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The Negotiator
SHE'S MEANT TO SAVE LIVES... NOT DESTROY THEM.
*Available to pre-order now!*
For readers of The Silent Patient comes a propulsive, edge-of-your-seat thriller that asks: can you ever escape your past?
Former police officer Tia quit the Met years ago when she failed her exam to become a negotiator, her dream job. But when a peaceful climate protest at a London museum turns deadly, and one of the radicalised group members takes Tia and others hostage, she realises this is her chance to prove she has what it takes.
Only not everyone gets out of the siege alive.
Three years later, Tia discovers that the surviving hostages are being harassed by an anonymous person, leading one of them to take their own life. Refusing to have another death on her conscience, Tia begins to investigate.
But Tia was a hostage that day too... and now she's a target.
For fans of Sunday Times bestsellers Clare Mackintosh, Alex Michaelides and Gillian McAllister.
*Available to pre-order now!*
For readers of The Silent Patient comes a propulsive, edge-of-your-seat thriller that asks: can you ever escape your past?
Former police officer Tia quit the Met years ago when she failed her exam to become a negotiator, her dream job. But when a peaceful climate protest at a London museum turns deadly, and one of the radicalised group members takes Tia and others hostage, she realises this is her chance to prove she has what it takes.
Only not everyone gets out of the siege alive.
Three years later, Tia discovers that the surviving hostages are being harassed by an anonymous person, leading one of them to take their own life. Refusing to have another death on her conscience, Tia begins to investigate.
But Tia was a hostage that day too... and now she's a target.
For fans of Sunday Times bestsellers Clare Mackintosh, Alex Michaelides and Gillian McAllister.
336 pages, Hardcover
Published June 20, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
May 5, 2024
I shared other reviewers’ concerns about the plausibility of Brooke Robinson’s debut thriller, The Interpreter, but ultimately found the writing compelling enough for it to work for me, despite the weird inconsistency of the central protagonist. The Negotiator, therefore, is a bit of a let-down. It’s told principally from the point of view of two characters: Tia, a former police officer, and Asher, who has just been released from prison. We discover early in the novel that both were involved in a siege at a London art museum three years ago: Asher was a member of the environmental activist group who took Tia and some others hostage, while Tia tried to negotiate with the activists despite having been turned down for a negotiator job with the Met. In the present day, Tia is now investigating a series of threatening notes that are being sent to the survivors of the siege, and which have already caused one man to take his own life.
This thriller was frustratingly intercut between the past and present, which kept breaking the tension for me, as the siege sections were, unsurprisingly, tense, but the present-day plot felt weak. I don’t think Robinson successfully built much intrigue around the threatening-notes plot, as nobody ever seemed to be in real danger. Tia, too, felt like a distraction: she increasingly annoyed me as a protagonist, which I think was because she kept centring herself and her own ‘failures’ in the account of the siege, which felt self-indulgent, especially because she was not there in a professional role. Asher was the only fully developed character, but even his plot fell off the rails at the end for the sake of a last-minute twist, which undercut the otherwise satisfying ending of his arc. And I continue to be uncomfortable with thrillers that portray environmental activists as extremist and violent, given the public hostility groups like Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil already attract for their non-violent protests. Unlike Clare Mackintosh’s egregious Hostage, Robinson is at least careful to point out that this kind of event is not typical, and doesn’t demonise all the protesters, but it still doesn’t sit right with me, especially when The Negotiator largely fails to engage with the concerns these activists raise.
I think Robinson can write, but I’d like to see her try something more character-led, because this kind of plotting doesn’t seem to be her strong point (which is fair enough!).
I received a free proof copy of this novel from the publisher for review.
This thriller was frustratingly intercut between the past and present, which kept breaking the tension for me, as the siege sections were, unsurprisingly, tense, but the present-day plot felt weak. I don’t think Robinson successfully built much intrigue around the threatening-notes plot, as nobody ever seemed to be in real danger. Tia, too, felt like a distraction: she increasingly annoyed me as a protagonist, which I think was because she kept centring herself and her own ‘failures’ in the account of the siege, which felt self-indulgent, especially because she was not there in a professional role. Asher was the only fully developed character, but even his plot fell off the rails at the end for the sake of a last-minute twist, which undercut the otherwise satisfying ending of his arc. And I continue to be uncomfortable with thrillers that portray environmental activists as extremist and violent, given the public hostility groups like Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil already attract for their non-violent protests. Unlike Clare Mackintosh’s egregious Hostage, Robinson is at least careful to point out that this kind of event is not typical, and doesn’t demonise all the protesters, but it still doesn’t sit right with me, especially when The Negotiator largely fails to engage with the concerns these activists raise.
