The Captive is a standalone psychological thriller from bestseller author Deborah O'Connor and follows Hannah Cavey after her police officer husband, John was murdered. If I had to describe The The Captive in three words they would be harrowing, disturbing and frightening in more or less equal measures. It’s pretty much what I would expect from a thriller set in modern society. But wow, what a stunning, well-thought-out masterpiece! The prison system that failed to curb crime has been closed down in favour of a more cost-effective restorative justice ideal that sees the criminal living in a cage in the victim's home for the period of their sentence. Overseen by visits from a Domestic Liaison Officer the perpetrator will learn the true cost of their crime, first-hand. Baker and widow, Hannah Cavey's police officer husband, John, was murdered by 28-year-old Jem Dahlin, sentenced to 2o years. Grieving Hannah cannot bear the torments of having Jem in her home, but nevertheless, a cage is installed for Jem in her grand, but shabby house in the kitchen. With just enough room for a single bed, a basin, a table and a chair, Hannah will be responsible for Jem's needs for the next 2 decades. After having read The Captive, I feel that I am completely indebted to Deborah O’Connor! This book has all the components that make a really fantastic story: from the mood and undercurrents to the very clever writing not forgetting the feelings of fear, the control, and the powerlessness. Its superior plot and the author's intricate detailing made this a spine-chilling, impulsive read. The story is told from both Hannah's and Jem's viewpoints using different time periods and aspects. Deborah O’Connor has drawn a great character in Hannah and equally noteworthy is her portrayal of Jem, whose chapters also include flashbacks to his childhood. The writing is straightforward, it immediately drew me in, held my attention, and kept me invested emotionally. There were instances where this was a tough read, and it was a little like being on a roller-coaster, with someone shouting “Do you want to go faster?” However, it was extremely worthwhile even though its theme was alien and unusual. Masterfully crafted and original, The Captive is fantastically compelling, all culminating in a thrilling and nerve-wracking ending. I cannot recommend this book highly enough and Deborah O’Connor’s writing is so impressive she is becoming one of my favourite authors. I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Bonnier Books/ Zaffre via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

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 to expect from this book, initially I was thinking it was odd and messaged a friend (who has read it) who assured me it was immense and I carried on *with bated breath*. Well, I can only express how pleased I am because this is going to raise the bar so high for everything else I read this year and going forwards! After the first few chapters, I was addicted. It is like nothing I have read before, the story / concept is so unique and I tried to find excuses to not work to carry on reading it because I needed to read more! I had so many theories, only part of which were right and that made it even greater. It’s such an in-depth story, full of twists and turns and an absolute page turner. I love Jem, if he wants to be in a cage in my kitchen I’m all up for that.

What a brilliant premise! Deborah O'Connor's "The Captive" explores a world where restorative justice and rehabilitation replace mass incarceration. It's certainly a thought-provoking concept. There is A LOT going on in this book so there's never a dull moment. O'Connor has, once again, created a first class thriller which makes for compulsive reading. The plot is intricately woven which builds tension and keeps the reader guessing throughout. I don't want to risk any spoilers so suffice it to say it's a brilliant, exhilarating read. Deborah O'Connor possesses the writers' equivalent of the X factor. Her work is truly stunning. I particularly appreciated the note at the end explaining the inspiration behind "The Captive".

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 large cage, with the host being responsible for the food and care of the prisoner. Of course some houses were too small to accommodate a cage the size of a car parking space, but they were encouraged to find a space for it. Hannah's husband John, was a police officer in London before he was murdered in an alley way, CCTV images proved that Jem, who worked in the pub where John had been drinking had committed the crime. This resulted in Jem being kept in this cage in Hannah's kitchen. He had a chip inserted in his back, security fences were installed around the property and with regular visits by the police and panic buttons put in place, but even so Hannah was not sure if things were as secure as they were supposed to be. Soon Hannah finds out things about her husband and her whole world gets turned slowly upside down, as she learns things bit by bit, that she finds it hard to tell who is telling the truth and who is keeping secrets. Soon she is finding it harder and harder to get to the truth of what people (and friends) have told her, finding it hard to believe who is a friend and who was out to double cross her from the beginning. Who can she trust in her own house? A very cleverly written physcological thriller that got me hooked from the beginning, some interesting characters and a great read that I really enjoyed. Well worthy of being a 5☆ read.

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. In this book, prisons no longer exist, instead the families that were affected by the crime have to host and allow the prisoners to live in their home for the duration of the conviction. The chapters alternate between Hannah the host and Jem the prisoner so we can get both their thoughts and feelings of this situation. I really like both their characters and was invested from the beginning. Hannah is caring and loving, and Jem's bad childhood made me empathise with him. Jem told Hannah he's innocent which planted a seed in her mind and she tries to investigate more about John's death. I would highly recommend this book, there were so many twists and turns throughout. The last 100 pages of the book in particular got me captivated (sorry for the pun), I couldn't stop turning the pages!