Bedtime stories are still a really big thing in my house, and it’s getting harder and harder to consistently find great reads that my 10-year-old son and I both enjoy. We’ve devoured all of the Harry Potter books and absolutely loved the Morrigan Crow series (from Nevermoor). So, when looking for book recommendations for fans of those magical, twist-filled adventures, we stumbled across The Escape Room by Christopher Edge.

We finished this book tonight and the ending completely blew both mine and my son’s minds—so I just had to write a review straight away!

What’s the book about?

The main character is called Ami, who is sent to an escape room by her dad. Four other characters quickly join her, and together they’re given one mission: solve the puzzles, escape the rooms, and save the world.

Each escape room is different, and what I really liked is that many of the themed rooms are based on topics my son has been learning about at school, like the Ancient Egyptians and the Mayans. There’s also a strong emphasis on strategy games—board games like chess and elements of video gaming, which will definitely appeal to any little gamers in your life.

What we loved

The book is so descriptive. It’s perfect for kids with big imaginations who love getting completely lost in a story. There’s a slightly darker tone to the book, though, so I wouldn’t recommend it for very sensitive readers. At the end of each escape room, one character gets left behind, with the story implying the characters die—which can be a bit upsetting. But it’s written in a very tactful and thoughtful way. My 10-year-old wasn’t fazed by it at all.

As a parent, I really enjoyed reading this aloud. My son loved listening to it, and there were loads of moments where we paused to talk about the puzzles or discuss the strategies the characters used. It sparked so many good conversations.

That ending!

I honestly can’t say much about the ending without giving it away, but it was quite possibly one of the biggest plot twists I’ve ever read in a children’s book. Genuinely mind-blowing—and it made the whole story even more memorable.

Final thoughts

From a parenting perspective, I thought this book was really educational, but in a fun and engaging way. That was a big positive for me. I would definitely recommend giving The Escape Room a try. Due to the darker moments and the fact that you “lose” a character after each room, I’d say it’s best suited to children aged 10 and up.

It’s one of those rare books that you and your child can both genuinely enjoy—so if you’re looking for your next read-together bedtime story, this might be the one!

If you are looking for some more reading inspiration check out our full book review section here.