A review by bookmadlibrarian
The Twenty by Sam Holland

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

DCI Adam Bishop has never seen anything like this before. Five murder victims with numbers written above their bodies revealing the killer is counting down…

When Dr. Romilly Coke heard about the murders, her traumatic past resurfaces. She and the DCI have history and working together never ends well…

Sam’s second psychological thriller is a fast-paced, head-wrecking race against time to catch a serial killer and Sam knows how to give us twisted and disturbing protagonists! Be prepared for damaged characters, mutilated bodies and plenty of suspense. Like her The Echo Man, (a superb debut that still gives me the creeps thinking about it a year later!), this is a story not for the faint-hearted; graphic scenes of torture, grotesque crime scenes and brutal killings throughout - you’ve been warned!

Sam is an author who unnerves me. She’s able to get under your skin and plunges you into the darkest, grimiest recesses of a twisted mind. This story is dark, disturbing and at times truly frightening- you won’t see the twists coming!

Loved the little nod to The Echo Man. An author who I recommend constantly in the library- we love our twisted thrillers!

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for the arc.