Synopsis
A gripping thriller perfect for fans of GIRL A, THE CAPTIVE will keep you guessing till the very end . . .
'Part thriller, part dark, unpredictable love story. A GRIPPING page-turner' ADELE PARKS, Platinum Magazine
'INGENIOUS. A smart, pacy and highly entertaining thriller' T.M. LOGAN
______________________
I am safe, Hannah told herself. He can't get out.
Jem stayed where he was by the wall.
His eyes followed her every move . . .
They live together. Jem and Hannah. Captive and keeper.
But who is the real prisoner. The one behind bars? Or the one that must give up their life to serve them?
Who holds the power. The one who has the key?
Or the one who knows the truth?
A brilliant, intensively gripping thriller, The Captive will keep you guessing till the very end . . .
______________________
Everyone is talking about THE CAPTIVE...
'Oh my god, its fantastic! Highly original, thrilling and emotional' JO SPAIN
'The perfect concept. The perfect execution. The perfect book' GILLIAN MCALLISTER
'This original concept thriller is SO GOOD' HEAT
'Readers will become totally hooked. Hugely original and entertaining' INDEPENDENT
'Highly original' DAILY MAIL
'Stunning. Staggeringly original, chilling, electrifying' CHRIS WHITAKER, author of We Begin at the End
'A great concept. Impressive, compelling storytelling as well as a FANTASTIC mystery' GYTHA LODGE
'Original, deft, and clever, The Captive certainly had me in its vice-like grip throughout' PHOEBE MORGAN
Publisher information
- Publisher: Zaffre
- ISBN: 9781838772673
- Number of pages: 416
- Dimensions: 198 x 129 x 25 mm
- Weight: 306g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
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Captivating Thriller
The Captive by Deborah O'Connor is probably the best book I've read all year. I couldn't put it down and read it all in just a couple of days. The main cha... READ MORE
Good Idea
I was surprised at the idea of having a cell in your house and whoever it was that committed the crime against you, housed in it for the duration of the se... READ MORE
Gritty and Unique
Imagine a world where you were forced to live with the monster who took your loved one from you... because that's Hannah's reality. When her husband is hea... READ MORE
Another 5 stars for this author....
Deborah O’Connor’s “The Dangerous Kind” was probably my read of the year in 2019 and after such a tremendous book, I wasn’t sure her latest novel “The Capt... READ MORE
Innovative high-concept psychological thriller on a near future system of restorative justice.
A high-concept psychological thriller, The Captive is set in London some time in the near future when, for a host of reasons, not least the cost and suppos... READ MORE
Couldn't stop reading.
Wow this book is absolutely fantastic. The storyline is extremely unique and well thought out and that is one of my favourite things about this book. Too m... READ MORE
Fabulous, gripping read!
Wow what a fabulous read! A story all about truth, trust and betrayal. The premise of a near future where victims "host" the perpetrators of crimes agains... READ MORE
A Masterpiece!
The Captive is a standalone psychological thriller from bestseller author Deborah O'Connor and follows Hannah Cavey after her police officer husband, John ... READ MORE
Wow this was so good and so different !!
I really enjoyed this book it was a very unique plot line and whilst I’m not quite sure how I feel about the concept of the victims of a crime having to ho... READ MORE
Captive-ating
Many books are advertised as fast paced page turner's, but few are. This truly is. An alternate now, all the same except prisons, which cost a lot and don'... READ MORE
Innovative high-concept psychological thriller on a near future system of restorative justice.
A high-concept psychological thriller, The Captive is set in London some time in the near future when, for a host of reasons, not least the cost and suppos... READ MORE
Gripping and fast paced
Thank you to Readers First for my copy of this book.
Had read about this book previously as was excited to get my hands on it.
The prison service is overru... READ MORE
Need ten stars
A masterpiece, epic concept that is thought provoking, unexpected, courageous, mesmerising and ethically mind blowing. The concept of a new form of corpore... READ MORE
Five stars isn’t enough
I was very fortunate to receive a hardback copy of this book from @readersfirst in exchange for an honest review - thank you so much!
I wasn’t sure what t... READ MORE
Clever plot and an enjoyable read
I really enjoyed this book. There are so many thrillers available to read that to come up with something this unique is a real accomplishment by the author... READ MORE
ok, but could have been so much more
This is set in the not too distant future. Criminals are placed in cages inside their victim's homes to do their time. So when Hannah's husband is killed, ... READ MORE
An interesting read
This was not quite what I was expecting, but I really enjoyed reading this book. I thought that the plot and characters were all very interesting and I was... READ MORE
Brilliant
I thought it was a very interesting story, particularly about the change in the justice system resulting in the assailant being caged in the victim's house... READ MORE
Fast paced, thrilling page turner!
