“He’s tracking people down one by one
And you’re next on the list…

A MAN MURDERED, LIVE ON CAMERA

When a DVD is delivered in the dead of night, DCI Cara Elliott hits play on a horrifying showreel of violence… This is death, on demand.

A KILLER COUNTING DOWN

Avid viewers are paying for the killings, with twisted specifications. A request, an abduction, a murder. And always in a forty-eight-hour pattern.

A MISSING DETECTIVE

But when the killer finds out they’re being investigated, they reveal their next target. In forty-eight hours, a police officer will be the one in front of the camera. The hunters have become the hunted, and the clock is ticking…”

Hello and welcome to damppebbles. Today I am delighted to share my review of The Countdown Killer by Sam Holland. The Countdown Killer was published by Hemlock Press on 5th June 2025 and is available in paperback, audio and digital formats. I chose to read a free eARC of The Countdown Killer but that has in no way influenced my review.

Wow! Just…wow! I need a lie-down after finishing The Countdown Killer. I have so much to say about this book but where do I start? How about here? This is one of my favourite books of 2025. Without a doubt, one of the best serial killer thrillers I have read in a long time. It’s so twisted, it’s so dark and delightfully intense, it’s so completely unexpected and thrilling. So utterly propulsive and nigh-on impossible to tear yourself away from.

Gosh, I loved it. But then, the entire series is something really quite special. And different, I think. Sometimes serial killer thrillers can become a little samey. Not the Major Crimes series. Holland mixes things up and gives a different take on the norm. For example, the first book in the series featured DCI Cara Elliot and her brother, DS Nate Griffin. The second book in the series, The Twenty, features a completely different police pairing – DCI Adam Bishop and DS Jamie Hoxton, with Elliot only being mentioned in passing. I really liked that. I thoroughly enjoyed that the series was about the Team, not the individual. The third and fourth books feature characters the reader has become familiar with but situations, as in life, are always changing. Things happen. Often in the world of the Major Crimes team those ‘things’ can be quite catastrophic. It keeps the reader on their toes, keep you interested and engaged.

As I mentioned, this is the fourth book in the series. Sure, you could probably read it as a standalone if that’s your thing but I would heartily recommend starting with the first book, The Echo Man, and reading each book in order. So much has happened to these characters in the short space of four novels. So much has changed and the author has developed her characters beautifully. I feel I know these people and that’s why, when something shocking happens (as is the norm in Holland’s books), I feel it too. You will feel more invested if you read this series from the beginning. Also, The Countdown Killer picks up a storyline that was left as a cliffhanger in the first book. I’ve been wondering for two books now when the author was going to address that particular loose end and oh my gosh, address it she does!

The characters are superb. Some I’ve loved from the moment I met them. Some have grown on me over time. I feel I’ve lived their journey alongside them, which is the mark of a brilliant writer. When I’m reading their stories, they feel real to me and I love that. Holland does not shy away from really pushing her characters to their limits which is another thing I really appreciate. I often feel in crime fiction that there’s sometimes a hesitancy there, a reluctance to really shock the reader. You don’t get that with Sam Holland’s books and I find it refreshing.

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. The Countdown Killer is a superb addition to a brilliant series. If I was going to write a novel THIS is the novel I would want to write. The characters are believable and despite their flaws (or perhaps ‘because’ of their flaws), I have really warmed to them over the course of the four books. The plot is so immersive, completely gripping and the tension is built to palpable heights. There are a number of completely shocking, gasp-inducing moments throughout the book. One I’m still trying to come to terms with. There is so much going on in this book but it’s all very easy to follow (particularly if you’re familiar with the series). The characters are pushed to their limits, flailing around looking for a lead, something they can start building a case on. But no matter what direction they take, there’s nothing. And all the while, the clock is ticking. The number of gruesome deaths increasing. It’s SO good. I felt it was written for me. This is the type of crime fiction I adore and Sam Holland has quickly become one of my ‘must-read’ authors. I love how she tells a story. All in all, The Countdown Killer is one of the best books I’ve read this year. Gruesome, relentless and highly compelling. Dark and twisted bliss. I loved every second of it! Highly recommended.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of The Countdown Killer. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

The Countdown Killer by Sam Holland was published in the UK by Hemlock Press on 5th June 2025 and is available in paperback, audio and digital formats (please note, the following links are affiliate links which means I receive a small percentage of the purchase price at no extra cost to you): | amazon.co.uk | Waterstones | bookshop.org | Goodreads | damppebbles bookshop.org shop | damppebbles amazon.co.uk shop | damppebbles amazon.com shop |

Sam Holland is the award-winning author of the Major Crimes series, following detectives as they investigate murders committed by brutal serial killers in the south of England. Her debut, The Echo Man, shocked and enthralled readers and reviewers alike with its sinister depiction of a serial killer copying notorious real-life murderers of the past.

Her books have been published in 14 countries worldwide, including the US, Germany and the Netherlands, where she became the first author to win the Bronze Bat for her debut and the Silver Bat for best thriller in consecutive years at the Nederlands Thrillerfestival.

The Puppet Master is her third novel and is out now. It will be followed by The Countdown Killer in June 25.

She also writes as Louisa Scarr and is the author of the Butler and West crime series, beginning with Last Place You Look and ending with Out of the Ashes. A new series, about a police dog handler, launched in July 2024 with Gallows Wood. The second in the series, Memorial Park, is out now.