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Chasing Innocence
‘That poor little body, passed from pillar to post, all those things that will be asked of her. All those tears and years wondering why her father betrayed her.’
Sarah Sawacki’s past has made her a survivor. At the age of 28 her life is the best it has ever been. When she sees ten-year-old Andrea being kidnapped, her every instinct is to turn away. Sarah can only follow, journeying beyond reason for an innocence she little knew.
Andrea’s father is ex-forces and struggling in a civilian world he cares nothing for. Only now his daughter is missing, has he realised how precious she is. Teamed with Sarah's husband, they use the trail left by Sarah to hunt for Andrea.
Legendary detective Francis Boer is dying. He will call upon all his intuition and experience as he works to discover why Andrea was targeted in the first place. His hope is not to catch the guilty, but to save one last innocent.
Chasing Innocence is a thrilling debut that blends fast narrative and intense action with an enthralling story.
From the Publisher
Chasing Innocence is a thrilling debut that blends fast narrative and intense action with an enthralling story.
Sarah Sawacki’s past has made her a survivor. At the age of 28 her life is the best it has ever been. When she sees ten-year-old Andrea being kidnapped, her every instinct is to turn away. Sarah can only follow, journeying beyond reason for an innocence she little knew.
Andrea’s father is ex-forces and struggling in a civilian world he cares nothing for. Only now his daughter is missing, has he realised how precious she is. Teamed with Sarah's husband, they use the trail left by Sarah to hunt for Andrea.
Legendary detective Francis Boer is dying. He will call upon all his intuition and experience as he works to discover why Andrea was targeted in the first place. His hope is not to catch the guilty, but to save one last innocent.
Chasing Innocence is a thrilling debut that blends fast narrative and intense action with an enthralling story.
From the Publisher
Chasing Innocence is a thrilling debut that blends fast narrative and intense action with an enthralling story.
366 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 17, 2012
28 people are currently reading
312 people want to read
About the author
John Potter
2 books11 followersJohn likes to write and he does a lot of it. It keeps him mostly sane. He is the author of two popular blogs and is a top ranked Amazon product reviewer. In 2012 his first fiction novel: Chasing Innocence was Indie published in paperback and kindle editions, going on to be short-listed to the final five of three different awards. It frequently features in the Amazon bestseller lists. In 2013 he published his first novella: Mahrie. He is currently working on a sequel to Chasing Innocence and a stand-alone revenge thriller with the working title of The Handyman. A passionate Indie publisher he frequently collaborates with other authors, bringing their books to readers via digital and paper mediums.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
April 4, 2012
***** POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT *****
I stayed up until 2am last night to finish this book, it's definitely a page turner.
It's fast paced with short chapters, each chapter leaves you in suspense.
The main character is extremely likeable and inspiring especially to other women.
I tend to stay away from stories of this nature (paedophile) however this was very tastefully written and left a lot to the reader's imagination without going into too much detail.
This aside there were some stomach churning chapters around violence however I feel this added to the intense storyline.
This is certainly a book where you are almost willing the characters aloud.
So 4 stars from me, only because I am stingy with the 5 stars.
I can not wait for the sequel!
I stayed up until 2am last night to finish this book, it's definitely a page turner.
It's fast paced with short chapters, each chapter leaves you in suspense.
The main character is extremely likeable and inspiring especially to other women.
I tend to stay away from stories of this nature (paedophile) however this was very tastefully written and left a lot to the reader's imagination without going into too much detail.
This aside there were some stomach churning chapters around violence however I feel this added to the intense storyline.
This is certainly a book where you are almost willing the characters aloud.
So 4 stars from me, only because I am stingy with the 5 stars.
I can not wait for the sequel!
February 1, 2012
This book is a stunning debut by John Potter. It is one of the few books that has left me desperate to know what happens to the character and one that has made me think how I would react in such a situation.
The story features a host of fabulous and well developed characters and the pace is electric. There are a couple of sub-plots developing alongside the main kidnap story, and a lesson in human survival. The character of Sarah is incredibly well developed, and there were stages in the book where I had to read on as I couldn't leave the book until the next day to see how a situation developed... leading to some late nights reading!
Ultimately, for me, this book is about our need and desire to protect children. The book deals with the horrors of paedophilia in a gentle way, hinting only at the horrors without ever needing to explicitly describe it. Potter is excellent at letting the reader's mind fill in the gaps, and Sarah's sacrifice to protect the child genuinely haunted me... I wonder if I could do the same, in a similar situation.
