Lockdown

NYPD Negotiators #3

by Sara Driscoll

When a horrific school shooting turns into a hostage situation, only Gemma Capello, the NYPD’s most skilled negotiator, has a chance to save innocent lives and end the crisis . . .

Talking a suspect into sending his hostages out alive is NYPD Detective Gemma Capello’s specialty. Alerted to a school shooting at her nephew’s Brooklyn high school, she is one of the first officers on-scene. Detective Sean Logan and the Apprehension Tactical Team arrive next and immediately enter the school to apprehend the two shooters, while Gemma remains outside to help students evacuate. But as time stretches on, and there is no word of her nephew, her fear builds that he is one of the lost.

One of the two shooters has holed up with a group of students and their teacher as hostages. Gemma steps in to negotiate for their survival. Floors away and armed with only her wits and the sound of her voice to convince him, Gemma fights for control of the situation even as tactical leadership pressures her for a more aggressive strategy. But for Gemma, it’s not about a quick solution. It’s about moving heaven and earth to bring everyone in that classroom home. And she’ll do whatever it takes to achieve that goal.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Fiction, Procedural, Mystery Thriller, New York

259 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 21, 2024

About the author

Sara Driscoll is the pen name of Jen J. Danna, coauthor of the Abbott and Lowell Forensic Mysteries and author of the FBI K-9s and the NYPD Negotiators. After over thirty years in infectious diseases research, Jen hung up her lab coat to concentrate on her real love—writing “exceptional” thrillers (Publishers Weekly). She is a member of the Crime Writers of Canada and lives with her husband and four rescued cats outside of Toronto, Ontario. You can follow the latest news on her books, including the FBI K-9s, at www.saradriscollauthor.com.

Reviews

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Warning: This was a hard story to read. Anything involving a school shooting would be. But the focus on the negotiating team is unique and makes it very interesting - if you can get past the horrific situation. The author doesn’t dwell on the gory details but they are unavoidable to some extent.

Gemma Capello is a member of the New York Police Department‘s Hostage Negotiation Team. She comes from a large Italian family with a lot of other police officers (her dad and three of her four brothers). She is heading to her dad’s house on her day off when she gets word of a school shooting in a nearby Brooklyn neighborhood so she heads there immediately. To make matters worse, her nephew is a freshman at that particular high school. As you might imagine, the book is filled with tense situations. It was especially vivid for me, as I went to high school just a few blocks from this fictional school and could easily picture the area from my memories.

This is a top-notch series (I’ve read the first book and now this one). The writing is vivid and pulls you in quickly. The main characters are realistic and likable. The teachers are heroic in their actions to try to shield the students in their care. It’s a shame that they/we have been drilled in the “right” ways to react in such a scenario (“Run, Hide, Fight”). The various students of the school who we meet are described in a sympathetic fashion, but the author doesn’t minimize the tragedy of the perpetrators.

Although third in the NYPD Negotiators series, this would work well as a standalone. There are references to events in the previous two books but they don’t impact the plot of this one.

Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. This book will publish in May 2024. All opinions are my own

[Madison Warner Fairbanks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lockdown by Sara Driscoll
NYPD Negotiators series #3. Police procedural, suspense. Can be read as a stand-alone.
Expecting a day off work, NYPD Detective Gemma Capello is called to a nearby high school in Brooklyn for a hostage situation. Fearing for her nephew, she takes the lead in negotiations with the support of Detective Sean Logan, hoping to prevent any further deaths.

This story is intense and suspenseful as Gemma negotiates with one of the shooters. She will do whatever she can to avoid any more deaths.
Without spoilers, because of the sensitive nature, I will add I appreciated the resolution.

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 4 out of 5]

So many emotions reading this book. It made me cry, it made me angry. You hear about school shooting all the time, but living in Australia, we are quite removed from it as it doesn’t happen here. It saddens me that it happens anywhere, so many lives lost.

A school shooting in Brooklyn. Gemma Capello has a day off, a call from her brother changes all of that. There is a shooter at her nephew’s school, you bet she is going to do anything to get him out of there alive. Gemma is a negotiator, and a brilliant one at that.

I really got caught up in this story, on edge the whole time hoping for a good outcome. The author did a great job of telling the story of the shooters and the victims, along with all the first responders. You feel as if you are there, watching and waiting along with the characters.

This was my first book by this author, and although this is book 3 in a series, I had no trouble keeping up. I will certainly be looking out for more by Sara Driscoll and hunting down the first 2 books.

