
This was such a great and atmospheric read. I loved exploring the chateau with them and learned so much reading this. I disliked both twins at the start, but as they began to get to know each other and learn things about each other as well as themselves, they grew on me.
This book does have potential trigger warnings such as holocaust, war, and mass murder so do check triggers if needed.
The big reveal at the end was quite a shock, and I did suspect one of the smaller twists at the very end, but I was hooked all the way through this very addictive read!
October 5, 2025
I would definitely give this 4.5 - it was a great read and kept me up way past my bedtime to finish! I was hooked on all the mini-mysteries that had to be solved to get to the final unravelling. It will definitely keep young mystery readers gripped - and us older ones too!
The cryptic crossword style and illustrations will enhance the final published version and I will be recommending this for our school library and book vending machine.
I really enjoyed the relationship building between the twin siblings - it added a united against the world vibe that I really rooted for.
The added interest of extracts from the book they have to use to solve the puzzle and escape was ingenious.
I was already a fan of MA Bennett’s work and had high hopes. 100% not disappointed!
The cryptic crossword style and illustrations will enhance the final published version and I will be recommending this for our school library and book vending machine.
I really enjoyed the relationship building between the twin siblings - it added a united against the world vibe that I really rooted for.
The added interest of extracts from the book they have to use to solve the puzzle and escape was ingenious.
I was already a fan of MA Bennett’s work and had high hopes. 100% not disappointed!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 20, 2025
Lethal game of survival, escape room and puzzles to solve kinda vibe - sign me up. I was hooked.
It certainly didn’t take any time at all to get going and it was fast paced and entertaining from the first page. I enjoyed getting to know the twins and the dynamic, and when the plot settled in to a race against time, I found it super easy to fly through the pages.
It made my four hour train journey fly past and I managed to get half way through before my destination. Kinda wished I had a longer travel time so I could read more of the book!
I didn’t know what sort of direction it was going to go in and I liked the twists and turns that it took. My only confusion I think was my own, as I struggled to centre myself into what was happening with past and present and whether things were real or not. The ending was great and the writing was compelling too. It was well worth the read!
Thank you to the author and publisher for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.
It certainly didn’t take any time at all to get going and it was fast paced and entertaining from the first page. I enjoyed getting to know the twins and the dynamic, and when the plot settled in to a race against time, I found it super easy to fly through the pages.
It made my four hour train journey fly past and I managed to get half way through before my destination. Kinda wished I had a longer travel time so I could read more of the book!
I didn’t know what sort of direction it was going to go in and I liked the twists and turns that it took. My only confusion I think was my own, as I struggled to centre myself into what was happening with past and present and whether things were real or not. The ending was great and the writing was compelling too. It was well worth the read!
Thank you to the author and publisher for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.
November 11, 2025
A pair of twins that meet for the first time in eighteen years. Mabel is desperate to earn life under her own merit. Kai believes himself to be the lone wolf. He doesn’t need anything or anyone. So similar yet so very different these twins are bound.
Their grandad sets them a challenge to solve the puzzle of his books.
There is certainly no love lost between the pair and I really felt the tension throughout this book.
This story gave me hunger games vibes. I loved the historical threads that ran through this book. There has obviously been a lot of research into these facts that help to sculpt the story. I loved the annotations and illustrations and I felt fully invested in solving the puzzle! This book is a clever page turner, perfect for its YA audience!
Their grandad sets them a challenge to solve the puzzle of his books.
There is certainly no love lost between the pair and I really felt the tension throughout this book.
This story gave me hunger games vibes. I loved the historical threads that ran through this book. There has obviously been a lot of research into these facts that help to sculpt the story. I loved the annotations and illustrations and I felt fully invested in solving the puzzle! This book is a clever page turner, perfect for its YA audience!
September 22, 2025
I absolutely loved No Escape. If I’m being a little nitpicky, I’d say it leans closer to 4 stars than a perfect 5—but it was such a fun, absorbing read that I have to give it 4.5.
