Failure to Protect: A Nadia Cole Thriller - The Horizon Cases Book 1

by A.R. Hollowell

The apartment was clean. The mother was sober. The report was a lie. The system took her daughter anyway.

Four-year-old Alma Varela has a braid her mother plaits every morning, a wall of crayon drawings, and a gray stuffed rabbit she carries from room to room. Caseworker Nadia Cole knows the difference between a home in trouble and a home being performed, and this one is neither. It is just a family.

The anonymous report says neglect. Everything Nadia can see says the opposite. She writes it up unfounded. Twice.

Then a third report comes in, and the system stops asking whether it's true.

Nadia can prove the call was false. She proves it too late. A man is already carrying Alma down the stairs, and the rabbit is on the floor where no one thinks to pick it up.

The foster home is rated excellent. Within weeks, the drawings stop. The talking stops. A four-year-old learns that asking for anything changes nothing. Until one morning, in a dark room, she says the only thing she has left.

I want to go home.

To get Alma out, Nadia will have to break every rule she has followed for six years. And the reason she cannot let this child go is the one thing she has never told anyone.

She was one of these children once.

Failure to Protect is the first book in The Horizon Cases, a Nadia Cole thriller, from the author of The Privilege .

For fans of Jodi Picoult, Lisa Jewell, and Lisa Scottoline.

270 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 25, 2026

About the author

A.R. Hollowell is the author of psychological thrillers that explore the moral pressure points of ordinary lives. His novels place readers inside impossible choices, not simply to frighten them, but to leave them asking the more unsettling question: what would I have done?

His work lives in the uneasy space between what is legal and what is right. He writes about people caught inside institutions built to protect them, including courts, hospitals, families, workplaces, and systems of authority, where truth is often incomplete and every available choice comes with a consequence. His characters are rarely given clean answers. Instead, they must confront loyalty, guilt, power, grief, responsibility, and the private cost of doing what they believe is right.

Known for atmospheric suspense, emotional complexity, and ethical dilemmas that continue beyond the final page, Hollowell’s stories blend psychological tension with questions of conscience. Whether the threat comes from a hidden past, a professional system, or the person closest to the protagonist, his novels ask readers to look beyond the obvious and consider the human consequences of silence, certainty, and survival.

When he is not writing, A.R. enjoys flying drones, building new things, exploring emerging technology, and watching movies with his family.

Readers can follow A.R. Hollowell and join the Hollowell Circle of Trust Facebook group for new releases, bonus chapters, behind-the-scenes updates, and conversations about the stories still to come.

Reviews

[Sara]

Thee take my best flawer
hunted by lie
by dark secret behind closed door
left empty
shadow of past wark my nerves
i oun my war
dance as ghost over shatter moment
live my sward heagh
as rabbit was lefted at bara roam
fall to protect thee sew
falso ragged thee build
ash of lesson meet thee
never fall
never heart forget to beat
my flawer

[Susan Belman]

UGH. This is my second book by A.R. Hollowell, and once again, **this was hard to read—not because of the writing, but because of the content.** His writing is so realistic that it takes my breath away.

Four-year-old Alma is taken from her mother after an anonymous abuse report is made to DCFS. The problem? The report is completely false. Alma’s mother is sober, the apartment is clean, and caseworker Nadia Cole knows there is no reason this little girl should have been removed. But by the time the truth comes out, that the report was made by a landlord trying to get the family out of the building, Alma is already in foster care.

And this is where the story gets heartbreaking. Nadia starts seeing what is happening to Alma in a foster home that is supposedly rated “excellent,” but proving it means challenging the very system she works for and risking everything she has built her career around.

This was not a thriller filled with murder and mayhem. This was an **“OH MY GOSH, I KNOW THIS STUFF REALLY HAPPENS”** kind of thriller, and honestly, that scared me more. Sometimes reality is scarier than anything an author could make up.

I found myself holding my breath and getting angry and scared right along with these characters. This was a difficult read, but an incredibly powerful one. H.R. Hollowell has a way of writing these situations so realistically that they don't feel like fiction, and that is exactly what makes them so hard to put down.