The book is excellently produced, and taking a look at the front cover shows just how much effort Potter has put into making this book as professional as possible. There are some indie books that I have read where the 'packaging' of the book is almost an after thought. The other noticeable thing with Chasing Innocence the editing; this book has clearly had a professional eye cast over it. Again I cannot stress enough just how important good editing is to the reading experience. All too often I have read books that contradict themselves or have glaring typing errors in or poorly constructed sentences. When this happens it's distracting and interrupts the flow of the book. What Potter has done is ensured that the reader is gripped by this book. The writing style switches effortlessly as we hear Sarah talking to Andrea or as we enter Andrea's world and engages the reader from the beginning.
The twists and turns expected from any crime/thriller are in abundance in this book, and the violence that you'd expect is there too; often making the reader wince thinking of the pain the character must be in! - I'm thinking at this point about the warehouse scene with Andrea's father....
The manner in which Potter ties up the story at the end if also a great technique, and the epilogue leaves enough for the reader to develop their own future ending.
All in all is a stunning debut novel from John Potter and I can't wait to read future books.
The story features a host of fabulous and well developed characters and the pace is electric. There are a couple of sub-plots developing alongside the main kidnap story, and a lesson in human survival. The character of Sarah is incredibly well developed, and there were stages in the book where I had to read on as I couldn't leave the book until the next day to see how a situation developed... leading to some late nights reading!
Ultimately, for me, this book is about our need and desire to protect children. The book deals with the horrors of paedophilia in a gentle way, hinting only at the horrors without ever needing to explicitly describe it. Potter is excellent at letting the reader's mind fill in the gaps, and Sarah's sacrifice to protect the child genuinely haunted me... I wonder if I could do the same, in a similar situation.
The book is excellently produced, and taking a look at the front cover shows just how much effort Potter has put into making this book as professional as possible. There are some indie books that I have read where the 'packaging' of the book is almost an after thought. The other noticeable thing with Chasing Innocence the editing; this book has clearly had a professional eye cast over it. Again I cannot stress enough just how important good editing is to the reading experience. All too often I have read books that contradict themselves or have glaring typing errors in or poorly constructed sentences. When this happens it's distracting and interrupts the flow of the book. What Potter has done is ensured that the reader is gripped by this book. The writing style switches effortlessly as we hear Sarah talking to Andrea or as we enter Andrea's world and engages the reader from the beginning.
The twists and turns expected from any crime/thriller are in abundance in this book, and the violence that you'd expect is there too; often making the reader wince thinking of the pain the character must be in! - I'm thinking at this point about the warehouse scene with Andrea's father....
The manner in which Potter ties up the story at the end if also a great technique, and the epilogue leaves enough for the reader to develop their own future ending.
All in all is a stunning debut novel from John Potter and I can't wait to read future books.
April 28, 2012
John Potter has delivered a hard hitting mystery that had me totally engrossed from the moment I started reading and kept me absorbed and anxious throughout.
Sarah Sawacki the main character is brought to life as we learn of her struggles as an abused child. She is yearning to have a normal and healthy future with her husband. When Sarah is a witness to Andrea’s kidnapping she becomes involved and is determined to find and protect her no matter what the consequence.
Sarah is a complex and multi-dimensional character who is portrayed initially as a victim but subsequently as a strong, brave and very determined young woman. The well-defined portrayal of Sarah brings to the surface the emotional and everlasting impact that abuse has on a child even into adulthood.
The other characters are written with such attention to detail that their own stories are revealed and play an integral part in the story. The story is extremely well written and as the mystery unfolded I found myself getting anxious and firmly entangled in the story.
The writing is fast paced and moves fluidly from character to character and throughout the entire story. The interaction between the characters is realistic to the point that I could see them all in my mind’s eye.
Potter displays a keen eye for the seamless motion of the story as well as the believability of the characters. The dialogue between the characters was effortless and convincing.
The story brings to the forefront a person’s determination and will to survive and what they would have to do in order achieve that goal.
Chasing Innocence is wonderfully written with an emotional impact that will leave you breathless. It is also apparent that much effort was put into the editing and production of this book as well.
I highly recommend this book to all readers.
Sarah Sawacki the main character is brought to life as we learn of her struggles as an abused child. She is yearning to have a normal and healthy future with her husband. When Sarah is a witness to Andrea’s kidnapping she becomes involved and is determined to find and protect her no matter what the consequence.
Sarah is a complex and multi-dimensional character who is portrayed initially as a victim but subsequently as a strong, brave and very determined young woman. The well-defined portrayal of Sarah brings to the surface the emotional and everlasting impact that abuse has on a child even into adulthood.
