A fine entertaining read, although I have to wonder that, for a lawyer, Richard did some awfully stupid things. Nevertheless, held my interest, and I do recommend it,

They say that you don't appreciate something until it's gone,well Martha and Richard Stone are about to find out just how true the saying is when their eleven year old son Danny is snatched off the street and bundled into a white van whilst on his way home from school and they find themselves plunged into every parents worst living nightmare.

There was no witnesses and the police have no leads and no idea where Danny is or even if he is still alive. The mystery deepens when Danny's parents receive a ransom demand for a suspiciously low amount of money. Why have the kidnappers asked for such a low sum of money? Why is Richard behaving so suspiciously? What is he hiding? Could he have been involved in the kidnapping of his own son? Thousands of children go missing every year,many of whom are never found. Will Danny ever return home to his parents or is he destined to join the ranks of the forever missing?

The chapters of this gripping page turner alternate between Martha and Richard,the police investigation and Danny's ordeal at the hands of his kidnappers. My heart went out to poor Martha as we witnessed her anguish and grief,feelings that intensified as each day passed and her child remained missing.She didn't get any support from her husband who's behaviour was secretive and erratic. I really didn't think Richard was a very likeable character for various reasons. Danny was a very likeable,brave and resourceful young boy whose chapters were chilling and heart poundingly intense at times. I really liked DI Radford and his team,I loved the camaraderie between him and DS Best,he was a very approachable boss and the team worked well together. The villains were cold,cruel,twisted individuals,very nasty,greedy people.

Snatched is a tightly plotted,mesmerising,intense thriller that hooks the reader in from the first page,keeps you captivated throughout the entire extremely well written story. There was likeable and unlikable characters and characters who were not who they appeared to be. I hope DI Radford and his team feature in more of this author's books. I really loved this unputdownable thriller and think it deserves far more than five stars. Very very highly recommended.

Snatched is a book about every parent’s worst nightmare.

It isn’t an ‘edge-of-your-seat’ sort of thriller. It isn’t even particularly suspenseful. Somehow, the book manages to be more about relationships. The relationship between husband and wife. The relationship between the kidnapped boy and his captors. The relationship between those kidnappers themselves. All of these are explored in detail. I’m not completely sure that the prologue added anything particular to the story, other than offering a chance for reading groups to debate nature/nurture.

All in all I enjoyed this book, but it wasn’t exactly what I was expecting and it doesn’t stand out as being amazing or terrible. It’s just an average read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy of this book.

A sucker for missing child investigations, I was excited to snap up Gillian Jackson's SNATCHED. Of course, a missing child is one of the most terrifying experiences for any parent and that fear and tension felt by the parents is palpable within these pages.

The story begins with an opening Prologue in 1988 in which two young children are found abandoned in a derelict building, their parents nowhere to be found. There is little food in the cupboards and fridge, and the stench of urine and excrement is unmistakable. The girl, who appears to be about 4 years old, shelters her barely 2 year old brother with her arms. When authorities attempt to goad them to safety, the girl screams and bites the social worker on the arm causing the little boy to cry. He had faeces clinging to his little legs, his face red from crying. The poor little mite must be in agony. It was not the worst scene the veteran social worker had come across but it was close.

In the present day, Danny Stone is an 11 year old boy from a middle class family - not affluent, but comfortably off. He is walking home from school one afternoon when he is suddenly grabbed off the street. He is driven to an unknown location about an hour away, seemingly far away from his home of Bristol. He has no idea who took him, where they were going or what they want with him. All he knows is that he is cold, alone and afraid.

Danny is the only child of Richard and Martha Stone. When they return home to find Danny isn't there, they begin to worry. Even more so when he's not home by nightfall. When his rucksack is found under a bush on the pavement where he dropped it, Martha and Richard know something terrible has happened to their son. The worst nightmare has become a reality.

DI Radford and DS Best are tasked with the investigation into Danny's disappearance. Then a ransom demand is made. Richard is vague about their ability to raise the money requested but Martha knows they have the £300,000 the kidnappers have asked for. What is Richard hiding? He quietly confides in Martha that he made some investments with their savings and isn't able to raise the cash immediately. But when she looks into their bank accounts which Richard keeps locked in study, she discovers that most of their money is gone. Surely not on these investments? What is he hiding? Why did he not tell his wife? After all, it was her money as well. So where did the money actually go?

They manage to scrape together £190,000 - but is it enough?

Then the kidnappers make contact and instructions for the delivery of the ransom are given. Richard is to make the drop - alone. The police stake out the area, covertly in place along the route to the drop point. But when Richard leaves to deliver the money he doesn't take the route they'd mapped out, instead driving in the opposite direction. Where is he going?

When Richard returns, he has new instructions. They kidnappers took what they had but they have given him another 48 hours to come up with the remaining amount plus an extra £10,000 for their trouble.

