Think of a Number Reviews
“Spectacular and mind-bending.” —Tess Gerritsen
“Truly unputdownable...a flawless novel about flawed people.” —Nelson DeMille
“Verdon has written the mother of all puzzle mysteries.” —Toronto Star
“Verdon is a master at controlling pace, illustrating the story of a rich but complicated marriage, pondering what it means to be sucked back into your lifeʼs work even if it might kill you, and demanding that the reader us his or her brain to figure out what comes next.” —Salon
“This masterfully woven crime tale is detective work at its best.” —Examiner.com
“Good writing and good storytelling often arenʼt the same thing. Verdon combines them masterfully with his creation of Dave Gurney.” —Star Ledger
“Inventive and entertaining...the ornate puzzles laid before Verdonʼs detective might have challenged the ʻlittle grey cellsʼ of Hercule Poirot.” —Washington Post
"Hero Dave Gurney is one for the ages." —David Baldacci
“Verdon is masterly at keeping Gurney a step ahead of the reader…[features] the kind of head-scratching setup that would get Sherlock Holmes off his cocaine." —New York Times
“It’s hard to remember a better debut for a crime writer…Good writing and good storytelling often aren’t the same thing. Verdon combines them masterfully with his creation of Dave Gurney.” —Star Ledger
“Simply one of the best thrillers I’ve read in a lifetime of thriller reading — eloquent, heart-rending, deeply suspenseful on many levels, and relentlessly intelligent....Absolutely not to be missed!” —John Lescroart, New York Times bestselling author of The Suspect, Betrayal, and A Plague of Secrets
“If you read only one thriller this year, make it Think of a Number.” —Bookloons
“Think of a Number comes loaded with perhaps the best premise I’ve ever encountered in a thriller, and certainly by a debut author…[this book] heralds the arrival of suspense’s next great superstar.” —Bookgasm blog
“Addictive and thoroughly engrossing…plays deliciously on our deepest, most primal fears....This tale will grab hold of you like a steel jaw trap." —Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author of Vanished
“What makes this work is the intricate fabric that debut novelist Verdon weaves, as complications twist into what seems to be an impossible knot.” —Chicago Sun-Times
“Edge-of-the-chair suspense, memorable characters that jump off the pages, and elegant and deft writing… a stunning debut.” —Faye Kellerman, New York Times bestseller author of Stone Kiss and The Forgotten
“An astoundingly addictive work filled with real life characters that jump off the page into a daring and skillful plot, this book will leave you stumped and hungry for more… a book for all readers, not just those who revel in the thriller genre.” —New York Journal of Books
“Think of a Number is a 10, and crime fans of almost every persuasion will love it. An outstanding debut.” —Booklist (Starred Review)
“The numbers game gets a murderous spin in Verdon’s deft, literate debut.” —Publishers Weekly
"One of the finest thrillers I've read in years. I devoured it. Consistently intelligent, fast-paced, and filled with clever twists.” —John Katzenbach, New York Times bestselling author of The Traveler, Just Cause and Hart’s War
“John Verdon has…created an incredible crime novel which could give Steig Larsson a run for his well-earned money…The descriptions of scenes make you feel like you are there, and the plot is brilliant.” —The Herald-Dispatch (West Virginia)
“Verdon's premise is clever and his police work convincing, which right there might be enough; but the real joy of this book is its characters. Each one, no matter how minor, is unique and beautifully observed.” —S.J. Rozan, Edgar-winning author of The Shanghai Moon
“I loved this book….This is a thriller that will rewrite the rules of the genre.” —Will Lavender, New York Times bestselling author of Obedience
“Just when you think the serial killer thriller has been done to death, someone comes along and revives it! THINK OF A NUMBER is written with pace, style and intelligence. It has rounded characters, teasing puzzles, and lots of tension. The number I'm thinking of is 1!” —Reginald Hill, author of Ruling Passion and Midnight Fugue and winner of the Crime Writer’s Association Dagger Award for Lifetime Achievement
“Dark, disturbing, and completely compelling.” —Spencer Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of Dog On It
“Verdon has created the ultimate roller coaster ride of a book.” —Murder by the Book blog