Captive

by Cally Jackson

How do you escape a man who believes he owns you?

Sophie Steele’s life is ruled by fear. Her husband, Ben Steele, tracks her phone, her bank accounts, her every move. His position as part-owner of a successful surveillance and investigations company gives full rein to his controlling instincts.

When Ben allows Sophie and their son, Benji, to travel interstate to visit family without him, she hopes he’s trying to change. But when he continues to monitor and manipulate her from afar, she realises she no longer wants to live the lonely life he’s forced upon her. As her determination to leave him grows, she develops a much-needed friendship with Lee, an attractive Taekwondo instructor who promises to help her however he can.

But even thinking about leaving Ben is dangerous, and it quickly becomes apparent how far he’ll go to keep her under his control.

How can she escape a man who has the means to hunt her down no matter where she hides? Is the chance of freedom worth risking her and Benji’s lives?

A powerful blend of deceit, manipulation, and intrigue, Captive will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final, shocking revelation.

This is a standalone psychological suspense novel by Australian author, Cally Jackson.

394 pages, Paperback

Published March 22, 2024

About the author

Cally Jackson grew up in the small country town of Gatton, Australia, and has been telling stories for as long as she can remember. After deciding at 17 that a Hollywood acting career was sadly out of reach, Cally turned to a career in professional communication with fictional writing as her labour of love.

In grade two, Cally’s passion for fictional writing proved a little problematic when she got in trouble for penning her own tale instead of copying directly from a story book as she was supposed to be doing – it was a handwriting exercise, after all.

Cally’s first novel, The Big Smoke, was published in 2012. A decade and two children later, The Ripple Effect series was born.

Cally now lives in Brisbane with her husband and children, where she continues to entertain herself and others by letting her imagination run wild.

Reviews

[Naiomi Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not normally a thriller reader but I found I couldn’t put Captive down. It just goes to show you don’t always know the people you are closest to or what they are capable of.

[Bec · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Captive is a great psychological suspense story about Ben Steele, owner of a successful security company, and the lengths he will go to, to control women. It's told from multiple points of view, from Sophie- Ben's wife, Ella - Ben's young girlfriend and Cathy - the police investigator.
It's written by an Australian author, Cally Jackson and is set in QLD and a bit of Adelaide. I found this hard to put down, as I really wanted to know what would happen next and would/how would Ben get found out. The story had great characters, in addition to the main characters there were great support characters who would do anything to help. There were two main storylines, one revolving around Sophie and how Ben controls her, and one around Ella and what Ben does to her. Both were engrossing and gave me real insights into how hard life can be for some people. Highly recommend.

[Mickey | Novellus.jpg · Rating 5 out of 5]

One word, amazing... I am a little lost for words, it's been awhile since a book has been able to make me feel so strongly. Cally has created a story that is so personal, that it feels so real and brings you on the journey of Sophie ( FMC ), where you feel her pain, her fear, her sorrow, her anger, her anxiety, her happiness and in the end you are left relieved, elated and emotional. I admit, cried with her through this journey and following along with Sophie, it has left me feeling like I was part of it somehow.

The character development was amazing, watching Sophie grown and change, see her come out of her shell. Some people may find this slow paced but for the type of book it is (please read trigger warnings), I loved that I really got into her head, we went on her journey with her. I am usually not the biggest fan of duo POV's, but this was done AMAZING. Learning more from the story by being able to see through other characters minds, really added to some of the chill factor and brought more depth to the story, while helping you feel connected to more than just the FMC.

I have been really over-done with study lately and finding it hard to read a book as fast as I normally would (I am a very fast reader, however recently takes me a few days to get through a book) I started this on a bad day and in-between class’s, and sleep.. I haven’t been able to put it down, I finished it two days. It has crime elements, it definitely lives up to being psychologically suspenseful, and the use of pure “Aussie” language, terms and phrases was a complete delight as an Aussie reader. 


The last 80% of the book had me gripping my pillow, I almost held my breath waiting to find out how it was going to end, what was going to happen? Where would this take us, what would happen to the characters we have grown to love and the ones we have learned to hate. The suspense had me in a chokehold.

Having a resolve at the end, where you know what happened to all characters (no spoilers) is surely what is going to help me sleep tonight. This is my first read of Cally Jackson, (kindle) and not only will I be now buying the paperback and loaning it out to my friends, but this has also put Cally as one of my top Authors and her books on my “must have” list. 