The story follows two twins, separated at birth, who are summoned by their elusive grandfather, a legendary creator of crosswords and puzzles. To inherit his fortune, they must attempt his infamous “unsolvable” puzzle book (think Cain's Jawbone) but the challenge quickly becomes something far more dangerous. With cryptic paintings, mysterious strangers, and ominous clues hidden around every corner, the twins find themselves in a gothic, supernatural, and suspenseful adventure where nothing is quite what it seems.
What I enjoyed most was how the book kept me engaged and up to date with each discovery and breakthrough. I never felt lost or like I had to stop and remember what information the characters had already uncovered—the storytelling made it easy to relax and sink into the mystery. It reminded me a little of The Da Vinci Code for younger readers (and I mean that as a compliment!).
The timing was perfect for me as I only started getting into crosswords and newspaper puzzles a couple of months ago, and this book made me fall for them even more. I even created a crossword themed on the novel because I had such a good time with it!
I was completely absorbed, reading most of it in one sitting, and even when I guessed some of the twists early, it only made the payoff more satisfying. This is the kind of book I’d love to re-read in physical form so I can annotate to my heart’s content, rather than trudging through digital notes.
I’m also very eager to see the finished edition with its letterheads and illustrations—I think they’ll make the reading experience even richer. This was exactly the sort of puzzle-filled adventure I was in the mood for.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hatchette for the opportunity to read an advance copy!
The story follows two twins, separated at birth, who are summoned by their elusive grandfather, a legendary creator of crosswords and puzzles. To inherit his fortune, they must attempt his infamous “unsolvable” puzzle book (think Cain's Jawbone) but the challenge quickly becomes something far more dangerous. With cryptic paintings, mysterious strangers, and ominous clues hidden around every corner, the twins find themselves in a gothic, supernatural, and suspenseful adventure where nothing is quite what it seems.
What I enjoyed most was how the book kept me engaged and up to date with each discovery and breakthrough. I never felt lost or like I had to stop and remember what information the characters had already uncovered—the storytelling made it easy to relax and sink into the mystery. It reminded me a little of The Da Vinci Code for younger readers (and I mean that as a compliment!).
The timing was perfect for me as I only started getting into crosswords and newspaper puzzles a couple of months ago, and this book made me fall for them even more. I even created a crossword themed on the novel because I had such a good time with it!
I was completely absorbed, reading most of it in one sitting, and even when I guessed some of the twists early, it only made the payoff more satisfying. This is the kind of book I’d love to re-read in physical form so I can annotate to my heart’s content, rather than trudging through digital notes.
I’m also very eager to see the finished edition with its letterheads and illustrations—I think they’ll make the reading experience even richer. This was exactly the sort of puzzle-filled adventure I was in the mood for.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hatchette for the opportunity to read an advance copy!
November 12, 2025
This twisty, YA locked-room mystery is inspired by puzzle books like Cain’s Jawbone. It draws on wordplay, history and the supernatural to keep you guessing from the first page to the last.
You follow estranged twins Kai and Mabel - one from England, one from France - as they are summoned to the mansion of their ailing grandfather. The house is huge and full of priceless artwork, but soon it turns from a palace to a prison. Their grandfather seals them all inside and schedules the house’s demolition in one week (with them still in it). Unless, that is, the twins can solve his infamous puzzle book, in which case the house belongs to them.
I love high-stakes mysteries where the clock is ticking, and the time limit of a week works perfectly here. The clues to the mystery are incredibly clever and take you on a winding path through WWI and WWII France. You learn an awful lot about Paris without the characters being able to explore it. And - though you start out disapproving of them both - you learn to love the prickly twins as they shake off years of lies and break generational curses.
As someone who has read the author’s Young Gothic series, I love the suggestions that this takes place in the same world - fans of her previous work will enjoy trying to guess at the wider connections.
For YA, this does discuss darker topics like the Holocaust, medical experiments, war, grisly murders and suicide, so I’d advise you to check the trigger warnings. That said, everything is well-researched and encourages further thought, and all of the historical context lends itself to the gothic, sharp-edged plot this story clearly has.
