What an odd way to conduct a scholarship contest.

Six chosen candidates are locked in a house that belongs to the college‘s owner, and they have to complete an essay and follow all the bylaws pertaining to this scholarship.

While they were in the house one of the candidates mysteriously dies, and the students are not allowed out because if one of them leaves or they stop the procedure that has to take place on this certain date there will never be another scholarship for anyone.

As they finish with one part of the contest, and after they have had lunch, another member dies.

What is going on?

Who can be murdering these people in this locked building?

Everyone begins to tell tales about each other, to blame each other, and mistrust each other.

Will they continue to follow the bylaws to the T or break tradition and try to get out of the locked building and alert the police that are guarding the house?

THE FINALISTS has a very detailed, well written story line and pulls you in, but it dragged for me.

Even though the tension was high, this book wasn't my favorite of Mr. Bell's, and I wanted to tell the characters to get out of that house before they all were murdered and to get the attention of the police who were right outside.

I certainly would have left, and I would have made every effort to let the police know there were dead bodies inside.

Did they finally TRY to get out?

They did TRY, but what HAPPENED when they tried?

What happened to everyone?

How were the murders carried out, and who was the murderer?

You will have to give the book a go to find out. 3/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.