Set in New York so you can visualise the terrain and buildings which keeps you reading. Good strong characters especially the women.
There are several threads to the story line which all come together at the end. Have to say I did guess the outcome but still a good read.

If being in a lift scares you then this book will terrify you !!
It starts one Monday morning when 4 people step into a lift and it goes up and to various floors they don't want then goes all way up and very quickly all the way down resulting in 3 immediate deaths and one slightly later
Then another lift goes beserk and results in even more deaths then finally a third lift door opens and the couple step in to nothing
The mayor has no choice but to stop all elevators in the city which means chaos and lots of people dying whilst climbing the stairs
But who would do something like this? And why?
What has the mayor got to hide?
A scintillating ride of a book not to be missed

This is a very silly but very enjoyable thriller. Somebody is hacking into the elevator system in prestigious skyscrapers in New York and death and mayhem send the city into a panic.

We have the usual stock characters - a Mayor who is venal and intend on re-election, a son he treats badly, a hard bitten women reporter who constantly writes to expose his father, said reporter has a daughter from whom she is estranged. It is all there. When the battered body of an elevator technician is found in the city it is pretty clear that this murder is linked to the elevator attacks - the detective in charge of the murder is suffering from, PTSD after accidentally causing the death of a civilian in a shooting.  
It all builds up to a big denoument when the said detective is cured of his PTSD by a shocking incident...all a bit too simplistic for me. The finale is mayhem with a finish at the top of a skyscraper with gaping lift shafts and a bomb and is pure theatre. I can see it on the screen and would not be surprised if that is where it ends up

.Fun and mindless.

Thank you for the advanced copy of The Elevator. Unfortunately I didn't read past the first 2 chapters as it wasnt what I expected and not really my type of book. I struggled to get into the characters.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I read it from cover to cover in a couple of sittings, it is a real page turner. The storyline was engaging and I loved the twists and turns. The finish was nail biting and not what I expected. All in all a great book and definitely recommended.

What a brilliant book but, whatever you do ,do not let anyone with a fear of lifts read this . There are 2 cases of elevators going wrong and people dying in each of them, one of them a Russian scientist leading to worries about assassination as she was going to apply for asylum . Following this a lift engineer is found after being beaten to a pulp and having his finger tips cut off to avoid identification . The Mayor of NY , Richard Headley has links to both buildings affected and has to get all elevators stopped until they have been checked out , this does not go down well with the general public . There is due to be a Grand Opening Party at a newly built Tower , which is the tallest in NY at 98 storeys and the elevators are checked and all is OK , so what can go wrong ? Read and find out . Throughout all this a journalist Barbara , who is critical of the Mayor warns him it appears to be personal to him . It transpires there was some history between them many years earlier , but just what? Is this why she has been critical of him ? A definite good read .

My thanks to HQ for an eARC via NetGalley of Linwood Barclay’s latest thriller, ‘Elevator Pitch’, in exchange for an honest review.

I have read a number of Barclay’s novels over the years and so was quite confident that this would deliver in terms of plot and characterisation.

It begins on a Monday as four people enter an elevator in a Manhattan office building and are puzzled by it failing to stop at their requested floors. It reaches the top and then plummets to the bottom of the shaft. A shocking opening.

It appears to be a random tragedy until the next day when there is another elevator malfunction and then again another on Wednesday. The city is soon in chaos as clearly these incidents are not coincidental accidents. Are they part of a homegrown or international terrorist plot or something else?

Meanwhile, two NYPD detectives are investigating the murder of an unidentified man whose fingertips have been removed. In another strand Barbara, a journalist known for her probing articles on local politicians, recognises one of Monday’s victims as a young woman who had interned at her newspaper. These individuals and others are seeking answers as well as dealing with personal issues linked to their pasts.

Lifts (aka elevators) always make me a little nervous and I am certain that I am not alone. Barclay uses this anxiety to craft this thriller and build up the tension for its powerful climax.

I found this a highly engaging read that provided plenty of thrills and was hard to put down. I read the majority of it in a single sitting.

Linwood Barclay. A new release. You don't need a review, just go and buy it, there is no way that you will be disappointed.

Barclay tells a thrilling tale, engaging the reader from the off and does not release the reader until the end... sometimes not even then.

If you know of Linwood Barclay then you will know the quality you are getting,.if you don't, strap in, you're about to lose your sleep.

