🔪 A R C • R E V I E W 🔪
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Title: The Twenty
Author: Sam Holland
Rating: 5/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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HAPPY PUB WEEK!!! 
The Echo Man was one of my top ten reads of 2022 so of course you know that I was super thrilled to get this one as an ARC; and let me tell you, this one did not disappoint! This is book two of the Major Crimes series, and while I personally think it can be read as a standalone, there are some references to the first book, plus it's amazing so just read it. Now, onto my review..
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Following suit with The Echo Man, The Twenty is told over a span of days and in the perspective of multiple people. You have your detective Adam Bishop, his ex-wife Romilly Cole, a past tense of one of the characters (you will find out who) and through the eyes of the killer. I really loved how Holland decided to stick with the same format for the series. As I was reading this, I literally could see this story being made into a show, especially how the points of view shift. To add even more joy into my life there are some epistolary elements thrown in there (everyone knows how I go crazy over my epistolary writing styles). 
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Once again, we are graced with the perfect amount of descripted gore as Holland depicts the murders with great detail. I feel like this is the perfect mix of both a thriller/police procedural with a splash of horror (all those gory details). There are actually parts in this one that I could venture to say were stomach lurching for me. It was everything I've been looking for! The pacing of this one is spot on, gripping you from page one, keeping you hooked throughout while throwing in twist after twist after twist. There were a few twists that I had managed to figure out - but the execution was spot on. The last bit had me gripping the edge of my seat in literal shock. No stone is left unturned, and you are given every answer to any and all questions you may have throughout the story. A very bingeable read.
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I said it about The Echo Man and I will say it about The Twenty - it was pure genius from start to finish. I cannot wait to read more of Holland's work! The Twenty was just released YESTERDAY May 2. Calling all my thriller lovers - READ THIS BOOK!! Huge thank you to @samholland, @netgalley, @crookedlanebooks for my eARC in exchange for my honest review!
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#netgalleyreview #netgalley #netgalleyearc #electronicadvancedreaderscopy #earc #majorcrimesseries #majorcrimesseriesbooktwo #booktwo #policeprocedural  #crime #thriller #serialkillers #puregenius #epistolaryelements #perfectlytimedtwists #pubweekreview #happypubweek #publicationweek #thetwenty #samholland

Terrifyingly intense and excruciatingly nail-biting!

Sam Holland strikes again with a spine-chilling crime thriller.

Thanks NetGalley and Crooked Lane books for the ARC!

Synopsis –

DCI Adam Bishop has an impossible case at hand. Bodies are falling like marbles and the roman numerals found around them indicates a kind of count down by the killer. But when his wife Romilly Cole starts throwing her theories around about the case she was involved in all those years ago, Bishop dismisses her all too easily. This could be the biggest mistake of his career.

Review –

A sense of dread and foreboding settles in right away with how the book opens with a multiple murder scene. Holland is one of those gifted authors who can write brutal, heinous, utterly insane and vicious plots, with so much of nuance, intricacy and insight into the depths of the human mind.

It is incredible how accomplished her writing is just as with her debut #TheEchoMan. She also has the unique knack of blending the storyline of the murders & the killer, with the lives of the detectives working on the case.

Certainly not for the faint-hearted - #TheTwenty requires a solid stomach to assimilate the disturbing descriptions of the murder scenes, the gore and graphic violence, the sheer demonic evil that unravels.

At the same time, we also experience kindness, compassion and sympathy for the detectives – Adam, his best mate, second in command Jamie and his wife Romilly. I came to care for them all - worrying for their safety and horrified when the personal and professional boundary gets blurred.

Layer upon complex layer is built into the plot, the terror and suspense ricochet like cannon balls, the horror and intensity crescendo until the very last page. Calling it a page-turner is only a clichéd understatement.

Holland hides the killer in plain sight in-spite of their POV she cleverly inserts at all the right places. The ending was a riot of nerves, goose-bumps and gut-punches - that makes you question the human way of child-rearing, the DNA we pass on and nature vs nurture.

I guarantee that you will sleep with the lights on after reading this 😰and please don’t forget to lock your back doors if you have one for God’s sake🫣!

