I really liked the plot and the premise. The pace is slow at the beginning but builds up. There is tension and fear. It is gritty in places. This is a good thriller with a realistic ending

Sometimes you find out that books are not a good fit to that particular reader. Unfortunately this one was one for me. It lacked a lot and it was a bit hard to finish but I did and will continue with authors I am familiar with next time.

Another wonderful thriller, Kidnap by Jane Adams. This novel features Detective Toby Clarke with the help of Detective Petro Merrow investigating the kidnap of a missing todler Joshua Banks who is subsequently turned up murdered. Also involves Kyle Sykes' daughter Lauren who is on the run. Part of the Merrow and Sykes series, absolutely thrilling books! Not to be missed, and the previous episodes should be read first.

Jane Adams’ novel “Kidnap” is a thrilling tale of suspense and intrigue. Set in an unnamed city, the story follows a group of four friends who are kidnapped and held for ransom. As they struggle to find their way out of the situation, they must battle against the odds to stay alive and free themselves from their captors. The book is filled with intense action sequences, unexpected twists, and a gripping plot that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. With its fast-paced narrative and well-crafted characters, “Kidnap” is sure to be an exciting read for fans of suspenseful thrillers.

An unusual thriller,fast paced and action packed. Narrow and Clark race against time to find who is kidnapping small children A good,twisty read.

Kidnap, is the second installment in the Merrow & Clarke series by bestselling author Jane Adams. Wealthy parents are finding their children kidnapped with notes that they will get their children back if they don’t contact the police and pay the ransom. The kidnappings are being carried out by some lower level mob people, and the children are returned unharmed and having been well taken care of. That is, until little Joshua Banks is kidnapped. His father, owner of a successful business happens to be friends with someone high up in the police department and contacts him. He assigns Detectives Toby Clarke and Petra Merrow to investigate the case, under strict confidentiality, but of course, word gets out. They are racing to find Joshua before something happens to him. Unlike the other children, Joshua is found dead. Merrow and Clark must work almost around the clock to find the perpetrators before more children are killed.

Jane Adams is the author of several different series, and is an excellent storyteller. She has a way of building suspense and keeping readers on the edges of their seats. This fairly new series and especially this novel is true to form and is definitely worth reading for those who like something a little different. Toby Clarke and Petra Merrow, who have problems of their own and are trying to work through them, are well-developed, and their actions are believable. She also has a way of capturing the culture of the UK where the story takes place.

Thriller aficionados will enjoy this novel and will want to read the previous installment in the series.


Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

An action-packed crime thriller that zips along at a fast-pace and will leave readers reeling from twist after twist, Kidnap is a mind-blowing page-turner from Jane Adams.

It’s 2 am and a young mother wakes up to check on her baby and gets the shock of her life when instead of finding her child in his cot, she finds a note. Baby Joshua has been taken hostage and the note informs his mother not to call the police and to wait for further instructions about payment. There is a phone number on the note which the frantic mother calls – only rather than getting news about her son, she hears from another family whose child was also taken.

Detective Toby Clarke and Petra Merrow are in a race against time in order to get Joshua back. They cannot afford to lose a single second because a baby’s life is at stake and if they don’t find him, then he will not be the last child who will go missing.

I was on the edge of my seat while reading Jane Adams’ Kidnap! Clarke and Merrow will be tested like never before in a case that will challenge them and force them down many a dark path leaving the reader chewing their nails desperate to find out what is going to happen next.

Jane Adams’ Kidnap is a gritty, nerve-twisting and deftly plotted crime thriller guaranteed to send readers’ heart-rate skyrocketing.

I did not realise that this was the second book of a series, but was easy to pick up on the main characters DI Clarke & DS Merrow.

The book starts with a security guard murdered and then a baby is kidnapped.

The murder doesn't appear much until into the book when the Detectives seem to be able to connect the two.

The plot twists and turns and they seem to be in a race against time...

Will definitely be reading the first book of this series and others by Jane Adams.

There seems to be plots at the start a murdered security guard and a kidnapped child are they connected?

I haven't read the first book so feel this would help to understand the characters. DI Clarke and DS Merrow are called together to investigate the kidnap of a child by Superintendent Deans and DI Mace. But as they unravel things, things are not what they seem.

Fast moving plenty of twists and turns and all is not what it seems to be! Really recommend but suggest reading the first book.

I almost dnfed a couple times. The concept, though interesting, didn’t seem to be done well at all and I wasn’t a big fan of the characters

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

A baby kidnapped and a race against time. A detective duo with personal issues from their last case. Rival gangs with a personal vendetta against one of the detectives...
Kidnap is the sequel to Safe although it would work as a stand alone novel (however Safe was excellent so I'd recommend reading it!) There are mentions of events in the previous book and the plot picks up where it left off.
Toby and Petra need to put their recent past behind them to investigate the kidnapping of a young child. But the case takes a nasty turn when the boy's body is discovered alongside a murder victim linked to gang crime. The plot strands begin to interweave...
This book didn't have the wow factor of the last book but still managed to shock and was a gripping read. The plot balance was more geared towards the detective side although we did also see the perspective of the gangs which increased the tension as we anticipate their next moves.
The emotion attached to the kidnapping of a child is high and will instantly resonate with the fears of readers, replciating every parent's nightmare. The characters all felt very realistic to me and the writing brought them to life effectively.
Kidnap was an entertaining crime novel and I will be looking out for the next book in the series.

I loved this book! It really draws you in & keeps you hooked until the last page. Interesting plot, unexpected twists, good writing! Will definitely be reading more Jane Adams!

Book 2 in the series but can be read stand alone. The characters are well-drawn and believable. The plot is perfectly paced, holds your interest, and keeps you guessing. It’s a page turner, for sure!

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Joffe Books for the electronic copy.

This is Book#2 in the Merrow and Clarke series and I really would recommend that you read Book#1 "Safe" firstly to really understand the background. This is a great follow-on - it's intriguing, fast-moving and gripping; so well-written, with good characters you can really get into.

DS Petra Merrow has been side-lined to desk duties while awaiting her internal investigation and a court case stemming from spending three years undercover with a notorious crime family, one of two to which she is linked - the Perrins' and the Sykes'. She's constantly looking over her shoulder, she know they are hunting her. But she knows she got Lauren to safety.
When 14-month old Joshua Banks is kidnapped from the family home the father calls the Chief Constable and DI Clarke is appointed to work the case, alongside DS Merrow - only something weird is going on - everything is being kept very quiet, yet they soon get to know there could be more than a dozen cases of children being kidnapped for ransom and then returned unharmed. It begins to look like Merrow and Clarke are being set-up - by who exactly?

There's lots of twists and a surprise or two - any more detail would ruin this multi-layered story for the reader. Suffice it to say, if there is a Book#3 I'll be at the front of the queue!

Kidnap by Jane Adams is the second book in the Merrow and Clark series and I really enjoyed it. However, I do recommend you read the first book called Safe. When, Detective Toby Clarke’s day does not begin well. He is investigating the kidnapping of a missing toddler, Joshua Banks — the latest in a string of cases he has been asked to investigate. Toddlers are going missing. In their place, a note that warns what will happen if they call the police along with a number to call. The number is for a previously targeted family. Then, Toby ropes in Detective Petra Merrow to help investigate, but it’s not going to be easy. None of the families are willing to talk.
Sadly the case turns sideways — little Joshua Banks is found murdered.

Will another innocent life be lost?

Will they be able to catch the kidnapper in time?

What an excellent book this was. This one had me on the edge of my seat.

I highly recommend Kidnap by Jane Adams.

Big Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for an advance copy of this book on exchange for a honest review!!

DI Toby Clarke hasn’t seen DS Petra Merrow since the funeral of a man murdered by Lauren Sykes’ father and the inquest into Lauren’s supposed suicide. He suspects Lauren is still alive, something the reader knows to be true since she is now living with Molly and building a new identity. Petra is still in touch with Lauren after she saved the girl working three years undercover with a dangerous crime family and is now desk bound, under investigation for the death of Billy Hunter and waiting for the court case, with the Perrins gang and Sykes still after her blood. Everyone knows Billy didn’t commit suicide after finding out Petra was undercover but was in fact killed by his boss. Sykes, now on the run, tried to kill Clarke too who is still on light duties as a result. So now Clarke has been called to the scene of a kidnap, the fourteen-month-old child of a CEO of a recruitment company. Supt Deans informs him that this is the latest in a string of a dozen kidnaps where the relatives have not informed the police, paying a ransom instead. The ransom note gives the name and number for a previous “satisfied customer” who paid £1m to get the child back safely. Deans is keeping the whole thing very hush-hush, putting Clarke on the case working with Merrow again. They are both feeling this is just not right, and there is definitely something wrong about Deans and DI Mace. Is money the real motive for the kidnap? The father is terrified. Does he know more than he’s letting on? Ricky Evans had a neat little enterprise going on until Sykes murdered his security guard and muscled in but he wants to change the safe way Ricky has been doing things. Ricky wonders if he should have a word with Gus Perrin and get rid of this thorn in his side. The PI employed by one family recently “fell” from the top of a multi storey carpark and a relative hands over all her investigative work, including threating letters and a bloodstained garment. Two dead bodies are found on Sykes’ old dumping ground and suddenly Clarke and Merrow find themselves included in the murder investigation. Then another child is taken and this time it is much closer to home. And everyone is in danger.
This was a fast moving and thrilling story from start to finish. I didn’t feel I got to know Clarke and Merrow much outside of their police work but their friendship is certainly developing and I hope will be expanded upon in future stories. My favourite character was definitely the rather wonderful Molly!

The second in a series of books with police officers Merrow and Clarke heading the action. I do think whist this is a stand-alone book there are a lot of references to book one and I can’t help thinking I might have enjoyed it more if I had read that first.
It’s very much a what you see is what you get with nasty criminals and hard working police with personal issues. The issues the plot covers however are tough and uncompromising so be prepared. A well written and well researched story

“Kidnap,” by Jane Adams
“Kidnap” by Jane Adams is touted on its cover as being, “unputdownable,” and I thought to myself, “I’ll be the judge of that!” Let me state for the record, from beginning to end, this novel of suspense, murder, and kidnapping is indeed “unputdownable” and so much more!
The novel peels open with seemingly unrelated back to back crimes. The plot centers on a variety of characters involved, most notably DS Petra Merrow, DI Toby Clarke, both of whom are members of UK police force, their supervisors, coworkers, and organized crime heads Kyle Sykes and Gus Perrins. Merrow and Toby have both been injured and ostracized from the force in different ways, (Merrow was deep undercover in the Perrins crime family and has been accused of murder, and Toby is on the mend from an attempt on his life by Kyle Sykes). They are seemingly teamed together to take a fall in the major crimes case to which they have been assigned.
Let me reiterate what an incredible read this is! I was riveted by the plot’s twists, turns, things seemingly related to each other or not, and many climactic shocks along the way to a most satisfying ending. Alas, I only have five stars to give, but I highly recommend this work to anyone interested in suspense, crime drama, mystery, and anyone interested in being captured by this “unputdownable” novel.
Many thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to preview and review this book.

This is the second book to feature Clarke and Petra and is one rollercoaster of a read. Babies are being kidnapped for ransom. Abhorrent but when a gangland boss takes over this very lucrative business things go horribly wrong with devastating consequences. This book is full of heart stopping moments. Once I started reading I could not put this book down. I have enjoyed this thriller so much I have purchased Safe the first book in this series. I can't wait to find out how it all began for Clarke and Petra. A very happy reader.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

3.5 but rounded down. Toddlers are being kidnapped and ransoms demanded. The parents are put in touch with others who had also been targeted, who had paid up and their toddlers returned. The Banks' family does go to the police on the quiet and Detectives Clarke and Merrow are brought in. Merrow is recovering from a previous crime (book 1 in the series) and I think that it would be best to read that first. A second thread relates to this earlier case with a witness in protection and Merrow's continuing, if unwelcome at times, involvement. Clarke's character just seems vague. at the moment. There is murder and there are two unpleasant drug families fighting for supremacy in the area - all linked with the kidnappings and the past. There is a clear set-up at the end for future stories but not, fortunately, in a cliff-hanging way. The writing is very good, descriptive and with excellent contextualisation. Thanks to NetGalley and Joffe Books for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.