Enjoyed this book. A few breathless moments and I was gripped from start to finish. Look forward to reading more in this series.

Not going to lie. I hadn't realised when I first picked up this title that it was part of a series. I'm glad it is though as I'm looking forward to catching up with DCI Anna Tate again in the not to distant future. as an introduction to a character, this book is a real eye opener, with not only a very tense, jeopardy laden situation for Tate and her team to get their teeth into, but revealing some very interesting, and perhaps game changing, facts about Tate's past as well.

This isn't the first children as hostages story I've read, nor do I expect it to be the last. There is, afterall, no end to the pain people are willing to put others through, and children, sad as it may be, do make for rather easy targets. The book took on an extra kind of poignancy however, by the timing of when I read it, not far from the tragedy that occured in Southport and the attack on those poor children at the Taylor Swift themed summer group. It highlighted the vulnerability of children in general, echoed in general by the simple fact that an everyday occurrence, heading to a nursery group whilst parents are at work, can end in tragedy, and even adults entrusted with their care, those 'safe hands' of the title, cannot protect them if the perpetrators have their mind set on doing evil.

Now, nothing as dark happens in this book, at least not in the beginning, although there is violence, kept off page, and a great deal of threat which just heightens the tension of an already intense case. I think the author balanced the need for tension with a desire not to make things too ostracising for the reader well, convincing us that something bad could easily happen if the police were unable to get to the bottom of the crime. It's a fine line, particularly as one of the children has a life shortening illness and we are never quite sure how well they are being treated, but I trusted JP Carter not to take it too dark. Children and animals, always a difficult ask for readers to accept violence against either, even though we know it happens all too often in real life. We're a strange bunch that way.

I really liked DCI Anna Tate as a character. She has every reason to be distracted, especially as the case stirs up some very unhappy memories for her. At one stage, it seems as though her personal life may well interfere with her investigations, but for a character so strong in will and whose determination rang from the page, I never felt as though she would let her mind wander for long. Alongside her DI and good friend Max Walker, you get that feeling that there is a top team looking for those children and, despite several set backs, they are going to come good eventually. And there are setbacks. Just as you think they are homing in on suspects, they give them the slip, ratcheting up the tension another notch, especially as it triggers more threatening action from the perps. The author does a great job of diverting attention in various different directions as it becomes clear that not everyone with close ties to the case is telling the truth, and it is in wanting to know the answers to the many suspicions that I found myself turning the page at a great rate of knots.

And the ending of the book was satisfying if maybe bordering on a cliffhanger of sorts. Not for the case in question - JP Carter takes that to a clear, but maybe a touch unexpected conclusion, whilst creating more questions about Tates personal situation that pretty well ensure I am going to be reading the next books in the series to see what happens. The book is self contained as mysteries and investigations go, but with a series arc like this, who can resist? Tense, pacy and packed with secrets and lies, if you like a great police investigation style thriller, this could be the book for you.

Imagine being a detective and 9 young children go missing from a nursery, all at the same time, How did it happen, will they be fine. Fast paced and really good, had a few moments of shallow breathing and racing heart!!

In Safe Hands is an unputdownable new thriller from J. P. Carter. Featuring the investigative genius of DCI Anna Tate, this is a tense, fast-paced story of a kidnapping case unlike any other. When nine children are taken from a nursery school in South London, their distressed parents turn to DCI Tate, who races to uncover the truth and get them back home. As Tate works tirelessly to unravel the mystery, she finds herself also on the trail of a bigger plot – with the help of a mysterious source who might be closer than they think.

In Safe Hands will have readers on the edge of their seats from beginning to end. With fast-paced suspense and thrilling twists, Carter's storytelling will leave you wanting more from this fantastic new series. A must read for any fan of crime fiction.

What a fabulous novel. First book I’ve read by jp carter and am rushing to read the rest now. Fast paced and interesting but with a cliffhanger I’m hoping will be resolved.

This was a thrilling introduction to the intriguing character of DCI Anna Tate.

After such an exciting storyline I'm already looking forward to the next instalment.