I think Robinson can write, but I’d like to see her try something more character-led, because this kind of plotting doesn’t seem to be her strong point (which is fair enough!).
I received a free proof copy of this novel from the publisher for review.
August 2, 2024
An edgy book for sure
We meet Tia the ex negotiator and Asher who is being released from prison after a 3 year sentence, both of them ‘met’ at a museum where a risky but no casualties intended environmental theft was planned….however what actually happened was far worse and changed the direction of many lives, no more so than these two
Told before the incident, as the incident was happening and after, it would have been easy to over complicate matters but the timelines worked well and concisely and were easy to follow
Everyone in the book had polarising personalities, all very determined, all set on their goals and all now intent in forging ahead with the future, what the future is of course is dependent on what happens in the book 😎 and will say no more other than it is intense and fiery all the way through
It was interesting to me that although the characters were so complex the author gave time for the reader to discover what ‘made them tick’ and did especially with Asher show how good intentions and naivety can go awry and turn into something opposing
Asher’s Mum is a great character!
A surprising ending for some and a feeling that I had read something notable and fresh made this a very positive read that left its mark…
We meet Tia the ex negotiator and Asher who is being released from prison after a 3 year sentence, both of them ‘met’ at a museum where a risky but no casualties intended environmental theft was planned….however what actually happened was far worse and changed the direction of many lives, no more so than these two
Told before the incident, as the incident was happening and after, it would have been easy to over complicate matters but the timelines worked well and concisely and were easy to follow
Everyone in the book had polarising personalities, all very determined, all set on their goals and all now intent in forging ahead with the future, what the future is of course is dependent on what happens in the book 😎 and will say no more other than it is intense and fiery all the way through
It was interesting to me that although the characters were so complex the author gave time for the reader to discover what ‘made them tick’ and did especially with Asher show how good intentions and naivety can go awry and turn into something opposing
Asher’s Mum is a great character!
A surprising ending for some and a feeling that I had read something notable and fresh made this a very positive read that left its mark…
September 3, 2024
The Negotiator by Brooke Robinson really is a rollercoaster of a book, and it has one of the best opening lines I’ve come across recently. I could really feel the intensity right from the first few pages, and I was compelled to read the rest in just a few greedy gulps. The novel is told from the point of view of two perspectives, from former police officer, Tia, and Asher, a convicted criminal. Brooke Robinson touches on some topical issues that have been in the news recently, and that’s part of what makes this book feel so very real, and scary as well.
Asher is a very intriguing character in this book. While at college, he becomes involved with a crowd of climate change activists, who are seeking to create disorder to force the government’s hand, in taking real action on climate change. There are some real radical members of this group who don’t fear the consequences of their actions, and they are not frightened to kill either, if it means they get what they want. It is really clear to see in Brooke’s writing what is driving them. It is what they are planning next that puts Asher in Tia’s path. Tia is a failed negotiator, and as she comes into contact with Asher for the first time, she sees it as her chance to prove herself, by acting as the negotiator in this situation.
Brooke Robinson moves back and forward in time and this is what I really liked about the structure. In the present day chapters, Asher has just been released from prison, years after the hostage situation where he first meets Tia. I found it really interesting how Brooke made me feel sympathy for him. He is desperate to try and keep his head down, and it is clear to see how much his mother loves him, who he is back living with, following his release from prison. His mother partially blames herself for what has happened to her son, particularly as she too shared the same ideals as him, and helped to form the man he has become today. I really did feel for her, particularly as she is so desperate to protect him. In the present day for Tia, Tia is compelled to investigate after finding out that survivors of the hostage situation are being harassed, and Tia is desperate to help them, particularly after one of them is killed.
