Title: Save Her Lifer
Series: A Sandra Vos Book #1
Author: Carolyn Arnold
Narrator: Kathryn Akin
Format: 🎧
Publisher: Bookouture Audio
Genre: Mystery
Audiobook Pub Date May 27, 2025
My Rating: 3.4 Stars
Pages: 346

Story starts with Special Agent Sandra Vos attending a parole hearing of Darrell Patton- a man who killed her fourteen old brother Sam an innocent victim caught in a kidnap gone wrong. Darrell has been sentenced to serve fifty years- however after thirty years he is pleading release as he has learned his lesson and is a changed man. The brother’s death devastated Sandra’s family, but it made her who she is today, one of the FBI’s most successful negotiators.
Sandra 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.

Sandra has a teenage daughter, Olivia. She dropped her off at school when she got a call from her boss regarding hostage situation nearby. A man has gun and is holding several people hostage at a local grocery store. He refusing to talk or let anyone out of the building until his demands is met.
Sandra is a good negotiator even though the local police would rather not have the FBI interfering.
Sandra is successful and the hostage taker does turn himself in.
Sandra is happy that it is over additional she gets a call that the parole Board did not grant Patton’s request.

Aww life is good.
However, the next day, Sandra gets a phone call from her daughter’s after school music teacher. Olivia has not shown up nor answers her sell. Sandra calls her best friend that yes they were together after school and Olivia left on time for her music lesson. Sandra asks if there was any reason why Olivia wouldn’t be answering her phone. Her friend thinks about the creepy guy who was watching them and gave a bad vibe. When Sandra finds out that a man has been release from prison that she helped capture.
Sandra is mow fearful Olivia, has been taken.

Next there is a demand that needs to be met within twenty-four hours, or she will never see her daughter again.

Story had me curious. I did like the info about Sandra’s home and personal life and I really liked the ending.

Want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for this audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for May 27, 2025.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest review. Kathryn Akin does a great job narrating this story and making it an interesting listening experience.

Saundra is a FBI hostage negotiator and the story opens with her working a hostage situation at a grocery story. Just as this concludes, Saudra's daughter is kidnaped by former criminals that she arrested. The story focuses on Saundra's race to save her daughter.

This is the first book of a new FBI procedural series. It is well written, medium paced, and has likable characters. If you like police procedural stories, you will want to read this. I did not find that there was a strong tension build up so while not a cozy mystery, its not a strong suspense. Recommend!

In this first outing for FBI agent Sandra Vos, she is in a race against time to save a kidnapped teenager, who happens to be her own daughter. What a fabulous way to introduce a character, challenging all of her morals and ethics from the get go. I can't wait to hear more because I have questions, questions, questions...

What a great read! I devoured this audiobook in record time. This mystery thriller was captivating, entertaining and really interesting - from the hostage negotiator's perspective. I felt like I was being educated whilst also in the moment with the main character from the very beginning.

The narrator of this audiobook was the highlight. Sometimes it can be easy to drift away slightly when listening to an audiobook but this was not the case for this book. I also really enjoyed the wholesome relationships in this book. Though they didn't dive deep into each relationship, you had a sense of the depth between the characters.

I would recommend this to anyone looking for an interesting mystery to follow along with.

Thank you so much to Bookouture Audio for the advanced reader copy!

*ARC Review*

What a fabulous book! This is my first book by this author, but it won’t be my last.
“Save Her Life” is a gripping and thrilling novel and I couldn’t put it down! The characters are rich and the story is exciting. I was drawn into the story from the first chapter and it just kept getting better. I highly recommend this book!

Sandra Vos is an FBI negotiator. When her own daughter is taken, she has to rely on her background and skills to get her backs safely.

First, disclaimer. I listened to the audiobook. This is one of the times it could have impacted my opinion.

The first portion of the book felt far too much like a course lecture on hostage negotiating. I get assuming your audience knows nothing, but this was taking it too far. I wonder if this would have come off the same way had I read it instead of listened. Regardless, it nearly lost me early on because of this. And it never quite recovered.

