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The Abducted #0
The Abducted: The Beginning- Book 0
To solve a high-profile abduction, one former-police officer must confront a dark past.
A child’s abduction leads to a frightening pattern within a South Florida town where nothing is as it seems. Amidst the vast wetlands, suburban sprawl, and tropical heat, the Lee County police department knows what to expect on any given day. But when a serial child predator stakes his claim in the area, there is no knowing when and where he will strike. The parents of the latest victim are baffled to receive no ransom demands, given their wealth and influence. And the town is in an uproar as the girl marks the fifth child to vanish.
In this mystery thriller, best-selling author Roger Hayden embarks on a terrifying journey through the darkest recesses of the human mind with “Abducted,” a bold new suspense series certain to have readers locking their doors at night.
A child’s abduction leads to a frightening pattern within a South Florida town where nothing is as it seems. Amidst the vast wetlands, suburban sprawl, and tropical heat, the Lee County police department knows what to expect on any given day. But when a serial child predator stakes his claim in the area, there is no knowing when and where he will strike. The parents of the latest victim are baffled to receive no ransom demands, given their wealth and influence. And the town is in an uproar as the girl marks the fifth child to vanish.
In this mystery thriller, best-selling author Roger Hayden embarks on a terrifying journey through the darkest recesses of the human mind with “Abducted,” a bold new suspense series certain to have readers locking their doors at night.
150 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 12, 2016
1460 people are currently reading
1447 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 179 reviews
February 20, 2019
The Abducted: The Beginning- Book 0 by Roger Hayden is the beginning to a new police thriller series. This one is novella length and in that short time we have a couple of kids get abducted. The officer involved in the first, Miriam, leaves the force only to come back during the second to catch the kidnapper/murderer. As with most stories at this length the book lacks a lot of depth since it squeezes in so much in such a short time keeping the action going. It's not a bad start but you don't really get time to get overly invested either.
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October 20, 2016
So FRUSTRATED!!
This is a great story with a well developed cast of characters and storyline. It's a super-fast, exhilarating and exciting crime drama! I would've given it 5 stars except I HATE to be left with a cliffhanger!! It's irritating and frustrating. I would rather pay for a book and get the entire story than read just enough to get hooked and then have to search for the rest to buy just so I can finish it! I like a series just fine...one story ends and yet the lives of the characters go on in the next book...but to be left hanging before the first story is resolved makes me feel manipulated as a reader and a fan. Otherwise, it's a great book!
This is a great story with a well developed cast of characters and storyline. It's a super-fast, exhilarating and exciting crime drama! I would've given it 5 stars except I HATE to be left with a cliffhanger!! It's irritating and frustrating. I would rather pay for a book and get the entire story than read just enough to get hooked and then have to search for the rest to buy just so I can finish it! I like a series just fine...one story ends and yet the lives of the characters go on in the next book...but to be left hanging before the first story is resolved makes me feel manipulated as a reader and a fan. Otherwise, it's a great book!
November 17, 2025
The Abducted: The Beginning – Book 0 is a gripping thriller that introduces a former cop drawn back into duty to investigate a chilling wave of child abductions in South Florida. A predator known as “the Snatcher” is targeting children and the police department is rattled by the lack of ransom demands, despite the affluence of the victims.
I was deeply unsettled (in the best way) by how realistically Roger Hayden evokes the fear and chaos of a small town under siege. The narrative takes place in the humid, sprawling wetlands of Lee County, mixed with suburban pressure and political scrutiny, which gives the tension a very grounded, almost suffocating texture. The former-officer protagonist is haunted by his past, and I appreciated how Hayden balances his inner turmoil with the urgent, terrifying mystery he’s trying to unravel. As a short “Book 0” the story efficiently sets up the stakes and character dynamics, though some moments feel a little rushed, there’s not always time to breathe between the plot beats. But that makes it a compelling, page-turning introduction: raw, suspenseful, and emotionally weighty.
I'll rate it 4 out of 5 stars because it is emotionally realistic, has a chilling premise, and strong setup, even if it occasionally sacrifices depth for pace.
I was deeply unsettled (in the best way) by how realistically Roger Hayden evokes the fear and chaos of a small town under siege. The narrative takes place in the humid, sprawling wetlands of Lee County, mixed with suburban pressure and political scrutiny, which gives the tension a very grounded, almost suffocating texture. The former-officer protagonist is haunted by his past, and I appreciated how Hayden balances his inner turmoil with the urgent, terrifying mystery he’s trying to unravel. As a short “Book 0” the story efficiently sets up the stakes and character dynamics, though some moments feel a little rushed, there’s not always time to breathe between the plot beats. But that makes it a compelling, page-turning introduction: raw, suspenseful, and emotionally weighty.
I'll rate it 4 out of 5 stars because it is emotionally realistic, has a chilling premise, and strong setup, even if it occasionally sacrifices depth for pace.
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February 23, 2021good
August 3, 2016
Not bad, but very short. It's a set up for the next book in the series.
September 5, 2017
The twists and turns were amazing! The book subject itself was a little intimidating at first, but there was a lot more going on. Grisly details not included. Great book to get you hooked.
August 2, 2016
Boring to me
I found it to be very uneventful and lacking. I got so bored I actually skipped to the last few chapters just to see if they were able to find the kidnappers or the kids. Even the ending was boring. Absolutely no suspense. I'm not even interested in the next book in this series. Would not recommend.
I found it to be very uneventful and lacking. I got so bored I actually skipped to the last few chapters just to see if they were able to find the kidnappers or the kids. Even the ending was boring. Absolutely no suspense. I'm not even interested in the next book in this series. Would not recommend.
April 30, 2016
Thriller
Little girl is abducted from school, just minutes before her mother pulled in to pick her up. Year later another girl kidnapped from the parking lot of grocery store. Real page turner.
Little girl is abducted from school, just minutes before her mother pulled in to pick her up. Year later another girl kidnapped from the parking lot of grocery store. Real page turner.
May 6, 2017
Thriller
This was good. It was a bit short, but a good read. The ending really captured me. Which means, I need the sequel.
This was good. It was a bit short, but a good read. The ending really captured me. Which means, I need the sequel.
July 2, 2018
An amazing suspenseful book. I was so riveted from the beginning to the end.
The SNATCHER is abducting young girls from ages 6-11 years of age.
He’s struck again at an elementary school taking Jenny Dawson, as the search for her return becomes futile, a year passes and it slowly becomes another cold case.
A year later on the exact date of Jenny’s abduction in the same town, Emily Beckett is taken after the assailant knocks her Mom out in a grocery store parking lot.
Miriam Castillo was forced off the team after Jenny’s abduction and her partner’s death.
Emily’s parents have hired a Private Investigator and he know the only one to help him find Emily is the last person to see the kidnapper up close, Miriam Castillo.
This was a riveting suspenseful book that had me hooked from the beginning!
The SNATCHER is abducting young girls from ages 6-11 years of age.
He’s struck again at an elementary school taking Jenny Dawson, as the search for her return becomes futile, a year passes and it slowly becomes another cold case.
A year later on the exact date of Jenny’s abduction in the same town, Emily Beckett is taken after the assailant knocks her Mom out in a grocery store parking lot.
Miriam Castillo was forced off the team after Jenny’s abduction and her partner’s death.
Emily’s parents have hired a Private Investigator and he know the only one to help him find Emily is the last person to see the kidnapper up close, Miriam Castillo.
This was a riveting suspenseful book that had me hooked from the beginning!
October 27, 2018
This rating would have been much higher, if any type of geographical research would have been done concerning the locales in this book. The story itself was a decently crafted thriller, with a pace of action guaranteed to keep the reader intrigued. Living in Lee County, however, caused me to grit my teeth every time I saw how actual streets became cities. Counties don't have police departments; they have sheriff's departments. Police procedures were entirely fictionalized, and the reality intended in this novel did not exist. Hayden writes a good story, but he was severely let down by any supposed editorial guidance.
March 8, 2020
Fast paced short novel with 2 other follow up books in the series.
A dispaired and retired police officer, still trying to get a hold of herself from the year old incident that involved kidnapping of a little girl from school followed by killing of her rookie partner, is asked for help by a detective to solve a yet another kidnapping case which is linked with the all the previous ones. The investigation takes them face a rich, fearful and politically connected family which is involved in numerous crimes but is still out free.
The story ends with a happy and follow up ending which is continued in the next novel. Overall, it was a good and entertaining read.
A dispaired and retired police officer, still trying to get a hold of herself from the year old incident that involved kidnapping of a little girl from school followed by killing of her rookie partner, is asked for help by a detective to solve a yet another kidnapping case which is linked with the all the previous ones. The investigation takes them face a rich, fearful and politically connected family which is involved in numerous crimes but is still out free.
The story ends with a happy and follow up ending which is continued in the next novel. Overall, it was a good and entertaining read.
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December 17, 2020Wow! Great book! I didn’t find it so much a mystery so much as a Crime novel. It is about Miriam Sandoval who watches her police rookie partner be killed, escape, and the story of how the pd is unable to solve the crime.
Later a detective hunts her down after years and they work together to solve the case.
I do admit book one left me wanting book two so bad I have a headache now since I have to wait until after NYD to buy and read it.
I also can’t wait to share Roger Hayden’s name with my sister.
I found the story well told. I found not a single grammar mistake.
An excellent “who done it”.
Later a detective hunts her down after years and they work together to solve the case.
I do admit book one left me wanting book two so bad I have a headache now since I have to wait until after NYD to buy and read it.
I also can’t wait to share Roger Hayden’s name with my sister.
I found the story well told. I found not a single grammar mistake.
An excellent “who done it”.
December 29, 2019
Patience is Required for a Cliffhanger
The author begins the plot somewhat slowly, and then when the scene changes to the police procedure portion of the plot, it advances with astonishing rapidity. The ending of the book finds the murderer still at large.
Waiting for the conclusion of the police procedure plot requires patience which one may find to be in short supply at times. The ending is a true cliffhanger!
The characters of Miriam and O’Leary are moderately drawn for us. One gets the feeling they will be further developed in future books.
♥️🌲✡️🐑❄️☃️🔔✝️♥️
The author begins the plot somewhat slowly, and then when the scene changes to the police procedure portion of the plot, it advances with astonishing rapidity. The ending of the book finds the murderer still at large.
Waiting for the conclusion of the police procedure plot requires patience which one may find to be in short supply at times. The ending is a true cliffhanger!
The characters of Miriam and O’Leary are moderately drawn for us. One gets the feeling they will be further developed in future books.
♥️🌲✡️🐑❄️☃️🔔✝️♥️
December 7, 2016
Chilling. Lock your doors.
Hayden delivers a horrifyingly realistic tale of sickness and the hunt to bring serial child abductors to justice. The lives of everyone involved are forever changed but none so much as the detective who failed to find the last abducted girl's. He turns to the only one who has every eyed the snatched, now an ex cop. It's the last shot, especially since she only saw her from the car behind her.
Hayden delivers a horrifyingly realistic tale of sickness and the hunt to bring serial child abductors to justice. The lives of everyone involved are forever changed but none so much as the detective who failed to find the last abducted girl's. He turns to the only one who has every eyed the snatched, now an ex cop. It's the last shot, especially since she only saw her from the car behind her.
October 8, 2017
This is a series of books, read through the first one very quickly. Nothing worse than the kidnapping of a child unless your partner is killed in a routine traffic stop and the driver (the kidnapper) gets away. Sergeant Castillo is used as a political scapegoat and destroyed by the department and the press. Yet, a year later, she is drawn back to the small town she left to help solve another kidnapping by "The Snatcher". I am eager to read the next installment in this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 16, 2020
So it begins
The story is definitely something to stop and make you think because this is happening day in and day out in the world today. You think you're safe you think your children are safe but there's always some sicko out there watching. I'm so glad that Miriam was able to find Jenny and Emily. I just hope and pray she finds her daughter Ana before too much harm comes to her. Look forward to reading the next book
The story is definitely something to stop and make you think because this is happening day in and day out in the world today. You think you're safe you think your children are safe but there's always some sicko out there watching. I'm so glad that Miriam was able to find Jenny and Emily. I just hope and pray she finds her daughter Ana before too much harm comes to her. Look forward to reading the next book
February 24, 2017
Great beginning to a series
An excellent beginning to what promises to be a dark themed series. This is the first book I have read of this author's work. It had me speed reading and white knuckled until the very end. I can't wait to see what else he's written. Great job Mr. Hayden!
An excellent beginning to what promises to be a dark themed series. This is the first book I have read of this author's work. It had me speed reading and white knuckled until the very end. I can't wait to see what else he's written. Great job Mr. Hayden!
May 17, 2017
"Almost perfect"
Thoroughly enjoyed this police procedural with a twist. Everything was laid out in precise compartments. The characters were familiar. The pace towards the climax was relentless, which meant the cliffhanger ending was a disappointment, This would have worked as a complete story. Why ruin it?
Thoroughly enjoyed this police procedural with a twist. Everything was laid out in precise compartments. The characters were familiar. The pace towards the climax was relentless, which meant the cliffhanger ending was a disappointment, This would have worked as a complete story. Why ruin it?
July 13, 2017
Poor writing style.
