... suspenseful and satirical ... 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.
Barclay’s latest combines an engrossing, fast-moving, well-twisted modern-day plot with believable characters ... Fans of psychological thrillers and the author’s previous books will love this. Warning: it might leave some readers a bit uncomfortable next time they enter an elevator.
... a heart-stopping climax ... Barclay adds depth and interest with the backstories of many of his characters and the relationships between them, but this is primarily an all-stops-out thriller that will keep readers’ pulses pounding, particularly those of the acrophobes among us.
Barclay creates a vivid story with a compelling cast of characters mixed with a truly terrifying scenario. Readers who already are uncomfortable getting into an elevator will be reminded of other classic novels like Jaws, which kept people from swimming in the ocean. Barclay has crafted a great thriller with a surprising ending and readers will sweat a little the next time they get on an elevator.
... gripping ... Barclay does a good job dramatizing the family dynamics of multiple characters, including the emotionally damaged Bourque, while building suspense as he slowly reveals how the jogger’s murder ties in with the elevator deaths. Readers who live on high floors will glance nervously toward the nearest stairs as they tear through this exciting thriller.
Barclay is an old hand at twisty, tantalizing plots. But as promising as the premise is, it never really goes anywhere. A combination of so-so surprises, contrived turns, and gratuitous elements take the air out of the story ... A recurring motif is characters with restrictive physical conditions being forced to climb many flights of stairs. They include police detective Jerry Bourque, whose shrink's diagnosis that his wheezing condition is psychosomatic gets put to the test ... While there's much to enjoy in Barclay's latest, the book too often sells itself and the reader short.