Highly recommended to crime fiction thriller fans!

The Twenty is a thriller, police procedural novel by author, Sam Holland. I read Holland’s debut, The Echo Man when it released and discovered a new auto-buy author.

In The Twenty, now a DCI, Adam Bishop is back and heading the investigation. An investigation that begins with a call in the middle of the night, out to a body dumped on land that will soon become the last resting place for five bodies, and all pointing to the same killer. As more and more bodies start to turn up, DCI Bishop discovers something horrific, spray painted numbers by the bodies points to a more sinister conclusion…the killer is counting down to something. From there the plot just keeps on racing forward as another body is found and the investigation leaving a team of detectives scrambling to connect the cases and motive of a very clever, methodical killer who’s showing no signs of slowing down or stopping any time soon.

This book was captivating, sucked you in and kept your interest the whole way. It was fast-paced, thrilling and delivers shock after shock. I loved Sam Holland’s ability to keep the reader guessing because, everyone feels like a suspect. The reveals are always so satisfying, with excellent logic and reasoning for a character’s actions, no matter how sinister. The book started off a little slower than I usually would like for a thriller, but it is definitely a strong 4 out of 5 stars! I will be recommend this book!

A colossal thank you to NetGalley, Sam Holland and Crooked Lane Books for an advance reader copy of The Twenty.

All the Aspects For a Great Novel, But Difficult Read

A man awakens in a dark and cold room. He sees needles in his hands. He slowly falls unconscious as someone enters the room. The scene shifts a trash-filled wasteland where a body has been discovered. DCI Adam Bishop and DS Jamie Hoxton respond. What seemed out of place was a green spraypainted roman numeral, XII, on a nearby abandoned refrigerator. Upon looking around Bishop notices another green Roman numeral, XIV. Eventually, more bodies are discovered. From this start, a marvelous, complex but disturbing novel comes to life.

The main storyline consists of two basic threads. The first is the investigation that quickly becomes very complex. While the recent murders appear to be the work of one person as some have consistent numbers, the MOs are different. They seem to be more targeted toward and closer to home. So, while the complexity caused the start to be slow, I was roped in solidly, as the suspense is through the roof. The reader has a small advantage in that many of the chapters have extensive sections narrated by the perpetrator; that is the second thread. This insight into the dark soul of the perpetrator only intensifies the suspense. In addition, there were many twists and turns with some what I call literary grenades for their large effect on my understanding on what is happening in the novel.

The B-storyline is just as rich. Many of these threads are inextricably merged with the main storyline threads. There is Bishop before his divorce, since his divorce, his wife before their marriage, during and after their divorce, and Bishop’s relationship with Hoxton, his second in command and good friend. These threads added my reading enjoyment to both the main and B-storylines.

For those readers that certain issues can cause them to stop reading, this novel has them in spades. There are not inconsequential intimate scenes. The level of violence caused me some concern. Rude and vulgar language approached near to the same concern. Readers, be forewarned. I do recommend reading this novel with an e-reader with a good dictionary and Internet access. Even though I have read many British police procedurals, there was many acronyms and general slang that I have not seen before. Lastly, while this is the second in the series, the publication teaser for the first book has a difference cast of characters, so you can read this novel first.

Overall, this is an excellent novel in most aspects. Unfortunately, the level of intimacy, violence and language spoiled my enjoyment some. This novel is the second by this author and the first that I have read, so I do not know whether these aspects are unique to this novel or just the author’s style. As I wrote above, let the reader be forewarned. I recommend reading it but with a very strong caveat. I am not sure if I will read this author’s subsequent novels. They will not be high on my priority list. About halfway through the book, I was settling on a rating somewhere between of three stars, mixed feelings, and two stars, problems and disappointed. After finishing reading it, I realized that there were many very good aspects, so I upgraded my rating to four stars.

I received a free prepublication e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from Crooked Lane Books. My review is based only on my own reading experience of this book. I wish to thank Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.

Thank you Crooked Lane Books for the ARC. Very spoooookkkyyyyY!!! This was my first Sam Holland. I've heard a lot of good things.

