A real page turner. Fast moving and well developed characters. Stayed up late to finish it which is always a sign of a brilliant book!

What a fitting title, Elevator Pitch. Quite an unusual proposition, a whole city held to ransom by a succession of elevator incidents resulting in death and decapitation. I imagine if you could actually gain access to the software which controls a number of elevators, you could bring a high rise city to its knees. The characters in the story were evenly matched without the usual ‘lead’ figures. Quite an innovative climax at the end too. I have read other novels which centre on high rise buildings, the Shard in London springs to mind. Must be the elevation which adds to the tension.

This was so much fun! Taut and fast paced, Elevator Pitch depicts a New York under threat, as elevators plunge at random, taking the occupants to their doom.

But is it really random?

With plenty of false leads to keep you guessing as it powers towards a suitably over the top finale, Elevator Pitch is an exciting romp of a thriller.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC without obligation to review.

An electrifying ride in this heart-stopping tale. Manhattan, one of the world's most vertical cities comes to a stop after a killer takes control of the elevators leading to a series of gruesome deaths. A race against time ensues in this high stakes thriller, 98 stories to be exact.

Really gripping.....well written novel set in New York and a very plausible plot line. A real page turner

I'm not sure why I didn't enjoy this more? It was well written as all Barclay's books are but I found it more difficult to read? I wasn't particuarly connected with any of the characters which never helps and I think it was quite complicated in places. The storyline was really clever though and that's what pushed me to finish it and I'm glad I did.

Linwood Barclay has done it again! Elevator Pitch is one that will have you skipping straight to the stairs from this point forward no matter how high your floor is and how out of shape you feel. This is one that will dig deep into that fear you never knew you even had. Slow to build with great suspense and intrigue, this is for sure a wild, thrill ride. Highly recommended to readers who enjoy a good thriller.

If you don’t have a fear of elevators before you start this book you may well do after finishing it! Let’s just say that I’ll be sticking to the stairs for a while 😉

In this story we see a city in fear as elevators begin to malfunction causing terrifying events to unfold. The descriptions in a way weren’t particularly graphic (except for maybe one) instead the reader is given just enough detail to convey the fear and horror that the victims experienced, which of course heightens the tension with each event. Elevator Pitch definitely had the power to keep me turning those pages, wondering what would happen next and how everything would fit together!

The pacing of Elevator Pitch is for the most part pretty consistent, moving at a good speed with the different characters helping to keep my attention focused. There are a few characters to follow but to be fair they all have distinct personalities so it is easy to go along with each one. I can’t say that I became especially attached to any of the characters. I liked that they had flaws and had their own set of troubles or issues that they were working through. I guess it actually helped to make them just that little bit more interesting! All in all Elevator Pitch has an intense, dark and twisty storyline one that is guaranteed to make you think twice before you step inside an elevator!

I feel the beginning of any book is the most crucial part. And especially thrillers they need to grab my attention from the very start. Unfortunately, it was difficult for me to get into this book. It started well, but then I felt every time a chapter started getting interesting, it'd change to a different story / perspective. So it was time-consuming for me to regain interest during those crucial first moments.

The concept and hook were promising, but I just didn't feel invested enough throughout the development. Overall, I just wish the pace was a bit faster.

I have always enjoyed Linwood Bacrclsy’s writing and this book was no exception. It really got me thinking all through the book and I never did guess. A great book but I am not wondering if I want to get in an elevator again...!

Well, that's me never going on an Elevator again. I enjoy Linwood Barclay books and this one is a good one, although a little slow at first, then the pitch and the pace heats up. As always incredibly well written. Recommended

About one third of the way into this book I had it all worked out. I knew who the killer was and why he was making these things happen. I was wrong, so very wrong. The story is full of suspects most of whom have good reason to be carrying out the attacks but for every suspect there are half a dozen red herrings and in my opinion that makes a really good book even better. This book will gain a lot of new readers for this author. Unfortunately I will have to wait for him to write another book as I have read all of his back catalogue.

Having been a fan of Linwood Barclay I was disappointed with this most recent release. It felt slow paced and I was waiting for something to happen for long periods of time! I'm hoping this was a glitch and Linwood will be back to his best soon!

Thank you Net Galley for the chance to read this book pre-publication. I really did try to like this book but I only got half way through and was still waiting for something monumental to happen !
Will retain the option to finish it but I don't think it is living up to the hype, sorry.

Read this in 3 or 4 days, a bit different to his usual style which I do find a little disappointing, but I still enjoyed it. As always with Linwood Barclay, his characters are so good again. There are plenty of teists and turns along the way. Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to have an ARC

Actions have consequences always. Whether the consequences are fulfilled is another story. This book is a story that weaves around several lives. They are connected but not in the way you think. You are taken on a journey that involves elevators failing, a man murdered, and a crazy activist group flung in the middle. as you read the book you think you know what is happening but there are so many red herrings in the book that throws you off. A well written descriptive book that makes you think

A brilliant thriller! Someone has taken control of New York’s elevators and is sending them crashing to the ground. This is a disaster for a city with so many sky rise buildings, what can Richard Headley, the mayor, do? Who is doing this and why? I love Linwood Barclay’s novels and this one is a great read. Couldn’t put the book down, I was desperate to find out how the story would be resolved. A great read!

Elevators, or Lifts as we call them in the UK, are almost everywhere now. With the increase of apartment living a lot of people have to use Elevators to get to their residence, or to and from their place of work, especially those who work in big cities.
Getting stuck in a lift is a very real fear for lots of people – but imagine that after the lift stops, it begins to plummet to the ground 70+ storeys at speed, only to meet with a hard stop at the bottom. Terrifying, right?

Well that’s what happens at the beginning of Linwood Barclay’s latest novel, Elevator Pitch. Set in the skyscrapers of New York City, there’s a freak Elevator accident, which attracts media attention because of its nature, but also because there are a couple of celebrities in the car when it happens. But no-one’s really worried. These things happen once in a blue moon, and with so many elevators in use all over the city, it’s amazing it doesn’t happen more often.

Then there’s another. Not quite the same, but just as horrific – ask the little boy covered in blood and cowering from a decapitated human head when the doors open. Then…another. Well, you get the picture. When a car bomb goes off outside a hotel, people start to get the idea that these are not accidents – but who is behind this? Is it terrorists? If so, who? And what are they trying to achieve?

Mayor Richard Headley (yep, that’s Dick Headley) is desperate to figure out what is happening while keeping his voters happy. However journalist and thorn in his side Barbara Mathieson is also determined to find out what’s going on, and how, if at all, the good Mayor is involved. 

Although it’s a bit slower than you’d usually expect from Linwood Barclay, I found this book a real page-turner, the writing is good and the plot is solid. I didn’t like the subplot that ran along and was revealed towards the end; I didn’t feel it was necessary and didn’t add anything to the story, in anything, it cheapened it a little.

But all in all, a great, exciting read.

One of the world's most vertical cities is plunged into chaos if people can't trust elevators how will they cope?

This claustrophobic scenario is brimming with suspense and intrigue. The tension is palpable in opening chapters, you just know something terrible is going to happen and are instantly fearing for the characters.

The short chapters help ensure it stays fast-paced and only helps to racks up the tension, as you try a work out who this ruthless killer is, as the death toll increases. Pact with twists and turns that finale is breathtakingly shocking. Even if you guess the killer (on this occasion I did) the unveiling of his deadly plans motives are jaw-dropping.

A terrifying premise with all the with so much possibility to be a reality it makes you think twice before you step in the elevator. Barclay is a master at his craft. If you are looking for an intense thrill, look no further you have found it!

Elevator Pitch is a brilliant and fast moving crime thriller. The title tells the reader that they will expect twists and thrills. I am a big fan of Linwood Barclay and he does not disappoint.