Whoa. This was a ride. It kept me involved and I really enjoyed about 90% of it. It takes a lot to bother me but there were several places in this book that made me wholly uncomfortable. The violence felt gratuitous and didn't add anything to the narrative except to make your skin crawl and not out of fear but out of being repulsed by descriptions and behavior. I wasn't really happy with how women overall were treated in this book and there were scenes that I really hated reading. They added NOTHING and seemed way too demeaning and violent. To make matters worse, the ending was definitely a stretch. I did like the idea of these characters and who they were, what they struggled with, but I"m struggling getting over those scenes that left me cold, and grossed out, and not in a good way. I wish the whole content of this book lived up to the promise it had. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read this and provide feedback.

Twisted and twisty, Sam Holland’s follow-up to The Echo Man is loosely related but, for all intents and purposes, can be read as a standalone. A new cast of coppers, lead by DCI Adam Bishop, catch a murder that seems to follow a pattern and, more importantly, a countdown. But to what? Adam’s ex-wife is involved in some way. There is a serial killer, but he was caught so… what’s going on? All the different twists are sometimes a little confusing, so I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first one, but I still liked it.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Crooked Lane Books!

This was really good! I did think the pacing needs some work, but I enjoyed it overall and thought the writing was REALLY strong and impactful.

My thanks to Crooked Lane books, Sam Holland and Netgalley.
I'll admit that maybe I was expecting too much from this story. After reading "The Echo Man" which freaking blew me away!!
Thing is that it's not an unlikable book. It's just not even comparable to Sam's other book.
I clearly remember people and scenes from The Echo Man, but can only vaguely recall events from this book!?
Eh! What's a gal to do?
In this case, I'll just give it a mediocre rating and keep my eyes 👀👀 on the prize. That would be the next book from this author!
I'm ready!

This is such a good book! Sam Holland has written a gritty police procedural/cat and mouse. The characters are complicated and likable, as they are enmeshed in a serial killer’s game. I will be reading The Echo Man and anything Sam Holland writes. Highly recommended.

4.5 rounded up as I raced towards the end if I wasn't reading The Twenty, I was thinking about what was happening in the book.

Sam Holland has given us a book that is dark, terrifying, mind boggling and the bodies just keep piling up.

The bodies are numbered by the killer. The end total should be twenty

Adam Bishop and Jamie Hoxtonare are urgently trying to solve these horrific crimes.

You will gasp, you will hold your breath and moan out loud as the bodies mount.

The Twenty is a must read, get your copy, rearrange your TBR pile to put this one to the very top.

Hope no one interrupts you as you are reading.

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for a hold your breath type of read.

I got this book because I enjoyed Holland's first novel, The Echo Man. And am I glad I did. Once again, the author has constructed an intricate, gripping serial killer thriller that lands somewhere between Thomas Harris' Red Dragon and The Silence of the Lambs, and the Special X series by Michael Slade. Set in the same world as The Echo Man, this novel finds DCI Adam Bishop trying to solve a case where five bodies have been found in a dumping ground, each with a Roman numeral painted above when. His ex-wife Romilly Cole makes a connection to a case from years before, and despite contention between them, Bishop soon finds he can't ignore what she's saying. As the police desperately try to find the killer, more bodies turn up, eventually cutting too close to home. Bishop must deal with his ex, a cunning serial killer from his prison cell, and a race against the clock to save those close to him.
The story keeps you wondering, as it goes back-and-forth between the current story line, intermingling perspectives of the killer and the traumatizing backstory of one of the characters, though whose backstory it is isn't revealed until near the very end. I was quite sure I knew who the killer was from the earliest chapters, only to find out 3/4 of the way through I was completely wrong; though I did figure out the true culprit before the actual reveal. And just when it seemed the story was concluded there were even more twists at the very end that no one could have seen coming. Sam Holland is a literary force to be reckoned with.

Everybody knows that I love a dark and messed up serial killer thriller... I mean who doesn't? Sam Holland's first book, The Echo Man was absolutely brilliant and ticked every box for me. Her second book, The Twenty, amazing! yes, it is long, and detailed and lots of characters. I could not get enough. I did start to regret my decision to read it on a late-night train home on my own though! This book will get into your head.

DCI Detective Adam Bishop has landed the case of his career. What first appeared to be a simple murder scene, turns into the location of multiple bodies, all marked with a number. The race is on to find this killer. Adam's ex-wife, Romilly, is convinced that it is connected to a years old case where the same numbering happened, but that killer was caught and is behind bars. Is it a copycat or is he controlling it from prison?

This book brings back some characters from The Echo Man and talks about the case quite a bit. It can be read as a stand alone, but why would you want to when The Echo Man is so good. Sam Holland really gets into the head of the killer and of DCI Bishop. This case is tearing him apart, the more the killer escalates. It is an emotional book, one that won't let go of you until the very end, and then will have you thinking about it long after.

If you are a fan of Chris Carter and MJ Arlidge, then this is a must read for you. Get yourself a copy on May 2nd.

Thanks so much to Crooked Lane Books for my advanced copy to read. Easy 5 stars.

Had some good moments and a few lulls but overall i enjoyed this story and the pacing of this thriller .

I loved the Echo Man so I was ecstatic for the opportunity to read The Twenty by Sam Holland.
This book was a fantastic read.
This Twenty literally had me hooked from the very first page.
It kept me on the edge of my seat until the end of the book.
Well plotted, well paced and an intriguing thriller I loved it.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this eARC.

