The Hostage

Sarah Roberts #4

by Jonas Saul

The Hostage (Sarah Roberts Book Four)

Meet Elmore Ackerman. He idolizes Sarah Roberts from afar and has done so for more than five years. He has studied her pictures, memorized her news clippings, and now waits in the dark for the day when he can make Sarah his hostage. A steel cage waits for her. Elmore has practiced what he will do to her using other victims in the past. Those victims are now discarded, buried on his property. He keeps mementos from his victims to savor their time together. They always give in to him, his whims, his desires - all his victims do.

Elmore has a plan for Sarah, and she walks right into his trap.
Sarah Roberts becomes his hostage, his prisoner, and now she's in a fight for her freedom and her life.

Here's what readers are saying about the Sarah Roberts

★★★★★ - “This is a great series! I love it, and you should definitely read it! Each Sarah Roberts story gets more intriguing and more intense! I feel I know all the main characters personally, and I can’t wait for the next thriller! Keep writing, Jonas Saul! Your fans await!”
★★★★★ - “Jonas Saul is one of the most talented writers of our time.”
★★★★★ - “First book I read by Jonas Saul. One of the best books I have ever read.”
★★★★★ - “Amazing! I've been looking forward to starting this series for a while; let me tell you, it does not disappoint! Absolutely filled to the brim with action, suspense, and thrills.”
★★★★★ - “These books are an action-packed adrenaline rush that left me hungry for more! With each twist and turn, I got more invested in Sarah and her family, and I felt their struggles and pain! The series combines my two favorite things for a story - a great, heart-thumping journey and characters I can connect with emotionally. Sarah Roberts is the perfect strong yet vulnerable heroine for men and women everywhere to admire!”
★★★★★ - “I love Jonas Saul - my new favorite author.”
★★★★★ - “I am an avid reader of Stephen King and Dean Koontz, and Jonas Saul won me over with this book.”
★★★★★ - “To me, this is the best series I have ever read.”
★★★★★ - “Love the series. Can’t wait till another comes out. Jonas Saul is a great storyteller. Send more!”
★★★★★ - “The way the Sarah Roberts character grows and evolves is superb. Jonas Saul is one of the best contemporary writers alive today.”
★★★★★ - “I haven't read a book by Jonas Saul I haven't loved! Highly, highly, highly recommend!”
★★★★★ - “This is one of the best mystery series ever written. Jonas Saul is amazing. I recommend the entire Sarah Roberts to any reader, whether you’re into mysteries or not.”

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Suspense, Amazon, Ebooks, Horror

225 pages, Hardcover

First published April 8, 2012

About the author

Jonas Saul is the bestselling author of the Sarah Roberts Series—more than two million sold!—and has written and published over sixty thrillers. After acquiring an agent, he signed several deals in Los Angeles, with MadRiver Pictures optioning his Sarah Roberts Series—over forty books!—(currently in development).
Jonas has often outranked Stephen King and Dean Koontz on Amazon over the past decade. He’s regularly invited to be a guest speaker, teacher, or workshop presenter at international writing conferences and film festivals worldwide.
He hosts multiple annual retreats in Greece, where he currently lives—writer’s, screenplay, and reader’s retreats. He focuses his teaching on how to get tension and emotion in every scene and on every page, how he made it as a creator/writer, the path to success in this business, and the pitfalls to avoid. Visit the Imagine Greece Retreats website at www.imaginegreeceretreats.com, or email him directly.
Jonas Saul is an acclaimed author, teacher, and professional freelance editor. He lends his editing prowess to several publishers and offers private editing services to clients. His website, www.imaginepress.org, is a testament to his editing skills, featuring numerous testimonials from satisfied authors. Jonas is an email away for those needing professional editing.
To book Jonas for a speaking engagement at a writer’s conference/festival, to have him on your jury at a film festival, or even to say hello, email Jonas directly at jonassaul@icloud.com.

Reviews

[Rob Twinem · Rating 2 out of 5]

What really annoyed me about this kindle edition of The Hostage was that 77% into the action the story abruptly ends and we are invited to sample the next kindle sensation from Jonas Saul! The Hostage was left with no conclusive ending, Sarah Roberts was incarcerated deep within a concrete stronghold with no visible means of escape. Now I can understand the story concluding in this manner if the story had reached a natural ending but to interupt the action at this early stage was somewhat unfair. The Hostage reads like a B movie, think Bruce Willis in Diehard..but notched up a few degrees :) The continuous and unrelenting action is the main focus and this renders the characters somewhat wooden and shallow but still makes for pleasant and fun reading if escapism is more appealing to you than character develpment or literary intent.