The other characters are written with such attention to detail that their own stories are revealed and play an integral part in the story. The story is extremely well written and as the mystery unfolded I found myself getting anxious and firmly entangled in the story.
The writing is fast paced and moves fluidly from character to character and throughout the entire story. The interaction between the characters is realistic to the point that I could see them all in my mind’s eye.
Potter displays a keen eye for the seamless motion of the story as well as the believability of the characters. The dialogue between the characters was effortless and convincing.
The story brings to the forefront a person’s determination and will to survive and what they would have to do in order achieve that goal.
Chasing Innocence is wonderfully written with an emotional impact that will leave you breathless. It is also apparent that much effort was put into the editing and production of this book as well.
I highly recommend this book to all readers.
July 26, 2016
Sarah Sawacki was sexually abused as a child and she has carried the scars into adulthood. One afternoon, whilst waiting for her husband on a shopping expedition, she witnesses the abduction of a young girl, Andrea. She leaps into her car and follows the kidnapper for a journey of several hours. On the way she calls her husband Adam to update him on what is happening - until abruptly, communications cease. Her husband goes to the police, but then teams up with Brian, the father of the missing girl, to try to find Sarah and Andrea. Brian is ex-military and as hard as they come, determined to take any risk necessary to save his daughter.
This is a fast paced, gritty and violent thriller. It takes a couple of chapters to find its feet but once it's off and running, you're hooked. The characters have been well thought through and are all carrying their own emotional baggage of some kind. I wasn't entirely convinced by all of Sarah's actions, but this didn't prevent my enjoyment of the book. The action jumps between what's happening to Sarah and Andrea, Adam and Brian's efforts to find them and the police investigation. Until quite near the end it's not clear who is behind the abduction or what their motivations are. To add to the tension, the author also has no compunctions about killing off at least one major character along the way.
This is an accomplished debut novel which would appeal to fans of Neil Cross.
This book was given to me for review.
This is a fast paced, gritty and violent thriller. It takes a couple of chapters to find its feet but once it's off and running, you're hooked. The characters have been well thought through and are all carrying their own emotional baggage of some kind. I wasn't entirely convinced by all of Sarah's actions, but this didn't prevent my enjoyment of the book. The action jumps between what's happening to Sarah and Andrea, Adam and Brian's efforts to find them and the police investigation. Until quite near the end it's not clear who is behind the abduction or what their motivations are. To add to the tension, the author also has no compunctions about killing off at least one major character along the way.
This is an accomplished debut novel which would appeal to fans of Neil Cross.
This book was given to me for review.
February 13, 2015
This is a well-developed thriller that's dark and disturbing; a twisted tale that will have you on the edge of your seat. This is a story of a woman who puts her life on the line the second she sees a young girl taken against her will. A story of two different men who ultimately band together and do whatever it takes to save their loved ones - one man's daughter, the other one's wife. This is a definite must-read for all lovers of dark and gritty thrillers. Right now this is currently listed for free on Amazon so get it while it lasts.
September 21, 2012
Chasing Innocence, is a book I would recommend. Building suspense, it grips the reader while seamlessly propelling the story forward and drawing the reader into its mystery.
What drives this story for me, first and foremost, was Sarah as she struggles with her inner demons from previous abuse. Those demons continue to haunt her. Throughout the book we see how she uses those hauntings to not only become stronger but survive.
While the novel's focus is about rescuing a young girl who has been kidnapped, the story also touches on each of the main characters strengths and weaknesses. As a reader you empathize with each of them and can relate to the reality of their circumstance.
Suspense and drama captivate the reader as the author, John Potter, weaves you through this story of intrigue. He has a unique talent with the written word as details in the story unfold with visual imagery and take the reader through different situations, locations, and violent scenes all at a dramatic pace.
One of the things I enjoyed about this book is through all the twists and turns of the story every time you think you know who the main villain is, you don’t. Through the mastery of John’s storytelling you will be captivated and surprised.
What drives this story for me, first and foremost, was Sarah as she struggles with her inner demons from previous abuse. Those demons continue to haunt her. Throughout the book we see how she uses those hauntings to not only become stronger but survive.
While the novel's focus is about rescuing a young girl who has been kidnapped, the story also touches on each of the main characters strengths and weaknesses. As a reader you empathize with each of them and can relate to the reality of their circumstance.