This was a terrific follow up to Holland's debut! I enjoyed it so much more! I am a little torn about whether it bothers me or not to not continue story threads from the first book as this was billed as part of a series. It can be read as a standalone and there were no spoilers about who or how book 1 ends. But I kept expecting storylines or characters from The Echo Man to crop up and that distracted me from fully enjoying this as an entirely separate novel.

BUT I highly recommend The Twenty! The story kicks off at a large site where several bodies have been dumped. It's apparent that there's a serial killer in the community, but what's not as obvious to the detectives is whether or not this crime scene is connected to a nearly 30 year old case. Especially since that murderer is in prison.

I loved the paranoia and confidence that Milly brought to the story. The unique approach Holland used in delivering the past crime was perfect! It was like breadcrumbs trying to connect the two crimes and locate a suspect from within a rather small cast. Still didn't guess right. Terrific twist and explanation about the crime from the past!

Hoping there's a third in this series where we can continue to see some familiar faces!

4.5 stars

After I reading The Echo Man, I ran when I saw Sam Holland had a new serial killer book coming out. Full of tension from the first chapter. You instantly get attached to the characters, they feel so real flaws and all. The twists and turn keep coming and there are quick short chapter thats keep you flipping the pages. The tension is my favorite and palpable , just that feeling of dread you know this killer has more victims, but you don't know when or how they are going to be found.
Sam Holland is an auto buy author for me! I can't wait to see what she makes these detectives go through next!

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for my copy for review.

Wow, wow, wow! This author, guys!

Last year I fell in love with the debut novel The Echo Man! Gosh was it good! So when @samhollandbooks second novel was announced I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it! I didn't expect it to be as good as the first novel, because I knew it would be hard to top it!
But guess what? It was better! I absolutely LOVED it!

The story grabs you from the first page and doesn't let go! It's a race against time as DCI Bishop and his team try to find a serial killer who kills women in a countdown from twenty! When someone close to him is kidnapped and held captive, Bishop realises it’s personal and the search for the killer intensifies.

But soon DCI Bishop finds himself at a dead end. Time is running out and the death count is rising... and why does everything point to his father-in-law, a notorious serial killer serving a life sentence?

I really cannot praise this thriller enough. It is gory, shocking, suspenseful... the police and forensic procedural is phenomenal. More than reading the book, I felt like I was watching a famous crime show!
The characters are so vivid and flawed that they leap off the page, and Holland does not hesitate to describe scenes of depravity and torture in gruesome detail.

The book drips with raw tension and introduces us to some of the most disturbing characters I’ve ever encountered in literature! This takes ‘batshit crazy’ to a whole new level! And I just loved every minute of it!

We also briefly meet Cara Elliot from book 1, but it is basically a stand-alone book!

Thank you @netgalley and @crookedlanebooks or this ARC. Will be buying a copy because I need this on my shelf!🙌

A digital copy of this book was provided to me by NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books. The opinions are my own and freely given.

This is the 2nd book in The Major Crimes series by Sam Holland.

On DC Ellie Quinn's first day on the job, she is sent to a dump site where multiple bodies have been discovered. It is an old construction site and near each body are Roman Numerals. DCI Adam Bishop and his teammate and best friend DS Jamie Hoxton find the bodies and realize that the numbers are counting down, based on the decomposition of the bodies. They have to search to make sure the killer doesn't get to down to number I. Some of their own are taken and it hits the team and those around them hard.

I like the way this story is told. The investigation, the crime and then from the killers POV. The murder and torture didn't seem too brutal or graphic until near the end of the book.

Again, I kept guessing who the killer was, and got the wrong person, or did I?

If you like stories about serial killers, I would recommend this book. You don't have to read the 1st one is this series, as there are new characters, and the police department is in a different location. And if anyone is brought in from the first book, it is explained and not involving the current story.

Thank you NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books and Sam Holland.

