Exit Strategy

NYPD Negotiators #1

“Tense and tightly plotted, Exit Strategy pulls you in and doesn't let go. A compelling page-turner.”—Marc Cameron, New York Times bestselling author of Tom Clancy: Code of Honor

In this taut new suspense series featuring NYPD detective Gemma Capello and her close-knit law enforcement family, a madman brings a halt to the heart of the city that never sleeps . . .

After her mother’s death during a bank robbery when she was a child, Gemma Capello grew up to become one of the NYPD’s elite hostage negotiators. In a family of cops, there’s rarely a day when a Capello isn’t facing down some form of threat. Still, despite their unpredictable schedules, they always find time for their annual family summer picnic. But this year, a sudden phone call changes everything.

A heavily armed gunman has taken hostages at City Hall. Gemma races downtown to join the rest of the Hostage Negotiation Team as they scramble to identify the captives—fearing the mayor may be among them. But as they scramble for answers and struggle to gain control of the circumstances, it becomes clear that the mayor is at the center of it all, just not in the way they initially believed.

With several lives on the line and a criminal who always seems to be one step ahead, Gemma is the only one able to connect with the suspect. Soon, she finds herself engaging in a battle of wits while enduring a battle of egos in the command center. With time running out and a mastermind who has proven he’ll do whatever it takes to get what he wants, Gemma risks it all—her career and her life—in a last-ditch effort to save the hostages. Now, she needs to figure out how to save herself . . .

Reviews and Interviews:

Publishers Weekly: Describes EXIT STRATEGY as an "energetic series launch" with "convincing descriptions of New York City neighborhoods and police tactics, along with flashbacks full of Italian family lore" and recommends that "fans of contemporary police procedurals will hope to see a lot more of the capable Gemma."

Library Journal: "Danna kicks off her first solo effort with a compelling, dramatic story while using the protagonist’s family background as motivation. Readers who love the TV show Blue Bloods, with its family of cops, will relish this launch."

Bibliophile Book Club: “Fast-paced and packed with plenty of action. Reading Exit Strategy was like watching a movie, it had that cinematic, high-octane plot speed and plenty going on to keep the reader turning the pages.”

Rose Point Publishing: “A terrific well-plotted storyline. My hat is off to this author and her attention to detail and the weaving of a great read.”

The Reading Room: “Coming in hot. This phrase in its military meaning of “all guns blazing” describes the first book in a new series by Jen J. Danna to a tee. Readers will be riveted to the spot as the clock counts down on a day rife with danger and suspense. Danna has done a superb job of introducing the Capellos and the NYPD Negotiators series to readers. I’m excited about this series and what Gemma and her negotiating team will face next.”

Cathy’s World: "Thrilling story from beginning to end. I could not put this book down! Did I enjoy this book? Definitely. Would I read more in this series? Without a doubt." See Cathy’s full review for a breakdown of why she loved EXIT STRATEGY.

Crimespree Magazine: “The attention to detail, the psychological thought process of the police and antagonist, and the tidbits about an Italian family make for an interesting read. But the story is also riveting with its suspenseful, fast-action pace.”

Espresso Coco: “A fast-paced thriller which puts the hammer down from page 1 and doesn’t let up. Great fun, a solidly entertaining thriller, with a great family cast and an engaging plot. Looking forward to seeing Gemma Capello in her next adventures!”

Shot Caller

NYPD Negotiators #2

In Jen J. Danna’s gripping suspense series, NYPD detective Gemma Capello is called to Rikers Island, where a prison riot threatens to become a bloodbath . . .

On Rikers Island, tensions always run high, especially in the Enhanced Supervision Housing unit. The ESH is home to Rikers’ most dangerous offenders, many of them members of rival street gangs. When Gemma Capello and her team get word of an uprising at the ESH, they know how much is at stake. Gemma also has her own unresolved feelings to deal with—this is the first case she and Detective Sean Logan have worked together since a siege at City Hall that ended with the hostage taker’s death.

Built to hinder escape, prisons are also especially difficult for a tactical team to invade. That’s a last resort for Gemma, but the longer the inmates remain in control, holding corrections officers hostage, the greater the risk. Gemma begins negotiating with Kill Switch, a young, aggressive member of the Filero Kings gang and the inmates’ spokesman. She can tell the stress level is escalating inside. That may give her team some advantages, but it soon leads to a brutal act of retribution—and threats of more to come.

Navigating assumptions on all sides, Gemma desperately tries to stop the body count from rising. But with disagreements and volatility increasing all around, the only certainty is that the next misstep may be a fatal one . . .

Reviews:

Publishers Weekly: Danna’s solid sequel to 2020’s Exit Strategy. Danna’s convincing portrayal of the hostage negotiating process and life at Rikers keep the pages turning. Readers will look forward to Gemma’s next outing.

The Reading Room: "Danna is what I call a solid writer, one who has control over her story and gives readers a tightly woven plot where characters do their jobs without hysterics or psychological stumbling blocks. I can assure readers that the NYPD Negotiators is a sharp new series that will engage your attention with complete captivation.

Open Book Society: “What a rush this riveting, edge-of-the-seat thriller is! It is a fast-paced novel set in a jail on Rikers Island that demonstrates the author’s talents with setting, dialog, excellent characters, and suspense that does not quit.”

Goodreads Reviews:

“This book was amazing and the paced moved at such a great speed that fit with the story.”

“This was a taut thriller. I was hooked from the first page. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. The writing is unbelievably fantastic.”

“This is a great new series by a proven author, and I think "Shot Caller" is even more of a riveting page-turner than the excellent first in the series, "Exit Strategy."”

“This book was incredible. It drew the reader right in. I found myself holding my breath for what was coming next.”

“This book had me saying ‘one more chapter’ way into the night…”

“Having read the first book in this series my expectations were high. I was not disappointed.”

“A must read book in a newer series. You will love it!”

Lockdown

NYPD Negotiators #3

Releases May 21, 2024

When a horrific school shooting turns into a hostage situation, only Gemma Capello, the NYPD’s most skilled negotiator, has a chance to save innocent lives and end the crisis . . .

Talking a suspect into sending his hostages out alive is NYPD Detective Gemma Capello’s specialty. Alerted to a school shooting at her nephew’s Brooklyn high school, she is one of the first officers on-scene. Detective Sean Logan and the Apprehension Tactical Team arrive next and immediately enter the school to apprehend the two shooters, while Gemma remains outside to help students evacuate. But as time stretches on, and there is no word of her nephew, her fear builds that he is one of the lost.

One of the two shooters has holed up with a group of students and their teacher as hostages. Gemma steps in to negotiate for their survival. Floors away and armed with only her wits and the sound of her voice to convince him, Gemma fights for control of the situation even as tactical leadership pressures her for a more aggressive strategy. But for Gemma, it’s not about a quick solution. It’s about moving heaven and earth to bring everyone in that classroom home. And she’ll do whatever it takes to achieve that goal.

LOCKDOWN - Chapter One

Reviews:

Publishers Weekly: “In Driscoll’s pulse-pounding third thriller featuring Gemma Capello, she illustrates the negotiations with breathtaking panache. Driscoll approaches the potentially lurid material with admirable sensitivity, and maintains suspense throughout. Readers will clamor for the next installment.”

Rose Point Publishing: “A heart-pounding exposé of those real life situations we’ve seen repeated too often lately.”

Goodreads Reviews:

"WOW! An absolute rush from the beginning to the exciting end!"

"This is definitely the best book yet in this well written series."

"It was real, it was shocking, yet I could not put it down. It is a novel readers should not miss."

"The story for this book is powerful and one that will have you turning the pages till the end. I would highly recommend this book to anyone but especially to readers who love a good suspense book."

"This book grabbed me from the start and I couldn’t put it down."

"Sara Driscoll's newest NYPD Negotiators, Lockdown, deserves more than 5 stars! The intensity and heartbreak are intricately woven with the hopes and interactions of amazing characters. I could not put it down."

"Wow. This book was...wow. I literally could not put it down. I walked all over my house, through dinner, everywhere with my kindle in one hand, and my eyes glued to the screen. It was so intense. And emotional."

Terminal Impasse

NYPD Negotiators #4

Releases May 27, 2025

When domestic terrorists seize hostages at one of New York’s busiest commuter stations, they also capture Gemma Capello, an expert police negotiator determined to protect the innocent civilians . . .

NYPD detectives Gemma Capello and Sean Logan are cutting through Grand Central Terminal on their way to a nearby pub when all hell breaks loose. Masked men gun down police officers and round up a group of commuters—including Gemma and Logan—taking their cell phones and binding them hand and foot in zip ties. They are members of the paramilitary group known as Sinister 13, seeking the release of their imprisoned soldiers. Their leader wears a vest covered with C-4 plastic explosives, threatening to detonate it if their demands are not met.

To save the hostages, Gemma persuades their captors to allow her to negotiate with law enforcement on their behalf without revealing her identity. As she earns their trust, Logan plots to free himself to take on the gunmen. But time is running out. The abductors are growing more impatient and violent with every passing moment. With their NYPD colleagues on the outside, Gemma and Logan must use all their negotiation experience and tactical skills to prevent the situation from escalating into a bloodbath . . .