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Snatched
Approximately one hundred and fifty thousand children go missing in the U.K. every year. That’s one child every three and a half minutes.
ABDUCTION
Every parent’s worst seven year-old Natalie Barrett is snatched on Friday afternoon walking home from school. The police begin a desperate hunt to find her before it is too late. They fear the worst when a body is located near a golf course.
THE FALLOUT
Sarah Jenson is Natalie’s teacher. When one of the detectives on the case is suddenly killed, Sarah believes the events may be linked and begins to search for answers. With suspects stacking up, she is in a race against time to discover the true identity of the perpetrator before Natalie winds up as another statistic.
UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
Where were Natalie’s parents when they should have been collecting her? Why was Natalie so scared of her Uncle Jimmy? Could a convicted sexual offender from Sarah’s past be involved?
Children not found within the first seventy-two hours, rarely return home alive. Sarah knows the clock is ticking…
SNATCHED
Abduction, terror, suspense and Snatched is a breath-taking British crime thriller set in Southampton.
"Excellent story and the tension builds from page one. Very well written about a subject very close to everyone's heart. Stephen Edger dishes out the thrills in a spectacular manner once again.” (Dorothy Edwards)
“Thoroughly enjoyed this from start to end. The author has written a powerful and emotive story that engages you from the start.” (Annette Watt)
“Keeps you enthralled from the first page. Guessing all the time who did it. An excellent read from start to finish, thoroughly enjoyed it.” (Jane Black)
ABDUCTION
Every parent’s worst seven year-old Natalie Barrett is snatched on Friday afternoon walking home from school. The police begin a desperate hunt to find her before it is too late. They fear the worst when a body is located near a golf course.
THE FALLOUT
Sarah Jenson is Natalie’s teacher. When one of the detectives on the case is suddenly killed, Sarah believes the events may be linked and begins to search for answers. With suspects stacking up, she is in a race against time to discover the true identity of the perpetrator before Natalie winds up as another statistic.
UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
Where were Natalie’s parents when they should have been collecting her? Why was Natalie so scared of her Uncle Jimmy? Could a convicted sexual offender from Sarah’s past be involved?
Children not found within the first seventy-two hours, rarely return home alive. Sarah knows the clock is ticking…
SNATCHED
Abduction, terror, suspense and Snatched is a breath-taking British crime thriller set in Southampton.
"Excellent story and the tension builds from page one. Very well written about a subject very close to everyone's heart. Stephen Edger dishes out the thrills in a spectacular manner once again.” (Dorothy Edwards)
“Thoroughly enjoyed this from start to end. The author has written a powerful and emotive story that engages you from the start.” (Annette Watt)
“Keeps you enthralled from the first page. Guessing all the time who did it. An excellent read from start to finish, thoroughly enjoyed it.” (Jane Black)
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 29, 2012
238 people are currently reading
809 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Edger
51 books144 followersStephen Edger is the Amazon bestselling author of psychological and crime thrillers, including Little Girl Gone, Snatched, and the Kate Matthews series. Born in the north-east of England, he now lives in Southampton where most of his stories are set, allowing him to use his insider knowledge to deliver realistic and unsettling suspense on every page.
With books published by Harper Collins, Bookouture, and Endeavour Media, you wouldn’t believe that writing is still only a hobby for Stephen. A hobby that has seen him write more than twenty novels in the last decade, whilst balancing a full-time job with a young family.
Away from writing, Stephen loves to read anything that will keep him awake at night. He’s also a passionate advocate for contemporary cinema and binge-watching the latest offerings from streaming services. He is married with a son and a daughter, and two dogs. Stephen is a member of the International Thriller Writers (ITW) Association, the Crime Writers Association (CWA), and loves to engage with his readers on his Facebook author page and Twitter.
If you have a question for him, he can be reached at:
www.facebook.com/AuthorStephenEdger
www.twitter.com/StepheEdger
www.stephenedger.com
With books published by Harper Collins, Bookouture, and Endeavour Media, you wouldn’t believe that writing is still only a hobby for Stephen. A hobby that has seen him write more than twenty novels in the last decade, whilst balancing a full-time job with a young family.
