Hooked on Books discussion
Escape Room Challenge
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Escape Room: Silver Screen Sleuths - Undercover Readers (2) {COMPLETED}
message 2:
by
Michelle's Empty Nest, The Challenge Whisperer
(last edited Jul 31, 2025 01:15AM)
(new)
Mod
📛 First off, CHECK IN with your teammate(s) and decide on a TEAM NAME. Please post it in the Check-In Thread so that I don't miss seeing it.
💰 For books that are being used as "HINT PAYMENTS," please list them in this Team Thread as you typically would, and then post as a team in the Check-In with the Chief: Check-In Thread. This is due to the fact that you won't be giving anything away to another team, as no actual hints or clues will be typed out here. After all, we ALL KNOW that eyes go wandering around. I know MINE do! 😅
➡️ Please use this format for your Team Thread.
Chapter #:
Hint #2 or #3: {number ONLY, NO words}
Book/Author:
Date Read:
Pages:
How it Fits: Meets general HOB guidelines
➡️ You can just do a Team Completion with links to each post in the Check-In Thread.
Player 1: Link
Player 2: Link
Etc.
🕵🏼♀️ Once you've answered the clue question correctly and are ready to submit your books for the Prompt/Tasks, post ONLY A LINK to the proper SPREADSHEET CHAPTER TAB in the Check-In Thread. PLEASE DO NOT list those books here in your Team Thread. The same goes for the Introduction and the Conclusion. Handle them the same way, please.
➡️ Please use this format for the Chapters/Introduction/Conclusion.
Team Name:
Link to Team Thread:
Link to Spreadsheet Chapter Tab:
✅ The very last tab in the Spreadsheet is the ANSWER CHECKER. There are instructions included about how to use it.
✏️ Pencil and paper MAY come in handy for a few of the clues to do some SCRATCH WORK. They also might help with the ANSWER CHECKER. You'll see how as you start to use it.
🔗 Super-Secret Silver Screen Sleuths Spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
😎 You will need to REQUEST ACCESS to the Spreadsheet the first time you try to use it.
🙋🏼♂️ Questions about anything?? Post them in the Call in a Favor: Q&A Thread.
message 3:
by
Michelle's Empty Nest, The Challenge Whisperer
(last edited Jul 24, 2025 02:12AM)
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Mod
🕵🏼 C (6)
🕵🏼 Beth (14)
🕵🏻♂️ Richard (15)
🕵🏼 Char (27)
message 4:
by
Michelle's Empty Nest, The Challenge Whisperer
(last edited Jul 22, 2025 10:19PM)
(new)
Mod
Mod
Hullooo Team 2. This is me, checking in & clicking the Notify thingy. 😎
Team name options...I'm open to anything. I like fun puns, so here are some I've thought of:The Private Detectors
The Falcon's Malteser
Readers Under Covers - (changed, to highlight 'Under Cover' for the theme)
Tome Investigators Inc
Bibliophile P.I.
Real Life Escapers
Escaping the Plot
Hi everyone! I'm so excited for another team challenge. Woo hoo!Richard, I like your team name ideas. My favorite is Bibliphile PI. :)
Hiii everyone!!I like Escaping the Plot, and Tome Investigators Inc!
Hi, thanks Richard for getting me here!! I'm cool with any of the names. I probably like Readers Under the Covers best, only because I like to read in bed or snuggled with a blanket. The Falcon's Malteser (or Malteaser 🤪) is also a cool homage to the theme.
I'm glad you like my names. Feel free to come up with your own. We have a few days to work it out. 😊
Hey Beth, since you're new to HOB, you may not have noticed that a new team challenge has dropped, starting in Sept: Literary Bookopoly. See, I told you HOB has fun games. 🤓
Ooooooh getting close to the start of all these challenges... 😎
Mod
We should probably have a secret group... Also, should we spin for team name since we haven't chosen yet?
We could leave notes for each other in the spreadsheet, as suggested, but that won't give notifications if there's something we want more active discussion on.Very glad to see that we can read the same prompts. I was getting nervous when my book worked for a quite easy prompt lol.
Hi! I'm so sorry to have been AWOL! This is the longest I've been away from Goodreads for as long as I can remember... who'd have guessed that eventually real life would interfere with my reading. Hmpf!I'll create a secret thread for us and invite you all. As for team name...I think we each had a different favorite. If you're OK with it, I'll throw them into a randomizer and let fate pick our name. 🤪
Back soon!
