Wow, this is a page turner!

The story begins with a house fire in which Jess Ambrose's husband is killed - an arson attack which the police blame on Jess, causing her to go on the run from hospital. Disgraced detective Nate Griffin believes that Jess is innocent and tries to help her. Together, Jess and Griffin spot a horrific link between some gruesome and brutal murders. It seems that someone is copying famous serial killer murders from the past...and they aren't about to stop their reign of terror.

It sounds strange to say I loved this book because it is so shocking - but I absolutely found it compelling and totally immersive. I literally could not put it down and read it in one sitting - on reflection, not the best idea as it contains some very disturbing rapes and murders. This is not one for the faint-hearted or with certain triggers, especially around gendered violence. However, I felt like the pages were turning themselves as I held my breath!

For fans of true crime, there is a lot of familiar ground here as (along with Jess and Griffin) you begin to spot the connections between the crimes in the book and the real life brutalities. The body count in the novel is extremely high and this keeps the pace going at full tilt throughout - added to by the fact that Jess is on the run and the police are not far behind.

Alongside the Jess strand of the story is a much more traditional police procedural element with investigations being led by DCI Cara Elliott and DS Noah Deakin. This was much more comfortable ground for me and the reason I wanted to read this book - it's my genre of choice. I loved the depth of characterisation in Cara in particular as she struggled with her family commitments and her need to bring a savage killer to justice. Her relationships with Deakin and maverick Griffin are also well managed.

I actually cannot believe that this is a debut novel as the confidence with which the story strands are managed is incredible. It's also clearly meticulously researched, both in regards to the real life murders and the police procedures - although the police are a bit lax in the way that Jess gets so close to the investigation! There are maybe a few implausible moments, but the pace and the twists mean that it is impossible to dwell on them for long and they never detract from the story.

I'd recommend this highly to anyone who enjoys a fast-paced and terrifying thriller. It is incredibly gruesome and disturbing so read with caution if you are of a nervous disposition - you may well never sleep again! It is, however, also genuinely surprising and (especially the ending) totally shocking for so many reasons.

Thanks to NetGalley for my chance to read this book ahead of the April publication date. Opinions, as always, are entirely my own.

2/5 - Didn’t Enjoy.

The Echo Man by San Holland starts with a bang, it’s violent, gruesome, aggressive and grabs you and I was like wow this is going to be something special. But sadly, for me at least that very quickly fizzles out into a stilted thriller that I really struggled to get through.

The characters are ok but just don’t seem to have much about them, Jess in particular, I just couldn’t like.

The gruesome comes from copying true life, as Sam Holland’s killer is The Echo Man, copying killers of true life, they are all here. That’s well done by Holland. But overall I don’t like the writing style

I just could not connect to the book, I wasn’t bored but I just didn’t like it. I can see this flying off the shelf in the Supermarkets as it is very clearly going to marketed with some slick and serious PR.

Many will love it, not me sadly.

Thanks to Net Galley and Harper Collins for the ARC.

Hell yes this was so damn good the pace never let up and neither did the bodies they just kept coming. This is a read that takes the words serial killer to a new level as the Echo Man mirrors so many well known cases taking them to a new level and a heart stopping conclusion that was brilliant. The book is gruesome to say the least it gave me chills throughout and although I had some suspicions as to who the Echo Man was I have to say I didn’t get it completely right and I loved that I didn’t.
The descriptions of the kills are very graphic and they just kept coming and as they did I felt myself getting colder and colder and it amazes me that this is a debut novel and I would say it really is one not to missed and definitely deserves 5 stars.
So fabulous story, excellent writing and loved the characters so more please Sam Holland you certainly kept me gripped and can’t wait for the next book !
My thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, Harper fiction for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. A gripping, twisty well written book I was hooked fr9m the beginning. A good read!

Sam Holland is definitely going to be a name to look out for next year. I absolutely love a good psychological thriller and believe me when I say that this is up there with the best! It is gruesome, dark, tense, and utterly gripping, I couldn't put it down. A fantastic book - really enjoyed the story, and by the middle couldn’t put it down until I saw how it ended! Great read!!!!

A dark disturbing story of a serial killer who is taunting the police with his crimes.
A sister and brother trying to make sense of the killings and trying to catch the murdered before he strikes again.
A story that kept me reading even though it was shocking and would give me nightmares.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

A captivating read about a copycat murderer with a rising body count, full of twists, turns and darkness!

Loved this book, a gripping read and one that has you from page one, it didn’t let up, a fast paced and creepy as hell this one was a great book for me, defo a must read!

The Echo Man is dark and twisted, with the most thoroughly evil serial killer I've read in a long time. The writing is superb, the characters vivid and multi-faceted, and I just could not stop reading once I'd started! Absolutely brilliant: I'd highly recommend this (although you might never sleep again)...

This book gripped me from the start, kept guessing till the last moment, thoroughly recommend if you are considering looking for something to keep you occupied through the winter nights

I enjoyed this book, it started off a bit slow, but as it became apparent there was a serial killer, it became really gripping. The murders were very imaginative. The main characters were all well-written, each with their own damage. I did suspect who the main villain might be, but was still surprised by the ending.
Really good, reminiscent of Mark Billingham and Val McDermid.

Unfortunately I was not able to finish this book. I found the violence - particularly violence against women, including rape and the murder of a pregnant woman - too traumatic. It was also uncomfortably sexual and I struggled to emphasize with any of the characters.

A fast paced dark thriller with lots of twists. I was gripped from page one.
I look forward to reading more by Sam.

A tense and taut plot that never lets up. Well written and detailed. Not for the faint hearted concerning the death scenes.

This is a promising start for a series and left space for an explosive second book. A great debut.

Sam Holland's debut novel is a crime thriller that doesn't hold back when it comes to the dark and gruesome, but as a story that centres around a serial killer that mimics other infamous serial killers, that's to be expected, especially when it comes to rape, which could be a potential trigger for some.

The story is based around a handful of characters, switching between their points of view, and most of them are police officers, two of which are siblings, a murder suspect, and the killer themselves at times. It creates a small world in and around the police and their investigation into the Echo Man, a serial rapist and murderer who copies past serial killers down to the fine details of their crimes that easily drags the reader in and with time gets them hooked. Where most crime thrillers don't allow for much room to get to know the characters driving the main plot, this one breaks that mould to an extent, which is a plot device in and of itself as the story unfolds, and it shows all of the POV characters with both good and bad qualities, believable and unbelievable motives and flaws, which leaves the reader to make up their own minds on whether or not a character is who they appear to be, and the more invested the reader gets with these characters, the more difficult picking them apart becomes.

On the surface, the story is a good one with a well-developed plot, three-dimensional characters that drive it on, and a tangled web connecting everything and everyone that always goes back to the serial killer at large, which remains the focus of the whole story. If that is all the reader is looking for, then this is a great read with a bit of everything to enjoy along the way. But for those of us who tend to want something more, something deeper, there are some downsides to this story, which is why I personally couldn't give it the full five stars I had hoped to give it going in.

The book is well-written with a third-person, present tense style that is easy to get into without being simplistic, that helps to spur on the plot, and keep up the good pace throughout, which speeds up as the story unfolds, adding to the suspense of the plot. There are times when it isn't always clear that the character perspective has changed, especially when it's mid-chapter, and always when it's the killer's POV, as there are no nouns or pronouns as indicators and nothing to clearly show the change immediately. But otherwise it's a really nice style of writing, one I very much enjoyed, as it's the kind of style you never think about, one where you're not constantly reminded that you're reading a book rather than observing a world you've been pulled into it - it's smooth with little to no real interruptions, and that can be a rare find. That alone makes me long to see more from this author, to see their style develop.

Early on, it's mentioned that in January, 1996, a child has a battered library book of Harry Potter, but the first UK release of this book wasn't until June, 1997, so not only was the book not out at that point, there is no way it could possibly have been a battered copy. This is also mentioned again later on. It's amazing how one minor detail can niggle at you reading on, because if I hadn't known this fact, or released that a two second search backed it up that the author themselves could have done, I wouldn't have then questioned every other detail throughout the story. It's better to have never mentioned such a big name within another fictional piece to start with, but to not have checked that it hadn't even existed at the time it's claimed to have been tells me as a reader that there are no doubt other facts that haven't been checked, ones I might not be aware of, and it made me side-eye a few elements because of it, which is a shame. If you're going to mention well-known things, check and double-check the facts beforehand, because if the reader becomes aware of such a mistake, it changes how the rest of it can be perceived as well. As a writer, I know what setting up a timeline is like, the time and effort that goes into it, so it should become second-nature to check everything before making a final version for nightmares like me who might call something out.

The relationship between two of the characters, especially under the circumstances of their meeting in the first place, is somewhat unbelievable considering the whole story is set in less than a fortnight, and I can understand it being used as a means to throw out red herrings, to make the reader question these characters and their motives, but it's an off-putting angle for a lot of readers these days. If I'm reading a crime thriller, honestly, I don't want to be reading about a blossoming romance, anyway, already established relationships alongside it are fine, but new ones shouldn't take up valuable plot time, there are craftier ways of making a character questionable without this plot device. Sometimes it comes across as lazy, but however much this does bother me as an element of the story, I have to admit that it was handled far better than a lot of other authors have done with it, so I'll let it slide in this one as there were as many pros to it as there were cons.

There are other elements of the detective world that are hard to believe throughout this as well, small ones here and there, that even most film and television portrayals make clear are myths or misconceptions, and however small those things are, some of them build up into the whole unravelling of the plot, which sadly takes the shine off it a little. If you don't notice them so much, or aren't as aware of them, then I can imagine this would be a far more enjoyable read.

And, like most crime thrillers, I had a handful of suspects that I narrowed down to two by 25% of reading into the book, and unfortunately by the time I got to the end I knew I was right the whole way through, even with the plot twist at the end, if you weren't already onto them as a reader, then it would have been a good twist, but if you were paying attention enough to dwindle down the suspect pool and take in all of the carefully laid out clues that either were too obvious (standing out far too much to forget) and/or were too over-the-top (too obviously trying to misdirect and mislead to the wrong suspect), then it would have been somewhat disappointing to discover how it all ends. Even more disappointing was the ending itself. No true resolution took place, and the main person who suffered because of the whole case was a victim themselves, which I felt a little sad about; I'm not one for victim blaming being acceptable, even if that victim wasn't entirely innocent, and unless there was a sequel planned, then there was nothing there to encourage the reader's imagination to use what was learnt throughout and create the ending themselves. Without giving away the killer's identity, this is someone who is a sexual sadist who rapes and kills, who escalates, who may have a high IQ and plans ahead, but ultimately will not be able to control their 'urges' for long. So I struggle to believe that that's the end of it when the killer is never truly caught or killed, and is left to freely roam the earth. There is no way someone like that won't kill again, certainly they will rape again, and if they couldn't come up with their own style of killing without someone else's ideas to best, then surely the police would soon realise that nothing is as it seemed to be by the end of the book. If no sequel was planned, the ending is unsatisfying, which is a real shame; if one was planned, then I can understand the ending and forgive it as a cliff-hanger. For all the other niggles that can be overlooked, especially as the author's debut, the ending should go out with a bang and instead it was a let-down after a gripping read.

It was still a good read, a gripping journey, and one that I might have found fault with in places, but still wanted to read to the end, and I don't regret reading it. It will never be a favourite, and I will unlikely read it again (unless there is a sequel later on, which I would read in spite of everything), but overall it was enjoyable, it was fun and interesting, and for anyone who's a fan of well-known serious killers, then this will be of interest and intrigue regardless of the flaws in the plot. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good crime thriller, especially if the minor details don't niggle at you at every turn (or you don't have a brain that's as dysfunctional as mine), because overall there is more there to like than dislike, and it's a fun ride if you enjoy reading about all things dark and twisted.

I was left with one burning question, though, one that never got answered at all. How did Nav know where to find Jess at Griffin's flat? He saw her sign onto Facebook for two seconds, but unless he somehow could track her account back to its last location and figure out where she was from that, which I doubt as his character was, then how did he randomly turn up on the doorstep that first time around? It allowed him to come the second time, it spurred the plot on and cast a shadow over his character and his motives, which was a nice plot device, but the fact it never got explained away at the time or once the reader discovered what was really happening is still niggling at me, and it kind of made that plot device as a whole unbelievable. Of all the plotholes, this one was directly about one of the main characters, and so it stands out and is simply left hanging there without any kind of explanation. It bothered me as a I read it and Jess never questioned how he found her, and it bothered me by the end still with nothing to explain it away. Either something was removed from the novel around that plot device or it was simply overlooked.

A good thriller with very graphic and gruesome details. Whilst this makes for an exciting read, I just didn't fully believe the plot. I expect books to have licence to be far fetched, but at times this story bordered on the fantastical which in turn slightly put me off what otherwise is a brilliant read.

Think of the most depraved serial killers you’ve ever heard of, and the most disgusting and stomach-churning atrocities they have committed. Think of fear, no, think of terror. Real and absolute terror. Think of violent and repulsive rapes, and sexual acts that are horrific and unbelievable. Think of the best crime book you can remember reading, and how you couldn’t put it down because it was so graphic and so well written without any unnecessary padding to make up the word count. Detectives that seemed real, police procedure that was spot on, red herrings and twists and turns that kept you guessing right till the end – and even then you were wrong. Multiply all that by ten and you have The Echo Man. Sam Brown you are a genius!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this fabulous book in return for an honest review.

Wowee. What a debut!

When I saw that my newly approved Netgally read, The Echo Man, had been read by @morbidmama_reads and that she had loved it, I know it was time to bump it up to the top spot on my tbr lost.

And boy, she wasn't wrong. I cannot rave about this book enough!

This book has its fair share of dark and morbid murders, wonderfully depicted and described for those who like that type of thing. And I LOVED it! I am all over that type of book! Definitely not one for the faint hearted, but perfect for those that love a disturbing murder scene. Full of short and snappy chapters, it is easy to fly through in a matter of hours.

Aside from the grisly murders, the book has a brilliant cast of characters, all fully formed with their own backgrounds, making them feel real and somewhat relatable. Although, as Charlotte mentioned in her own review, some of the actions one character chose were questionable! How does anyone know how they will react after the death of their husband?!

The story was well thought out and kept me hooked from the get-go. I also found it to be unique, having never read a book where the murderer echoes infamous serial killer's.

If you are sadistic and disturbed like me and love a brutal murder, then you NEED to read this book! I am already desperate for more from the author, and this book hasn't even been released yet. But trust me, I will be first in line for any future books of they are all as deliciously disturbing as this one!

Detective Cara Elliott and her partner Noah Deakins have been working a brutal murder case and soon there are more murders but each one different and violently brutal. A house fire has left Jessica Ambrose on the run and she is being begrudgingly helped by Detective Nate Griffin. What will happen next and how is Jessica involved.
Oh my god I need to take a massive breathe after reading this. It’s suspenseful, sooooo gripping and a massive 10/10 on the gore and blood ratings! Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Jess Ambrose becomes the prime suspect when her house is burnt to the ground and her husband dies. Escaping from hospital Jess takes shelter with Nate Griffin, a detective on sabbatical who believes Jess is the target of a serial killer. A serial killer who is copying the murders of some of the worlds most infamous killers. As Jess, Nate and the police force try to track the elusive killer, dubbed "The Echo Man", the killer becomes more prolific with an endgame in sight.

Not for the faint-hearted, this story is full of graphic detail as the protagonist mimics the murders of some of the worlds most prolific serial killers. The story moves with pace taking the reader from one infamous crime to the next at blistering speed. You can feel the terror of the victims as they are hunted and killed.

As the story progresses we are given glimpses of the background of "The Echo Man" which give the reader some understanding of his nature. We also realise that he's an extremely intelligent individual and it's this intelligence that allows him to evade the police.

Along with Jess and Nate the other main characters are Cara Ellis, a police woman and Nate's sister, and Noah, Cara's partner in the police force. All of the characters are flawed and "The Echo Man" uses those flaws to make his attacks personal.

As the story moves towards it's conclusion you wonder if "The Echo Man" is going to succeed in achieving his endgame, and who his final target is, or will the police be able to figure out in time who he is. Numerous twists throughout keep the reader guessing right until the end.