4.5 stars

I've had this book on my shelf for a while and when I reminded myself of the synopsis I thought 'wow!' It sounded like a really exciting premise, unfortunately the execution didn't live up to the blurb. I found it very slow going and plodding, I pushed myself to finish but I didn't get much from doing that. Police procedural isn't always my favourite type of crime book but ones I have read in the past were more entertaining than this one. Not for me unfortunately.

I was completely gripped by this story and was impressed with the writing quality. I was entertained throughout the story and would not hesitate to recommend this book.

Unfortunately I just could not get into this book. It may be one for other readers, but I was unable to finish it.

In Safe Hands by JP Carter is the first in a new series featuring DCI Anna Tate. Nine children are taken from a nursery school in London by Armed Kidnappers. Every parents worst nightmare coming true.

The task of repopulating the senior library has been an exciting and daunting task aS in a boarding school our aim is to encourage all members of the community to read. Because of this, I have been searching down a wide and diverse range of books to read that will entice a wide cross-section of the school to come in, browse and find books that they love.
Books like this will ensure that the senior students in the school see the library as a diverse, modern and exciting place with books that speak to them and they want to recommend to their friends, classmates, teachers and tutors.
It is an engrossing and exciting read with fully-formed characters and a plot that ensures that it's hard to look away. It is as far from formulaic as it is possible to be and kept me up far too late in order to finish it. I immediately wanted to read all of this writer's other books as I loved their voice and found that it really drew me into the story and made me think about it even when I'd stepped away from this tale.
This is a thought-provoking read which I'm sure will be a popular and well-read addition to our new library; I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to read it and I know that the students are going to absolutely love it too!

J. P Carter is the pseudonym of a bestselling author who has also written sixteen books under the names Jaime and James Raven. This explains why, what I originally thought was a first book, was so bloody good. I’ve not read any of the books written under the other names but I will do now.
DCI Anna Tate is a likeable copper who’s job it is to find and rescue the nine children that have been abducted from their nursery. A six million dollar ransom has been asked for so the pressure to find them before the government has to pay it is huge. It’s also personal for Anna; ten years ago her own daughter was kidnapped by her father. They’ve never been found, so she’s determined that the parents of the nine children won’t have to go through what she has.
Can Anna and her team find them in time?. You’ll have to read it to find out. It’s a great book with a unique story, I’d definitely recommend it. I can’t wait to read the second in the series.

The blurb made this sound so exciting – and what an intriguing premise. Nine vulnerable, very small children kidnapped. No one knows why or where they are. The potential here for drama, emotion and tension is huge.
So I was disappointed at the execution. The pace is very ploddy, not a lot actually happens, there is no real sense of urgency, no real portrayal of the raw emotion that the parents would surely feel. There’s a huge amount of repetition of detail, lots of telling, a lack of dialogue – I was surprised to say the least that this was by a successful and prolific crime writer.
If you’re really into police procedurals then this might be for you.
But it definitely wasn’t for me.

I love a good crime novel and this one didnt disappoint. An interesting story line that kept interest until the end. Will definately look out for for more in the series.

Shocking, high stakes thriller you'll struggle to put down!

It missed out on 5⭐ because of the story being a little predictable, but I still enjoyed the way the pieces fit together.

Overall, a great start to a new series, I'm excited to see what Carter does next.

Thanks to Avon Books UK & Netgalley for sending me this in exchange for an open and honest review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

So, how far would you go to save the ones you love? In Safe Hands is the first book in a gripping new crime series featuring DCI Anna Tate and it had me hooked from the very first page right through until the very last word!

The story starts with nine children being kidnapped from Peabody nursery school in South London, their distressed parents have no idea if they will ever see them again and nor does Anna. The whole issue is distressing for Anna because she has been in this exact situation with her own daughter, Chloe, who was kidnapped 10 years ago and Anna hasn’t stopped looking and living in hope she can be found.

So, how does someone kidnap nine children from a nursery and leave no trace? No one saw anything, there are seemingly no leads, no evidence left behind and no clue as to who, what or even why. For Anna, she wants the children found and will stop at nothing to find them. The kidnappers get in contact demanding £6m in bitcoins to release the children, any delays and one child a day will die.

One of the children, Liam suffers from cystic fibrosis and the whole affair could be life limiting if he is not given his medication.

For Anna, this is one of the most disturbing cases she has ever worked on - not only because the lives of nine children who are being held hostage are T stake but because she's pretty sure that someone close to them is lying...but who? Why would they do this and what have they got to gain?

I finished the book in less than 48 hours of starting it and the last paragraph left me with shivers!

This is most definitely a 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞, 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫, and it’s the start of a brand new series.

We get introduced to DCI Anna Tate. Unlike a lot of police procedures I’ve read in the past they come with huge pasts. Drinking problem, hard, rugged, and some unbelievable.

Anna has a past that is current.
Her child was never found now she’s on a case where nine young children have been kidnapped.

I question if she was best placed for this job, but this is fiction and it needs to appeal. It certainly did that.

It’s a time running out “catch and mouse” tale which you fly through quite quickly.

I loved the writing, I loved how it was fast paced. I didn’t much like the ending, it seemed a bit far fetched in my humble opinion.

It’s a subject matter that’s been written about over and over, yet this ones on the whole comes in my recommendation for how well written and fast it was.

Fast moving thriller which is very well written & hooks you from the start - every parents nightmare.

What a roller coaster ride!

From the very first word this novel had me captivated until the very end.  I'm not completely sure which aspect of the novel kept me holding my breath the most; the kidnap plot, the parent story or the continuing mystery of Anna's daughter.  When combined together they make one hell of a ride. 

DI Anna Tate is a superb character and I thought she was written with so much depth.  Brilliant at her job and battling her own demons she is exactly who I would want on my side if my child had gone missing.  

The main plot involving nine missing children and malevolent video demands is chilling.  It plays on the reader's mind and makes for fraught reading and there were times my heart literacy stopped.  The insight into the lives of the parents (especially Liam's) raising some interesting and thought provoking questions and does provide an alternative perspective outside the police procedures.   

The sub-plot around the disappearance of Anna's daughter many years ago is intriguing and  devastating and I just cannot believe how the novel ended.

A brilliant and terrifying rime novel and I cannot wait to dive into book 2.

In Safe Hands deals with every parent's worst nightmare. Nine children are kidnapped from a nursery school in South London and nobody can believe how such a crime has been committed. One child has cystic fibrosis and needs his medication, which the kidnappers didn't take with them. DCI Anna Tate is in charge of the investigation and she has plenty of suspects. What she doesn't have is time as the kidnappers have set a ransom and a tight deadline. As a result, the book is tense and very cleverly plotted. And, even if you do manage to guess who is involved early on, there are plenty of other surprises throughout the book. 

The book deals with the difficult topic of child abduction in a sensitive manner. Tate is a fascinating character because her own daughter was abducted years before so she is also dealing with the memory and trauma of this. But, when she gets a tip about the location of her daughter, she must prioritise which case to focus on. Tate is an incredibly conflicted character yet she is also always professional. As one of the two narrators, Anna provides the investigative perspective. The other narrator is Ruth, the mother of the boy with cystic fibrosis who also questions everyone around her about the case and provides the more human side of the investigation. There are a lot of characters in the book: the parents of each of the nine children, the teachers, and the police officers. While many authors might get bogged down with juggling all of these characters, focusing on Ruth and Anna perfectly balances the narrative between the police investigation and the desperation the parents. The other parents are often present and we do also get a sense of their suffering but the focus is on Ruth as she also tackles her difficult relationship with her husband and her guilt about her son's kidnapping.

The book is very fast paced with an incredible sense of urgency and panic. As the mother of a four-year-old, the book really touched a nerve with me as several video clips are sent to news networks of the kids crying and looking dishevelled, which is something that seems frighteningly real. These clips are used to appeal to the emotions of the parents and the public and the government to get their ransom demand so, as would be expected in such a case, media coverage plays a big role in the case. This culminates in a cliffhanger at the end of the book regarding Anna and her missing daughter ensuring that readers come back for the second book in the series, At Your Door, which was published in August 2019.