**Another 5 stars from this author, even if I need a minute before I’m ready to pick up another one.** 😳

[Kayla]

This was such an interesting read and definitely not the kind of thriller premise I see all the time. I really liked that it centered around the child welfare system and a caseworker who realizes something about a case just does not add up. The whole setup immediately had me irritated, suspicious, and needing to know what was actually going on.

Nadia was a really solid main character, and I liked watching her try to untangle the truth while also dealing with a system that isn’t exactly making that easy for her. The story had a good amount of tension without feeling like it was constantly throwing random twists at you just for shock value.

There were a few parts that felt a little slower than I wanted, which is really the only reason this wasn’t a full 5 stars for me. But once everything started coming together, I was fully invested again.

Overall, Failure to Protect was suspenseful, frustrating in the best way, and different enough from the usual domestic thrillers to keep me interested.

[Shan]

Thanks to the author for this Kindle copy in exchange for a review.

This book was heavy, heartbreaking. The child welfare system is not flawless and can be scammed just like other systems. This book shows how many lives one case can impact. And the wash, rinse, repeat machine that overloaded caseworkers try to juggle. It is near impossible to take any quality time for each case. I get that. This is just one case.
The author states a disclaimer that this is not an actual case but the writing made it so very believable. It could be a case, very easily.
My only criticism was those that abused the system were not held responsible. Don't get me wrong, there was the "happy" ending but there was a crime committed and people need to be held accountable. Otherwise, the machine continues to be broken.

[Kathryn Masters]

This book is the first in the Horizon series. It follows the processes of a caseworker assigned to look at reports of neglect and abuse of a child. The validity of the reports is immediately questioned.

The is a book about the system and its faults and problems. Nadia is a caring caseworker who listens and sees. She runs up against the system that only checks the boxes and has no space for seeing and listening. It is heartbreaking.

I read an advanced copy of this book. I highly recommend it to readers who are interested in the inner workings of the DCFS system.

[Renae Duncan]

I received an Arc from the author to read this book. It was a good book.
Failure to Protect is about the court system and how all these systems can fail the children being help. Child care systems are supposed to help the child but that isn't always the case. Sometimes it takes someone else's word for it that something is wrong, whether they know the truth or don't and it's a sad system to know how these children are failed everyday.

[Erica Noto]

Wow, just wow! The way my heart hurt through this whole situation had me in tears! This author is truly talented! I have thoroughly enjoyed every book he’s written so far and look forward to many more of his stories. I’m going to need a break in between though with something more upbeat and comedic in order to keep diving in! Great job keeping me intrigued with this one!

[Chris]

I have read several books by this author and this is my favorite so far. As with all of A.R. Hollowell books, there is a dilemma and there are choices to be made. These scenarios always have me questioning what I would do if I was in that situation. This book struck me the deepest and I know it will be awhile before I can forget these characters- it felt so real.

This book dives deep into the foster care system. This book will pull on the heartstrings as you view the perspectives of the mother, lawyer, and caseworker.

The author is able to create a world where you hold your breath to see what the outcome will be. There are delays- due to the long process of court- to see how what will happen to the child. I was furious for the child's circumstances at several points in this novel. There was agony at how key events would sway the situation from what I was expecting.

I was happy to see that there will be another book in this series. The ending -besides pulling at my heart- also needs to know what happens next. There are several developments that I am looking forward to discovering.

I received an advance reader copy and chose to share my honest thoughts voluntarily.

[Maxine]

A.R. Hollowell has an unmatched ability to reach straight into your heart and stir emotions you didn’t expect to feel. Failure to Protect isn’t just a book you read . It is a book you experience. It pulls you into the reality of a system that’s supposed to help families, yet so often leaves them fighting battles they never should have faced.

What makes this story so powerful is how deeply it makes you question the institutions we’re taught to trust without hesitation. Without giving away any details, the book shows the emotional weight of what happens when those systems don’t work the way they should. You feel the frustration, the fear, the helplessness, and the strength of the people caught in the middle.

When I finished, I sat with a heavy heart and a clearer understanding of how fragile these structures really are. It’s emotional, unsettling, and absolutely unforgettable. This author has once again delivered a story that stays with you long after the last page.

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

[Melissa Danowski]

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

Another stunning book by author.A.R. Hollowell. I am behind in writing my ARC review, my apologies to him on that.

This novel delves into the world of the foster care system. Once again Hollowell creates a world and characters that I as a reader cared about. Each of Hollowell's books I've resd so far have presented dilemmas and choices made by several characters. It begs the reader to decide how they feel about each character, the decisions they make and the motivation behind them. It also begs the reader to think about what they would do in each characters shoes. This book will stay with me for a while!

[Bekah Andrews]

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

I have read several books by this author and I have to say this one is my favorite so far! It really drew me in and will be one that will stay with me for awhile. This book dives deep into the foster care system and gives you the experiences of the mother, lawyer and the case worker. The author did a great job making the whole story feel so real and like you were there experiencing it with them. Highly recommend!!

[Sabrina]

No words would be enough

Although a work of fiction it shows how broken our Child Protection Services really are. They take children that they should not but yet leave children that should be removed or at the least have services put in place for the children and parents. I’m so glad this book at least had the best possible outcome for the child.

[LinSpinner]

Suspenseful, engaging, and bittersweet. It seemed much longer than it actually was, though - I'm not sure if it was because of the seriousness of the subject matter, because it was a bit wordy and narration-heavy, or because I was particularly busy and it just took me longer to read than a book this length normally would.

Won in a Goodreads giveaway.

[Holly Cerutti]

A. R. Hollowell has a remarkable ability to write stories that reach far beyond the pages and settle somewhere deep in your soul. This is one of those books. From the very beginning, I was completely captivated, and as a mother, I found myself experiencing every emotion right alongside the characters. It pulled me in, made my heart race, and left me questioning how something so heartbreaking could ever happen.

The story begins with an anonymous report about a child who is allegedly being neglected. The caller claims they can hear the child crying and that terrible smells are coming from the apartment. A caseworker is sent to investigate, but what she finds doesn't seem to match the allegations. The home is clean, the child appears happy and well cared for, and the mother is visibly terrified while providing every piece of documentation requested of her. With nothing concrete to support the report, the case is filed away.

But then another anonymous call comes in.

This time, the allegations become more serious, and the situation begins to escalate. As the story unfolds, you are forced to question what is really happening behind closed doors and whether the people who are supposed to protect vulnerable children are actually seeing the whole picture.

As a mother, this book was absolutely terrifying to read. The thought that something like this could happen—and that situations like it may actually be happening in real life—is deeply disturbing. There were moments when I felt angry, helpless, frightened, and completely heartbroken. The emotional roller coaster never let up, and I found myself desperately needing to know what would happen next.

This isn't just a thriller you read and move on from. It gets under your skin. It makes you think about the things we don't see, the stories people tell, the things that happen behind closed doors, and how easily appearances can be deceiving.

A. R. Hollowell has written a story that will emotionally wreck you in the best possible way. It gripped me from the first few pages, kept me turning the pages long after I should have been sleeping, and left me thinking about it even after I reached the final page.

This is the kind of book that stays with you. The kind you find yourself talking about, questioning, and replaying in your mind. If you're a mother, prepare yourself for an especially emotional read. If you love psychological thrillers that make you uncomfortable, keep you guessing, and leave you with plenty to think about, this is definitely one to add to your list.

Absolutely haunting, heartbreaking, and impossible to forget.

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

[BookishDogMamaKate]

I read Failure To Protect by author A.R. Hollowell.

What happens when systems put in place to protect….end up allowing harm? Nadia Cole is an experienced case manager for the Department of Child and Family Services. She, like her peers carry heavy caseloads. Trying to find enough hours in a week to check all the boxes is a constant challenge.

When a new referral comes in from an anonymous caller Nadia is suspicious but knows due diligence must be done. She makes the needed visits…all concerns appear unfounded. Yet the calls keep coming. The system is triggered. A child is removed from her home, her mother. Despite Nicole’s visit reports, despite proper medical records, praise from the day care, a loving mom with a solid work history, despite what presents to be a well adjusted happy child…despite concerns that the calls may be fabricated.

When a system is in place to safeguard against children falling through the cracks and remaining in danger, it fails to leave room for a child that may lose herself in the foster system.

As Nicole works tirelessly to prove her case, will it be enough…and in time?

This was a hard book to read because of how well done it is. It has a lot of uncomfortable feels. Sadness, anger, frustration, hopelessness. It introduces well developed very likable characters, multilayered storylines, a precious child in a stressful situation, tense moments where no exhale is coming soon, and players that got under my skin and frankly pissed me off.

There are no child abuse triggers or extreme trauma to worry about when reading. The dread comes from the clear storytelling of a handful of people just trying to do the right thing…and meeting such resistance by a system meant to protect. And knowing that art often imitates real life.

Definitely recommend to those the subject matter interests.

I received an advanced reader copy from the author. This is my voluntary and honest review.

[Diane Elizabeth Taylor]

I finished this book with my hands shaking and had to sit in silence for a long time before I could even think about writing this review.

Mr Hollowell writes with a precision that made me feel like a helpless witness standing right in the room, unable to look away and unable to help. That immersion is the heart of this book, and it is devastating.

At the centre of it all is Lucia, a mother whose love for her daughter Alma is so specific and so tender that it becomes almost unbearable to read. The braid she plaits each day. The crayon drawings on the wall. Conejo, the rabbit with the torn ear that Alma carries everywhere. The nightlight that is kept on all night. These small, ordinary details are what make the injustice that follows so unbearable.

This is not a story about a family in crisis. It is a story about a family being destroyed by a system that stopped asking whether the truth mattered.

Then there is Nadia, the caseworker who sees the truth and cannot make anyone listen in time. Her fight to undo what has already been done is where the book finds its aching, urgent heartbeat. The reason behind her refusal to give up on Alma was so inspiring, and her total dedication is the only thing that kept my hopes for Alma alive.

As a mother myself, I felt every ounce of Lucia's terror and every ounce of Alma's silence. I cried more than once. I put the book down just to breathe, and then I picked it right back up because I needed to know these two would be okay.

This is a story that will stay with me for a very long time. Devastating, urgent, and unforgettable.

My thanks to Booksirens and A.R. Hollowell for the ARC. All views are my own.

[Lori Peterson]

Received as ARC through Booksirens to read and review, this is an honest review.

Failure to Protect honestly made me so disgustedly angry at what Lucia and her four year daughter Alma were both enduring by Child Services in this book... I wanted to throw my Kindle at the wall.

The way author A.R. Hollowell wrote this story, I want to truly believe that someone out in reality weaponized the hotline that's supposed be to report actual, legitimate abuse that Child Services should be doggedly investigating. Not a single mother, who works to the bone to give her a child the best she can deliver but instead becomes the target by an individual that was wants to achieve a desire and utilizes the cruelest means necessary to earn it... and no remorse to the chaos brought by it. Even worse, the very System itself, that not does Lucia have to dance to prove she actually a good mom a thousand times over; but what Alma endures within the home that's suppose to be safe is just haunting to witness. And it absolutely underscores the continual festering disease that if the System doesn't see it - it's not the truth to them.

My heart goes deeply out to the caseworkers and legal aid workers - not just fictionalized within this book - but in real life, out there fighting the twisted injustices that destroy families built on lies and can't even asist families in trouble but just tears them apart instead of offering help and hope.

Highly recommended.

[Tyler Morgan]

What do you do when confronted with a lie, while working within a system that runs on protocols, algorithms, and standards with no room for nuance? That is the question for Nadia Cole, a family services caseworker assigned to to investigate a hotline call against a mother concerning child neglect.

A.R. Hollowell dives into this question head first in this slow-burn legal procedural. He asks this question, and more, as he explores the world of weaponizing “the system” against neighbors. How would I react? What would I do? How would I feel if I was the target? If it was my child fed into the machine of faceless bureaucracy?

Very well written, and conveys the emotional swings of heartbreak, frustration, triumph, disappointment, and resilience.

[Josette Thomas]

This book was quite the story. The author stated the book is a work of fiction and while i found the story eye-opening and heartbreaking; there is truth in the story. I know, for I was a foster parent for seven years. The system is very broken. The caseworkers are flooded with too many cases. The system only looks at tangible proof and there is no help for the foster parents. The worst victims are the children. No matter the age. This story show what happens when someone has had enough. Of course the person who bucks the system is given much harsher consequences than the system that harms children in ways that very few recognize. I could not stay in the system. Lots of props to those who can.

[Pheadra]

I received an advance copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily. I have read this author before and enjoyed his stories. This usually causes a dilemma as I have certain expectation for books that follow to deliver. This didn't disappoint, but fell into two categories rather than just psychological thriller for me. Yes it's a psychological thriller but is also a case of domestic sadness with legal implications.
The short chapters kept me turning the pages about a young child wrongfully put into foster care. It is the story of a flawed Social Services system. It's the story of a dedicated woman, Nadia Cole, fighting the good fight. 4 stars

[Elaine Rainbolt]

This book had my emotions all over the place. It had me mad, sad. It had me struggling on why the system is the way it is. It has me wondering what can I do personally to help try and make changes. This story is about a little 4 year old taken from her mother because someone reported her as neglectful. The system says one thing and the truth shows something else. How far is the system going to go to do what's right or what the system is told to do. After reading this story it makes me wonder how many children are stuck in the system because the system has 1 set of rules and the truth has another.

[Gisela Marengo]

This book was given to me as an ARC by BookSirens and The Author here is my voluntarily review.
5⭐️ This story hit me on such an emotional level that I found myself thinking about it even when I wasn’t reading. This story really struck the mom in me with every page . There were moments that made me so angry 😡 knowing that it happens , there were moments that broke my heart, moments that gave me just enough hope to keep turning the pages. This is one of those books that stays with you because of how deeply it makes you feel. Definitely worth reading. Once you start you can’t stop reading.

[Chapters_with_VDKeck]

Y’all, Failure to Protect grabbed my heart, squeezed hard, and then stomped on it with steel-toed boots. 💔

Caseworker Nadia knows four-year-old Alma is safe and loved, but repeated lies send the child welfare system barreling forward like a runaway bulldozer. Soon Alma is ripped from her sober mother, leaving her gray rabbit behind.

Nadia’s fierce determination and Hollowell’s sharp, compassionate writing made me ache for the children, families, and good caseworkers trapped in a broken system. Heartbreaking, infuriating, and unforgettable—five stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Taylor Jackson]

Started Failure to Protect this morning & could not put it down! short,face paced chapters leaving you questioning your own morals. Tore at my heart strings a lot because I’m a mother also. The way the story unfolded was heartbreaking but extremely well written! Another amazing book! 5 stars from me 🌟

If you haven’t gotten the ARC copy, get yours as soon as possible! I hope you all enjoy as much as I have 🙂

[Melissa Gringo242424]

Well AR Hollowell does it again! Working in this field I have watched children being left in terrible situations. This book was the opposite the nightmare of having your children taken away when you did nothing wrong. The heartbreaking and gripping story was a tear jerker. So many emotions. Great book but if you’re a parent grab some Kleenex first before starting.

I did receive this as an ARC for my honest review which is above.

[Julie Lanaux]

My heart started breaking in the first few pages.

I went into this one blind and quickly knew where the story would lead, but that did not make the initial events any less horrendous. I cycled through sadness, hope, and absolute anger in reading this one. But I also thoroughly enjoyed it. It made me feel something, and it takes a lot for that to happen in most books. This one will stay with me awhile.

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

[Sue Fedash]

Another phenomenal book by A. R. Hollowell! He has such a unique writing style, and I absolutely love it. This book was truly gut-wrenching, heartbreaking, and hopeful all at once. I was hooked from the very beginning and found it nearly impossible to put down. The story is masterfully crafted and filled with raw emotion, and it’s one that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the final page. I can’t wait to read more from this talented author!

[The Book Ssirren]

This was such an emotional story. So some points it was very hard to read. False reports lead to a child being take from her home. This shows the flaws in a system that people try to trust. And this story is why people have little to no trust in these systems. Everything in this story hits hard, buries itself into your heart and leaves it broken. This was filled with so much suspense and drama. I absolutely loved reading this.

[Leanne]

I started this book early this morning and didn't stop reading until I had finished. The chapters are fast and sharp. The plot is emotionally absorbing and tugged on all my heart strings. It had me asking myself what I would do in this situation. It's well written and built.I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Tanisha Garner]

I was given the opportunity to obtain an ARC...This book will have you going through a Rollercoaster of emotions. I enjoyed the telling of the story from the different POVs of all involved in the case.

If you want an un-put-downable novel to read, this is it.

This is my 4th A.R. Hollowell book and he has definitely gained a fan in me.