The scenes Brooke describes in the museum as she flicks back to the past, to before Asher is arrested, were really intense, and I could feel the fear the characters were going through on the page. The Negotiator is an excellent thriller and I will definitely be looking out for more books by Brooke Robinson.
Asher is a very intriguing character in this book. While at college, he becomes involved with a crowd of climate change activists, who are seeking to create disorder to force the government’s hand, in taking real action on climate change. There are some real radical members of this group who don’t fear the consequences of their actions, and they are not frightened to kill either, if it means they get what they want. It is really clear to see in Brooke’s writing what is driving them. It is what they are planning next that puts Asher in Tia’s path. Tia is a failed negotiator, and as she comes into contact with Asher for the first time, she sees it as her chance to prove herself, by acting as the negotiator in this situation.
Brooke Robinson moves back and forward in time and this is what I really liked about the structure. In the present day chapters, Asher has just been released from prison, years after the hostage situation where he first meets Tia. I found it really interesting how Brooke made me feel sympathy for him. He is desperate to try and keep his head down, and it is clear to see how much his mother loves him, who he is back living with, following his release from prison. His mother partially blames herself for what has happened to her son, particularly as she too shared the same ideals as him, and helped to form the man he has become today. I really did feel for her, particularly as she is so desperate to protect him. In the present day for Tia, Tia is compelled to investigate after finding out that survivors of the hostage situation are being harassed, and Tia is desperate to help them, particularly after one of them is killed.
The scenes Brooke describes in the museum as she flicks back to the past, to before Asher is arrested, were really intense, and I could feel the fear the characters were going through on the page. The Negotiator is an excellent thriller and I will definitely be looking out for more books by Brooke Robinson.
May 20, 2024
slow burn
Sounded great. Looks great, however dull and very dull. Slow with no substance. Slow pace and many unanswered questions. Highly overrated.
Sounded great. Looks great, however dull and very dull. Slow with no substance. Slow pace and many unanswered questions. Highly overrated.
September 10, 2024
The Negotiator is a tense action packed story from start to finish.
Opening with a dramatic cinematic scene at the pinnacle of a tricky hostage negotiation situation in a central London art museum- we can see smoke billowing, blood everywhere, unnamed bodies on the floor. with sirens wailing in the background. The protagonists are three climate change activists who are desperately trying to raise awareness of the plight of the entire planet and have used an art gallery as their base to do it. Dom, Storm and Asher have planned to steal and destroy a painting to demonstrate the impact of rising sea levels but the situation has evolved far beyond what was intended and with much bloodier consequences
The story moves back and forth across timelines to the day of the siege, and beforehand, and to the present day dealing with the aftermath of the incident. It is told through two different characters, Asher and Tia. Asher is an idealistic and isolated student who is passionate about nature and the world around him. We first meet Asher when he has been released from prison so we know that he's been found guilty of a significant crime but the information about what happened on the day in question is drip fed through the story. Asher's story moves from him starting university and joining the environmental protest group in order to find his feet; the day in the art gallery and his role; and what happens when he is released from prison and how he tries to start his life again.
The other time line is Tia, an off duty police officer who has dreamt of being a police negotiator her whole life happens to be in the museum when the siege starts. We know that she feels very down and blames herself for what happens in the room and for subsequent incidents; again the detail of why Tia feels this way are slowly fed into the story and we learn more about who she is. During the hostage situation, Tia has been trying to use all of her negotiation skills and expertise to defuse the situation and build links with the perpetrator. In the present day chapters, we see Tia still trying to make sense of what happened on the day and understand how it still has an implication on what is happening today.
I felt this was a definite step up in writing style from the author's first book. Its a gripping tense story with plenty of cliff-hangers to make you read on. The characters were well developed and nuanced and you could sense Asher's panic as the situation escalated out of his expectations in a matter of seconds. It dragged a little for me in the middle but the last quarter certainly picked up pace and I raced towards the end, eager to find out what happened.
Opening with a dramatic cinematic scene at the pinnacle of a tricky hostage negotiation situation in a central London art museum- we can see smoke billowing, blood everywhere, unnamed bodies on the floor. with sirens wailing in the background. The protagonists are three climate change activists who are desperately trying to raise awareness of the plight of the entire planet and have used an art gallery as their base to do it. Dom, Storm and Asher have planned to steal and destroy a painting to demonstrate the impact of rising sea levels but the situation has evolved far beyond what was intended and with much bloodier consequences
The story moves back and forth across timelines to the day of the siege, and beforehand, and to the present day dealing with the aftermath of the incident. It is told through two different characters, Asher and Tia. Asher is an idealistic and isolated student who is passionate about nature and the world around him. We first meet Asher when he has been released from prison so we know that he's been found guilty of a significant crime but the information about what happened on the day in question is drip fed through the story. Asher's story moves from him starting university and joining the environmental protest group in order to find his feet; the day in the art gallery and his role; and what happens when he is released from prison and how he tries to start his life again.
The other time line is Tia, an off duty police officer who has dreamt of being a police negotiator her whole life happens to be in the museum when the siege starts. We know that she feels very down and blames herself for what happens in the room and for subsequent incidents; again the detail of why Tia feels this way are slowly fed into the story and we learn more about who she is. During the hostage situation, Tia has been trying to use all of her negotiation skills and expertise to defuse the situation and build links with the perpetrator. In the present day chapters, we see Tia still trying to make sense of what happened on the day and understand how it still has an implication on what is happening today.
I felt this was a definite step up in writing style from the author's first book. Its a gripping tense story with plenty of cliff-hangers to make you read on. The characters were well developed and nuanced and you could sense Asher's panic as the situation escalated out of his expectations in a matter of seconds. It dragged a little for me in the middle but the last quarter certainly picked up pace and I raced towards the end, eager to find out what happened.
September 14, 2024
4/5 stars: Moral dilemmas, culpability, and the weight of shared trauma.
Brooke Robinson's, The Negotiator, is an absorbing, slow-burn psychological thriller that delves into the complex web of choices and consequences through the perspectives of two characters forced to explore how their actions send ripples through time, profoundly affecting the lives of others and their own fates.
A smart, engaging thriller, the novel offers more than surface-level suspense. Its exploration of complex psychological and societal themes results in a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant read. Though it stumbles slightly in pacing at the midpoint, its character depth, moral ambiguity, and reflective narrative make it a solid entry into the psychological thriller genre.
The ending provides a satisfying, if not entirely shocking, conclusion. However, we’re left with lingering questions about justice, forgiveness, and the limits of personal responsibility. There are no easy answers, which is part of what makes the story so compelling.
Recommended for fans of:
- Authors such as Clare Mackintosh, Louise Candlish, and Sebastian Fitzek
- Flawed yet determined characters in TV shows such as Bodyguard (BBC)
- The “cop haunted by a past case” trope and high-stakes drama
Thank you to Penguin Books (Harvill Secker) and the author, who generously sent me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Brooke Robinson's, The Negotiator, is an absorbing, slow-burn psychological thriller that delves into the complex web of choices and consequences through the perspectives of two characters forced to explore how their actions send ripples through time, profoundly affecting the lives of others and their own fates.
A smart, engaging thriller, the novel offers more than surface-level suspense. Its exploration of complex psychological and societal themes results in a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant read. Though it stumbles slightly in pacing at the midpoint, its character depth, moral ambiguity, and reflective narrative make it a solid entry into the psychological thriller genre.
The ending provides a satisfying, if not entirely shocking, conclusion. However, we’re left with lingering questions about justice, forgiveness, and the limits of personal responsibility. There are no easy answers, which is part of what makes the story so compelling.
Recommended for fans of:
- Authors such as Clare Mackintosh, Louise Candlish, and Sebastian Fitzek
- Flawed yet determined characters in TV shows such as Bodyguard (BBC)
- The “cop haunted by a past case” trope and high-stakes drama
Thank you to Penguin Books (Harvill Secker) and the author, who generously sent me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
June 17, 2024
Former police officer Tia, who failed her negotiator exam, was involved in a hostage situation by environmental activists at a London museum. She is forced to use her negotiator skills. Some years later, Asher who was part of the environmental group, is released from prison. Meanwhile Tia discovers some of the survivors are being harassed. Will she find out what’s happening or will she become a target?