Hannah’s husband John, a Met Police officer, has just been murdered and due to the collapse of the prison system, she is burdened with having to keep the c... READ MORE
wow
I raced through this book. Deborah O’Connor’s writing is very easy to sink into, and I became utterly gripped. The Captive has such a clever concept, and t... READ MORE
Read in 2 days!
I've read the book in two days, I think it would be right to call it hard to put down! It's got this amazing power of reeling you in, keeping you gripped a... READ MORE
A must read
When I first read the blurb I thought this book sounded amazing and my initial assumption of who and why someone was being held in the cage, and the realit... READ MORE
Captivating thriller
The concept of this book is so unique, I've never read anything like it! Hannah's husband John who was a police officer was murdered and Jem was convicted.... READ MORE
Really good!
The writer in her acknowledgment said that it’s a crazy idea for a book and I couldn’t agree more. In the best way possible! It works really well and been ... READ MORE
The captive
Was an interesting concept, awful for the person though. It was going well until the romance started, such a shame . The ending was rushed. Otherwise a goo... READ MORE
Amazing!! Captivating!! Thrilling!!
Right from the start this book has you in its thrall, hook, line and sinker! Hannah Cavey’s husband John, a Met detective, is murdered. The current system ... READ MORE
Unique
This story is so bizarrely unique and brilliant. The concept of criminal justice reform so that the perpetrator lives inside a cage in the victims house is... READ MORE
Wow
I am very greatful to receive an advance copy of The Captive. My thanks go to the publisher, author and to Readers First.
I love the cover, it’s dark and ... READ MORE
Incredible
In this story prisons no longer exist and instead, convicted people are sent to the live out their sentence in the homes of those who their crimes had an i... READ MORE
Yes!
Oh it was so good! I couldn't put it down! One of my favourite reads this year!
Right from the start, I was hooked. The idea of having to host a prisoner... READ MORE
Captivating!
Hannah is married to John, a police officer, when he’s killed the man convicted of killing him is imprisoned in her home; a very strange concept and one wh... READ MORE
Absolutely brilliant
The title of the book is rather appropriate. This read will definitely hold you captive! It is a very well imagined book, I read the first look and I knew ... READ MORE
Would you prosecute?
Would you prosecute if you knew that you had to live with and take care of a criminal in your own home?
In a not too distant future where the prison system... READ MORE
Not as good as I'd hoped
Very strange concept for a prison. If you set aside all the flaws that a system of this type would have...criminals going unpunished, vigilante style justi... READ MORE
Brilliantly original
I was so excited to receive Deborah O'Connor's The Captive and it didn't disappoint.
I couldn't imagine having to live with someone who was convicted of m... READ MORE
Kind of Dystopian
I had absolutely no idea what to expect with this book.
As an Arc I didn’t really read the blurb because I want to be surprised on what the book is about ... READ MORE
Captivating
With the old prison system abolished, criminals take up residence in a cell, in their victim's home. Hannah is adamant she doesn't want Jem in her house, h... READ MORE
Captivating
what a great book!!!! i loved it such a deep and twisting thriller, definitely kept me on edge throughout the whole book, it has so many twists and turns a... READ MORE
Intriguing
Initially I struggled to get into the book or understand the first few pages. However when the explanations started things fell into place like a jigsaw an... READ MORE
Captivating.
This is an interesting and surprisingly relevant concept piece, a near-term dystopia where convicts are housed within their victims house for maximum justi... READ MORE
Unique and enjoyable
With its unique and interesting plot, this is a book that I really enjoyed.
I haven't read anything by this author before but the blurb reeled me in. I c... READ MORE
Couldn’t of picked up a better book!
The twist it took towards the end gripped me more than another book has ever done. I had imagined my own version of events and in fact, Deborah couldn’t of... READ MORE
What a gripping read!
Firstly, I loved this book.
Its a hardback consisting of 400 pages but I managed it in a few days as it was an easy read.
The story follows Hannah, the re... READ MORE
I Devoured This!
It's been a while since I read a good thriller but this one certainly pulled me back into the genre by the lapels! The book introduces a not so distant fut... READ MORE
Woah! What a book!
Woah... I honestly feel lost for words after this book right now. I’m definitely going to have a book hangover after this.
Buddy read this with a frien... READ MORE
Captivating read
This book can only be described as brilliant! I’ve read some great psychological thrillers this year but this is one of the best. The concept of this stor... READ MORE
Captivating View of a Possible Future
I really enjoyed it, it’s a totally new premise to me. It’s set in the UK in what feels like our times. A reformation of the justice system has led to peop... READ MORE
A well written, solid Good Read
This is a book with a unique premise; the family of a victim of crime can house the prisoner. It’s a weird and quite disturbing concept but it certainly cr... READ MORE
What a brilliant premise!
What a brilliant premise! Deborah O'Connor's "The Captive" explores a world where restorative justice and rehabilitation replace mass incarceration. It's c... READ MORE
Loved it
With the prisons in the UK full to bursting point, the government has come up with a new scheme where the prisoner is housed in the victims house in a larg... READ MORE
A captivating thrill ride
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 ne... READ MORE
A captivating and incredible novel!
Wow. I don’t quite have the words to describe how I am feeling after finishing this book. It was one of the best thrillers I’ve read in a long time.
The c... READ MORE
Interesting premise
I really enjoyed this book with its interesting premise of restorative justice taken to an extreme. Parts of the plot I found more difficult to believe (Je... READ MORE
Enjoyable and Easy to Read Thriller
The Captive is based on the idea that we live in a different world, where we have reformed the criminal justice system so that there are no longer any pris... READ MORE
The Captive
When I first looked at the cover for The Captive it caught my interest, then once I had read the first impression I knew I wanted too read more. I was luck... READ MORE
Psychological drama/thriller
Loved this book, it's strange to think about restorative justice in the way it is in the book. How would you feel if the person who murdered your husband e... READ MORE
A unique concept full of thrills and chills
In a not too distant future, restorative justice has replaced prisons. The idea is that the criminal will reside in a tiny cell in the victim's home so tha... READ MORE
strange
To Hannah the new prison regime is odd....very odd. It all started when her husband was murdered. His name was John and he was a detective in the police fo... READ MORE
An interesting read
I have a little confession to make. Although I have Deborah’s other books on my ever increasing to be read mountain, I haven’t actually got round to readi... READ MORE
Another great read from this author
The Captive is the second of this author’s books I have read, having previously enjoyed A Dangerous Kind. Here’s a link to my review The Dangerous Kind by ... READ MORE
Could have done more with the concept
“ The man who had murdered Hannah’s husband was due to arrive at midday” Is a pretty good line to start a novel. And, what a concept – a world that sounds... READ MORE
A very okay read!
I have only read a Deborah O’Connor book before “My Husband’s Son” and I didn’t especially like it, so I wasn’t too sure if I would pick this one up!
Howe... READ MORE
Interesting Thriller
I was brought this as a gift after expressing how interesting it seemed and I was not disappointed when I read it. The cover was a winner for me, dark and ... READ MORE
Loved It
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found the... READ MORE
Excellent
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found the... READ MORE
a fresh idea
BEWARE - this novel will make you think!
Deborah O'Connor has written a novel which grabs your attention from the start. One simple idea turns punishment ... READ MORE
Such an amazing read, one that has left me breathless
Set in a world where convicted criminals are to live in cages in their victim’s homes, to show them who they have hurt and to try to rehabilitate them, as ... READ MORE
Captivating thriller
This is a captivating thriller that will leave you wide awake until you have finished reading it.
Hannah is having to house the person who killed her husba... READ MORE
amazing
what a great book!!!! i loved it such a deep and twisting thriller, definitely kept me on edge throughout the whole book, it has so many twists and turns a... READ MORE
Amazing
This gripping account is both horrifying and informative. Superbly told, it's a real page-turner in the tradition of the best thrillers with what should be... READ MORE
Such a clever premise!! And scary!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher Bonnier Books/ Zaffre and Netgalley in return for an honest review.
I don’t know why I kept this one for... READ MORE
Amazing!
The synopsis of this book had me hooked. I am drawn to anything involving restorative justice and this took it to the extreme! Imagine having a criminal wh... READ MORE
Really good thriller
Right from the start this book has you in its thrall, hook, line and sinker! Hannah Cavey’s husband John, a Met detective, is murdered. The current system... READ MORE
A well-written novel which is worth reading for the main idea rather than the plot that unfolds.
The central premise of the ‘The Captive’ is a wonderfully inventive idea. In a not too distant future, the government has decided to close down the prison... READ MORE
Brilliant
It has been a while since a book has captured me quite as much as this one! I found myself trying to guess what was going to happen and becoming a bit of a... READ MORE
The perfect mixture of Thriller and Dystopian
I was very lucky to receive an early hardback copy from @readersfirst in exchange for a written first impression.
Let's start with the cover; the bold ye... READ MORE
Captivating thriller
Hannah knows the cage intimately. Small, the size of a shopping centre parking space. A bed, a basin, a table and chair. A hatch and metal drawer through w... READ MORE