The Chain by Adrian McKinty

The Chain by Adrian McKinty
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2 days

Pages - 357

Publisher - Mulholland Books

Source - Bought copy

Blurb from Goodreads

You just dropped off your child at the bus stop. A panicked stranger calls your phone. Your child has been kidnapped, and the stranger explains that their child has also been kidnapped, by a completely different stranger. The only way to get your child back is to kidnap another child within 24 hours. Your child will be released only when the next victim's parents kidnap yet another child, and most importantly, the stranger explains, if you don't kidnap a child, or if the next parents don't kidnap a child, your child will be murdered. You are now part of The Chain.



My Review

Rachel has a lot going on, health issues hanging over her, her ex husband and his new girlfriend and now her child has been kidnapped. The kidnappers inform her she is now part of the chain, they have had to kidnap her daughter to get their kid back. Any attempt to contact the police or anyone who could risk the chain will result in her child being killed. It isn't about the money, it is about the chain and in order to get her child back Rachel will need to bring this parental hell down on another family. She has no choice, Rachel needs to kidnap another child!

Ohhh the book kicks off really quickly to be honest, we flip between mostly Rachel and her struggling to come to terms with her predicament and everything she has to do. We hear little bits from her child, from just before to during her kidnapping as well as another character we know don't really know much about until later and a wee bit from the "bad guys", all told in third person.

For me I just couldn't see where this was going, where it would end, how it would resolve and it is always good when a book keeps you guessing like that. You feel the utter distraught Rachel is feeling and the horrific choices forced upon her. I am not even a parent and I had baited breath at points.

It isn't action action action as we follow the parent but there is plenty to keep you hooked and firing through page after page. I couldn't wait to see where it would end and I believe this is being made into a tv series or movie, cannot wait to see it. I have heard some grumbles about how it was round up and you know I have had a few flinging my toys out the pram at how some books end but I really liked this and thought it was done well. I had a few gasp out loud moments as well as a bit of rage at some characters. Some of the plot is a bit out there but it made for brilliant reading and sometimes truth is stranger than fiction so anything goes! Always good when a book gets reactions from you, 4/5 for me this time, I think this is my first by this author but I will be checking out their other stuff!

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