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nzlisam's review against another edition
5.0
Imagine a society where the victim of a crime (or their family) is expected to accommodate the convicted person responsible in a prison cell in their own home?
In the near future UK prisons are a thing of the past. In their place, a focus on restorative justice and an emphasis on rehabilitation instead of mass incarceration for those who break the law.
Jem murdered Hannah's husband.
Now he's locked in a cage situated in Hannah's kitchen.
His sentence is twenty years.
Hannah is responsible for all his needs for the next two decades.
Then she uncovers several red flags regarding her husband's past.
And the more she gets to know Jem the less convinced she is that he is a killer.
But if Jem didn't murder her husband, then who did?
And how much danger is Hannah placing herself to get to the truth.
Holy cow! This unique, expertly-crafted futuristic thriller sure knocked me for six. The terrifying reality these characters inhabited makes me grateful for our current prison system. Okay so it may be lacking in some respects but this is not in any way an acceptable or healthy alternative. I was utterly impressed and shell-shocked by how everything came together in the end. The last 20% was nail-biting non-stop action suspense.
The Captive is mainly crime, mystery, and domestic noir, but sci-fi as well since the technology used doesn't currently exist in mainstream society. I’m also classing it as dystopian, which may seem a bit odd since life in general pretty much mirrored ours, however the justice system did not, and as a result it was definitely a country governed by a rigid set of rules, not to mention control, fear, loss of freedoms, and powerlessness that affected the majority of the population. And there was even time for romance, but there's nothing I can share about that subplot without spoiling it.
I love that the author took her time explaining the rules of the home prison system rather than bombarding me with an overload of information, yet it was always abundantly clear how the scheme worked. She even included personal accounts of situations where the current system had failed prisoners and victims, horror stories of all the ways things had gone disturbingly wrong, which made the whole thing even more scarily real.
Hannah and Jem were the main narrators, and Jem's chapters also included flashbacks to his childhood. I bonded with both characters and felt for their plight. The writing was straightforward, immediately drew me in, held my attention, and kept me invested emotionally.
Last year I added Deborah O’Connor's, The Dangerous Kind to my tbr, but never got around to reading it. After this phenomenal read I'll definitely be bumping it up my list.
I'd like to thank Netgalley, Bonnier Books/Zaffre and Deborah O'Connor for the e-ARC.
Publication Date: 7th January, 2021.
In the near future UK prisons are a thing of the past. In their place, a focus on restorative justice and an emphasis on rehabilitation instead of mass incarceration for those who break the law.
Jem murdered Hannah's husband.
Now he's locked in a cage situated in Hannah's kitchen.
His sentence is twenty years.
Hannah is responsible for all his needs for the next two decades.
Then she uncovers several red flags regarding her husband's past.
And the more she gets to know Jem the less convinced she is that he is a killer.
But if Jem didn't murder her husband, then who did?
And how much danger is Hannah placing herself to get to the truth.
Holy cow! This unique, expertly-crafted futuristic thriller sure knocked me for six. The terrifying reality these characters inhabited makes me grateful for our current prison system. Okay so it may be lacking in some respects but this is not in any way an acceptable or healthy alternative. I was utterly impressed and shell-shocked by how everything came together in the end. The last 20% was nail-biting non-stop action suspense.
The Captive is mainly crime, mystery, and domestic noir, but sci-fi as well since the technology used doesn't currently exist in mainstream society. I’m also classing it as dystopian, which may seem a bit odd since life in general pretty much mirrored ours, however the justice system did not, and as a result it was definitely a country governed by a rigid set of rules, not to mention control, fear, loss of freedoms, and powerlessness that affected the majority of the population. And there was even time for romance, but there's nothing I can share about that subplot without spoiling it.
I love that the author took her time explaining the rules of the home prison system rather than bombarding me with an overload of information, yet it was always abundantly clear how the scheme worked. She even included personal accounts of situations where the current system had failed prisoners and victims, horror stories of all the ways things had gone disturbingly wrong, which made the whole thing even more scarily real.
Hannah and Jem were the main narrators, and Jem's chapters also included flashbacks to his childhood. I bonded with both characters and felt for their plight. The writing was straightforward, immediately drew me in, held my attention, and kept me invested emotionally.
Last year I added Deborah O’Connor's, The Dangerous Kind to my tbr, but never got around to reading it. After this phenomenal read I'll definitely be bumping it up my list.
I'd like to thank Netgalley, Bonnier Books/Zaffre and Deborah O'Connor for the e-ARC.
Publication Date: 7th January, 2021.
lydialane0103's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
littleted62's review against another edition
4.0
The Captive is Deborah O'connor's third novel but is the first one I've read and I really enjoyed it. The story is set in a not too distant future where new restorative justice laws mean that convicted criminals don't go to a traditional prison, they serve their sentences in small cells built in the homes of their victims. The main protagonist is Hannah, a freelance baker, whose policeman husband was stabbed and killed outside a bar and the book begins as the perpetrator, a young man called Jem, is brought to her home. It's a fascinating premise and as the narrative switches between Hannah and Jem we learn more about them and the events leading up to the crime that has brought them together. Although there were a couple of predictable plot points the characters were engaging and there were more than enough twists and turns to keep me guessing right to the end.
char931's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
harrirebekah's review against another edition
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
maryw's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
melaniesreads's review against another edition
5.0
I’m sure I’m not in the minority, when on hearing of a crime, have uttered the words “what I would do if I got them in a room”. So imagine if that was more than a possibility and the criminal came to live in your house as part of the punishment.
Prisons no longer exist and instead the convicted are sent to the homes of those affected by their crimes or to host families under certain circumstances. Hannah’s husband John was a police officer murdered in an apparent mugging. Jem, convicted of his murder, is now to spend twenty years locked in a cell in Hannah’s basement kitchen. They call it restorative justice, seeing first hand the outcome of their crimes but Jem protests he is innocent and that her husband is a liar.
Told in alternate chapters between Hannah and Jem they are short and snappy to keep the pace high throughout. It works really well as you get just enough information drip fed to try and work out the truth. As Hannah starts to look more into her husband’s murder it becomes evident he had secrets and now her best friend Aisling is avoiding her.
I really liked Hannah from the start, it was the simple but caring gesture of sweeping away the fallen hair from her cancer suffering Domestic Liason Officer, so as not to embarrass him. Jem also had a backstory that tugged at my heartstrings, making me want his pleas of innocence to be true.
I read a lot of crime/thriller books and it blows my mind when one smacks me in the face with its originality. A book that made me question my own ethics and ask myself honestly what would I really do? I still don’t have the answer and I am glad justice is left to the professionals.
Prisons no longer exist and instead the convicted are sent to the homes of those affected by their crimes or to host families under certain circumstances. Hannah’s husband John was a police officer murdered in an apparent mugging. Jem, convicted of his murder, is now to spend twenty years locked in a cell in Hannah’s basement kitchen. They call it restorative justice, seeing first hand the outcome of their crimes but Jem protests he is innocent and that her husband is a liar.
Told in alternate chapters between Hannah and Jem they are short and snappy to keep the pace high throughout. It works really well as you get just enough information drip fed to try and work out the truth. As Hannah starts to look more into her husband’s murder it becomes evident he had secrets and now her best friend Aisling is avoiding her.
I really liked Hannah from the start, it was the simple but caring gesture of sweeping away the fallen hair from her cancer suffering Domestic Liason Officer, so as not to embarrass him. Jem also had a backstory that tugged at my heartstrings, making me want his pleas of innocence to be true.
I read a lot of crime/thriller books and it blows my mind when one smacks me in the face with its originality. A book that made me question my own ethics and ask myself honestly what would I really do? I still don’t have the answer and I am glad justice is left to the professionals.
lisas_library91's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely amazing, just the perfect amount of crime and romance
bookswithelena's review against another edition
5.0
4.5⭐
First of all I'd like to say a big thank you for the early copy I got from Readers First!
