The Puppet Master – Major Crimes Series #3

Author: Sam Holland
Genre: Crime Thriller
453 pages
Publisher: Harper Collins, 2024

Synopsis
He watches your every move
We’ve all experienced it. That creeping sensation of eyes on your back, the faint echo of footsteps following yours.

He controls you
Across the country, a madman is carefully choosing his victims. Once he has you in his sights, he won’t let go.

He will make you pay
You think you’re in control of your own life? Think again. Because The Puppet Master is coming for you, and he won’t stop until you’re dead.

My review
The Puppet Master by Sam Holland is the third installment in the Major Crimes series. While I was captivated by The Echo Man and thoroughly enjoyed The Twenty, this entry didn’t quite deliver the same level of thrills or intricate police procedural elements I’ve come to expect. It felt more like a transitional story, reintroducing us to the team rather than delivering a hard-hitting, standalone thriller.

In this novel, DCI Cara Elliott returns to the forefront, leading a major case with a newly restructured team. Familiar faces like Nate Griffin from The Echo Man and DS Jamie Hoxton from The Twenty are back, creating a strong, dynamic group of detectives. When a string of suicides occurs in rapid succession, Elliott’s instincts tell her something isn’t right. Could there be another serial killer at work?

Holland’s character development remains a highlight. Elliott’s leadership takes center stage, and Hoxton’s storyline was a standout for me. His arc was compelling, and I was fully invested in his outcome. On the flip side, I found myself disappointed by the lack of updates on Adam Bishop from The Twenty and the unresolved threads tied to the villain from The Echo Man. These omissions made the story feel incomplete and left me wanting more.

The book’s short, snappy chapters kept the momentum going, but the pacing was hampered by an overemphasis on personal relationships within the team. While this added depth to the characters, it detracted from the gritty, dark tone that made the earlier installments so gripping. Additionally, the absence of a serial killer’s perspective, a hallmark of Holland’s previous work, was noticeable and felt at odds with the book’s description.

Overall, The Puppet Master is a solid installment for fans of the series, especially those invested in the evolving dynamics of the Major Crimes team. As a standalone thriller, it falls short of the mark. While it didn’t resonate with me as strongly as its predecessors, it does set the stage for what’s rumored to be a thrilling conclusion in the next book, The Countdown Killer. Here’s hoping it brings the grit, darkness, and resolution we’ve been waiting for!

My recommendation: read it to learn more about the characters, but I’m not sure it works as a standalone!