The Twenty (Major Crimes, Book 2)

(Hardback)

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A nail-biting new crime novel from the author of the award winning thrillerThe Echo Man!
Some authors spook you. Some authors unnerve me. Very few authors frighten you but very few authors are Sam Holland. The Twenty is smart and brooding, icepick-sharp and shadow-dark; best of all, though, its scary as hell. Think youre tough Pick up this novel and prove it
AJ Finn, author of The Woman in the Window

Bodies (lots of them), grisly crime-scenes pored over by complex characters with even more complex relationships. What's not to love With The Twenty Sam Holland establishes herself as a very bright new star in the dark crime writing firmament
Simon Toyne, author of Dark Objects

A chilling exploration of all the nooks and crannies of the disturbed human mind
Amanda Cassidy, author of Breaking

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

The countdown has begun. Who will die next

A shocking crime scene
DCI Adam Bishop has never seen anything like it. Five murder victims all with numbers written above. And the spray-painted daubs reveal a horrific truth: the killer is counting down

A case that twists and turns
When Dr Romilly Cole learns of the murders, they trigger memories of a traumatic past she has tried hard to forget. But getting involved with the case is a bad idea. She and Bishop have history and working together could never end well.

A race against time to stop a killer
Adam and Romilly soon realise the truth lies in a decades-old case, and only Romilly holds the key. But they must act quickly, because with every passing day, there are more victims. And as the numbers edge toward zero, the murders get closer to home

* THE ECHO MAN won the Bronze Bat for Best Debut Thriller at the Netherlands Thriller Festival on 30 October 2022.

Reviews

An outstanding thriller, relentless and muscularA stone cold winner
Kate Simants

Relentlessly shocking, visceral and brilliant
Cameron Ward

Fast and furious, Sam Holland doesnt take her foot off the pedal for a second
Victoria Selman

Relentless, twisted, terrifying; like its killer, The Twenty stalks readers as prey
Dominic Nolan

Superbly written, beautifully plotted, with a cast of fantastic characters. I inhaled it
LV Matthews

A truly gripping page turner that will make your veins pump and your fingers curlA terrifying triumph
Heather Critchlow

Characters that leap off the page and more than enough murders to satisfy the most bloodthirsty drawn with a careful hand. Sam Holland delivers and then some
Rachael Blok

Sharp as a razor and jam packed with heart-in-mouth moments thatll leave you reeling
Robert Scragg

A sharp, visceral, fast paced novel that you wont be able to put down not one for the faint hearted!
Niki Mackay

What a rollercoaster ride! Holland has done it again, delivering yet another high-energy serial killer novel, this time with a gruesome ticking clock
Russ Thomas

A wonderfully dark and gruesome serial killer story that isn't afraid to put its protagonists through the wringer
Tariq Ashkanani

An absolute belter of a book that freaked me out in the best possible way. I loved it! Compulsive, complex and utterly brilliant!
Marion Todd

Can you read a book while peeking through your fingers When its as clever and addictive as this, you can
Jo Furniss

A twisted delight of a serial killer thriller. Prepare to be traumatised in the best possible way
Cressida McLaughlin

The characters are so real and well drawn you feel their pain and urgency as if it were your own
Steph Sowden

Winds its way to a thrilling completion with a final twist that is beautifully delivered
James Delargy

Incredibleso dark, so compelling, so utterly enthralling. Absolutely brilliant. 5*
Sarah Bonner

Author Bio

Having always been fascinated with the dark and macabre, Sam Holland's love of reading was forged in the library through Stephen King, Dean Koontz and James Herbert. A self-confessed serial killer nerd, Holland studied psychology at university then spent the next few years working in HR, before quitting for a full-time career in writing. The Echo Man is the result. Sam can be found on Twitter and Instagram at @samhollandbooks.