My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Save Her Life’, book 1 in the Sandra Vos series written by Carolyn Arnold, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

FBI Special Agent Sandra Vos is an accomplished hostage negotiator but her ability to achieve a peaceful conclusion is put to the test when her daughter Olivia is abducted. With support from her partner Eric, colleague Brice Sutton and the team at the FBI, Sandra has just hours to find Olivia before the kidnapper fulfils his threat to kill her.

As a great fan of Carolyn Arnold’s books I didn’t think she could improve on her series with Detective Amanda Steele but I was so mistaken. ‘Save Her Life’ is the first in a brand new series featuring FBI Special Agent Sandra Vos who keeps her cool under the tensest of situations, even when it involves her own daughter. The first pages give an introduction to Sandra’s character and what her job entails, as well as her private life with partner Eric and her ailing mother. If this first book is anything to go by we’ve got a lot of action-packed plots, excitement and twists and turns to look forward to. I’ve been hooked from the first page to the last, unable to concentrate on anything else while Olivia’s life is at risk and praying Sandra would get to her in time, and the final pages are fraught with suspense and a conclusion that set my heart pounding. I can’t wait to read book 2.

It’s been more than thirty years since Special Agent Sandra Vos’s twin brother was shot dead, an innocent victim caught in a kidnap gone wrong. It devastated Sandra’s family, but it made her who she is today, one of the FBI’s most successful negotiators. After dropping her teenage daughter, Olivia, at school, Sandra is alerted to a potential hostage situation at her local grocery store and races to the scene. A man has pulled out a gun and is refusing to talk or let anyone out of the building until his demands are met. The fate of dozens of lives rests in Sandra’s hands. But as Sandra starts to make a breakthrough with the hostage taker, she receives a call that makes her blood run cold. Someone has taken Olivia, and their demand will push Sandra to her absolute limit. If it’s not met within twenty-four hours, she will never see her daughter again.
The start of a new series & a very good starter. I really liked Sandra when we first met her in the author’s Amanda Steele series & I’m so glad she now has her own series. Very well written, strong characters & fast paced. There’s also plenty of tension & edge of the seat moments all of which meant I devoured the book in two sittings & look forward to more in the series
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

My thoughts:
This is a new series from author Carolyn Arnold. I was very excited to read it!
It was fun getting to meet Sandra Vos. She is a FBI hostage investigator. She is trying to manage home and work life. When her own daughter is kidnapped, Sandra has to use all her skills to figure out what is going and get her daughter safely home.
Save Her Life was fast paced with an engaging plot.
What a great start to the series. I am looking forward to reading the next book!

I loved this start to a new series featuring a FBI negotiator as the main character. Sandra Vos is challenged with two situations in this story that will require all of her training and experience as a negotiator. There is a diverse set of secondary characters and we get some details regarding Sandra's personal life as well as her relationship with her work partner. The action keeps the flow of the story moving, especially in the second situation as they follow the clues to try and determine who has taken her daughter and why. The only question is if they will get the answers needed in time to save her daughter.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Carolyn Arnold is a must read author for me, so I am super excited to share the first book in her new series, Save Her Life (Sandra Vos #1).

If it turned out to be nothing, she’d look the fool.

I wonder how often someone has thought of that when something bad is coming their way.

Sandra Vos is part of the FBI’s Critical Incident Response Group and the Crisis Negotiation Unit. When not in the field, she’s manhunting criminals. She keeps her family’s wealth a secret. She’s forty seven years old, not a youngster, and I kinda like that. When she is called into a hostage situation, it makes her a target. The villain wants her to suffer and will use her teenage daughter, Olivia, to force her cooperation.

Carolyn Arnold uses a Prologue to set the hook right out of the gate. That’s why I love prologues. I love stories that get my heart pounding, unable to put the book down and Save Her Life does that very well. And that ending…WOWZA…love it. I can hardly wait to see what Sandra Vos will have to deal with next.

I want to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Save Her Life by Carolyn Arnold

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Sandra was a twin and then she wasn't and that loss continues to haunt her so many years later when she attends the parole hearing for the murderer. I couldn't help but wonder if you murderer would make another appearance as the story unfolded. It seemed so unrelated as Sandra's day off was interrupted to negotiate a hostage release. Sandra proved herself in both setting to be a tough and intelligent character well suited to lead a new story. The author also did a nice job of keeping the action rolling with so many disparate pieces that you had to wonder as I did what ultimately fit together with her daughter's kidnapping. As I read about Sandra, it also struck me how much sadness she had dealt with her whole life and then to face every parent's worst nightmare seemed to much. She seemed to get stronger with every obstacle she faced and that made her the perfect mama bear to find her daughter. It did seem a little unreal that she was allowed to be part of the investigation to find her daughter. In order to read and enjoy, you have to set that aside and just follow the tale with all the read herrings and possible suspects. Sandra is surrounded by a great group of friends and colleagues Her boyfriend is very supportive and a good match for her.
I have multiple books by Carolyn Arnold on my kindle but have not read them up to this point. That is something I am going to change. Her books are engaging and full of suspense and wonderful characters.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this ARC.

