Escape City- Kayla Hicks’ Upcoming Book Release

What happens when a thrilling escape room turns into a fight for your life?

Multi-genre author Kayla Hicks is about to add another sub-genre to her young adult book selection in the form of horror.

What is Escape City about?

In the glittering world of social media, five affluent influencers — Noah, Josie, Rue, Jaxon, and Naya — are accustomed to luxury and attention. When Noah, heir to an amusement park empire, invites them to experience his family’s newest venture, Escape City, they eagerly anticipate a thrilling zombie escape room adventure in Las Vegas.

But Escape City isn’t just an amusement park — it’s a living nightmare. As the simulated experience spirals into chaos, the friends find themselves trapped in a dystopian city overrun by the undead. What was supposed to be a game quickly becomes a battle for survival as they navigate deadly challenges and unravel cryptic puzzles to escape.

With the lines between reality and illusion blurring, their once-carefree lives crumble in a world where every decision could be their last. Will their friendship and resourcefulness be enough to survive the horrors lurking within Escape City?

What inspired Kayla Hicks to write it?

I have always loved zombies as I always felt they were more complicated monster than people give them credit for. Perhaps it’s the reason that as human beings, the act of harming another human doesn’t come easily.

So, I tried my hand at it, taking my love for escape rooms and zombies, and mixing them together with an amusement park to see what happened. And Escape City was born.

What can readers expect from Escape City?

The main characters are chasing fame, trying to make their mark on the world. And it just so happens that when Noah Bronston’s father offers all of their careers a boost with a special opportunity like Escape City and the chance to share it first with their audiences, it seems too good to pass up.

The characters are teen influencers except for Naya, whose mother launched more sustainable building materials that will help save the planet, launching her into the world of the wealthy.

Once the characters enter the park, they begin to encounter puzzles, riddles, and of course zombies that make it more difficult for them to make it to the heart building at the center of the small-scale city that is Escape City.

Meet the Characters

When can we expect Escape City to be released?

Escape City will be released on Friday, January 31st, 2025.

See the book trailer here: Escape City Book Trailer.