PRH acquires Meyer and Moss YA thriller

Penguin Random House (PRH) Australia has acquired ANZ rights to The Escape Game, a YA mystery thriller by American author Marissa Meyer and Perth-based author Tamara Moss, via Jill Grinberg at Jill Grinberg Literary Management in a multi-house auction.

‘The Escape Game is a thrilling murder mystery set in an escape-room-themed game show, with a million-dollar prize, an unsolved crime from the show’s past season, and compelling contestants,’ said the publisher.

Meyer is the author of The Lunar Chronicles, Heartless, The Renegades Trilogy, and Instant Karma. In addition to writing, she hosts The Happy Writer podcast. Meyer lives near Tacoma, Washington, USA.

West Australian author Moss has published three books in the Lintang series. She was the winner of the West Australian Young Readers Book Award – Hoffman Award in 2019, and Lintang and the Pirate Queen was shortlisted for the Readings Children’s Book Prize in 2018.

Discussing their processes, Meyer and Moss, usually critique partners, spoke highly of co-authoring.

‘I’m not much of a romantic these days,’ Moss said. ‘I love writing deep friendships and chemistry between characters, but if you’re swooning, that’s Marissa. She’s also the brains behind most of the codes and puzzles.’

Meyer described their writing approaches as ‘complimentary’: ‘Working with Tamara pushed me to think more deeply about characterisation and backstory,’ she said.

PRH children’s publisher Lisa Riley said: ‘The Escape Game has it all, with its top-notch writing, clever whodunnit twists, escape-room puzzles, winning characters, wry humour and TV game show setting. It’s a reading event not to be missed!’

PRH plans to release The Escape Game in April 2026.

Pictured [l-r]: Marissa Meyer and Tamara Moss.

Photo credit for Tamara Moss headshot: Lumens Photography. 

Category: Local news Rights and acquisitions