Tom Swift in Captivity is the 13th in this Tom Swift series. This time, Sam Preston, owner of a large circus, who needs a new attraction for his side show. He knows of a place in the jungles of South America where a race of giants live. He offers Tom a reward to go procure one, and at the same time, find and rescue a hunter who has gone missing. However, an unethical competitor in a rival circus vies with Tom to find the giants. It's up to Tom to be the first to bring back a giant, rescue the hunter and escape from the race of giants. Whew!

Victor Appleton was a pen name used by at least eight authors who wrote for Edward Stratemeyer. Of the 38 titles in the first Tom Swift series, Howard Garis (April 25, 1873 – November 6, 1962) wrote the first thirty-five, while Harriet Stratemeyer Adams (December 12, 1892 – March 27, 1982), daughter of Edward Stratemeyer, wrote the remaining three.