Away from writing, Stephen loves to read anything that will keep him awake at night. He’s also a passionate advocate for contemporary cinema and binge-watching the latest offerings from streaming services. He is married with a son and a daughter, and two dogs. Stephen is a member of the International Thriller Writers (ITW) Association, the Crime Writers Association (CWA), and loves to engage with his readers on his Facebook author page and Twitter.
If you have a question for him, he can be reached at:
www.facebook.com/AuthorStephenEdger
www.twitter.com/StepheEdger
www.stephenedger.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
March 11, 2014
Despite my low rating I do think there’s the germ of a good story in this book hiding somewhere. But I think that the author needs maybe a creative writing course to help him iron out the flaws or he should invest in a copy of the excellent, The Writer’s ABC Checklist.
From the opening, the first word is a child’s thoughts in inverted commas, thoughts should not be in inverted commas (or italics) and in this example they looked like the dialogue used throughout the book. In fact there were quite a few incidences of improper use of inverted commas.
5% of the book had elapsed before any dialogue took place, the first instance being on page 17, and then there was the over use of flowery dialogue tags, for example, ‘Neil!’ admonished Melanie. In this instance the exclamation mark did the work meaning the tag was superfluous.
Writers talk of, show not tell and this book was full of tell not show, great swathes of info-dumping that had no purpose and slowed the pace. For example, the history of HMP Verne was pointless and added nothing but a higher word count. The style of the book was quite abrasive and at times it actually felt like the author was talking at you rather than allowing you to read.
There were a handful of remarks made that made no sense, things like: ‘She had always got on better with her mother even though her mother was a vicar’s daughter.’ Why would she not get on with her mother just because she was a vicar’s daughter? Either the author is stereotyping or assuming all vicars’ daughters are unable to sustain loving relationships with their offspring.
His main protagonist is a lesbian, this is pointed out early on, so why did the author say when she looked at the footballer, he was not her type? Of course he wasn’t, he was a man, which makes this statement rather juvenile.
Erin turns out to be a recovering alcoholic and it becomes an important part of the plot however we’re given this information as if it was added as a second thought, just tagged into text as an aside. Also, Erin’s demise was a good idea, but I think if you drugged someone and whacked them over the head with a shovel, you would be hard pressed to get them to swallow the whisky you tipped down their throat in an unconscious state, and then it would need more than a couple of seconds to enter the bloodstream to be detected during an autopsy, this scenario was not particularly well thought out.
The text has far too much padding out with passages that add nothing to the story and there were the occasional POV errors. The use of clichés needs to be ironed out, in particular the journalist’s faux Poirot dialogue, all he needed was a funny little moustache.
The identity of the kidnapper is evident so early on in the story that it is almost not worth carrying on reading, I did bear with it to see where it went and it became so farcical, the rape of the girl in Baden was ridiculous, expecting three other young men to collude with the rapist is so unbelievable let alone having the friend cover her mouth as she’s abused. It was just too far-fetched as was the stringing up of the journalist to make it look like a sexual encounter gone wrong; this actually made me laugh losing the grim effect I’m sure Mr Edger was trying to convey.
Finally the book has two sex offenders who had been sentenced for attacks on children; one on a girl the other for attacking boys. This was okay for the story, in fact it was relevant. But what I found offensive was that both of these characters were gay, perpetuating the myth that homosexuals are interested in children, even having one say he’d undergone chemical castration to stop his urges. As he’d raped a girl and later discovered his sexuality why would he, as a gay man have sexual urges for young girls? (Ludicrous).
Having just read and rated two previous novels as five star I was disappointed to have read such a badly thought out story and poorly plotted piece of fiction. Will I read anything else by Stephen Edger or advise any of the fledgling writers I tutor to, I very much doubt it.
From the opening, the first word is a child’s thoughts in inverted commas, thoughts should not be in inverted commas (or italics) and in this example they looked like the dialogue used throughout the book. In fact there were quite a few incidences of improper use of inverted commas.
