This audiobook was so well done! I enjoyed the narrator, pace, and premise of the book. I’m excited to get a physical copy as well once it’s out!

Sandra Vos is one of the FBI's top hostage negotiators, a role she pursued after the tragic death of her twin brother during a botched kidnapping over thirty years ago. That personal loss fuels her commitment to saving lives and de-escalating tense situations.

After dropping her teenage daughter, Olivia, at school, Sandra is called to a hostage situation at a local grocery store. As she begins to make progress with the hostage taker, she receives a chilling call—Olivia didn't show up for her violin lesson, and no one has seen her. It becomes clear that Olivia has been kidnapped. Despite protocol dictating she step away from the case, Sandra can't sit idly by while her daughter is in danger. She breaks rules and crosses lines, determined to find Olivia before it's too late.

This book was incredibly suspenseful and kept me hooked from start to finish. The fast-paced narrative ensured there was always something happening or a new clue being uncovered. Told from dual perspectives—Sandra's and the kidnapper's—the story provides a comprehensive view of the unfolding events, adding depth and tension to the narrative. I found Sandra's character compelling and admired her growth throughout the story. Her determination and resilience in the face of personal and professional challenges were inspiring.

I listened to this book as an audiobook and the narrator delivered a clear and engaging performance that enhanced the overall experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
#SaveHerLifeSandraVosBook1 #NetGalley

Sandra Vos’s complicated family history, which includes the loss of her brother, has played a significant part in making her the women she is today - and a successful FBI agent and hostage negotiator.

But things are about to get even more complicated. Because in the midst of handling a live hostage situation, Sandra covers that her daughter has been abducted. Caught between a rock and a hard place, can she make the right choice?

Racing against the clock, Sandra about to discovered just what she is made of. But will she be in time to save Olivia...?

An engaging and fast paced story, this gets 3. 5 stars.

An FBI hostage negotiator’s own teenage daughter gets taken. Fast paced couple days of trying to figure out who took her and why. Clearly beginning of a new series with this negotiator. It lacked depth overall, but still an enjoyable fast read.

In the book Save Her Life, author Carolyn Arnold begins a series about Special Agent Sandra Vos who is one of the FBI’s most successful negotiators. But when Vos receives a call that someone has taken her teenage daughter Olivia, and she has 24-hours to save her life, Vos is pushed to break the rules and use all her negotiating skills to save her daughter. This was a great story that kept my interest and I look forward to more books in the series. I would recommend this book. The audio-book narration was good. I received a copy of this audio-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

First installment in a new mystery thriller series.

Special Agent Sandra Vos is a hostage negotiator for the FBI. She’s divorced and has a teenaged daughter, Olivia, and an ex who works for the Hostage Rescue team against counterterrorism. The beginning of the week finds Sandra trying to talk down a man who has holed up with a bunch of customers in a pharmacy. Then she has to attend a parole hearing for a man who killed her twin brother 30 years ago. The week gets worse when 16-year-old Olivia is kidnapped.

I had a hard time with this book. I feel like there’s no way Sandra would have been so involved in a case involving her own daughter. There were many parts of the book where I felt like I was reading a primer on negotiation and many parts of the story got bogged down by dialogue that didn’t advance the plot. I never got attached to any of the characters who were all very one dimensional. The action proceeded as expected and the ending was predictable. I don’t think I will read any further installments in this new series.

I listened to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Kathryn Akin, did an OK job but most of the voices sounded way too much alike. This could have benefited with a larger cast or at least a male voice as there were many male characters.

A new series for Carolyn Arnold. I was excited to pick this one up. Those of you that have been awhile know how much I love female law enforcement books.

Yes, this book is about the hostages and the kidnapping of Olivia, Sandra’s daughter. I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see if Olivia would get home safely. But it’s so much more than that. Carolyn makes Sandra such a relatable character. We see her as she deals with the recurring trauma of losing her brother at a young age. We see her as a daughter to a mother with dementia. We see her as a single mom, and divorcee. And we see her as an FBI Special Agent. There are so many layers to Sandra.

