Safe by Jane Adams is a gripping and fast-paced crime thriller that introduces readers to the dynamic duo of DI Toby Clarke and DS Petra Merrow. The novel follows 17-year-old Lauren Sykes, who finds herself on the run after killing her intended fiancé in self-defense. With her life in danger from both her father's criminal empire and rival gangs, Lauren must navigate a treacherous path to survival, relying on the help of undercover cop Petra Merrow.

Plot Overview

Lauren Sykes has spent her life under the oppressive control of her father, a notorious crime lord. When she kills Charlie Perrin, the man her father intended her to marry, in an act of self-defense, she becomes a target. With nowhere else to turn, Lauren contacts Petra Merrow, an undercover cop who has been infiltrating her father's organization. As the story unfolds, Petra's cover is compromised, and she enlists the help of DI Toby Clarke. Together, they must protect Lauren from the relentless pursuit of both her father's men and a corrupt police officer.

Character Development

Lauren is portrayed as a strong and resourceful young woman, forced to mature quickly due to her circumstances. Her relationship with Harry Prentice, a former associate of her father's, adds depth to the narrative, highlighting themes of trust and survival. Petra Merrow is a compelling character, balancing her undercover role with genuine concern for Lauren's safety. DI Toby Clarke's involvement brings a layer of complexity, as his loyalty and motivations come into question.

Themes and Atmosphere

The novel delves into themes of trust, betrayal, and the quest for safety in a world rife with corruption. The atmosphere is tense and suspenseful, with Adams skillfully building a sense of urgency as Lauren's enemies close in. The portrayal of organized crime and the challenges of law enforcement add realism to the story, making it a compelling read for fans of crime thrillers.

Conclusion

Safe is a promising start to the Merrow & Clarke series, offering a blend of suspense, action, and complex characters. Jane Adams has crafted a narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats, eager to see what happens next. With its engaging plot and well-developed characters, Safe is a must-read for enthusiasts of crime fiction.

I was concerned for Lauren and she went through so much. Some parts were hard to get through for me because of the subject matter.

Thanks to Jane Adams and publisher for my eARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review

3 stars

Fantastic! Nice to have new characters to read about, especially ones like the heroes in this title. Thoroughly recommended.

I thought this book was going to have me hooked and shocked . Unfortunately it didn't it was a run of the mill story for me and I didn't this I it was a psychological thriller

What an absolutely brilliant book
This is the first in a new series
Fast paced with plenty of twists. So much tension
Can’t wait to read more by this author.

The book was written well and I enjoyed it. Wasn't my favorite as I didn't feel connected to any of the characters but not sure why. Lauren was a pawn and she killed a mobster so now others are after her. Does she trust who she shouldn't or does she go back, lots of questions she needs to answer but first she needs to survive.

Safe by Jane Adams is an addictive psychological crime thriller filled with shocking twists and turns and is the first book in the new DI Toby Clarke and DS Petra Merrow series. I loved this book and was gripped from the beginning till the end.

Her whole life, all Lauren Sykes wanted to be is safe.

Now she’s on the run knowing her father will murder her, just like he murdered her mother. She’s just seventeen and destined for an arranged marriage with vicious criminal Charlie Perrin. But when Charlie tries to force himself on her, she kills him.

With the only person Lauren she trusted was murdered by her fathers men! She has no one she can turn to but she has hope. A undercover cop called Petra Merrow. Lauren has no choice but to trust her.
It’s that or die.

THERE ARE NO SAFE HOUSES

Excellent book with lots of twists and turns that will have you sitting on the edge of your chair. Great start to a promising new series.

I highly recommend this new book

Big Thank you NetGalley and Joffe Books for the eARC of the book.

Really enjoyed Safe by Jane Adams. Features Lauren Sykes whose father is seeking her after she killed in defence Charlie Perrin who tried to rape her and who her father wanted her to marry to bring the two families Sykes and Perrin together. Undercover policewoman Petra Merrow helped her to go into hiding. This novel keeps the reader enthralled until the last pages. Would recommend it to anyone who likes a good thriller! Can't wait for the next book in the series.

Thank you for providing a review copt of this book. I didn’t enjoy it as much as I hoped and did not finish. I appreciate the opportunity.

Lauren the daughter of a crime family who at 17 had a wedding arranged for her with someone from the competing crime family, something she was not happy about. When she kills him and goes on the run she shows how much a 17 year old can do to stay alive, not know ing who to trust or what best to do.
A really good book, fast read and a series I would now like to read much more of.

This stated it had shocking twists, I think because of that I was expecting a lot more than what I got, there were some twists but I would not say they were particularly shocking, I found this to be just an ok read

Wow! What a good story. I love to read books about cartel’s and of families who own they cities they live in.
Safe does NOT disappoint.
Great characters and just all around great read.

I tried reading this one a lot of times, just couldn't relate to anything happening
please note I will not be leaving a public review for this book as I have not paid for it.
leaving a 1-star as NG doesn't allow to move ahead without a star rating

Great thriller which kept me engaged throughout to the very end. Only wish I had read it sooner! Will be reading more by this author and recommend highly to others.

Not what I expected. I thought it was going to be an "addictive psychological rime thriller filled with shocking twists". Well sorry it wasn't. It was not at all as expected, not shocking and not a pyschological thriller. I gave up.

Some excellent crime fiction from Adams. Great characters - some scary bad guys. Story is involved and you have to keep up to follow - lots of characters. I prefer a more conclusive ending, but the open-ended one here works. Guess it gives the author the ability to bring these characters back. Nice story from Adams.

This book kept me up all night! Every time I thought I’d be able to put it down, there was another unexpected twist. I’d say to plan to read in one sitting. All of the characters are guilty of something uniquely horrible, and yet several are easy to like and root for.

This was really intense (in a good way) when you first pick this up. I did enjoy the dual point of views, but there were many family members and detectives throughout the book which made it hard and confusing to figure out who related to who. It was alright

This was an intriguing book with a great storyline.
The characters were good, the pace of the plot increased at a great pace which keeps your interest, and the twists and turns that take place all amount to a rather compelling read.
I did however find something to be missing for me in this story, but I can certainly see others thoroughly enjoying this book.,

I should have read the reviews and the description a little more carefully before jumping into this.

I was so excited for an on the run thriller but when it got into crime bosses and arranged marriages and the inter workings of that I really didn’t care for the book.