This was such a fast paced thriller that it almost gave me whiplash! The characters were beautifully developed and had real depth, allowing them to become real.

The story was well formed with many twists and turns (some I saw coming, some I didn’t). I enjoyed this book though I must say it didn’t hit the same mark as the echo man though I’m not sure why.

Sam Holland remains a must buy author for me and I can’t wait to get my teeth into her next book!

Really enjoyed this but perhaps not as much as the echo man it was one of my favourites last year. This as well written enjoyed the characters & plot & would highly recommend it.

I absolutely flew through this book it was so good I couldn’t put it down. Although this is the second book in the Major Crimes series this can be read as a standalone but I also recommend The Echo Man, it was a great read.

DCI Adam Bishop is the officer in charge of this case. There is only a brief appearance of DCI Cara Elliot from the previous book.

There is no shortage of gory crimes in this one. So best to avoid if this is not your thing. I loved the POV of the killer it made it even more disturbing if that is even possible.

I was on edge waiting for something to happen never knowing when the killer was going to claim the next victim or who it would be.

This was a brilliant read! All the stars highly recommend.

After racing through The Echo Man as it got me so hooked I was really excited to read this one and find out what was next for Cara Elliot and the team.

This doesn’t directly focus on Elliot but instead it focuses on another major crimes unit lead by DCI Adam Bishop, but still under the control of Marsh so Elliot does pop up a couple of times as a minor character. I think this means you wouldn’t necessarily have to read The Echo Man before this and there aren’t any major spoilers so you could read it after and not have it all given away.

On its own though this was still a really good book, one that gets you thinking constantly and with a killer that you just don’t see coming. It’s gripping, fast paced and as with the Echo Man it keeps you guessing and wanting to read more.

It took me a little bit to warm up to Bishop as he’s not exactly the most savoury character shall we say but I think this just adds to his character and the feel of him in the pages. As we got further into the book I did grow towards him more and you hope that he’ll find the killer eventually.

Again it’s gritty and there are a few gruesome and rather descriptive moments but this all added to the tension and reality of it all for me. I’m so chuffed I decided to read these now so that I can get started on The Puppet Master (book 3) straight away!

I had high hopes for this book after reading The Echo Man but I just could not get into this one. I think it's maybe me not in the right head space so will give 3 stars as I could not finish so won't give a lower rating to a book I didn't finish.

After initially DNF this book due to not being in the right head space. I decided to give it another go with the release of the next book. I am so glad I did I enjoyed it much more right from the start. I definitely wasn't in right headspace first time ! This didn't quite hit the same as The Echo Man but was still a really good dark thriller with some jaw dropping twists. Would recommend can't wait to read the next in the series starting it straight away 😊
Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Collins UK and Sam Holland for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Thank you HarperCollins and NetGalley and sorry for the delay.
Wow that was a rollercoaster of a read.
I was worried that this book wouldn't stand up to Sam's first book and how wrong was I.
The plot was brilliant, fast paced, kept me guessing, enthralling and it featured characters from the previous book.
Can't wait for the next one.
You must read this - I read it twice now waiting for the next one !

O my word, I did not think I could enjoy a book this much. This book was so well written, keeping me gripped from beginning to end, and I couldn't wait to finish it! I will definitely read more by this author in future! Highly recommended.
TB

Wow, this was full of twists and turns. It kept me engaged and interested in how the plot would progress, and the ending was satisfying. However, I couldn’t connect to the characters. Even though the plot was intriguing, I just didn’t connect emotionally, and that unfortunately interfered with my enjoyment overall.

I really enjoyed this book, well written, fast paced chapters.
Storyline was strong, quite gruesome and graphic.
I actually think I enjoyed it more than The Echo Man.
Would recommend, looking forward to the next one.

Rated 4/5

'We are all broken, that's how the light gets it'

After reading the first book in the Major Crimes series, The Echo Man and being absolutely blown away by it, receiving book #2 had me doing a happy dance around the kitchen!

In the middle of the night, DCI Adam Bishop arrives to meet his partner DS Jamie Hozton and his team at a crime scene, a crime scene of multiple bodies, all in varying states of decomposition. Whilst the sight itself is horrendous, what's worse is that Bishop is shocked at the discovery of Roman numerals daubed in green spray paint next to each body. Is the killer doing a tally? Counting down?

Adam is then contacted by his ex Dr Romilly Cole. Ahe calls to inform him that the killings are very familiar to murder victims from her past but that killer is in prison so they can't be the same, can they? Haunted by something she witnessed in her teens, can she put this aside and help catch a sadist killer before more bodies stack up?

The story is told over a two week period with a brief look back into the past but the whole things flows seamlessly. This book kept me up ALL night! Unputdownable is an understatement.

If you love graphic, twisty, dark, gritty, gruesome and intense reads then this sould go straight to the top of your list!

HUGE thanks to netgalley and Harper Collins UK for the ARC.

As far as I’m concerned Sam Holland can do no wrong. I worried The Twenty couldn’t match her first book but this was just as thrilling, exciting and I’m officially a Holland super fan. The plot was tight, fast paced and kept me guessing which isn’t something that happens often now given how many thrillers I read. I loved that this stayed in the same world as her previous book and featured past characters while also having a new and exciting story, I can’t wait for what comes next.

A clutch of bodies at different stages of decomposition are found abandoned on waste ground, and the murder team realise that they are looking at the work of a serial killer. Can they catch him before he kills again?

This was a gory but good police procedural book, the characters very believably depicted and the case suitably gritty. The case moves at a good pace but there is plenty of the characters' back story included just to make sure that you are suitably invested to what happens to them all. I really enjoyed it.

I liked the hark-backs to Echo Man, but personally I much preferred this murder team to Nate Griffin from the first book, and I'd be more interested in reading about this bunch again than the Nate Griffin book that was hinted at in the afterword in this one...

Echo Man was one of my favourite books of 2022. Dark and gruesome is my thing after all and it had it in spades. So I approached this cautiously. Would it live up to my expectations? Well yes and no. It's a great read but maybe a little too similar in its themes and plot. But to be fair I could level that criticism at most crime thrillers. So great book, just not as good as I hoped.

Really enjoyed this - will definitely be recommending and looking forward to the next one by this author!

So frightening! If you think nothing will scare you then you need to read this book. The clock is ticking down to the next murder and you are running out of time.

What a read! The Echo Man was definitely not a one hit wonder for this author as this book is honestly just as good. It isn’t for the faint hearted as it is another dark, traumatic and complex read. It is very intense and all consuming whilst you’re reading it, not knowing what to really believe right until the end. It is another book which is hard to review as I wouldn’t want to give away any spoilers but if you loved the Echo Man you’ll love this too.

The Second Book by Sam Holland which again I absolutely devoured. She sure knows how to write a captivating, propulsive thriller! Hands down I will read anything and everything that she writes, new autobuy author for me x

The second book by Sam Holland is equally as good at the first. Not for the faint hearted this serial killer novel explores the depths to which human beings can sink with frightening detail. Adam , whose ex wife is herself the daughter of a notorious serial killer, is the DCI in charge of an investigation into a killer who seems to be counting his victims down from Twenty. As the bodies pile up it becomes more personal and links appear to his ex father in law and his crimes. Adam himself is a complex character and struggles with the investigation. There is a very surprising twist at the end. I devoured this book and look forward to the next offering from this excellent author.

Wow. This was incredible!! This book was very high up on my most anticipated books this year, I read The Echo Man and it was outstanding so of course I couldn’t wait to read the next book. It didn’t disappoint!

Another outstanding read. Sam Holland for me, is the best at writing about serial killers! Absolutely love the writing, the atmosphere and how dark the book gets. There is many chapters that have you on the edge of your seat and get your heart racing because you don’t know what is coming next.

The killings are soooo disturbing and twisted. They just keep coming. How far is this serial killer gonna go.. I had suspicions and I was wrong. When it was revealed I was shocked, I so didn’t expect it!

The detectives played a superb part and I liked their individual characters. I’m a huge fan of detective/ murder reads.

Fantastic page turner. Packed with tension, twists and it’s SO intense. Short and quick chapters. The Twenty is one you don’t want to miss!

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.

The second installment in the Major Crimes books, I was eager to read this after the Echo Man, the first book in the series. Although this is the second book there are only cursory nods to the first book and it can be read entirely stand alone.

When five dead bodies all marked with numbers are discovered DCI Adam Bishop knows he has a dangerous serial killer to find and fast. When his ex wife Dr Romilly Cole finds out they soon realise there is a dangerous link to her past and the chase is on while the clock ticks and the bodies mount up. As the body count down progresses the twists and shocks keep coming.

I love this for the same reason as the first one. It was fast paced, twisty, shocking and had some of the more gruesomeness that I love in a police procedural. I think what I love about Sam's writing is that he is not afraid to kill off a main character and steers away from a happy ending for all to please the reader.