I was lucky enough to get both the digital and audio copy of this book so it was easy for me to feed my need to not put the book down. I enjoyed Kathryn’s narration. She did a great job portraying Sandra.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my copies of this book.

A very good listen, really enjoyed the character of Sandra Vos and the story kept me hooked till the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for letting me review this ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

If you're into fast-paced thrillers with a strong female lead, Save Her Life by Carolyn Arnold is a solid pick. The story follows Special Agent Sandra Vos, an FBI negotiator with the Crisis Negotiation Unit, as she faces a high-stakes hostage situation at a local grocery store. Just as she's making progress, she gets the devastating news that her daughter has been kidnapped, and the clock is ticking.

What I really enjoyed about this book was Sandra's character. She's smart, calm under pressure, and deeply driven by the loss of her twin brother in a similar situation years ago. Her personal connection adds emotional depth to the story and makes her determination to save lives even more compelling.

The pacing is tight, and the suspense builds steadily throughout the novel. The author does a great job of weaving in Sandra's backstory and motivations without slowing down the action. The stakes feel real, and the tension kept me hooked until the very end.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC audiobook in exchange for this honest review.

Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Setting: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️
Themes: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Emotional: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🫑
Enjoyment: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Audiobook Review: Save Her Life (Sandra Vos Book 1) by Carolyn Arnold, Narrated by Kathryn Akin
4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I absolutely loved this audiobook! The narrator, Kathryn Akin, did a fantastic job — her voice was clear, expressive, and full of emotion, which really brought the story to life.

The story itself was a gripping, fast-paced thriller that I devoured in a single day while editing a client’s graduation photos. As a mom of a daughter nearing her teen years, this one hit especially hard emotionally. The main character, FBI Agent Sandra Vos, is a strong and deeply complex woman with a painful past — still haunted by the loss of her twin brother during a hostage situation. Now, with her daughter kidnapped, she’s thrown into a nightmare that forces her to confront whether this is a random act or revenge tied to someone from her long career in law enforcement. Sandra Vos is one badass mother, I wouldn’t want to mess with her!

There were so many twists and possibilities — I was hooked the entire time. The vibe reminded me of Criminal Minds (which I love), packed with emotion, suspense, and real depth. I highly recommend this, especially the audiobook version!

I loved this and cannot wait for more in the series.
I binged the audio in a single day because I could not wait to see how everything ended.
If you know me you know I love a strong, badass FMC and this book delivered. I’ve never read a book about hostage negotiators and loved how the story started with a hostage negotiation and kinda ended with one.
Great story, great characters.. a 1000% recommend!!

We follow a FBI hostage negotiator who's world gets turned upside down when her own daughter is taken and she must find her and get her back. Overall, I enjoyed the mystery / suspense plot of this story, but what I was, personally, hoping for more character/relationship development. I want to care about the characters I'm reading about and I just was not invested or immersed as much I wanted to be (despite obvs wanting her daughter to be brought home safely!).

Overall a good crime thriller but hoping the characters develop more as the series progress!

3.5 stars

Special Agent Sandra Vos is an exceptional FBI agent known for her professionalism. She also has a strong bond with her daughter, Olivia. When Olivia goes missing, Sandra is determined to find her, putting aside her professionalism, often letting her emotional side take over.

Readers first met Sandra in the exceptional Amanda Steele series, and now she has her own series. Readers will likely be equally intrigued by this new series.

Sandra is certain that she will find Olivia. Her determination is fueled by the strong feeling that her daughter is not just missing but has been taken. Olivia’s safety is Sandra’s top priority, a relatable concern for any mother. However, as Sandra is one who has witnessed the worst that society has to offer feels utterly helpless with Olivia missing, the urgency and intensity of the book rise exponentially.

