Captive: Modern-day mystery meets medieval magic

by Jacky Gray

A kidnapped girlfriend. A deranged psychopath. An impossible puzzle.Can Archer solve the infuriatingly smug clues to rescue Rory from the fiend who has her captive? Thankfully, he knows a guy or three who are well up for Da-Vinci-style riddles. Just like in Die Hard 3, the nasty piece of work has him chasing all over the UK to collect tokens which will hopefully fit together to create a solution.Rory needs every ounce of courage and resilience to withstand the incarceration, especially when her sensitivity makes her susceptible to dreadful experiences from the previous victim and the abductor himself. Despite subversive attempts to prevail, her particular gifts render her powerless to resist his mind-control techniques. What's behind his obsession with Gretna Green and those sobbin' women he keeps singing about?Digging into the monster’s past, Archer realises how little he knows about the man who caused such chaos and devastation in his world. Frustration abounds when Archer finally has Rory in his grasp but she chooses her captor over him. Stockholm syndrome appears to have kicked in and, if he believes the texts from her phone, she no longer wants to be saved.The stakes are raised as a powerful enemy from the past incapacitates Archer, and Rory discovers more about the twisted man and their tangled history. But do they have what it takes to break free and fulfil their shared destiny?This blend of complex mystery and psychological thriller, sprinkled with dark humour and unexpected romance, will delight fans of intricate treasure hunt puzzles such as Hudson Hawk, National Treasure, and Indiana Jones. Oh, and there's a whole Beauty and the Beast thing going on, too. Colour of Light#1 Context: Seven short stories of rebellion and redemption#2 Chrysalis: Medieval magic meets modern-day mystery#3 Captive: Modern-day mystery meets medieval magic#4 Catalyst: Medieval magic meets modern military thrillerIf you want to read more in this epic saga, there are two prequel Nature’s Tribe – medieval adventures with magic, romance and humour3 Handfastings and a Burial – Wedding-themed short stories12 Days of Yule – Christmas-themed romance8 Sabbats of the Sun – Seasonal-themed romance13 Esbats of the Moon – Dystopian origins adventureNature’s Tribe Boxset – (Books 1-4 + Bonus Shorts)Hengist – the adventures of Archer and friends in the quasi-medieval worldArcher – A sensitive warriorRory – A lonely misfitReagan – An intrepid geekSlater – A courageous time-travellerGeraint – A reluctant heirArcher’s Quest (Books 1-2+Bad Boys)Uniting the Tribes (Books 3-5+Good Guys)

203 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 1, 2020

About the author

As so often happens with these things, Archer was born while I was in the middle of writing another book. Events were conspiring to ensure I wrote this story, beginning with a trip to Warwick Castle where I stood enthralled with my friend and our kids while the Warwick Bowman talked us through the history of the long bow. He treated us to the ultimate demonstration, firing 100 arrows in rapid succession through a loop of rope, approximately the size of a human head. The warrior within me awoke - I was hooked.

I had recently read the first two books in Bernard Cornwell’s excellent Grail Quest series – these obviously made a big impact. I started writing it in march 2009; 18 days and 56,000 words later, Archer’s tale was told. After a year spent mostly in Wessex, the next four books were drafted and I was ready to go back and start editing the first two books.

I am currently writing the 6th book in the series and wondering if this will be the last.

Reviews

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the evil Geoff kidnaps Rory, he leaves mysterious clues for Archer to solve. Can Archer find Rory in time to save her? This is an adventure like no other with cryptic puzzles and leaps from the modern world to the past!
I loved it! This book will keep your mind busy and your heart beating fast!

[Bernadette Cinkoske · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captive, Colour of Light Book 3, continues the saga with Archer following the clues. Will he be able to rescue Rory? This is a fascinating book that combines elements from so many genres. It will keep you guessing long into the night!

[Douglas Williamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a complex mystery to solve with lots of puzzles and a tangled web of characters.

This is book three of the series, but it does fine as a standalone. I suspect I was missing a good bit of background, but I have no problems keeping up with this story.

Both the setting and the characters are well developed with a high level of detail. There is also a heady mix of action, intrigue, mystery and romance and a bit of science fiction and the paranormal thrown in to boot. The central plot is convoluted with several twists and turns that keep you guessing as to what comes next. All of that combined to produce a page-turner that was very hard to put down for such mundane activities as sleep. Overall, a very fun and engaging story and I look forward to reading the rest of the series (maybe from the beginning next time).

Highly recommended.

I received an ARC from Hidden Gems for review purposes.