Once I started reading Safe, it was so hard to put down. The book is pretty fast-paced, and I wanted to keep reading to find out what was going to happen next. When the final twists were revealed at the end, I was like, "WHAT?!" This is one of those books that you want to buddy read with someone so you can talk about what is happening as you read. It was dark and twisty and disturbing.

THIS! This was a WOW book for me.... dark, suspense, haunting, thrilling, page-turning and heart-wrenching, all wrapped into one story that was masterfully written.

This is not for the faint of heart, and I would HIGHLY recommend reading the TW before starting this one.

I love that the snippet describing this book is short... going in blind and not knowing what to expect is THE best way to go into this story.

Buckle up and put on your big-person panties.
This will hit you in all the hard feels... right till the end,

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my complimentary eARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. Please excuse my tardiness in posting my review. My TBR list is continuously growing and I keep finding so many amazing books being requested + added to my pile! I have so much gratitude for this copy that has been shared with me.

It was okay. Different from what I normally read. I would probably pick up another book by this author just to see if I really do like the author’s books or not.

So many questions, so many twists and surprising, head spinning ending make your reading experiment so much better at each chapter. Try to relax yourself before reading the last high tension chapters ( do some yoga moves without hurting your muscles and repeating a mantra like “this book is not disturbing”, “we’re not in quarantine, this is Truman Show and there is hidden camera positioned behind your bathroom mirror’’) because pacing gets incredibly fast and your heart rate may hit the roof and soar through the chimney, vaporize into thin air.

This reminded me a lot of the Elizabeth Smart story in a way, it was a good beach read for sure. Loved the cover as well!

Fast-paced and propulsive. A recommended purchase for collection where crime and thrillers are popular.

A standard abduction story but with a very different twist. The shock came almost at the beginning of the story instead of the end. The second twist at the end was not surprising and also disturbing. Sometimes the story was difficult to follow and the characters weren’t very likable. That being said, it was still a page turner and I couldn’t put it down!

Six-year-old Jenny Kristal was walking to her friend's house just down the street when she was snatched off the sidewalk. Twelve years later, Jenny escaped her kidnappers and found her way back home. Although there were more questions than answers, will her family welcome Jenny back with open arms?

Although I did like the concept, I am disappointed in the book as a whole. Fans of mystery/thrillers and suspense will recognize the twist early on, as the author does not leave much to the imagination. As a result, the ending does not have a substantial impact. Having read many books with similar subject matters, I can honestly say that Safe falls into the average range for me. For this reason, I would be hesitant to recommend it to other readers.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy of Safe from NetGalley and the publisher, Dutton. The choice to review this book was entirely my own.

This was a wild ride. Perfectly paced thriller that was unputdownable. I suspect thriller lovers will not be disappointed.

Now this was a compelling thriller! This was a dark and binge-worthy story full of twists and turns. I loved reading from the point of view of the main character Jenny. The way her mind worked was amazing and I had no idea whether or not to believe her! This made it impossible to put the book down. I also love a good crazy family dynamic and this story definitely had that as well. When I was reading the blurb on the back, I noticed that the author S.K. Barnett is a pseudonym for a NYT bestselling author whose previous book was made into a movie. Now I’m dying to know who the author really is! Regardless, I loved Safe. It was so much more than a missing girl story and I highly recommend everyone check this out. It’s out now!⁣

I really enjoyed this. It was hard to believe that it was a debut work! The pacing was great and it was a hard one to put down. I was suspicious of every single character and I just had to keep reading on to find out what really happened! Im looking forward to more from the author

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This novel really had me guessing on the main character. Even after the reveal I was intrigued at where the story was going. Would recommend for anyone who loves a good thriller.

Safe was released with a lot of buzz, and let me tell you it's well-deserved!
This book has one twist after another as Jennifer returns after being abducted over ten years ago. It soon becomes clear that things are not as they appear- but who is conning whom?
The story had a lot of dark and difficult elements, but thankfully they didn't dominate the story and there was still some hope at the end.
Many thanks to PENGUIN GROUP Dutton and NetGalley for the ARC.

