The Countdown Killer

'A seriously dark, twisted, nail-bitingly tense thrill ride of a book' Cressida McLaughlin

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…

Praise for Sam Holland's thrillers

‘Smart and brooding, icepick-sharp and shadow-dark; best of all, though, it’s scary as hell. Think you’re tough? Pick up this novel and prove it’ A. J. Finn, author of The Woman in the Window

‘Really disturbing and gripping but with a trademark sexy cop at the heart to offset the serial killer gore. Lots of fun in a very nightmarish way’ Harriet Tyce, author of Blood Orange

‘Fierce, frightening, twisted and addictive.’ Chris Whitaker, author of We Begin at the End

‘Fast and furious, Sam Holland doesn’t take her foot off the pedal for a second’ Victoria Selman, author of Truly Darkly Deeply

‘If you like crime that’s dark, twisted, and keeps you up all night, Holland is the author for you’ Jack Jordan, author of Do No Harm

'''So dark you almost have to look away yet so compelling you can't stop turning the next page’ Tim Glister, author of Red Corona

‘I raced through this page-turner and slept with the light on after finishing it!’ Elle Croft, author of The Guilty Wife

‘Fascinating, complex characters, whose relationships are every bit as humanly messy as the crime scenes they face’ Dominic Nolan, author of Vine Street

‘Gripped me right from page one’ L.V. Matthews, author of The Twins


Genre: Mystery

"A body blow of a thriller. Absolutely brilliant." - Heather Critchlow

"As ever Sam Holland has excelled themselves with this story of bitter revenge ... One of the best novels I've read this year and a masterclass in crime writing." - James Delargy

"Her finest work yet combining sheer brutality with so much heart ... From the first page to the jaw-dropping conclusion-one I never saw coming-I was completely hooked." - Chris Frost

"Sam Holland has a loyal following for her Major Crimes series, and this latest instalment should please fans and new readers alike. All the elements are here: the twisted minds, deft action, and sexily messy lives of our favourite cops." - Jo Furniss

"A seriously dark, twisted, nail-bitingly tense thrill ride of a book." - Cressida McLaughlin

"Beautifully unrestrained. No thriller writer is on more intimate terms with their dark side than Sam Holland." - Dominic Nolan

"Strap in tight! With a screamingly high body count, this lightning-paced, twisty, gritty police procedural is a rollercoaster of a ride." - Rachel Wolf

"Dark, twisted, depraved and utterly compelling." - Trevor Wood