I was very disappointed by this book. I love a good police procedural, but unfortunately this isn't a good police procedural. The story is unpleasant and too graphic. It is also completely and off-the-scale unbelievable, so it is impossible to become wholly absorbed. I really wouldn't recommend this book.

What an incredible debut from Sam Holland. A gut wrenching horror story that is utterly compelling as The Echo Man escalates his killing spree. Murdering, raping and torturing his victims by copying notorious serial killers he becomes elusive as he leaves no trace to his identity. DCI Cara Elliott is at the centre of the investigation and although her personal life is suffering she is determined to bring the Echo Man to justice. However, as the body count quickly mounts she faces immense frustration as there are no leads and she is faced with a man who is not only evil but clever enough to always be one step ahead. Sam Holland is surely going to become one of our best thriller writers if this debut is anything to go by. Leaving the reader breathless at times with its horror, tension and incredible twists, he is indeed a rare talent.

Wow what a brilliant first book I couldn’t put it down it was so good it kept me up reading until the early hours. A murderer who commits the most horrendous crime is on the loose and an arson attack on a house where a man dies and his wife Jess is held responsible so she goes on the run Nate Griffin a detective helps her as he doesn’t believe she is responsible.

Detectives Cara Elliott and Noah Deacon are investigating the case when a different crime comes to light one that is so shocking they will never forget .

Well done to Sam Holland it was awesome can’t wait for the next one.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this fantastic thriller.

Detectives Cara Elliott and Noah Deakin are on the case of a serial killer that follows the pattern of famous serial killers (Dahmer, Golden State Killer, Mason, etc). Running parallel to this is Jessica “Jess” Ambrose who is wanted by the Detectives on the death of her husband, Patrick. Jess escapes from the hospital and shacks up with ex Detective Nate Griffin, Cara’s brother. Their lives are connected by the serial killer. There’s so much going on here! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a gifted copy.

A fast paced thriller that will keep you up all night reading it then now being able to sleep when you have read it. Extremely well written with good characters and it kept me involved in the story line from the beginning until the very last page.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK for this ARC copy which I can thoroughly recommend.

Dark, gruesome, and twisted, The Echo Man is a fresh take on a popular genre, and a must-read for any fan of true-crime or "serial killer nerd", as the author has dubbed herself.

I love learning about serial killers and will always binge the latest true-crime documentary, eager to learn more about their crimes and to try to understand why they did what they did. And with a serial killer copying the most famous of his inspirations (including Bundy, Dahmer, the Zodiac, the GSK, and the Yorkshire Ripper), I loved trying to guess which serial killer The Echo Man was mimicking next.

The Echo Man is everything I love about a dark thriller. It's gory, fast-paced, and addictive, the characters are flawed but compelling, the crimes are horrifying, and the chase is exciting.

And of course, it's not all about the violence. There's also Jess and Nate's troubled relationship, Cara's desperate investigation, and the complete unpredictability of who's behind these terrible crimes, which all grab your attention with a tight fist, relentless to let go.

Sam Holland has a very disturbing imagination, one obviously conjured from plenty of research, and I love her for it! It's definitely not a read for anyone who doesn't like a bit of blood-shed, but if you don't mind a high body count, then this is definitely a book that you don't want to miss out on!

An interesting storyline and started with some promise. However , the further on I read it became a fascicle tale which was spoiled by the fact that the author expected you to believe that anyone could walk into a forensic crime scene unnoticed and join in. Too far fetched and unable to continue reading. Very disappointed.

Oh my word!! The Echo Man is an extremely dark, brutal and disturbing debut novel that I could not put down. It's gory, gruesome and fast -paced. Serial killers, copycat murders, and a rising body count are all there alongside great characters and great storyline. I enjoyed it and would recommend.it to anyone who likes their crime thrillers gritty. This is definitely not a book for the squeamish. Looking forward to more from this author in the future
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an arc of this amazing thriller.

What an absolutely brilliant, but very graphic/gory psychological thriller. The writing was exceptional to the point of being too gory in places. The twists and turns and fast pace left me breathless. The ending - well wow really. I’m not sure whether I liked it or not!! I really hope it’s the start of a series. Absolutely brilliant. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me access to an early copy. It deserves to be a bestseller.

When Jess Ambrose escapes her burning home with her young daughter she doesn’t expect to be suspected of starting the fire that killed her husband. When she finds the police are only looking at her she runs from the hospital. Detective Nate Griffin is currently suspended from the force but Jess feels he is her only hope of finding out who really started the fire.
DCI Cara Elliott is investigating a brutal double murder when Nate, her brother, shows her evidence that links her investigation to other brutal killings across England. Someone is copying some of the most sadistic serial killers in history and Cara needs to put together a team to stop them. Nate will need to work as part of Cara’s team to find the killer and hopefully clear Jess at the same time.
This book will have you gasping at the twists and turns and the ending is just outstanding. It’s dark and gritty so well written I was cringing at points thinking of the pain being inflicted. The characters are really strong and I hope there will be a sequel.

