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A review by jacki_f
Captured by Neil Cross
4.0
This is a gripping and suspenseful novel. Once started it is very hard to put down.
The story is simple and could almost be a short story. Kenny has a brain tumor and has been given weeks to live. He makes a short list of people who he feels he has let down or failed to acknowledge during his life, wanting to make amends to them before he dies. One of them is Callie Barton, a friend from primary school whom he hasn't seen in years. With the help of a friend who is a former police officer, he finds out that Callie went missing several years earlier. Her husband was the prime suspect but was never charged with her disappearance, which remains unsolved. Kenny feels it's his responsibility to Callie to find out what happened to her. His behavior becomes increasingly unhinged, but given the brain tumor it never feels like a completely unrealistic scenario.
The tension builds throughout the book. I was in a constant state of suspense, wondering how far Kenny would go and whether his assumptions were correct or incorrect. I was horrified by his behavior, and yet somehow he sustained my sympathy as well.
Author Neil Cross was previously the lead scriptwriter for the TV series Spooks. He has a sparse writing style - few adjectives, minimal character development - which suits the novel. Be aware that it is fairly violent in parts, but it's still a terrific read.
The story is simple and could almost be a short story. Kenny has a brain tumor and has been given weeks to live. He makes a short list of people who he feels he has let down or failed to acknowledge during his life, wanting to make amends to them before he dies. One of them is Callie Barton, a friend from primary school whom he hasn't seen in years. With the help of a friend who is a former police officer, he finds out that Callie went missing several years earlier. Her husband was the prime suspect but was never charged with her disappearance, which remains unsolved. Kenny feels it's his responsibility to Callie to find out what happened to her. His behavior becomes increasingly unhinged, but given the brain tumor it never feels like a completely unrealistic scenario.
The tension builds throughout the book. I was in a constant state of suspense, wondering how far Kenny would go and whether his assumptions were correct or incorrect. I was horrified by his behavior, and yet somehow he sustained my sympathy as well.
Author Neil Cross was previously the lead scriptwriter for the TV series Spooks. He has a sparse writing style - few adjectives, minimal character development - which suits the novel. Be aware that it is fairly violent in parts, but it's still a terrific read.