A sentient escape house tries to trap its guests in a blizzard, while the kids must keep the adults from making things worse, all complicated by a litter of adorably curious kittens.

I have enjoyed many of Jenn Reese’s books, including Every Bird a Prince, A Game of Fox and Squirrels, and The Above World Trilogy, so you can bet I was thrilled to be asked to review their latest book.

Puzzleheart
by Jenn Reese

Henry Holt, 2024.

ISBN 9781250783479

Review copy kindly sent by the publisher.  

12-year-old Perigee is traveling to their grandparents’ puzzle house with their father for the first time.  Perigee’s dad and grandmother haven’t been close since Perigee’s grandfather died in an accident before their passion project ever opened.  But Perigee hopes that they can help rebuild their family relationships and explore the fabulous-sounding “Eklunds’ Puzzle House” themself – a whole house dedicated to puzzles, built long before escape rooms became popular.  

When they arrive, Perigee and their dad are trapped in the house by an unseasonable storm together with Lily, a girl Perigee’s own age, and the litter of inquisitive kittens she’s caring for. And Perigee’s careful plan falls apart almost immediately – their father and grandmother are frosty to each other, and the house makes it clear that it will open all the windows to the storm outside if the group doesn’t make an effort to solve its puzzle.  At the same time, Grandma is convinced that the house is being “childish” and will improve its behavior if they just refuse to solve any puzzles or play any games at all.  

This wasn’t at all what Perigee had in mind – but he and Lily are determined to solve the puzzles, even as the house makes them more and more difficult, changing them from entertaining to life-threatening along the way.  In the outside world, Perigee has been surviving by keeping everything to themself – but inside Puzzleheart, they’ll need to be honest with themself and with those around them to make it through.  

There is so, so much to love about this book!  I loved Perigee’s earnestness, and the way their being nonbinary is just a casual fact through the book, not a source of big trauma or discussion.  The puzzles – and the house’s efforts to up the game to meet its own goals – were great fun.  Perigee’s journey includes  learning both how to be a better friend to Lily and the limits of their responsibilities towards their father, without ever feeling like the puzzle-solving part is just metaphor or allegory.  And while I’ve never been to an escape room, visiting a historic bed and breakfast with beautifully designed and shifting puzzles sounds entrancing.  This is definitely one of my favorites of the year so far.