The Chain

by Adrian McKinty

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

A mother is told to kidnap another parent's child if she wants to see her own kidnapped child ever again. And so it goes: The Chain. The terrifying premise alone is worth the read…and once you are fully involved with the story, you're led through a maze that leaves you wondering if the protagonists will ever make their way out. Truly a nail-biter that will pull you in from start to finish.

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" award-winning thriller (Stephen King).

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

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316531238
Publisher:	Little, Brown and Company
Publication date:	09/22/2020
Pages:	368
Sales rank:	6,431
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.10(d)

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.

What People are Saying About This

New York Times bestselling author of The Cartel and - Don Winslow

“You have never read anything quite like The Chain and you will never be able to forget it. Brilliant. Beautifully written. A masterpiece of tension. The Chain scared the hell out of me but I could not put it down! I raced to the end of the book and then went back to see how Adrian McKinty pulled it all off. 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.”

Author of Into the Black Nowhere - Meg Gardiner

“Diabolically gripping. Adrian McKinty has written a novel that’s nail-biting, smart, and convincing, with a plot-jolting twist that readers of Gone Girl will love. Hang on tight, because once you start this book, you can’t stop—like the characters in the story, you’ll be caught in The Chain.”

New York Times bestselling author of The Better Sister and The Wife - Alafair Burke

“Rachel Knight’s daughter has been abducted, and the only way Rachel can save her is to add another kidnapped child to the terrifying chain. Pairing an irresistible concept with a winner protagonist, The Chain promises to be your new addiction once you succumb to the first enticing page.”

Author of the Edgard Award-winning Bluebird, Bluebird - Attica Locke

"The Chain is a grade-A-first-rate-edge-of-your-seat thriller. I can't believe what went through my mind while reading it--the things I might be willing to do to save my child."

Author of Thirteen - Steve Cavanagh

"A masterpiece. One of the finest novels ever produced in the genre. This is up there with Marathon Man and The Silence of the Lambs. It just doesn't get any better than this."

New York Times bestselling author of The Witch Elm and The Trespasser - Tana French

“Adrian 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.”

Author of November Road - Lou Berney

“Adrian McKinty’s 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.”

New York Times bestselling author of Mystic River and Since We Fell - Dennis Lehane

“The Chain is 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 writes with confidence, heart, and style to spare. He’s the real deal.”

Author of The Killing Habit - Mark Billingham

"The Chain is a unique and unforgettable thriller. Breath-taking, breakneck, brilliant."

Editorial Reviews

"Of the current crop of 'high concept' summer thrillers, The Chain is the highest...compulsively page-turning and scary...The Chain is highly-charged fun."—Gene Walz, Winnipeg Free Press

"Adrian 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, New York Times bestselling author of The Witch Elm and The Trespasser

"This nightmarish story is incredibly propulsive and original. You won't shake it for a long time."—Stephen King

"You have never read anything quite like The Chain and you will never be able to forget it. Brilliant. Beautifully written. A masterpiece of tension. The Chain scared the hell out of me but I could not put it down! I raced to the end of the book and then went back to see how Adrian McKinty pulled it all off. 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, New York Times bestselling author of The Cartel and The Force

"Rachel Knight's daughter has been abducted, and the only way Rachel can save her is to add another kidnapped child to the terrifying chain. 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, New York Times bestselling author of The Better Sister and The Wife

"The Chain is 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 writes with confidence, heart, and style to spare. He's the real deal."—Dennis Lehane, New York Times bestselling author of Mystic River and Since We Fell

"A masterpiece. One of the finest novels ever produced in the genre. This is up there with Marathon Man and The Silence of the Lambs. I may not read a better thriller in my lifetime."—Steve Cavanagh, author of Thirteen

"The Chain is a grade-A-first-rate-edge-of-your-seat thriller. I can't believe what went through my mind while reading it—the things I might be willing to do to save my child."—Attica Locke, author of the Edgar Award-winning Bluebird, Bluebird

"Diabolically gripping. Adrian McKinty has written a novel that's nail-biting, smart, and convincing, with a plot-jolting twist that readers of Gone Girl will love. Hang on tight, because once you start this book, you can't stop-like the characters in the story, you'll be caught in The Chain."—Meg Gardiner, author of Into the Black Nowhere

"Adrian McKinty's 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, author of November Road

"Starting The Chain is like climbing aboard a runaway train. You'll miss meals, sleep, and your stop on the bus - guaranteed."—Val McDermid, internationally bestselling author of Broken Ground

"Scary, plausible, gripping."—Ian Rankin, internationally bestselling author of In a House of Lies

"McKinty has written several gripping stand-alones, of which this one is the best yet; in fact, it may well be the biggest thriller of the summer. . . . It's called the Chain, and it's a Ponzi scheme from hell. . . . A pitch-perfect psychological thriller. . . . Expect the buzz to build quickly for this one—think The Woman in the Window for 2019."—Booklist (starred review)

"The Chain has all the hallmarks of a monster hit, including a terrifying premise that had me wondering: Is this actually happening somewhere right now? And I bet I won't be the only one. Terrific."—Mark Billingham, author of The Killing Habit