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series. Sarah Roberts is a great character. The Hostage was a tightly written, fast-paced thriller. This book also brings Sarah together with Drake Bellamy - another of Saul's wonderful characters. I look forward to reading the next book in the series to see if and how their relationship progresses.

Note: Even though the books stand alone, I'd suggest reading them in order so you can see Sarah's growth as she learns to use the gift she was given and becomes stronger and more capable in each book. And this book - while the main mystery is resolved - leaves you with a cliffhanger. Mr. Saul seems to have started his next book here and left us hanging. Looks like it's going to be good! For those of us who love the series and are likely to read the next, it's not a problem. However, this probably isn't the one you want to start with.

[Joan]

I won't rate this, though I didn't like it. I couldn't make any sense of what was happening, but that is probably because I picked it up as a freebie and didn't realise it was the fourth in a series. (If an author wants to get a reader interested in a series, why don't they give the first book away instead?) I wasn't enamoured with any of the characters and the writing is sloppy.

[Resse · Rating 5 out of 5]

so I got this book from the free section on my kindle fire and I fell in love with the author. so now I'm going to buy the whole collection. the Protagonist was good I was happy to find that she was strong and didn't need a man to run after she was a strong (b****) anyways what I didn't understand was why the American government was so damn evil like chasing her and wanting to hurt her for her ability. well everyone should read his book

[Melissa Guzman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was the best so far of the series. Each book seems to get better and better. Super faced faced, I couldn't put it down. I love the way the characters continue to unfold in each novel. Now on to The Victim!

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

looooved it

[Heidi]

fast paced action didn't know it was book 4 in a series. great book!

[Sherrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Have read all 3 previous now pls tell me does he have book 5. Trying to find out. Is it the kill. Wished it would say on books

[Don · Rating 1 out of 5]

Science Fiction

The Hostage. Went from 5 stars to 1 due to the believable factor. Great characters, fast action and good plots. However, the believable factor plays a lot in my evaluation for any novel that is not science fiction. A small group of American quasi-government employees that can voluntarily get a foreign airline to divert a non-stop overseas flight bound for Toronto, to Chicago, for one lone female passenger, is absolutely unbelievable. Then replacing the leader of that group with another one that murders those who don't live up to expectations is nothing but shallow writing. Also having a criminal target rolling around, in his mouth, finger and toe nail cuttings of his victims is not only sickening, but also unbelievable. When one Advil is sufficient, why would any author have his lead character, a young small woman, take six. How utterly stupid and irresponsible. And I knew, the second she felt stitches in her neck that they placed a tracer in her neck. You would think a character who was suspicious of everything in every novel she is in would have instantly known this. Author had to place outright lies in this story claiming in general, that women are abused, women are paid less with same job as men, and all around it is just horrific to be a woman. What garbage!! Hope the next novel reverts back to fiction from the science fiction that now plagues the storyline.

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

ANOTHER AWESOME READ!!

As always this book deserves 10 stars!!
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
A fast paced, can't put down read!!
As Sarah is on the hunt, she is being hunted! A package is dropped off at her parents house, late at night. A horrible male part is in the box! Horrified, she shows her parents and trys to contact Aaron. Only to gind out, that a box had been sent to Aaron's Dojo. He's not there and his Instuctors open the box, only to find body parts! The place is invaded by the Police and his guys are arrested and put in jail. Aaron has been taken and the hunt for him starts!!

[Regina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

Fast paced. Sarah is always in trouble and you can't stop reading to see if she'll get out of the situation. This is the fourth book in the series I read in the last two day. I recommend to you all that likes a book full of adrenaline. Ah please make sure to read the books in order

[peggy macknally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really gripping stories.

There was certainly a different take on why Sarah was always in danger. Sometimes it was like” give this girl a break”,but mostly it was always interesting and even a little thrilling. Hopefully Vivian rises to the occasion one more time. Have to wonder where Drake will resurface!

[Christine Koch · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not know when I started this book it was one of a series. I found it rather unbelievable and very samey where the heroine gets captured, escaped but then captured again. I would not go out of my way to read any more of these books in the series if they are similar to this one.

[Debra Walden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Better and better

This series continues to get better and better I'm loving the different aspects of the plots and can't wait to read the next book. He seems to get more organized and thought with each book that he writes.

[Darcy Nybo · Rating 5 out of 5]

At times, the authors descriptors can make the horror of being held hostage a bit too real. It's the sign of a great author. I love it when I have to close the book and ground myself before I dive back into the action.

Loved it!

[Chrys Minter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg

Wow the story just keeps getting more intense and intriguing with each read. I feel like I'm on a rollercoaster that doesn't end. Well I guess the ride is taking off again. Book 5 here I come.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I love about the Sarah Roberts books are that they grab you from the first page and don't let go until the end. Another excellent book.

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

This is a good read but has a very abrupt Cliff hanger ending! I'm not crazy about that kind of end but if it doesn't bother you....

[Sherri Schneider · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of those freebies I downloaded that I really didn't like.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deep dark page turner !

[Janice Clifford · Rating 5 out of 5]

How many times in one book

The name of the book had many levels of meaning. I lost count of all the hostage incidents in this book, including the last one for Sarah.

[Heidi R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

[Carolyn Ogle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oddly compulsive. This is book 5 in a series and I haven’t read the other 4. It ends on such a cliffhanger though that I might need to read 6!

[Sandi Greer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spellbinding

There are so many adventures in this book that is hard keeping of them. Poor Sarah needs a gun at all times.

[Melissa Herman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Read!!

[Elizabeth Munton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book, I would recommend to anyone.

[Pierre Sr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was fully into this thriller, from the first chapter until the very end... which doesn't quite end, actually. This is in fact the sequel to book 3: "The Crypt", a previous Sarah Roberts adventure. In which the author sets up the plate for the following book. I like that, but being curious and wanting to know what happens, plays on my patience... :)

The Hostage begins with Sarah being kidnapped on the plane, as her flight to Toronto actually lands in Chicago! The US Government's secret project is still after her for her psychic abilities! But Sarah was on her way to save a man's life in Toronto! So being held hostage in Chicago really fucks her plans.

She will do whatever possible to break loose and eventually get to Canada, but once in Toronto, there is still another crackpot who would like to have Sarah Roberts all to himself...

This book is packed with action and you'll want to read on, and on, as the story develops. It is well written, easy to understand, even for a Frenchie like myself! So don't hesitate to get a copy of this book if you enjoy the Sarah Roberts adventures. Hats off to monsieur Jonas Saul for another great book!

[Joan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I guess this must be another self-published freebie kindle book I got from Amazon. After reading about 1/3 of it, I decided not to waste any more time. This book is written in the style of a 10-year-old - constant grammatical errors, confusing sentences, and whole paragraphs that simply make no sense. The constant verb-tense confusion make the action impossible to follow ("It had always been that way and always will be." "I cannot be held without being charged and since I've done nothing wrong, tell me what this is all about." There are frequent adjectives used as adverbs and transitive verbs used without objects. What does "model-stunning gorgeous" mean? And what about "He slammed something on the top hard enough to flare her head."? And the author uses the verb "sat" very strangely. One example: "Inside sat a series of pictures." And what does this sentence mean? "A simple murder cover-up is the next face on a milk carton, filed as a missing persons indefinitely." Is there a thought there at all? After reading about 1/3 of the book, I still had not identified any plot.

[Linda Branich · Rating 4 out of 5]

The softer, Girl Next Door, do-gooder Sarah Roberts is back in this book. Her personality fits her mission better in this book. Gone is the super- tough, foul-mouthed, overly aggressive character of The Crypt.

Sarah is an automatic writer. Her sister, Vivian, who was raped and murdered when she was a young child, is the one who communicates with her, giving her instructions to save people from disaster and death. Eventially Vivian and Sarah defeat Vivian's murder, and Sarah wonders if that will be the end of Vivian's communication.

In this novel, Sarah's assignment takes her to Toronto, and the person she is supposed to help/rescue is drake Bellamy, a character in another book.

Some of the lines are cheesy, and Sarah's thoughts toward/about Drake turn romantic and sexual when they are being shot at and running away from the bad guys, which is also a bit cheesy. all in all, this was a much better book than the Crypt and I will continue to read the series.

[moxieBK · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book #4 in Sarah Roberts

Note: The theme of this book is very violent and is not intended for young adults, or sensitive readers. The themes in this book are intense and if these bother you, I strongly suggest you don't read this book.

This is the creepiest book yet in the series, and I almost stopped reading it completely. But I got myself in a better state of mind and pulled through. Sarah is in the fight or her life, and she knows it. But what a obsessed fan doesn't know is that she is going to take him down, one way or another. But, does this mean the end of Sarah Roberts?

As previously mentioned: this is a strongly violent book. A reader absolutely needs to be in the right state of mind for it. But once I realized that Sarah has survived worse, I was much better in reading it. Definitely not a re-read book. Eeek!

Lower three stars for the plot content.