5% of the book had elapsed before any dialogue took place, the first instance being on page 17, and then there was the over use of flowery dialogue tags, for example, ‘Neil!’ admonished Melanie. In this instance the exclamation mark did the work meaning the tag was superfluous.
Writers talk of, show not tell and this book was full of tell not show, great swathes of info-dumping that had no purpose and slowed the pace. For example, the history of HMP Verne was pointless and added nothing but a higher word count. The style of the book was quite abrasive and at times it actually felt like the author was talking at you rather than allowing you to read.
There were a handful of remarks made that made no sense, things like: ‘She had always got on better with her mother even though her mother was a vicar’s daughter.’ Why would she not get on with her mother just because she was a vicar’s daughter? Either the author is stereotyping or assuming all vicars’ daughters are unable to sustain loving relationships with their offspring.
His main protagonist is a lesbian, this is pointed out early on, so why did the author say when she looked at the footballer, he was not her type? Of course he wasn’t, he was a man, which makes this statement rather juvenile.
Erin turns out to be a recovering alcoholic and it becomes an important part of the plot however we’re given this information as if it was added as a second thought, just tagged into text as an aside. Also, Erin’s demise was a good idea, but I think if you drugged someone and whacked them over the head with a shovel, you would be hard pressed to get them to swallow the whisky you tipped down their throat in an unconscious state, and then it would need more than a couple of seconds to enter the bloodstream to be detected during an autopsy, this scenario was not particularly well thought out.
The text has far too much padding out with passages that add nothing to the story and there were the occasional POV errors. The use of clichés needs to be ironed out, in particular the journalist’s faux Poirot dialogue, all he needed was a funny little moustache.
The identity of the kidnapper is evident so early on in the story that it is almost not worth carrying on reading, I did bear with it to see where it went and it became so farcical, the rape of the girl in Baden was ridiculous, expecting three other young men to collude with the rapist is so unbelievable let alone having the friend cover her mouth as she’s abused. It was just too far-fetched as was the stringing up of the journalist to make it look like a sexual encounter gone wrong; this actually made me laugh losing the grim effect I’m sure Mr Edger was trying to convey.
Finally the book has two sex offenders who had been sentenced for attacks on children; one on a girl the other for attacking boys. This was okay for the story, in fact it was relevant. But what I found offensive was that both of these characters were gay, perpetuating the myth that homosexuals are interested in children, even having one say he’d undergone chemical castration to stop his urges. As he’d raped a girl and later discovered his sexuality why would he, as a gay man have sexual urges for young girls? (Ludicrous).
Having just read and rated two previous novels as five star I was disappointed to have read such a badly thought out story and poorly plotted piece of fiction. Will I read anything else by Stephen Edger or advise any of the fledgling writers I tutor to, I very much doubt it.
February 28, 2016
Terribly written and very unbelievable.
June 13, 2016
I have to say that Snatched turned out to be nothing like I expected it to be. I thought I was in for your typical crime story but what I got was way much more.
Sarah I really liked. I think the fact that a girl going missing, not just from the school she teaches at, but from her very own class, makes the girls disappearance that much more personal. She is determined to give her two pennies worth to the police on who she thinks is behind it and I did feel quite sorry for the detective in charge of the case as you could tell he has enough on his plate with out some do gooder trying to solve it for him.
This is another one of those stories that is hard to say to much about in fear of giving to much away for anyone that hasn't had the pleasure of reading it yet. It certainly didn't go down the route I thought it would and it kept me on my toes throughout.
Snatched is a highly enjoyable stand alone novel that kept me guessing all the way through. There are a few red herrings in there which made the twists even more surprising and kept me gripped all the way through. Great read.
Sarah I really liked. I think the fact that a girl going missing, not just from the school she teaches at, but from her very own class, makes the girls disappearance that much more personal. She is determined to give her two pennies worth to the police on who she thinks is behind it and I did feel quite sorry for the detective in charge of the case as you could tell he has enough on his plate with out some do gooder trying to solve it for him.
