Captured

by Neil Cross

Even though he is still young, Kenny has just weeks to live. Before he dies, he wants to find his childhood best friend Callie Barton and thank her for the kindness she showed him when they were at school together. But when Kenny begins his search, he discovers that Callie Barton has gone missing. Although cleared of any involvement, her husband Jonathan seems to be hiding something. Kenny has no choice but to take matters into his own hands. And knowing that time is running out on him, he's prepared to do whatever it takes ...

Genres: Thriller, Crime, Mystery, Fiction, Suspense, British Literature, Mystery Thriller

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Neil was born in Bristol in 1969. He lived in Edinburgh, Brighton, Leeds and London before settling down. He is the author of several novels including Always the Sun, Burial and Captured as well as the bestselling memoir Heartland. He was lead scriptwriter for the acclaimed series 6 and series 7 of the BBC spy drama series Spooks and is the creator of the forthcoming BBC crime thriller Luther, which is scheduled to appear on BBC1 in 2010, starring Idris Elba. Following the British publication of Captured in January 2010, he is working on his next novel and continues to write for the screen. He lives in New Zealand with his wife and two sons.

Reviews

[Lucy'sLilLibrary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't expecting to enjoy this as much as I did. A book under 300 pages manages to pack quite a punch the plot was simplistic and minimalist but full of food for thought.

Due to this book only being short it got off to a quick start and didn't really slow down in pace. A man who knows he is going to die with nothing to lose is on the hunt for answers but not everything is a simple as he might have predicted.

This is this first time I have read anything but Neil Cross and I will be looking out for his name in the future. Although the writing was simplistic it did have a lovely flow to it - it reminded me of some of James Patterson's early works. As endings go this is up there with some of my favorites it was a bitter sweet ending and the perfect ending to a solid book.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the things that I've really come to expect from author Neil Cross is not quite knowing what to expect when you pick up one of this books. CAPTURED is the latest in a set of standalone novels that have just all been fantastic, and I'm happy to report that CAPTURED keeps up the standard.

When Kenny finds out he has a matter of weeks to live he draws up the sort of list that I guess many of us might draw up. People that he wants to clear the air with. He starts out tracking down the man who, as a little boy had been nearly abducted. Kenny had seen the suspect trailing the boy, and yet, when the police questioned him, he wasn't able to provide much detail. Kenny wants to apologise. He wants to make things right with his ex-wife, and still closest friend, but somehow he can't quite get to her name just yet. So he tries to track down his old school-yard friend. Callie had been kind to Kenny when he was a loner, awkward, a kid that didn't quite fit in. Callie, unfortunately, isn't easy to find, in fact she has disappeared in unexpected circumstances. Kenny wants to to make things right, and yet, despite his best intentions it ends up not right. About as far from right as you can possibly get.

CAPTURED is just one of the most fascinating novels I've read in a long time. Kenny is a character that will endear you to him, freak you out completely, but in the end, you just can't help but feel so desperately for a man for whom the best of intentions somehow manage to go so incredibly wrong. His complete inability to pull back from the abyss is intriguing. Is it human nature or is it something to do with the ticking time bomb in his brain? Tightly told, quick moving and tense, at no stage does CAPTURED read like a script despite Cross having credentials as a screenwriter. It's also not just a story about Kenny. There are other characters in this book who stand out from the page - the people who help Kenny and support him, and those who come up against him.

If there is anything at all that links Cross's recent books (NATURAL HISTORY / BURIAL and now CAPTURED) it is possibly the theme of the ordinary, flawed human being, pushed way outside their comfort zone. Add to that a talent for creating bleak and vaguely threatening settings; crisp, spare yet beautifully flowing prose and characterisations that tear at the heartstrings even when they are doing the unforgivable and it just has to be said. Do yourselves a favour. CAPTURED is a one sitting, absolutely tremendous, extremely disturbing book that you'll not forget in a hurry.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Because Neil Cross is turning out to be such a slacker in producing the, much anticipated, sequel to Luther (currently holding the unimaginative title of Untitled and delayed, again, until Spring 2014) I ended up grabbing another one of his books from Louise's bookshelf to fill the wait. Captured is the fascinating tale of a rather sad and pathetic protagonist, Kenny, who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Instead of telling his ex-wife and friends and living out his remaining days he decides to track down a number of people from his life who he feels he's wronged or mistreated in some way. Sort of like the 8th step of the AA programme meets the My Name is Earl TV show – depending on your personal background. Most of these people are easy to track down and apologise to – although they all seem a little bemused by the experience. Only one, Callie Barton, a girl he knew at school, who was nice to him when nobody else was and he felt he should have shown more gratitude to, has disappeared.