If you enjoy psychological and emotional stories, I highly recommend. 


[Krystal Montcrieff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I need my thrillers to be quickly paced - if I'm not itching to keep reading just one more chapter to find out what's going to happen to the characters, I don't want it! That was not the case with Captive. I had a hard time setting it down once I started reading, because I was constantly wanting to know the actions of whatever was happening in the story. Definitely check the content warnings - this book became very dark at times.

Thank you to the author for an e-ARC!

[Belinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was great, I couldn’t put my phone down, I just wanted to keep finding out what happens. Great book, will be better when the typos are fixed. Awesome work! I love reading Australian authors, I can’t wait to read more of your work. Ben, real piece of work, I’m glad the ending was the way it was!
BOOK IS DARK. read warnings!

I read the ARC.

[Dana Castleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

When you begin a book, a thriller specifically, and you think it is going on way only to have a whole separate plot line, wow. This ARC read was spot on!
Soph has and Ben have been married for a while and in the beginning things were great but now. Things aren’t always as they seem.
Ella has met her dream man, until things take a crazy turn.
Can Soph do what needs to be done?
Who is Ella’s dream man, and what happened?

[Zoe Reads 🧚‍♀️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not my usual genre but this thriller that had me on the edge of my chair for most of the book, needing to know what was going to happen next! Left me shook when the realisation hit me that mentally & physically abusive, crazy toxic, neurotic relationships (maybe not so intense like this) actually happen in real life.

[Georgia Rowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down! There are deep topics in the book, so I know it may not be everyone’s jam. Generally I'm not a huge fan of multiple POVs in first person, but the characters were all so well-developed and it was very easy to switch between them without getting confused. I definitely plan on reading more of Cally's books.

[Bec Condran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow wow wow this book had me hooked! I could not stop reading I needed to know what was going to happen! Well written and easy to follow timeline through out the book. This is one I’ll definitely be recommending to everyone!
Is a must read for the year

[Melissa Hovey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow wow wow, I could not put this book down! Every time I tried, something would happen that I needed to keep reading. Please check triggers before reading, it has a few very intense DV scenes as well as a few other intense scenes.

[Linda Shaffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ben is a sociopath. His wife Sophie is kept under his thumb and is too frightened to do much about it.

It's quite a good read, Ben is hard to take, but he gets his just reward in the end.

[McKenzie P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great thriller! Cally Jackson is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors!

[Leslie aka StoreyBook Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read several books by this author, but this one is on a different level than the other books! Told from three points of view - Sophie, Ella, and Cathy, each story blends in with the others with a final culmination at the end. It reflects how easy it could be for someone to be taken in by a master manipulator.

Sophie is one of the main characters. She is stuck in a loveless relationship and actually an abusive one. Her husband, Ben, thinks that he owns her and is in control of everything. He doesn't trust her and is always checking her phone for messages, calls, and search history. He tracks her wherever she goes, either via the phone or a smartwatch. To top it off, he has security cameras installed inside the house and watches her constantly. Warning lights were going off in my head with every turn of the page based on his actions. 

Ella is young and naive, and she believes that Ben loves her and fears for his safety from Sophie. She should have been on guard when he said not to mention him to anyone. However, she has blind faith where he is concerned, until it lands her in hot water.

This thriller had me turning pages as fast as I could. Would Sophie and her son Benji get away from Ben? Would Ella see through his manipulations? Would Ben get what was coming to him?

I appreciated that the author shared resources within the pages on how Sophie could leave Ben for a better life. Sophie even has a couple of new friends who try to help her escape to a better life. Luckily, Ben doesn't cut her off from these friends. Perhaps because one of them has a boy that is Benji's age and a new friend for him. Despite all of Ben's faults, there is no doubt that he loves his son.

If you enjoy psychological suspense/thriller novels, this is a good one to read. If you have any triggers regarding abuse, it may not be the best choice for you.

We give this book 5 paws up.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an intense read! I was hanging on every single page as this terrifying thriller unfolded. The main character Sophie is married to Ben; a controlling and violent man. She's unhappy and wants out as his violence gets more intense. But he's hiding even more treacherous things that she doesn't even realize... yet. As the events unfold, Sophie realizes she's not the only woman in Ben's life that's in danger.

