Genres
Publication
HQ (2019), 400 pages
Description
Fiction. Suspense. Thriller. HTML: The New York Times bestselling author of A Noise Downstairs and No Time for Goodbye returns with an edge-of-your-seat thriller that does for elevators what Psycho did for showers and Jaws did for the beach�??a heart-pounding tale in which a series of disasters paralyzes New York City with fear. It all begins on a Monday, when four people board an elevator in a Manhattan office tower. Each presses a button for their floor, but the elevator proceeds, non-stop, to the top. Once there, it stops for a few seconds, and then plummets. Right to the bottom of the shaft. It appears to be a horrific, random tragedy. But then, on Tuesday, it happens again, in a different Manhattan skyscraper. And when Wednesday brings yet another high-rise catastrophe, one of the most vertical cities in the world�??and the nation's capital of media, finance, and entertainment�??is plunged into chaos. Clearly, this is anything but random. This is a cold, calculated bid to terrorize the city. And it's working. Fearing for their lives, thousands of men in women working in offices across the city refuse leave their homes. Commerce has slowed to a trickle. Emergency calls to the top floors of apartment buildings go unanswered. Who is behind this? Why are they doing it? What do these deadly acts of sabotage have to do with the fingerless body found on the High Line? Two seasoned New York detectives and a straight-shooting journalist must race against time to find the answers before the city's newest, and tallest, residential tower has its Friday night ribbon-cutting. With each diabolical twist, Linwood Barclay ratchets up the suspense, building to a shattering finale. Pulsating with tension, Elevator Pitch is a riveting tale of psychological suspense that is all too plausible . . . and will chill listenersto the b… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member kbranfield
4.5 stars.
Elevator Pitch by Linwood Barclay is an absolutely riveting mystery with an ingenious storyline.
New Yorkers are soon in the grip of fear during a series of deadly elevator mishaps and a spate of bombings. At the same time, Detectives Jerry Bourque and Lois Delgado are investigating the
Mayor Richard Headley is in a quandary about how to handle the elevator deaths when hard-hitting questions from reporter Barbara Matheson force his hand. She is certainly no fan of the Mayor and she wants answers about the elevator accident that led to the death of someone she knows. Barbara thinks she might have discovered what links the accidents, but will anyone take her theory seriously?
Equally troubling is the series of bombings that appear to be linked to the Flyovers, an alt-right group. The founder of the group, Eugene Clement, is currently in New York on an anniversary trip with his wife. But as the bombings continue, suspicions arise the trip might be a cover for his involvement. There is also growing concern the Flyovers might be involved with the elevator deaths. But why would the group use two very different methods of creating chaos?
Bourque and Delgado are finally making progress on identifying their victim but they are having difficulty uncovering a reason for the murder. The information they discover is not exactly providing a motive for the crime or a suspect. Their investigation soon takes a rather stunning turn, but will they figure out if the murder is connected to the elevator deaths and bombings?
Elevator Pitch is a fast-paced and compelling mystery that is quite suspenseful. The storyline is intriguing and the main characters are interesting. Linwood Barclay keeps the perpetrator(s) identity and motive for the crimes cleverly under wraps until the novel's explosive finale. An outstanding mystery I absolutely loved and highly recommend.
Elevator Pitch by Linwood Barclay is an absolutely riveting mystery with an ingenious storyline.
New Yorkers are soon in the grip of fear during a series of deadly elevator mishaps and a spate of bombings. At the same time, Detectives Jerry Bourque and Lois Delgado are investigating the
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beating death of a hard to identity victim. Are these three seemingly random acts of violence connected?Mayor Richard Headley is in a quandary about how to handle the elevator deaths when hard-hitting questions from reporter Barbara Matheson force his hand. She is certainly no fan of the Mayor and she wants answers about the elevator accident that led to the death of someone she knows. Barbara thinks she might have discovered what links the accidents, but will anyone take her theory seriously?
