Wow! Elevator Pitch will certainly make you want to take the stairs. I have read & enjoyed Linwood Barclay's books before and this is no exception. It's a really good read. I enjoyed the New York City setting. Of course, where else would a book about elevators be set? Thank you to Netgalley for the advance review copy.

I wasn't quite sure where this book was taking me. I was intrigued by the premise and it had to be good as it was written by one of my favorite authors. It took me a little while to get into this story, but about half way through I had to know what was happening. All elevators are ordered to be stopped by the mayor of New York after numerous elevator mishaps throughout the city. This is a well thought out story, with numerous intertwined storylines, that keep a reader entertained. When you think you have it all figured out, jaw dropping antics occur, surprising even the most well read reader of action thrillers! Stick with this story, you won't regret it!

"Elevator Pitch" by Linwood Barclay was just sort of an okay thriller. It wasn't bad, or anything, I just did not feel as though I *had* to find out who was behind all of the elevator "accidents."

Just okay, not the best book I’ve read. Too much pontificating about current events and the usual "white person/middle America" bashing that is so over used these days. If I wanted that I could easily tune in to any news station. Fiction books should be an escape for the reader not a recap of current political events. Additionally, the book seemed to go on too long and the criminal’s motive is discovered by a reporter who writes puff pieces and not the NYPD., very far-fetched plot. That being said, most thriller books are over the top as far as the plot goes, it's the political stuff that is in almost every book that you read now that I really can't stand.

I expected more than just a fast paced thriller set in an elevator. The research that the author did shines through, and the tension the characters face seem real and gritty but I didn't find myself emphasizing or caring about their fate. Good for those who enjoy mindless thrillers!

2.75

Elevator Pitch
by Linwood Barclay
ebook, 464 pages
Published September 17th 2019 by William Morrow

Goodreads synopsis:
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.

***

5 Stars

This is my first foray into a world built by Linwood Barclay and I have to say that I was impressed. I didn’t know what to expect going into this and I am so glad I was clueless. That made the experience so much better!

This book centers around the elevators in New York. Someone is sabotaging them and causing a lot of needless death. You begin to wonder if this is just random or maybe there is an underlying plan in place. It does take awhile to discover the answer to this question.

The author does a great job with the quick introduction to so many characters only to kill them off or scar them for life. That is the mark of a true master of his craft. I cared for these people and what might or might not happen to them. That poor boy in the elevator with the scientist, dear me, that child will have nightmares for years.

I enjoyed this book and getting a glimpe into what makes Linwood Barclay tick. I am sure this won’t be the last book by him in my TBR pile.

So good. If you like suspense, mystery and thriller aspects in your novels, definitely check out this guy and his books. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Ugh, the elevator stuff was definitely scary and made me think twice about getting on one again any time soon. The overall plot was just meh, no surprises or anything very exciting here. Not a bad read just not his best.

Fast-paced thriller that kept you guessing. I didn't figure out the right bad guy, so good work on that. satisfying ending.

Entertaining, fast-paced and thrilling read. If you already hate elevators don’t read this! This was my second ever Linwood Barclay novel but it will not be my last. Excellent read.

Thank to NetGalley for the ARC I received.

A thrill ride in New York City! A shady mayor, driven journalist, thorough detectives, terrorist organizations, revenge plots, bombs in taxis, and plummeting elevators. A quick read—because I couldn’t put it down! Interesting, well-written characters and an intriguing story that moves along at a quick pace.

This was my first time reading Linwood Barclay, and I have to admit, I was slightly disappointed. He's well known in the suspense genre, so I had high expectations that were not entirely met.

Tragedy strikes New York City in the form of random elevator deaths. Over the course of just a few days, several elevators randomly plummet, killing passengers instantly. Who is planning these attacks, and what messages are they trying to send?

Overall, this book was interesting but kind of a slog. It gained some steam by the end, but really dragged in the middle for me. I think my biggest complaint is that it was highly political, and I don't really enjoy political intrigue. The story centers around the governor of New York and the journalist who tries to bring him down. It also focuses on the detectives trying to crack the case, a radical group called the Flyovers, random bombings, and a murdered elevator technician. There was a lot going on and also a number of side stories.

I'd be willing to try another of Barclay's standalone novels with the hopes that it's not another political thriller. If you're into that sort of thing though, I think you'd enjoy this one and its many twists and turns. For me though, this one took entirely long to get through.

This book started off so strong. That initial elevator scene was really good. But then the book slowed down and kind of got away from the intense scenes that would have made this a much more exciting read. The ending was good and exciting.

A political thriller that seems close to our current culture. Meet some of the many players. New York City Mayor Dick Headley that everyone hates. He runs his administration pragmatically and says what he thinks. He has his son Glover working for his administration and their relationship is painful to watch. He makes it easy for the media to hound him until no end. That is where journalist Barbara comes into play. She has been trying to get the goods on him since he has come into office. She has a past of her own that has made her driven and good at what she does. Arla her daughter that was raised by her parents, is working for the Headley's administration. Their relationship is rocky at best, with many unresolved abandonment issues.

These players come together with humor, satire, and plain good investigative work when New York City is once again under attack. Several high rise elevators have been sabotaged leading to several deaths. A murder of unidentified man with his fingers missing and his face unrecognizable, a right-wing group that is building bombs in coastal cities including NYC leads the mayor in an unprecedented decision that puts NYC in chaos. All this ends in a climatic got you! I thought I knew who was behind all the chaos, but my guy got the shaft at the same time the real culprit was revealed. If you have read any Barclay thrillers, you know that he has a host of players and you are never sure how you will be surprised. He keeps the dots connected and the tension tight. Well done!

