If you are looking for a fast paced, keep you on the edge of your seat read, this is the book for you. I appreciate that there are so many social issues addressed in this book. There were so many twists and turns that made the book interesting to “whodunnit” fans.

This book is a thriller, inspired by the author's time as a 911 dispatcher.  It starts off very dramatically and is nonstop action the entire time!  Not only is it an excellent thriller, it is very appropriate for our times exploring themes of police brutality, activism, and racism!

Really good psychological thriller, grabbed me from the first paragraph and held me through the whole story. Wonderful plot, interesting characters. 
Really like this book, couldn't put it down! 4 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author and publisher for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

RATING: 3.5 STARS
2019; Penguin Group/Dutton

Stolen Things started out with a bang, but soon ran out of steam, pace wise. Laurie Ahmadi works as a 9-1-1 dispatcher, in Northern California, when she receives a call from her own daughter, Jojo. She is drugged and disoriented, but not sure where she is. When the call is disconnected, she looks to the police to help her find her daughter. The police, who employs Omid, Jojo's father, find her in a home of "Kevin Leeds, a pro football player famous for his work with the Citizens Against Police Brutality movement". Jojo has been raped and Kevin’s friend and trainer, whose beaten corpse is also discovered in the house. Harper, Jojo's best friend, who was with her the night before is now missing. Laurie and Jojo must dig through Harper's life to find her. I liked this novel on the whole, but it was a bit easy to figure out. I am looking forward to her next book.

***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

This breakout suspense novel by R.H. Herron is one of those reads you simply can’t put down. The unbelievable string of events which kicks off at the party propels JoJo, Laurie and Omid on a path of incredible danger and career-risking defiance.....https://booksuplift.com/stolen-things/

I was supposed to review this a long time ago but I dropped the ball and never did. I finally read it but I didn’t really like this one. I thought the topics were too heavy handed.

I love thrillers. I have read many thrillers. This book is classified as a thriller and starts off with an unsuspecting mother, a 911 dispatcher, receiving an emergent call from her own daughter saying "help me." Thankfully, for JoJo, not only is her mother on the other end of that phone call, but her father is also the chief of police. Though JoJo is quickly located, the family soon finds out there is more than one life who has been altered by this night.

This book covers so many important topics to include rape, abuse, racism, police brutality, protest groups, blackmail, child abuse (emotional and sexual), LGBTQ+, and systemic corruption to name a few. This book definitely makes one stop to think about all the brokenness in the US. 

I loved the thrill of following Laurie and Jojo as they try to uncover the missing pieces to determine what happened that night that led to Jojo waking up in a room she didn't recognize. The duo also worked together as they attempted to find Jojo's best friend, Harper, who is now missing. The book included little details of Jojo's life growing up with both parents as part of the police force in their small town. 

Unfortunately, for me, I felt like I kept missing details. I tend to be a very detail oriented person and missed certain aspects of the story. I do wish some things were explicitly stated, such as Jojo's father being the first Arabic chief of police. I read that in the synopsis and was given clues about some unrest regarding his selection however, I missed that piece. I felt confused as the story moved from one place to the next. Now that I am done with the story and have achieved the "whodunnit" moment, I'm still left wondering why. Though it was explained, it just felt a little flat to me. I like a bit more intensity in my thrillers. 

I do believe this is a wonderful debut novel that would be great for readers who are just starting out in the thriller genre. This is a great introduction to the world of thrillers. 

Thank you to Dutton books and Netgalley for providing me an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I've rated this book as 3.5 stars.

A true page-turner that kept me guessing until the very end. The story revolves around families and friends - those we are born into, those we choose, and those that form because of proximity. I found the setting really interesting: police in the time of the Black Lives Matter movement. It's not the central theme of the book, but I thought the author did a clever job of making it an important part of the story.

I'd actually give the book 3 1/2 stars. There were just a few small things that kept me from giving it a higher rating:

* There were times when I felt myself wanting to skim over some dialogue or a character's inner thoughts because they felt repetitive or unnecessary.
* Some scenarios felt improbable (Laurie's ability to traipse in and out of the precinct when she's a part of an ongoing investigation; Harper's complete brainwashing; a well-known NFL player not having his agent or team involved once he becomes part of a crime). It felt like they served the plot just a little too well.