I loved this book's plot and this original idea of the story which was set in the UK and where instead of prisoners going to jail, they are placed in the custody of the victim who has to become their jailor. I found the writing of the book very interesting and easy to follow and from the very beginning it intrigued me a lot. This book was full of twists which made me shook but I think that some things were a bit predictable such as Hannah's and Jem's relationship or Rupert being the killer (maybe it was before I've read lots of crime books with the same storyline about how the characters turn to be, before in some way). Also I think that after the first half of the book (after Hannah's and Jem's attempt to escape) some things starting kind of rushing up and happening very quickly which annoyed me a bit. However, I still enjoyed this greatly and I'm very with the ending except of one thing! We never get to know what happens to Mr Dalgleish!
First of all I'd like to say a big thank you for the early copy I got from Readers First!
I loved this book's plot and this original idea of the story which was set in the UK and where instead of prisoners going to jail, they are placed in the custody of the victim who has to become their jailor. I found the writing of the book very interesting and easy to follow and from the very beginning it intrigued me a lot. This book was full of twists which made me shook but I think that some things were a bit predictable such as Hannah's and Jem's relationship or Rupert being the killer (maybe it was before I've read lots of crime books with the same storyline about how the characters turn to be, before in some way). Also I think that after the first half of the book (after Hannah's and Jem's attempt to escape) some things starting kind of rushing up and happening very quickly which annoyed me a bit. However, I still enjoyed this greatly and I'm very with the ending except of one thing! We never get to know what happens to Mr Dalgleish!
lucyp747d4's review against another edition
4.0
I’d like to thank Bonnier Book UK/Zaffre and NetGalley for approving me for an ARC of this book.
The whole concept of this book was deeply disturbing but wonderfully original. Can you imagine living with someone who had hurt you or a member of your family? If that was the only way to see them punished would you still press charges? I think Hannah was very brave to bring Jem into her house. I can understand why but at the same time I don’t know if I could of done it.
From the beginning this book grabbed my attention and the more I read the more I knew not everything was as it seemed. The alternating chapters between Hannah and Jem gave the book more pace and I really enjoyed learning about Jem’s childhood. I felt that his story represented so many and the author portrayed his upbringing in an honest and relatable way. The more I got to know Jem the more I liked him and understood his actions, I knew he was telling the truth but I also liked the air of mystery surrounding him. Many times I questioned what his involvement could be and really hoped he wasn’t going to go down in my estimation.
I felt that Hannah was very naïve, even I had worked out with the first few chapters why her best friend, Aisling, was avoiding her! As the book went on I warmed to her more and actually admired her determination and kindness. She had a good nature about her and I started to see why she hadn’t seen the signs earlier, she genuinely believed in the goodness of everyone. I loved the chapters that included her baking, the designs sounded sublime and had my taste buds tinging!
This was a thriller that delivered on all accounts. The writing was easy to follow and whilst I had guessed some of the revelations, the final chapters were packed with drama and tension!
The whole concept of this book was deeply disturbing but wonderfully original. Can you imagine living with someone who had hurt you or a member of your family? If that was the only way to see them punished would you still press charges? I think Hannah was very brave to bring Jem into her house. I can understand why but at the same time I don’t know if I could of done it.
From the beginning this book grabbed my attention and the more I read the more I knew not everything was as it seemed. The alternating chapters between Hannah and Jem gave the book more pace and I really enjoyed learning about Jem’s childhood. I felt that his story represented so many and the author portrayed his upbringing in an honest and relatable way. The more I got to know Jem the more I liked him and understood his actions, I knew he was telling the truth but I also liked the air of mystery surrounding him. Many times I questioned what his involvement could be and really hoped he wasn’t going to go down in my estimation.
I felt that Hannah was very naïve, even I had worked out with the first few chapters why her best friend, Aisling, was avoiding her! As the book went on I warmed to her more and actually admired her determination and kindness. She had a good nature about her and I started to see why she hadn’t seen the signs earlier, she genuinely believed in the goodness of everyone. I loved the chapters that included her baking, the designs sounded sublime and had my taste buds tinging!
This was a thriller that delivered on all accounts. The writing was easy to follow and whilst I had guessed some of the revelations, the final chapters were packed with drama and tension!