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Sam Wylde #1
Safe From Harm
YOU CAN RUN
Sam Wylde is a Close Protection Officer to the rich and powerful. In a world dominated by men, being a woman has been an advantage. And she is the best in the business at what she does.
YOU CAN HIDE
She takes a job protecting the daughter of the Sharifs – Pakistani textile tycoons – but she realises that there is more to their organisation than meets the eye and suddenly she finds herself in danger.
BUT ONLY ONE PERSON WILL KEEP YOU SAFE FROM HARM
Now she is trapped underground, with no light, no signal and no escape. Dangerous men are coming to hurt her, and the young charge she is meant to be protecting. With time running out, can she channel everything she knows to keep them safe from harm…?
Sam Wylde is a Close Protection Officer to the rich and powerful. In a world dominated by men, being a woman has been an advantage. And she is the best in the business at what she does.
YOU CAN HIDE
She takes a job protecting the daughter of the Sharifs – Pakistani textile tycoons – but she realises that there is more to their organisation than meets the eye and suddenly she finds herself in danger.
BUT ONLY ONE PERSON WILL KEEP YOU SAFE FROM HARM
Now she is trapped underground, with no light, no signal and no escape. Dangerous men are coming to hurt her, and the young charge she is meant to be protecting. With time running out, can she channel everything she knows to keep them safe from harm…?
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First published December 1, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
March 7, 2017
4 1/2 starts
My View:
This is an action packed, adrenaline fuelled thriller! It took me a little time to absorb the acronyms and the back story – the story of PPO’s (Personal Protection Officers) I know this needed to be done but I felt this bogged down the narrative…for a short while, then when we were all up to speed - I could not put this book down!
A great opening hook – a job description – sounding more glamorous than dangerous – but don’t be fooled – this is a narrative where what you think you see/read is not what you get! Be prepared to be manipulated, to be conned, to be played…then watch what happens to the protagonist!
Told from alternating time frames – twenty months earlier, mostly safe and secure and then this very minute – where there is “a man coming to hurt us. Probably more than one man. Two or three perhaps. Not four. They won’t need four to deal with us. After all we are trapped down here…” p. 3 this really is a heart pounding read! I do not say this lightly – I could feel the tension in my body rising as I delved into this narrative, once engaged with the story I could not put this book down. I had to read until the end, I had to know the outcome…and I was not surprise for the two mega twists here!
If you like your protagonist to be strong, sensible, assertive, combat ready and female and your villains to be dastardly, bold, calculating, incredibly smart and savvy who will fool you at least once, maybe twice in this read…than this is the book for you. Be warned you will be staying up until you finish reading this book. You will not believe the gut wrenching outcomes…but rest assured there is at least one more book in this series, and if you are a fan or Rachel Amphlett, Ian Andrew, Ben Sanders or Lee Child, you will love this thriller.
My View:
This is an action packed, adrenaline fuelled thriller! It took me a little time to absorb the acronyms and the back story – the story of PPO’s (Personal Protection Officers) I know this needed to be done but I felt this bogged down the narrative…for a short while, then when we were all up to speed - I could not put this book down!
A great opening hook – a job description – sounding more glamorous than dangerous – but don’t be fooled – this is a narrative where what you think you see/read is not what you get! Be prepared to be manipulated, to be conned, to be played…then watch what happens to the protagonist!
Told from alternating time frames – twenty months earlier, mostly safe and secure and then this very minute – where there is “a man coming to hurt us. Probably more than one man. Two or three perhaps. Not four. They won’t need four to deal with us. After all we are trapped down here…” p. 3 this really is a heart pounding read! I do not say this lightly – I could feel the tension in my body rising as I delved into this narrative, once engaged with the story I could not put this book down. I had to read until the end, I had to know the outcome…and I was not surprise for the two mega twists here!
If you like your protagonist to be strong, sensible, assertive, combat ready and female and your villains to be dastardly, bold, calculating, incredibly smart and savvy who will fool you at least once, maybe twice in this read…than this is the book for you. Be warned you will be staying up until you finish reading this book. You will not believe the gut wrenching outcomes…but rest assured there is at least one more book in this series, and if you are a fan or Rachel Amphlett, Ian Andrew, Ben Sanders or Lee Child, you will love this thriller.
