Elevators, or Lifts as we call them in the UK, are almost everywhere now. With the increase of apartment living a lot of people have to use Elevators to get to their residence, or to and from their place of work, especially those who work in big cities.
Getting stuck in a lift is a very real fear for lots of people – but imagine that after the lift stops, it begins to plummet to the ground 70+ storeys at speed, only to meet with a hard stop at the bottom. Terrifying, right?

Well that’s what happens at the beginning of Linwood Barclay’s latest novel, Elevator Pitch. Set in the skyscrapers of New York City, there’s a freak Elevator accident, which attracts media attention because of its nature, but also because there are a couple of celebrities in the car when it happens. But no-one’s really worried. These things happen once in a blue moon, and with so many elevators in use all over the city, it’s amazing it doesn’t happen more often.

Then there’s another. Not quite the same, but just as horrific – ask the little boy covered in blood and cowering from a decapitated human head when the doors open. Then…another. Well, you get the picture. When a car bomb goes off outside a hotel, people start to get the idea that these are not accidents – but who is behind this? Is it terrorists? If so, who? And what are they trying to achieve?

Mayor Richard Headley (yep, that’s Dick Headley) is desperate to figure out what is happening while keeping his voters happy. However journalist and thorn in his side Barbara Mathieson is also determined to find out what’s going on, and how, if at all, the good Mayor is involved. 

Although it’s a bit slower than you’d usually expect from Linwood Barclay, I found this book a real page-turner, the writing is good and the plot is solid. I didn’t like the subplot that ran along and was revealed towards the end; I didn’t feel it was necessary and didn’t add anything to the story, in anything, it cheapened it a little.

But all in all, a great, exciting read.

Thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.