A Special Thank you to Harper Collins Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

This was a fantastic psychological thriller! Well written with unreliable characters.
The story was good and unexpected. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.
Makes you think twice about getting in an elevator.

The premise of Elevator Pitch alone is enough to make many of us sweat touching on claustrophobia and acrophobia, I'd add that weird vibe of being closed up with strangers, too. as social anxiety. I was totally ready to destroy my ability to enter an elevator with any nonchalance. And while there were some chill inducing moments centered around the elevator, much of the story is parsed out to seemingly unrelated or underdeveloped story lines. There is even a shocker thrown in for no other reason but to add shock that made no sense to me.
But back to the scary part, don't get attached to any of the characters. I love it when you really aren't sure who will make it to the end.

Linwood Barclay's "Elevator Pitch," is set in Manhattan. Mayor Richard Headley is receiving negative press, partly because journalist Barbara Matheson has alleged that he advocated awarding a lucrative construction contract to a generous campaign donor. Barbara is savvy, hard-working, and committed to revealing what is really going on behind the scenes in New York City government. Meanwhile, Mayor Headley is tired of his critics using him as a punching bag.

Detectives Jerry Bourque and Lois Delgado of the NYPD are on the case when someone finds a corpse on the High Line. An unidentified killer viciously beat his victim to death, mutilated the man's face, and cut off his fingertips. The tension escalates when civilians lose their lives in elevators that suddenly go haywire. Not enough excitement for you? There is a domestic terrorist at large who specializes in explosives. Barbara is a well-intentioned but flawed heroine. She drinks a bit too much, clashes with her grown daughter, and is so focused on her job that she neglects every other aspect of her life. Headley is a smug and self-centered hack who is desperate to rehabilitate his crumbing reputation.

Barclay demonstrates that we are all at risk, thanks to deranged individuals who vent their rage on innocent people. It does not help that members of the media, in their quest for sensational headlines, may make bad situations worse by fomenting panic. Moreover, the author demonstrates the tragic consequences of an indifference to human suffering. Linwood Barclay inserts a number of red herrings into his novel, the better to surprise us when the final twist is revealed. Although "Elevator Pitch" is diverting and moves along briskly, it is undermined by its formulaic, contrived, and implausible plot.

I hate elevators. I've ALWAYS hated elevators. But now I REALLY hate elevators!! I don't think I'll be able to get on one again without thinking it might be sabotaged! This is something Barclay always does well in his books. He takes something that people take for granted (especially in big cities) and makes them terrifying!

I've followed Linwood Barclay for awhile now and his books never disappoint. I enjoy his style of writing. It's clear and succinct without lengthy explanations where less will do the job. He does a great job of introducing interesting characters so that the reader can immediately visualize them . There are several plots that may or may not be related - - that's part of the suspense. I didn't guess 'whodunnit' until it was revealed. I love when that happens!!

A very enjoyable read as usual from Mr. Barclay!!

What if a domestic terrorist group decided to target New York City’s elevators? This is the premise for Linwood Barclay’s latest book, Elevator Pitch. But, there’s so much more to the story. Elevator Pitch is filled with interesting characters who are dealing with their own problems and concerns. Barbara, a journalist and reporter who is trying to make sense of the elevator attacks as well as mend relations with her daughter, an NYPD detective with PTSD, crooked politicians, and a mastermind who is creating chaos around the country.

Yes, there are quite a few characters and some readers might not like that. But, I thoroughly enjoyed the entourage. I think it’s because Mr Barclay is able to introduce a character in just a few sentences and the reader knows what they look like, how they behave, a bit of their backstory, and a sense of their character. That is a talent I truly appreciate and admire in an author, and one of the reasons this is such a good book for me. This array of characters is supported by an excellent and suspenseful plot, good dialogue, and a fast-paced story. It’s a win-win from beginning to end.

I believe this is the first book I’ve read by Linwood Barclay. Elevator Pitch has proven to be a great introduction to a new author – an author I will follow from now on. Thank you, Mr Barclay, for giving me such reading pleasure.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

This is exactly the book I needed after reading some pretty heavy material lately. It is a page turner and although I thought I knew whodunnit, I was wrong! The author’s narrative is direct and provides enough detail about the situation to set the various scenes, but isn’t verbose. The premise is that after a tragic elevator accident where several people plummet to their deaths, the city and authorities chalk it up to a freak accident, but another similar incident occurs the very next day. One of our main characters is a journalist with a adversarial relationship with the mayor. The mayor has his own challenges and needs to be viewed as being on top of the situation and protecting the citizens from what seems to be evolving into a series of terrorist attacks. More incidents occur and the tension rises as they race to find the perpetrators. Imagine a vertical city terrified to use the elevators that are essential to daily life. The family situations of our main characters add another layer of conflict to the plot. I liked the characters as they are well developed and relatable. The story keeps you on edge with on-going tension throughout as it builds up to the ending. I look forward to the author’s future work.

O. M. G! Dizzying and terrifying at the same time. There's a murder, the victim has been disfigured, Elevators are out of control and people are dying. Are these connected? The mayor doesn't know what to do, the journalist is hot on his tail and the detectives are racing to identify the victim. These are just a few of the perspectives this book is written from but they are all tied together to make one hell of a thrill ride that had me holding my breath while pushing away a bit to avoid going over the edge. Okay, so I don't like heights and when were talking elevators in New York, well you get the idea. I'm glad I don't encounter many elevators in my day to day life because if I did I'd be in really good shape from taking the stairs. Wonderfully written, edge if your seat tension and wow! what a plot! I haven't felt this nervous while reading a book for a long time. When a book can hold me captive while making me feel the way I did I have to give it five stars. I highly recommend this one to all you thrill seekers out there, not afraid to take the plunge.

Thank you Harper Collins and NetGalley for granting me access to this ARC to read review and enjoy.