This sounded a really interesting storyline. I liked the idea of the focus being on the police negotiator, which is a bit different to the usual police novels. The story is told in two timelines, during and after the hostage situation which was intriguing, although I much preferred the before timeline.
I found some of the scenes dramatic with some suspense, however my issue was that the overall book is very slow and not much actually happens. I struggled to connect to the characters and felt that only the surface level was explored. I feel the story would have benefited from having more depth to the characters and plot. Saying that, this is a well written novel and having not read the first book by this author (and having it on my to be read shelf) I am intrigued to read it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.
This sounded a really interesting storyline. I liked the idea of the focus being on the police negotiator, which is a bit different to the usual police novels. The story is told in two timelines, during and after the hostage situation which was intriguing, although I much preferred the before timeline.
I found some of the scenes dramatic with some suspense, however my issue was that the overall book is very slow and not much actually happens. I struggled to connect to the characters and felt that only the surface level was explored. I feel the story would have benefited from having more depth to the characters and plot. Saying that, this is a well written novel and having not read the first book by this author (and having it on my to be read shelf) I am intrigued to read it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.
August 14, 2024
Tia is a police officer who wants to be a negotiator but failed her exam. On a day off she visited a museum and found herself in a real life hostage situation involving a net zero climate activist group. Could she act as a negotiator? Told in dual timeline, at the time of the siege and three years later when Asher, one of the group involved and a deeply disturbed man who believes the world needs saving, is released from prison. The siege timeline is much faster paced than the current timeline but I was fine with that.
Briefly, the hostage situation is resolved but both lives are changed forever. Asher is still maintaining his innocence but Tia isn’t convinced and starts looking at what happened, after one of the hostages takes their own life, having receiving a threatening note.
Both Tia and Asher are clearly suffering from a form of PTSD and as their stories unfold so does the feeling of impending doom. They are both interesting characters and both flawed. Some good twists and turns and with a shock ending this is a good psychological thriller. Very entertaining read.
Briefly, the hostage situation is resolved but both lives are changed forever. Asher is still maintaining his innocence but Tia isn’t convinced and starts looking at what happened, after one of the hostages takes their own life, having receiving a threatening note.
Both Tia and Asher are clearly suffering from a form of PTSD and as their stories unfold so does the feeling of impending doom. They are both interesting characters and both flawed. Some good twists and turns and with a shock ending this is a good psychological thriller. Very entertaining read.
March 28, 2024
The Negotiator sounded promising. Tia is a former Met officer who wanted to be a negotiator but failed the course. Then she, by chance, found herself a hostage when a radical environmental group attacked a museum. The second lead character is Asher, a rather naive first year student who is well out of his depth when what he thought was a simple publicity stunt turns into a armed seige.
The novel is told in twin timelines: the story of the siege and three years later, as Asher is released from prison and Tia tries to rebuild her career, feeling responsible for failing to keep everyone alive in the initial incident. This approach makes the narrative arc a little confusing in places, as both characters react to the aftermath of events that the reader doesn't fully understand.
The novel seems to run out of steam after a good start. The siege episodes are dramatic, but the pace immediately falls again in the later timeline . And neither lead character feels strong enough, or sympathetic enough, to carry the story.
The novel is told in twin timelines: the story of the siege and three years later, as Asher is released from prison and Tia tries to rebuild her career, feeling responsible for failing to keep everyone alive in the initial incident. This approach makes the narrative arc a little confusing in places, as both characters react to the aftermath of events that the reader doesn't fully understand.
The novel seems to run out of steam after a good start. The siege episodes are dramatic, but the pace immediately falls again in the later timeline . And neither lead character feels strong enough, or sympathetic enough, to carry the story.
September 15, 2024
I've been looking forward to reading The Negotiator since I read Brooke Robinson's first novel, The Interpreter, and I really enjoyed it. The Negotiator is the story of then and now - then, when Tia was caught in the middle of a siege in a museum that Asher was involved with, and now, when Asher has just been released from prison and Tia is asked to look into threats against some of the hostages.
The day of the siege was particularly hard for Tia because she really wanted to become a police negotiator and had failed her exams, and this underpins the entire story with a focus on what went wrong that day and everything that led up to it.
I liked how this novel unfolded quite gradually across the two timelines. The plotting is executed particularly well, giving just enough to move the story on without giving too much away. The characters are sympathetic and I felt I got to know them really well. Tia's reasons for wanting to become a negotiator and Asher's motivation behind his part in the siege, plus his difficulties on release and trying to integrate back into a society that he doesn't feel aligned with, make for an absorbing storyline. Whilst not a massively fast-paced thriller, it is such a gripping read, one which I really got stuck into every time I picked it up. I loved the ending too - hopeful and heartbreaking all at the same time, with a brilliant last line.
The Negotiator is another excellent book from Robinson. I hope she will write more of this sort of emotive and thought-provoking read.
The day of the siege was particularly hard for Tia because she really wanted to become a police negotiator and had failed her exams, and this underpins the entire story with a focus on what went wrong that day and everything that led up to it.
I liked how this novel unfolded quite gradually across the two timelines. The plotting is executed particularly well, giving just enough to move the story on without giving too much away. The characters are sympathetic and I felt I got to know them really well. Tia's reasons for wanting to become a negotiator and Asher's motivation behind his part in the siege, plus his difficulties on release and trying to integrate back into a society that he doesn't feel aligned with, make for an absorbing storyline. Whilst not a massively fast-paced thriller, it is such a gripping read, one which I really got stuck into every time I picked it up. I loved the ending too - hopeful and heartbreaking all at the same time, with a brilliant last line.
The Negotiator is another excellent book from Robinson. I hope she will write more of this sort of emotive and thought-provoking read.
September 15, 2024
I was gripped from the very start with this one. It gets straight into the action in the middle of a hostage situation in a museum in London, where some climate change activists are wanting to raise awareness and things have spiralled out of control.
The story is told in multiple POV mostly from Asher and Tia. I really liked how it switched between the now and then for each character before switching to the other point of view. It almost always ended on a cliffhanger so I was eagerly reading to get back to the other POV again.
I really liked both Asher and Tia and I felt for both of them. As we switch back and forth in timelines we learn how things happened on that day in the museum from both characters. Then to now when Asher has been released from prison. The now for Tia is her trying to discover who is threatening the survivors of the hostage situation.
This didn’t end at all how I expected so if you enjoy a good thriller I recommend this one.
Thank you to Compulsive Readers for having me on the tour and to the publisher for my gifted copy.
The story is told in multiple POV mostly from Asher and Tia. I really liked how it switched between the now and then for each character before switching to the other point of view. It almost always ended on a cliffhanger so I was eagerly reading to get back to the other POV again.
I really liked both Asher and Tia and I felt for both of them. As we switch back and forth in timelines we learn how things happened on that day in the museum from both characters. Then to now when Asher has been released from prison. The now for Tia is her trying to discover who is threatening the survivors of the hostage situation.
This didn’t end at all how I expected so if you enjoy a good thriller I recommend this one.
Thank you to Compulsive Readers for having me on the tour and to the publisher for my gifted copy.
August 27, 2024
This was a very interesting and quite compelling read that forced me to keep reading it due to the way it was written and my need to know what had happened and was now! What I mean by this is that the story is told mostly by Tia and Asher in a Then and Now alternating style but most of the sections ended with a kind of cliff hanger which meant I HAD to keep reading to find out what was being tantalisingly teased to me but kept just out of reach for a bit longer!
For me this was a very interesting and enjoyable story written by a very talented wordsmith who knows their craft very well and understands just how to keep their audience entertained and coming back for more!
For me this was a very interesting and enjoyable story written by a very talented wordsmith who knows their craft very well and understands just how to keep their audience entertained and coming back for more!
August 31, 2024
Tia has always wanted to become a negotiator with her job in the police but that is a distant dream when she fails her exams. But when Tia is caught up in a siege she knows the only way out of this is to put her knowledge into practice and help herself and everyone around her. Then the story switches to the future where Asher who played a part in the siege is released from prison. The story is about two different people and how their actions played a part in what happened on that day back then. I liked both characters and felt as though the pace though a little slow was good. It really worked up to a great twist and a good ending.