Next, there are timeline issues throughout. Some times literal dates, other times, more abstract. For example, Sandra's brother was murdered around the year 1990 (ages do not make sense and I swear it said 38 years once, then later 33. That could be my imagination, but regardless, the exact timeline was inconsistent). It is mentioned that the wife of the murderer had a corporate job that allowed her to work from home full time. While some work certainly could be done remotely, does anyone remember 1990? The internet was barely a thing and not in households. How would one do a corporate job fully from home in 1990? By fax? Lol. It just doesn't make sense. That is one example.

All of this overshadowed the story and I was disengaged from the lecture in the first third of the book.

Kathryn Akin narrates the audiobook. Pretty sure she is Canadian based on the way she pronounces a few words. Especially sorry. At least norther Wisconsin/Minnesota is not Canadian. Definitely didn't sound like she was from DC- where it is set.

I received an advanced audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

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!

🌸✨Save Her Life by Carolyn Arnold is a beautifully intense journey into the heart of a mother’s love and the gripping world of negotiation. From the very first page, I was emotionally swept away by the raw, vivid imagery—those tears streaming down the girl’s pale face, the relentless ticking of the clock, the desperate struggle to be free. It’s such a vivid reminder of how fleeting life can be, and how fierce a mother’s love truly is. 💔⏰

Sandra Vos, a character I deeply admired, is a perfect blend of strength and vulnerability. Her backstory adds layers of depth to her character, making her unwavering determination to save her daughter even more touching. The suspense kept me on the edge of my seat, the kind of story that makes your heart race and your mind race to solve the puzzle before it’s too late. 💖🔪

Arnold’s lyrical prose paints a picture that’s both heartwarming and heart-pounding. I loved how she balanced the tense hostage negotiations with tender, emotional moments—reminding us of the fragile beauty of family bonds. The way Sandra pushes herself beyond her limits, breaking every rule to protect her little girl, is truly inspiring. 💪👧

If you adore stories that are as emotionally rich as they are thrilling, *Save Her Life* is a must-read. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the greatest risks are the ones taken for love. Prepare for tears, adrenaline, and a whole lot of heart. ❤️🚨

Happy reading, and may your heart be brave enough to face the suspense! 📚💖

Sandra Vos is a hostage negotiator for the FBI and takes on her most challenging case when her daughter is taken. This fast paced book kept me engaged until the very end. I enjoyed the complex characters and challenges they deal with.

Save Her Life is the first book in the Sandra Vos series and I can’t wait for Carolyn Arnold to write the next one. Kathryn Akin did an excellent job with the narration.

Thank you to NetGalley & Bookouture Audio for letting me read this ARC.

I found the narrator of this book put my teeth on edge and perhaps that is why I didn’t take to the book. The story is suspenseful and dark - my kind of thing - and had all the elements of a good tale, but for some reason I didn’t take to the characters and could easily have put the book down half way through without further thought. I didn’t take see it through though. I have read many worse than this

Overall I enjoyed the story with some caveats.
This is the first book of a new FBI procedural from the author. It is well written, fast paced and engaging and if you like police procedurals it’ll be right up your alley.
While the plot fits into the thriller category but I’ll say that it’s “thriller light”. I think that’s my biggest critique in that there was no real tension build up

Without giving spoilers, there is a situation that would be tense, but you don’t feel that tension in the prose. You know how when you read a romance you know there is going to be a HEA so it’s just about reading how the author is going to make that happen? Well this was the “thriller” version of that. There wasn’t any time that I felt that there was actual danger.

One other issue from a developmental aspect is that an FBI agent with personal ties to a victim would never have the access to the case like our FMC had making it really far fetched.

I consumed the audio book on 2.5x speed. The narrator Kathryn Akin did a great job with the material and all the voices. She spoke on the slower more deliberate side of typical but it was fine and easily listenable at 1x speed. On the other hand it was easy to speed up and understand it easily at the 2.5x speed that I listened at.

This book comes out on May 27th 2025.

