Member Reviews
This novel was interesting. The political undertones were highlighted by the mystery well. While I dont normally like political novels, I think this one did a good good staying unbiased as much as possible while still focusing on the injustices. I knew the author's feelings about it, but it was not shoved in my face. My only issue is I figured out the end way too soon. It was still interesting and I liked it, but it took some of the fun out of it. Great read. Would definitely recommend to friends. |
**Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review** I give this book a solid 3.5 stars. It definitely grabbed my attention from the start. I like how it jumped right into the action, no messing around. Laurie, a 911 dispatcher receives a call one day from her daughter Jojo, who is in trouble. She woke up in the house of her friend, drugged and disoriented, unsure of how she got there. When the police find her, they discover she has been raped and there is also the dead body of another friend in the house. Additionally, Jojo's friend Harper has gone missing. Laurie, Jojo and Jojo's father, Omid, a police chief, go on a hunt for Harper, and try to solve the mystery of what happened to Jojo and who killed her friend. A decent thriller that deals with a mystery, as well as the relevant political issue of police brutality against the black community. |
A fast paced book that grabbed me almost from the first page! It was intense and kept me guessing to the end, I enjoyed it . Thanks for the early copy! |
Tina M, Reviewer
This book gripped me right away with the suspenseful plot. There were so many twists and turns that kept the story interesting. I quite liked how all the characters had flaws. Some parts were indeed shocking especially since the victims in this novel are two teenage girls. I would be interested to read more from this author. |
Linda O, Reviewer
Loved this book. I raced through it to discover how it would end. It kept me guessing the entire read. If you want a fast paced twisty read this is it. |
This was a really good book! I loved the suspense and the pace of it. The story kept me guessing the whole time and when I thought I knew how the story would go, the plot would twist! |
Christine S, Reviewer
I generally love most thrillers, and this one sucked me in from the beginning. I never wanted to put it down. Will highly recommend this book! |
Murder, rape and kidnapping this book starts out with a bang! After the first few chapters it really slowed down for me, BUT once I hit 50% I could not put this book down. It's dark and, frankly, once I found out its based on actual information, the best word I can think of to describe this book is terrifying. There's nothing spooky or supernatural about it, just humanity at its lowest. It's not a light read but if you're into a good thriller it's a great book. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy. |
Holly B, Reviewer
Laurie is an ex-cop, now 911 operator, who answers a 911 call from her daughter Jojo. Laurie tries to stay calm as she begins to see that her daughter is in an unknown location with unknown people and is possibly a victim of rape. Laurie dispatches the police and her husband, the police chief, to the scene, where they find a murder. The story escalates from there with twists and turns to keep you guessing. This book tackles numerous tough topics such as rape, child abuse, police brutality, and racism. It is a story that you could see happening in real life, although maybe not altogether at the same time. The book was engaging and fast paced so you stay interested in finding out what happens next. It is a quick read even with the difficult topics. The characters have a duality to them that makes like both likable and unlikeable at the same time as you can see their flaws and empathize with their pain. I enjoyed this book quite a bit even though it made me a bit angry and a bit sad. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of the book. The opinions are my own. |
I really enjoyed this one. It felt a little forced in the dialogue at times, but overall it was believable. Even as far fetched as it may seem, I could see this happening in real life. It was fast paced and I found myself reading huge chunks at a time whenever I picked it up as well as convincing myself to read just one more chapter before walking away. Definitely recommend this to readers wanting a quick suspenseful read that will have you guessing. |
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Jojo is the daughter of the police chief and her mother is a 911 dispatcher. She wakes up unable to move her legs and unsure of where she is at. She finds her phone and is able to call 911 where her mother answers. As her memory slowly comes back in bits and pieces she finally discovers where she is and her mother is able to dispatch help to her. Jojo has been raped and everyone believes the attacker is who's house she has been found in. Her best friend Harper was also with her and is missing. Will they find Harper in time? Who has Harper? It's turns out that not everyone is who you think they are in this twisty rollercoaster of a ride. |
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, just like I thought I would from the description. I liked the different POV's, and thought there was a good diversity in the story. The twists were something I didn't see coming, and kept me on the edge of my seat at times when reading. The characters had this way about them that made me love and adore them even though this wasn't a romance or light read by any means. I enjoyed it, and thought this was a great story! |
Bonnie F, Reviewer
This book has it all! Characters that feel real, action, diversity, thrills, chills, and more than one unexpected revelation. The tale is told from the perspective of two characters, the mother and the daughter. The almost rebellious teenager has some things to hide and does her level best to hide them. When some of those things are forcefully found out by her parents, the real story begins. Her father is the Chief of Police in their small town and her mother is a dispatcher. They know their way around the law, but do they know enough to save their daughter from the forces surrounding her? Twists and turns abound. Truth and lies are told. Action packed, well written, it makes you want to slow down and take it all in while at the same time racing to the end to see what happens! You will enjoy the ride! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing my copy. |