Equally troubling is the series of bombings that appear to be linked to the Flyovers, an alt-right group. The founder of the group, Eugene Clement, is currently in New York on an anniversary trip with his wife. But as the bombings continue, suspicions arise the trip might be a cover for his involvement. There is also growing concern the Flyovers might be involved with the elevator deaths. But why would the group use two very different methods of creating chaos?
Bourque and Delgado are finally making progress on identifying their victim but they are having difficulty uncovering a reason for the murder. The information they discover is not exactly providing a motive for the crime or a suspect. Their investigation soon takes a rather stunning turn, but will they figure out if the murder is connected to the elevator deaths and bombings?
Elevator Pitch is a fast-paced and compelling mystery that is quite suspenseful. The storyline is intriguing and the main characters are interesting. Linwood Barclay keeps the perpetrator(s) identity and motive for the crimes cleverly under wraps until the novel's explosive finale. An outstanding mystery I absolutely loved and highly recommend.
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LibraryThing member atticusfinch1048
Elevator Pitch – Keep your feet on terra ferma
Linwood Barclay is one of the finest thriller writers in the world, with a style that makes it a pleasure to read his books, and before you know it you are half-way through. As usual there are more twists and turns than in your average game of
It all begins on a Monday when a variety of people enter an elevator car in Manhattan tower block, aiming to start their working day. Selecting their floors, they wait to be delivered quickly up the tower block. Unfortunately, the elevator car has different ideas and misses all their floors, before plummeting down killing all the occupants.
At first it seems like a random act, but then it happens again on Tuesday and then Wednesday, all in Manhattan, New York goes into panic. New York is a city of high rise buildings people will be marooned in their apartments and offices if they cannot walk down the stairwells.
With the people demanding answers the mayor has to ground all elevators, while Homeland Security and the Police try and get answers. The Mayor is under a lot of pressure, especially when a bomb detonates in a New York Cab, and they now have to work out if it is connected.
With a race against time and with the press on the Mayor’s tail and putting him under pressure, can he see a pattern? Who really wants to attack New York, must be a terrorist, and there are plenty of choices, and someone really needs to find the culprits soon, before more die.
With plenty of twists and turns Linwood Barclay uses so many tricks that the suspense carries you all the way to the end of the thriller. Every time you think you have cracked the mystery you are thrown a curved ball and are wrong again.
This is an excellent suspense thriller that will keep you hooked from beginning to end, because like an angler, he knows how to capture his prey.
Linwood Barclay is one of the finest thriller writers in the world, with a style that makes it a pleasure to read his books, and before you know it you are half-way through. As usual there are more twists and turns than in your average game of
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twister. When you think you have worked out the bad guys, he leaves you in enough doubt to pull a few surprises.It all begins on a Monday when a variety of people enter an elevator car in Manhattan tower block, aiming to start their working day. Selecting their floors, they wait to be delivered quickly up the tower block. Unfortunately, the elevator car has different ideas and misses all their floors, before plummeting down killing all the occupants.
At first it seems like a random act, but then it happens again on Tuesday and then Wednesday, all in Manhattan, New York goes into panic. New York is a city of high rise buildings people will be marooned in their apartments and offices if they cannot walk down the stairwells.
With the people demanding answers the mayor has to ground all elevators, while Homeland Security and the Police try and get answers. The Mayor is under a lot of pressure, especially when a bomb detonates in a New York Cab, and they now have to work out if it is connected.
With a race against time and with the press on the Mayor’s tail and putting him under pressure, can he see a pattern? Who really wants to attack New York, must be a terrorist, and there are plenty of choices, and someone really needs to find the culprits soon, before more die.
With plenty of twists and turns Linwood Barclay uses so many tricks that the suspense carries you all the way to the end of the thriller. Every time you think you have cracked the mystery you are thrown a curved ball and are wrong again.
This is an excellent suspense thriller that will keep you hooked from beginning to end, because like an angler, he knows how to capture his prey.