Thanks so much to Kensington Publishing for my advanced copy to read. Publishes on May 21st.

[Scott A. Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars. What a great book albeit about a horrifying subject. Driscoll was brilliant in her handling of this subject. We’ve seen it repeatedly on the news, but this book brought every horror home, while delving into the causes and effects on all of the people involved. I have read all of the K-9 books, which are remarkable in their own right and am finding these to be their equal. This might have been her best work for me to date.

Like the K-9 books, she has developed excellent characters that the reader likes and cares about. That is a tall order for an author. Her research and command of each subject she tackles might be unmatched. You are entertained and learn something with every book. Start at the beginning of each series and thank me later.

[Diana Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg!!! Could not put this down!!! On her day off, and on the anniversary of her Mom's murder, Gemma races to her nephew's school when 2 students open fire on the entire school. When it turns into a hostage situation, she must use all her skills to negotiate, not knowing whether her nephew is still in the school.

[Kathi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow -- this series keeps getting more intense with each installment. This one -- active shooters in a high school -- hit closest to home for me. Sadly, it is a situation more and more communities are facing these days. I couldn't put it down!

While all the action takes place in a single day, it is probably best to have read the other two books in the series to better understand the Capella family history and background. Incidents from the first two books in the series are referred to throughout.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good fast cottage read! Like watching an episode of Flashpoint. Didn't realize it was the 3rd in the series, just put the first two on hold.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lockdown.
By Sara Driscoll.

This book releases August 22nd 2023


Crime Thriller.

This author's stories are absolutely fabulous. They pull you in From the very beginning. I actually started this book today and finished it today.. This book will pull at your heart. Things that take place in today's society. This was a wonderful story. I love the way the author did everything within the story..


Gemma capello,

It's her day off. But getting a phone call Reporting a shooting at the school wasn't how she planned her day... Thoughts of Her nephew sam. The
School he goes to. It can't be. Oh, but it is. Sometimes, things change in the drop of a hat. And in this case, being a negotiator for the n y p d.. you know duty doesn't mean you're really off duty.
Gemma, will do what Is best for everyone. Lives are at stake.


This book was Totally intriguing and I must say. It was so hard to put down even for breaks.. I totally recommend it because it's so good...

Thank you Sara Driscoll
For writing such wonderful stories.

[Darlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 3 in the Negotiator series is an excellent addition to the series. A school shooting in Brooklyn, Gemma’s team has not been called in yet, but she was close by, and on her day off, she hurried to the scene to help in any way she could. Her nephew, Sam, goes to this school and no one has heard from him. This was expertly written so I could feel what it is truly like to be in an actual school shooting. You can tell Sara Driscoll really did her research on this topic and you can feel the emotions of the student hostages, teachers, and the negotiators. I highly recommend this excellent book.

[Patrizia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ogni libro è migliore del precedente in questa serie! Questo mi è piaciuto tantissimo: posso dare 6 stelle? Anche se l'argomento (strage in una scuola) è veramente duro da digerire e ringrazio Dio che in Italia non abbiamo ancora importato questo "vizio" americano. E spero che non lo faremo mai. Spero che l'autrice continuerà a lungo questa serie come l'altra (FBI K9): sono due delle mie preferite, senza ombra di dubbio.

[Stanley McShane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read my full review on Rosepoint Publishing.

Gemma Capello is solid and effective in her skill set of NYPD negotiator.

In Book 3 of this series, Gemma is on her way to her dad’s house when she gets a call regarding a school shooting at the school her nephew attends.
Two shooters have mowed down fellow students (and teachers). One takes himself out leaving the other shooter to hole up in a classroom with a group of hostages.

Gemma’s goal is to safely lockdown the school and control the tactical team whose leadership pushes for aggressive take-down. She is most keen on getting those hostages, and possibly the perp as well, out alive.

Detective Sean Logan will have a crucial part in extraction.

The negotiations require large coordinating teams each doing their part to see a successful end to the tension and terror-filled scene.

The point repeated more than once that I didn’t understand was the mantra, “Run, Hide, Fight.” How would an unarmed student without even a cell phone fight a perp with an automatic weapon bent on leaving no one alive?

Definitely a heart-pounding exposé of those real life situations we’ve seen repeated too often lately. 4.5 stars

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sara Driscoll has quickly become one of my favorite authors. Her newest series, NYPD Negotiators, cemented that for me, and this latest book, "Lockdown," is just another feather in her cap as far as I'm concerned. I couldn't put it down. I'm only sad about it because it's over.