This is another one of those stories that is hard to say to much about in fear of giving to much away for anyone that hasn't had the pleasure of reading it yet. It certainly didn't go down the route I thought it would and it kept me on my toes throughout.
Snatched is a highly enjoyable stand alone novel that kept me guessing all the way through. There are a few red herrings in there which made the twists even more surprising and kept me gripped all the way through. Great read.
August 21, 2015
This book is written by an author that comes from my hometown & the story is also set in my hometown which I didn't know when I got it for my Kindle!
I didn't expect to like Snatched as much as I did.
It was well thought out & very believable.
I will definitely be reading more from this author!
I didn't expect to like Snatched as much as I did.
It was well thought out & very believable.
I will definitely be reading more from this author!
November 20, 2015
Well having recently enjoyed a few other Audio books, I was thrilled when Stephen allowed me copy of this to review.
I listened to this over one night shift at work. working nights can be long, and quiet, so this really kept me going.
And it wasn't just he audio aspect of this book I enjoyed, the story line was really quite good.
We start off this story with 7 year old Natalie, not being picked up from school in time, and then goes missing. This has got to be every parents worst nightmare.
One of the last people to see her, was her teacher Sarah Jenson. This teacher really got involved with the missing girl case, occasionally blaming anyone she could think of that might have been any where near or have reason to take Natalie, one of her favourite pupils. It certainly seemed at times that Sarah seemed to do a lot more than the police, the case is headed by Detective Inspector Vincent, pronounced Vin-Sent (which did annoy me to start with.. lol) But I think between himself and Sarah they rounded off the story pretty well.
I'm always worried about giving to much away when doing a review, I think the book description gives enough of an idea what is going on without me giving any more away.
But put the subject of this book to one side, it was a very interesting Listen/read.
I listened to this over one night shift at work. working nights can be long, and quiet, so this really kept me going.
And it wasn't just he audio aspect of this book I enjoyed, the story line was really quite good.
We start off this story with 7 year old Natalie, not being picked up from school in time, and then goes missing. This has got to be every parents worst nightmare.
One of the last people to see her, was her teacher Sarah Jenson. This teacher really got involved with the missing girl case, occasionally blaming anyone she could think of that might have been any where near or have reason to take Natalie, one of her favourite pupils. It certainly seemed at times that Sarah seemed to do a lot more than the police, the case is headed by Detective Inspector Vincent, pronounced Vin-Sent (which did annoy me to start with.. lol) But I think between himself and Sarah they rounded off the story pretty well.
I'm always worried about giving to much away when doing a review, I think the book description gives enough of an idea what is going on without me giving any more away.
But put the subject of this book to one side, it was a very interesting Listen/read.
May 18, 2021
A nailbiter
Young Natalie is abducted and the police are searching for her. Soon bodies begin to surface, and it's clear there is a killer on the loose. While the police fruitlessly examine and rule out one suspect after another, Natalie's teacher Sarah gets dangerously close to the truth.
The plot is solid and the action is intense, but the storytelling could use some work. It's a little insulting how dense some of the characters were, when they were being handed clues left and right. Even worse was how silly and careless many of the characters were when dealing with a suspected killer. This book contains a lot of senseless deaths - at least based on how they occurred. It would have made more sense if the victims, supposedly at the top of their crafts, had been duped by the killer instead of blundering into his waiting arms. Also, more dialog and less narration would have improved the flow of the story.
Young Natalie is abducted and the police are searching for her. Soon bodies begin to surface, and it's clear there is a killer on the loose. While the police fruitlessly examine and rule out one suspect after another, Natalie's teacher Sarah gets dangerously close to the truth.
The plot is solid and the action is intense, but the storytelling could use some work. It's a little insulting how dense some of the characters were, when they were being handed clues left and right. Even worse was how silly and careless many of the characters were when dealing with a suspected killer. This book contains a lot of senseless deaths - at least based on how they occurred. It would have made more sense if the victims, supposedly at the top of their crafts, had been duped by the killer instead of blundering into his waiting arms. Also, more dialog and less narration would have improved the flow of the story.
