The House Trap by Emma Read

What an incredible puzzle of a story.

Amity, Claude, Sam and Deliah find themselves in a strange house in the haunted and banned Badwell Woods. Outside the house is falling apart but inside, it is pristine, set up for a party.

Finding a slip of paper with a clue, the children realise they have entered into a game, one that relies on logic, math and careful thinking. Deliah is a maths whizz and so finds these puzzles oddly settling. She takes on the role of leader in solving the puzzles and finding a way out of the house they are physically trapped within.

Discovering that this puzzle house is part machine and that ghosts of children past are trapped within the walls does nothing to help their fears. Between the children, they must sort their relationships, understanding and fears over the changes and challenges they are faced with.

I could not stop reading this book, found it utterly compelling, thrilling and puzzling. Part Jumanji and Goonies, this reads as the perfect armchair adventure with bits of horror thrown in to scare!

Loved it and will likely re-read it again and again!