Suspense and drama captivate the reader as the author, John Potter, weaves you through this story of intrigue. He has a unique talent with the written word as details in the story unfold with visual imagery and take the reader through different situations, locations, and violent scenes all at a dramatic pace.
One of the things I enjoyed about this book is through all the twists and turns of the story every time you think you know who the main villain is, you don’t. Through the mastery of John’s storytelling you will be captivated and surprised.
January 4, 2013
This really isn't the type of book that I read but I did a blog interview with this author and became very intrigued by the story I uncovered during my research.
Strong characters, convincing plot, keep you on the edge of your seat action. I definitely recommend this to anyone who likes thrillers!
Strong characters, convincing plot, keep you on the edge of your seat action. I definitely recommend this to anyone who likes thrillers!
January 29, 2020
Great page turning thriller...
April 16, 2022
A complicated story of child abuse and abduction, with lots of violence.
March 23, 2014
This debut book has a very powerful & well written story line, it covers the horrible subject of child sex trade & the cruel world of criminals & how they will use family members to make a person suffer for something they did.
Sarah had a bad childhood & feels her innocence was lost & is now left with an adult life of not being able to trust anybody let alone let them get intimate with her until she meets Adam, the man she ends up trusting enough to marry him. Over time she rebuilds her life & Adam helps her deal with her childhood trauma.
Brian is ex- special forces & had to leave after him & his unit suffered a terrible tragedy when they were attacked whilst on active duty & Brian was left with a bad arm & back. But he has his children to come back but he can't settle into civilian life & ends up working as a bouncer/ doorman for a former unit member who owns a nightclub. His highlight is getting to see his daughter, Andrea, each weekend.
Then tragedy strikes again Andrea is targeted by some very cruel people from Brian's past & she is kidnapped by a paedophile working for the men who want Brian to pay for his past deeds. What this team of people don't count on is Sarah seeing Andrea disappearing & in a split second makes a decision that could end up killing her, she decides to follow the man carrying the box that doesn't seem the right weight for it's size.
This leads to her leaving a trail of messages for Adam begging him to pass it onto the police as she fears for the girl's life & she knows she will do whatever it takes to save that girl from the childhood she had.
Adam contacts the police, first they seem to think Sarah is a suspect not a witness but then dying detective Francis Boer is brought into the case & he knows Sarah is a witness & will he be able to work out, the who, why & motive in time as his own life is hanging in the balance as he battles cancer. Can he save Andrea & Sarah before the cancer takes his life? This book has some really great twists & I can't recommend it highly enough I promise you reading this will keep you up late as you won't want to put it down until you finish the book.
Sarah had a bad childhood & feels her innocence was lost & is now left with an adult life of not being able to trust anybody let alone let them get intimate with her until she meets Adam, the man she ends up trusting enough to marry him. Over time she rebuilds her life & Adam helps her deal with her childhood trauma.
Brian is ex- special forces & had to leave after him & his unit suffered a terrible tragedy when they were attacked whilst on active duty & Brian was left with a bad arm & back. But he has his children to come back but he can't settle into civilian life & ends up working as a bouncer/ doorman for a former unit member who owns a nightclub. His highlight is getting to see his daughter, Andrea, each weekend.
Then tragedy strikes again Andrea is targeted by some very cruel people from Brian's past & she is kidnapped by a paedophile working for the men who want Brian to pay for his past deeds. What this team of people don't count on is Sarah seeing Andrea disappearing & in a split second makes a decision that could end up killing her, she decides to follow the man carrying the box that doesn't seem the right weight for it's size.
This leads to her leaving a trail of messages for Adam begging him to pass it onto the police as she fears for the girl's life & she knows she will do whatever it takes to save that girl from the childhood she had.
Adam contacts the police, first they seem to think Sarah is a suspect not a witness but then dying detective Francis Boer is brought into the case & he knows Sarah is a witness & will he be able to work out, the who, why & motive in time as his own life is hanging in the balance as he battles cancer. Can he save Andrea & Sarah before the cancer takes his life? This book has some really great twists & I can't recommend it highly enough I promise you reading this will keep you up late as you won't want to put it down until you finish the book.
February 3, 2013
When I first got this e-book, there were only a few reviews; all of them 5 stars. Of course, I was immediately suspicious about that...must be friends, or people who got a free book, or paid reviewers. Now that I've read it, I can say that I'm not the author's friend, nor did I get paid for this; and yes indeedy, I have joined the 5 star club....FIVE STARS, absolutely! This fulfills my definition of a "thriller" in that it goes into a chase for the bad guys that doesn't let up until the end. What makes this book different is that the characters are not cardboard cliches; they are complex and flawed, and they each are drawn with such distinct individuality that brings the reader closer to them. Getting towards the end, I would stop reading every few pages, hoping the "good guys" would win, yet afraid of what was going to happen. This book completely absorbed me for a few days, and I was sad to get to that end. (Now waiting patiently for the author's next book.)
