An apparent suicide may be more complicated than it seems, siblings DCI Cara and DS Nate Griffin discover in what kicks off an investigation into a sadistic perpetrator.

The latest story in this series delivers fast-paced, action-packed and suspenseful storytelling. This is a chilling tale and not for those who don't have strong stomachs. But Sam Holland knows how to tell a mesmerising tale. It gets 3.5 stars.

Sam Holland can do no wrong in my eyes! This is the third book of hers that I’ve read and I was absolutely enthralled (as I was with the others). Just brilliant, that’s all I can say. Real on-the-edge-of-your-seat stuff. Roll on the next one please. Would give more than 5 stars if I could. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read.

Another fast paced thriller read in this series which kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.

The storyline was great, also the characters and I was involved in the storyline all the way.

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

DCI Cara Elliott and her brother Nate Griffin are investigating a case they suspect to be a suicide but after further investigation there seems to be a lot more going on.
Another exciting story by Sam Holland that kept me on the edge of my seat, with unforgettable characters and a plot that kept me guessing.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 rounded up

Major Crimes #3
This is the highly anticipated follow-up to The Echo Man and The Twenty and although it doesn’t blow my mind in quite the same way as Echo Man which still lives in my head, it still an excellent read and a great addition to this gritty and dark series.

A man jumps in front of the train in what appears to be an act of suicide, but every instinct in DCI Cara Elliott‘s body tells her that it’s not. This is just the start of an incredibly difficult and emotional enquiry, but thankfully Cara’s brother DS Nate Griffin joins the understaffed team to help them
try to make sense of what’s in front of them. However, the Puppet Master is watching and seems to be one step ahead.

It’s hard to know where to start with this except maybe with another wow at the quality of the storytelling from Sam Holland. I’m not going to lie, this is a tough one in the chilling nature of the plot and at times it’s so horrifying that it freezes the blood. The perpetrator is sadistic and evil, tapping into vulnerabilities, and you need a strong stomach on occasions, so it’s not for the feint of heart. There are numerous moments of tension and on occasions it is off the scale. It’s fast paced, it rarely lets up so you can catch your breath as the team of ‘misfits’ are pushed to their limits, struggling to make sense of it all. It builds to an adrenaline fuelled ending, although one dramatic incident might require disbelief suspenders, but it’s so good, that I find I don’t care!

I love the characters and the characterisation is top-notch. There are all struggling with the toll left by previous enquiries and this is conveyed so strongly. There’s one good subplot, featuring Cara and Griffin which helps you to understand them better and I thoroughly enjoy this.

Overall, this is another outstanding read, which is moving and emotional in places. It hook you in from the start and keeps you glued to the pages from beginning to end. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley, and especially to HarperCollins, HarperFiction, Hemlock Press for the much appreciated in return for an honest review.

Another winner! This book sunk its teeth into me from the start and I could not out it down until I'd finished. I proved seeing the familiar characters fron the previous book and seeing them develop and evolve as people. The struggles humanised them and they really show a lot of depth and emotion. The twists and turns were fantastic! It felt like I was so wrapped up in the main plot that twists were coming into of nowhere and making rethink everything I knew. It's dark, it's creepy, just just so unsettling and I loved every second

Thank you to netgalley for the book.

I enjoyed the books, enjoyed being back with some old characters and with some great plot twists and turns

Good, tense, fast paced. Very dark. It's always a breath of fresh air when a thriller surprises you - this was one of those moments. Thank you for the ARC

Cancel all your plans because once you start you won't want to stop devouring this 3rd book in the series.Sam Holland is a brilliant writer her attention to detail is 1st class from the police procedures to the highly graphic gruesome and dark descriptions she has it nailed.There is never a time when the story drags it flows wonderfully keeping you hooked throughout.
At no stage did i suspect the outcome, which is always a plus,this was a solid read that kept me reading well into the night.A perfect psychological thriller.
The next book in the series can't come quick enough for me.
Highly recommended
Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK for the ARC.

After the harrowing case of the Echo Man and the effect that it had on her team and their reputation, DCI Cara Elliott sees serial killers everywhere. When she's called to a seemingly open and shut case of suicide it's just another - albeit rather gruesome - day at the office. But when suicides keep happening, Cara's suspicion that another serial killer may be operating takes hold, as vulnerable and desperate people begin to see only one way out - leaving under the Puppet Master's control.

This is by far and away the best of the three books I've read by Sam Holland - the threads of the previous two books are beginning to come together to make a very strong third entry in the series. An easy 5*.

Ever since I’ve read The Echo Man and The Twenty by Sam Holland I’ve been anticipating The Puppet Master which is the third book in the Major Crimes series. If like me you like your crime fiction to have a deliciously dark plot, one that’s laden with tension, featuring the most twisted and disturbing protagonists, then this may just be the book for you.

Cara and her team are called in to investigate what appears to be a gruesome suicide. It soon becomes clear to Cara that these random suicides are anything but. It was great to catch up with Cara and her ‘misfit’ team. Many of the characters are dealing with the aftershocks from the previous books. Which impacts on both their professional and working lives. The plot is a chilling one driven by manipulation, a constant sense of unease bubbles from the pages.

The Puppet Master is definitely not one for the faint-hearted, because of its graphic crime scenes and shocking killings throughout. There were definitely quite a few scenes which made me want to sleep with the light on after reading them. I appreciate it when an author immediately catches the reader’s attention. I much prefer to be thrown into the action than a slow burn build up. Sam Holland does exactly this with a shocking opening chapter that propels the reader onwards into a dark, troubling tale that’s shrouded in suspense. Without a shadow of a doubt, Sam Holland is a natural born storyteller with a very vivid and disturbing imagination! The Puppet Master made for an addictive read and one I raced through. Fans of the series are going to love it. I can’t wait to see what comes next. Highly recommended.

My review will be published to my blog closer to publication day

Blog: https://thebookreviewcafe.wordpress.com

I really enjoy Sam Holland's style of writing as it always captivates me and manages to creep me out no matter what time of day I am reading it. This book was definitely creepy but it still had me hooked.

Many thank to netgalley, the author and Harper Collins UK for approving my request to read this book.

I didn't realise this is the 3rd book in a series but it read really well as a standalone for me though I enjoyed it so much I'm going to read the first two!

DCI Cara Elliott is sent to investigate what at first appear to be suicides but as the body count rises her and her team question whether it is indeed a serial killer at work.

The Puppet Master is a really well written, fast paced, twisty and gruesome thriller with believable characters that will keep you guessing throughout, I would most certainly recommend this book to others.

DCI Cara Elliott is back with her team to investigate an apparent suicide. Soon more occur and the suspected suicides become something more suspicious. Can the team work out what is really going on?

The third book in Sam Holland’a Major Crime series is another superb addition and is quickly becoming one of my most anticipated series. In this book we see the return of some much loved characters and I really enjoyed catching up with them. The characters have a real depth to them which helps to build a connection; I especially like Griffin. I can’t wait to see them back in another instalment!

The storyline is intriguing, complex and clever. The way it comes together is done very well and I did not expect some of the twists! Although the story is very dark, as I’ve come to expect from this series, there is real emotion there as well, where you can’t help but empathise with some of the situations. I love the author’s writing style and found myself glued to the pages waiting to find out what happened next. Definitely another suspenseful, graphic, five star thriller by this brilliant author. I will recommend! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

Great to see DCI Cara Elliott back in another truly thrilling novel.Continuing on from the Echo Man, we see the story open with another gruesome murder and Cara is sent to investigate. What appears to be a suicide leads to a string of investigations and Cara is getting a bad feeling another serial killer is on the loose. 
While this was a police procedural, it was also very much in the thriller category and as I noted, parts are graphic and gruesome. The author had a very clever spin on the way in which the story unfolded and crimes were committed and really kept me guessing throughout. Another fabulous novel I highly recommend. 4.5*
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for this gifted review copy.

Cara and the team are recovering from the last case, The Echo Man, and the ruptures it caused in their lives but they can’t rest on their laurels as a suicide isn’t all that it seems. Griffin is called back to the team when a suicide happens on his doorstep and can the team work together.
This is one of my most anticipated reads this year and it did not disappoint. Sam has a way of writing that hooks you right in and won’t let you go. I need the next book tomorrow please!
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I read this book in one night and it was excellent. As a fan of DCICara Elliott, I found the plot fascinating. At first, it seemed like there was no crime, but as the story developed, I knew something was wrong. It was a real page-turner. I loved the misfit group of investigators, and I think this book is perfect for anyone who enjoys this author's work. I can't wait for the next book and plan to get physical copies of all of the author's works. I think this author deserves more recognition for their work. Their ability to create complex female characters in a thriller book is a rare and valuable skill, and one that I appreciate as a reader. I'm eagerly anticipating their next book and can't wait to spend my money on it. Keep up the great work!

4.75 🌟 rounded up for Goodreads and Netgalley!
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I devoured this book and binged it in one single day. I read The Echo man in 2023 and was so pumped to see this title approved in my email from Netgalley.
The book opens up with DCI Cara Elliot, a character I remember all too well from the first book. There's been a gruesome and graphic death and major crimes is called to investigate.
However, it appears to be a clear-cut case of suicide so why was her team called? As bodies begin to pile up, all assumed to have taken their lives; Cara can't shake the feeling that something is wrong that something sinister is at play- and she isn't wrong.
This was a really enthralling, engrossing and unputdownable read. Sam Holland does not shy away from violence in any way and will grip your attention from beginning to end with this one.
The police procedural aspect of this book was spot on, I really felt like I was in the room with these detectives and was easily able to follow along. I felt every single emotion these characters felt and found myself completely lost in this story. The book also gives readers an insight into the personal lives of these characters and all they sacrificed to do this job. I love that as it makes the characters more relatable.
The twist at the end was unexpected and I did not see it coming at all. I was completely blindsided but in a good way.
I loved the major crimes team; Cara described them best when she called them "a collection of misfits."
I cannot wait for book four already. Sam Holland, please get to writing ASAP!
This book includes heavy subject matter and many triggers.
Topics of suicide in graphic nature, violent rape, sodomy, self, harm, drug abuse and murder.
As mentioned above Sam Holland is not shy when it comes to graphic details and depictions of violence. I'm honestly not mad at it either, makes the book a bit more realistic.
The only thing I wish I did before I read this was read The Twenty. There were parts I wasn't completely sure about, like some of the new characters and mentions of previous investigations. Nonetheless, I will definitely be reading that one still and it did not stop me from enjoying this book.
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Thank you Netgalley, Harper Collins UK and Sam Holland for my eArc of this book. All opinions are 100% my own and I am leaving my review voluntarily.