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LibraryThing member SilversReviews
Malfunctioning, crashing-to-the-ground elevators two days in a row, a third elevator crash the following day, and then a dead man who is an elevator-repair person with finger tips sawed off and his face mutilated is what the New York police have to deal with.
What is the connection between the dead
You can't go into any buildings in New York City without needing an elevator, and these incidents along with the mayor's order to shut down every elevator in New York City crippled the city and had everyone in a panic.
Along with all these tragedies, there are numerous side stories going on with the mayor’s office being investigated by a journalist and bombs being set off in New York City and other parts of the country.
ELEVATOR PITCH had a lot of characters' stories that randomly fit into the story line, and all these incidents put together increased the book's suspense.
And...just when you thought it was all over, it wasn't. The ending is edge-of-your-seat.
ELEVATOR PITCH will not be for anyone who already has a fear of being in an elevator or even a New York City cab, but the book will be for those readers who enjoy intrigue, suspense, twists, surprises, revealed secrets, and shady characters. 4/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
What is the connection between the dead
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elevator repair person and the elevator malfunctions? Is there a connection or is this just a coincidence?You can't go into any buildings in New York City without needing an elevator, and these incidents along with the mayor's order to shut down every elevator in New York City crippled the city and had everyone in a panic.
Along with all these tragedies, there are numerous side stories going on with the mayor’s office being investigated by a journalist and bombs being set off in New York City and other parts of the country.
ELEVATOR PITCH had a lot of characters' stories that randomly fit into the story line, and all these incidents put together increased the book's suspense.
And...just when you thought it was all over, it wasn't. The ending is edge-of-your-seat.
ELEVATOR PITCH will not be for anyone who already has a fear of being in an elevator or even a New York City cab, but the book will be for those readers who enjoy intrigue, suspense, twists, surprises, revealed secrets, and shady characters. 4/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member shelleyraec
You might find yourself hesitating before stepping into an elevator in a multi-storey building after reading Linwood Barclay’s latest thriller, Elevator Pitch.
When four people are killed after what is assumed to be an accident where an elevator plummeted twenty nine floors, the Mayor of New York
The story unfolds at a good pace, however the plot is fairly predictable, though the author throws in a number of red herrings. Barbara develops a theory that the Mayor considers absurd, while the detectives run down leads until they have a suspect in sight.
Barclay does build tension as events escalate, and the finale is taut and exciting, but it’s the plausibility of the elevator incidents that really provokes anxiety. Personally I’m now kind of glad the only two public elevators in my town (at the local shopping centre) are just two storey’s high.
I enjoyed Elevator Pitch, it was an entertaining and easy read, I just don’t seem to have a lot to say about it.
When four people are killed after what is assumed to be an accident where an elevator plummeted twenty nine floors, the Mayor of New York
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City is quick to express his condolences. When barely a day later another elevator falls, decapitating a Russian scientist, the Mayor is quick to publicly dismiss the incident as a coincidence. When less than twenty four hours later a third elevator crushes two people, the Mayor is forced to order that all elevator’s in the country’s most ‘vertical city’ be shut down. As New York reels, Detectives Bourque and Delgado, and journalist Barbara Matheson search for answers, hoping to find the culprit before the city falls.The story unfolds at a good pace, however the plot is fairly predictable, though the author throws in a number of red herrings. Barbara develops a theory that the Mayor considers absurd, while the detectives run down leads until they have a suspect in sight.
Barclay does build tension as events escalate, and the finale is taut and exciting, but it’s the plausibility of the elevator incidents that really provokes anxiety. Personally I’m now kind of glad the only two public elevators in my town (at the local shopping centre) are just two storey’s high.
I enjoyed Elevator Pitch, it was an entertaining and easy read, I just don’t seem to have a lot to say about it.