Those who like stories within stories, puzzle-solving protagonists and reconnecting family should pick this up. Thank you to @teambkmrk for my copy.
You follow estranged twins Kai and Mabel - one from England, one from France - as they are summoned to the mansion of their ailing grandfather. The house is huge and full of priceless artwork, but soon it turns from a palace to a prison. Their grandfather seals them all inside and schedules the house’s demolition in one week (with them still in it). Unless, that is, the twins can solve his infamous puzzle book, in which case the house belongs to them.
I love high-stakes mysteries where the clock is ticking, and the time limit of a week works perfectly here. The clues to the mystery are incredibly clever and take you on a winding path through WWI and WWII France. You learn an awful lot about Paris without the characters being able to explore it. And - though you start out disapproving of them both - you learn to love the prickly twins as they shake off years of lies and break generational curses.
As someone who has read the author’s Young Gothic series, I love the suggestions that this takes place in the same world - fans of her previous work will enjoy trying to guess at the wider connections.
For YA, this does discuss darker topics like the Holocaust, medical experiments, war, grisly murders and suicide, so I’d advise you to check the trigger warnings. That said, everything is well-researched and encourages further thought, and all of the historical context lends itself to the gothic, sharp-edged plot this story clearly has.
Those who like stories within stories, puzzle-solving protagonists and reconnecting family should pick this up. Thank you to @teambkmrk for my copy.
November 16, 2025
Brilliant puzzle, and sometimes deadly.
After reading the synopsis, I was hooked on this one. I found myself itching to know more with each page, and finished the book in a day.
We meet Kai and Mabel, who are staying in Paris with their Grandfather, after he invited them to stay for the week. What they weren't told is that he wants them to solve a puzzle, a puzzle he wrote many years ago, and a puzzle which no one has been able to solve. The prize for winning is the Château they stand in, and all its worldly possessions.
Kai and Mabel are twins who were split at birth. Kai was raised by his father, and Mabel raised by her mother. The parents split up when the twins were born, and both had heard unkind words about the other parent, causing a rift before the children had even met.
Now 18 years old, meeting for the first time, they notice that even though they weren't raised together, they share similarities in their ways.
They have to solve this puzzle to inherit this fortune, and they each want it for themselves, and they can't leave until they solve it.
Can the twins learn about their history? Can they solve the puzzle in time? Can they learn to get along? Or will this be the first and last meeting?
After reading the synopsis, I was hooked on this one. I found myself itching to know more with each page, and finished the book in a day.
We meet Kai and Mabel, who are staying in Paris with their Grandfather, after he invited them to stay for the week. What they weren't told is that he wants them to solve a puzzle, a puzzle he wrote many years ago, and a puzzle which no one has been able to solve. The prize for winning is the Château they stand in, and all its worldly possessions.
Kai and Mabel are twins who were split at birth. Kai was raised by his father, and Mabel raised by her mother. The parents split up when the twins were born, and both had heard unkind words about the other parent, causing a rift before the children had even met.
Now 18 years old, meeting for the first time, they notice that even though they weren't raised together, they share similarities in their ways.
They have to solve this puzzle to inherit this fortune, and they each want it for themselves, and they can't leave until they solve it.
Can the twins learn about their history? Can they solve the puzzle in time? Can they learn to get along? Or will this be the first and last meeting?
November 9, 2025
So, I don’t usually read YA, but I was very kindly gifted No Escape by M.A. Bennett… and I have to admit, it’s an interesting experience.
The premise is brilliant: twins Mabel and Kai receive a mysterious invitation to their grandfather’s Parisian château. His last wish? Solve a fiendishly difficult puzzle that no one has ever cracked. The prize? Immense wealth. The catch? Only one of them can leave alive… or die trying.
I really enjoyed getting to know the twins and their dynamic. Their banter, their competitiveness, the way they push each other… it made the whole deadly puzzle feel surprisingly grounded.
It’s a quick, one-sitting read. The story moves fast, the stakes keep rising, and the house itself starts to feel like another character — walls closing in, secrets lurking, and things taking darker, almost supernatural turns.
The tension builds perfectly, and the ending… well, it’s clever, satisfying, and genuinely fun. You can feel the stakes the whole way through.
So, No Escape is a lethal game, a fiendish puzzle, and an entertaining dive into YA thriller territory.
The premise is brilliant: twins Mabel and Kai receive a mysterious invitation to their grandfather’s Parisian château. His last wish? Solve a fiendishly difficult puzzle that no one has ever cracked. The prize? Immense wealth. The catch? Only one of them can leave alive… or die trying.
I really enjoyed getting to know the twins and their dynamic. Their banter, their competitiveness, the way they push each other… it made the whole deadly puzzle feel surprisingly grounded.
It’s a quick, one-sitting read. The story moves fast, the stakes keep rising, and the house itself starts to feel like another character — walls closing in, secrets lurking, and things taking darker, almost supernatural turns.
The tension builds perfectly, and the ending… well, it’s clever, satisfying, and genuinely fun. You can feel the stakes the whole way through.
So, No Escape is a lethal game, a fiendish puzzle, and an entertaining dive into YA thriller territory.
November 17, 2025
This was a buddy read with the Tandem Collective.
YA gothic mystery with a deadly puzzle to solve in the hopes of inheriting the family fortune.
I loved the element of the twins, and Grand-pere's puzzle. This was such a fun interesting read. I was not expecting some of the twists!
It focuses around the puzzle book - essentially a book within a book - and the twins have to solve the puzzle in the book that no one else has ever solved.
It's an interesting take on the locked room plot, with twists and turns dotted all the way through.
I really enjoyed reading this.
Thank you to the Tandem Collective and the publisher for a physical copy of this book to join the buddy read.
YA gothic mystery with a deadly puzzle to solve in the hopes of inheriting the family fortune.
I loved the element of the twins, and Grand-pere's puzzle. This was such a fun interesting read. I was not expecting some of the twists!
It focuses around the puzzle book - essentially a book within a book - and the twins have to solve the puzzle in the book that no one else has ever solved.
It's an interesting take on the locked room plot, with twists and turns dotted all the way through.
I really enjoyed reading this.
Thank you to the Tandem Collective and the publisher for a physical copy of this book to join the buddy read.
November 19, 2025
What a closed room mystery book! I loved the writing style. It was very inviting! I was intrigued and that was throughout the book. I really enjoyed going with the flow with Kai and Mabel seeing the surprises that popped up along the way. As they tried to figure out their Grandfather’s puzzle. In true YA style, the personalities of the twins, the way they interacted with each other. Similarities and differences I found a treat to read. Loved the setting, mystery and past to present flashbacks. From start to finish, the quality is very impressive!
December 8, 2025
This book was fast paced from the beginning and had me hooked. The story was very captivating and clever with a very interesting bit of paranormal and history. As a twin myself, I cannot imagine the hatred and murder attempts among each set of twins, even if I were in such a situation - but this was very intriguing to read about how such a bond can never really be broken even in the darkest of times (but in this case only for Mabel and Kai...).
November 23, 2025
A huge thank you to the divine team at @tandemcollectiveuk for having me on this buddy read. I really enjoyed this read from start to finish and it felt a privilege to be a part of.
I am not the world’s most avid horror fan, but young adult horror is so far up my street! I devoured this one tbh. From the moment we were introduced to the setting, I was absolutely hooked. I wanted to know how the characters would interact, how the narrative would pan out and just generally the reasoning behind the puzzle.
The way in which it was written was nothing short of genius; it kept us guessing while feeding us little clues for us to latch onto. I just was desperate to know as much as possible, but at the same time, enjoyed feeling pretty confused at points too.
If you’re a fan of knives out, or the inheritance games, this one is a definite good read 🫢🧩
I am not the world’s most avid horror fan, but young adult horror is so far up my street! I devoured this one tbh. From the moment we were introduced to the setting, I was absolutely hooked. I wanted to know how the characters would interact, how the narrative would pan out and just generally the reasoning behind the puzzle.