Let me start by saying this book is fueled with many sensitive subjects. Police corruption, a pro football player fighting the injustices and unfair treatment of black people, a group similar to "Black Lives Matter" but known as CapB in this book, rape of a minor, pedophilia, gay/lesbian relationships, dirty cops, shall I go on ? If any of these subject matters upset you, I might suggest you skip this one. The story line was interesting and had me turning the pages. JoJo and her mother are the main characters and you will hear both of their points of view. Laurie works as a 911 dispatcher while her husband Omid is the Chief of police. She receives a 911 call from her daughter JoJo that sets the book in motion. JoJo wakes in a dark room knowing something bad has happened. She is at Kevin Leeds house, aka the pro football player, a dead body is found and Harper (JoJo's best friend) is missing. Wow was Harper a character! no pun intended! Kevin ends up in jail while JoJo and Laurie try to piece everything together to determine what happened and who the real killer is.. Stolen Things is the first suspense book by R.H. Herron’s and I feel she has promise. I do feel however the political aspects were lain on a bit too thick. Some may be turned off from it, I, however, give the author kudos for her bravery. A big thank you to Penguin Dutton and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book! 3/5 stars! |
Jill O, Reviewer
Nothing is coincidence in this thunderous mystery by R. H. Herron. Stolen Things caught me from page 1, and wouldn't let me go until the end. (A secret between you and I, it still hasn't let go!) I was left thinking about it when I wasn't reading it, wondering what would come next, and rushing to read it once I got home. It's been a while since I've had sleepless nights reading, but I had to know what happened! Herron did a fantastic job at drawing you into the story, giving you characters you couldn't help but feel for, wanting the answers to the questions they were asking. I was seeking answers as if it were me. Stolen Things goes beyond materials and touches on innocence, childhood, marriage, friendship, sexuality, beliefs and much much more. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, worth every star. I am a part of a reading group on Facebook, and one of the members was discussing how they had finished a book, "and miss it!" And that's how I feel about Stolen Things! I could watch them on TV, or keep reading about the characters. I want to! I miss reading with Jojo, Laurie and Omid. But for me, the book hangover is just a sign of an excellent novel. :) You can purchase Stolen Things by R. H. Herron when it is released on August 20, 2019. Thank you to Penguin Group Dutton for granting my wish on netgalley and allowing me to read an advance edition for this review! |
Caitlin M, Reviewer
This is a story about one crime turning into many, and exposing the dark side of humanity in a quiet suburb. I received an ARC from NetGalley. The story was fantastic, extremely compelling, and I absolutely flew through it, but I found the third person point of view switching off between the mother and daughter confusing, often awkward, and constantly on my mind whilst reading the story. I feel this would have been a much better book if that particular stylistic choice had been done differently, and it really affected my enjoyment of the book as a whole. |
Darla O, Reviewer
4.75 stars. Loved the story!! Surprise mix of injustices, family dysfunction, and suspense! Could not put this book down too I could see the outcome for JoJo and Laurie. |
Debbie E, Reviewer
Stolen Things grabbed my attention from the first page and continued to keep me interested as I read this book in two sittings. The story begins with Laurie Ahmadi, a 911 dispatcher, receiving a frantic call for help from her teenage daughter. Laurie's husband is the Chief of Police and the two of them work frantically to find and rescue their only child. The book is told from both Laurie's and the daughter Jojo's POV, which adds to the interest of the story. There are a lot of twists and the rescue of Jojo is only the tip of the iceberg. Murder, rape and another missing girl all keep the tension at a high pitch, as well as trying to figure out who can or can't be trusted within the police department. I do recommend this first novel by RH Herron, it is fast paced and well written. |
My first RH Herron book and I LOVED. The plot was exciting and I never quite knew what was going to happen. I loved Laurie’s character so much. I hope Kevin got a happy ending. I was on the edge of my seat and finished in less than a day! |
Leslie C, Reviewer
This book was SO GOOD! It was fast paced, suspenseful, and emotional. The hits just kept coming, Laurie’s whole life is wrapped up in the local police department. She’s married to the chief and she’s a former cop turned 911 dispatcher for the department. She’s working a shift when a terrifying call comes in - Jojo, Laurie’s sixteen year daughter, is on the other end and she’s been attacked. Jojo is found in the house of a pro football player. She can’t immediately remember how she got there, there’s a dead body, and Jojo’s best friend Harper is missing. As they search for Harper, Laurie and Jojo uncover secrets that have them doubting everyone they used to trust, including the police. Will they save Harper before it’s too late? I read a lot of suspense/thrillers and this one stands out. I love a good psychological thriller, but this book was all about action. Laurie won’t stop until she knows that Jojo is safe. Woven into the story are current events that discuss race, sexuality, police brutality, and standing up for what you believe in. Laurie and Jojo’s relationship was so real and I actually teared up when Laurie is talking to Jojo on the 911 call and later as Laurie is trying to be there for her daughter. I am super surprised that this is RH Herron's first thriller. Everything came together so well. The story was twisty, but everything made sense and there were no weird plot holes or leads that were just left hanging. Trigger warnings - rape and sexual assault of minors. |