September 30, 2014
This is a dark and violent thriller, not for everyone.
Our heroine Sarah sees a little girl being forced into a van and gives chase. Since she was abused as a child, she can imagine what will happen to the child and is determined to save her. She calls her husband, alerting him to what's going on.
Her husband, losing touch with his wife, goes to the police. Then he teams up with the child's father, an ex-military type, to follow the trail his wife left.
Then Sarah is captured by the kidnapper.
The story weaves back and forth between Sarah's viewpoint, her husband's viewpoint, the father's viewpoint, even the kidnapper's viewpoint. Sarah's determination is admirable, as is that of her husband and the father.
This is a book I couldn't wait to get back to reading.
Excellent read, but not for the faint of heart.
Our heroine Sarah sees a little girl being forced into a van and gives chase. Since she was abused as a child, she can imagine what will happen to the child and is determined to save her. She calls her husband, alerting him to what's going on.
Her husband, losing touch with his wife, goes to the police. Then he teams up with the child's father, an ex-military type, to follow the trail his wife left.
Then Sarah is captured by the kidnapper.
The story weaves back and forth between Sarah's viewpoint, her husband's viewpoint, the father's viewpoint, even the kidnapper's viewpoint. Sarah's determination is admirable, as is that of her husband and the father.
This is a book I couldn't wait to get back to reading.
Excellent read, but not for the faint of heart.
September 8, 2014
Im probably one of the few people who hated this book!
d
Its not bad for a debut but there were just too many coincidences in for me and too many "as luck would have it" scenarios.
It just didnt "keep me on the edge of my seat" as I like thrillers to have me and it left quite a few unanswered questions for me like the author rushed to get it finished.
it was an ok read but I wont be rushing to read more of this authors work.
d
Its not bad for a debut but there were just too many coincidences in for me and too many "as luck would have it" scenarios.
It just didnt "keep me on the edge of my seat" as I like thrillers to have me and it left quite a few unanswered questions for me like the author rushed to get it finished.
it was an ok read but I wont be rushing to read more of this authors work.
January 1, 2014
I found the end to be disappointing. Even though the writer had the epilogue, I found it didn't really explain much, and it was a little hard to follow. Other than that I liked it. Once the real action started I wanted to just keep reading!
March 4, 2014
Many twists and turns
I liked the book for it kept me guessing.
The spelling of many words threw me at times but once I could ignore that it was fine. The plot was well written and had me up till 5 a.m. to finish it.
I liked the book for it kept me guessing.
The spelling of many words threw me at times but once I could ignore that it was fine. The plot was well written and had me up till 5 a.m. to finish it.
September 8, 2012
Intriguing!suspense filled!great read!
March 3, 2013
I simply could not put this book down. A good story, well told. Look forward to the next!
September 10, 2013
Keeps you on the edge of your seat!
November 22, 2013
When I first started this book I thought I was really going to like it. It starts out as a page turner, but as I got more into the story I found it to be a little boring.
March 1, 2014
Not bad for a first effort. Jumps from one character and then another, and back again. A little distracting. Good overall plot.
September 8, 2016
Okay story
The subject matter made this book hard to like and get started on. Once into it though, the action (and horrors) moves along well.
The subject matter made this book hard to like and get started on. Once into it though, the action (and horrors) moves along well.
November 16, 2015
DARK, great suspense. Woman sees young girl kidnapped, chases and gets herself grabbed. Kidnapped girls dad is ex military.
October 23, 2016
I did really enjoy this book. The short chapters helped it seem quite fast paced. Some parts of it seemed drawn out though, but overall a good free read.
April 28, 2013
Fast paced, believable characters, a quick and interesting read on the bus to work each morning.
April 25, 2017
Although the subject matter of this book is not pretty and the description of the fighting is very visceral, I enjoyed this book. Andrea is kidnapped by people who appear to have something against her father and convince her that he is the reason for her abduction. Sarah is convinced she has seen the disappearance of Andrea and chases the car where she thinks she is hidden.The book tells the tale of Andrea's father, Brian and Sarah's husband Adam locating the people responsible for what has happened. They help the police who are officially investigating the crime
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews