'The Chain' by Adrian McKinty is a thrilling novel that delves into the horrifying premise of parents being forced to kidnap other children in order to save their own. The story follows Rachel, a single mother whose daughter is kidnapped, leading her to navigate through a series of chilling events orchestrated by a diabolical chain that cannot be broken. As Rachel struggles to comply with the demands of The Chain, she must confront her deepest fears and make unimaginable choices to ensure her daughter's safety. The plot is fast-paced, filled with tension and suspense, and keeps readers on the edge of their seats as they witness the lengths parents are willing to go to protect their children.
McKinty's writing style in 'The Chain' is described as gripping, original, and compelling by readers. The author skillfully weaves a narrative that explores themes of parental love, desperation, and the moral dilemmas faced in times of crisis. With a chilling premise that is both realistic and terrifying, the book takes readers on a journey through the darkest corners of human nature, questioning how far one would go to save their child from danger.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Triggers may include child abduction, violence, trauma, and intense emotional distress.
From The Publisher:
When a mother is targeted by a dangerous group of masterminds, she must commit a crime to save her kidnapped daughter - or risk losing her forever - in this "propulsive and original" thriller (Stephen King) that has won the Barry and Macavity Awards, and was named the ITWA Best Novel of the Year.
It's something parents do every morning: Rachel Klein drops her daughter at the bus stop and heads into her day. But a cell phone call from an unknown number changes everything: it's a woman on the line, informing her that she has Kylie bound and gagged in her back seat, and the only way Rachel will see her again is to follow her instructions exactly: pay a ransom, and find another child to abduct. This is no ordinary kidnapping: the caller is a mother herself, whose son has been taken, and if Rachel doesn't do as she's told, the boy will die.
"You are not the first. And you will certainly not be the last." Rachel is now part of The Chain, an unending and ingenious scheme that turns victims into criminals - and is making someone else very rich in the process. The rules are simple, the moral challenges impossible; find the money fast, find your victim , and then commit a horrible act you'd have thought yourself incapable of just twenty-four hours ago.
But what the masterminds behind The Chain know is that parents will do anything for their children. It turns out that kidnapping is only the beginning.
"McKinty is one of the most striking and most memorable crime voices to emerge on the scene in years. His plots tempt you to read at top speed, but don't give in: this writing - sharply observant, intelligent and shot through with black humor - should be savored."- Tana French
"A masterpiece. You have never read anything quite like The Chain and you will never be able to forget it." - Don Winslow
"Diabolical, unnerving, and gives a whole new meaning to the word "relentless". Adrian McKinty just leapt to the top of my list of must-read suspense novelists. He's the real deal."- Dennis Lehane
"Pairing an irresistible concept with a winner protagonist, The Chain promises to be your new addiction once you succumb to the first enticing page."- Alafair Burke
"A grade-A-first-rate-edge-of-your-seat thriller. I can't believe what went through my mind while reading it." - Attica Locke
Ratings (37)
Incredible (5) | |
Loved It (7) | |
Liked It (15) | |
It Was OK (5) | |
Did Not Like (4) | |
Hated It (1) |
Reader Stats (69):
Read It (38) | |
Currently Reading (1) | |
Want To Read (26) | |
Not Interested (4) |
5 comment(s)
I wanted to like this book. I found the concept intriguing but the story fell flat. The characters were boring and I found myself not caring about what happened to them. Even giving one character cancer and another character a heroin addiction didn’t make them interesting. I forgave the blah characters in the first half because the plot was interesting but I completely lost interest in the second half. For such a dark and tense topic as child abduction I thought I would feel a range of emotions but throughout most of the book I just felt annoyed.
Started out strong then started to waver. Still an interesting concept
Hooked in the beginning but got bored near the end.
C-
Part one was great. Un-put-downable. Unfortunately it all sort of fell apart in part two. It’s not just that the twist was predictable. It’s not just that the characters became almost unrecognizable versions of their former selves. Or certain plot points that went unfathomably unaddressed. It was those things and the dozens of other things that all added up to a bust of a second half. It was like the two parts were written by two different people. A disappointing finish to a decent beginning.
Terrifying. Unable to make my own choices as I was reading but horrified to know what hers were!
What can you read after
The Chain?
About the Author:
Adrian McKinty was born and grew up in Belfast, Northern Ireland during the Troubles of the 1970s and 1980s. His father was a boilermaker and ship's engineer and his mother a secretary. Adrian went to Oxford University on a full scholarship to study philosophy before emigrating to the United States to become a high school English teacher. His debut crime novel Dead I Well May Be was shortlisted for the 2004 Dagger Award and was optioned by Universal Pictures. His books have won the Edgar Award, the Ned Kelly Award, the Anthony Award, and the Barry Award and have been translated into over twenty languages. Adrian is a reviewer and critic for the Sydney Morning Herald, the Irish Times, and the Guardian. He lives in New York City with his wife and two children.
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