The Escape Room

Eight contestants. One killer. Can you find the traitor? 
 
'I'm a Celebrity meets Lord of the Flies.' Emma Curtis 
‘The pace never slackens.’ Faith Martin 
'What fun!' Guardian 
 
Everything is a clue. 
Bonnie arrives on a remote sea fort off the coast of England to take part in a mysterious reality TV show. Competing against seven strangers, she must solve a series of puzzles to win the prize money. 
 
No one leaves. 
It doesn't take long for the contestants to turn on one another. Who will sacrifice the most for wealth and fame? And why can't Bonnie shake the creeping sense that they are not alone? 
 
The only way out is to win. 
When the first person is found dead, the others begin to panic. Because there's a killer with them inside the fort, and anyone could be next. If Bonnie wants to escape, she needs to win... 
 
Everyone is talking about The Escape Room . . . 
 
‘The twists and turns are ingenious. Brilliant!’ ***** 
 
‘A rip-roaring, immersive thriller that does not let you out of its grasp.’ ***** 
 
‘This was a brilliant and extremely enjoyable thriller, and I hope to one day see it on our screens! Loved it!’ ***** 
 
‘Like The Traitors on steroids’ ***** 
 
‘A vivid look at reality TV and the damaging psychological effects of social media posts.’ 
***** 
 
‘I read it in two sittings, and could NOT put it down.’ ***** 
 
‘It’s like The Crystal Maze meets Big Brother, but really really dark!’ ***** 
 
‘I never want to do an escape room after reading this book’ ***** 
 
‘One of my top books of the year!’ *****

'Wow! What a page-turner. I'm a Celebrity meets Lord of the Flies. The nicest people turning on each other when the going gets tough.'

There’s been a legion of thrillers about reality TV shows recently, but this stands out for the clever escape room-style puzzles that form part of the plot.

&lsquo;A definite page-turner. The pace never slackens. One for people who like puzzles and contemporary themes and characters.&rsquo;

Faith Martin, multi-million-copy bestselling author

'The pace is relentless, meaning there’s plenty to keep you entertained throughout.'

Smart, suspenseful and seriously tense, The Escape Room is the very definition of a page turner.

The Escape Room is thrilling, thought-provoking and exciting enough that you might &ndash; like me &ndash; tear through it over the course of one train journey.

'Dark, disturbing and addictive. A jaw-dropping thriller that delves into the best and worst of human nature in our fight to survive. Loved it'

&lsquo;Immediately immersive, and scary as can be.&rsquo;

&lsquo;Stylish, glamorous and clever.&rsquo;

&lsquo;A proper, twisty nerve-wracking thriller.&rsquo;

L. D. Smithson was born in Staffordshire and now lives in Ilkley with her husband and their three children. She is an occupational psychologist and a crime writer.

Eight contestants. One killer. Can you find the traitor? 
 
'Wow! What a page-turner. I'm a Celebrity meets Lord of the Flies.' Emma Curtis 
 
‘The pace never slackens.’ Faith Martin 
 
'Dark, disturbing and addictive.' L. C. North 
 
Everything is a clue. 
Bonnie arrives on a remote sea fort off the coast of England to take part in a mysterious reality TV show. Competing against seven strangers, she must solve a series of puzzles to win the prize money, but this is no game - and the consequences of failure are deadly. 
 
No one leaves. 
Under scrutiny from the watching public, the contestants quickly turn on one another. Who will sacrifice the most for wealth and fame? And why can't Bonnie shake the creeping sense that they are not alone? 
 
The only way out is to win. 
When the first contestant is found dead, Bonnie begins to understand the dark truth at the heart of this twisted competition: there's a killer inside the fort, and anyone could be next. If Bonnie wants to escape, she needs to win... 
 
Are you ready to play?

L. D. Smithson

The countdown ramps up the tension, while LD Smithson challenges readers to think about far they would go to save their reputations and careers.

LD Smithson relentlessly turns the screws on her characters. It was excruciating to watch them squirm but I could not stop turning the pages.

Totally original… a riveting story with a bunch of flawed and fascinating characters. Their lives are turned upside down and the shocks keep coming right up to an explosive ending. Highly recommended.

Alex Pine, author of The Christmas Killer

A wickedly tense and twisty thriller that peels back the layers of friendship, shame, and long-buried secrets. If you loved First Lie Wins, prepare to be equally obsessed—this one will have you turning pages well into the night!

Wendy Walker, author of The Room Next Door

Immediately immersive, and scary as can be.

A definite page-turner. The pace never slackens.

The pace is relentless, meaning there’s plenty to keep you entertained throughout.

Welcome to The Shame Game. Are you ready to play? 
 
I know what you did. What you’ve kept hidden all these years. Now I’m going to make it public. Unless you do exactly what I say. 
 
There’s only one way to keep your secret hidden: you need to ruin your best friend’s life. Take it apart, piece by piece, until they have nothing left. Betray their trust. Put them to shame. 
 
Let the game begin…

L. D. Smithson

Praise for The Shame Game

Praise for The Shame Game

The countdown ramps up the tension, while LD Smithson challenges readers to think about far they would go to save their reputations and careers.

LD Smithson relentlessly turns the screws on her characters. It was excruciating to watch them squirm but I could not stop turning the pages.

Praise for The Shame Game

The countdown ramps up the tension, while LD Smithson challenges readers to think about far they would go to save their reputations and careers.

LD Smithson relentlessly turns the screws on her characters. It was excruciating to watch them squirm but I could not stop turning the pages.

Praise for The Shame Game

The countdown ramps up the tension, while LD Smithson challenges readers to think about far they would go to save their reputations and careers.

LD Smithson relentlessly turns the screws on her characters. It was excruciating to watch them squirm but I could not stop turning the pages.

Books by L. D. Smithson

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