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 supposed lack of justice facing criminals in holiday camp condition prisons, the government has taken restorative justice to its logical conclusion and done away with mass incarceration. Replacing the old system with the Domestic Prison Service, a system that requires the victim to house the criminal that wronged them in a cell inside their own home for the duration of the sentence, it sees victims made accountable for their prisoner’s welfare, all overseen by a Domestic Liaison Officer. The theory goes that situating the prisoner within the home of the victim ensures they truly face up to the damage they have done, yet minutes prior to the man found guilty of murdering her husband arriving in her home, cake maker and newly widowed Hannah Cavey is distraught.
Despite pleading not guilty to the murder of Met detective John, overwhelming evidence has seen twenty-eight-year-old Jem Dahlin sentenced to twenty years served in a cell the size of a car parking space in Hannah’s kitchen. Support for Hannah comes in the form of best friend Aisling and John’s police partner and one-time alcoholic boss, Rupert Cammish and DCI Mickey Coomes respectively. Jem professes his innocence from the off and on revealing the contents of the final conversation that he overheard John having on the night of his murder it triggers doubt in Hannah’s own mind. As Hannah instigates her own investigation into John’s murder and finds some truth to Jem’s words there is a gradual thawing of the tension between the pair that sees them foster an unlikely, albeit unequal, bond. As Hannah uncovers further evidence that John wasn’t the man she thought he was with suspicions of corruption, money laundering and death of another officer all circling, it all seems to corroborate Jem’s innocence. But is Hannah right to trust him or is she making a fool of herself letting Jem words get inside her head?
The narrative shifts focus between Hannah and Jem, with parts telling of Jem’s troubled childhood and the path that saw him collide with John and tie their fates together. The characterisation of flawed Jem is superb and although there is a slight second half abatement of tension as Hannah’s investigation into John’s death loses its impetus and her and Jem’s relationship comes to the fore, the whole novel is expertly plotted. The close ramps the tension right up and brings not only the exact circumstances of John’s death to the surface it also resolves several loose threads that provide an explosive conclusion to Hannah and Jem’s stories. Several aspects of the novel prevented it from being a stellar five star read for me however from the early signposting of Aisling’s involvement in the wider plot through to other things that didn’t quite ring true and a rushed denouement.
Whilst there are very obvious problems with the concept of restorative justice and the possible abuses of the system the novel benefits from bringing a totally new focus to the saturated psychological thriller market. It is also impossible not to ask yourself the same questions that Hannah faces and follow the concept of a lawless country where victims of crime choose not to prosecute to its resultant conclusion. Compelling, tightly plotted with two credible characters in Hannah and Jem.
Despite pleading not guilty to the murder of Met detective John, overwhelming evidence has seen twenty-eight-year-old Jem Dahlin sentenced to twenty years served in a cell the size of a car parking space in Hannah’s kitchen. Support for Hannah comes in the form of best friend Aisling and John’s police partner and one-time alcoholic boss, Rupert Cammish and DCI Mickey Coomes respectively. Jem professes his innocence from the off and on revealing the contents of the final conversation that he overheard John having on the night of his murder it triggers doubt in Hannah’s own mind. As Hannah instigates her own investigation into John’s murder and finds some truth to Jem’s words there is a gradual thawing of the tension between the pair that sees them foster an unlikely, albeit unequal, bond. As Hannah uncovers further evidence that John wasn’t the man she thought he was with suspicions of corruption, money laundering and death of another officer all circling, it all seems to corroborate Jem’s innocence. But is Hannah right to trust him or is she making a fool of herself letting Jem words get inside her head?
The narrative shifts focus between Hannah and Jem, with parts telling of Jem’s troubled childhood and the path that saw him collide with John and tie their fates together. The characterisation of flawed Jem is superb and although there is a slight second half abatement of tension as Hannah’s investigation into John’s death loses its impetus and her and Jem’s relationship comes to the fore, the whole novel is expertly plotted. The close ramps the tension right up and brings not only the exact circumstances of John’s death to the surface it also resolves several loose threads that provide an explosive conclusion to Hannah and Jem’s stories. Several aspects of the novel prevented it from being a stellar five star read for me however from the early signposting of Aisling’s involvement in the wider plot through to other things that didn’t quite ring true and a rushed denouement.
Whilst there are very obvious problems with the concept of restorative justice and the possible abuses of the system the novel benefits from bringing a totally new focus to the saturated psychological thriller market. It is also impossible not to ask yourself the same questions that Hannah faces and follow the concept of a lawless country where victims of crime choose not to prosecute to its resultant conclusion. Compelling, tightly plotted with two credible characters in Hannah and Jem.