This might have been a book with a good plot, but midway I had to stop reading it due to the flat monotonous writing. As a result the characters become cardboard cutouts. The possibly interesting Florida background is not there. Needless
to say I shall not read the series. But that is only my own personal opinion.
This might have been a book with a good plot, but midway I had to stop reading it due to the flat monotonous writing. As a result the characters become cardboard cutouts. The possibly interesting Florida background is not there. Needless
to say I shall not read the series. But that is only my own personal opinion.
June 10, 2018
Story was good. However, the further along I got, the more editorial errors I found. Sometimes it was the same sentence(s) were repeated, sometimes it was in the grammar or incorrect word used. Also, the gut instinct of the heroine became more unbelievable. I was anxious to get to the end well before the story ended.
August 5, 2018
Great start to a series!
Now I'm into the characters in the story and the surroundings, so I'll continue to read to find out what happens. Nothing like a good book of mystery and murder to keep you coming back for more! It's an easy read that needs more twists and turns to keep you on the edge.
Now I'm into the characters in the story and the surroundings, so I'll continue to read to find out what happens. Nothing like a good book of mystery and murder to keep you coming back for more! It's an easy read that needs more twists and turns to keep you on the edge.
January 14, 2019
Really liked this but....
I hate episode books. Otherwise, this would have received 4 stars. 5 stars are reserved for the Patricia Caldwell and David Weber authors.
The story was gripping. The writing was excellent. The characters believable and easy to identify with.
I just prefer whole books with real endings.
I hate episode books. Otherwise, this would have received 4 stars. 5 stars are reserved for the Patricia Caldwell and David Weber authors.
The story was gripping. The writing was excellent. The characters believable and easy to identify with.
I just prefer whole books with real endings.
January 17, 2019
I could not get enough of this book.
It grabbed me right from the first page.
I usually do not like books that leave me on a cliffhanger but in a way---the way this story goes I do not mind. I wish that I knew before that this would be a continuing story and I would have got the next book when I got this one.
I could not put the book down and now I have to wait to get the next one.
It grabbed me right from the first page.
I usually do not like books that leave me on a cliffhanger but in a way---the way this story goes I do not mind. I wish that I knew before that this would be a continuing story and I would have got the next book when I got this one.
I could not put the book down and now I have to wait to get the next one.
May 12, 2023
The author is from Knoxville
I don’t know how the author knows about the little town of Palmdale Florida. It is a very small town. I spent a lot of time in Palmdale camping at the Fisheating Creek Campground. I enjoyed this book. There wasn’t a whole lot of frivolous filler. It got right to the story.
I don’t know how the author knows about the little town of Palmdale Florida. It is a very small town. I spent a lot of time in Palmdale camping at the Fisheating Creek Campground. I enjoyed this book. There wasn’t a whole lot of frivolous filler. It got right to the story.
October 26, 2016
This was an excellent book that kept your interest from page one. I was surprised how fast I read it since the description was so real and the suspense made you want to find out who was responsible for the kidnapping. Again an amazing book I recommend all to read. Thank you.
March 16, 2017
Brilliant
Highly recommend this book by Roger Hayden, which I haven't been able to put down! Brilliant storyline and characters. Can't wait to read the next installment as this book ends in a cliffhanger!
Highly recommend this book by Roger Hayden, which I haven't been able to put down! Brilliant storyline and characters. Can't wait to read the next installment as this book ends in a cliffhanger!
May 31, 2017
I should have known!
Excellent page turner - focussed novel with no deviations from the plot but I should have realised that the fact this was classed as book 0 meant I would be left on a cliff hanger! Nothing for it but to buy the next book!
Excellent page turner - focussed novel with no deviations from the plot but I should have realised that the fact this was classed as book 0 meant I would be left on a cliff hanger! Nothing for it but to buy the next book!
September 25, 2017
Couldn't put it down
On the edge of your seat action and suspense. Very well written. The characters are easy to relate to as they express their fury, frustration and fear over the disappearance of a local girl. Gone, seemingly without a trace.
On the edge of your seat action and suspense. Very well written. The characters are easy to relate to as they express their fury, frustration and fear over the disappearance of a local girl. Gone, seemingly without a trace.
October 26, 2017
Captivating read...
However, I don't appreciate being made to give a written review. I don't mind giving a rating though. Anyhow, this a definite "must read", and is well written...and I like this style of writing.
However, I don't appreciate being made to give a written review. I don't mind giving a rating though. Anyhow, this a definite "must read", and is well written...and I like this style of writing.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 179 reviews