This story is heavily about domestic violence and how scary that experience is and how it can feel suffocating to even consider trying to escape. Sophie is surrounded by those that are able and willing to help, but that puts them in danger as well. Sophie's experience was very well represented and supportive of those in that environment. Domestic violence is a very serious thing and Cally Jackson is sensitive to the subject and tells a story about bravery and perseverance, even when facing your worst fears.

Highly recommend for all those thriller fans out there!

[Wandering Bear · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cover says it’s ‘A Gripping Psychological Suspense Thriller’.... and I would somewhat agree.

It is told from three main points of view. We have Sophie Steele, wife of Steele Security, Surveillance and Investigations CEO, Ben Steele - Ella Rivera, younger girlfriend of Ben Steele - and Detective Sergeant Cathy Curtis.

The author has done an amazing job at writing these three women’s stories. While you know who the culprit is at the beginning, you aren’t quite sure how it’s going to end straight away.

It’s hard to explain more of this story without giving it all away, but what I will say is that Cally has produced a well thought out story that pulls you in and you can’t stop until you know the ending.

4 ⭐

I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[debbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read Cally Jackson's time travel books and thought that they were innovative, very different from others of that genre. This book I was unsure if I'd like but I have to say I really did. I couldn't put it down and read long into the night when I should have been sleeping. Most of these type of psychological drams tend to drag out the main character's development and they only "figure it out" at the end. This one was much more realistic as the main character started to make changes in her situation early on. She learned to trust people and she made the effort to get control over her life even though it takes her the entire book to do it. I found this to be much more engaging than a sudden resolution. I have no idea what a "tuck shop" is, but I like the setting in Brisbane Australia.

[Ana Decosta · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story’s intriguing but develops a bit too slowly for my taste. I wish there were less internal monologues and more action. I must admit I rarely come across heroines, like Sophie, who are totally unlikeable, weak and mostly dumb. I cannot even fathom how can you let your husband practically rape you every night for years, without blinking an eye? How can you respect yourself after that? One day she has no moral spine and is afraid of everything her husband does, and the next she’s like „oh, cute Asian guy, me like it”. What the hell? There’s also Trish, who of course offers help no matter what, no questions asked, not even wondering if maybe Sophie is the cuckoo one. I give this book 3 stars only, cause I felt hugely disappointed in some characters, but the plot itself wasn’t bad.

[Red Book Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captive is a page turning thriller that is about Sophia and how can she escape a man that believes he owns her. This book had great character's, amazing plot and keeps you on the edge of your seat. The author did a great job writing this book and I enjoyed this book so much. Captive is one that I highly recommend to any reader especially if you are looking for a great thriller. Thank you to the author for this ARC read in exchange of my honest review.

[Melba · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This book was such a psychological thriller, and I was thoroughly intrigued by the events & characters throughout. I want to read more by this author, and I would love to see this made into a movie. I didn't figure out the ending until it happened, so that made it even more interesting.

I received a free e-book.

[Jenny T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sophie's controlling husband, Ben, limits what Sophie and their son, Benji, can do on a daily basis and things are reaching a breaking point. In addition there's another side of Ben which shows more of his twisted psyche. This story delves into a very serious abusive relationship- this book is NOT for those triggered by a trauma history. (As an aside- the Australian setting was a nice change of venue for me & I appreciated the author's mindfulness incorporating COVID restrictions in her writing.)
(I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.)

[Lorraine Berry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This psychological suspense/thriller novel, with abduction, rape and domestic abuse is a real page turner and a completely different genre for this author. I preferred her Ripple Effect books, which are more my thing, but this story is well worth a read, if the topics are not too triggering for you.

[Sarah Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my usual genre, this is my first time reading thriller/suspense.

With DV and other such themes, it's best to check your trigger warnings.

I found myself enjoying the story, and I read it only in a few hours at work. It's a very smooth quick read, I think you'll enjoy.

[Never2Busy4Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I can't watch psycho thrillers they freak me out and give me nightmares. BUT
I can read them and this one has my gripping my whatever was close by and itching to find out what happened next.
This is a must read.

[Larry H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read for a difficult subject!

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really good! A real page turner.

Changing POV's clearly marked as well. Easy to keep track of.






TW: Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Rape and Violence.