kidnapping

Saba walking across the wasteland with a mountain behind her

Blood Red Road

By Young, Moira
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Anne G
Jan 27, 2023

This book by Canadian author Moira Young stands out in the crop of dystopian/post-apocalyptic fiction.  The action-packed storyline throws many obstacles and adventures ahead of our protagonist Saba. Saba remains likeable throughout the bleak tone.  There is a bit of Katniss Everdeen in her in the familiar determination, stubbornness, strength, charisma, and heightened survival instincts while fighting the romantic tone of the story.  The first half of this book is intense and suspenseful, colored by Saba's single desire to save her twin brother, Lugh, after he is kidnapped.  It's a very

Three Hands for Scorpio

By Andre Norton
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Anne G
Feb 21, 2020

     Three Hands for Scorpio is the last adult book for young adults of Lifetime Grand Master of Fantasy, Andre Norton, who passed away on March 17, 2005 after a long and extremely fruitful career.  Her magically detailed world-building skills, upright, against-all-odds characters, and fast pace will be sorely missed.  Tor rushed a copy of this book of women-of-steel into print, so that the 93-year-old author could see it before she died.  It is the last manuscript she penned alone, and has an action-packed storyline.  I have read most of Ms. Norton's books, and especially enjoyed her women

Silent Child

By Sarah A. Denzil

Rated by Library Staff (not verified)
Dec 27, 2017

Aiden was six when he went missing during a bad rainstorm which flooded the banks of the river that runs through their village. His family and police believed he had been swept away by the river and drowned, having only found his jacket floating in the river and no body. Ten years later his mom is married and in her last month of pregnancy when she gets the incredible news that Aiden is alive. Told from the viewpoint of Aiden's mom, Emma, the Silent Child is a psychological thriller that will engulf you in the chaos of Emma's intense emotions as she tries to figure out who took Aiden.

What

The Couple Next Door

By Shari Lapeña

Rated by Library Staff (not verified)
Jul 13, 2017

At first glance, Anne and Marco Conti live a charmed life. They have an adored baby girl, a comfortable home, friends next door, and the support of Anne’s wealthy parents. This illusion is peeled away piece by piece as the story unfolds. While Anne and Marco are at their neighbor’s dinner party, their daughter disappears from her crib. Who is responsible for the kidnapping? Why did they leave their baby alone? Is the couple next door involved?

Anne and Marco seem devastated and guilt-ridden. The detective in charge is determined to find out what happened, and it is evident that Anne and Marco

The Natural Way of Things

By Charlotte Wood

Rated by Library Staff (not verified)
Mar 31, 2017

The Natural Way of Things opens dramatically as Yolanda discovers she is being held captive in the Australian Outback. She is one of a small group of women who all have a curious, not immediately obvious, connection: they have all been part of public sex scandals. While the story leaves a lot unanswered and is incredibly dark in content and description, the beautiful writing was enough to keep me engaged until the end.

The story follows Yolanda and another captive, Verla, as they try to navigate survival in the extreme conditions they awoke to after being drugged and kidnapped. They sleep

Paying the Piper

By Simon Wood
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Lisa J.
Jan 11, 2016

Eight years ago newspaper reporter Scott Fleetwood became famous when a kidnapper dubbed "The Piper" used Scott's column to communicate with the FBI. It turns out the person communicating with Scott was a fake and the real "Piper" was able to escape capture.  Now The Piper is back and he's abducted Scott's twins and is leading Scott on a merry chase to safely rescue his sons. Scott's involvement in The Piper's final kidnapping lost him the two million dollar ransom and caused the death of the final young victim. This time The Piper is making it personal.  

Despite his remorse, Scott is an

Taken

By Dee Henderson
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Lisa J.
Aug 10, 2015

Matthew Dane was a police officer until his daughter was kidnapped and missing for years.  He then left the force and started a private detective service so he could continue the search for his daughter.  Once his daughter was found, he was able to help her adjust to life outside of captivity and then help other families in the same situation.  

Shannon Bliss went missing at the age of 16.  Now, almost 12 years later, Matthew finds a woman waiting for him outside his hotel room claiming to be Shannon Bliss.  She is seeking his assistance in reuniting with her family and bringing down the

Freedom's Child

By Jax Miller

Rated by Library Staff (not verified)
Jul 28, 2015

Freedom Oliver's past has caught up with her - or at least Nessa Delaney's past has finally found her. When Nessa's husband Mark is shot to death in their home, she is quickly convicted of the crime. Forced to choose between leaving her son and unborn daughter with her horrible in-laws or giving them up completely, she chooses the latter. After two very long years she is released and her brother-in-law is found guilty. Under the Witness Protection Program, Nessa has been Freedom Oliver for nearly twenty years. Living in Oregon, she works at a small biker bar, is the town drunk, and is always

Apr 10, 2013

The first in a series by Danish author Adler-Olsen, the The Keeper of Lost Causes introduces us to Detective Carl Mørck, assigned to head up a newly created Department Q.  Carl is back at work, recovering from a gunshot wound and career-induced apathy. He used to be an excellent detective, but being bombarded with violence and cruelty has made him apathetic and dulled his responses. Thus Detective Mørck blames himself for the shooting that took one partner’s life and ruined another’s.  Carl and his eager new assistant, Assad, begin work on a case of a missing politician believed to have

The Girl Who Disappeared Twice by Andrea Kane


Rated by Library Staff (not verified)
Dec 26, 2012

Andrea Kane’s new adventure brings together a dynamic team of investigators working to solve crimes any way they can. From the ex-Navy Seal who doesn’t mind inflicting a bit of pain to get his answers to a computer genius able to hack into any system, the team will do anything to help their clients. Local police and FBI may not love them but they can’t argue with the results. This case is a race against time with a little girl’s life in the balance.  The Girl Who Disappeared Twice is a fast read reminiscent of a crime show script. Readers will race along with Casey and her team as they try to

The Hypnotist by Lars Keplar


Rated by Library Staff (not verified)
Dec 27, 2011

Dr. Erik Maria Bark has sworn never to hypnotize a patient again.  Then Detective Joona phones about a triple homicide in which a single survivor may be able to identify the killer and save another possible target.  Joona and the boy’s doctor believe that hypnotism may be the only way to get at the truth.   This is just the beginning of a roller coaster ride through murder, kidnapping, abuse and mental illness.  The short-chapter style lends itself to the story’s fast-paced narrative in which even the Swedish landscape plays a part in the plot.  Back stories are not told just for information