I'd like to start off this review by thanking the team at ReadersFirst and Zaffre for sending me a copy of The Captive to read and review.
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 heartbreakingly murdered in the middle of the night, Hannah is forced to host the prison cell for his murderer - Jem. The cell is small and in the heart of her home, the kitchen, where she is forced to see Jem every day. However, it's not long before Jem starts riddling doubts in her mind, making her see a bigger picture... was he really the one who murdered her beloved?
The Captive offered a very unique plot from the getgo, that grips you and pulls you in. The idea of having to live with the person who tore your world apart is both scary and interesting. It offered a very new thought cycle to dive down as I read the book - could I do it? And more importantly, is anyone safe while doing it? I was constantly on edge as to whether Jem would break free and murder Hannah, and found myself anxious for her throughout the book.
An important part of any thriller is the characters and how fleshed out they are, it helps make the story even grittier. The Captive offered a variety of different characters who all impacted the plot and subplots in such a large way. Each character was important and well developed, without being too transparent that they gave away the bigger picture.
Overall, I really enjoyed The Captive and what Deborah O'Connor created within the book. For the first time in a while, I was truly shocked by the plot of a thriller. It constantly kept me guessing and also created a large number of talking points for me to bring up with friends...
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 heartbreakingly murdered in the middle of the night, Hannah is forced to host the prison cell for his murderer - Jem. The cell is small and in the heart of her home, the kitchen, where she is forced to see Jem every day. However, it's not long before Jem starts riddling doubts in her mind, making her see a bigger picture... was he really the one who murdered her beloved?
The Captive offered a very unique plot from the getgo, that grips you and pulls you in. The idea of having to live with the person who tore your world apart is both scary and interesting. It offered a very new thought cycle to dive down as I read the book - could I do it? And more importantly, is anyone safe while doing it? I was constantly on edge as to whether Jem would break free and murder Hannah, and found myself anxious for her throughout the book.
An important part of any thriller is the characters and how fleshed out they are, it helps make the story even grittier. The Captive offered a variety of different characters who all impacted the plot and subplots in such a large way. Each character was important and well developed, without being too transparent that they gave away the bigger picture.
Overall, I really enjoyed The Captive and what Deborah O'Connor created within the book. For the first time in a while, I was truly shocked by the plot of a thriller. It constantly kept me guessing and also created a large number of talking points for me to bring up with friends...