December 8, 2016
What I liked about this story is that it is a woman named Sam Wylde the main character and not a man in a suit doing this job. Sam's job as a female Close Protection Officer to protect her clients from kidnap, extortion, and assassination. On a long- hall flight a disturbance takes place. It is great news for RJ Bailey as an early film interest. RJ Bailey has created a serial hero to rival Jack Reacher. Safe from Harm is based on real-life experiences researched by the author and is terrifyingly close to the truth.
February 21, 2017
Well.....I read it to the end, so that says something, I suppose.
Safe From Harm by R.J. Bailey is full of action and suspense, but there were times when I thought "Oh, what now?" There seemed to be so many interweaving storylines - some unresolved by the end of the novel. However, that does leave it open for a sequel, which is promised for 2018.
Some Goodreads reviewers have likened the female protagonist to Lee Child's creation, Jack Reacher. Certainly, if you enjoy lots of action and a hero/heroine who is death-defying, you will love Sam Wylde and her escapades.
Unfortunately, Jack Reacher doesn't draw me back, after dipping my toe into that ocean of thrills. We'll have to see with Sam Wylde.
Safe From Harm by R.J. Bailey is full of action and suspense, but there were times when I thought "Oh, what now?" There seemed to be so many interweaving storylines - some unresolved by the end of the novel. However, that does leave it open for a sequel, which is promised for 2018.
Some Goodreads reviewers have likened the female protagonist to Lee Child's creation, Jack Reacher. Certainly, if you enjoy lots of action and a hero/heroine who is death-defying, you will love Sam Wylde and her escapades.
Unfortunately, Jack Reacher doesn't draw me back, after dipping my toe into that ocean of thrills. We'll have to see with Sam Wylde.
February 7, 2017
Safe from Harm – A Spectacular Debut Thriller
Safe from Harm is the spectacular debut thriller from secretive writing duo (I think) RJ Bailey who have created a female hero in the mode of Jack Reacher that Tom Cruise cannot ruin. This is a well written, well thought out thriller that grabs you from the beginning and keeps hold of you all the way through and have already laid the hook for the next in the series.
Sam Wylde is a Close Protection Officer, an enhanced personal body guard to us peasants, to the rich and the powerful and when we are introduced to her she is in the process of protecting a politician on a flight out of Heathrow. It is here that she learns that her husband has been murdered by terrorists and she withdraws from the only job she knows to take care of her daughter.
When she finally decides to get her life back together once again she is going back to what she knows, protection work and goes to work for a firm on The Circuit and has two job interviews, one with a Russian family and the other with a Pakistani family. She ends up having to audition for the job with the Russian and must fight, even if she wins she is not happy.
The daughter of the Pakistani businessman connects with Sam and so she works for the family, and that is when her problems really begin. After not working for nearly two years she is a little rusty and does not pick up things as quickly as she once did, when she is saved by people from the Security Services and asked to assist them watching the family.
It is while minding the family she discovers a few truths possibly that shake her confidence in people around her and that she is going to have to fight to the death if she is to survive. While life is throwing her a lot of lemons and she is making a lot of lemonade she is also having to roll with the punches, but whether she can cope with the ultimate betrayal we will see.
This really is a gripping and claustrophobic thriller that leaves you guessing as to what will happen next and what a way to introduce a new exciting character in Sam Wylde. One thing is for sure she is kicking ass and taking names, proving that women can be physical as well as cerebral and book readers have a new heroine, and she is so welcome.
Safe from Harm is the spectacular debut thriller from secretive writing duo (I think) RJ Bailey who have created a female hero in the mode of Jack Reacher that Tom Cruise cannot ruin. This is a well written, well thought out thriller that grabs you from the beginning and keeps hold of you all the way through and have already laid the hook for the next in the series.
Sam Wylde is a Close Protection Officer, an enhanced personal body guard to us peasants, to the rich and the powerful and when we are introduced to her she is in the process of protecting a politician on a flight out of Heathrow. It is here that she learns that her husband has been murdered by terrorists and she withdraws from the only job she knows to take care of her daughter.
When she finally decides to get her life back together once again she is going back to what she knows, protection work and goes to work for a firm on The Circuit and has two job interviews, one with a Russian family and the other with a Pakistani family. She ends up having to audition for the job with the Russian and must fight, even if she wins she is not happy.
The daughter of the Pakistani businessman connects with Sam and so she works for the family, and that is when her problems really begin. After not working for nearly two years she is a little rusty and does not pick up things as quickly as she once did, when she is saved by people from the Security Services and asked to assist them watching the family.
It is while minding the family she discovers a few truths possibly that shake her confidence in people around her and that she is going to have to fight to the death if she is to survive. While life is throwing her a lot of lemons and she is making a lot of lemonade she is also having to roll with the punches, but whether she can cope with the ultimate betrayal we will see.
This really is a gripping and claustrophobic thriller that leaves you guessing as to what will happen next and what a way to introduce a new exciting character in Sam Wylde. One thing is for sure she is kicking ass and taking names, proving that women can be physical as well as cerebral and book readers have a new heroine, and she is so welcome.
December 25, 2016
Loved it, really good character development and tense throughout. A clear amount of research gone into it too. Highly recommend for anyone who loves a good thriller.
July 2, 2017
Oh how I loved this book. This will most definitely be on my Outstanding Books of The Year list.
A fast paced, thrill a minute, edge-of-the-seat glimpse into the world of a female Close Protection Officer.
I had to read this in short bursts because reading it sent me into fright or flight mode with adrenaline levels so high, I thought a heart attack might be imminent!
Not for the faint hearted or those with an aversion to reading about women in dangerous situations who know how to fight their way out of trouble and are more than capable of getting the upper hand in violent confrontations.
The protagonist Samantha (Sam) Rae Wylde is a former army medic with service in Afghanistan. There are occasional flashbacks to that time which add to Samantha's back story and we find out more about her life and how she became a PPO, although I suspect there is much more to learn about this character and we will in subsequent series (can't wait!)
With a personal tragedy behind her and a young teenage daughter to care for, Samantha becomes employed by a rich Asian family who might have links to some dangerous groups.
With plots, counter-plots and characters who aren't all they seem the story moves very swiftly from one dilemma to another with Sam right at the centre of it all.
I loved Sam's humour, and wry observational style throughout and bits of the witty remarks and come-backs made me laugh out loud at times.
I hated the author though for leaving some unfinished business at the end of this book but it makes me look forward to the next in the series, so that I can be scared out of my wits again!
A fast paced, thrill a minute, edge-of-the-seat glimpse into the world of a female Close Protection Officer.
I had to read this in short bursts because reading it sent me into fright or flight mode with adrenaline levels so high, I thought a heart attack might be imminent!
Not for the faint hearted or those with an aversion to reading about women in dangerous situations who know how to fight their way out of trouble and are more than capable of getting the upper hand in violent confrontations.
The protagonist Samantha (Sam) Rae Wylde is a former army medic with service in Afghanistan. There are occasional flashbacks to that time which add to Samantha's back story and we find out more about her life and how she became a PPO, although I suspect there is much more to learn about this character and we will in subsequent series (can't wait!)
With a personal tragedy behind her and a young teenage daughter to care for, Samantha becomes employed by a rich Asian family who might have links to some dangerous groups.
With plots, counter-plots and characters who aren't all they seem the story moves very swiftly from one dilemma to another with Sam right at the centre of it all.
I loved Sam's humour, and wry observational style throughout and bits of the witty remarks and come-backs made me laugh out loud at times.
I hated the author though for leaving some unfinished business at the end of this book but it makes me look forward to the next in the series, so that I can be scared out of my wits again!
January 27, 2020
Easy read with rather an abrupt ending.
August 25, 2017
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
I actually really liked this book. It reminded me very strongly of Jack Reacher, except Sam Wylde is tied down to a house with a family. I didn't quite follow all of the different aspects - Bojan and his crony, the Asparovs, the Sharifs, Tom and MI5 - and how they interlinked, especially alongside the Matt / Jess home storyline. However, the book was fast paced and enjoyable. I really liked the character development of Sat Wylde, though I thought that her daughter was slightly one dimensional.
I actually really liked this book. It reminded me very strongly of Jack Reacher, except Sam Wylde is tied down to a house with a family. I didn't quite follow all of the different aspects - Bojan and his crony, the Asparovs, the Sharifs, Tom and MI5 - and how they interlinked, especially alongside the Matt / Jess home storyline. However, the book was fast paced and enjoyable. I really liked the character development of Sat Wylde, though I thought that her daughter was slightly one dimensional.
April 12, 2022
I gave up. Read about half. Wasn't enjoying it. Nothing was happening,.. couldn't be bothered with it anymore.
March 12, 2017
Book blurb...
London: a city where the super-rich flock – and where their enemies follow. And in this city of eight million people, where any stranger could be a threat, a close protection operative is the must-have accessory for anyone who is anyone.
But not just any close protection officer. A female close protection officer. One who can blend into the crowd, but who is tough enough to counter any threat.
Safe From Harm is the explosive opening to an exciting new series by a thrilling new talent.
My thoughts…
I love the fact that this story is the first in a series. It was a great read and I obviously have a lot more book to look forward to.
I love reading about strong women, especially one that can physically fend for herself. In this story Sam Wylde is just that, however she does take on the best of them (in terms of antagonists) with unexpected consequences.
This powerful story will keep you reading but be aware. It is a series and the author has left some loose ends, so you will need to read the next book to find the answers.
London: a city where the super-rich flock – and where their enemies follow. And in this city of eight million people, where any stranger could be a threat, a close protection operative is the must-have accessory for anyone who is anyone.
But not just any close protection officer. A female close protection officer. One who can blend into the crowd, but who is tough enough to counter any threat.
Safe From Harm is the explosive opening to an exciting new series by a thrilling new talent.
My thoughts…
I love the fact that this story is the first in a series. It was a great read and I obviously have a lot more book to look forward to.
I love reading about strong women, especially one that can physically fend for herself. In this story Sam Wylde is just that, however she does take on the best of them (in terms of antagonists) with unexpected consequences.
This powerful story will keep you reading but be aware. It is a series and the author has left some loose ends, so you will need to read the next book to find the answers.
August 4, 2017
Great read. The narrator is a professional PPO (more than a bodyguard) whose husband, Paul, has recently been killed. She needs to get back to work now and gets two interviews through her agent. One is to protect the wife of a Oakistani businessman and her daughter. The other is for a Russian 'oligarch' whose interview techniques are unusual to say the least.
Tom, an ex-colleague of Paul's, comes into the story and leaves again on his barge. Why does he feel the need to move on so quickly? What doe she know of Pauls murder? Can she trust him?
Action packed and full of intrigue with many twists and turns.
Tom, an ex-colleague of Paul's, comes into the story and leaves again on his barge. Why does he feel the need to move on so quickly? What doe she know of Pauls murder? Can she trust him?
Action packed and full of intrigue with many twists and turns.
October 28, 2018
This book is about a PPO (yes an annoying 3 letter acronym - many more of which appear in this book). Anyway, the Personal Protection Officer protects clients from danger but it appears her past is likely to cause more danger to herself and those around her.
The book started badly with way too many unfamiliar terms that were then explained in excruciating detail but I persisted.
Now, here's the spoiler, just as it gets interesting the book stops. Just ends. No conclusion just ends. I hate that. This is a ploy to make you buy the next offering. I won't be as I think this is just plain wrong. Sure it's fine to have an ending that allows for a sequel but this goes beyond that concept.
The book started badly with way too many unfamiliar terms that were then explained in excruciating detail but I persisted.
Now, here's the spoiler, just as it gets interesting the book stops. Just ends. No conclusion just ends. I hate that. This is a ploy to make you buy the next offering. I won't be as I think this is just plain wrong. Sure it's fine to have an ending that allows for a sequel but this goes beyond that concept.
February 9, 2025
I really wanted to like this book, and in fairness I really couldn’t read the entire book because the back and forth was like offering action and excitement, then drizzling a tiny dose of action to keep you reading. I expected more, but the extraneous hints and the dribbles of actual involvement and excitement was a turn off. I wanted a story, not a book-full of “it will get interesting soon.” I put this one down to go watch my grass grow.
January 28, 2017
Entertaining thriller mystery, appealing super capable heroine with interesting friends.
Some loose threads at the end of the book but it leads to a sequel which I for one am very much looking forwards to.
I'll look for more from this author.
Some loose threads at the end of the book but it leads to a sequel which I for one am very much looking forwards to.
I'll look for more from this author.
August 7, 2017
Definitely fast paced from beginning to end.
This book from beginning to end was so fast paced and kept you intrigued and will be definitely buying the next, even my 82 year old mother can't put it down.
This book from beginning to end was so fast paced and kept you intrigued and will be definitely buying the next, even my 82 year old mother can't put it down.
December 30, 2018
Oh my goodness! This was a rollercoaster, fast-paced and punchy, a bit graphic and rather fighty but not too much, and a great lead-in to the next book which I need to find right now! Highly recommended if you’re a Lisa Gardner fan or love action-packed stories 😁
November 19, 2022
Good thriller featuring a female bodyguard trying to work out who is the target and who is trying to kill them. Well-researched and convincing. Lots of twists and turns, lots of action and very fast moving.
July 17, 2017
Really, very good!
I had my doubts as I started this book, but my goodness, it turned into a real page turner! Lots of action, thoroughly recommended!
I had my doubts as I started this book, but my goodness, it turned into a real page turner! Lots of action, thoroughly recommended!
July 29, 2017
Loved it. A female close protection officer, who is a victim, and a hero at the same time.
My only complaint is the finish...read it and see if you have the same reaction.
My only complaint is the finish...read it and see if you have the same reaction.
July 30, 2017
A real page turner - looking forward to book 2
August 29, 2017
Decent enough thriller. Sufficiently entertaining to make me want to read the next one.
December 10, 2017
Brilliant!
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Fast paced with twists and turns in evey chapter. Will definitely look for more by this author
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Fast paced with twists and turns in evey chapter. Will definitely look for more by this author
May 17, 2018
Absolutely brilliant. Completely unexpected twists throughout.
October 20, 2019
Couldn't put it down.
It's nice to read a book with story line UK based so that the hero is not some neanderthal jock who goes about shooting all the bad guys.
It's nice to read a book with story line UK based so that the hero is not some neanderthal jock who goes about shooting all the bad guys.
January 13, 2020
Started off slowly but glad I stuck with it. Read in one sitting as I couldn’t put it down. A bit disappointed in the end but I guess that means it leaves it open for a follow on.
May 16, 2020
Fast paced, exciting and enjoyable. Will purchase next in series.
May 17, 2022
A good pace and some very well developed characters make this a very good read.
December 15, 2024
Took a time to get into it, and then disappointed with the ending.
March 7, 2017
Explosive Story
This was soooo damn good. From the first page you know it's going to grip you, and it did not disappoint. The main character is just fantastic with her life experiences. I strongly advice people get this book ...Today!! I loved the ending because I'm now eagerly awaiting the second book to follow this independent woman on a mission.
This was soooo damn good. From the first page you know it's going to grip you, and it did not disappoint. The main character is just fantastic with her life experiences. I strongly advice people get this book ...Today!! I loved the ending because I'm now eagerly awaiting the second book to follow this independent woman on a mission.
February 18, 2017
Like many ex soldiers, Sam Wylde has become a private protection officer, spending her days guarding politicians, the mega rich and celebrities, all for a nice pay day coupled with a dose of boredom and stress. But when Sam's husband is killed, her world falls apart and she can't take care of herself, let alone anyone else. Lured back into the PPO game, after many months of personal anguish, Sam finds herself pitched against the following: extremely violent Russians, a Pakistani family who are not all that they seem, a newly returned ex and a man who spends his life on canal boats because he is haunted by his past, a past that includes her dead husband. But is it really the 'past'? And who was her late husband anyway? 'Safe From Harm' was certainly an action packed read and featured one of the best female protagonists I have come across in a while. I enjoyed it from start to finish and look forward to the cliffhanger ending being resolved. Only criticism I had was the language was a bit explicit for my taste at times and also became a bit repetitive. Other than that, a very solid four stars.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews