So this is the third in a series. I had previously read the second, and was not going to read any more, but here I am! This follows FBI agent Susan Parker 2 months after her house was blown up in the previous book. Her husband Amit has been dead now for a year, and she is raising her daughter with the help from her sister-in-law. Ramon asks for Susan to assist him when an underground safe house for illegal immigrants is blown up. The upper echelon feel this is case that is too hot for any department to handle, so they let Susan and her team look into it. (Umm....ok).

The investigation is interesting and unique. I wish that it really focused on that. Once again, there are a myriad of characters, each representing a different aspect of diversity. While I appreciate this inclusion, it was hard to keep track of, jumping from sexual orientation, religious beliefs, cultural differences.. It was also distracting because it was not fluid or seemed genuine- but more forced into the characters. This became a little jarring.

I continued to dislike Susan. She is angry, seems to find fault with others. She also goes off on random thoughts- and once again, I got frustrated reading. At one point a character is blown away in front of her, and her response, "My poor hair!" I am not kidding!
The death/murder of her husband is still brough up a lot- but once again, not solved. I think it might continue to the end of the series.

I feel if the author stuck to the investigation, and really fleshed out major characters, this would be so much better. As it is, I think this is where I part ways with this series. As it was, I skimmed over a bit when she went into her random thoughts and rants.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Amazing! Love this author and this book was just spectacular! A brilliantly accomplished, fast paced masterpiece of a thriller. Just absolutely wonderful and engaging and thoroughly gripping. Loved this one.

Susan Parker is back along with her partner Seth Navid. This time they are investigating what looks to be a cave in. Accept upon closer look parker sees body parts. There are people all over crying and looking forlorn. FBI agent Parker asks what the hell happened here? Someone says that it was the safe house and it had gotten blown up and all their loved ones were down there.

That is where this book starts off. Goes from there to finding what the migrants liked to call The Saint. The farishta meaning the angel of mercy. He is known for saving and helping the migrants not hurting them. The Safe House has been around for over twelve years and it had been ran by Father Santos up until three years ago. That is when Father Santos had passed away. The new Father Santos has no feelings and the new Saint has no meaning to help migrants in any way.

Special Agent Parker couldn't get any help with any local police forces. She was completely on her own in this investigation. She began with getting a bigger team together as she knew she couldn't do it with just her a couple of other team members. They began with getting everything dug up and forensics to examine everything. They knew C4 had been used, they figured that has to be a military background of so sort. As they start to question all the folks there they start to get a better picture of who this Saint might be. He defiantly has a military background. Little do they know he has served and did two tours in dark op missions.. He was also a sharp shooter. He knew what he was doing and he was following Agent Parker very closely.

Sam Baron has done it again, if you haven't read his books The Therapy Room and The Murder Club you might want to. The stories all go together. They are all about Susan Parker and her family. Truly they are all so amazing and you learn a bit more about her and her deceased husband in each book. I am so looking forward to the next book!

Highly recommend this book and this author!

The Safe House by Sam Baron was a gripping read from the very beginning! I could not put this book down. FBI Agent Susan Parker is smart, charming and likeable.
Well-developed storyline with superb characters.
I was on the edge of my seat and couldn’t put it down.

Thank You NetGalley and Storm Publishing for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This book had a promise that it never quite delivered on. I feel it was a bit like a Chinese takeaway in that whilst reading it I quite enjoyed it but hours after I finished I struggled to recall why and wanted to read something longer lasting.

Susan Parker and her team unofficially set out to discover who is murdering illegal immigrants. A difficult case from start to finish with very little evidence to aid them in their search. Good descriptions and story line with unexpected twists. A worthy read. I received an ARC copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This series keeps getting better. I was completely invested in the mystery. Susan is such an interesting character and the others are complex as well. There is a plot that is ongoing over the series and I love each new discovery. I didn't have this one figured out before the reveal. I loved the surprise of the answers.

Note: Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and author Sam Baron for the advanced reader copy of this book. What follows is my unbiased review of the book.

The saying goes "Write what you know." With that in mind, after reading The Safe House, I had to look at author Sam Baron's background and see if he had any background in law enforcement. I couldn't find any indication that was the case, which explains a lot of the problems I had with the book.

This is the third book in a series centered around California FBI agent Susan Parker. Susan is a widow raising her daughter and trying to balance her career responsibilities with that of being a parent. She has help from her late husband's family, although his mother is a bit crazy.

Susan receives a call from Ramon, one of the members of her team. An immigrant himself, Ramon has ties to the illegal immigrant community and is called in when an underground safe house that contains twenty-nine illegal immigrants waiting for papers is blown up, killing all of them. With it being an election year, no one wants to touch the investigation. Susan calls in a favor and gets her team assigned to training for a week so they can unofficially investigate the killings. They learn a local priest known as "The Saint" was part of an underground network helping illegal immigrants. It would seem someone has taken on his persona but is killing the immigrants rather than helping them.

I wanted to like The Safe House, and I did in many ways. It's a compelling thriller in many ways. The character of The Saint had so much potential. The parts where the team was trying to investigate who he was and tracking leads were good. The uniqueness of the team Susan leads is also appreciated. However, Ramon's background would preclude him from being an agent no matter how good he was at it. This is where I had problems with the story. There were so many things that felt off, from the way the agents behave to the local chief of police who doesn't investigate anything. Not to mention, he's friends with Susan's mother-in-law and doesn't mind doing her bidding when it comes to interfering in Susan's life. The depth of emotion when they are uncovering the bodies from the safe house is great as the impact on the team members is shown. However, later on, Susan has a priest blown up just about in front of her face and barely blinks.

The personal distractions of several people detract from the investigation, which is part of the problem as well. While I enjoyed reading the book, I can't say I want to read more of the series. The characters are well-developed but don't feel right as FBI agents. The premise is great, but there are too many distractions from the central story. I've read many great thrillers and police procedurals, but this isn't one of them.

The Safe House by Sam Baron is a gripping thriller that dives deep into a chilling narrative of mass murder, deception, and relentless pursuit of justice. A man calling himself ‘The Saint’ purposely blows up a safe house for immigrants. It’s only because one of FBI Agent Susan Parker’s team has a tie to a victim’s family that they are even notified of the horrific incident. It gets worse when no agency wants to be involved. Even Susan’s team isn’t ‘officially’ working on the case.

Set against the gritty backdrop of urban America, the novel follows FBI Detective Susan Parker and her team to find the people/ person responsible for these horrific acts. How will these victims ever get justice? And what will it cost all of those involved?

I loved this series, and I highly recommend it, for those fast paced, have to find out what happened readers. In my opinion, Sam Baron does not disappoint. Hope you enjoy this one as much as I did.

My thanks to Storm Publishing, The Author, Sam Baron, as well as NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of The Safe House.

The third Sam Baron book I have read. A well written book with familiar characters. Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

I was really looking forward to reading this book as I ARC read the first two in the FBI Agent Susan Parker series and thoroughly enjoyed them. Unfortunately this one fell a bit short for me. I felt it started off extremely strong, but then dragged a bit. I was disappointed we still have not found out what happened to Susan's husband Amit as well. If you do want to read, I wouldn't suggest it as a standalone but to read both the previous books to get the back story of Susan Parker.

Thank you NetGalley, Sam Baron, and Storm Publishing for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I gave this a 3.5 stars but rounded up.

There is an underlying plot into who killed her husband, but i don't think it's necessary to read the whole series before reading this installment as enough background is given. I really hate Susan's mother in law though so wish she could be arrested or something! The case in this book is an underground safe house being blown up killing everyone inside. Politically no one wants to investigate, but Susan and her team go off the books with more murders following them as the killer tries eliminating anyone who might i.d him. A good read and I hope the next one comes soon

This is the third book in this series and I must admit to not having read the first two, however, this can be read as a standalone, there are references of happenings in the first two books that help to clarify things.
When FBI agent, Susan Parker, saw the face of her colleague, special agent Ramos Dias, she knew that something was very wrong but she wasn't prepared for the enormity of it.
An underground safe house where illegal immigrants were kept before they could be moved on was blown up, as Susan watched the bodies being removed, one was a tiny girls who was about the same age as her young daughter, Susan was incensed, who could do this ?
Susan had enough sadness in her life, she was recently widowed, she and her controlling mother in law had a mutual dislike of one another, this mass murder just added to her problems, an election was coming up so no one wanted to have anything to do with illegal immigrants, alive or dead, Susan and her loyal team were on their own.
As this story unfolds it soon becomes clear that Susan is not only fighting the killer but also the Santa Carina Valley PD, the only clues are the involvement of a priest know as "The Ghost" and someone with a knowledge of explosives.
The body count escalates, the lives of Susan and her team are in danger, The Ghost always seemed to be one step ahead of them, when the life of Susan's much loved daughter was threatened, Susan felt a fear that was palpable, she had to catch The Ghost.
While reading this book I had at least half a dozen suspects, all wrong I might add, there is suspense, drama and action, I look forward to reading the next book in the series and perhaps learning the mystery surrounding Susan's late husband, Amit.
Thank you Storm Publishing and Net Gallery for this ARC, my review is voluntary.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this eCopy to review

The Safe House is another gripping crime thriller in the FBI Agent Susan Parker series. This instalment sees her investigating a collapsed underground safe house in Santa Carina Valley, California. However, because the victims were illegal immigrants Susan and her team have to work this case on their own with next to no resources.

Still reeling from her husband’s (Amit) murder and receiving more devastating news from Naved about him, Can their friendship survive? Susan uncovers a chilling truth: the safe house explosion was deliberate, as the body count mounts, no-one is safe. Can Susan arrest the Saint before it is too late?

Full of twists and false leads this had me turning the pages late into the night

This started off sooo strong, but it just couldn’t keep my attention sadly. I thought this story was going to play out very differently but it just wasn’t for me. I prefer thrillers that are less about crime scenes, investigating, questioning witnesses and finding out what happened, like CSI or shows like that, so for that reason this just isn’t the book for me. However, if you like crime scene thrillers and a story similar to a CSI episode or along those lines then this is definitely for you and will probably keep you on your toes!!

An FBI Special Agent crime series, The Safe House (2024) by Sam Baron is the third in a series featuring Special Agent in Charge Susan Parker. The team led by Susan has the best investigation closing rate, but cannot rely on their FBI resources to solve this multiple murder case. Susan is taken to a desert location where the hole in the ground indicates a massive explosion with numerous victims. None of the various crime police departments want anything to do with the death of these immigrants. Susan’s manager agrees to put her team on unspecified training activities, allowing the team to investigate using their own time and resources. Given the confusing interview information, a complex case ensues as the all too few clues lead to nothing and an unidentifiable suspect. A classic police procedural with realistic characters and an authentic case that is a delight of a four and a half stars read rating. With thanks to Storm Publishing and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without inducement.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced cop of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A well-written gripping police drama, with plenty of twists and turns to hold you attention. REcommended.

"The Safe House" by Sam Baron is a solid thriller that had potential but ultimately fell short of delivering the gripping experience I was hoping for. The premise is compelling, with FBI Agent Susan Parker taking on a harrowing investigation while grappling with her own personal demons. The setting of a collapsed underground safe house provides a unique and eerie backdrop that sets the stage for what could have been an edge-of-your-seat thriller.

However, the story struggles to maintain momentum. The pacing is uneven, with some parts dragging on while others feel rushed. Susan Parker is a well-drawn character, but her internal struggles sometimes overshadow the central mystery, making it difficult to stay fully engaged with the plot. The antagonist, "the Saint," had the potential to be a terrifying and memorable villain, but the lack of depth in their backstory left me wanting more.

The twists and turns in the investigation are somewhat predictable, and while there are moments of tension, they don't sustain the level of suspense I crave in a thriller. That said, the book does have its strengths, particularly in its portrayal of grief and the toll it takes on Susan.

Overall, "The Safe House" is a decent read, but I feel like it didn't reach its full potential. You won't regret reading it, but go in with the right expectations.

Thank you Sam Baron, Storm Publishing, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

3.5 stars

The Safe House by Sam Baron  is the third in the FBI Agent Susan Parker series. 

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Storm Publishing and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

 
Series Background: (Warning - Contains spoilers from previous books) 
FBI Agent Susan Parker has been with the bureau over 10 years.  Her team consists of Special agents Ramon Diaz, Kayla Regis, and David Moskovitch, with Trainee agent Brine Thomas.   They work with Chief Evidence Investigator Marisol Mancini.  Detective Naved Seth from the local police force has been working with the group as a liaison.  Their old boss Deputy Director Connor Gentry is on leave pending some disciplinary action, and Deputy Director Zimal Bukhari has stepped in.  Susan is a single mother to 7 year-old Natalie, who is deaf, but her sister-in-law Lata has been helping out since Susan's husband Amit was murdered.  Susan's mother-in-law and her brother are antagonistic towards her, but her father-in-law is loving.  Recently Susan's home was burned to the ground by a serial killer targeting Susan.


My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Ramon seeks Susan's assistance when an underground safe house for illegal immigrants is blown up -- with the people still inside. No one survived.   Although this is too "hot" of a political issue for any of the police agencies or FBI to handle, Susan is given permission to go off the books and look into it.  She won't get much help, but she's allowed to use her team.

They quickly determine that this was a mass murder, and everything leads to someone that the refugees call "the Saint", who has been their savior in the past.  It may be that things have changed, as their savior may be the bomber.  The Saint apparently has some type of military background.  Things are about to get tense.

Meanwhile,  Susan and Lata are staying with the in-laws while they fight with insurance over the money from their house being burnt to the ground.  Things are not going well.  Then, Susan gets some disturbing news from Naved, who has  been looking into her hubsand's murder.


My Opinions:
This was really interesting.  I loved the plot from start to finish.

Again, the characters are really good.  Susan and her team are definitely a family.  I'm getting sick of her mother-in-law and her brother.  I'm hoping that their storyline will end soon.  At first I was annoyed that the author added so much diversity to her characters -- it seemed forced -- so many different ethnicities, sexual orientations, and people with disabilities within the series.  I'm now used to the inclusivity...or maybe not, as I am still thinking about it.

I'm hoping that the questions about Amit will be dealt with soon.  It's annoying that it goes from book to book to book without being finished.

Okay, as much as I complain, these books are really interesting, and I'm looking forward to the next book..

Sam Baron delivers another intriguing installment in his Agent Parker series, staying true to his signature style. The story's plot, particularly the antagonist's motive, is compelling and thought-provoking. It touches on themes that resonate beyond fiction, reflecting some unsettling truths about our country.

However, when it comes to Agent Parker's character development, I can't help but feel a bit let down. It seems like she hasn't grown or evolved much from the last novel to this novel. I don’t want to see her stuck in the same place, solving cases without any real personal progression.

On the other hand, Amit's story continues to fascinate me. It's a thread that has been skillfully woven into Agent Parker's narrative from the start, yet the author hasn't fully explored it. I'm really hoping for a dedicated novel that dives deep into Amit's backstory and gives it the attention it deserves.

Overall, while this book was an interesting read with a lot to offer, I'm left wanting more in terms of character growth and the unfolding of Amit's story. I’m eager to see where Sam Baron takes these elements in future installments.

I would like to express my deep gratitude to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for their generosity in allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.