If you like FBI, intrigue, suspense, get in on the ground floor now. Book 1, Sandra Vos. Sandra Vos is FBI Negotiator. We meet her right at the get go a a parole hearing and then onto a hostage crisis. We also meet the alpha butts and those who just want the job done:) The reader immediately becomes one with Sandra the mother and you follow along being pulled to get the job done and to save your daughter. You feel anxious, you feel your heart pounding as you and your partner Brice as well as the FBI team are checking every avenue. If you are a fan of Detective Amanda Steele, you will have met Sandra Vos. I am grateful for the advanced copy and am looking forward to book 2. I freely share my honest thoughts and opinions. #SaveHerLife #SandraVos #CarolynArnold #Bookouture #NetGalley

I received an ARC through "NetGalley" and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

This story begins with a new series by this author and if the remaining books are as good as this, then she definitely has another winner.
The story begins with Sandra attending a parole hearing to speak against releasing early the individual responsible for her brother's death. After leaving the hearing, she receives a call from her boss who asks her to handle a situation where hostages are being held. You see, Sandra is an FBI negotiator and her help has been requested. After spending several hours at the scene and concluding it successfully, Sandra goes home. That same day and individual sees the newscast and recognizes Sandra and begins planning some sort of event. As a result, Sandra's daughter is abducted and Sandra has to now discover what she has to do to get her back.

Read along and learn what actions Sandra takes to 1st learn who the party is and secondly what he wants. Follow Sandra as she is given a limited amount of time to meet his request. Read the exciting conclusion to discover how everything works out.

This is definitely a book that you should read!

Save Her Life by Carolyn Arnold is a thrilling rollercoaster from beginning to end. With a compelling plot and emotionally charged stakes, this book pulls you in with the urgency of a ticking clock and never lets go. The characters are richly drawn, especially the protagonist, who is both deeply human and fiercely determined. Arnold's crisp writing and tight pacing keep the suspense high and the tension palpable throughout.
If you're a fan of strong female leads and heart-pounding suspense, this book delivers in every way. Highly recommended!

Now that I’ve read this author, I knew this book would be good. It started right out with action and suspense throughout. Sandra, amazing FBI negotiator, was on fire and on no sleep, doing everything she could to find her daughter. She pulled out all the stops and used up her favors. I felt I was up close with the characters waiting to see how it played out.

A nice start to a new series with a strong female protagonist in FBI SA Sandra Vos. Here, she's up against a villain holding her own daughter hostage. There are secrets in her background and good twists in the story. Arnold does a good job with the pacing, making this a taut and tense read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. No spoilers from me.

This is a very promising and well written new series. Sandra Vos is a strong new female character in this action packed thriller. The storyline is good, the characters are compelling and there is everything you would want from a thriller. There are a few twists to keep the reader occupied and I would recommend it to lovers of the genre. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Heart-pounding suspense kept me fully engaged throughout Save Her Life by Carolyn Arnold. This is the first book in a new series featuring FBI Special Agent Sandra Vos. She was introduced in the thirteenth book in the Detective Amanda Steele series and I’m thrilled she now has her own series.

Sandra is alerted to a hostage situation at a local grocery store and races to the scene after the initial negotiator needs to leave. A man has pulled out a gun and is refusing to talk or let anyone of the building until his demands are met. Later, she gets a call - Sandra’s teenage daughter Olivia didn’t show up for her violin lesson. The abductor makes demands that push Sandra to the limit. While she knows she should step aside, she only trusts herself to bring Olivia back alive.

Sandra is one of the FBI’s most successful negotiators. She remains calm in stressful situations, is empathetic, sets a high standard for herself, and has an infallible memory. She’s dating a Washington D. C. metro police department detective, Eric Birch. Eric is extremely supportive and understanding of Sandra and they both have high profile and stressful jobs. The other characters are well-developed, especially the antagonist, who is angry, hostile, and emotional.

