by Ted Dekker
First published 2012
Seven strangers find themselves locked inside a house with a killer who forces them into a deadly game. The rules seem simple: one game, seven players, three basic guidelines. But the twisted logic quickly becomes clear. To win, they must lose. To escape, they must go deeper inside. Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker have joined forces to craft this story of survival and impossible choices. The players discover that conventional thinking will get them killed. Every attempt to fight back according to normal rules pushes them closer to death. The house becomes a maze of psychological terror where up is down and safety lies in surrender. As the game progresses, each person must confront not just the killer's twisted mind but their own assumptions about victory and defeat. The central question haunts every decision: how do you save yourself when saving yourself means destruction?
Genres: mystery, horror, thriller, action
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: House
384 pages · Paperback · Thomas Nelson Publishing
Content warnings: violence