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LibraryThing member tottman
Elevator Pitch by Linwood Barclay raises the terrifying prospect of what would happen in the world's most vertical city if somebody were tampering with the elevators. When the first accident happens on Monday in Manhattan no one thinks much about it. When it happens again on Tuesday, people begin
Who is behind these tragedies and what does it have to do with a fingerless body found on the High Line? Two New York City detectives are working on the murder when they discover a connection to the elevator tragedies. Meanwhile, the mayor is desperate to see the crime solved before the scheduled Thursday opening of the city's newest, tallest residential tower, which happens to be owned by one of his biggest campaign contributors. A dogged reporter who has the mayor in her sights is also intent on finding out the cause of the tragedy to which she has a personal connection. Intersecting story lines, complicated characters whose motives are never entirely what they seem, and a ticking-clock plot make this one of the best thrillers of the year.
Much like he did in the Promise Falls trilogy, Barclay populates this novel with a large cast of characters whom he sets on intersecting agendas. What Barclay does maybe better than anyone else is give credible motives for all of the characters in his books. Even the characters who do despicable things have believable motivations behind their actions. Hand-in-hand with these complicated motivations, he scatters enough information to make more than one person plausible as the perpetrator. Barclay doles out the facts slowly over the course of the book until you have enough information to finally reveal the person behind the tragedies.
Strong characters who are well fleshed out, thrilling plot and a ticking clock that keeps you moving towards the conclusion make the pages fly by in this outstanding thriller. Barclay excels not only at describing horrific acts but in logically imagining both the practical and the political fallout from these incidents.
Elevator Pitch is a great stand-alone novel for any fans of thrillers and will be sure to please Barclay fans, especially fans of The Promise Falls trilogy. Highly recommended.
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher.
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to worry. When another elevator crashes on Wednesday, the city is on the verge of panic.Who is behind these tragedies and what does it have to do with a fingerless body found on the High Line? Two New York City detectives are working on the murder when they discover a connection to the elevator tragedies. Meanwhile, the mayor is desperate to see the crime solved before the scheduled Thursday opening of the city's newest, tallest residential tower, which happens to be owned by one of his biggest campaign contributors. A dogged reporter who has the mayor in her sights is also intent on finding out the cause of the tragedy to which she has a personal connection. Intersecting story lines, complicated characters whose motives are never entirely what they seem, and a ticking-clock plot make this one of the best thrillers of the year.
Much like he did in the Promise Falls trilogy, Barclay populates this novel with a large cast of characters whom he sets on intersecting agendas. What Barclay does maybe better than anyone else is give credible motives for all of the characters in his books. Even the characters who do despicable things have believable motivations behind their actions. Hand-in-hand with these complicated motivations, he scatters enough information to make more than one person plausible as the perpetrator. Barclay doles out the facts slowly over the course of the book until you have enough information to finally reveal the person behind the tragedies.
Strong characters who are well fleshed out, thrilling plot and a ticking clock that keeps you moving towards the conclusion make the pages fly by in this outstanding thriller. Barclay excels not only at describing horrific acts but in logically imagining both the practical and the political fallout from these incidents.
Elevator Pitch is a great stand-alone novel for any fans of thrillers and will be sure to please Barclay fans, especially fans of The Promise Falls trilogy. Highly recommended.
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher.
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LibraryThing member Carol420
It’s an exciting novel that will make you think twice the next time you step into an elevator…but just keep telling yourself “it’s only fiction. It’s just a story.” and maybe you will begin to believe it. I really liked the two main protagonists… particularly the journalist Barbara
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and the Detective Jerry Bourque. The Mayor… Richard Headley… was a politician that you could hate with a clear conscience. The only thing that was a little hard, until you get used to it, is that the scenes change quiet rapidly. Also there was a great deal of side story that seemed unnecessary but all tied together at the end. Overall…I have never been disappointed with this author’s books so…another excellent read by Mr. Barclay. Show Less
LibraryThing member Twink
I don't even bother to read the descriptions of Linwood Barclay's new releases - I just know it's going to be a great read. Elevator Pitch is the latest release from Barclay.
I'm not a fan of elevators at all, so the premise already had me already squirming. A tragic accident - an elevator with four
Think about how many elevators are in Manhattan - and the fact that now no one wants to use them. The city is in turmoil. The frightening thing is that this premise isn't all that far-fetched. A great idea for a story!
Barclay introduces us to a wealth of characters from the opening chapters. Even seemingly supporting characters get lots of description and page time. The protagonists are two detectives (Bourque and Delgado) and Barbara, a journalist. Barbara was my favourite character. I liked her drive, her spunk and her attitude. The detectives were a close second - they played off each other really well. (And flawed leads are my fave.) I do love large ensemble novels and this one will have you keeping a mental scorecard of who's who in the beginning. I wondered how all these players would come together by the end.
Barclay takes the plot in a direction that was impossible to guess as he wove all those characters together. However, there was one subplot that I thought was a bit much,'over- busied' things and by the end didn't add much to the main whodunit IMO.
The chapters are short and the book moves along at a good clip. This was another entertaining, enjoyable read from Barclay.And I will continue to take the stairs when possible!
I'm not a fan of elevators at all, so the premise already had me already squirming. A tragic accident - an elevator with four
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people in it - but the elevator isn't responding - it rises up to the top without stopping - and then plummets to the bottom of the shaft. And then it happens again....and its clear that these are not accidents.Think about how many elevators are in Manhattan - and the fact that now no one wants to use them. The city is in turmoil. The frightening thing is that this premise isn't all that far-fetched. A great idea for a story!
Barclay introduces us to a wealth of characters from the opening chapters. Even seemingly supporting characters get lots of description and page time. The protagonists are two detectives (Bourque and Delgado) and Barbara, a journalist. Barbara was my favourite character. I liked her drive, her spunk and her attitude. The detectives were a close second - they played off each other really well. (And flawed leads are my fave.) I do love large ensemble novels and this one will have you keeping a mental scorecard of who's who in the beginning. I wondered how all these players would come together by the end.
Barclay takes the plot in a direction that was impossible to guess as he wove all those characters together. However, there was one subplot that I thought was a bit much,'over- busied' things and by the end didn't add much to the main whodunit IMO.
The chapters are short and the book moves along at a good clip. This was another entertaining, enjoyable read from Barclay.And I will continue to take the stairs when possible!
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LibraryThing member johnfishlock
Not bad. The book to me had a lack of soul for some reason. Almost like a record by a band where the music has been overproduced.
LibraryThing member BettyTaylor56
I really enjoyed Barclay’s last book A NOISE DOWNSTAIRS and he did not disappoint with his newest one ELEVATOR PITCH. You may never look at elevators the same way again.
New York City, a truly “vertical city”, is paralyzed when random elevators inexplicably plummet to the ground. But are they
I was kept guessing as to who was behind these plots to terrorize the city. The story revolves around a mayor seeking reelection, two New York City detectives, and a journalist who pulls no punches.
This book was definitely hard to put down. With many chapters ending with cliff hangers I had to read just one more chapter…just one more…just one more. Suspenseful. Tense. Fast paced. Excellently written.
Thank you to William Morrow Books for an advance e-copy. Opinions are my own.
New York City, a truly “vertical city”, is paralyzed when random elevators inexplicably plummet to the ground. But are they
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truly random? And are these elevator “mishaps” connected to the recent bombings in public places?I was kept guessing as to who was behind these plots to terrorize the city. The story revolves around a mayor seeking reelection, two New York City detectives, and a journalist who pulls no punches.
This book was definitely hard to put down. With many chapters ending with cliff hangers I had to read just one more chapter…just one more…just one more. Suspenseful. Tense. Fast paced. Excellently written.
Thank you to William Morrow Books for an advance e-copy. Opinions are my own.
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LibraryThing member stephanie_M
This was a very good, action packed novel. I enjoyed the hell out of it. It was thrilling without being weighted down in minutiae or anything else that was boring. I never got bored, and rarely ever had my attention drift off to other things. I also think that it would make a very enjoyable action
Johnathan McClain is the narrator, and I hope Harper audio uses him again in other audiobooks. He was great.
3.5 stars, and recommended to anyone who wants some actiony, thrilling fun.
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movie, and would probably watch it.Johnathan McClain is the narrator, and I hope Harper audio uses him again in other audiobooks. He was great.
3.5 stars, and recommended to anyone who wants some actiony, thrilling fun.
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LibraryThing member pierthinker
Someone is sabotaging elevators in New York high rise buildings and the chase is on to identify the who and the why and stop them before things get worse. The plot here is very simple and has almost no real twists. This is a character-driven thriller rather than a story-driven one.
The half-dozen or
The denouement is refreshingly swift. Once we know whodunnit the story is wrapped up in 20 pages or so. I hate stories that have an extended will-they/won’t-they ending that tries to ramp up the suspense over pages and pages.
Barclay is not going to win any literary prizes (none of his main characters are gay or transgender) but you will have to go a long way to find something more entertaining.
The half-dozen or
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so key characters are revealed to us in increasing depth and complexity as the story unfolds. Good people have shameful secrets or become bad actors, and bad people become good. No one is without some secret or trait, good or bad, that they do not want revealed. Barclay is very good at drip-feeding this information to us in a way that keeps us off balance and never quite sure who the killer is or what is motivating them.The denouement is refreshingly swift. Once we know whodunnit the story is wrapped up in 20 pages or so. I hate stories that have an extended will-they/won’t-they ending that tries to ramp up the suspense over pages and pages.
Barclay is not going to win any literary prizes (none of his main characters are gay or transgender) but you will have to go a long way to find something more entertaining.
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LibraryThing member Stahl-Ricco
“Take the stairs.”
Uh, yeah. Dying by elevator is no way to go! And, “why would someone who wanted to kill people decide to do it by sabotaging elevators?” That’s the million dollar question of this book! Well, the Elevator Executioner would do it, that’s who!
Or, maybe the Flyovers? Ahh,
A good, fast-paced thriller with a bit of twists and turns and a satisfying ending. A fun summer read!
Going down?
Uh, yeah. Dying by elevator is no way to go! And, “why would someone who wanted to kill people decide to do it by sabotaging elevators?” That’s the million dollar question of this book! Well, the Elevator Executioner would do it, that’s who!
Or, maybe the Flyovers? Ahh,
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the Flyovers, “an alt-right group that says the real Americans are the ones the elite fly over when they go from coast to coast.” 45’s klan.A good, fast-paced thriller with a bit of twists and turns and a satisfying ending. A fun summer read!
Going down?
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LibraryThing member Daftboy1
Quite an original book. (I hope it doesnt give some nutters ideas though)
There has been a series of Elevators are crashing in New York.
People are worried as places like Manhattan have so many lifts.
The main characters are
The Mayor Richard Headley is trying to get everyone to remain calm.
Glover
Barbara Matheson is a reporter for one of the local Newspapers she doesnt like the Mayor.
Detectives Jerry Bourque and Lois Delgado who are investigating the death of an Elevator repair man.
Chris Vallins the Mayors Mr. Fixer
Arla Silbert, Barbara's Daughter.
Some Elevators are being sabotaged in Manhattan at first it looked like accidents but they are all linked.
It is all happening over the course of one week.
There is a big party planned for the Friday at the top of the latest high rise fancy building called Top of the Park.
The Elevators allover the City were out of action but as this is a big fancy event they got these ones working.
At this big fancy party all is revealed. The real killer was Chris Vallins who wants revenge for what happened to his Mum years ago he blames the Mayor for her Death. They lived in some dodgy apartment block were the lifts never worked. He kills Glover and sets the Mayor up with a race against time task, he has to walk up 95 flights of stairs. Barbara and Arla are at this event. It turns out the Mayor is Arlas absent Father she never knew about.