The subject of this book is likely one of the hardest to read, let alone write about. A school shooting. Unfortunately, it isn't something that we can read and think, "Oh, this sounds so distant, off the wall," like it would never happen in real life. We all know it can and does far too often. Sara handles it with such a genuine realness, showing the emotion, the pain, the ugly parts, without letting the book become so melancholic, miserable, and dark that it's too depressing to read. She shows how these events affect everyone, from the police and other first responders, to the survivors, and the families. And she doesn't make the book a political stand in either direction, choosing instead to keep it about the story and the characters.

By the end, I was in tears, but it was worth every one of them. Another great story in a fun, entertaining series.

[Melissa Cheplicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story takes place over the course of a single day & that's how long it took me to read it because I could NOT put it down! Action. Suspense. Family. This book grabbed me from the very beginning & never let go. Lockdown is about a school shooting, which is obviously a very sensitive subject, and Sara Driscoll handles it expertly - showing the scary reality of it with all of the shades of gray involved in simply being human. I've read several books by this author & each one makes me more convinced that I need to read EVERY book by this author!

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book grabbed me from the start and I couldn’t put it down. It’s disturbing, as the subject is a high school shooting, and that’s always hard to hear about. Sara Driscoll does a good job of not getting into overly gory details, and yet still bringing the reader into the horror of the situation. In this day and age of so many similar situations, it was fascinating to get an inside look at what happens and how the negotiations team works to resolve the situation. I was captivated! I’m afraid not much else got done at my house today! A powerful story, and one I highly recommend!

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've listened to and enjoyed Sara Driscoll's K9 series, but Lockdown is a problem: The narrator is so laid back that it's a hard, boring listen. I'm hoping the others in this series have a stronger voice, appropriate to what's shaping up to be an intense storyline.

[Jeanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This hard-hitting, edge-of-the-seat thriller could be pulled from current headlines. I have appreciated and learned from each of Sara Driscoll’s novels, especially this one. It is written with sensitivity, yet some readers’ experiences may not allow for the subject or details. The characters, primarily Gemma, and the importance of this day to her family, is a reminder that first responders are real people facing real situations and perhaps real experiences within their families while serving and protecting community lives entrusted to them. The Capellos invited me in from the first page and held my attention long after the final page.

Today marks twenty-five years since a younger Gemma Capello and her mother were hostages in a bank holdup. Her mother was killed, and her family still grieves. Gemma’s father Tony is NYPD’s Chief of Special Operations. Gemma and three of his sons followed his footsteps into NYPD, another son is a firefighter with FDNY. Gemma was driving to Tony’s when she heard there was a school shooting where Sam, her oldest nephew, is a high school freshman.

Gemma was off today, and hostage negotiators such as herself had not yet been called in. Being near the school, she stopped to assist wherever needed. Principal Baker did all he could to help his students, despite the horrors he had already seen. Joe and Alyssa, Sam’s parents, headed to the school.

The shooters were two seniors. They drove up late, blasting “Blaze of Glory” from car speakers. They went inside and began to shoot. The boys separated, one on each of the upper floors. The leader of the two teens thought he had cleverly planned everything. The follower, alone on the third floor, was at a loss.

He was bullied into killing the first person, then continued to shoot. He broke into room 317, finding terrified teens and their teacher inside. Other hostage negotiators arrived. A-Team unit officers and the principal were instrumental at setting up Gemma’s and the team’s needs so they could begin negotiations.

Two A-team units were in place. Each team’s leader had differing ideas on when to storm Room 317 versus continuing negotiations. The negotiator always wants to save the most lives, yet the A-team sometimes has different perspectives. Gemma excelled at her job, and built a tentative rapport with the boy in Room 317. As she learned more about him, I could see and feel both her rage for what the boy had done, and her sorrow for what happened in the boy’s life thus far.

I appreciated how various actions were explained and could almost see the movements of the A-Team. I could better understand techniques Gemma used, and how the police evacuated students. I could also see how the negotiator must be fully focused on the shooter and fully coordinated with the A-Team. I admire Gemma and real-life negotiators who are willing and able to do this!

In the back of her mind throughout the day – where is Sam? Most of the school is evacuated, yet no texts came from her nephew’s parents. There are excellent takeaways from this novel, such as what is being done well and saving lives, and where improvement is necessary. This can be appreciated as a high-stakes thriller, because – where is Sam? I highly recommend this to those who appreciate well-written police thrillers with engaging characters, non-stop suspense, and law enforcement officers who willingly protect and serve.

From a thankful heart: I received a complimentary eARC of this novel, and this is my honest review.

[Robin Meyers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lockdown is a gripping, emotionally charged thriller that showcases Sara Driscoll's exceptional ability to combine high stakes suspense with deeply human storytelling. As the third installment in the NYPD Negotiators series, the novel delivers relentless tension, authentic police procedure, and unforgettable character development, making it one of those rare thrillers that keeps readers emotionally invested from the first page to the last.

The novel immediately establishes an overwhelming sense of urgency as a school shooting rapidly evolves into a hostage crisis. Rather than relying solely on action, Sara Driscoll explores the emotional and psychological complexities of crisis negotiation, creating a story where every conversation, every decision, and every passing minute carries enormous weight. The result is an immersive thriller that feels both realistic and profoundly moving.

Gemma Capello continues to prove why she is such an outstanding protagonist. As one of the NYPD's most skilled hostage negotiators, she demonstrates remarkable intelligence, patience, empathy, and emotional resilience under extraordinary pressure. What makes her especially compelling is the personal dimension of the crisis knowing that her own nephew may be among those trapped inside raises the emotional stakes without compromising her professionalism. Her determination to save every possible life makes her both admirable and deeply relatable.

One of the novel's greatest strengths is its authenticity. The negotiation process is portrayed with remarkable realism, highlighting the patience, strategy, communication, and emotional intelligence required to resolve such dangerous situations. Instead of presenting simplistic solutions, the story thoughtfully examines the difficult decisions faced by negotiators, tactical teams, and law enforcement leaders when every second can mean the difference between life and death.

The pacing is exceptional throughout the novel. Every chapter builds suspense while revealing new challenges, emotional obstacles, and strategic complications. The alternating perspectives between the negotiations outside and the dangerous situation unfolding inside the school create constant momentum, ensuring that readers remain completely engaged throughout the story.

The supporting characters add significant emotional depth to the narrative. Detective Sean Logan, the tactical officers, the hostages, and the students all contribute meaningfully to the unfolding crisis. Their interactions with Gemma reinforce the novel's themes of courage, teamwork, compassion, and unwavering commitment to protecting innocent lives.

Sara Driscoll's writing is polished, immersive, and emotionally resonant. The dialogue feels authentic, the procedural details are seamlessly integrated into the narrative, and the emotional moments never feel forced. Every scene serves a purpose, whether building suspense, advancing the investigation, or deepening the reader's connection to the characters.

Overall, Lockdown is an outstanding suspense thriller that combines intelligent plotting, emotional depth, authentic law enforcement procedures, and unforgettable characters into a truly compelling reading experience. Sara Driscoll has crafted a novel that will resonate with fans of police procedurals, hostage negotiation thrillers, and character-driven suspense. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a powerful, fast-paced thriller that remains emotionally impactful long after the final chapter.

[Carole Barker · Rating 5 out of 5]

A crisis is about to make the anniversary of a family tragedy infinitely worse.

Twenty five years ago on this November day Gemma Capello and her mother Maria were taken hostage during a bank robbery, and Gemma was the only one of the two who survived the ordeal. Gemma grew up to follow in the footsteps of her father Tony, who is the NYPD Chief of Special Operations, joining the NYPD and ultimately becoming a lead negotiator on the NYPD Hostage Negotiation Team. With three of her brothers also in the NYPD and the fourth in the FDNY, they’re a family dedicated to serving and protecting. Gemma is headed to her father’s home in Brooklyn to mark the sad anniversary when one of her brothers calls with shocking news…a school shooting has been reported at a local high school, the school where her nephew Sam is a freshman. As phone calls from terrified students start to flood 9-1-1, Gemma heads straight to the scene to offer whatever assistance she can. Although many such situations post Columbine end quickly with the perpetrators either surrendering or being killed, this one will not. Hostages are taken, and Gemma will need to put aside her worries about Sam and jump into action. With two Apprehension Tactical Teams (A-Teams) on site and more en route, and with tensions running high, It falls on Gemma to open and maintain a dialogue with the suspect in order to prevent the A-Teams from having to use force. If she is successful maybe no other lives will be lost; if she is not, the students and teachers who are either hostages or are sheltering in place and unable to get out are all in jeopardy…including her nephew.
Children in life-threatening situations are everyone’s worst nightmare, first responders and parents alike. As school shootings continue to happen, while lessons have been learned on what to do and what not to do to minimize casualties they are still horrific scenarios. Author Sara Driscoll does a fantastic job of conveying the chaos, conflict, and concerns swirling around those who have found themselves in a position for which they have trained but hoped never to face. Gemma, herself a survivor of a hostage taking, is tested under the worst possible set of circumstances….on a day reserved for mourning her mother’s death under similar circumstances and with a loved one possibly in jeopardy. Other family members, used to taking action and saving others, must stand by while others take over. A school principal and teachers risk their lives to protect their students, some of whom are themselves are showing incredible composure and bravery while others are incapacitated by terror. Lockdown (the third in a series but one that is easily read as a standalone) is a gripping read, perfect for fans of Tess Gerritsen, Isabella Maldonado and Catherine Coulter as well as those who have read author Sara Driscoll’s other books, including her FBI K-9 series. Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for allowing me early access to this novel….I devoured it in one sitting.

[Rob Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lockdown is a masterfully executed thriller that combines relentless suspense, emotional depth, and authentic police procedural elements into a deeply compelling reading experience. Sara Driscoll delivers a novel that is not only pulse-pounding from beginning to end but also profoundly human, exploring courage, responsibility, and the impossible decisions faced by those sworn to protect others.

One of the novel's greatest strengths is Detective Gemma Capello. As a highly skilled hostage negotiator, she is both intelligent and emotionally complex, making her an exceptionally compelling protagonist. Her professional expertise is tested under the most unimaginable circumstances when the school under siege includes her own nephew. This deeply personal connection raises the emotional stakes considerably, forcing Gemma to balance her duty as an officer with her fears as a family member. Her resilience, compassion, and unwavering determination make her a character readers will admire and remember long after the story ends.

The pacing is outstanding throughout the novel. From the opening moments of the school shooting, the tension never subsides. Every conversation, every negotiation, and every decision carries enormous weight, creating a constant sense of urgency that keeps readers completely immersed. Rather than relying solely on action, Sara Driscoll expertly builds suspense through psychological tension, realistic dialogue, and the delicate balance between negotiation and tactical intervention, making each chapter increasingly difficult to put down.

Equally impressive is the authenticity of the law enforcement procedures. The negotiation strategies, command decisions, and coordination between tactical teams feel meticulously researched, adding credibility to an already gripping story. At the same time, the novel never loses sight of the emotional impact on the victims, families, and officers involved, giving the narrative a level of realism and humanity that elevates it beyond a conventional thriller.

Sara Driscoll's writing is crisp, cinematic, and emotionally resonant. She skillfully balances high-intensity suspense with meaningful character development, ensuring that readers become deeply invested not only in the outcome of the crisis but also in the people fighting to survive it. The emotional weight of the story remains just as powerful as its thrilling action, creating a truly unforgettable reading experience.

Lockdown is an exceptional thriller that successfully combines psychological suspense, police procedural realism, emotional storytelling, and nonstop tension into one of the year's most compelling novels. Readers who appreciate intelligent crime fiction, strong female protagonists, and realistic high-stakes thrillers will find this to be an outstanding read that deserves a much wider audience.

[Connie Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s easy to imagine two young men walking up the school driveway, long coats flapping in the breeze, their easy smiles and playful banter seem so ordinary. School has started, but hey, students are often late. There’s nothing unusual in their arrival. Until they start shooting. Until, suddenly, the day changes for everyone.

It’s her day off and NYPD Hostage Negotiator, Gemma Capello is driving to visit her father and other family members, when she receives a call from her brother that a school shooting has been reported. As a member of a large law enforcement family, the Capello family members would get such word pretty quickly. But today is different. Today word comes from her brother – not as a police officer but as her brother - that her nephew, Sam, is at school and no one has heard from him yet. Even though she’s not on duty, Gemma races to the school to see how she can assist, and as a police insider, maybe get word about Sam to the rest of her family. Coincidentally, it’s the 25 year anniversary of the death of her mother at the hands of a gunman; shot during a bank robbery, in which 10 year old Gemma was present.

Lockdown is the story of one school, thousands of teenagers, their teachers and staff, and the two students who hijacked them with the strength of their anger and the power of their weapons.

While it is a page out of the far too frequent story of life in schools today, it is rooted in the perspective of the characters who hope to bring the emergency to a close as quickly as possible. At first, there is no hostage situation, just random shooting and chaos. But as the day continues, things change and it is up to Gemma to lead the police team, through strong negotiation, to a successful outcome.


What sets this book apart from others about school shootings, is the way we, the readers, are given a birds-eye view of the situation. We meet the faculty, students, administrators, and others who each shares their own perspective, and whose voice and presence make up the school community. And we experience the heartbreak of not recognizing the mental state of the shooters ahead of today, the guilt at not being able to stop them from their actions; and the palatable fear everyone has at the hands of these kids.

From the moment we meet Gemma in her car on her way to her father’s house, we are observers of the unfolding chaos at the school where no one knows what is happening, why it is happening, and how it got that way. Be prepared to read this in one sitting because you will not want to leave in the middle.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book I literally did not put down until I read the last page. Jen J. Danna, writing here as Sara Driscoll, has taken a heart-wrenching topic, a school shooting with a hostage situation, and crafted a story that lets you see into the lives of all the people impacted by such an event, including the ones responsible. I'm already a huge fan of Jen/Sara's writing. I even purchase all her books on audio. And this book certainly lives up to my expectations.
The story begins with the unfolding of a school shooting shortly before the 25th anniversary of the day our hostage negotiator, Gemma, lost her own mother in a bank robbery shooting turned hostage situation. Now Gemma, who witnessed her mother's death, is the hostage negotiator at the school shooting at her nephew's school.
As the story develops we see the situation from the standpoints of Gemma, the tactical team officers, the school principal, students who saw friends killed, students who are held hostage, parents who don't know if their children are safe, commanders who must make big picture decisions, students who know the shooters, the two shooters themselves, and even a completely self-centered and egotistical reporter.
The central characters have many dimensions. Gemma is determined to remain calm and professional in her negotiator role, however she is also struggling with her emotions as a daughter, sister, and aunt of people directly impacted by the situation. She is also struggling with her feelings toward one of the tactical officers with whom she has a complicated history. The tactical team has to wait and trust Gemma's decisions when their training says to take action. Above all, Gemma has to build a rapport with one of the shooters if she is to have any hope of saving not only the lives of the hostages, but that of the shooter as well.
It would be easy to craft the shooters as simply evil young men, but we see beyond that surface to a deeper view of two immensely troubled and vastly different souls. We learn of the immense effort it takes from hundreds of people to discover all they can about the shooters in search of some key that will unlock the shooter's mind enough for the negotiator to have an impact.
I went through so may emotions as I read this book. Horror and fear, of course, at the loss of life. Anger, sadness, grief, and joy are all included. I was grabbed immediately at the start of the book and ran through all those emotions during the reading, and found myself in tears at the conclusion. I don't think I'll ever be able to see yet another school shooting on the news without in some way reliving what I experienced in this book.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sara Driscoll Lockdown.
Thank you to the author for my gifted books, including this one that grabbed me by the throat and refused to let go.

Let’s start provocatively: if you’re looking for a “fun” thriller, keep walking. This book doesn’t entertain so much as it confronts you. And yet, I devoured it in one sitting, emotionally exhausted and weirdly grateful by the end. A school shooting is about as brutal a premise as fiction gets, but Lockdown doesn’t exploit the horror. It dissects it. Calmly. Methodically. With a negotiator’s precision.

Gemma Capello is the anchor here, and without her this story would collapse under its own weight. She’s competent without being smug, emotional without being reckless, and deeply human in ways that matter. Watching her juggle professional detachment while her nephew might be trapped inside the school is agonizing in the best narrative way. Every phone call, every pause in negotiation, every tactical disagreement had me holding my breath like I was part of the command team instead of sitting safely on my couch.

What really impressed me is how the book refuses easy answers. The villains aren’t cartoon monsters. The victims aren’t reduced to plot devices. Teachers, students, first responders, negotiators, all feel frighteningly real. The procedural detail adds tension instead of bogging things down, and the pacing is relentless without being chaotic. I kept thinking, “Okay, this is where it slows,” and it never did.

Emotionally, this book hit harder than I expected. I felt anger, grief, admiration, and that hollow ache that comes from knowing this story isn’t as fictional as we’d like to pretend. Sara Driscoll handles the subject with restraint and respect, which somehow makes it hit even harder. By the time I reached the final pages, I was wrung out and silent, which is honestly the highest compliment I can give a thriller like this.

Favorite quote: “Negotiation isn’t about control. It’s about buying time when time is all anyone has left.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 stars
#Lockdown #SaraDriscoll #NYPDNegotiators #ThrillerReview #CrimeFiction #PoliceProcedural #BookReview #SuspenseR

[Tammy Lunsford - Escape to Books By Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every family's nightmare is about to come true in Brooklyn when gunmen take over a Brooklyn school. Detective Gemma Capello has the day off. However, when she hears this news, she rushes to the scene because her nephew attends this school. Gemma is a highly skilled negotiator. Her skills will be put to the test in the situation because she has a personal stake in it. She knows she must remain professional and try to keep her personal feelings to herself. The Tactical Team enters the school to try to save lives, and Gemma stays outside the school to help evacuate students as they are sent out. They soon realize that there will be no quick resolution. When one of the gunmen hides out in a classroom full of students, Gemma has to step in and put her skills to use.

I feel like I have lived inside this school for the past 24 hours. Sara Driscoll handles a very sensitive subject with great care all while showing all sides of a tragic situation like this one by showing how this type of tragedy affects law enforcement as well as the victims. You are taken into the mind of a killer as they try to find out the true reason for this attack. Gemma's superior negotiation skills shine through as she delicately deals with a tortured soul as she pries into his life and tries to get a feel for his reasoning. Time is definitely an issue, and she has a Tactical Team on the other side of the door ready to storm in if necessary. Gemma prefers that there be no more bloodshed. Although this was a hard book to read because of the subject matter, I applaud Sara Driscoll for her style as she shows the good, bad and ugly in this tragic day at a school with a story that sounds all too familiar. It was told from a place of genuineness and showed true human nature. I was on pins and needles as I anxiously awaited the conclusion of this day.

Thank you to the author and Kensington for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Cathy Geha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lockdown by Sara Driscoll
NYPD Negotiators #3

Once again Gemma Capello is on the front line negotiating for the lowest body count possible in a hostage situation. This time the high school her nephew attends is at the center of the drama with shooters on the premises. Gemma is notified, arrives early, and immediately steps in to help where she can.

What I liked:
* Gemma: negotiator, seasoned NYPD police officer, from a family of first responders, skillful, driven, competent, family oriented, and a survivor of a hostage situation experienced as a child
* Logan: tactical team member, went through police academy with Gemma, strong, determined, focused, lethal, bright, aware, more and more thinking he will be a love interest for Gemma
* The strong bond of the Capello family and how they were there for one another on the anniversary of the loss of their mother while hoping they would not lose Sam – son, grandson, nephew
* Getting a look at the process of how school shootings are handled and what is required of various members of the team during and until the crisis is handled
*The look at the possible mental state of the shooters and wondering how to avert future school shootings
* The plot, pacing, setting, and writing
* The action scenes
* The dialogue between Gemma and the hostage taker
* It was believable
* I felt I was there
* The outcome and how the situation was finally resolved

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like – especially Hank
* Thinking about how twisted a person would have to be to do what Hank and Russ did
* Thinking about my daughter, teaching on a college campus, and knowing that she has had at least one lockdown on campus - the world seems crazier and more unhinged every year!

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Definitely

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

[Monica Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in the series about Gemma, a NYPD hostage negotiator. Gemma comes from a large, loving Italian family, where she is the only girl. All her brothers bar one are also in the police force so she has had to be tough in order to hold her own, and she does.

I love Gemma. She is tough and skilled but she also has a softer side which she isn't afraid to let out (when it's safe, of course). I also love her family and, of course, Logan. Who wouldn't like a member of the A-team, hey?

Gemma is on a day off, on her way to her father's house on the anniversary of her mother's death, when she is alerted to a report of shooters at the local high school - the school where her nephew Sam is enrolled. Her heart stops, of course, and she immediately goes to the school to see if her hostage negotiation skills can be of use.

Naturally enough, in an active shooter scenario there is a LOT of activity and people running everywhere. Organised chaos. However, Gemma's special skills can be utilised here and she steps right up and gets to work.

What follows is an incredibly stressful, confronting series of events. I take my hat off to anyone who is a first responder; those people who run towards trouble instead of away from it. And I curse those individuals who think that hurting other people is something worth celebrating. Violence is NEVER the answer. I consider myself very, very lucky to live in a country where guns are not much of an issue.

Anyway, this was a well written, thrilling rollercoaster ride. I loved it. I can't wait to read the next one!!

5 stars from me.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A day that was supposed to be about family and remembrance of a lost loved one for the
Capello family turned into a gut wrenching, adrenaline filled experience that no one could see
coming.
Gemma is off duty as an NYPD Hostage Negotiator and on her way to her father’s house to
meet up with the rest of the family when she gets a call that has her changing her plans for the
day. There has been a school shooting at a local high school, the high school her nephew
attends. Gemma knows she has to get there to see what, if anything she can do to help even if
it doesn’t involve hostage negotiation both for her nephew and for the thousands of other kids
and school staff being caught in the crossfire. What follows is a day of heartbreak. On the flip
side it’s also a day that proves just how smart, strong and courageous ordinary people can be
when put in an impossible situation as well as offering a peak into how no matter how hard
nosed the police may seem, some calls are just too tough to keep it all locked in.
Once again Jen J Danna and her characters grab a hold of you from the first page and don’t let
go until the very end. The attention to detail is mind blowing – you know she’s done her
research which makes it very easy for the reader to see it all in the minds’ eye. Despite the very
personal connection Gemma has to this unfolding tragedy, she keeps it together and becomes
an integral part of a team whose task is to get these kids out and try to understand why the
perpetrators have gone down this very dark road.

[Jan Fore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lockdown
Sara Driscoll
May 21, 2024

Gemma Capello is back in Negotiators part 3. She starts out this epic journey on the 25th anniversary of the episode that her mother died in a bank robbery. She was left alone to be a hostage in the chaos. Now she is enroute to her dad’s house with her mom and dad’s favorite cake, an Italian Cassata, that she spent the night making. Mid-trip she gets a call. It was her brother Alex. Thinking he wanted to know the time for family dinner she picked up. Instead he tells her frightening news. Her nephew, Sam is in school. It has been put on lockdown due to student shooters infiltrating the hallways. She flips the car around deciding they may need her although the HNT was not called, she is obligated to be there. She would find Sam, she could help with the students.
Lockdown will be published by Kensington Publishing on May 21, 2024. I was able to read Driscoll’s latest book via NetGalley. It is a tremendous, frightening novel of the events of a mass shooting from the thoughts and words of police, firefighters and the negotiators who talk down the hostage taker in emergency situations. This author must have done considerable research to be able to tell this story. It was real, it was shocking, yet I could not put it down. It is a novel readers should not miss. In this world of indefensible events, readers should understand, Knowledge is Power.

[Leslie McKee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trigger Warning: This involves a school shooting. The main focus is on hostage negotiations, but there are still graphic details.

This is a part of a series. I did not read the prior books, and I can confirm that this book could definitely be read as a standalone novel. The reader is thrown right into the fast-paced action, and the writing style, which is vividly detailed, quickly and easily pull the reader in. I had a difficult time putting this book aside. Characters and situations are realistically drawn, and they accurately portray the heroism the teachers and first responders demonstrate when protecting those in their care. Sadly, scenarios in this book, as well as "Run, Hide, Fight" drills will be all too familiar with many readers in this day and age. This is such a griping and emotional book that readers will feel the anger, grief, etc. that such a situation warrants. The author truly makes the reader feel a part of the action. Events (school shooting, dedicated first responders, terrified children, hostages, etc) unfold almost as if watching a movie or, unfortunately, the evening news.

I don't give out a number of five-star reviews, as I am very selective about that rating. However, this one deserves it. My only criticism of the book is an inaccuracy pertaining to the song mentioned multiple times in the book. "Blaze of Glory" is by Jon Bon Jovi, the individual (from the "Young Guns" soundtrack), and not Bon Jovi, the band.

[Jacqui · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Sara Driscoll's latest non-canine book, Lockdown (Kensington Books 2024), Book 3 of the NYPD Negotiators series, the author addresses a difficult and current topic: school shootings, often by amoral kids so mad at everyone they just don't care anymore. The author caught my attention immediately with the believable picture of these shooters--long dark coats, big guns, walking in as though they owned the high school of 4500 souls, gunning down innocents for no apparent reason--which early on alerted me that the book would be predictable. The police presence began immediately with an effort to stop what turned out to be two shooters. The plot was complicated by the fact that the negotiator was related to one of the kids in the school, but readers were convinced she wouldn't let that interfere with her ability to do her job. The police took all the necessary steps from procedures to negotiations to tech efforts and everything in between to stop the killing, but were fairly ineffective even after one commit suicide leaving the weaker of the two to hole up with a room full of hostages. Enter the negotiators.

Though the topic is compelling and frighteningly common, I marked the story down for lacking in creativity and surprises that would get readers past the horror of what was going on. I would have given a 3.5 if half points were possible.