September 15, 2024
Clear your schedule before embarking on The Negotiator, because if you're like me you'll become so wrapped up in Tia's story you won't want to stop to you've finished.
Narrated across the then and now, Robinson leads us through the events of the siege and back to where Asher is being released from prison after a three year sentence.
The Negotiator is a dark and edgy read with a plot that flies at fast from beginning to end. It has a diverse cast of characters, some fantastic twists and just when you think it's all over Robinson delights with a jaw dropping ending!
A brilliant book from a new to me author, whose future works I'm definitely looking to invest in.
Narrated across the then and now, Robinson leads us through the events of the siege and back to where Asher is being released from prison after a three year sentence.
The Negotiator is a dark and edgy read with a plot that flies at fast from beginning to end. It has a diverse cast of characters, some fantastic twists and just when you think it's all over Robinson delights with a jaw dropping ending!
A brilliant book from a new to me author, whose future works I'm definitely looking to invest in.
July 19, 2025
a good thriller, easy to read, I really liked the storyline and the 2 points of view. I think it could have been better if the characters were more developed and if the plot was crafted a bit differently (some questions remain unanswered - how did Ben die? why did he choose Hannah? why Asher thinks it's Tia's fault? in my opinion she did GREAT with negotiating with dom). I get the survivor's guilt but it was a bit redundant at some points, it was mostly here to indicate that something awful happened and to build suspense.
The final too felt fast and abrupt, only consisting in few pages at the end.
I'm intrigued by the author's other book, I will give it a try I think.
The final too felt fast and abrupt, only consisting in few pages at the end.
I'm intrigued by the author's other book, I will give it a try I think.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 20, 2025
listened to audio book
Fine, but every character was so riddled with anxiety it was hard to tell what was going on most of the time. Ending was a bit tedious and felt unresolved, but elements of being released from prison and struggling were good.
I was also a bit annoyed at the author's decision to make the hostage takers climate activists. I'm not aware of these ever being violent. It would have been far more interesting to look at the extreme government/judicial over reactions to non-violent activists that we are seeing (i.e. 10 years jail for writing a satirical letter), which is ironic given all government's complete failure to take any climate action...
Fine, but every character was so riddled with anxiety it was hard to tell what was going on most of the time. Ending was a bit tedious and felt unresolved, but elements of being released from prison and struggling were good.
I was also a bit annoyed at the author's decision to make the hostage takers climate activists. I'm not aware of these ever being violent. It would have been far more interesting to look at the extreme government/judicial over reactions to non-violent activists that we are seeing (i.e. 10 years jail for writing a satirical letter), which is ironic given all government's complete failure to take any climate action...
August 25, 2024
A twisty book that held my interest all the way through. I guessed some of it, but there was still plenty to have me gasping. I liked the interweaving of messages about climate change and the environment. It was also good to get a view of how difficult it can be for someone out of prison, and also all those affected by a traumatic incident. The ripples spread wide. The ending left me shocked, the characters were interesting, and overall it was a good read!
Thank you to the author for a copy of this book.
Thank you to the author for a copy of this book.
August 20, 2024
This was not at all what I expected.
Told from mostly 2 points of view. Asher a climate activist and Tia an ex cop who dreamt of being a negotiator.
I loved how it flitted between the two and past and present chapters. It really kept you on your toes.
I didn’t really understand what had happened until a third way through the book. It was fascinating.
Fast paced and full of twists and turns definitely one for the thriller lovers.
Told from mostly 2 points of view. Asher a climate activist and Tia an ex cop who dreamt of being a negotiator.
I loved how it flitted between the two and past and present chapters. It really kept you on your toes.
I didn’t really understand what had happened until a third way through the book. It was fascinating.
Fast paced and full of twists and turns definitely one for the thriller lovers.
September 25, 2024
Told in dual timeline the reader experiences the event (a hostage situation at a museum) and after one of the hostage takers is released from prison. I enjoyed this book and the dual timeline was the perfect way to write it. Sometimes the reader knew more than the characters. The characters have a lot going on and are passionate about climate change. It was a book that captured my attention and I wanted to find out what happened.