"The Chain does for parenting what Gone Girl did for marriage; a breakneck narrative and a chilling concept make this a must-read thriller."—James Swallow, author of Exile

"There are many elements that recommend Adrian McKinty's The Chain: A devilishly clever plot, well-drawn characters that leap from the page, a writing style that verges on the electric and the imaginative way he is able to blend fear, panic and determination throughout each chapter. But the element that is most striking is the significant intelligence that goes into the story. Psychological notes are played deeply. Emotional chords are woven tightly to the plot. This adds immeasurably to the excitement, making it not merely a well-told page-turning thriller, but a truly sophisticated bit of novel-writing."—John Katzenbach, #1 internationally bestselling author of The Analyst

"Just when you think every single plot has been done along comes something new. Great read. The very definition of a page-turner."—Linwood Barclay, #1 internationally bestselling author of Never Look Away

The Chain is a rocket ship, tremendous in pace and filled with suspense. It's a ride I won't soon forget."—Daniel Woodrell, author of Winter's Bone

"I read this book in one long dark night of the soul. It's Taken for mothers. Except better, because it's so utterly believable. Rachel Klein is every mother. I asked myself again and again...would I do that? Would I? The answer was always, distressingly, yes. The Chain reaches and surpasses an almost painful level of page-turning intensity that so many thrillers strive for and never quite achieve. I defy anyone to start this book and put it down without finishing it. Just brilliant."—Bestselling author Dervla McTiernan

"My God! The suspense. The Chain is an exceptionally good thriller. I am blown away."—David Lagercrantz, author of The Girl in the Spider's Web and The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye (Continuing Stieg Larsson's Millennium Series)

From the Publisher

In the end, what makes The Chain so frightening—and why it works so well as a thriller—is that all of Rachel's actions remain completely relatable, even as she whipsaws between terror and determination, morphing from victim to perpetrator.

The New York Times Book Review - Tina Jordan

To McKinty's great credit, he can make readers wonder at any point whether the ground may fall beneath their feet and how much evil they might be pushed toward. Stanley Milgram's postwar experiments in social cruelty, determining what kind of electric shocks subjects would administer to other people if they thought it was normal, aren't directly cited here, but they are essentially what The Chain is about…Beneath its surface of high-speed thrills, The Chain is clearly the work of the philosophical thinker McKinty has always been…He would like you to realize that what you're reading is existentialism in action, with Rachel defining herself moment by moment with each choice she makes. Read it that way and it's a thriller on more levels than one.

The New York Times - Janet Maslin

★ 04/29/2019

An original premise, relentless pacing, and strong female characters lift this nail-biter from Edgar winner McKinty (the Sean Duffy series), which takes a no-holds-barred look at how far a parent will go to protect her child. Divorced teacher Rachel Klein, a cancer survivor, lives on Massachusetts’s Plum Island with her 13-year-old daughter, Kylie. She’s driving to Boston one day to see her doctor when she gets a call from an unidentified woman who sounds upset. The woman tells Rachel that she has kidnapped Kylie, and the only way to get Kylie back is for Rachel to kidnap another child. The woman, whose own child has been kidnapped, and Rachel are now links in a chain of abductions. If Rachel doesn’t follow the program, Kylie will die. In desperation, Rachel and her retired military brother-in-law, Pete O’Neill, eventually kidnap a random child to win her daughter’s release. At that point, an angry Rachel and Pete, ignoring warnings to continue to remain silent and do nothing, go on the offensive to track down the people responsible for the kidnapping chain, culminating in a violent confrontation in a marshy area south of Plum Island. Readers won’t be able to put this thriller down. Agent: Shane Salerno, Story Factory. (July)

Publishers Weekly

★ 2019-04-28
For every child kidnapped, another must be taken. Otherwise The Chain will be broken.

Thirteen-year-old Kylie is waiting for the school bus on Plum Island, Massachusetts, when a man and a woman pull up wearing ski masks. Her brain tells her to run, but she doesn't make the correct split-second decision, and she is taken at gunpoint. Her mother, Rachel, then receives a call that she is now part of The Chain. She must pay a ransom and kidnap another family's child, and then that family must do the same for her daughter to be released. No law enforcement, no politicians, no journalists. The Chain cannot be broken or the children—her child, her Kylie—will be executed. While Rachel scrambles to get the money together (even though it isn't about the money, she is told) and pick a child to steal, it becomes clear that she is being tracked and her every move is being monitored. She can't do this, she must do this, she is now a completely different person who has done this. Inspired by the "exchange kidnappings" that take place in Mexico and the old-school chain letters of his childhood, crime novelist McKinty (Police at the Station and They Don't Look Friendly, 2017, etc.) takes what at first seems like a fantastical scenario and imbues it with all the terror, stress, trauma, and messiness of reality. At once a commentary on social media, greed, revenge, love, and true evil, and written with an almost lyrical quality, this book will have readers searching for more McKinty titles to devour.

An unmissable thriller.

Kirkus Reviews