Listening to the expertly narrated audiobook was captivating. The side stories and their connections to the present were intriguing. I also enjoyed the setup of the Sandra Vos series and the character development. The alternating points of view from the kidnappers’ perspective added to the urgency of this compelling read by Carolyn Arnold.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

3.5 stars rounded up…First, thank you to Net Galley for allowing me to listen to this audiobook. The narrator did a good job. I think it’s going to be a great series - the ending certainly left it open to be continued! I loved learning about what goes on behind the scenes of hostage negotiations and although it did drag a bit at times, there was definitely enough going on to keep me interested. I did struggle a bit with the repetitiveness of mundane things like job titles and job responsibilities - maybe that’s what made it seem to drag. I also felt like Sandra’s relationship wasn’t explored deeply enough to add to the storyline - it just dropped in out of nowhere since he didn’t play any part in most of the book. However, it was still enjoyable and I look forward to the next in the series!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

Save Her Life is the first in the Sandra Vos series. Sandra is a hostage negotiator at the FBI. 30 years ago her twin brother was killed in a hostage situation. While dealing with a hostage taker, ger daughter was kidnapped. Sandra has to figure out how to save her child. Good thriller.

I enjoyed Kathryn Akin's narration.

Thank you Netgalley, Bookouture Audio and Carolyn Arnold for the audio Arc of Save Her Life ( Sandra Vos Book 1 )
Narrated by Kathryn Akin

Save her Life which is the first book in The Sandra Vos Series and boy its a thrilling, gripping read. I could not stop listening. Our MC, Special Agent Sandra Vos a strong character, a hostage negotiator, divorcee with a teen daughter get called to deal with a hostage situation at the Grocery store. Meanwhile, someone plans and then takes her daughter for his own. I love strong female characters and how Carolyn writing portrays this perfectly. She's badass, calm, logical but human, passionate and will move heaven and hell to get her daughter back. This book has a very " 24 " feeling ( A series staring Kiefer Sutherland ) and has the same tension. The plot line and pacing is very constant, keeping you on your toes through the first hostage situation, a little breather and then you're on the edge of your seat waiting for the finale. Im already looking forward to the 2nd book in the series which is due to be released later in 2025!

This book was narrated by Kathryn Akin. Loved her voice and suited this time of police protocol, mystery thriller perfectly

4.25 stars for Netgalley, 4 stars for other review sites.

I enjoyed this book. I like the main character, Sandra Voz. I couldn’t imagine what I would do if my child was taken. This was a good book.

This was book one, in which will be a start of the Sandra Vos two book series , and it didn’t disappoint. She is one fierce mother who would go to the ends of the earth to find and protect her daughter. She’s so professional and calm, I’d have lost my mind. The characters were great, the piecing together of clues was great, all in all a great book. No spoilers. Narrator was great. Easy to understand and well spoken. 5 star!

Single Mom, Teenage daughter, Divorced MC = the recipe for this suspenseful, action-packed, mystery thriller.
Please check content warnings: sibling death, abduction, murder, sexual harassment, alcohol, gun violence, parental death, Alzheimer's disease.
Sandra, our MC, is a crisis negotiator for the FBI. In this book, she is also the Mother of the victim in this case.
Carolyn Arnold did a good job writing the internal struggle Sandra faces with balancing her role in the FBI with the feelings and reactions of being the victim's Mother.
The plot was structured well. This was a fast read, and the pace was great.
Characters were fairly well developed. I didn't necessarily connect well with this character, but I can imagine that it would be easier to connect with her if you are a parent.
Fast paced, easy read. Great for a poolside book or a beach trip.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!
Happy Reading!

Wooden shoes, wooden head, wooden listen.

That quote was from a colleague kidding Sandra Vos about her name. Interestingly enough, it was her name that caught my attention and helped me decide to try this new series. Why? Vos is a Dutch name that I recognized from my hometown and since I have almost 100% Dutch ancestry, I was intrigued.

Sandra Vos is a determined negotiator. She has perfected the art of convincing the Hostage Taker (HT) that she is on his/her side. The book begins with a tense hostage situation in a market. While the blow by blow is quite interesting, I found that at times Sandra is redundant on explaining to the reader why she is saying or acting in a certain way. If she were a man, I would accuse her of mansplaining.

The bulk of the book is an even more perilous case for Sandra's family with her daughter in danger. This was more showing and less talking. It was fascinating to see the team pursue the investigation and work against the clock to get Olivia back home.

I paired the DRC with an audio copy narrated expertly by Kathryn Akin -- she sounded just how I imagined Sandra Vos would sound. Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the audio and digital ARCs in exchange for an honest review.