80,000+ Books in-stock in NZ 📚

Blog updates ✍️ Shirl’s May Reads & Book Briefing

The Countdown Killer

4.5 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 1,565 ratings, 286 reviews)
Brief Description
‘I’ve fallen in love with the characters in this series’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Her books are like magnets: one page turns into five, turns into fifty, and suddenly it’s 2 a.m.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ He's tracking people down one by one And you're next on the list… A MAN MURDERED,... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK Please add to wishlist to be notified when back in stock

Sorry, we're currently out of stock of The Countdown Killer. Please add to your Wishlist and we'll send you an email as soon as it's back in stock.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

‘I’ve fallen in love with the characters in this series’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Her books are like magnets: one page turns into five, turns into fifty, and suddenly it’s 2 a.m.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

He's tracking people down one by one
And you're next on the list…

A MAN MURDERED, LIVE ON CAMERA

When a DVD is delivered in the dead of night, DCI Cara Elliott hits play on a horrifying showreel of violence… This is death, on demand.

A KILLER COUNTING DOWN

Avid viewers are paying for the killings, with twisted specifications. A request, an abduction, a murder. And always in a forty-eight-hour pattern.

A MISSING DETECTIVE

But when the killer finds out they’re being investigated, they reveal their next target. In forty-eight hours, a police officer will be the one in front of the camera. The hunters have become the hunted, and the clock is ticking…

Praise for Sam Holland's thrillers

‘Smart and brooding, icepick-sharp and shadow-dark; best of all, though, it’s scary as hell. Think you’re tough? Pick up this novel and prove it’ A. J. Finn, author of The Woman in the Window

‘Really disturbing and gripping but with a trademark sexy cop at the heart to offset the serial killer gore. Lots of fun in a very nightmarish way’ Harriet Tyce, author of Blood Orange

‘Fierce, frightening, twisted and addictive.’ Chris Whitaker, author of We Begin at the End

‘Fast and furious, Sam Holland doesn’t take her foot off the pedal for a second’ Victoria Selman, author of Truly Darkly Deeply

‘If you like crime that’s dark, twisted, and keeps you up all night, Holland is the author for you’ Jack Jordan, author of Do No Harm

‘I raced through this page-turner and slept with the light on after finishing it!’ Elle Croft, author of The Guilty Wife

‘Fascinating, complex characters, whose relationships are every bit as humanly messy as the crime scenes they face’ Dominic Nolan, author of Vine Street

Readers love The Countdown Killer…

‘I’ve fallen in love with the characters in this series’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Her books are like magnets: one page turns into five, turns into fifty, and suddenly it’s 2 a.m.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘An unputdownable read and I read most of it in 24 hours’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Captured me from the first page and didn’t let go’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Gripping, disturbing, and timely’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Honestly, my favourite so far – which says a lot as I was obsessed with The Echo Man!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘One of my most anticipated reads, and it did not disappoint!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A must-read for fans of gritty police procedurals and serial killer fiction’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A compelling crime thriller with interestingly flawed characters you hope come out the other side intact’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘The pacing is electric, with tension that never lets up and twists that genuinely surprised me’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘More than just a police procedural thriller’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘The writing is immersive and addictive – I completely binged the second half in one sitting’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This series is one of my all-time favourite thrillers, and The Countdown Killer totally lived up to the hype. Actually, scratch that—it might be my favourite one yet’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Words cannot explain how much I loved this book’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780008615154

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 05 June 2025

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Hemlock Press

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 34.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 300g

Pages: 448

About the Author

Having always been fascinated with the dark and macabre, Sam Holland studied psychology at university then spent the next few years working in HR, before quitting for a full-time career in writing. A self-confessed serial killer nerd, her debut novel, The Echo Man, shocked and enthralled readers and reviewers alike with its sinister depiction of a serial killer copying notorious real-life murderers of the past. Sam can be found on Twitter and Instagram at @samhollandbooks.

Also by Sam Holland

View all

More from Crime & Thriller

View all

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 80,000 books and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.