As always, Arnold’s writing style quickly pulled me into the story. The plot is well-written and the character development was excellent, especially for the first book in a series. Readers also get chapters from the antagonist’s point of view which adds to the unsettling and disquieting feeling that something could go wrong at any time. The atmosphere and tension in this novel were fantastic. While the grocery store hostage situation with not rushed, it was a powerful and dramatic event. However, the abduction and attempted recovery of Olivia was a race against time. In both situations I was rapidly turning pages to see what would happen next. The story is part police investigation and part action thriller. It also does a great job of showing different approaches to hostage situations as well giving readers Sandra’s background that led her to her current job. Other themes include anger, impatience, greed, family, relationships, friendship, and much more.

Overall, this was suspenseful, thought-provoking, and action packed with compelling characters that kept me engaged throughout. If you enjoy thrillers, then look no further than this novel. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in both series.

Bookouture and Carolyn Arnold provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for May 27, 2025. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

3.5 Stars

A great start to a new series!

This is the first book I have read by Carolyn Arnold, she has been on my list of authors to read, so was delighted to get my hands on the ARC of book 1 in the Sandra Vos series.

The opening book does a great job of setting the scene in terms of the main character Sandra Vos, FBI negotiator, and mother, sharing details about her past and what led to her chosen career. These details unfold amidst a visit to a parole hearing, a hostage situation and the most chilling negotiation of her life, for her daughter Olivia’s safe return when she is kidnapped.

Even though the case involves her daughter, Sandra will do anything necessary to get her daughter back. For those who are sticklers, hard line on what is and is not permitted, you may question heavily how Agents (both Oliviers parents, Sandra an FBI Agent, and Nolan a member of HRT) are able to still work a case involving a family member.

Overall, I found the story engaging, the pace was great, although I did find it slowed a little during the initial call out negotiation. I’ll be tuning in for book 2, eager to see where this series goes.

On the whole an enjoyable read but as an English person I felt the constant peppering of acronyms irritating

oh wow. i was in to this book from the very first page, sentence even. when i read the blurb i new i wanted to read this book as soon as i could. and the start of a new series gives us great promise for the future. i dont know how Carolyn will beat this one though. because wowzas...
this series is the start of Sandra Vos. and we are already getting into the characters from book one. Carolyn writes them with such smart descriptions and i can picture both people and emotions going on.
Special Agent Sandra Vos deeply involves us into her world and life. and this one couldnt be closer to start us off. Sandra is one of the best negotiators out there.
but out on a job and trying to save someone else life from a hostage taker she gets the news that her own daughter has been taken. not only that but there is a time limit of when she can see her daughter back alive. what will she do? how will she do it? and what is she willing to do above all else to save her daughter life. her whole career mean negotiating and trying not to give into the hostages demands. but this is her daughter there are no rules. she will have to work fast. but at the same time she has to think about who could do such a thing to them and why? is it someone current or someone from her past? dive in right now and find out readers! this book was one of the best thrillers ive read in a while. i cant wait for more from this series.
im also very much invested into Sandra which i looooove to find a book.

There was a lot going on in this book. A dramatic hostage situation and the kidnapping of an FBI hostage negotiator's daughter make this an action packed, fast paced read that is brimming with tension.

This is my first book by Carolyn Arnold and her books have awesome reviews, so I was really pleased to be able to get in at the start of this new series, featuring Sandra Vos, FBI negotiator and mum to Olivia.

As well as a ton of action and a great plot, there is excellent character development in the book, As well as Sandra and Olivia, Sandra's team and her partner, Eric, who is a cop, have a great introduction. I liked the balance that Sandra and Eric have and the space they give each other, while caring deeply and supporting each other. Part of the plot, a probation hearing, relates to the convicted killer of Sandra's twin brother, Sam, when they were teenagers and this also contributes to the back story and world building of the characters involved, setting solid foundations for what I hope will be a long-running series - I am a big fan of hostage negotiation plots!

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Carolyn Arnold and Bookouture, for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I read this in one very short sitting, I was engaged right from the start and couldn't put it down. Loved the setting, the story line and the characters. Can't wait to read more in this series and by the author generally

Hostage Negotiator Sandra Vos' past has defined her current roll , her brother being killed 30 years
ago in a botched kidnapping shaping who she is today
During an ongoing hostage negotiation she is informed that her daughter has been taken from her school
The kidnapper has demands of his own and Sandra has only 24 hours to meet them or her daughter will
pay the price of her failure .
Being barred from a situation so close to home will not stop Sandra , she will do anything to secure
the release of her daughter no matter the cost.
This is a real page turner from start to finish , with characters you become invested in , fast paced with twists
and turns around every corner - will she succeed or loose her daughter forever ?

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

I read other series book from this author so when I saw this book in a new series I had to read it. It certainly didn't disappoint. I read it in 2 days it was that good. Plenty of action and suspense throughout. Looking forward to book number 2 in this new series.