Elevator Pitch is written by one of my favourite authors. I have loved the earlier books but I did struggle a little with this one. Too many characters confused me and I found hard to keep track. I continued as I was intrigued and certainly curios as to how the plot would unfold. The last few chapters where there weren't so many characters involved were brilliant.

Absolutely brilliant as expected. I love Linwood Barclays books. I think I’ll be weary off elevators from now on lol. Would highly recommend this book , you won’t be disappointed

An elevator accident may be more than it seems…

Never having read anything by Linwood Barclay before I wasn’t quite prepared for the effective Hitchcock like plotting and delivery in Elevator Pitch. There’s a build up of tension in the story that is actually quite filmic and visual that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Having lived in Manhattan and worked around New York for a short while, I found the setting described perfectly so that I felt there was an authenticity to what I hope will only ever be a fictional situation!

The narrative is exciting with what seems at first to be diverse and separate strands woven together cleverly to create a very satisfying novel. Elevator Pitch is a deceptive book too as Linwood Barclay feeds in diversions that wrong foot the reader providing surprises along the way. I really liked the manner in which I found out details at the same time as Barbara, Jerry and Lois. Linwood Barclay’s style is brisk and pacy so that the reader is swept along in events making for an exciting read.

One of the greatest successes of Elevator Pitch for me was the characterisation. Jerry Bourque’s back story gave him a humanity that elevated him (if you’ll pardon the pun) above the usual maverick, world weary, detectives of so many crime thrillers I have read. Here, instead, is a man with heart and a conscience. I’m hoping there will be more involving him in future books. I found the family dynamics between Richard Headley and his son Glover both enlightening and very sad. The effect of a parent on a child – of whatever age – can be deeper than any might imagine. I thoroughly appreciated the feisty Barbara, especially when I was afforded an insight into her softer and more emotional side.

Thematically, there’s much to mull in Elevator Pitch and once the book has been read as a fast paced thriller, I think it would reward a second perusal to concentrate on the concepts of power, politics, corruption, PTSD, revenge, terrorism, relationships and society. Having said that, I thought the premise for the novel was possibly more than enough for me on its own. I am claustrophobic so avoid lifts as much as I can. Elevator Pitch has not left me any more inclined to enjoy their enclosed spaces!

I really did enjoy Elevator Pitch and it has persuaded me that I’ve left it too long to discover Linwood Barclay as a writer. This won’t be my last reading of his books, but I think it was a very good place to start.

SPOILER FREE REVIEW!
So I’ve finished this advanced readers ebook just in time to see Linwood Barclay on tour next week for the release - and I wasn’t disappointed!
If you’re looking for an easy read thriller that will really make you think about things you might take for granted, this is it!
However, if you’re already scared or cautious of riding elevators (lifts here in the UK) then maybe give just this one a miss.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Being a Barclay virgin (I know, I know!) and reading the synopsis I couldn’t wait to start this book. I was immediately gripped with the first elevator ‘accident’ and elsewhere the discovery of a dead man, which police officers Jerry Bourque and Lois Delgado attend. Then come more elevator ‘accidents’ and the connection of the dead man being an elevator engineer. Set in New York, the story has quite a few characters; Mayor Headley and his son Glover, mayoral aids Valerie Langdon and Chris Vallins, journalist Barbara and her daughter Arla oh, and also in the mix a terrorist cell. Overall I enjoyed this book and completely got the ending wrong by going down the wrong path, but that only made it more enjoyable. I will certainly be reading more of this author but I think it will be a while before I use an elevator again! Thank you to HQ and NetGalley for an advanced copy in return for my review.

Three Elevator accidents in three days.
Do they tell the public about them or risk another Elevator accident. Is it terrorist, Russians or is it more personal.
Meanwhile NYPD Detectives Jerry Bourque and Lois Delgado are investigating the death of a man murdered and his finger tips cut off.
Journalist Barbara Matheson is also snooping about this Elevator case.
The Mayor then orders all Elevators to be closed down and checked sending panic and more people dying from having to climb the stairs in these high rises.
Journalist Barbara is not one of the mayors greatest fans and when she gets her teeth into a scoop she won’t let go.
Detectives Jerry & Lois find out the man who was murdered worked with Elevators.The case then become one . With everybody trying to find out who is behind it and before anyone else is killed.
Thanks Netgalley

I love thrillers and suspense novels in general, and I especially love it when I don’t guess the ending/twist or whodunnit.

At first, I wasn’t sure how I felt about some of the characters, I wanted more of them sooner, but this was a slow burn and it paid off! I loved the writing style by the end and appreciated the detail in the character development and scene setting.

Then I got about half way and was convinced I knew what was going to happen, I’d totally solved it! I was singing my own praises for being smarter than the detectives in the book, so I flew through it! Dying to know who was the person behind these horrific crimes!

And I was wrong, which I totally LOVE!
I felt the suspense, I felt the worry of the city and the stress and pressure being put on the governor and the citizens.
I’m seriously going to have issues getting into a lift/elevator now 😂

And I think that’s a great thing for a thriller to do!

If you love suspense, trying to work out the person behind the crime, great scene setting in a brilliant city and sitting on the edge of your seat, then I recommend Elevator Pitch! 😊

An accident in an elevator kills four but then the next day theres another accident followed by a third surely these are no longer accidents but sabotage. The question is who is behind them and why. Two detectives are on the case but can they solve it in time and just what role does the mayor play in all of this.

Wow this was so good. I was gripped from start to finish. The plot was really interesting if a little graphic in places but I didn't mind that. The story jumps around a lot at the beginning so took me a little time to understand it all but what a ride once I did. The story is detailed and has many twists that took me by surprise which I love in a book. The ending was clever too though I'd liked to have seen a little more between the detectives. Certainly gonna make me think twice about getting in a lift again. The characters are all interesting and flawed in their own ways. I think I liked Bourque and Delgado best. Would love to read more of them.

Fantastic book, fast paced and thrilling. Realistic characters and a real twist when we find out the culprit. Stairs over elevators for me after reading this!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest and unbiased opinion.

Right from the first page, there is an air of menace, the occurrences seem ordinary, but something seems off, and by the end of the chapter you realise that you are right.

Set in New York, there are a series of freak incidents, a murder, political corruption allegations, and a building sense of panic, as the citizens of New York realise that maybe the freak incidents have some sinister connection.

An urban thriller, the city’s reliance on elevators, (lifts in the UK), makes the attacks, a threat to the city’s economy and infrastructure, in addition to the loss of life. The brewing political scandal amidst the confusion and terror building in the city, make this complex, fast-paced thriller, addictive reading.

This is a cerebral thriller, lots of characters, seemingly unconnected apart from the location. Their connection and the motivation for the mindless attacks becomes clearer as the story progresses, but there is so much happening, you may miss the clues, or not believe what you read.

The final chapters bring the story to a shocking conclusion.

A polished, haunting urban thriller.

I received a copy of this book from HQ in return for an honest review

I have read all of Linwood Barclays previous books so was delighted to be given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

This book seemed slightly different to the writers previous books, normally they have revolved around families etc. This one was set in NYC.
At the beginning a body is found face smashed in and all ten fingertips removed detectives Delgado and Bourque are on the case.

In another part of NYC a lift plunges to the ground carrying four passengers, killing all of them. This happens three days in a row the second lift killing one person and the third killing two more. The current Mayor of the city has to come up with a solution as the city is starting to panic. People are afraid to use the lifts and with this being the most upright city in the world it’s causing chaos for people who either work or live in a huge block.

Barbara Matheson is a journalist who had got pregnant at a young age, her daughter was raised by her parents although she always knew that Barbara was her mum, they don’t have a close mother/daughter relationship. Barbara is constantly looking for dirt on the Mayor Richard Headley she believes him to be corrupt and wants to prove it, despite this she is asked if she would write his autobiography as a ghost writer she turns him down flat. The mayor treats his son Glover badly no matter what he does it’s not right.

This was a slower paced to novel than usual except for the last twenty five percent where the pace really picks up. I thought I had guessed who was behind the things that were happening, but no I got caught out by the red herrings, the characters are all well rounded, although there were some I wasn’t keen on others I liked. The one thing from this book it will certainly make me think twice about stopping into an elevator (or as we say in the UK a lift)

Overall this wasn’t my favourite book by Mr Linwood but it was still an entertaining read.

Elevator Pitch by Linwood Barclay is a 5 star read.
From the first page until the last this author knows how to hold you attention, I’m a huge fan and knew straight away I would love this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book through Netgalley