February 24, 2017
I wasn't sure whether I'd like this book as it does have mixed reviews, but OMG what a book! It had me hooked straight away and I could not put it down. Yes OK so the idea that 7 year old Natalie was allowed to leave the school premises on her own and walk home was rather far fetched and would never have been allowed to happen in an actual school. However, I urge you to see past that and give this book a go! I found myself switching between who I thought was the guilty party 3 times during this book. It is uncomfortable at times, namely a rather graphic description of a rape scene. But this only makes you want to continue reading in the hope that justice is served in the end. I have another book by this author on my kindle and cannot wait to read it now.
October 14, 2019
WHAT AN INTENSE READ!!
What an INTENSE story! As usual, there are twists and turns and of course a book I couldn't put down! The characters are amazing... Sarah is a very strong woman - with so much happening in her life. Johan Boller is a coldblooded, heartless murderer and just as arrogant. Will justice be served?
Stephen has an unique style of writing. He pulls you in to his story and he doesn't let you go! The storyline is an emotional rollercoaster and well worth reading!
I've read most of Stephen Edger's books and I'm never disappointed; and "Snatched" is another OUTSTANDING book!
What an INTENSE story! As usual, there are twists and turns and of course a book I couldn't put down! The characters are amazing... Sarah is a very strong woman - with so much happening in her life. Johan Boller is a coldblooded, heartless murderer and just as arrogant. Will justice be served?
Stephen has an unique style of writing. He pulls you in to his story and he doesn't let you go! The storyline is an emotional rollercoaster and well worth reading!
I've read most of Stephen Edger's books and I'm never disappointed; and "Snatched" is another OUTSTANDING book!
November 11, 2020
Thrilling Jaw dropping book!
I loved the fact the book was set in the UK and I liked how we could see into the characters minds as they tried to figure out who the kidnapper was. However the ending was disappointing. I would've liked to have seen more of the court case and what happened to the people involved and the suspect. It to me was a little confusing what happened to the girl's father because the author didn't explain how the police came to work out his secret. All and all a pretty good first book that I have read using my new kindle fire 8.
I loved the fact the book was set in the UK and I liked how we could see into the characters minds as they tried to figure out who the kidnapper was. However the ending was disappointing. I would've liked to have seen more of the court case and what happened to the people involved and the suspect. It to me was a little confusing what happened to the girl's father because the author didn't explain how the police came to work out his secret. All and all a pretty good first book that I have read using my new kindle fire 8.
September 26, 2017
Edge of you seat thriller!
I really enjoyed this book, despite my suspicions as to the perpetrator and having guessed who was responsible very early on in the story. Like about 10% in...lol But that didn't deter me and I still enjoyed it for the thrill ride that it was. I dont want to spoil it for others so I will just say while the topic is of a sad and tragic reality in many cases, the thrill is in the chase. So enjoy the ride.
I really enjoyed this book, despite my suspicions as to the perpetrator and having guessed who was responsible very early on in the story. Like about 10% in...lol But that didn't deter me and I still enjoyed it for the thrill ride that it was. I dont want to spoil it for others so I will just say while the topic is of a sad and tragic reality in many cases, the thrill is in the chase. So enjoy the ride.
August 24, 2019
Heart-breaking? For the Wrong Reasons..!
This writer must think I hate him...
Points make prizes, but I would consider pulling this book. I've read reviews of his newer work, which, rate him. Time will tell, as I have two others to read.
The book itself falls flat, show, don't tell springs to mind. It does not take long to work out who the killer is. Personally I think the story is told from the wrong character.
This writer must think I hate him...
Points make prizes, but I would consider pulling this book. I've read reviews of his newer work, which, rate him. Time will tell, as I have two others to read.
The book itself falls flat, show, don't tell springs to mind. It does not take long to work out who the killer is. Personally I think the story is told from the wrong character.
June 23, 2017
Good read
Found this book really good. Although I found the tape parts quite upsetting . Full of twists and turns .Really good plot . Stephen Edgar is a really good author and I am becoming a fan of his books. Can't put them down .
