Elevator Pitch

Elevator Pitch

UK Edition
US Edition
UK Paperback
US Paperback
US Paperback

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The Sunday Times Bestseller
The Globe and Mail Bestseller

“Read Elevator Pitch as soon as possible. It’s one hell of a suspense novel.” ―Stephen King

“This novel moves as fast as a falling elevator and hits with just as much force. Linwood Barclay is a stone cold pro and Elevator Pitch is a shameless good time.” ―Joe Hill

About the Book

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 readers to the bone.

Praise

The Sunday Times Bestseller
The Globe and Mail Bestseller
Pick of the Best Paperbacks – The Sunday Times
Best Paperbacks Coming Out in February 2020 – The Times

“Read Elevator Pitch as soon as possible. It’s one hell of a suspense novel.” —Stephen King

“This novel moves as fast as a falling elevator and hits with just as much force. Linwood Barclay is a stone cold pro and Elevator Pitch is a shameless good time.” —Joe Hill, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Fireman and Strange Weather

“One of the finest thriller writers in the world at the very top of his game. You will not put this book down. You will not want to sleep. And you will certainly not want to get in a lift again.” —Mark Billingham, bestselling author of Their Little Secret

“Barclay [is] always good for a touch of cardiac arrest. . . . Chilling . . . wildly inventive and really scary.” The New York Times

“Mr. Barclay’s books are distinguished by wit and startling twists. In Elevator Pitch, he surpasses himself with a premise suited for the big screen, a plot filled with stunning surprises—and an ending that leaves the reader greatly satisfied.” The Wall Street Journal

“As the plot moves along and another elevator goes down, readers are trapped, just like the victims, in the driving plot, which turns out to be very scarily plausible. I didn’t put this book down and neither will you.” The Globe and Mail

“A vivid story with a compelling cast of characters mixed with a truly terrifying scenario. . . . Barclay has crafted a great thriller with a surprising ending and readers will sweat a little the next time they get on an elevator.” Associated Press

“Barclay manages the switch to metropolitan mayhem with aplomb … has all the makings of a superior disaster movie.” The Sunday Times

“In snappy chapters and pacy prose, Barclay has a lot of fun letting his scenario play out.” Observer

“Barclay’s latest combines an engrossing, fast-moving, well-twisted modern-day plot with ­believable characters.” Library Journal (starred review)

“Gripping. . . . Readers who live on high floors will glance nervously toward the nearest stairs as they tear through this exciting thriller.” Publishers Weekly

“An all stops-out thriller that will keep readers’ pulses pounding” Booklist

“Linwood Barclay presses all the right buttons. Rush out and buy this book, but make sure you take the stairs” —Michael Robotham

“Going up! That’ll be your blood pressure as you race through this slick thriller … A terrific tale.” The Sunday Mirror/Sunday People

“…Heart-stopping read … the suspense builds brilliantly in Barclay’s chilling crime thriller.” Woman & Home

“A nail-biting and stomach-flipping thriller marked with expert pace, tension and unpredictability … Linwood Barclay knows how to thrill his readers.” Magic Radio

“…A faced-paced and chilling read … a complex and unpredictable novel that’ll have you reluctant to set foot in a lift again.” Woman’s Weekly

“A supremely fast-paced, high-concept thriller” —iNews

“A great cast of characters, tension, humour and a thrilling ending; this book takes Linwood to new heights!”  —Mark Edwards

“When it comes to lift phobias, this author pushes all the buttons.” Saga

“Two detectives and a fearless journalist try to discover the truth in this gripping thriller.” Candis

“A literary master … one of the most exciting thrillers I’ve read this year … not a novel to be missed.” Shots

“A criminally good read … A heart-pounding thriller.” Crime Monthly

“‘When an author has sold more than 2.5 million books and counts Stephen King among his fans you know you are in good and in Barclay’s case, terrifyinghands. … A nail-biting thriller … in the hands of suspense tzar Barclay.”  The Sunday Post

Elevator Pitch is a white-knuckled ride of a book with twists on every level and an unforgettable cast of characters brought to life with Linwood Barclay’s signature flair and acuity. I gulped it down.” —Gilly Macmillan, New York Times bestselling author of What She Knew and The Nanny