📚 BOOK REVIEW 📚
The Echo Man By Sam Holland
Publication Date - 14th April 2022

The book starts off with Jess Ambrose. Her house then goes in fire and she gets herself and her daughter out. Her husband can’t be rescued. So the police get involved and here we meet DCI Cara Elliot and DS Noah Deakin. Also detective Nate Griffin comes into the story. A disgraced detective who tries to help Jess.

I thought that Jess was going to be the main character but the characters above were all just as involved in the story.

There is a serial killer out there they realise. He/she is copying the crimes of infamous killers. But they don’t know which one will be copied next. Always a few steps ahead of the police.

That ending ..... oh my!!!

I changed my mind several times about the killer but I felt the ending was genius!! I was exhausted after reading this. Kept me gripped!
Now this book is not for the faint hearted. Some of it is quite graphic when describing the murders and unusually I have a strong stomach for all that!!

I have no doubt at all, that this book is going to become a best seller!! This is not something I say lightly or often.
Well done - genuinely great book!!

As I said on my bookstagram post “ I haven’t had a cigarette in about 8 years! But I could do with one after reading that!!”

#theechoman #samholland #netgalley #harpercollins #thriller

The book starts out as a police procedural but partly turns into a psychological thriller with several interesting twists. DCI Cara Elliott and DS Noah Deakin investigate when the bodies of two young women with their heads decapitated, are discovered in the open boot of a car. This turns out to be their first case of many, committed by a serial killer, nicked named The Echo Man by the press, as he re-enacts the crimes of notorious serial killers from the past.
At the same time and initially seemingly unconnected, Jess Ambrose is woken up in the middle of night with her home on fire and both she and her daughter end up in hospital after having to jump to safety, from her burning house. Her husband, who was sleeping in the spare room, dies in the arson attack. Jess goes on the run after overhearing a conversation whilst in hospital, between DS Taylor and suspended police officer, Nate Griffin, that she is a suspect and DS Taylor is planning to arrest her. Jess teams up with and connects with Nate Griffin as he doesn’t believe she is guilty and they have in common that they are both damaged people.
Good characterisation, Nate Griffin was a likeable and interesting character but I found Jess irritating and it didn’t seem to sit right, that it should be Jess who makes a major breakthrough. I enjoyed reading this book but would have preferred a different conclusion.

If you're a fan of Karin Slaughter or Chris Carter then Sam Holland is definitely an author who is going to be added to your favourites. With The Echo Man she has delivered a first class thriller which I'm already recommending to many of my friends.
This is dark, violent, stomach churning. If you're easily offended (or not so easily offended) or queasy, this may not be the book for you. I was over 3/4 of the way through it and thought the violence descriptions weren't too bad, but then the last quarter. Ewww. Urgh. Wow.
From the opening chapters I'd assumed that Jess was to be a main character throughout the novel, and although she is present, she's not a dominating character. In all reality, there is a cast of characters, without anyone really being dominant.
This would be a fantastic book to read with others. By the time I was half way through I was messaging my book club friends to see if anyone else was reading it as I really wanted to discuss my thoughts.
I can't leave this review without mentioning the ending. O.M.G. Jaw dropping. Brilliant. Absolutely loved it.
Sam Holland is already an auto-buy for me.

The Echo Man by Sam Holland

Phew ! After reading this book I feel like I've been chucked in the washing machine on a fast spin - and I loved it !
Grisly , tense , shocking , twisty , what's not to love ?
This has to be or if not, one of the best suspense / crime novel of the year.

Wow, what a debut novel from Sam Holland! I don’t mind admitting, this had me absolutely terrified! It was gripping, creepy, frightening, gory - downright disgusting and cringey in places – and just un-put-downable.

We start by meeting two separate women – Detective Cara Elliott, and Jessica Ambrose – and soon their stories begin to be drawn together. Elliott is in charge of finding the sadistic killer responsible for the murder of two women found in the woods. Whilst Jessica finds herself the prime suspect in an arson murder.

As more murders are uncovered, the police team are shocked to discover that they are echoing notorious serial killers – and that there may be more to Jessica’s situation than they thought.

Meanwhile, we hear snippets from the Echo Man himself – from his notebooks, his present-day thoughts, and his traumatic past as a child. But who is he? And how is Elliott going to catch him?

This is going to continue to disturb me for some time to come – a very, very clever and compelling horror story.

The Echo Man is quite simply brilliant. For a debut novel I’m so impressed. Detectives Cara Elliott and Noah Deakin are investigating a series of seemingly unconnected murders, each different in method but equally as shocking and brutal. As the body count increases, the killings seem to echo famous cases of the past. This book covers a lot of subjects, rape violence, torture and child abuse but I was completely hooked from the start. Brilliantly written, you will be drawn in until the very end. A fantastic five star read and I look forward to more from this author. Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK and the author for the chance to review.

Wow! Just wow! Honestly this book will have your heart pounding out of your chest by the end. This is a proper dark, crime thriller. I haven’t read a crime thriller quite like this one for a while, The way the story starts is quite slow and disjointed but it comes together in a perfectly crafted way and in ways you just won’t see coming. I seriously feel the need to talk and share more about this book but I can’t without the risk of spoiling it so the best I can do is recommend that everyone that loves dark crime fiction goes out and reads this NOW.

