{"product_id":"the-contest-isbn-9781915523457","title":"The Contest","description":"\u003cb\u003e\"Set in a world where Willy Wonka made escape rooms rather than chocolate bars, \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Contest\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e is my favorite thing I’ve read this year.\"\u003cbr\u003e– PETER CLINES, NYT Bestselling author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eGillian Charles, a puzzle-solving prodigy, was just a child when she lost Miscellany's Contest. Now an adult, she is invited to compete again... but this time there is more than just her pride at stake.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGillian has left puzzles entirely behind and barely ekes out a living while trying to support her sick mother. Until her childhood nemesis appears with an offer she can't refuse – fifty thousand dollars to return to Miscellany and investigate a cheating scandal in The Contest sequel, Season Two.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGillian soon discovers things aren't so straightforward. Former Contestants run Season Two and with investment and expansion in the cards, they'll do anything to avoid a scandal. Meanwhile Sebastian Luna, head of Miscellany, still spins his webs of confusion, offering Gillian the future she always wanted – but only if she plays by his rules.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith her mother's circumstances growing more dire, and mounting pressure to sweep the accusations under the rug, Gillian finds childhood games can be all the more treacherous for adults.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA thoughtful light-noir mystery, perfect for fans of \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Queen's Gambit.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\"\u003ci\u003eThe Contest\u003c\/i\u003e is a thrilling suspenseful mind bending adventure.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e– S.A. Cosby\u003c\/b\u003e best selling author of \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eAll the Sinners\u003c\/i\u003e \u003c\/b\u003eand \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eRazorblade Tears\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003ci\u003eThe Contest\u003c\/i\u003e sports a fun story that does what my favorite crime novels do – transport me to an unfamiliar world and weave in a page-turning mystery. Jeff Macfee does not disappoint with this crackling debut.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e– Alex Segura\u003c\/b\u003e, bestselling and acclaimed author of \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eSecret Identity\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlter Ego\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A mystery wrapped inside a riddle inside an enigma, \u003ci\u003eThe Contest\u003c\/i\u003e is a clever puzzle box of a book. An intrigue-filled, cerebral theme park provides the setting for an affecting tale about finding one’s worth after defeat, and Macfee’s storytelling instantly drew me in from the first page.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e– Victor Manibo\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Sleepless\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e and \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eEscape Velocity\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Jeff Macfee drops the reader into a hall of mirrors with no way out. A singular book.”\u003cbr\u003e– \u003cb\u003eAdam Oyebanji,\u003c\/b\u003e author of \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eA Quiet Teacher \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A brilliant page-turner about obsession, compromise, child prodigies, and second chances, all set in a world where Willy Wonka made escape rooms rather than chocolate bars, \u003ci\u003eThe Contest\u003c\/i\u003e is my favorite thing I’ve read this year.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e– Peter Clines,\u003c\/b\u003e NYT Bestselling author  of \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Broken Room\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eParadox Bound\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Here’s a riddle: what’s the best mystery puzzler since \u003ci\u003eSquid Game\u003c\/i\u003e? The answer is Jeff Macfee’s \u003ci\u003eThe Contest\u003c\/i\u003e.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e– Nick Kolakowski\u003c\/i\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhere the Bones Lie\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Like Willy Wonka if it was written by Hitchcock… LOVE THE BOOK. Seriously, it is SO GOOD. \"\u003cbr\u003e– \u003cb\u003eStephen Blackmoore\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003e \u003cb\u003e Dead Things\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\"An intriguing and addictive novel full of risk, riddles and conspiracies – \u003ci\u003eThe Contest\u003c\/i\u003e will keep you on your toes until the puzzle is finally solved.\"\u003cbr\u003e– \u003cb\u003eS.B. Caves\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eHoneycomb\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\"Like Willy Wonka if it was written by Hitchcock… LOVE THE BOOK. Seriously, it is SO GOOD.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e– Stephen Blackmoore\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eDead Things\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003ci\u003eThe Contest\u003c\/i\u003e sports a fun story that does what my favorite crime novels do – transport me to an unfamiliar world and weave in a page-turning mystery. Jeff Macfee does not disappoint with this crackling debut.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e– Alex Segura\u003c\/b\u003e, bestselling and acclaimed author of \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eSecret Identity\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlter Ego\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Jeff Macfee drops the reader into a hall of mirrors with no way out. A singular book.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e– Adam Oyebanji,\u003c\/b\u003e author of \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eA Quiet Teacher\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A brilliant page-turner about obsession, compromise, child prodigies, and second chances, all set in a world where Willy Wonka made escape rooms rather than chocolate bars, \u003ci\u003eThe Contest\u003c\/i\u003e is my favorite thing I’ve read this year.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e– Peter Clines,\u003c\/b\u003e NYT Bestselling author of \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Broken Room\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eParadox Bound\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A mystery wrapped inside a riddle inside an enigma, \u003ci\u003eThe Contest\u003c\/i\u003e is a clever puzzle box of a book. An intrigue-filled, cerebral theme park provides the setting for an affecting tale about finding one’s worth after defeat, and Macfee’s storytelling instantly drew me in from the first page.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e– Victor Manibo\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Sleepless\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e and \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eEscape Velocity\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003ci\u003eThe Contest\u003c\/i\u003e is a thrilling suspenseful mind bending adventure.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e– S.A. Cosby,\u003c\/b\u003e best selling author of \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eAll the Sinners\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e and \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eRazorblade Tears\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Here’s a riddle: what’s the best mystery puzzler since \u003ci\u003eSquid Game\u003c\/i\u003e? The answer is Jeff Macfee’s \u003ci\u003eThe Contest\u003c\/i\u003e.”\u003cbr\u003e– \u003cb\u003eNick Kolakowski\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhere the Bones Lie\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"An intriguing and addictive novel full of risk, riddles and conspiracies – \u003ci\u003eThe Contest\u003c\/i\u003e will keep you on your toes until the puzzle is finally solved.\"\u003cbr\u003e– \u003cb\u003eS.B. Caves\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eHoneycomb\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eJeff Macfee is the author of the forthcoming crime novel \u003ci\u003eThe Contest\u003c\/i\u003e (February, 2025). He writes about ordinary people who do their best but make things worse. When he’s not writing he’s doing IT things and asking you to turn it off and on again. He lives in North Texas with his wife and three kids.","brand":"Datura Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46304004833509,"sku":"NP9781915523457","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9781915523457.jpg?v=1767738826","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/the-contest-isbn-9781915523457","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}