May 11, 2024
This is told in two parts, then and now and from two points of view, Asher and Tia. I found it to be a bit of a frustrating read, confusing and a bit disjointed due to the pacing. The siege scenes were quite dramatic but I was left feeling disappointed at the ending. thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.
September 30, 2024
A 'then & now' plot unfolds in this novel. Then, off duty police officer Tia is caught in the middle of a siege in a London art museum with environmental activist, Asher. Now, three years later he is released from prison and Tia suspects Asher of sending a series of threatening notes to the siege survivors. After an initial good start this tale runs out of steam.
September 4, 2024
Tia the ex negotiator and Asher who has just been released from prison are our main characters when a climate protest turns deadly and turns into a hostage situation the dangerous plot begins. The author has done a stellar job of allowing you to get into the characters heads so that you can understand them and there actions. The plot is written so that you become absorbed in the danger and eager to learn the outcome. It's fast paced and demanding as the mystery becomes embroiled in the characters lives. I was surprised but thrilled by the conclusion of the story.
November 5, 2024
Fabulous read, twists n turns. The ending was quick though, would have liked a few more paths answered, but still an excellent thriller.
April 20, 2025
An easy read (guessed the twist early on, but still fun to see it play out) but the book has a terrible, abrupt, ending. Such a disappointment!
April 26, 2026
Didn’t grab at the start, too much uninteresting scene setting. (Note to self)
September 5, 2024
This is such a good read. It is very well written, neatly switching between narratives and past present to slowly build a picture of the main characters and a major event in the past which leads us to an intense and climatic ending in the present. The story and characters are sensitively written and I really liked Tia she is such a great leading lady.
September 5, 2024
My thoughts -
“The Negotiator” is the second book by Brooke Robinson after her success with her debut novel “The Interpreter”. The story opens with an opening prologue that has a high octane scene, perfectly portrayed to get the adrenaline pumping and to intrigue the reader for more to come.
The chapters are interspersed between the then and now from both Tia’s and Asher’s perspective. Tia, ex met police officer and now working for a private investigation company called “Brilliant Bobbies” has her demons following a hostage situation at a local museum involving Asher, a teenage university student hoping to make a stand for ‘real net zero’ along with two of his student friends. When the siege took a dramatic turn, Tia a visitor to the museum that day, tried to remember her hostage training to help save lives but can she manage to make the outcome death free?
When in the present day, she is approached by a survivor’s wife to investigate a case, Tia has to relive the events in order to determine who is causing distress to the survivors involved that day, whilst also battling her own mental health from those recent events.
Depicting students views in university environmental activist groups of the likes of ‘Stop Oil’ and ‘Extinction Rebellion’ and the extent some will go to convince people things need to change, the author shows how the effects of these personal opinions can have, when put into practice.
“The Negotiator” is a slow burn thriller after an exciting prologue but does ramp up the tension and action in the denouement with a conclusion that was both deeply emotional and thought provoking.
#TheNegotiator - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“The Negotiator” is the second book by Brooke Robinson after her success with her debut novel “The Interpreter”. The story opens with an opening prologue that has a high octane scene, perfectly portrayed to get the adrenaline pumping and to intrigue the reader for more to come.
The chapters are interspersed between the then and now from both Tia’s and Asher’s perspective. Tia, ex met police officer and now working for a private investigation company called “Brilliant Bobbies” has her demons following a hostage situation at a local museum involving Asher, a teenage university student hoping to make a stand for ‘real net zero’ along with two of his student friends. When the siege took a dramatic turn, Tia a visitor to the museum that day, tried to remember her hostage training to help save lives but can she manage to make the outcome death free?
When in the present day, she is approached by a survivor’s wife to investigate a case, Tia has to relive the events in order to determine who is causing distress to the survivors involved that day, whilst also battling her own mental health from those recent events.
Depicting students views in university environmental activist groups of the likes of ‘Stop Oil’ and ‘Extinction Rebellion’ and the extent some will go to convince people things need to change, the author shows how the effects of these personal opinions can have, when put into practice.
“The Negotiator” is a slow burn thriller after an exciting prologue but does ramp up the tension and action in the denouement with a conclusion that was both deeply emotional and thought provoking.
#TheNegotiator - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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