My thoughts - 

 

“The Negotiator” is the second book by Brooke Robinson after her success with her debut novel “The Interpreter”. The story opens with an opening prologue that has a high octane scene, perfectly portrayed to get the adrenaline pumping and to intrigue the reader for more to come. 

 

The chapters are interspersed between the then and now from both Tia’s and Asher’s perspective. Tia, ex met police officer and now working for a private investigation company called “Brilliant Bobbies” has her demons following a hostage situation at a local museum involving Asher, a teenage university student hoping to make a stand for ‘real net zero’ along with two of his student friends. When the siege took a dramatic turn, Tia a visitor to the museum that day, tried to remember her hostage training to help save lives but can she manage to make the outcome death free? 

 

When in the present day, she is approached by a survivor’s wife to investigate a case, Tia has to relive the events in order to determine who is causing distress to the survivors involved that day, whilst also battling her own mental health from those recent events. 

 

Depicting students views in university environmental activist groups of the likes of ‘Stop Oil’ and ‘Extinction Rebellion’ and the extent some will go to convince people things need to change, the author shows how the effects of these personal opinions can have, when put into practice. 

 

“The Negotiator” is a slow burn thriller after an exciting prologue but does ramp up the tension and action in the denouement with a conclusion that was both deeply emotional and thought provoking. 

 

#TheNegotiator - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️