View source for The Captives by Debra Jo Immergut

{{infobox1
|title=The Captives
|sort= Captives
|author=Debra Jo Immergut
|reviewer= Megan Kenny
|genre=Crime
|summary= ''The Captives'' is a gripping page turner, perfect for stolen summer afternoons. Debra Jo Immergut has created a vivid, captivating debut which is sure to keep the reader guessing until the final page.
|rating=4
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|pages=400
|publisher=Titan Books
|date=June 2018
|isbn= 978-1785657542
|website= https://debrajoimmergut.com/
|cover=1785657542
|aznuk=1785657542
|aznus=1785657542
}}

Miranda Greene, a woman with the world at her feet, is behind bars. Convicted and confined she languishes in a prison of her own making. After signing up for sessions with the prison counsellor, seeking a way to end her misery, Miranda sets in motion a chain of events that will alter the lives of all involved. In a twist of fate, the prison psychologist is a former schoolmate, a schoolmate with a crush not dampened by the intervening years. Faced with the girl of his dreams, how far will Frank go to make her remember him?
 
''The Captives'' is a gripping page turner, perfect for the summer and a lazy afternoon stolen. The story is told from both Miranda and Frank's perspective in alternating chapters which ensures the story moves at a ripping pace. Immergut manages to master both voices leading to a tale which sings with two diverging narratives, with both sides striving for their own personal absolution. Immergut skilfully weaves together the words of these unreliable narrators leading to a vividly unsettling tale.
 
This is a story of obsession, of redemption and the ways in which our adolescent scars shape our adulthood. It is possible to feel both empathy and annoyance simultaneously throughout ''The Captives'', highlighting the strength of Immergut's writing. The cast of characters are well developed and realistic and the story is filled with enough mystery and plot twists to keep the reader guessing. Immergut has clearly researched the backgrounds of her characters and uses the American Psychological Association guidelines to shape the chapters, a tool which helps illuminate Frank's descent into professional and personal ruin.
 
It is clear that Immergut is a talented writer and this is an accomplished debut. My only criticism would be that the ending is slightly opaque and its not clear to see the motivation behind Miranda's actions. This shouldn't deter readers, as Immergut has crafted an ending which both moves the reader and leaves them puzzling over it long after turning the final page.
 
If you like your thrillers twisted and your characters complex, look no further than the work of Gillian Flynn. You could try [[Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn|Sharp Objects]], [[Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn|Gone Girl]] or [[The Grownup by Gillian Flynn|The Grownup]].
 
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[[Category:Thrillers]]