THE QUIET ROOM (RABBITS #2) by Terry Miles

4 stars

The highly secretive, underground, alternate-reality, scavenger hunt game Rabbits has completed its 11^th iteration, with a promised high stakes prize for the winners whose names circulate on a hard-to-find winner’s index. Game 12 seems to have begun (or has it?!) in a dimensional stream  that’s about to get cut off from the rest of the multiverse. The reason for shutting down this dimensional stream: the game has set out to isolate “The Engineer” who holds the promise of destroying the multiverse- the very fabric of which the Rabbits game has been designed to protect.

Our new cast of characters includes theme park architect Rowan Chess, who finds himself playing Rabbits alone when on a date with an online match, his date disappears in the women’s bathroom without a trace. The words “The Door is Open” appears on the bathroom stall indicating to repeat players that Game 12 has commenced. Returning from book 1: Emily Connors, a repeat and talented game player, who’s just entered this side dimension and is looking for clues of the next Rabbit game- which always take the form of repeated, unlikely coincidences. Both characters get hunted by Rabbit Police, whose role remains elusive except to imprison and shut down any potential players.

If you’re already confused- that’s how the whole book rolls out, even when you’re read the first in the series. You’re trying to figure out the whole time what’s going on as well as what the Rabbit’s game is up to. Plus, as the characters switch dimensions their own memories get muddled as well.

Both characters embark on a dangerous quest to find the mythical Quiet Room, a place that connects all dimensions, in order to both save their world and set the multiverse back in balance. Adventures, mysteries and coincidences abound, as uncertainty grows as to what kind of u er-conspiracy may be underlying all the action. Definitely start with Rabbits #1 to follow along!

Thanks to Random House Publishing, Ballantine, Del Ray and NetGalley for an advanced reader’s copy. 

Stacy DeBroff

Stacy DeBroff, founder and CEO of Mom Central.com and social and digital consultancy, Influence Central, is a social media strategist, attorney, and best-selling parenting author. A sought-after expert for national media, she trend-spots regularly with national brands and speaks frequently to national and international audiences on a wide range of subjects, including influencer marketing, social media, entrepreneurship, and consumer trends. A passionate cook, gardener, reader, and tennis player, she adores this new chapter of post-college-age parenting.