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.

Ok so the best way to describe this book is its a bit like an 80s action film that's not going to win any Oscars but will be very entertaining and which you will thoroughly enjoy watching.

Its set in New York City and is about someone sabotaging elevators around the city. I found it to be very fast paced from the beginning with the first chapter really sucking you in. With New York City being a vertical city the thought of someone tapering with elevators is certainly a scary one! And with some buildings being 50, 60, 70+ stories tall you wouldn't really want to take the stairs!

I also thought the characters were great and fleshed out enough that you got to know them without being overly detailed.

I would definitely recommend this book if you want something that isn't too heavy, that you can suspend your disbelief a little bit and just be entertained. I will be looking out for more books by this author when I want such a hit!

This was a lot of fun! I enjoyed it. Fast-paced and original. A bit contrived but nevertheless a page-turner.

6/10

A decent thriller that does enough to keep you interested throughout without ever really hitting a proper stride to make it unputdownable. There are a few different threads that switch throughout but the characters within feel a little thin and I never felt fully invested in it and by the end it had turned into a bit of a evil super villain. It was lightweight but entertaining whilst it lasted, a fast food style book if you will.

I’ve read a few of Linwood Barclay’s books now and they all seem to strike this level, entertaining whilst you read it but pretty much instantly forgotten moments later. That’s not always a bad thing and sometimes I need that type of book to keep me ticking over. This was one of those times. In between a house move this was pretty much ideal reading so I can’t fault it at all.

A couple of weeks after reading it and trying to review it I can only vaguely remember the characters but something that did standout was the elevator scenes with their grizzly outcomes. These were entertaining to read and easily the best parts of the book for me.

Worth a try if you need something quick, easy and entertaining in the moment.

Loved this book perfectly paced, characters had personality, kept me guessing until the end, thought I had the culprit in sights but I was mistaken.

Another glorious read by Linwood Barclay. Not as fast-paced as his others yet still a brilliant plot. With hints of revenge, family ties and espionage. This was a great read.

Elevators start behaving as if they have a mind of their own and injuring people for no apparent reason. This is the premise of the book and unraveling the reason behind it and why this is happening is the storyline. It moves along at around the right pace, doesn’t string it out too long and doesn’t drag it’s feet. Some of the smaller aspects of the story reminded me of Towering Inferno but I could overlook those and enjoy book overall.

This book had a gripping start which kept me hooked, it’s also given me a fear of lifts!
I lost my way in the middle of the book and ended up suspecting pretty much all the characters, however, I just didn’t see the twist at the end coming. For me, this is the mark of a great story.

I like this author, the books are usually pretty good. This one started off in a very good way, which held my attention. The story had an element of scariness and it is not for the person who does not like lifts. I am assuming that someone who does not like lifts, would not even bother to pick this book up, as the clue is in the title.
It is a good story and a rather surprise ending. A good read.

This novel begin on a Monday when an elevator in a high rise office building breaks through it's safety features and plunges down killing all passengers riding in it. Popular conjecture is that it is a fluke in as much as elevator accidents are fortunately very few and far between. But another accident occurs in a different building on Tuesday indicating quite clearly that these are not accidents. Than again a third accident takes place on Wednesday.
The public in New York city panic and the city is thrown into chaos with doubt in everyone's mind about the safety of riding in elevators. A body is discovered that has had it's fingers cut off and could be tied to the elevator tragedy. The book follows the work of two New York city detectives and a journalist in looking at the facts discovered, the possibilities that exist and key persons to solve the mystery.
Linwood Barclay grabs hold of his readers and holds them until the very end. Personal facts brought out about each of the individuals working the case make for a better read in the sense that each becomes more of a real person. The use of elevators as murder weapons and the reasons for doing so are clearly explained and help the novel become another typical interesting Linwood Barclay read.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

Where to start?

I saw the book advertised - premise looked good, and previous books I'd read from Linwood Barclay had been great, so expectations were high.

However, in my opinion, the book didn't reach the standards of previous work, notably the excellent Promise Falls trilogy.

Whilst elevator pitch starts well with a group of characters getting developed and then killed off in a freak accident, soon after it gets a bit bogged down in simultaneous storylines and a plethora of characters.

I didn't give up on the book nor did I see the end coming, but I felt the book was a bit flabby in the middle.
A trait common with some of the minor characters who have to use the stairs in the book.

The blurb was attention-grabbing. I liked that it did not give too much information about the characters.

There were political views and freedom of expression. Wow, Barbara Matheson! I like how strong and opinionated this journalist. She is not scared to fight even the most powerful person. There was a back story though why she liked dragging down Mayor Richard Headley.

The plot twists with the characters were a surprise and the killer, omg! That is a bomb! I didn't expect it.

Now, I'm a bit scared of riding an elevator alone.

Thank you HQ and Netgalley for the ARC!

This was a thriller but not one that gripped me from the start, It tool several sittings to get through this. For much of the book I was convince I knew "whodunnit" but the twist at the end, I didn't see coming. A story with tangled relationships and far reaching effects of behaviour. A terrifying premise and I'm glad I don't often have to use an elevator! #elevatorpitch # netgalley

Sooo good. Such a clever plot in a genre where you think you've read every single scenario. Barclay has delivered well developed characters and lots of satisfying twists. I raced through this over two evenings. An autumn highlight. Recommend.

Wow what a read! Another brilliant book by Linwood Barclay!
I loved this book, sure made me take the stairs the next time I cake across an elevator!
Brilliant book with a brilliant ending and I didn’t see the twists coming.
Highly recommend, another great one from one of my favourite authors. Thank you x

Oh boy after reading this book i thought twice about getting into a life and it was only going down two floors. The tension was nail biting and i was almost sat cowering behind my e-reader knowing i wanted to read more yet slightly scared at what was to come. Never read a book that made me feel this way. Powerfully imaginative and delivers a totally unexpected ending one that i never saw coming. A great book from a brilliant author I don’t have the vocabulary to give the book the deference it needs.

Elevator Pitch is a fast paced thriller that will have you taking the stairs for a good while after reading it, that’s for sure!
An elevator accident results in the death of four people: a pointless, tragic accident. When a second ‘accident’ occurs and a witness survives, it becomes obvious that these accidents are anything but that.

Two NYPD detectives investigating the murder and terrible disfigurement of the victim don’t immediately see a connection to the elevator deaths, but when they discover that he was an elevator service technician, they begin to become increasingly suspicious.

Well, this well-written thriller had me on the edge of my seat from the start. Honestly, I was as clueless to what was going on as the characters in the book. I really liked the gritty reporter, Barbara, who was determined to hold the city’s mayor to account. She was driven, single minded, with a real sense of justice. As were the two NYPD detectives. The mayor came across as a typically corrupt politician: unlikeable and selfish.

I’d really recommend this if you like tense thrillers - this delivers in spades!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.

Decent premise but too long-winded for my liking.
Police procedures are over-explained to the point that it makes it boring. We're in a world of numerous crime shows, unless you're a moron we know how fingerprinting and DNA works, so this could have been edited right down.
Some of the side plots could have been fleshed out more. There was enough suspense and intrigue given but then just sizzled out into nothing.
I didn't feel any chemistry or attraction between any of the characters, they all felt very cartoonish but so much promise there to make them seem more than one-dimensional characters.
My main issue however, is that the twist wasn't very shocking at all, and the reason for it seemed quite glossed over. The ending generally was rather anti-climatic, and honestly, I was hoping for more elevator horror deaths. Perhaps that's just the b-movie loving fan in me, but generally, none of the deaths/violence felt very 'real' at all.

On an editing front, I noticed quite a few spelling mistakes in my ARC (such as 'personnel' instead of 'personal', and addition of words, so hopefully that will be taken care of in a final read through by the editor.

This was an ok holiday read but nothing groundbreaking.