Reviews tagging 'Gore'

The Echo Man by Sam Holland

14 reviews

maisiegibbs's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

5.0

OMG easily the best book I’ve read… ever I think. It took a while for me to get my teeth into it but once I did I couldn’t put it down. The plot. The characters. The twists. I just can’t say enough about this book. I am picking up The Twenty as we speak. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Murder, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury

imzadi481's review

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Gore

Moderate: Pedophilia

julesreadsstuff's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious 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

I really enjoyed this thriller! It was just like watching a really fab bbc police drama on the tv but in book form!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

jessi_lou95's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, Child death, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Blood

Minor: Infidelity and Pregnancy

bobinsbooknook's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This book was filled with everything you’d hope for in a thriller; plot twists, morally grey protagonists and some absolutely shocking crime! Another great pick for fans of criminal minds type themes! 

There is a lot to unpack in this story and just when I thought I had it all figured out it would end up with one final twist just to round it all out!

I did enjoy the premise of the plot with all the different copycat kills for various serial killers and for the most part found the characters really interesting. 

My only criticism is I wish there have been better  foreshadowing to the final killer reveal to not feel so out of the blue and did leave me a little confused.

A word of warning - this book details a lot of potentially triggering topics in some pretty graphic detail - particularly during the killer POV scene so be sure to check out content warnings!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Body horror, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Drug use and Infidelity

Minor: Abandonment

staceeyt's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Gore, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

saartjeinwonderbookland's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Incest, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting

teacupsandbookshelves's review

dark mysterious fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

estherb's review against another edition

challenging dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

It’s been a while since I’ve read such a bloodthirsty police procedural - not since my last Chris Carter novel!

The echo man is killing people in the style of notorious serial killers and DCI Cara Elliott is the woman who’s trying to catch him, along with her DS brother - Nate Griffin- who’s suspended from duty and has demons of his own.

This was a great debut with some real gusty characters and some gruesome murders - certainly not for the faint hearted.

Each murder was linked and it was so addictive trying to put all the pieces of the macabre puzzle together. Real crime fans will certainly have a field day with the references (the Charles Manson and Ted Bundy were really good and so clever!)

The twists and turns just left me wanting more and the ending had me on tenterhooks- can’t wait for the next instalment (there HAS to be one!)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

outsmartyourshelf's review against another edition

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? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Jess Ambrose is bored in her marriage to Patrick, & they are both cheating on each other, Jess via mindless sex with strangers. So their marriage is rocky & has been plagued with troubles so when their house is burned down & Patrick killed in an arson attack, the police immediately seize upon Jess as someone with a motive for wanting her husband dead. Only one person seems to think she may be innocent, Nate Griffin, a cop who is on leave following the death of his wife in a traumatic home invasion. Nate's sister, DCI Cara Elliott, is investigating a series of grisly murders which seem unrelated, but Jess realises that they are copies of murders committed by infamous murders such as the Yorkshire Ripper, & the Zodiac Killer. The media soon nickname the killer 'The Echo Man'.

First of all, warning to anyone who is of a sensitive disposition - this book is extremely graphic in respect of death, gore, & sexual violence. The plot itself is rather good & the fast pace & body count is maintained throughout. I really liked Cara & Griffin, but Jess was just an annoying plot device. I was hoping she would be killed off but no such luck. There are some clichés, especially that the killer that is always a couple of steps ahead of the police etc, but it maintained my interest well enough. The ending made me go "WTH?!" or something every similar. 3.5 stars 

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, HarperCollins UK, for the opportunity to read an ARC. I am voluntarily giving an honest review.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Sexual violence, and Violence

Moderate: Animal death, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt