Hooked on Books discussion

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.

✨ The Tidbits ✨


📛 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.

✅ Team 11 ✅


🕵🏼 Trio (63)
🕵🏼 Caipi (69)
🕵🏼 Ashley GR (71)
🕵🏼 Julia (72)

Reserved

🔗 Your Super-Secret Silver Screen Sleuths Spreadsheet link will be added to Message 2 closer to the start date.

Any suggestions for team names?

Slow Burn, Fast Escape
Dirty Minds, Clean Exits
Breaking Out & Making Out

Hi team, checking in! 😊👋🏼

Love all your name ideas, Julia! :)

Team Clueless
Clue Collectors
Code Crackers
Great Escapees
Clever Captives
Secret Agents
Crime Scene Squad
Curious Minds
Just The Facts
Red Herrings
The Brainy Bunch
Unsolved Unit
(Those ideas were all found on Pinterest)

oh my gosh, what a great assortment of names guys!

lol - I think I like
Clever Captives and Slow Burn, Fast Escape
but I'm totally flexible

Trio wrote: "lol - I think I like
Clever Captives and Slow Burn, Fast Escape
but I'm totally flexible"

I'm okay with one of those two names, too.

Same 😊

🔗 Your SS link has been added to Message 2. Please go ahead and request access as soon as you see this. 🕵🏼

Sorry, I'm here, SH is a grind this month. I had so many long reads thanks to tbr picks.

Michelle's Empty Nest wrote: "🔗 Your SS link has been added to Message 2. Please go ahead and request access as soon as you see this. 🕵🏼"

done!

Caipi wrote: "Trio wrote: "lol - I think I like
Clever Captives and Slow Burn, Fast Escape
but I'm totally flexible"

I'm okay with one of those two names, too."

Same!

Shall we take Slow Burn, Fast Escape as our name then?

And what about creating a secret group?
I’d prefer one to exchange thoughts rather than discussing on the SS. What do y’all think?

I agree, discussing the clues in the SS itself sounds like a bit of a hassle. I‘ve never used a group chat on GR before, but if someone knows how to set one up, that sounds like a good option 😊

Happy to have Slow Burn, Fast Escape as our team name.

Yes to secret group, we had one my first year of SH and it was so helpful! I agree on the name too!

yes on the name, and yes to the secret group - I've never set one up before though - I think we need to create it and invite the other three players to be in the group?

Asked for our name to be added. 👍🏻

I set up a secret group for the discussions (hopefully I did it correctly...) 🙈😂
Sent an invite for the group to Trio and Ashley and a friend invite to Julia.

@Trio, I also set up our thread for the Favorite Fair Foods Challenge

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

thanks Caipi!

Finished my "to begin your investigation" book and added it to the SS.

Same 😊

I haven't read a book in August yet - it's been nuts. My back actually went out (so painful) last Wednesday and I've been on muscle relaxers which make me so drowsy and I keep falling asleep when I try to read.

I'll knock something out tomorrow.

Do we need to post a completion post in this thread? Or just in the SS.

Sorry behind on posting. Will catch up today!

Trio wrote: "I haven't read a book in August yet - it's been nuts. My back actually went out (so painful) last Wednesday and I've been on muscle relaxers which make me so drowsy and I keep falling asleep when I..."

Just add to the SS and the last one needs to check us in. :)

Just added to the SS as well. Trio once you're done you just need to check us in on the check in thread :)

okay I checked in on the check in thread... we don't need to do completion posts in this thread too? or we don't need to do completion posts just for the intro task?

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. 🕵🏼

Trio wrote: "okay I checked in on the check in thread... we don't need to do completion posts in this thread too? or we don't need to do completion posts just for the intro task?"


The only time you'll make completion posts here in your thread will be for "hint payment" books. There's a format for how to do that listed above. 😊

yes I saw the format, and I read what was posted in the Q&A thread but I wasn't sure - sorry, first timer here and I'm sure (like you said in the Q&A thread) it will all become clear as we continue to play - thanks SO much!!!

guys - check out the chapter 1 tab in our SS and let me know if anyone has any guesses

okay I've checked us in for Chapter 1 (hopefully I did it right)
sorry for being MIA team - I'm back now!

AWESOME JOB, team!!!


You may now read for Chapter 1's tasks!

Mine is posted. Sorry for the delay I’m away this weekend and all next week but shouldn’t have an issue with WiFi.

I’m trying to post our tasks completion, but it’s not letting me post a link to google docs, saying it’s an outside website. Am I missing the trick for this as everyone is able to? 😆

Ok I think it let me, phew. Now here’s hoping I did it correctly 🤞

Excellent!


I have added Chapter 2 to your SS. Good luck!

SUPERB!!


You may now read for Chapter 2's tasks!

I checked us in for chapter 2... I hope I did it right.

Excellent!


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!

Sorry, team!


That is not the correct answer. I have left you another hint!


You will now each need to read any book that meets HOB's general guidelines. Post the completions HERE in the thread for these "hint payment" books, but only list the Hint #...no words to give the hint away. Then do a team completion post in the Check-In Thread. After that, you may make another guess based on the evidence and the hints.

HINT PAYMENT for Chapter #3, Hint #2
Book/Author: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Date read: Aug 29, 2025
Pages: 406
How it fits: Meets general HOB guidelines

HINT PAYMENT for Chapter #3, Hint #2
Book/Author: Family Unit by Z.A. Maxfield
Date read: Aug 30, 2025
Pages: 294
How it fits: Meets general HOB guidelines

HINT PAYMENT for Chapter #3, Hint #2
Book/Author: He Completes Me by Cardeno C.
Date read: Aug 30, 2025
Pages: 363
How it fits: Meets general HOB guidelines