The way in which it was written was nothing short of genius; it kept us guessing while feeding us little clues for us to latch onto. I just was desperate to know as much as possible, but at the same time, enjoyed feeling pretty confused at points too.
If you’re a fan of knives out, or the inheritance games, this one is a definite good read 🫢🧩
November 9, 2025
Took a while for me to get into this but then it flowed and I didn't want to put it down. I did guess one bit before it was revealed but it wasn't hard to figure out.
Creepy, spooky and definitely one I'll be recommending
Creepy, spooky and definitely one I'll be recommending
November 17, 2025
Review to come
December 6, 2025
Rating: 1.5 stars
Oooh, I hated this. Convoluted plot, absolutely awful (and stupid) main characters, and writing that never made me actually care what happened. Also - time slip? Kind of?
Oooh, I hated this. Convoluted plot, absolutely awful (and stupid) main characters, and writing that never made me actually care what happened. Also - time slip? Kind of?
December 26, 2025
DNF at 19% *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ
i don’t care about this in the slightest 😔
i don’t care about this in the slightest 😔
December 15, 2025
You’ve already given me something - the solution to the end of my book”
I am very excited to be part of this buddy read for No Escape by @mabennettauthor with thanks to @tandemcollectiveuk 🥰
YA isn’t my usual genre but I really enjoyed this book. Mabel and Kai are summoned by their dying grandfather. He tells them that he’s set them the challenge of solving a difficult puzzle book that no one has ever been able to crack. And many people have tried. The difference is Mabel and Kai are Abelard Rossignol’s grandchildren. And which ever one of them solves it, is set to inherit everything.
I was so invested in this book. I think because I knew it was YA, I kept thinking “it’s got to be easy-ish to solve” except I kept making it more complicated than it needs to be. Sometimes the simplest answer is correct 💁🏻♀️💁🏻♀️
I liked the dual POV of both Kai & Mabel. You see just how alike they despite being brought up separately. As someone who studied psychology at uni, it really makes you think about the whole nature vs nurture debate. Especially when they both take steps to make sure they are only grandchild that will inherit.
There’s so much that happens you forget that it’s set over a week. At the start of each day you get the French days of the week. As someone who speaks Spanish, learning the actual definition of the days of the week. This was insightful and definitely feels like it’s been researched well.
I’m very happy I worked out what would happen. I think I would have annoyed myself if I hadn’t worked it out. Probably didn’t work it out the quickest but I did before the reveal. I couldn’t put this down and flew through this book
I am very excited to be part of this buddy read for No Escape by @mabennettauthor with thanks to @tandemcollectiveuk 🥰
YA isn’t my usual genre but I really enjoyed this book. Mabel and Kai are summoned by their dying grandfather. He tells them that he’s set them the challenge of solving a difficult puzzle book that no one has ever been able to crack. And many people have tried. The difference is Mabel and Kai are Abelard Rossignol’s grandchildren. And which ever one of them solves it, is set to inherit everything.
I was so invested in this book. I think because I knew it was YA, I kept thinking “it’s got to be easy-ish to solve” except I kept making it more complicated than it needs to be. Sometimes the simplest answer is correct 💁🏻♀️💁🏻♀️
I liked the dual POV of both Kai & Mabel. You see just how alike they despite being brought up separately. As someone who studied psychology at uni, it really makes you think about the whole nature vs nurture debate. Especially when they both take steps to make sure they are only grandchild that will inherit.
There’s so much that happens you forget that it’s set over a week. At the start of each day you get the French days of the week. As someone who speaks Spanish, learning the actual definition of the days of the week. This was insightful and definitely feels like it’s been researched well.
I’m very happy I worked out what would happen. I think I would have annoyed myself if I hadn’t worked it out. Probably didn’t work it out the quickest but I did before the reveal. I couldn’t put this down and flew through this book
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews