Description
VICTIM. SURVIVOR. ABDUCTOR.
CRIMINAL. YOU WILL BECOME EACH ONE.
‘A unique and unforgettable thriller. Breath-taking, breakneck, brilliant.’ MARK BILLINGHAM
‘A masterpiece. You have never read anything quite like THE CHAIN and you will never be able to forget it.’ DON WINSLOW
‘One of the finest novels ever produced in the genre – I may not read a better thriller in my lifetime. It just doesn’t get any better than this.’ STEVE CAVANAGH
* * * * *
YOUR PHONE RINGS.
A STRANGER HAS KIDNAPPED YOUR CHILD. TO FREE THEM YOU MUST ABDUCT SOMEONE ELSE’S CHILD. YOUR CHILD WILL BE RELEASED WHEN YOUR VICTIM’S PARENTS KIDNAP ANOTHER CHILD.
IF ANY OF THESE THINGS DON’T HAPPEN:YOUR CHILD WILL BE KILLED. YOU ARE NOW PART OF THE CHAIN
* * * * *
‘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 humour – should be savoured.’ TANA FRENCH
‘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
‘A grade-A-first-rate-edge-of-your-seat thriller. I can’t believe what went through my mind while reading it.’ ATTICA LOCKE
‘Brutally compelling. Like Harlan Coben in a bad mood.’ MASON CROSS
‘Diabolically gripping. Nail-biting, smart, and convincing. Hang on tight, because once you start this book, you can’t stop – you’ll be caught in THE CHAIN.’ MEG GARDINER
‘Wow! What a ride! Whip fast, intelligent and thought-provoking. One of the best thrillers of the year.’ ADAM HAMDY
‘THE CHAIN is the rare thriller that’s not only fiendishly clever but also powerfully empathetic, with both hair-raising twists and complex, fully-realized characters.’ LOU BERNEY
‘Brilliant. Beautifully written. It scared the hell out of me but I could not put it down! THE CHAIN belongs in the elite company of world-class thrillers like Gone Girl and The Silence of the Lambs. This is nothing short of Jaws for parents.’ DON WINSLOW
‘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
“YOU ARE NOT THE FIRST. AND YOU WILL CERTAINLY NOT BE THE LAST.”
Anne Thompson –
Not the type of book I would normally read, but got really into the storyline, and could not put it down, it was compulsive reading to get to the end to find out what happened next.
Tracey Harriman –
Two things you must remember. Number one: you are not the first and you will certainly not be the last. Number two: remember, it’s not about the money – it’s about The Chain.
Rachel receives a phone call. Her daughter, Kylie, has been kidnapped. The only way she can free her daughter is by abducting another child and paying a ransom. If she doesn’t do this, Kylie will be killed. The person who is holding Kylie had their child taken. And so works The Chain.
It’s fair to say that the abductors in this story are reluctant criminals. Targets are chosen carefully. They cannot risk taking a child whose parents won’t submit to The Chain. Choosing the wrong child could mean the death of their own.
For any parent, this is a provocative read. I couldn’t question what these people were doing. I couldn’t condemn them for it. Not knowing that I would do exactly the same. The instinct of a parent to protect their child is primal. Would I harm another child to protect my own? Of that, I have no doubt. And that is exactly what The Chain depends upon. Knowing that about myself doesn’t feel good. It feels shameful and sickening. Just as the captors feel about themselves in this story.
As much as I hated what the links in The Chain were doing, I couldn’t help but empathise. I was looking for a way out, but I couldn’t see one. The simplicity of how The Chain works is what makes it so horrifying. The premise of the story is unique, the writing is captivating and the characters are sympathetic.
I was an Adrian McKinty virgin. I have to say, my first time was pretty spectacular! I read this in a day. Thank you Lockdown, for making me stay indoors, apologies to my family for a late dinner.
Saying anymore, I think, would spoil the story. I’ll just say, read it and be gripped… just don’t read it on a day your child will be walking home from school on their own.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Erica Bramhall –
I read this book based on the excellent ratings I had seen of it. I thought it was very good but perhaps not excellent. Sometimes I find it hard for fiction to really take me to the right place when it is describing high drama scenes. This was reason I gave it four stars and not five. I still read it in about a week and it has very short chapters which I liked.