While most of the books in Iris Johansen’s Eve Duncan series focus on the titular main character, CAPTIVE revolves around Eve’s daughter, Jane MacGuire, and her significant other, Seth Caleb. Eve is a relatively minor figure in this particular episode.

"This 29th entry in the series is told in Johansen’s distinctive style, with lots of action taking place in various locations and from different characters’ perspectives."

Known as the Hunter, Seth is hired by governments around the world to hunt down bad guys and bring them to justice. Concerned that Jane is being targeted by Hugh Bohdan, a well-known crime lord, Seth encourages her to stay at MacDuff Run, a secluded estate in the Scottish highlands, while he attempts to track down and do away with Bohdan.

Jane is a very strong-willed and resourceful woman. She doesn’t like being cooped up and is chomping at the bit to do something useful. After Bohdan’s men make a play for her, Jane realizes she’s not safe, even in her current hideaway. So she makes up her mind to quit playing the victim and go after Bohdan herself --- with Seth’s help. Can the two of them bring down this criminal mastermind before they are eliminated themselves?

This 29th entry in the series is told in Johansen’s distinctive style, with lots of action taking place in various locations and from different characters’ perspectives. While this broadens the scope of the narrative, readers must pay close attention to the storyline in order to keep up with everything that’s happening.

As with previous installments, Johansen does an adequate job of filling in the backstory to familiarize her fans with all the characters, their relationships to each other, and some of the more recent plots. Newcomers to the series should have no problem settling in and enjoying the ride as they eagerly await #30.