Cross's background in TV screenplays seems a little too apparent (as with Luther) where his prose is more direct and functional than you might hope for. More of a tell rather than show style. But what he maybe lacks in style and characterisation he surely makes up for in spades with ideas, plot and more twists than you can shake a twisty stick at. The journey of Kenny as he finds out that Callie really is missing, digs up the old police investigation and starts his own investigation and interrogation of Callie's husband, Jonathan, is horrific to follow. As the pathetic cancer patient at the start of the novel transforms into an avenging angel of destruction by the end. Cross is clever and keeps you guessing all the way – what has happened to Callie; what was Jonathan's involvement in her disappearance; and just how far will Kenny go to find out?

Again, this book has the same things I loved and the same things that irritated me with Luther. The blunt prose and the shallow characterisations (like he expects the actors to take up some of that slack) are overshadowed by the clever premise, the unique twists and turns of the story and just the general darkness of Cross's brain of incredible ideas.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Captured by Neil Cross is a 2015 Open Road Integrated Media publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This dark, thought provoking psychological thriller is brought to us by Neil Cross, the author perhaps best known as the creator of “Luther”.

When Kenneth Drummond is informed he has brain cancer and only weeks to live, he begins to put his affairs in order. One thing that is very important to him, is setting things right between himself and those who have touched his life in one form or another. An old classmate who was very kind to him in school, is a woman he would like to reconnect with, just to thank her for her friendship. However, when he discovers she has vanished and perhaps there was foul play involved, his makes it his mission to find out what really happened to his friend and see that justice is served.

While brilliant on one hand, the story is strangely lacking on the other. This is certainly an interesting read. It is a sad commentary on Kenneth's life, is darkly humorous is some ways, and kept me wondering if Kenneth is really on the right track or if his health has caused him to go around the bend a little... or a lot.
I believe we were to assume there was some kind of dark karma at work here, but I was left feeling kind of puzzled by how things were wrapped up. The ending comes to a rather sudden stop, even though all our questions are answered. I felt like there should have been more than what was offered, leaving me with a feeling of dissatisfaction.

There are several twist and forks in the road along the way, so there was nothing at all predictable about the story, which is what kept me engaged in it. I was quite worried about Kenneth the entire time and felt like shouting at him to stop this madness and enjoy your time left. What are doing? What are thinking? Especially, as things continue to spiral more and more out of control.

To sum it all up, I think the book is worth checking out. It's a little offbeat and is a somber story, but I believe you can appreciate the effect the author was going for and appreciate the talent and imagination behind it. Overall this one is 3 stars

[Kirsty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had mixed feelings about this book. It tells the story of Kenny, who has just been diagnosed with a brain tumour and has been given weeks to live. He decides that he wants to make amends with people he's let down in the past, however when he tries to trace an old school friend, he finds she disappeared years earlier and has never been found. He decides that he has to find out what happens before he dies.

This book kept me turning the pages - It moved fast and was an easy read. The writing wasn't great though and the plot, whilst exciting, was far from believable in most parts. That said, I still enjoyed it. There was a little more gore than I was expecting and there some sex scenes which could be considered graphic. Neither of these facts bothered me, however some people may find it offensive. The characterisation wasn't bad, Kenny's brain tumour changed his personality quite a lot, which I believe is reflective of real life, and the author took care to include other symptoms of the tumour and made these integral to the plot.

In all, I liked this and would probably read more of the author's work.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captured by Neil Cross - my, oh my. I thought this would be a good book with Neil Cross as the author but it turned into so much more. Kenny Drummond learns that he has terminal cancer. Some procedures will give him an extra month of life, but, Kenny decides the extra month isn't worth it and goes home to "put things in order before he dies".

He decides to write a list of people that he believes he has let down. Four names are on this list, and three of the four are from his past, people he has not heard about in a long time. As Kenny reaches out to put things right, one of the names, Callie Barton a girl from his school days, has gone missing and most believe it was her husband, Jonathan Reese, behind her disappearance.

What follows is a lot of twists and turns as Kenny tries to put right what he considers wrong. After all, he has a short time to live and nothing to lose. The ending is quite amazing as truths are revealed and this reader did not see those truths coming. A great, fast-paced, short novel (245 pages) that proved to be very entertaining. Highly recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Valeria Franco · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5/5 ⭐️

“I resti di lei” è il classico thriller un po’ sempliciotto, senza nulla di particolarmente brillante, con qualche buco di trama sparso qua e là, ma ugualmente capace di far bene il proprio lavoro: tenere il lettore attaccato alle pagine. Sono un’appassionata di thriller ed ero pure in astinenza (l’ultimo letto risale a parecchi mesi fa) quindi, sebbene a tratti abbia trovato questo romanzo molto manchevole, l’ho divorato e devo confessare che me lo sono pure gustato.
Nonostante non reputi questo romanzo eccellente, “I resti di lei” è capace di catturare l’attenzione del lettore e di tenerlo prigioniero tra le sue pagine.

‼️ Potete trovare la recensione completa sul mio blog 👉🏻 https://ungattoinlibreria.wordpress.c...

[Conor · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book that is about committing acts of wrong to leave the world feeling you left the world doing right. This is the psychology that operates in the brain of the main character Kenny "Happy" Drummond. He is diagnosed with terminal cancer and has only a few weeks to live. He goes on a self fulfilling mission to find out about the disappearance of one his best friends in junior school. He runs into many ordeals during this time which left me cultivated with his problems.

The ending was well planned and actually very logical, so I'm in some-way ashamed of myself for not predicting the ending. But, I was absorbed in the book when I read it so I didn't leave myself too much time to reflect on the plot before the ending and therefore I wasn't thinking of possible endings like I sometimes do when I read books.

I felt that even though the book was actually quite unique and organically brainstormed, the execution in writing the book did not match such a good storyline. Obviously this is the writers style, but I felt a bit more detail would've been nice. I thought the dialogues could of been developed and also so could of the descriptions of scenes,places and so on.

The book also realistically revealed the emotional scars that stains characters' lives after major crises. Even on the murder's side. For example I thought Cross did a great job when he wrote the dialogue for Jonathan admitting to murdering Callie Barton.

The character of Kenny was one of the most unusual types of main characters I have read about ever. He had a strange personality that would of been difficult to amalgamate, so the author probably was referring to someone he knows in real life.

Overall I would rate this 3 out of 5 stars because it had a great plot and some good highlights,but didn't reach its potential in my opinion. He could of added close to 100 more pages without changing the plot. All that had to be done was reduce from a lightning pace to a moderate pace. If he had done this there is indeed a high likelihood that the novel could of got very close to 5 stars from me.

[Tara Moss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don’t let the simplicity of the title fool you. You haven’t read a crime novel like this before. From the first paragraph we find a very different kind of protagonist – one who is dying of brain cancer and will barely make it through the story, let alone any future crime series:

Kenny wrote the list because he was dying.
Earlier that morning, an MRI scan had revealed that a malignant brain cancer had germinated in the moist secrecy of his skull like a mushroom in compost.

Kenny is given less than six weeks to live. What this does to the tension in Captured is wonderfully surprising. We discover a man keen to right perceived wrongs against four people he feels he has let down in his lifetime, and as he proceeds through the twists and turns of the story, he does it as only a man liberated of any self-preservation could. Kenny has no limitations left save for an increasingly confused moral compass and the ticking clock of his time left on earth. I found this book so gripping that I couldn’t sleep until I’d reached the shocking conclusion. Expect killer twists and gripping ethical quandaries from Neil Cross, the author of numerous bestsellers including Burial and the memoir Heartland, and lead scriptwriter for two successful television series. Not since my childhood obsession with Stephen King have I found a writer with this kind of masterful dedication to suspenseful, primal storytelling.

Watch my interview with Neil Cross on Tara In Conversation: http://www.13thstreetuniversal.com.au...

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trying to Make Amends Before Dying , Kenny Discovers a Murder

Kenny Drummond, diagnosed with late stage brain cancer, wants to make amends to the people he thinks he's hurt before he dies. One of these people is Callie Barton. He hasn't seen her since grade school where she helped him deal with the loss of his mother and his father's manic depressive episodes.

The problem is that he can't find Callie. She appears to have vanished. There is a strong suspicion that she was murdered by her husband, Jonathan. Having discovered the murder theory, Kenny is on a crusade. He breaks into Jonathan's home and from there he's on a campaign to find what happened to her.

In the opening chapters, Kenny seems like a nice, rather ineffectual man. However, when he decides to go after Callie's murderer, he changes completely. I found this change hard to take. I understand that the brain tumor could have made him behave differently from his normal personality, but the violence involved in the change seems out of proportion.

The story is told with spare language and a fast pace. It reads more like a movie than a novel. However, it has the effect of keeping you reading. If you like fast paced novels, this will suit you. I found the story very hard to get involved with, aside from the pace of the action. Kenny's obsession with Callie seems out of proportion as does his response.

I recommend this book if you like fast paces thrillers.

I reviewed this book for Net Galley.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A man who is dying of cancer sets out to right the wrongs he's done to four people. The story starts out okay as he hits up the first three on the list. However, when he goes to find the fourth one, a girl who was the only one who didn't make fun of him in grade school, everything changes! It affects several lives, some good, most for the worst.

Kenny is a very likable character despite his oddities. However, something changes in him as he seeks vengeance for his childhood friend who suddenly disappeared from school and then later in life. The story becomes a tragedy of errors which kept me riveted and unable to put down. I was so into this story that I think I even missed a cigarette break. Ha!

I have never read this author, but was offered the book for free by Open Road Integrated Media and Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. Upon finishing the book, I noticed in his author's notes that he helped write the screenplay for Mama starring Jessica Chastain. A movie which just so happens I have recorded and now, during the daylight, of course cannot wait to see!

Thanks Open Road Media and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

[comfort · Rating 4 out of 5]

AUDIOBOOK
NARRATOR: Colin Mace

This is an rather short audiobook approx 6 hours and so much happens within this time and the timeframe of the story.

Kenny is dying, has a few weeks to live and needs to sort out a few things in his life before he goes.

He must make amends with a young boy (who is now a man) for not intervening when the boy is being abducted off the street. The kidnapping is foiled by a local shopkeeper and Kenny wishes to thank him for stepping up where he, Kenny, did not.

He wants to make amends with his ex-wife.

He wants to find a childhood friend and thank her for her friendship whilst they were kids.

It is here that his plans stop, as she has disappeared, feared dead or murdered. The only person who could have murdered her is her husband. It is here that Kenny goes off the rails, somewhat and tries to get to the truth, by kidnapping Jonathan and torturing him for answers.

I didn't give this four stars as it did travel into the realm of the unbelievable at times, but it was part of the story evenso.

Colin Mace is an excellent narrator for this genre and he differentiates between several males and females with ease.

[Aneira Hayward · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really didn't need quite so much detail about the eczema on the detective's genitals!!!!

[Anna Cavallini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bel libro coinvolge già dalle prime pagine

[Sandie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kenny Drummond gets the news no one expects to hear. He has stage four terminal brain cancer and has only weeks to live without treatment, maybe a few months with horrific treatments. Kenny opts to not do treatment and sets about putting his life in order. He is single with no children. His marriage had dissolved after a stillborn baby but he is still good friends with his ex-wife. He lives in a remote cottage where he makes a living painting portraits. He has no close friends or any relatives.
As he prepares, he decides this is the time to make amends to anyone he wronged. He can think of only a few and most insist his sins were minor and nothing to worry about. But then there is Callie Barton. Back when he was a young child, shunned at school because of his strange father and motherless home, only Callie had treated him kindly. He never told her how much that meant and decides this is the time.

He goes to his one friend, an ex-cop and asks her to help him locate Callie. What she turns up instead is troubling. Callie disappeared several years before and has never been found. Her husband, Jonathan Reese, was the main suspect. Kenny determines to find out what happened to Callie and get her justice.

In order to do this, he kidnaps Jonathan and takes him to his cottage. He imprisons him there, telling him that he will let him go when he tells him what happened to Callie. Jonathan is adamant that he had nothing to do with Callie's disappearance but Kenny is not convinced. Is he right or is the cancer in his brain making him read the situation wrong?

This book is chilling. The reader finds himself cheering Kenny on, even as an impartial view shows that he is doing a horrific crime. The devolution of the men's relationship mimics the devolution of Kenny's health and sanity. Neil Cross is a screenwriter who wrote for the Dr. Who and Spooks television series in England before writing the tremendously successful Luther series. One of his novels has been long-listed for the Booker Prize. This novel is recommended for mystery readers.

[Cheryl M-M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Knowing when you're going to die and how, it makes some people start to think really hard about what they want to fix before the big date.

Kenny decides he needs to right the wrongs of his past, to clean the slate and in a way wash his soul clean off any sin. Regardless of whether that sin is real or imagined.

He goes looking for the victim of an attempted abduction he was witness to many years ago. The guilt of not being able to help more and solve the case still weighs heavily on his conscience. Kenny also tries to square things with his ex.

His quest for his own personal Joan of Arc status also leads him all the way back his very first crush in primary school.That particular search is also the start of a series of spontaneous and dangerous decisions, which doesn't exactly end with the justice he seeks.

Caroline has been missing presumed dead or many years now and her husband Jonathan is the prime suspect. Kenny decides he owes it to his old friend Caroline to make her killer confess or to make him pay in some way. Keeping in mind that nobody is actually certain, whether or not Caroline is in fact dead. Kenny is certain, he knows deep in his heart that she is dead, and he is willing to go to extreme lengths to prove it.

I think Kenny's obsession leads all the way back to the days when Caroline was the only one who showed him any kindness as a child. Now he feels as if he has to pay her back. He is willing to cross any boundary to do so, and gets other people hurt in the process.

Cross likes to mix the borders of good, bad, guilty and innocent. A good man can be guilty of bad things and a bad man can be perceived innocent of actual crimes. Sometimes justice is just a pretty word and not the reality of the situation.
I received a copy of this book courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley.

[Gabriella Gricius · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why I Read: „Captured“ was again, a Net-Galley pick that seemed to catch my eye as I scrolled through the lists of books. What’s there not to like? A story set in England about detectives, old mysteries and missing persons.

Review: It’s difficult to describe how I would ‚rate‘ Captured. On one hand, the writing was absolutely fantastic. With every breath and step of the characters, I felt as though I was in their lives. However, the plot left, for me specifically, something to be desired. I was not all-together satisfied with the ending, and even though it was wrapped up - I didn’t quite feel content.

The characters and background plot were extremely interesting. Callie, the object of the mystery, remains as a young girl in my head - although you find out what happens to her much later. I still see her ambling around a young classroom, and then her later relationship and disappearance. At least for me, that’s the mark of a good book.

When I consider the plot of Captured, I found the background to be lacking. Although the idea of a brain tumor and righting old wrongs is absolutely fine- I couldn’t help but not connect with the character who actually had the tumor. He did things in a completely irrational manner (perhaps the brain tumor had something to do with that), but there was something I just couldn’t shake. The progression was quick and before I was ready for the book to be over, it was.

Ultimately, the book was very good. I couldn’t rate it as near to perfect, but it was a good airport read. The characters who haunt the sidelines are really quite intriguing and the writing is fantastic. I’d recommend this book for anyone looking for a quick read which can bewitch the senses if you’re a writer at all, but not if you’re looking for something with substance.

[Diane Coto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Six weeks. That’s the sum total of life remaining for Kenny Drummond who has inoperable brain cancer. He is a portrait artist. Mary is his ex-wife. He gives her the portraits he’d created of her. She knows something is wrong, but Kenny decides to keep it to himself – at least for now. As he thinks back on his life, he makes a list of people he feels he’s let down. They are: Mary; Mr. Jeganathon; Thomas Kintry; and Callie Barton. He only has six weeks to make it right.

He manages to resolve most matters to his satisfaction, but then there’s Callie. She had been his best friend when they were in junior school together. Then one day she just disappeared from class. He was told she moved. Now in present day, he wants to find her so he hires Pat Maxwell, a local and the closest thing they have to a PI. She finds good news and bad news for Kenny. She confirmed Callie’s parents had moved to London. However, in 2004, she’d been hospitalized with a broken wrist and cracked ribs. This info was in the police file. Callie didn’t press charges. Her husband was suspect. Kenny goes to seek justice for Callie. He tracks down her husband, Jonathan Reese.

This story took place near Bristol in South West England. As a psychological thriller, it certainly held my interest. Kenny and Mary had divorced. She remarried Stever five years before and they had two children. They are all close friends. Kenny and Mary even still say “I love you” to each other. I know that brain tumors can change one’s personality, but I found some of the changes to be somewhat unlikely. Additionally, in one scene, Kenny managed to ‘vault’ over furniture. If he was becoming weak as it was portrayed, he would not be able to ‘vault’ over anything. My rating for Captured is 3.5 out of 5.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I read the description of the book, I was intrigued by the premise -

You are diagnosed with a brain tumor and only have 6 weeks to live. How would you choose to spend your last hours, days, weeks?
Before I began the book, I mused how I would spend the remainder of my time here on earth. I would choose to spend my time with family and close friends. I cannot change my past, but I can speak life and love to those around me.

In Captured by Neil Cross, Kenny Drummond is informed by the doctors that he has six weeks to live. As he processes the news, he makes a list of people he either wants to thank for helping him in the past or those he wishes to ask forgiveness from for past misdeeds.

What begins as a positive use of his remaining time turns into a downward spiral into all that is evil when he begins searching for a childhood friend, Callie. In all the different directions the mystery surrounding the disappearance of his childhood friend could take, this one had never crossed my mind.

Although I did not fully enjoy the storyline, Neil Cross' skill with the pen shines through. His skill with the written word draws the reader into the story and allows them to feel the emotions as Kenny lives out his last days. Add in some unexpected plot lines and you have an intriguing storyline.

My ratings:
2 out of 4 stars for my enjoyment
3.5 out of 4 stars for Neil’s writing style

I received a complimentary e-copy of Captured by Neil Cross from NetGalley and Open Road Integrated Media for my honest review

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

According to his biography at the end of Captured, author Neil Cross is best known as the creator of Luther, an award-winning BBC crime series which is scheduled to return with a two-part event special this year. I had never heard of Luther, but having now read Captured, I will be adding it to my Netflix queue.

I had expected from the publisher's description that Captured would be a thriller in the vein of the 1988 movie D.O.A.. Both stories feature a protagonist whose imminent death lends urgency to his solving a mystery: in D.O.A., his own murder by slow-acting poison; in Captured, the disappearance of a girl who was kind to him in junior school years earlier. However, the key word in the description of Captured is actually "psychological." Cross does a superb job of putting the reader into the head of Kenny Drummond as his quest to determine Callie Barton's fate sets in motion a chain of events he could never have anticipated. At the same time, Cross includes enough plot twists and turns to keep even the most demanding mystery or thriller writer eagerly turning the pages. In fact, I inhaled Captured in a single sitting.

While I'm not fond of the title (The Last Bedroom would have been a much better choice), I recommend Captured to those who like their thrillers with more depth than car chases.

I received a free copy of Captured through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first I thought this book was going to be a tear-jerker. It's about a divorced man, living alone, who has just been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and has only weeks to live. Sounds totally bleak. But it isn't that kind of book at all.

Kenny writes a list of people he feels he has wronged and decides to make things right before he dies, by apologizing to each of them. His list includes his ex-wife. My first surprise was the easy relationship Kenny has with his ex-wife and her new husband. The three are adults who have moved on and have no lingering bitter feelings or jealousy.

One of the people he wants to apologize to is a young boy he could have helped, but didn't. A sin of omission no one is aware of except Kenny himself. That one is easy.

Then he tries to find Callie, the girl who was nice to him in grade school when no one else was. He discovers she is missing, possibly murdered, and begins an investigation to find her, or find the truth. As Kenny's body begins to fail, his resolve hardens, and the mild, easy going fellow turns into an avenging angel of death. There are moments of subtle dark humor.

Captured is an action driven novel. There is very little soul searching or second guessing, and no navel-gazing whatsoever. I like that. Action speaks louder than words, and we can understand what Kenny feels by watching what he does with his last hours on earth.

Worth reading - an unexpected treat.

[Carol - Reading Writing and Riesling · Rating 4 out of 5]

My View:
Murder/Mystery/Psychological thriller with a dash of horror!

What a great page turning read – this book is full of surprises and reveals that shock. The premise of the book sounds worthy and interesting; the introduction to Kenny Drummond’s life is twinged with sadness and a few regrets and the unexpected recent diagnosis of impeding death by late stage cancer. Kenny’s world is in tumult. What do you do with just a few weeks to live? Kenny tries to make amends.

This starts out as a virtuous trip down memory lane and rapidly spirals in a bloodied and horrific gasp a minute rollercoaster ride of terror as Kenny’s cancer filled brain distorts his visual and psychological perspective of life - and death. He is determined to find and save his childhood friend reinventing himself as her “knight in shining armour”. But he is running out of time and drastic measures are called for. And drastic Kenny becomes.

What a visual treat this author has painted. The dash of horror is realistic and inspired. This is Stephen King’s Misery on steroids (and without the love). Your pulse pounds as you imagine yourself in this situation…merely observing this is enough to make you twitch with discomfort and turn away in shock. But you must keep reading! And the surprises continue….

Neil Cross is a brilliant writer – he paints realistic settings in a psychological thriller imbued with emotions and well fleshed out characters that is sure to disturb and surprise you.

[Angel Montelongo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a ARC copy of this book from NetGallery for an honest review.

The story is about Kenny Drummond. A man who finds out he only has weeks to live and tries to make amends to everyone before he goes. His quest leads him to Callie Barton, the only schoolmate that was nice to him. He finds out Callie has been missing for years. Her husband, Jonathon, is the only suspect.

Without giving too much away, I liked the introduction of the book. The first three names on his list are smooth and insightful into how others view situations that we end up in. Kenny comes across as a normal, decent guy. I also liked how you go into this book knowing that there isn't gonna be any sequels. The protagonist is more than likely not gonna make it out alive. While trying to find out what happens to Callie, Kenny's life starts to unravel as he takes drastic and more chaotic means to obtain his goal. It makes me wonder if he was always like that, since the books mentions his dad and how his dad was, or if its the brain cancer. Either way, I liked the book as a whole. I just didn't like the ending. Who I thought did it, did it? There wasn't any great, Ah Hah!, moment for me. It was just a little too predictable.

But overall, the book was well-written and I would recommend it to anyone who likes this genre.

[Cathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the Publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Kenny Drummond discovers he has terminal brain cancer and has six weeks or less to live. He writes a list of the people he has let down in some way and wants to make things right with them. On the list are his ex-wife Mary, Mr. Jeganathan, Thomas Kintry and Callie Barton.

In searching out his old childhood friend Callie Barton who was so kind to him, he discovers she had disappeared years ago and her husband was suspected. The husband was eventually let go as the police could not find proof that he had murdered his wife. Kenny decides he needs to find out the truth. He kidnaps Jonathan Reese, Callie's husband, to force him to admit he killed Callie and where she is buried.

Kenny tortures this man endlessly trying to get him to admit to what he had done. In the end Kenny comes to realize that he is wrong about what he is doing and drops Jonathan off near his village.

This is a fascinating read that you just can't put down. I highly recommend this read to anyone who reads this genre.

[Matías Candeira · Rating 4 out of 5]

La faceta de guionista de Cross actúa aquí como la línea maestra que eleva la arquitectura de la novela al estatus preciso de la relojería y las columnas fuertes, además de para resolver con sabiduría de oficio lo que se le exige a cualquiera que haga un libro de las características de Capturado: una agradable ausencia de juicio moral sobre los personajes y cierto laconismo a la manera inglesa en la prosa que la hace triste, desgarrada, seca como un erial en el que da gusto arrancarse la piel a tiras. Y vaya si da gusto, un gusto horrible, empapado en barro, en gasolina, en los humores y las lesiones del cuerpo humano, seguir al enfermo terminal Kenny y asu particular purgatorio y redención, sea frente a la instrospección o la precisión para eliminar cadáveres. Si a esto le sumamos una trama que no hace ni una sola concesión al lector bien pensante, lo que tenemos es una novela ideal perder la fe en el ser humano. Osea, que es de las buenas.

[Aina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Neil Cross might be my new favourite crime fiction writer at the moment; his stories seem simple but the characters feel authentic, and his no-nonsense prose makes for some vivid scenes. I had no idea who the 'captured' in the title referred to and the reveal was done pretty well. But I felt for none of the characters because they are either unredeemable or clueless as hell. There are some brilliant moments of suspense but by the end it was hard for me to care. Would make for a great movie though; it reminded me of 'Prisoners' at times.

[Lou Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

James bought me Luther for my birthday (thank you!) and I thoroughly enjoyed that one. That prompted me to buy a couple more Neil Cross books, and I can say for sure now, I'm a fan. Quite a curious little story, I ended feeling a lot of sympathy for the key character, Kenny, despite his decline into violent behaviour. Quick to read and a real page turner.

[Brian Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice quick read. A very British book. Editing was a bit off at times. All in all not bad just seemed to lack something.

[Anj_1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bit of a Neil Cross fan but is a damn good book! Give a read, you'll not be sorry.

[Clint Sowell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to start this off by saying we really need to quit with writing a 4 paragraph regurgitated synopsis of the book, followed by two sentences of your actual review of the book. You will read my review about this work, not my ability to reword the plot and premise of the book in 5 paragraphs or less.

I want to say that even though it took me a month to read, it actually was quite a fast read. I just personally have trouble sitting down to read and doing it consistently, even though I love to do so. I kept finding myself intrigued on what was coming on the next page and what in the heck would happen next. This story has some twists and turns that the author really slides in there without even a hint of premonition.

Another review said that while Cross’ storytelling and ability to “Capture” (yes I did) his audience is quite the skill, his lack of depth with some characters leaves much to be desired. I tended to agree when reading this book. However, I did not think that lack of depth contributed negatively overall to the book or its story, but did make me scratch my head a few times wondering why he/she would do this or that. This simply because we don’t know a whole lot about who we are reading about. He does mention in his blogs and things that he does this on purpose sometimes because he believes that the human brain can be captivated by a character with minimal information. He is most definitely right about that, and this book proves it, but left me wanting more sometimes.

I gave a 4 out of 5 simply because of that lack of character depth at times. Also I must admit a lot of what I missed out on with scenery and other things is due to me not being from GB and grasping some of the English commonality in the book. I think had this been in a context I’m familiar with (American, Texan, etc.,) and understood the references to, I think I might have felt different. I hate to dock a star from the author on that premise because I don’t get out much and have never travelled really, but I really think that is where my disconnect was, albeit I was fully engaged 98% of the time!

Definitely a good one for sure, and I do recommend it even for someone who isn’t as familiar with Neil Cross such as myself. I was so interested in his writing, I read the excerpt from his previous work, “Burial” that was at the back of this book, and have already begun plans to buy that book :)