The Echo Man was in my Top of 2022, so when I heard @samhollandbooks had another coming out-I HAD to have it!
For my folks who are squeamish or do not like the “very dark” thrillers, you may want to look away. This one is tense, full of suspense, gore and all of the police procedural. Its graphic and I loved every minute of it.
I think what makes this one so intense is that it is truly believable. As sick as it is-it could happen. It’s cinematic in its telling and the characters are so well fleshed out. Since there are repeat themes/characters here you really get to delve deeper. The authors attention to detail, research and her past in psychology really shines through and it makes it that much more sinister and damn creepy.
If you read this one, pay attention to all the little bread crumbs and red herrings you get. You still won’t get the twist-but it does make it much more interesting. Thank you so much Netgalley for my advance copy!

When I requested this book from NetGalley, I didn't know it was the second in a series. It just sounded like a really good book! Well, it was and it is. I don't feel like I missed too much having not read the first book. I did miss out on a little background information for one of the characters and I know too much now to go back and read that first book which is too bad because if it was as good as this one, I'm missing a good read! So: go read The Echo Man and then read this one. The mystery was a bit gorier than I wanted at this exact moment. Normally, it would be right up my alley! There were enough surprises to keep me on my toes throughout the book. The character development was terrific and makes me hope that the series will continue and these characters will continue to be the focus.

The Twenty is the second book in the Major Crimes series. It can be a stand-alone read. I didn't know it was the second book until after I finished it. This is a very dark and twisted psychological thriller about a serial killer.

DCI Detective Adam Bishop has been called out to a crime scene. As he works the case his former wife reaches out to him multiple times insisting that this case is connected to a man in prison. Bishop denies it over and over again until it becomes clear Romilly is right.

Bodies keep turning up in a countdown started from roman numeral XX. The wife of an officer turns up missing and in a race against time she is not found in time. The murders are closer to Bishop and Romilly than he knows. He also turns up missing and the team will have to work very hard to solve this in time in order to save Bishop. Finding Bishop will not be the end and there is a lot more to be revealed.

In spite of there being so many victims the book is off to a slow start, but it does pick up steam and then it's a riveting action-packed thriller to the final pages. I struggled with the characters as whether to like them or not. But after getting to know the characters I did start to care. The book is told from several points of view with the identities secret. It does keep the reader guessing as to who is the victim or who is the killer. There are many twists that will keep the reader wondering. I am glad I stuck with this one, and now wish I had read the first book it might have changed my view on the beginning as I would have understood the characters actions.

Thank you NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books, and Sam Holland for the advanced copy of The Twenty in exchange for my honest review.

I was completely blown away by Holland's debut novel The Echo Man when I read it last year, and I knew I needed to get my hands on The Twenty as soon as I read the synopsis.

I am happy to say there is no sophomore slump to be found here! It's been weeks since I've been so thoroughly sucked in by a book and once again I absolutely did not see any of the twists or turns coming. Holland is very much a master of misdirection.

I honestly can't say enough good things about this one. Holland has cemented herself as an autobuy author for me.

The Twenty will be on bookshelves in the US May 2!

Holland is quickly becoming one of my favorite serial killer writers. This was another solid crime procedural thriller. Her writing and plots always keep me guessing and there aren't many lulls while reading. While this is the second book in the Major Crime series, it can definitely be read as a standalone and you won't miss anything except a few references to the first book. I do recommend the first book, The Echo Man, too. I'll be keeping my eye out for her next book in the series!

Sam Holland has pulled out another incredibly gripping and gory novel, and it’s definitely one to add to your TBRs now! After rating Sam’s debut, The Echo Man, 5 stars last year, I had very high hopes for this next book too, especially after chatting to Sam about her love of true crime and all things morbid!

One thing I always love in a thriller book is occasional chapters from an ‘unknown’ character - in this case we see some chapters from the killer’s perspective without knowing who they are. I particularly loved these chapters as they were by far the most gory. We got to be right in the action during some of the gruesome murders, and call me twisted but I love that shit 👏🏻

Sam has such an incredible talent for writing exhilaratingly fast-paced thrillers with twists that will leave you absolutely shell-shocked. There wasn’t a dull moment in this book whatsoever. The action is there from the very first page, and continues until the very last. There is no slow build up at the start or comedown at the end - you will be on the edge of your seat for every single page of this book.

There are definitely a lot of very grim and gruesome scenes surrounding the murders and injury detail, and some quite upsetting and possibly triggering content too. I’d recommend looking up trigger warnings for this book if dark morbid thrillers aren’t your usual vibe, but I still absolutely recommend this to everyone regardless of what genres you usually read!

It is my one wish that Sam Holland only ever write about serial killers. She get it, gets them, the way they think and how to express that on paper. Sam isn’t afraid to take us to the dark places these killers live in. She also isn’t afraid to show the other side, the lives of those who hunt these killers and suffer every day because of it. It’s a Ying Yang sort of balance, and it’s excellent.
The Twenty is the second book in The Major Crimes series, which started with The Echo Man. Though it’s not necessary to readThe Echo Man ( you definitely should), there are a couple characters that pop up in this one, and a little background helps. The Twenty is a second book, without being a second book. It’s a book all by itself, with new characters and killers. The same thrills, the same police procedural, but different scenarios. What sets this book apart, is the undercurrent of fear. The whole book is about fear. Fear of being alone, of secrets exposed, of inherited psychosis, and even the fear of needles. Everyone in this book is afraid of something, and that fear is played with and exploited. Sam Holland gets into your head, and makes you explore your own worst fears. That, my friend, is how a thriller is done.
Loved this book, maybe more then The Echo Man. The kills are just as crafty, but the big reveals and twist are more shocking. I can’t wait to read everything Sam Holland puts out after this.

Fans of tough, fast paced, serial killer thrillers will greatly enjoy Sam Holland’s The Twenty.

The follow-up to Holland’s The Echo Man, The Twenty is a twisty crime novel that opens in gruesome fashion with the night-time discovery of multiple bodies at an empty construction site. Drawn near the bodies are Roman numerals and it soon becomes clear that the killer is counting down and that there are more killings to come. The detective in charge, DCI Adam Bishop, is slow to accept that the murders are linked to a notorious serial killer who is now in prison, but as the bodies and evidence mount, he is forced to revisit a series of killings that have personal ramifications for him.

This is a very gripping thriller that powers along at a good rate. The twists and turns are spectacular, and the final encounters are very tense. The violence is brutal at times and some of the killings have a high emotional impact. I thought that I had it worked out very early in the piece, but I was completely wrong.

The Twenty is linked to the earlier The Echo Man, but can be read as a stand alone novel. Fans of the earlier book, however, will appreciate the brief cameo appearance of Detective Cara Elliott in The Twenty.

An impressive crime thriller that will have you reading well into the night

If you are a Karin Slaughter fan. If you like good crime fiction with serial killers. Then this book is for you.
The Major Crime Series by Sam Holland is quickly becoming one of my favorite series. I like the stories and they are quick reads.
This one follows DCI Adam Bishop and how his past comes to play in the current Case he is working.
Warning this is a little descriptive. and if you have a weaker stomach hold tight.
This was a 5 Star read from.

All I can say is Wowza!!
This was jaw-droppingly good!
When I read The Eco Man by Sam Holland I was an instant fan but I think this 1 was even better!

When a book starts with :
"The first thing he notices is cold concrete under his bare feet, gritty dust between his toes. It's dark. So dark."....... you know you are in for a wild ride.

DCI Adam Bishop is called out to an abandoned construction site where a body was found but instead of 1, they end up with 5 bodies in various stages of decay. Even more horrifying are the numbers they find with the bodies. Numbers that are counting down from XIV.
Adam's ex-wife is convinced it's linked to her father who was arrested when she was 11 years old for torturing and murdering 4 women.
Soon it is a race against time. With hardly any clues to the identity of the killer will they be able to stop him before he reaches 0?
And then it gets personal........

This unforgettable psychological thriller is a compelling page-turner that will leave you breathless and on the edge of your seat!

Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Sam Holland doesn't pull her punches in this fast paced, thriller. Pacy & dramatic this is gripping & gorey, just the way a thriller should be.

The Twenty is wonderfully dark with detailed crime scene descriptions, so vividly described I could see (& imagine the smell of) them in detail. I consider myself to have a very strong stomach & I'm not easily shocked when it comes to gore levels in novels but there was one, very simple yet highly effective, passage that turned my stomach completely & I weirdly loved that 🤭

This had me enthralled, teary, sick & completely entertained.