I’ll admit I’ve had this one on my kindle for awhile. I started reading it, then paused it because I found the first 50% of the book while intriguing also a little boring. The last 50% is a roller coaster ride. And hold onto the safety bar because just when you think the ride is over, there is one more twist and hill to go!

Jenny has been missing since she’s six. Twelve years later she’s come home. Parents, Laurie and Jake seem surprised and not as excited as you would expect. Brother Ben has never recovered was her from disappearance. Oh and he doesn’t believe it’s actually Jenny!

Thriller reviews are so hard to write because I don’t want to give anything away! This one has a bit of everything: missing person, liars, con-artist, murderers, deceit, and sexual assault.

3.75⭐️s rounded up to 4.

Thank you Netgalley and Dutton for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion. I know my review is late but this is the perfect October read!

*3 1/2 stars* A snarky teenager is the focus of this psychological thriller. This is an easy read, albeit confusing at times with the first person narrative. Is this formerly missing child the answer to prayer? Or is this a nightmarish situation, and for whom? Is anybody SAFE? This is a mystery that could be a trigger for some because of the subject matter. No trigger happens during the present in this novel, but in the past there is abuse, so it is not something that I personally couldn't tolerate. Some parts were predictable, others were not. I give the story 4 stars, and the execution 3 stars.
~Thank you to NetGalley and publisher~

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Safe was a psychological story about a girl who goes missing and comes home twelve years later. I know it sounds like a whole lot of other books, but trust me, it's not. It becomes a different book and I really enjoyed. If you love twists, then this is the book for you.

Stevie‘s review of Safe by S.K. Barnett
Domestic Thriller published by Dutton 09 Jun 20

In recent years, there have been some well-publicised cases of abducted young women escaping their captors and, ultimately, reuniting with their families. Obviously one reason for the media attention is the rarity of such long-lost missing persons being found alive or, indeed, at all. Once the initial excitement has died down, questions remain for onlookers: what has life been like for the missing and those they left behind, before and after their return? How well have they been able to return to any sort of family life? Are there any doubts amongst family or friends as to whether the returnee is who she claims to be? That last question is the main one posed by this story.


Having disappeared at the age of six while walking to a friend’s house close to her home, Jenny Kristal returns to her parents and older brother aged 18 and finds a family in turmoil. Although her parents welcome her unreservedly and put on a large-scale reunion for more distant relations straightaway, her brother is more wary, setting verbal traps aimed at catching her in a lie. He’s right to do so, since Jenny is not exactly who she claims to be. Settling into her new life, however, Jenny soon realises that neither is anyone else, and that the descriptions given of six-year-old Jenny immediately following her disappearance bear little relation to scraps of information dropped by those who knew her then, in the present day.

As Jenny’s deception begins to unravel, and people from her past – and that of missing-Jenny’s family – start to make contact with her, she start to realise that the family into which she has inserted herself is more dangerous than she could have ever predicted from the prior knowledge she brought with her. By that point, of course, it’s too late to back out, and Jenny finds herself racing to uncover what really happened twelve years earlier before the past catches up with her.

I really enjoyed this book. The abuse suffered by both versions of Jenny was horrific, although we aren’t subjected to the worst excesses in the narrative – just hints, and demonstrates that monstrous humans exist in all tiers of society. While near-adult Jenny is hardened by her experiences, she also has a compassionate side to her as well as a sound ability to think on her feet and pull information together for both personal gain and for more altruistic reasons.

I definitely want to read more from this author, either under this pen-name, or under their better known one.

Grade: A

The premise for this book is so intriguing, a little girl goes missing, only to be returned to her family years later. What really happened while she was gone and where was she? I found myself trying to guess the ending multiple times only to be way off. I really enjoyed this one!

This was a solid 4.5 star read for me. I really couldn’t put it down. Jenny Kristal disappears when she’s 6, on her way to her friends home, just two houses down.
Twelve years later, she’s back. A miracle.., or is it?
Yes there were some very disturbing themes in this book but when reading a piece of fiction about a child kidnapping, thats to be expected.
A thrilling story of secrets and even redemption. I loved it.