A fire in Jess Ambrose's house, when she narrowly escapes death, leads her to be the prime suspect for the police. As she tries to escape their attention and get back to her daughter she runs into DS Nate Griffin who is investigating his own recent drama when his wife was killed and himself left for dead after at break in at his own home.
The two of them are drawn together and Griffin hides Jess. Together they work out the terrifying series of murders, rapes and attacks that have been carried out round the country are all part of a pattern. Someone is copy-catting well know murderers and re-staging their crimes. Griffin needs to get back to work despite his body telling him it isn't up to it.
Griffin's sister DCI Cara Griffin is heading up the investigation and as the bodies pile up the police barely have time to investigate one crime before another is discovered. As team try and make inroads into the mindset of the killer they find their own personal hangups and problems are often there to trip them up.
This book moves along at a fast pace. The short chapters make easy reading although some of the details are less easy to take. Definitely not for the faint hearted this book.
A big twist at the end blows a lot of preconceptions out of the water and may well have set the novel up for a sequel.
Many thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for an arc copy. Recommended for readers of crime and police procedurals and those who like a high body count in their novels.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of The Echo Man but that has in no way influenced my review.

There was no way on earth I was going to be able to resist this book! Serial killer thrillers are my absolute go-to sub genre and I would happily read nothing but serial killer thrillers all year long if I had the chance. The Echo Man absolutely screamed my name so as soon as I got hold of a copy, I got stuck in. I couldn't resist!

Jess Ambrose is thrown from her seemingly perfect yet boring life into a terrifying situation when her house burns down. Her husband was trapped in the blaze and didn't survive but thankfully, Jess was able to rescue her young daughter. With her daughter in intensive care, Jess immediately realises that she is the prime suspect for setting the fire so she makes a run for it. What Jess doesn't realise is that the fire was set by a serial killer who is carrying out multiple murders, all inspired by some of the worst killers of our time. With the help of disgraced ex-police detective, Nate Griffin, can they work out the twisted killers next move? And stop him before he creates his own deadly masterpiece...?

The Echo Man is one helluva debut which serial killer thriller fans will devour with glee. It's dark, it's definitely disturbing and it's going to fly off the shelves, without a doubt. The concept of this book ticks so many boxes for me. As I mentioned before, I'm a huge fan of the serial killer thriller but bringing real life cases into the story really escalates the plot into something I don't think I've experienced before. I was turning the pages at a rate of knots, keen to discover what dastardly deed would befall the helpless victim next. Which real life case would inspire our killer and would I manage to keep my lunch down for a bit longer! And I don't jest there, there are some pretty tummy turning scenes in this book so if you're not of a strong disposition, this may not be the book for you.

The characters are well written and kept me on the edge of my seat. I didn't particularly warm to any of them but being a dark and edgy crime thriller, I don't believe relatable characters are always a necessary requirement. I want my crime fiction characters to shock and surprise me with their actions, be unpredictable yet driven - be it catching a killer or fulfilling their dastardly MO. After all, they're treading a dangerous line which I, in real life, don't want to be a part of. Warm and fluffy is NOT an option in crime fiction. I found Nate Griffin the most interesting and compelling of the cast. Following a frenzied attack the previous year which left his wife dead and him badly injured, Nate is now addicted to painkillers and his supply steadily runs out over the course of the book. But that doesn't stop Nate from wanting to catch the killer, alongside his former colleagues in the force - DCI Cara Elliot and DS Noah Deakin. All of the characters play their part well and make this debut quite the page turner!

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. The Echo Man is a very readable novel which I enjoyed immersing myself in. The writing is excellent, the storyline is well plotted and very compelling. However, I did have a couple of tiny bug bears which interrupted the flow for me a little. The female characters in the book are referred to by their first names. The male characters tend to be referred to by their surnames. It was most noticeable with DCI Cara Elliot, compared with DS Nate Griffin and DS Noah Deakin. She was Cara, they were Griffin and Deakin. The ending also felt a little sudden, almost as though the story wasn't quite done. It may be there is more to come and if that is the case, that makes sense. But for me, as it stands, I was a little disappointed by the ending. But they are teeny tiny personal quibbles and don't take away from the fact this is a cracking debut which crime thriller fans should make a point of reading. I truly believe this book is going to be HUGE. Recommended.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of The Echo Man. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

One of the darkest, most disturbing reads I have ever read but at the same time such a brilliant book. I found myself catching my breath and wanting to hide behind a cushion at some parts
This book is certainly not for the squeamish and yet it has an interesting storyline at the same time.
DCI Cara Elliott and her DS Noah Deakin have a serial killer on their patch. And this serial killer means business, they are copying different serial killers and each kill is darker than the previous one.
I don't want to give anymore away but recommend if you love gritty crime thrillers then this is the book for you, but be warned not to read late at night.
I loved it and can't believe it's a debut novel. I'm intruiged to see where Sam will go next