I'm able to overlook those details, and I believe most readers will as well, and appreciate this book for what it is: a thrilling and satisfying page-turner.

Once some things are stolen, they can never be returned, innocence being chief among them. Author R. H. Herron takes us on an unnerving and thought-provoking journey with a family on the brink with her debut suspense novel, “Stolen Things.”

Laurie Ahmadi is a 911 dispatcher, a former police officer, and the police chief’s wife.  As a seasoned dispatcher, she thought she’d heard everything until the night she answered a 911 call from her own daughter begging for help.  JoJo is recued by the police in the home of an NFL player.  She has been drugged and raped, a man has been murdered, her best friend, Harper, is missing, and she can’t remember a thing.  When Laurie and JoJo decide the police aren’t doing enough, they take it upon themselves to launch their own investigation for find the man responsible and bring Harper home before it’s too late.  Strap in tight, because R.H. Herron pulls no punches, and “Stolen Things” hits like a sledgehammer.

What impressed me most about “Stolen Thing” is it revolves entirely around several extremely sensitive and controversial issues.  Rape, race, sexuality, and police relations are extensively explored throughout the narrative.  Despite the dark, heavy nature of the subject matter, the narrative never gets bogged down.  Herron approaches these complicated issues honestly and openly with grace and sensitivity to the extent the narrative never feels preachy or driven by an agenda.  I always get apprehensive when plots gravitate towards these polarizing issues, but I was pleasantly surprised by the sophistication with which they were addressed.

I found the characterization within the novel at times beautifully rendered and at others somewhat lacking.  The character development for the seventeen-year-old, JoJo Ahmadi, is inspired.  Herron perfectly captures the fears, anger, confusion, and guilt of a teenager in the midst of such personal upheaval.  She is a wonderfully dynamic characters as seen through her interactions with her parents and her friends, and especially through her complex relationship with Harper.  Laurie Ahmadi, JoJo’s mother, is also well developed as an often overbearing, but clearly panicked, mother. We saw glimpses into the depths of her rage through several encounters with suspects, but I felt there was so much more to explore with her relationship with her husband as well as her troubled past as a police officer.  Omid Ahmadi is also portrayed as the devoted husband and father, but as a large driving force in the plot, I would have like to have seen a more thoroughly fleshed out character.  There are several points in the plot where his personal introspection could have revealed a great deal about his character.

Dialogue is crisp, powerful, and perfectly authentic sounding in a number of scenes.  Scenes involving frantic parents are evocative and moving and the parental panic is perfectly captured.  Scenes involving the victims trying to wrestle through hazy recollections are equally vivid and realistic.  Several of the scenes depict terribly tragic scenarios, unimaginable to anyone that has never lived through them.  Herron is able to capture many of the emotions generated by these scenarios and craft dialogue within the framework of each tragedy to breathe realism that is both stirring and terrifying.  She takes us to several places where many authors would be reluctant to tread.

Chapters are short and the pace is quick as the last half of the book flies by at a break-neck pace.  While the tone throughout is very dark due to the heavy content, the subject matter is handled so respectfully and the characters rendered so honestly, the darkness visited remains bearable throughout the novel.  

“Stolen Things” is a beautifully crafted suspense thriller steeped in the worst of human nature.   Several of the most controversial topics we’re currently facing as a society are explored within the context of an investigation into a horrible crime.  Both thrilling and thought-provoking, “Stolen Things” is anything but your typical murder mystery.  The suspense never lets up, and the twists will keep you on your toes until the very end.  For the first suspense novel written by R.H. Herron, I say congratulation on a wonderful accomplishment.

The author did a wonderful job crafting a teenage character that was flawed and realistic and age appropriate. I enjoyed the premise and setting. Unfortunately, I thought the end was utterly unbelievable and took away from what could have been an important story to tell.

Laurie Ahmadi and her chief of police husband get the call most parents dread. A cry for help. It is a horse race. Out the gate, the plot is tied to many cultural/political issues that have no depth to them. With the F bomb on every other page, and the shock factor of sex, (the 16 year old daughter lap scene) police brutality, a sexual identity, the plot became lost and the characters dead to me.

A Special Thank you to Penguin Group and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review

Overall a good read. Very difficult to make it through some of it. The writing was gruesome and disturbing. A lot of trigger warnings should be known. A lot of references to rape. Murder. Obstruction. It details intimately how broken our system really is.

This was a thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. The character development is beautifully done and it was hard to put the book down. was kept guessing until the end of the book. A great concept and book, highly recommend.

Laurie, a 911 dispatcher answers a call one night to hear her daughter's voice on the other end.  Jojo wakes up after being drugged unaware of where she is or what has happened to her or her friend who apparently is also missing.  Together, mother and daughter, try to find what happened leading up to the assault and the involvement of the police force.  I enjoyed the pace of the story and its conclusion.

This book was full of secrets, lies, cover ups and it kept me wanting to read more and find out what was going to happen.  A 911 operator catches a call and it is her daughter asking for help.  The book moves pretty fast from there as they race to find not only her but discover her best friend is also missing.  The pov goes back and forth between the mom and daughter as they try and figure out who's behind everything.  Really good book.

I confess that I am a major fan of psychological thrillers and crime novels. Suspense draws me quickly into its web of evildoers and their heinous ways. I may be a little unbalanced myself – or maybe just a bored old lady!

For seventeen years, R.H. Herron worked as a 911 fire/medical dispatcher, and this book is loosely inspired by actual events. In her debut suspense novel, the author grabs your attention with a multi-layered and very busy plot in a story that is every parent’s worst nightmare and then some. She mixes both crime and societal prejudices. This may cause problematic triggers and comfort zone issues for some readers.

A diversified cast of characters that includes a teenage girl discovering herself, along with her whacked-out best friend, caring parents, clueless parents, a NFL football star and more, along with a whole passel of cops (more bad than good in this situation, I’m afraid).

With points of view from both mother and daughter, Laurie and JoJo expose themselves and allow readers to really see the weaknesses within the individuals and their relationships. I loved this aspect of the story and how really personal it became.

The book keeps you on the edge of your seat and breathlessly awaiting what will happen next. The characters are flawed and aren’t altogether likeable. However, I felt sorry for the pain and agony they found themselves in.

It fulfills the criteria for a successful page-turner. Very well-written and plotted literally diving immediately into an action-packed storyline that never quits. Its whack-a-mole scenario refuses to stop and keeps readers challenged by sending them chasing one problem after another and just when one problem is solved, another immediately pops up.

The ending was a little weak and abrupt and left some dangling ends that I felt definitely needed to be tied up, but that’s the only complaint that hit my negative radar. Overall, Herron hit her mark! This book delivers in spades. And kudos on the captivating cover art.

The beginning of the book gripped me and I couldn’t wait to keep reading. I struggled a bit about halfway through and felt a few parts were a bit flat but overall it was a gripping thriller.

Nothing about this book made it stand out against all the other thrillers that are out there in the market.

Loved the character of Laurie, loved the pacing and suspense. Had trouble caring about lying teenage girls, especially when the twists about the missing Harper came to light. The ending was a little hard to swallow.

The premise of this book was all too familiar to me, as a local scandal amongst police departments in our area.  Readers will be shocked by the details enclosed in this fast paced debut thriller.  The author took her past experience as a dispatcher and wove it between the pages, creating a realistic background on which our main characters draw on when caught in the middle of unthinkable acts and scandal within their own law enforcement department.  While parts of this book were difficult for me to read because of the clear feelings of distrust towards the actions of law enforcement by the author, I choose to believe she also holds a place in her heart for the majority that are true to the profession.  When I take my own feelings out of it, she wrote a great book that was fast paced, interesting and held my attention.  I think her characters had depth and worked well together.  Her storyline flowed and was well played until the very end.