I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary audio ALC from Bookouture Audio through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

Oh wow! This is the first book I have read or listened too by this author but it most certainly will not be my last. In fact I have already looked to see when the next book comes out, so I don't miss it. From the very first page I was hooked. It was more like a blockbuster film than listening to an audio book, as it was so well written - fast paced and gelled together nicely going from one situation to the next, I could easily imagine it playing out on the big screen. The story is mostly told by Sandra as she negotiates the release of hostages and then it quickly turns to the desperate search for her missing daughter but you also get the perspective from the spiralling kidnapper as he carries out his plan. This works well for the story because it gives you an idea of what everybody is thinking but it also builds up the tension and makes you question what the out come will be. The author has created a great cast of characters and I loved how Sandra is human and likeable with a solid background but she is unwilling to compromise or be pushed around by bad guy's, ex's or cops a like. Go Girl power! I also liked her colleagues response, rather than telling her she can't work the case it was more what can I do to help. It's the type of book once started you don't want any interruptions until you have to finished and the reason I can't wait for the next book.

Sandra Vos's twin brother was killed when a hostage taker refuses to get him the help he needs, setting her on her choose career path as a hostage negotiator. So when the man responsible is up for parole she does her best to keep him behind bars. While waiting for the verdict her boss calls her in, there is a hostage situation at the local grocery store that need her skills to reach a peaceful conclusion. After hours of negotiations the last thing Sandra wants is a phone call to say her teenage daughter didn't turn up for her music lesson. It's quickly established that Olivia isn't just missing, she has been taken and it becomes a race against the clock to find who is responsible and more importantly find her daughter alive. Something that will take all her skills and training to pull off.

I liked the narrator. She is a new narrator to me but I certainly hope to hear her again because she does a really good job of making it not only entertaining and to come to life with the character voices.
I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to listen to and review the ALC of this gripping audiobook.

This book pulled me in from the very first scene. The tension, the emotion, the high stakes—it all kept me on edge in the best way. Special Agent Sandra Vos is such a compelling character. You can really feel the weight of her past and how it drives her in the present. When her own daughter is taken, the story becomes incredibly personal, and you can’t help but root for her every step of the way.

The plot moves quickly, balancing two intense situations—a hostage standoff and Sandra’s desperate race to save her daughter. It’s heart-pounding and heartbreaking all at once. I loved how the story explored not just the action, but also the emotional toll it takes on a mother, an agent, and a woman trying to hold it all together.

The narration was excellent and really brought the story to life. I was completely absorbed from start to finish.

I’m giving it four stars because there were a few parts that felt a little drawn out or familiar if you’ve read a lot of thrillers. But overall, this was a powerful, suspenseful listen with a lot of heart. I’d definitely read more from this author!

Thank you to Bookouture Audio, the author and NetGalley for an audio ARC in return for an honest review.

The first 12 chapters of this book are full on...and then it gets even more fast paced! I can't wait to read the rest!

#SaveHerLifeSandraVosBook1 #NetGalley

Well this is the first I’ve listened to / read from this author and I’ve just learned she has done a lot of work already. I find detective series genres either really enjoyable or just really don’t there is something just has to kinda fit and I’m pleased to say this one was fantastic….!

It’s the first in this series we meet Sandra Voss who is a very likeable FBI detective committed to her job and family and she chose her vocation due to her loss of her brother (you find this out in the very beginning so no real spoilers) Being a detective it’s inevitable she is going to come across some mix of various characters and she becomes a target herself she just has to figure out who and why so she can do what needs to be done…! I don’t want to reveal the story so this is all I will say but it’s definitely worth delving into, a little obvious yes maybe it’s sort of spoken throughout however the way the writing style is done the author manages to keep the interest there.

It’s fast paced with plenty of twists and turns that keep you invested from beginning to end the length of this in my opinion was absolutely perfect being broken down into a series as it is I can’t wait for the next one already!

Tho was well narrated and I found all characters easily distinguishable even found the distasteful ones just that so very well done indeed!

With huge thanks to NetGalley & Bookouture Audio for this ELC in return for an honest review. Wishing you best wishes for publication on 27th May 2025 📚🎧🙏🏽❤️

Save Her Life by Arnold was a Decent read. It just wrapped too neatly and too quickly at the end. Narrator was great.