I requested this when I was half way through Echoman. Unfortunately, like that book, I ended up not finishing it. I loved the gore and shock factor this book had, but I ultimately got bored. I felt this book could have been 100 pages shorter.

Thank you, Net Galley and the author, for this ARC.

I need to preface with the fact that I read many books in this genre and this is definitely more graphic regarding abuse and violence, specifically against women and children.

The end was a surprise to me, the deaths were frequent, and there was a lot of personal soap opera throughout that probably extended the book by 50 pages it didn’t need.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

The Twenty by Sam Holland
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Talk about spine chilling .

What a wonderful police procedural type thriller that keeps you on your toes from beginning to end .
Sam Halland had me hooked with the echo man, and didn't disappoint with The Twenty .
What a dark, twisted mind the author is so graciously sharing with us .

If you enjoyed the echo man, if you enjoy thrillers , gore and police procedurals ; than I highly recommend you give this brilliantly addictive read a go .

Thanks @netgalley and @crookedlanebooks for the early copy .

If you haven’t read Sam Holland’s first book The Echo Man then I highly recommend that you do before reading this one. Not only is it a brilliant, addictive read, easily as good as this one, but this book does refer back to its plot and the recurring characters, as well as a plot line running between the two, making this one make more enjoyable and creates a deeper connection to the characters and storyline.
But…. saying that, if you can’t wait to jump straight into this one, and I can’t blame you if you do!, then there is enough of a bit of back story to throughly enjoy this one. It will work as a standalone, but you will really be missing out on an amazing book, and with any luck there will be another book coming with the same recurring characters 🤞
Taking place over the span of 14 days, this is a fast paced, action packed, gruesome serial killer thriller that just goes from strength to strength in plot line and further character development.
Now a DCI, Adam Bishop is back and heading the investigation. An investigation that begins with a call out to a body dumped on some wasteland that soon becomes the last resting place of five bodies, and all pointing to the same killer. And that’s just the beginning!
From there the plot just keeps on hurtling you 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.
The Echo Man was a seriously compulsive serial killer thriller, but with this follow up book The Twenty, this is one of the best ever serial killer thrillers I’ve ever read, honestly, and I’ve read my fair share!
The Twenty by Sam Holland is due out on the 11 May 2023 and is available to be preordered now from your local bookshop or from the link below.

A massive thank you to the author Sam Holland, publishers Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction and NetGalley for my digital arc in exchange for an honest, independent review.

If you haven’t read Sam Holland’s first book The Echo Man then I highly recommend that you do before reading this one. Not only is it a brilliant, addictive read, easily as good as this one, but this book does refer back to its plot and the recurring characters, as well as a plot line running between the two, making this one make more enjoyable and creates a deeper connection to the characters and storyline.

But…. saying that, if you can’t wait to jump straight into this one, and I can’t blame you if you do!, then there is enough of a bit of back story to throughly enjoy this one. It will work as a standalone, but you will really be missing out on an amazing book, and with any luck there will be another book coming with the same recurring characters 🤞

Taking place over the span of 14 days, this is a fast paced, action packed, gruesome serial killer thriller that just goes from strength to strength in plot line and further character development.
Now a DCI, Adam Bishop is back and heading the investigation. An investigation that begins with a call out to a body dumped on some wasteland that soon becomes the last resting place of five bodies, and all pointing to the same killer. And that’s just the beginning!

From there the plot just keeps on hurtling you 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.
The Echo Man was a seriously compulsive serial killer thriller, but with this follow up book The Twenty, this is one of the best ever serial killer thrillers I’ve ever read, honestly, and I’ve read my fair share!

The Twenty by Sam Holland is due out on the 11 May 2023 and is available to be preordered now from your local bookshop or from the link below.

A massive thank you to the author Sam Holland, publishers Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction and NetGalley for my digital arc in exchange for an honest, independent review.

DCI Adam Bishop is on the trail of a serial killer. Bodies are found on a wasteland site, but they are just the first discoveries. With some similarities, could these be connected to a case from almost thirty years earlier?

A fast paced thriller, not for the faint hearted! Very graphic at times but very well done. Gripped from the first page. An exciting read, a good 4* book.

Thank you NetGalley.

If you like a lot of blood and gore and stomach turning descriptions of what one person can do to another, you'll enjoy this one. Could have been more interesting if more focus was on the purpose of the Title and less on the horrors.

This. Book. The PERFECT crime thriller. A serial killer and twists and turns everywhere. The short chapters were also a plus. This had me putting my entire day on hold so I could finish it. I loved the characters as well, and I am immediately running to read her other book, The Echo Man. Check this book out when it’s released in May. It’s a top tier read!

This book was an exciting read from the first page to the last. I can usually figure out who “done it” about halfway through a book, but not this one! It had me guessing until the very end. Detective Adam Bishop and his colleague and best friend discover a graveyard of bodies with Roman numerals spray painted above there graves. Could it be a copy cat serial killer of a man already incarcerated for torturing and murdering several woman in his backyard shed? Or is the killer organizing with Elliot Cole from his jail cell? Adam and Jamie set out to stop this killer before more bodies pile up. If you love a good mystery that keeps you glued to every page, you’ll love this one!

Right from the start this book sucks you in!!! I loved every page!! Well written. Fantastic read! Perfectly descriptive. Keeps your anxiety on edge.