diff --git a/src/pyj/book_list/book_details.pyj b/src/pyj/book_list/book_details.pyj
index 6e65363b40..5a0b309a82 100644
--- a/src/pyj/book_list/book_details.pyj
+++ b/src/pyj/book_list/book_details.pyj
@@ -605,7 +605,7 @@ def check_for_books_loaded():
     create_book_details(container)
 
 
-def onkeydown(container_id, ev):
+def onkeydown(container_id, close_action, ev):
     if render_book.book_id:
         if not ev.altKey and not ev.ctrlKey and not ev.metaKey and not ev.shiftKey:
             if ev.key is 'ArrowLeft':
@@ -614,6 +614,9 @@ def onkeydown(container_id, ev):
             elif ev.key is 'ArrowRight':
                 next_book(render_book.book_id, 1)
                 ev.preventDefault(), ev.stopPropagation()
+            elif ev.key is 'Escape':
+                ev.preventDefault(), ev.stopPropagation()
+                close_action()
 
 
 def init(container_id):
@@ -629,7 +632,7 @@ def init(container_id):
     create_top_bar(container, title=_('Book details'), action=close_action, icon=close_icon)
     window.scrollTo(0, 0)  # Ensure we are at the top of the window
     container.appendChild(E.div(class_=CLASS_NAME, tabindex='0'))
-    container.lastChild.addEventListener('keydown', onkeydown.bind(None, container_id), {'passive': False, 'capture': True})
+    container.lastChild.addEventListener('keydown', onkeydown.bind(None, container_id, close_action), {'passive': False, 'capture': True})
     container.lastChild.focus()
     container.lastChild.appendChild(E.div(_('Loading books from the calibre library, please wait...'), style='margin: 1ex 1em'))
     conditional_timeout(container_id, 5, check_for_books_loaded)
diff --git a/src/pyj/book_list/edit_metadata.pyj b/src/pyj/book_list/edit_metadata.pyj
index 2177722a1a..afd91450bc 100644
--- a/src/pyj/book_list/edit_metadata.pyj
+++ b/src/pyj/book_list/edit_metadata.pyj
@@ -1040,10 +1040,18 @@ def check_for_books_loaded():
     create_edit_metadata(container)
 
 
+def handle_keypress(container_id, ev):
+    if not ev.altKey and not ev.ctrlKey and not ev.metaKey and not ev.shiftKey:
+        if ev.key is 'Escape':
+            ev.preventDefault(), ev.stopPropagation()
+            on_close(container_id)
+
+
 def init(container_id):
     container = document.getElementById(container_id)
     create_top_bar(container, title=_('Edit metadata'), action=on_close.bind(None, container_id), icon='close')
-    container.appendChild(E.div(class_=CLASS_NAME))
+    container.appendChild(E.div(class_=CLASS_NAME, tabindex='0', onkeydown=handle_keypress.bind(None, container_id)))
+    container.lastChild.focus()
     container.lastChild.appendChild(E.div(_('Loading books from the calibre library, please wait...'), style='margin: 1ex 1em'))
     conditional_timeout(container_id, 5, check_for_books_loaded)