Captives

Captives is an unusual love story about the relationship between a prison dentist, Rachel Clifford, and the inmate Philip Chaney. Rachel is in emotional crisis after the break-up with her husband and business partner, who deceived her. Perhaps this is a contributing factor in Rachel throwing all reason overboard when one of her patients in the prison asks her to visit him during visiting hours, as he has not had a visitor in five years.

Rachel and Philip begin a passionate affair, which is possible because Philip has day release to attend some courses. The relationship is not entirely without problems, however. Rachel and Philip never get round to talking about what crime Philip was actually convicted of. One day Rachel investigates the case herself and is shocked to discover that Philip is serving time for murdering his wife, a crime of jealousy. As if that were not enough, some of the powerful inmates have sniffed out the truth. They blackmail Rachel into being their courier, which Rachel reluctantly agrees to, until she discovers that the contraband is a pistol. The ending is highly dramatic, for when Philip cannot save her, she has to save herself.