Found this book really good. Although I found the tape parts quite upsetting . Full of twists and turns .Really good plot . Stephen Edgar is a really good author and I am becoming a fan of his books. Can't put them down .
October 15, 2017
Snatched was uputdownable
I gave 5 stars because i couldn't read fast enough to get to the next page! Gripping from beginning to end! A new favorite author for me for sure, can't wait to read the rest of his books.
I gave 5 stars because i couldn't read fast enough to get to the next page! Gripping from beginning to end! A new favorite author for me for sure, can't wait to read the rest of his books.
August 8, 2018
Couldn't put it down.
I couldn't put this book down until the end. I would consider it a great read and would recommend it to everyone. I couldn't even begin to guess who the guilty person was so it kept my attention until the end.
I couldn't put this book down until the end. I would consider it a great read and would recommend it to everyone. I couldn't even begin to guess who the guilty person was so it kept my attention until the end.
March 3, 2019
Brilliant book, fast paced & kept you guessing right to the end. The book was set in Southampton where I worked for 10 years & the author was very accurate with his descriptions of places & names etc. Looking forward to reading more books from this author.
July 6, 2019
Wonderful read. Kept me in suspense.
Wonderful read. Kept me in suspense. I could not wait to get to the next chapter nor to get to the end of the book. He got what he deserved. One sick SOB.
Wonderful read. Kept me in suspense. I could not wait to get to the next chapter nor to get to the end of the book. He got what he deserved. One sick SOB.
January 16, 2023
Weak and unrealistic
Started promising but the emotional responses of the c characters to events were so unrealistic it lost credibility. A good plot but could have been better developed.
Started promising but the emotional responses of the c characters to events were so unrealistic it lost credibility. A good plot but could have been better developed.
May 28, 2017
This book sucked. However, I did read the whole thing, so it was good enough to get 2 stars instead of 1. I found that the characters reactions and emotions in particular were absolutely absurd (surprised by things they shouldn't be surprised by, that sort of thing). The main character in particular was thoroughly unlikable, as she kept doing stupid things.
May 28, 2017
A 'not put downable' page turner
Loved this book and read it in one day (ok I was on holiday with nothing but relaxation to do) characters all well described and all believable.
Loved this book and read it in one day (ok I was on holiday with nothing but relaxation to do) characters all well described and all believable.
June 13, 2017
Excellent!
Broke my heart, shocked me, held my attention, and made me wanna read so so so much more! Great book!
Broke my heart, shocked me, held my attention, and made me wanna read so so so much more! Great book!
October 16, 2017
Thrilling book
Loved this book although I knew the killer from early on. Excellent storyline and very well written. Look forward to more
Loved this book although I knew the killer from early on. Excellent storyline and very well written. Look forward to more
January 6, 2018
Quick, easy, enjoyable read.
April 9, 2018
Gripping
A good read highly recommend! Gripping till the very end and kept me guessing. Would definitely read more from this author.
A good read highly recommend! Gripping till the very end and kept me guessing. Would definitely read more from this author.
September 1, 2018
Didn’t really take to this book. All seemed a bit of a jumble and characters seemed very weak.
March 10, 2019
Good plot, well executed. Thoroughly enjoyed the read .. fast paced .. always wanted to know what would happen next .. plenty of suspense. Satisfying ending. Recommended.
March 20, 2019
This is the first book by this author and it won’t be the last a child goes missing after school and the pace doesn’t slow down I thoroughly recommend it lots of twists and turns
May 8, 2019
Brilliant, never read a book by this author. It was such a page turner I couldn't put it down. Can't wait to read another one by him.
June 3, 2019
Unforgettable read
Couldn't put the book down.it kept me on the edge of my seat .would recommend to others to read.brilliant read .
Couldn't put the book down.it kept me on the edge of my seat .would recommend to others to read.brilliant read .
June 27, 2019
Keeps you guessing
Twists and turns to keep you 're-evaluating who you think is responsible
Keeps you gripped till the very end
Great book
Twists and turns to keep you 're-evaluating who you think is responsible
Keeps you gripped till the very end
Great book
July 27, 2019
Twists and turns in almost every chapter.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews