pandasbookshelf's review against another edition
5.0
The Echo Man | Sam Holland
Pub Date: 05/04/22
Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Crime
The Echo Man is an outstanding debut from author, Sam Holland. In fact, it was so well written, I’d have thought this author had been penning crime thrillers for decades. Definitely an author to watch!
I picked this one up solely on the premise; a copycat killer mimicking historical serial killers. What’s not to like about that? But this one far exceeded my expectations. The Echo Man is an emotional roller coaster of twists, turns, gory crimes and deeply flawed and multidimensional characters.
At first, I didn’t really connect to any of the characters and was a little confused who was who, but as I got to know them more, I found myself absolutely in love with all of them. In fact, I’d kill (pun intended) for more. Crossing my fingers for a sequel. The main characters are siblings and both Police detectives which is a unique and interesting plot device. Push through the first few chapters, you won’t be disappointed.
Let’s talk twists for a second. Just when you think you know what’s coming, wham, you get struck out of left field. And then it happens again! Sometimes a twist can feel unbelievable or done for shock value, but this one pulls it off in a realistic, believable and still shocking way.
The copy cat crimes were great and would appeal to fans of crime fiction in general. I liked trying to guess which killer they were imitating and seeing if I could figure it out before the characters. The crimes themselves were a little gory but nothing too crazy. The forensic details are very well done and you can tell the author has done a lot of research. It feels very realistic and detailed which adds to the feel and tone of the book.
Trigger warning for trauma, self-harm and addiction.
I’d recommend this one to fans of crime thrillers and those who enjoy richly drawn characters with complex backstories and mental health. The author portrays the impacts of trauma and PTSD very well.
Pub Date: 05/04/22
Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Crime
The Echo Man is an outstanding debut from author, Sam Holland. In fact, it was so well written, I’d have thought this author had been penning crime thrillers for decades. Definitely an author to watch!
I picked this one up solely on the premise; a copycat killer mimicking historical serial killers. What’s not to like about that? But this one far exceeded my expectations. The Echo Man is an emotional roller coaster of twists, turns, gory crimes and deeply flawed and multidimensional characters.
At first, I didn’t really connect to any of the characters and was a little confused who was who, but as I got to know them more, I found myself absolutely in love with all of them. In fact, I’d kill (pun intended) for more. Crossing my fingers for a sequel. The main characters are siblings and both Police detectives which is a unique and interesting plot device. Push through the first few chapters, you won’t be disappointed.
Let’s talk twists for a second. Just when you think you know what’s coming, wham, you get struck out of left field. And then it happens again! Sometimes a twist can feel unbelievable or done for shock value, but this one pulls it off in a realistic, believable and still shocking way.
The copy cat crimes were great and would appeal to fans of crime fiction in general. I liked trying to guess which killer they were imitating and seeing if I could figure it out before the characters. The crimes themselves were a little gory but nothing too crazy. The forensic details are very well done and you can tell the author has done a lot of research. It feels very realistic and detailed which adds to the feel and tone of the book.
Trigger warning for trauma, self-harm and addiction.
I’d recommend this one to fans of crime thrillers and those who enjoy richly drawn characters with complex backstories and mental health. The author portrays the impacts of trauma and PTSD very well.
coryduude's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
kate_reads_books's review against another edition
4.0
This was an enjoyable book. I listened to the audiobook free through Libby with my local library for anyone that wants to give this one a go. As a true crime fan, I loved the concept of a copycat serial killer, copying the murders of infamous serial killers like Bundy, Manson, The Yorkshire Ripper etc. The descriptions of the murders in this book are quite graphic so a definite trigger warning for that. I feel like the twists were unexpected and that the plot pacing was great, definitely fast paced enough to hold my interest and intrigue! I am only not giving this one a 5 star rating as I feel some parts of the plot can be repetitive and could definitely be more refined.
korennn's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
reginadurben's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Wow!!!! Such an amazing thriller!! I cannot wait for more from this author!
alisonb's review against another edition
5.0
I was blown away by the writing in this book. I had a hard time putting this story down as it was horrific and mesmerizing at the same time.
The cast of characters in this story were immensely interesting and intrinsically flawed.
I went into this story fairly blind, and I found that that added to how tight of a grip this story had on me-you just didn't know what was coming next or know what to anticipate.
If you are sensitive to any triggers, definitely do some research before reading. This book has almost every trigger under the sun. It is ruthless.
I cannot believe this is Holland's first novel. I wish she had a bigger back list, but for now I will wait for the second book in this series with a frantic level of anticipation.
The cast of characters in this story were immensely interesting and intrinsically flawed.
I went into this story fairly blind, and I found that that added to how tight of a grip this story had on me-you just didn't know what was coming next or know what to anticipate.
If you are sensitive to any triggers, definitely do some research before reading. This book has almost every trigger under the sun. It is ruthless.
I cannot believe this is Holland's first novel. I wish she had a bigger back list, but for now I will wait for the second book in this series with a frantic level of anticipation.
sharon8497's review against another edition
3.0
⭐️⭐️⭐️,5
Hmmm.. ik kijk met gemengde gevoelens terug op dit verhaal.
In het begin vond ik het verhaal echt vreselijk. Ik kwam er niet goed in, en ik vond het allemaal maar traag.
Gelukkig kwam er na de eerste 100 bladzijdes wel een redelijke vaart in en ook wat spanning.
Nog 100 bladzijdes verder was de spanning op zijn hoogtepunt en ben ik echt door het verhaal heen gevlogen. Aan de gruwelijke details ontbreekt het zeker niet. Laat ik het er op houden dat het zeer realistisch en gedetailleerd beschreven is. De personages bleven helaas wel wat oppervlakkig. Hier had voor mij wel wat meer aangedacht aan besteed mogen worden, zodat het verhaal iets meer in balans was.
Over het algemeen vond ik het een goed verhaal met een fijne schrijfstijl, wat als je eenmaal door het begin bent het ook weer lastig weg kan leggen.
Hmmm.. ik kijk met gemengde gevoelens terug op dit verhaal.
In het begin vond ik het verhaal echt vreselijk. Ik kwam er niet goed in, en ik vond het allemaal maar traag.
Gelukkig kwam er na de eerste 100 bladzijdes wel een redelijke vaart in en ook wat spanning.
Nog 100 bladzijdes verder was de spanning op zijn hoogtepunt en ben ik echt door het verhaal heen gevlogen. Aan de gruwelijke details ontbreekt het zeker niet. Laat ik het er op houden dat het zeer realistisch en gedetailleerd beschreven is. De personages bleven helaas wel wat oppervlakkig. Hier had voor mij wel wat meer aangedacht aan besteed mogen worden, zodat het verhaal iets meer in balans was.
Over het algemeen vond ik het een goed verhaal met een fijne schrijfstijl, wat als je eenmaal door het begin bent het ook weer lastig weg kan leggen.
fizzy_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Body horror, Child abuse, Violence, Blood, Physical abuse, Gun violence, and Rape
Minor: Drug use, Infidelity, and Vomit
alibi313's review against another edition
3.0
A good listen that kept me guessing, but downgraded one star for excessive reveling in violent imagery and an unsatisfying ending. Additionally, I found myself rolling my eyes, thinking that unless this is an independently wealthy unemployed killer, the sheer number of bodies and degree of planning was absolutely unrealistic.