A sure-fire 5 star read for me and another excellent addition to this brilliant series. This is the fourth in the Major Crimes Series and the fourth I have read and I have found that they have just got better and better. I really do feel you need to have read some of the others in the story -at least the first in the series, The Echo Man, to keep up with it however, it's not essential and, I think I would have enjoyed this even if it was my first and it would have made me go back and read the others. It has everything you would want from a dark and gritty serial killer story; it's full of excellent characters, it's non-stop pace with plenty of action, tension, suspense, thrills, twists and a sick serial killer. This is definitely not for those who don't like reading graphic scenes of death - there were definitely bits that made me shiver and wince and it takes a lot to do that so be warned!! Highly, highly recommended and I must thank the author, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this riveting book.

I’ve been waiting with anticipation for the next instalment from Sam Holland & featuring DCI Cara Elliott especially since the cliff hanger ending from book 3 the puppet master, & Sam Holland has done it again and created a novel I truly could not stop reading, it’s not for the faint hearted and is truly grizzly in places but what I like most about this series is all the characters are flawed they are all dealing with their own demons but they still manage to work together to bring the bad guys to justice and this story definitely keeps you guessing right to the end. I’m not sure if there will be anymore of this series but I hope there will be.

This was completely enthralling! I am slightly sad that I did not realize that this was the fourth book in the series (though I already have the first book ready to read right away after this!) but it did not detract from the immediate hooking of my attention in The Countdown Killer! I must say, Cara and Griffin and the rest of the officers are amazing with working together to find this latest serial killer, who has worked under their noses for years and may be connected to other killers. The action goes quick, and even as more bodies show up, they still keep working to unravel all the twists this case takes. And it does get really dark what with the films that have very graphic deaths, though there is justice in that (at least according to the killer). This was very hard to put down and I did really enjoy all the twists that I did not see coming. I am looking very much forward to reading the rest of the series now and I do not mind already knowing bits mentioned in this book (I am sure it will still be a wild ride!) I also can't wait to see what is next for Cara and Griffin, though I think they deserve some rest and relaxation after all that happens in the hunt for this long time serial killer!

An elderly lady drops off a DVD at Southampton Police Station’s Major Crimes Unit and as DCI Cara Elliott and her team watch it they realise it shows a particularly gruesome snuff film that viewers are paying to view. Cara doesn’t know the identity of the killer but realises that time is limited before the next victim is chosen, but what she doesn’t know is that the killer is watching her. ‘The Countdown Killer’ is the truly gripping story of a killer who enjoys subjecting their victims to the most horrific and violent of deaths and with little evidence to work with DI Cara Elliott knows she’s not going to be able to stop the killing unless Noah Deakin, jailed for being the Echo Man, gives her information. I can’t understand how this is the first book I’ve read by this author as it’s exactly the type of thriller I enjoy, although the blood and gore had me cringing at times, and the suspense and tension built up so perfectly it was impossible to stop reading. I agree with Sam that the Noisy Lobster is a great restaurant with an amazing view of Avon Beach, and I liked reading of the enjoyable evening Griffin and Brody had there. It’s an incredibly well-written thriller with multiple twists and turns that had me sitting on the edge of my seat unable to let go of my Kindle. But then I reached the final chapters and the explosive ending that had me in tears! Now that I’ve finally discovered DCI Cara Elliott I’m hoping she’ll be in another book in the not too distant future.