The Chain

I am not a parent of humans. And since there were no animals harmed in the writing of this novel, I feel compelled to point out that my review may seem a little... um... harsh. So just bear that in mind as you read on. I picked this book for my book club at work because I thought it had a really interesting premise. A woman's child is kidnapped and the only way to get her daughter back is to kidnap another child herself. And to convince the parents of that child to continue The Chain. Oh and if she goes to the authorities, her child dies. And she needs to be willing to kill her kidnappee. Or her child dies. And if she is forced to kill her kidnappee, she has to kidnap someone else! It's actually kind of ingenious. In a really sick sort of way. The book is split into two parts. The first part tells the story of Rachel, who's daughter, Kylie, is kidnapped. Rachel has to race against time to get her daughter back. The second part of the book is Rachel going full John McClane trying to take down The Chain. I don't want to get too much in the details in order to keep this spoiler-free. So I'll just say this: I think it would have been very interesting to see the story where someone is willing to sacrifice their child in order to stop The Chain. I know how that sounds, but as Spock would say, "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one." Now, in reality, the concept of The Chain could never work. There are just too many variables. Like, if someone goes to the authorities, The Chain would probably tumble down pretty quickly. But setting aside any disbelief in the concept, this sure was a page-turner. Here are some random bits of brain matter to chew on (I just realized how gross that sounds)... First, there was one character that comes and goes a little too quickly and really just felt shoved in just to get Rachel what she needed at a pivotal point. Also, Rachel's cancer (not a spoiler; it's mentioned on, like, page 1) was completely unnecessary to the story. Leave it out and the story loses absolutely nothing. The mafia/cartel stuff was interesting, but went nowhere. That could have been a neat thread to pull on some more. Kylie's dad is a horrible father. In so many ways. Lastly, there is a relationship that occurs in this book that when you think about the ramifications of such a relationship, might start to turn that family tree into a family wreath. [shudder] But none of these things detracted too much for me. I gave this one 4.5 out of 5 stars. It's a fun thrill-ride where suspension of disbelief is a prerequisite, but isn't that what a lot of good fiction is? As a quick post-script here, I should note there were some in the book club that were really dissatisfied with this book. Their points are incredibly valid as are anyone who gave this book a lower rating on Goodreads. I agree with a lot of the bad reviews of this book, but for some reason I just had a fun time with it. But as I started out by saying, I am not a parent to humans. Those in my group that are found the concept disturbing. Some were so put off that they stopped reading after a couple chapters. Others got themselves through the book by sheer will power and said they wouldn't recommend this to parents of young children. I think that's a bit of an overreaction, but maybe my heart, if I have one, is a few sizes too small.

Good book. Kept me interested I enjoyed it and will be looking for more books by him. Good job Adrian

"They have all sipped from the Drink Me bottle. They have all unwound the clew of red thread. They have all fallen through the looking glass." For most parents, there is perhaps no worst fear than losing their child. We can probably agree that they'd do anything to ensure the safety and wellbeing of their kids. In his 2019 novel The Chain, Adrian McKinty digs into the depths of just how far a parent will go to protect their child. I first heard of the book when another author, Don Winslow, began to tout it on his Twitter. It sounded like the kind of thriller that I find hard to ignore, so I quickly pre-ordered a copy. Then, as is too often the case with some of my most hyped books, I let it sit on my shelf unread for two years. While time may have heightened my expectations for the novel beyond what it ultimately delivered, it is still a worthy read for anyone looking for a breakneck thrill. Imagine for a moment that you're having a bad day. You just got a call from your oncologist that they need you to come into the office for some urgent news. You already know what that news is. Your cancer has returned. This is probably one of the worst days of your life. Just as you're thinking that things can't get any worse, however, your phone rings again. This time the voice on the line is unrecognizable, mutated by an electronic filter designed to hide the identity of whoever you are speaking to. They tell you that your child has been kidnapped, and the only way you'll ever see them again is by following their instructions with no deviations. You've just become another link in the chain. This is the nightmare that unfolds for Rachel Klein at the start of the book. She quickly compartmentalizes the news around her cancer to face the more pressing matter of her daughter's abduction. Within the next 24 hours, she has to come up with a ransom or risk never seeing young Kylie again. But the money isn't the most disturbing part of the abductor's request. You see, the person holding her daughter is no ordinary criminal. The person is actually a mother herself, facing the same exact nightmare as Rachel. Her own son has been taken, and if Rachel doesn't also abduct a child within the next day, they will both lose their own. The premise of The Chain is quite ingenious in both its simplicity and its execution. Adrian McKinty imagines a diabolical scheme that sees normal people turning into the worst kind of desperate criminals in only a few short hours. The mechanism of this concept lies within the willingness of parents to protect their children at all costs. As each new child is taken, the next parent must pay a ransom and kidnap another child, thus feeding into the chain in an endless cycle. From the opening pages, I was glued to this story, unable to look away from the terrifying story as it unfolded. The genius of McKinty's writing in this work is his ability to balance relatable characters with an unrelenting pace. Seriously, I tore through this novel within a few hours but was surprised at how nuanced the character work actually was. The book isn't without its flaws, and I found the last act unworthy of the brilliant setup that preceded it. Still, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more original and engaging read.

I finally gave in and read this book after seeing it recommended what feels like a thousand times. I usually resist books that get too popular. Started it yesterday morning, finished it this morning. That’s not bragging, that’s a hostage situation. The book took me. I ignored people. I put my phone on DND. If the house had caught fire, I’d have brought the book with me. The premise is terrifying in the best of way: your child is kidnapped. To get them back, you have to kidnap another child. That’s The Chain. And if you break the chain, someone dies. Adrian McKinty doesn’t ease you in. He grabs you by the throat on page one and never lets go. Every chapter is another gut-punch. Every decision the characters make leaves you questioning what you would do in their shoes. The tension is relentless, the plot is razor-sharp, and the pace? Lightning. I don’t say this lightly: this might be the best book I’ve read in 2025. Hands down. Don’t be like me and wait around wondering if it lives up to the hype. It does. Read it. Then clear your calendar, because once you start The Chain, there’s no backing out. I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time.

Started slowly but, stick with it. Very good read, interesting, believable characters and some nice twists. Very unusual plot too

Ich habe von McKinty mehrere der Bücher über Nordirland gelesen und das Lokalkolorit sehr geschätzt. Das fehlt hier etwas, auch wenn der Autor immer wieder mit Details klar macht, dass die Geschichte in und um Boston spielt. Es handelt sich um einen rasanten Thriller, nicht sehr realistisch, aber extrem spannend und packend. Gegen Schluss konnte ich nicht mehr mit Lesen aufhören, was selten passiert. Wenn Page turner, dann The Chain!

Fàcil de llegir per als q estem aprenent anglés. Història senzilla però entretinguda.

Thriller oserei dire molto moderno dove i social media e la nostra ossessione nell' essere sempre connessi la fa da padrone...ma il tema. principale è cosa siamo capaci di fare quando i figli vengono messo in pericolo...adrenalina, azione, ritmo e bei personaggi!!

A truly un putdownable thriller about parents whose only choice to save their families is to hurt another. As a thriller, it is breathlessly compelling, but there's a lot more going on in this book, and thoughtful readers will find another tale about society, family, and our obligations to each other. Am a fan of McKinty's Sea Duffy novels too.

In his novel, "The Chain", Adrian McKinty adapts the old concept of chain letters to a crime so horrific it is hard to believe it could actually happen, though he appears to have drawn on a real Mexican case as his starting point. Rachel Klein drops her thirteen-year-old daughter, Kylie at a bus stop then goes about her day. Later, she receives a phone call from a woman who says she has Kylie bound and gagged in her back seat. The only way Rachel is going to get her daughter back is to pay a ransom, then find another child to kidnap. If Rachel goes to the authorities, if she doesn’t pay the ransom, if she doesn’t follow her instructions to the letter, she will never see Kylie again. The woman who calls her is a mother herself whose child has been kidnapped by another person and that child will die as well if Rachel doesn’t follow instructions. It soon becomes clear that Rachel is caught up in a chain – a chain of deplorable proportions – and she is a low income, single mother fighting cancer. With every aspect of her life falling apart and her only child in danger, can she do it? Predictable ending? Of course, but who cares? And what’s the point of a story where the bad guys get away with everything and the poor, unfortunate victim remains poor and fortunate? The pace is so fast, the pages fly by at breakneck speed. McKinty hooks his reader from the get-go when Kylie is kidnapped and it is difficult to put the brakes on until the end. The plot is simple, yet unique. Characterisation is good with every aspect of Rachel’s persona laid bare; likewise the protagonists. For the lover of thrillers Adrian McKinty’s "The Chain" is a must read.