The Mayor dies on the stairs of a heart attack.
Detectives Jerry Bourque and Lois Delgado get to the Top of the Park building and stop Vallins from doing anymore damage.
There is a separate story about Flyovers linked into this novel which is a red herring.
OK book this bit far fetched at the end though.
There has been a series of Elevators are crashing in New York.
People are worried as places like Manhattan have so many lifts.
The main characters are
The Mayor Richard Headley is trying to get everyone to remain calm.
Glover
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Headley the Mayors son.Barbara Matheson is a reporter for one of the local Newspapers she doesnt like the Mayor.
Detectives Jerry Bourque and Lois Delgado who are investigating the death of an Elevator repair man.
Chris Vallins the Mayors Mr. Fixer
Arla Silbert, Barbara's Daughter.
Some Elevators are being sabotaged in Manhattan at first it looked like accidents but they are all linked.
It is all happening over the course of one week.
There is a big party planned for the Friday at the top of the latest high rise fancy building called Top of the Park.
The Elevators allover the City were out of action but as this is a big fancy event they got these ones working.
At this big fancy party all is revealed. The real killer was Chris Vallins who wants revenge for what happened to his Mum years ago he blames the Mayor for her Death. They lived in some dodgy apartment block were the lifts never worked. He kills Glover and sets the Mayor up with a race against time task, he has to walk up 95 flights of stairs. Barbara and Arla are at this event. It turns out the Mayor is Arlas absent Father she never knew about.
The Mayor dies on the stairs of a heart attack.
Detectives Jerry Bourque and Lois Delgado get to the Top of the Park building and stop Vallins from doing anymore damage.
There is a separate story about Flyovers linked into this novel which is a red herring.
OK book this bit far fetched at the end though.
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LibraryThing member gpangel
Elevator Pitch by Linwood Barclay is a 2019 William Morrow publication.
One piece of advice…
Take the stairs!
It has become increasingly obvious that someone is sabotaging elevators in New York City. This goes as well as one might expect. The mayor has no idea what to do, the press is making all
The question is:
Is it safe to ride the elevator in the country's most vertical city?
This novel is tense, suspenseful, but also caustically funny at times.
Barclay nails the reactions of politicians, the press, and talking heads perfectly. I laughed out loud several times as the author depicted the 24 hour news channels and the various conspiracy theories that immediately sprang to life. He also eerily predicted how people would respond to a crisis, should something like this really happen.
The story profiles the life of Barbara, a journalist who frequently targets the mayor, who is hoping to expand his political career further, and her daughter, with whom she has a complicated relationship.
We also follow a pair of detectives- one of whom is suffering from extreme anxiety, and a member of the ‘Flyovers’, and of course the inner workings of the mayor’s office as they slowly realize they have a genuine disaster on their hands…
I really enjoyed the way the author managed the rather large cast of characters, weaving the threads together perfectly. The feeling of dread steadily increases as the reader begins to realize the story is barreling towards a huge finale and some of our favorite people could be in danger.
Overall, this is a solid, well-executed thriller. I was engaged from beginning to end and thought the author did a really good job with this one!
4 stars
One piece of advice…
Take the stairs!
It has become increasingly obvious that someone is sabotaging elevators in New York City. This goes as well as one might expect. The mayor has no idea what to do, the press is making all
Show More
manner of wild conjectures and elevator engineers are working to figure out the schematics of the attacks, while a group calling themselves ‘The Flyovers’ are the prime suspects behind the tragedies, which might also include a spate of bombings. The question is:
Is it safe to ride the elevator in the country's most vertical city?
This novel is tense, suspenseful, but also caustically funny at times.
Barclay nails the reactions of politicians, the press, and talking heads perfectly. I laughed out loud several times as the author depicted the 24 hour news channels and the various conspiracy theories that immediately sprang to life. He also eerily predicted how people would respond to a crisis, should something like this really happen.
