Ty rescues her and takes care of her until her burns have healed. Still Gemma has not entirely forgiven Ty and tries to escape by taking his vehicle but does not succeed as the truck gets stuck in the desert. Ty has a nightmare about his past and shouts and screams until Gemma gets up and consoles him. Gemma disapproves of Ty, but after an incident she develops a soft corner for him. He smuggles her away on a plane to Australia and takes her to the middle of the desert, expecting her to fall in love with him. Whilst at a Bangkok airport, 16-year-old Gemma is kidnapped by 27-year-old Tyler “Ty” MacFarlane from a coffee shop after he drugs her coffee. Subtitled A Letter to My Captor, the book is told in second person narrative as a letter from Gemma to Ty. It was published in the UK in 2009 and is the story of Gemma Toombs, a 16-year-old girl who is kidnapped by a 27-year-old man named Ty and taken to the middle of the Great Sandy Desert in the Australian Outback. It’s an emotional story - evoking tears and some genuine chills.Stolen is the debut novel of author Lucy Christopher. But, it definitely romanticizes being kidnapped - another reason why this is more appropriate for older teens and adults. Still, it has a ring of authenticity to it. The book also offers a fascinating insight into Stockholm Syndrome - though at times the sympathy for the villain is over-emphasized. The perspective and overall style of the book really sets it apart from other kidnapping stories. The storyline itself is dark for the YA market - definitely targeted towards the older end with its swearing, drinking and the overall abduction premise. The narrator’s gruffer voice for male voice and higher one for the other women is a bit startling at first, but even when handling the different accents the narration is clear and easy to listen to and never distracting. Listening to the “you” makes this a bit startling at first to listen to, but it really makes it easier to identify with the villain, too.

The novel’s format is that of a long letter from the abducted sixteen year old, Gemma, to her captor, Ty. The audio version is narrated by one woman, who has a pleasant voice to listen to. At first the slowness of listening frustrated me as Christopher’s novel is certainly a gripping story! But as I grew accustomed to letting my ears paint the pictures, I started really looking forward to those quieter moments when I could listen to it. This marks the first fictional audiobook that I have ever listened to! And it is quite an enjoyable experience! Although I probably would have read this book in one evening, listening to it for the last few weeks has really brightened those slow hours at work.

Stolen lucy christopher summary