When the police question Richard, he lies. What is he really hiding?

Meanwhile, Danny is held captive in a derelict, abandoned farmhouse...and he forms an unlikely friendship with the boy whose mother is paid to keep watch. The young lad brings him food and water when he can and tells him that he will be released as soon as they receive the money.

As Danny begins to wonder if freedom will ever be in sight, he starts to think about escape. He asks Lewis, the young lad, to assist him with the promise that his parents will help him and his mother in recompense. But Lewis' mother is terrified of Pete, one of the kidnappers, and he doubts she will co-operate.

But can his new friend be trusted?

Unique in its narrative, SNATCHED is told in the third person from the perspectives of Danny, Martha, Richard and DI Radford. Through each narrative we are given a glimpse of their thoughts, their fears and their secrets. Martha and Richard both have secrets they have been keeping from the other - so how will they affect the safe return of their son?

A well-written psychological thriller with a slow building tension, SNATCHED has several twists and a couple of surprises that will complete the puzzle. I admit to discovering the final piece about a third of the way through before having the rest of the picture in place, so I wasn't sure where that piece fit. When it came together it finally made sense. Even the tie-in with the abandoned children in the Prologue at the beginning wasn't clear until the final chapters.

But the piece de resistance was the Epilogue, which was told in the first person, unveiling yet another twist no one saw coming.

SNATCHED was a very different "missing child" read but still oddly enjoyable.

I would like to thank #GillianJackson, #NetGalley and #SapereBooks for an ARC of #Snatched in exchange for an honest review.

Snatched by Gillian Jackson was read in two sitting and I loved it. I was gripped from the first few pages and I wanted to find out what happened next to Danny Stone.

Parents worst nightmare is just about to begin............

Danny Stone is eleven years old and the only child of Martha and Richard. Whilst walking home from school Danny is brutally snatched from the streets. All that is left is his school rucksack on the pavement.
Danny finds himself imprisoned in an old semi-derelict building. He's alone in this damp room, he is cold and hungry, with only a bucket to go to toilet on. Danny terrified of what might happen to him.

Why has he been snatched?

Who are the voices he can hear down stairs?

Danny becomes close to a young lad who is staying at this house with his mother. and an unlikely friendship develops in the most difficult of situations, and a powerful, far reaching, bond is forged.

Danny’s parents, Martha and Richard, their only child missing and a ransom is demanded,

Will they be able to meet the kidnappers’ terms, or will their son be lost to them forever?

Will their marriage survive?........as secrets and the pressure of their marriage come to the surface.

Can they find the ransom?

Will Danny be found in time?

WoW, I didn't expect that ending.....10/10 Book.

Big thanks to Gillian Jackson the author, Sapere Books and Netgalley for the digital copy of this emotional roller coaster of a ride. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

‘Danny loved his new school.’

Danny Stone is walking home from school one day when he is snatched off the street and bundled into a vehicle. Danny is eleven years old. Danny finds himself locked in a room in a semi-derelict building. He is alone, cold and hungry.

For Danny’s parents, Martha and Richard, this is a nightmare. Who has taken Danny and why? A ransom demand is made. Martha knows that they should be able to raise the money requested, and surely Danny will then be released. But the nightmare is only just beginning. Richard tells Martha that he’s made some investments and can’t come up with all the cash requested.

The kidnappers make contact. Instructions for the delivery of the ransom are given. The police are covertly in place, hoping to arrest the kidnappers once Danny is safe. Richard drives off to deliver the money, but he doesn’t take the route mapped out. Why? What is happening? The police question him, but he lies.

In the meantime, Danny makes an unlikely friend. He’s told that he will be released once the money is paid. Danny would like to believe this, but he is understandably anxious. Can he escape?

It’s difficult to write more about the story without spoiling it. Richard has secrets, secrets which may destroy his marriage and will undermine the efforts to release Danny. There are a few twists in this story, there’s plenty of tension, and a couple of surprises before the end.

Recommended.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Sapere Books for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

Very simply written. It started out really good but then it lost me. I skipped to the back to see how it ended. I have read reviews on this book on amazon and for the most part would agree it's just very simple. Not a lot of suspense.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC.

This is the second book I have read by this author and I enjoyed it as much as the first one (Abduction).
It began with an 11 year old boy, Danny, being kidnapped on his way home from school. Without giving anything away, the story covers the police investigation, how Danny copes while being held and the roller coaster of feelings, thoughts and emotions his parents experience during the investigation. Mostly likeable characters. Enjoyed reading of a brief return of a character from a previous book.

I did like and enjoy this book, and would read another one by this author and highly recommend it.

Brilliant, another fantastic read from Gillian, I loved Abduction and this one was just as good. A roller coaster of a read, full of twists and I was gripped from the very first page, just my type of book.

The characters were so well described, all interesting in their own way and each with their own story to tell. I particularly liked the epilogue at the end which tied up the whole story for me and I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Well done Gillian, I look forward to your next one.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sapere Books for giving me the opportunity to read this fantastic book. Ten stars for me!

I thought this was well written with some very strong characters, in particular a couple of the police officers around whom a whole series of novels could be written. I liked that the author showed that one person could display several different facets of human nature and without giving too much away I loved the relationship that was struck up between the two boys who came from very different backgrounds. Finally I'd really like to see more of Det Jack Priestley who featured in Abduction and had a small role in this book.

Review posted on Goodreads and Amazon

Excellent psychological thriller! It moved at a fast pace with twists and turns throughout! Well-developed characters and plot. Highly recommend!

An oddly enjoyable read. Told from different points of view following the kidnap of an 11 year old boy on his way home from school. I think there is a hidden moral message but I am unsure how to even explain it without giving away the plot.
The tie in to the young abandoned children at the very beginning wasn't clear until the last but one chapter. The story is sound, believable and scarily very possible.

Wow this book blew me away. I read it in one day. it had everything i love in a thriller . It was a well written storyline and had the perspective from the kidnapped kid, the parents,the police and the kidnappers. Plenty of thrills and emotions and turmoil. Can't wait for the next book by Gillian Jackson

Snatched by Gillian Jackson is a quick, intense read that will hook you immediately, and will not let go until the dramatic conclusion. Compulsively readable, this one had me tearing through the pages.

Eleven year old Danny Stone is snatched on his way home from school and taken to a dilapidated farmhouse where he learns that he is being held for ransom. Yet when his financially comfortable parents have trouble meeting the kidnappers' demands, secrets and lies emerge that not only put a strain on the marriage, but may, in fact, endanger Danny's very life.

This is an emotionally engaging read that had me fully invested in Danny's plight from the very start. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sapere Books for this ARC.

A missing child is one of the most terrifying experience for any parent. Frightening to know your child is in the hands of a total stranger.

Danny Stone is an 11-year-old boy grabbed off the street as he walked home from school. He's driven away to an unknown destination. All Danny knows is that he is cold, and alone, and afraid.

The parents, Martha and Richard are living a nightmare. A ransom note is delivered asking for a substantial amount of money .. details to follow. Martha knows they have the money and prays that the kidnappers will release her son when they get the money.

And that is where the problems begin in earnest. Most of their money is gone. Richard says he has made a few investments .... why did he not tell his wife? Where did the money actually go?

The kidnappers give them explicit instructions for delivering the money .... but when Richard drives away .. he drives in a completely different direction. What is he doing?

When the police question him, he lies.

Meanwhile Danny has actually made a friend ... of sorts. He's in a locked room ..it's cold ...he has no toilet ...and he's hungry. His 'minder' brings him bread and water, and tries to tell him that he will be released .. unharmed .. as soon as they receive the money.

But can his 'friend' be trusted?

This is a well written psychological thriller with twists and turns that lead to an unpredictable...and surprising ending. And just when you think you've reached the end .... you haven't. Even more secrets are exposed.

Many thanks to the author / Sapere Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this emotional roller coaster of a ride. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

A difficult and emotive subject, tackled really well in this novel. I was hooked from the first page and read it in 24 hours! An excellent book, thank you for the chance to review it.

Fabulous read kept me hooked from the first page! It’s scary to think this actually goes on Thankyou to netgalley for the arc.

I’d like to thank Sapere Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Snatched’ by Gillian Jackson in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
Eleven-year-old Danny is grabbed whilst walking home from school, forcefully thrown into a white van and driven to a derelict house deep in the countryside. His parents, Martha and Richard Stone, call the police and the following day a demand is received for a large sum of money. As the Stones work out how to find the money to get their son returned, secrets start to emerge which could threaten the foundations of their marriage. Will the kidnappers release Danny even though he’s seen one of his captors without his mask?
‘Snatched’ is the second thriller I’ve read by Gillian Jackson and although not as compelling as the first, it was well-written with believable characters, the plot was interesting and it was easy to read. It wasn’t particularly exciting but it was enjoyable and worth spending time reading.

Snatched is a great little thriller full of emotion, distrust and action!

I can’t be the only weirdo out there that devours books on kidnapped children can I? There’s some brilliant ones and some bloody terrible excuses for plots on the market but I’m happy to report back that Snatched is one of the brilliant ones. My heart was in my mouth reading this, I didn’t know who to trust and when it got to the ending and the twist I was blown away!

My only complaint is that it was too short! I think the ordeal could have also been dragged out for a bit longer.

A great tension filled read for all. 4.5 rounded up to 5.

It was a beautifully written novel by an extremely talented writer. Excellent character depiction, plus an exciting storyline make for a roaring success. Highly recommended.