C, I've put in a friend request so I can invite you to the secret group I'm creating. I'll go ahead and hit "Create" with Richard and Char in since we're already GR friends.
Hi Beth, got that accepted, so you should be able to add me now. :) I'm also fine with our name being left to fate. Watch, it will choose something that wasn't anyone's favorite lol, but they were all good names, so it's not a big deal, it would just be funny lol.
Nothing but a solitary tumbleweed here
Not sure if we're adding the book completions in here as well as the SS.
I was planning to only do SS. :P That might be a clue since we're only supposed to do SS links when checking in?
Richard wrote: "Not sure if we're adding the book completions in here as well as the SS."I asked over in the Q&A thread.
Mod
💰 For books that are being used as "HINT PAYMENTS," please list them in this Team Thread as you typically would, and then post as a team in the Check-In with the Chief: Check-In Thread. This is due to the fact that you won't be giving anything away to another team, as no actual hints or clues will be typed out here. After all, we ALL KNOW that eyes go wandering around. I know MINE do! 😅
➡️ Please use this format for your Team Thread.
Chapter #:
Hint #2 or #3: {number ONLY, NO words}
Book/Author:
Date Read:
Pages:
How it Fits: Meets general HOB guidelines
➡️ You can just do a Team Completion with links to each post in the Check-In Thread.
Player 1: Link
Player 2: Link
Etc.
🕵🏼♀️ Once you've answered the clue question correctly and are ready to submit your books for the Prompt/Tasks, post ONLY A LINK to the proper SPREADSHEET CHAPTER TAB in the Check-In Thread. PLEASE DO NOT list those books here in your Team Thread. The same goes for the Introduction and the Conclusion. Handle them the same way, please.
➡️ Please use this format for the Chapters/Introduction/Conclusion.
Team Name:
Link to Team Thread:
Link to Spreadsheet Chapter Tab:
As you see in Michelle's post, for the Intro, Chapters, and Conclusion, you are only posting on the SS and then linking to it.We post in the thread for hints, but we haven't reached that stage yet.
I edited my Intro book post with NTSH (nothing to see here).
I got a check-in post ready for posting, including formatting.C, since you'll be adding your completed book to the SS, feel free to do the check in. You can copy the contents of cells I21 to I25 (cells are grey) to make our completion post!
Beth wrote: "I edited my Intro book post with NTSH (nothing to see here)"I edited mine too
That check-in post is in the spreadsheet? In the Column I range? Don't want to reinvent your wheel and I haven't had a chance to do or look at anything for a few hours.
message 33:
by
Michelle's Empty Nest, The Challenge Whisperer
(last edited Aug 02, 2025 02:37AM)
(new)
Mod
Chapter 1 has been added to your SS!
Remember, you MUST use the evidence and clues/hints to make a correct guess in #2 before you move on to reading for the tasks in #3. You may begin planning your books, but they can't be completed and checked in before you make a correct guess. 🕵🏼
message 34:
by
Michelle's Empty Nest, The Challenge Whisperer
(last edited Aug 03, 2025 07:03AM)
(new)
Mod
AWESOME JOB, team!!!
You may now read for Chapter 1's tasks!
Mod
Chapter 2 has been added to your SS!
Remember, you MUST use the evidence and clues/hints to make a correct guess in #2 before you move on to reading for the tasks in #3. You may begin planning your books, but they can't be completed and checked in before you make a correct guess. 🕵🏼
Mod
SUPERB!!
You may now read for Chapter 2's tasks!
Mod
I have added a Chapter 3 Evidence Tab and a Chapter 3 Tab to your SS. There's more evidence...so two tabs were easier. Good luck!
Mod
OUTSTANDING!!
Y'all are good! You may now read for Chapter 3's tasks!
Mod
Mod
Excellent!
I have added a Chapter 4 Tab to your SS. Good luck!
message 47:
by
Michelle's Empty Nest, The Challenge Whisperer
(last edited Aug 10, 2025 03:32PM)
(new)
Mod
AWESOME!!
You may now read for Chapter 4's tasks!
Mod
Excellent!
I have added a Chapter 5 Evidence Tab and a Chapter 5 Tab to your SS. There's more evidence...so two tabs were easier. Good luck!
Mod
AWESOME!!
You may now read for Chapter 5's tasks!
Mod
Excellent!
