The Echo Man

Starred review from February 21, 2022
Police detective Nathanial Griffin, the protagonist of British author Holland’s outstanding debut, has been suspended from the force for crossing too many lines after his wife, Mia, was raped and murdered by a home invader, who left the detective for dead. Obsessed with finding the man responsible, Griffin intervenes in another case—that of Jessica Ambrose, the prime suspect in the arson that destroyed her home and killed her spouse, Patrick. Griffin believes that that homicide is connected with Mia’s, and shelters Ambrose, whom he believes is innocent, after she flees the hospital where her own injuries were being treated. Ambrose’s discovery of other atrocities, which go back years and appear to be modeled on the Manson family murders and those committed by the Yorkshire Ripper and the Hillside Stranglers, suggests that lesser-known monsters were the inspiration for the killing of both Mia and Patrick. Gut-punches don’t come much more powerful than the grimly satisfying ending. Nail-biting suspense matches credible emotional reactions to extreme events in this exceptional thriller centered on the trope of a serial killer who models his crimes on famous serial killers of the past. Fans of Lars Kepler’s novels will be eager for Holland’s next book. Agent: Noah Ballard, Verve Talent & Literary.