Elevator Pitch by Linwood Barclay has been on my TBR list for a while. So I was pretty excited to jump right in when I got the book. And I can say without hesitation that it was nothing like I expected it to be.
Genre:
Thriller, Mystery
Length:
464 pages
Blurb:
The Mayor of New York is constantly under fire as he battles people’s and journalists’ belief that he is highly incompetent. Two NYPD detectives are called in to investigate the murder of an unidentified body whose fingers are cut off. One New York journalist is hell bent on making sure that every time the Mayor screws up, the city knows. Bombs have been going off across the country in domestic terrorism attacks that are claimed by people associating themselves with a social reform group. The leader of the social reform group denies his involvement in any of the attacks. But… that’s just a normal Monday in New York. Until one of the elevators in one of the many high-rises of the city malfunctions, going right to the top of the building without stopping on any of the floors pressed by its four occupants before plummeting. Writing it off as a tragedy, the city wakes up to another incident of a similar nature on Tuesday. And another on Wednesday. Until officials realize that these are deliberate attacks and drastic measures are put into place. The city comes to an abrupt stop, falling into complete chaos. As lives are lost, terror reigns, and daily life comes to an absolute standstill, the hunt for the perpetrator heats up. Will the coming together of the lives and actions of the journalist, the mayor, the detectives, the social reformist, and the domestic terrorists end in the capture of the one responsible? Or will it lead to something even more horrifying than what the city is already witnessing?
Overall Rating:
7 out of 10
Plot:
8 out of 10
Characterization:
8 out of 10
Primary Element:
6 out of 10 for its thrill, 8 out of 10 for its mystery
Writing Style:
7 out of 10
Part of a Series:
No.
Highlighted Takeaway:
The hard-hitting description of the chaos that is met will equal parts emotional reaction and apathy. Described through the stories of a few random persons, it leaves you with this feeling of, “what are people turning into?”
What I Liked:
Linwood Barclay does not shy away when it comes to showing you the worst of events or people. It might be difficult to digest, but it adds pace and depth to the story. He also manages to take you through different story arcs, without making it seem to be too abrupt a shift, and brings them all together really well.
What I Didn’t Like:
There is nothing inherently unlikable in Elevator Pitch. It is fast paced, juggles a lot of story arcs well, and even ends satisfactorily. And yet, it falls short of being great. It’s just… good. Why this is the case – I honestly cannot pinpoint. But if I had to highlight what I didn’t like, it would be just that – that it’s a good thriller/mystery that meets the requisites for its genre, but does little more than that.
Who Should Read It:
Anyone looking for a good, fast paced thriller and/or mystery. It’s a good fit for that genre. I will highlight here that the book blurb (on Goodreads and other sites) makes it seem like a straightforward serial killer book. But it’s a lot more than that (which is the part I found unexpected). But, that’s not a bad thing at all!
Who Should Avoid:
Anyone who doesn’t like gore or violence – there is some pretty graphic stuff in Elevator Pitch, and it’s also pretty bleak on the morality and humanity front at times.
Read It For:
The ability to kick back and delve into a fast-paced mystery, without the worry of getting lost in convoluted plot, a flat ending, or anything too unpredictable that takes away from the expectations of the genre. It’s pretty perfect for a weekend mystery read.
That’s about all for this review! 🙂
Coming up next is the review for Simon Beckett’s The Calling of the Grave. If you’d like to share your thoughts on Linwood Barclay’s Elevator Pitch (or anything book related), leave a comment below. And as always, thank you for stopping by and reading my review!
– Rishika
The Book Review Station 