The Echo Man (Major Crimes, Book 1)

A devious and brutal psychopath stages a series of murders to emulate well-known serial killings from the annals of true crime: Edmund Kemper, The Manson Murders, The Golden State Killer, The Hillside Strangler, the list goes on... A total of 28 murders are documented in the pages of The Echo Man. To say that it's not for the faint-hearted is an understatement. The book opens with the horrific scene of a killer setting up a crime scene tableau evoking the murders of Mary Ann Pesce and Anita Luchessa by deranged 1970s serial killer Edmund Kemper. Young mother Jess Ambrose and disgraced DS Nate Griffin are both seriously damaged individuals, with traumatic events in each of their pasts and significant psychological demons haunting them in the present. Together they form an unlikely investigative duo, chasing the dangerous perpetrator in parallel to the official police investigation run by DCI Cara Elliott, providing a sort of mutual redemptive comfort to each other in the process. As a remorseless killer approaches ever closer, will they be able to solve the crimes and expose the perpetrator before one or both of them are caught in the killer’s deadly web? The Echo Man is a high-octane suspense-thriller, depicting a series of blood-curdling homage crime scenes and confronting themes around child sexual abuse, internalised trauma and damaged personalities. It's not an easy read, by any means, but it is engrossing and its conclusion fitting, if not entirely satisfying. I'd recommend The Echo Man to readers who seek a level of darkness in their crime fiction, flawed and complex characters and lots of unexpected twists. While the "true crime" aspect might attract some readers to the story, I wouldn't think that an existing knowledge or interest in this subject is necessary for a rewarding reading experience. My thanks to the author, Sam Holland, publisher HarperCollins UK and NetGalley (UK) for the opportunity to read and review and fellow reader-reviewer Carolyn, whose intriguing review first led me to this title.

Frightening yet mind blowing. Sam has taken crime to a stratospheric level with the Echo Man. The attention to detail of the crimes with the sheer anxious wait of the next page, makes this one of the best crime fiction books I have ever read.