The story profiles the life of Barbara, a journalist who frequently targets the mayor, who is hoping to expand his political career further, and her daughter, with whom she has a complicated relationship.
We also follow a pair of detectives- one of whom is suffering from extreme anxiety, and a member of the ‘Flyovers’, and of course the inner workings of the mayor’s office as they slowly realize they have a genuine disaster on their hands…
I really enjoyed the way the author managed the rather large cast of characters, weaving the threads together perfectly. The feeling of dread steadily increases as the reader begins to realize the story is barreling towards a huge finale and some of our favorite people could be in danger.
Overall, this is a solid, well-executed thriller. I was engaged from beginning to end and thought the author did a really good job with this one!
4 stars
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LibraryThing member LibraryCin
When there are elevator mishaps in New York City three days in a row – mishaps where people died in each one – the mayor must take drastic steps. Meanwhile, there is a reporter, Barbara Matheson, a single mom to a now-adult daughter (though her parents raised her daughter), who seems to have a
I wasn’t quite as interested in the political aspects of the book with the mayor, though it was important to the book. I was more interested in Barbara’s and her daughter’s lives. The POV did switch around with each chapter. Through most of the book, I would have rated this 3.5 stars (good), but it really ramped up in the last 20% of the book. It was very suspenseful at that point and I didn’t want to put the book down (and I didn’t) until I finished! That was enough to increase my rating. Overall, although it turned out really good, it is not one of my favourites by Barclay.
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grudge against the mayor. The mayor did approach her to write a biography about him, which she rejected. I wasn’t quite as interested in the political aspects of the book with the mayor, though it was important to the book. I was more interested in Barbara’s and her daughter’s lives. The POV did switch around with each chapter. Through most of the book, I would have rated this 3.5 stars (good), but it really ramped up in the last 20% of the book. It was very suspenseful at that point and I didn’t want to put the book down (and I didn’t) until I finished! That was enough to increase my rating. Overall, although it turned out really good, it is not one of my favourites by Barclay.
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LibraryThing member Carlie
Set in Manhattan, this suspense novel follows journalist Barbara Matheson, mayor Richard Headley, and Detective Jerry Bourque as the city is in the grip of an elevator tragedy that puts every elevator in the city out of commission. With lots on interpersonal relationship twists, Barclay keeps the
This novel is fast-paced and character-driven, though not the type I typically read. I liked the format with each section comprising of a single day and each chapter focused on different sets of characters.
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reader guessing who the culprit is and how they are causing such deadly tragedy using elevators as weapons.This novel is fast-paced and character-driven, though not the type I typically read. I liked the format with each section comprising of a single day and each chapter focused on different sets of characters.
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LibraryThing member susandennis
This probably did not deserve five stars but it did keep my interest to the very last word. The author made several decisions halfway into the book that will really kind of cheap and pissed me off but other than that I enjoyed reading it and I'll read more of his stuff also the narrator was
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excellent. Show Less
LibraryThing member ewhatley
The first NYC elevator tragedy is seen as a horrible accident. But the questions begin after the second elevator incident. For fans of thrillers/suspense, Barclay once again delivers. Excellent character development and twisty plot changes. There are subtle hints as to the ending, but you may not
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see if coming. Thoroughly enjoyable. Show Less
LibraryThing member edwardsgt
A very different plot, someone is sabotaging elevators in New York skyscrapers and the Mayor is feeling the pressure. Barbara, a journalist is campaigning against the mayor, but has secret personal issues partly driving it. The police are investigating the murder of an elevator technician who could
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be linked, as well as a right-wing domestic terrorist group's bombing campaign. All these elements are cleverly brought together with a cast of believable characters and a few red herrings. Show Less
Awards
Library Journal Best Books (Crime — 2019)
Language
Original language
English
ISBN
0008332002 / 9780008332006
Other editions
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