I have added the Chapter 6 Tab to your SS. Good luck!
Hooked on Books
Books mentioned in this topic
Wolf Gone Wild (other topics)The Talented Mrs. Mandelbaum: The Rise and Fall of an American Organized-Crime Boss (other topics)
Diagnosis: Solving the Most Baffling Medical Mysteries (other topics)
Captains Courageous (other topics)
Authors mentioned in this topic
Juliette Cross (other topics)Margalit Fox (other topics)
Lisa Sanders (other topics)
Escape Room: Silver Screen Sleuths
Partner/Team Challenge; Open-Ended
Grab Your Detective Hat on August 1, 2025
📖 The Storyline 📖
In the heart of 1940s Los Angeles, you and your partner, Peggy, are drawn into a challenging case. Chief Inspector Theodore Harrington hands you a cryptic letter, hinting at a sinister plot involving a fake charity and a MURDER.
Your investigation begins at the police precinct, where a mysterious figure left the letter and three ticket stubs. The charity, presented as a force for good, hides dark secrets. The murder victim holds THE KEY to unraveling the entire scheme.
As you navigate the city’s labyrinthine streets, from opulent theaters to grimy back alleys, you’ll piece together intricate CLUES and solve demanding PUZZLES. Each step uncovers new secrets, bringing you closer to the truth.
“Silver Screen Sleuths” is designed for true detective enthusiasts. With its complex storyline and puzzles, this game will TEST your skills and CHALLENGE your wits.
📓 The Plan 📓
Grab a PARTNER - or TWO or THREE - and get ready to solve this mystery!
This is a SPREADSHEET-BASED challenge where only your team will have access in order to keep the clues you uncover a SECRET from other prying eyes. After all, we don't want to be solving the crime for another team of detectives, do we??
You will receive a set of CLUES and a stack of EVIDENCE for each Chapter in this mystery. You will also receive one "FREE" hint at the beginning of the Chapter. If you can find the answer to the clue, you will move on to the Prompt and Tasks for the Chapter. If you are unable to find the answer to the clue, you will read a book that fits the general Hooked on Books guidelines as "PAYMENT" for a NEW HINT. There are THREE hints available for each Chapter, and there are TEN Chapters in all. So you will read between ONE and THREE books per Chapter, depending on how sharp your detective skills are.
Once you see the spreadsheet and get through the first Chapter, anything that sounds confusing above will make much more sense, I PROMISE! Also, I will share the "WALKTHROUGH" at the end of each Chapter so you can start to see how the clues and evidence are being used to solve the mystery.
📝 The Sidenote 📝
While we are trying to keep our detective work to ourselves, this is NOT a race-to-the-finish challenge. However, with that being said, I would suggest using the space at the bottom of your spreadsheet for any discussions - INSTEAD OF in your team thread. Again...prying eyes and all. 👀 You will need to take a little time to SORT THROUGH the evidence and CRACK the clues, just like in a real investigation and a real escape room scenario.
👨👩👧👦 The Partnering Up 👨👩👧👦
I would LOVE for you to play with a partner or group of up to four of YOUR choosing. Since reading speed won't be of critical importance for this Escape Room Challenge, I want to allow you to create your partnerships/groups on your own. So discuss it among yourselves and let me know who will be together. ALL members will still need to post a sign-up so I can be sure they are aware of their commitment to this challenge. If you want me to partner you with someone random, please let me know that when you sign up as well. I would love to have teams IN PLACE by July 28th to give me a few days to set everything up for you. However, you can STILL start a new team after that time.
😓 The Hard Truth 😓
If you CAN'T access and maneuver Google Sheets on your device, this MAY NOT be the challenge for you to participate in. Sorry about that. This was the best way I could determine to run this particular challenge.
✨ The Tidbits ✨
There will be a FEW more details about how to post your "hint payment" books and checking in, etc., in your team threads. Your Super-Secret Silver Screen Sleuths Spreadsheet link will also be there.
📚 The Challenge Rules 📚
📗 Standard Rules Apply
📕 I will create a team thread for you prior to the start date.
📘 You may begin reading your first book for the Introduction Prompt prior to the start date, but it MAY NOT be completed before August 1, 2025.
📗 Books MUST be completed after you receive new information. If you get your new Chapter/Prompt on August 4th, you can't use a book you completed on August 3rd.
📕 The Challenge will run for as long as you need to complete all ten Chapters.