Don’t break the chain!

Rachel O’Neill has had a few tough breaks. Her husband, who she supported through law school, has left her for a younger model, and she has fought breast cancer. She lives for her daughter Kylie and is now ready to restart her life. What on earth can go wrong? Well, how about getting a notification that her cancer may be back and a call to tell her that Kylie, her daughter has been kidnapped?

Rachel’s life, for the foreseeable future, is now therefore entirely focused on getting Kylie back alive but it’s not a simple kidnapping and apart from the $25,000 ransom demanded she must do the unthinkable to get her daughter back alive.

In order to enjoy this book, the reader must buy into the premise that a parent will do anything at all for her offspring. Once that hurdle has been jumped what follows in the plot seems entirely logical and plausible. In actuality, many would refuse to cooperate and the kidnappers’ plans would fail dramatically. I admit to having trouble accepting the theory but came around eventually and never came across a “that would never happen” moment.

Despite Rachel’s character being well-drawn I did not warm to her, preferring to relate to Pete, her rather rebellious ex-brother in law. Kylie came across well as a resilient teenager and her father, Matty as a rather shallow individual who was generally pretty ineffectual. The thriller lost a star from me as the characters of the perpetrators were not fully explored and, in addition, I felt that the denouement was rather rushed. However, it’s a good read and one to be recommended.

mr zorg

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

Firstly a huge thank you to the publisher, author and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book ahead of a lot of other people. Your support is highly appreciated!

When I first heard about The Chain I was instantly intrigued. The blurb sounded like something straight up my street, and not only that - it was also supported by so many big authors! After I got the taste with the sampler, I knew I was hooked and needed to know what happened next with Rachael and Kylie.

The premise of The Chain is incredible. I've mentioned before that scenarios that could happen in real life frighten me. This one was no different.

Without trying to give too much away The Chain follows a group of very sophisticated individuals who basically get parents to kidnap someone else's child in order to save their own, and in turn the operation runs itself.

I really enjoyed Adrian McKinty's writing style, the narrative was scary and gripping, plus the last few chapters had me biting my nails and pulling my hair - GOSH it was intense!

The reason why I'm not giving The Chain a full five stars is that I really wish the author didn't give so much away throughout the book and saved the big reveal for a more shocking effect. I didn't get blown away by the twist and it was a bit disappointing.

The pacing was good, the narrative kept me interested but the lack of surprise left me on the fence. I really wish there were more twists and turns throughout the book.

It'll be a one time read for me, but I would definitely recommend if you'd like a terrifying read about how far parents are willing to go to save their children and have them back.

An absolute masterpiece. The story was dark and gripping and didn't follow usual clichés. It faced facts and, although cold and twisted, said what we all would do in the situation the main character is put in. I couldn't put this book down. You need to read this.

Don't Forget to Breathe!!

Let’s play a game of “Would you rather” …….

Would you rather be a victim, or an abuser?

What if you had to be both?

This is what Rachel is dealing with. After dropping her daughter off at the bus stop, as she does every morning, she gets a call from a woman, the woman explains that she has kidnapped her daughter Kylie and she will only get her back by following just a few simple rules, if these rules are not followed, she will kill her.

1. No authorities, and no police!
2. Pay a ransom…….. a staple in a kidnapping right?
3. Kidnap a child…….are you intrigued now?
4. Call that child’s parents and give them the same information that you are getting right now.
5. Hold that kidnapped child somewhere, until the parents of the child have paid the ransom, and also kidnapped another child…….I can see your eyebrows raising!
6. Until all of the above have been completed, Kylie will be held.
7. And here is the kicker!! – After Rachel has followed the rules above, the child of the woman on the phone will be released!

And so on, and so on…

Welcome friends, to The Chain

You see, what is so clever about this book, is that it plays on the “what would you do for your child” part of you, and because you are there with Rachel all of the way, it makes you think ‘what would I do’?

Would I do anything to protect my child? Abso-bloody-lutely, but the thought of putting another parent through the same trauma as you are going through right now is just heartbreaking. And you know that when you get told they will kill your child, you believe them, because their own child is at risk too!

You’ll never look at one of those silly chain letters again!!

Grab this one when it is released on 9th July

You’re Welcome

Original and thought provoking. The book provides the reader with the ultimate moral dilemma and is sure to provoke a lot of discussion. I love Adrian McKinty's Northern Irish novels and this is a complete departure but its pace and scope makes it an idea summer read and, indeed, ripe for a movie adaptation.

The premise to this book is fairly simple but disturbing and frightening and every parents worst nightmare. I am of an age where I remember the chain letters (of the pen and paper variety!) doing the rounds when I was a youngster, I never took any notice and no harm ever came to me (yet!) but "The Chain" is in a different league all together and is not something that can be ignored ... ever!

The Chain is a gripping, psychological thriller that starts with a bang, levels off in the middle and rises again at the end. The characters, although interesting, didn't really ingrain themselves into my psyche for some reason and I struggled to connect with them to the point where I wasn't particularly bothered what happened to them however, I liked the writing style which was easy to read and loved the unique story. There is also the underlying warning regarding social media and the ease at which seemingly innocent information can be collated and used against you and your family - people really need to be taking this more seriously.

I would happily recommend this book as its something different and overall enjoyable despite the middle being a bit "meh" and the characters being a bit flat; it kept me reading to the very end.

This is the first book I have read by this author but it won't be my last so thank you to the publisher, Orion Publishing Group, via NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest and unbiased review and once again, for introducing me to another new author to look out for.

I had heard so much about this book and was really looking forward to reading it. The Chain is based on the premise of chain letters and makes you wonder just how far people will go so as not to break the chain and face the consequences. It is tense and gripping and has a well paced plot which will keep you on the edge of your seat. A good idea for a story and this would make a great movie.

Thank you to Netgalley, Orion Publishing Group and the author for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Remember those awful chain letters doing the rounds years ago, promising all kinds of horrible punishments upon you and your loved ones if you didn't pass the letter on to a whole load of other people? Well The Chain is much more disturbing than that. Your child has been kidnapped. To save your child you must pay a ransom and kidnap someone else's child. If you fail to do either of these things, or involve the Police in any way, your child will be killed. Charming. This is the situation Rachel finds herself in after her 13 year old daughter, Kylie, is taken from a bus stop one morning on the way to school. She is, understandably terrified when she receives the telephone call informing her of what has been done and what is required of her to ensure her daughter's safe return. Rachel cannot begin to imagine where she will lay her hands on the $25k ransom let alone how she is going to be able to kidnap someone else's child and hold them hostage. But she has no choice. Kylie's life depends on her mother finding the money and courage to follow the rules now she is part of The Chain.

From the blurb I was expecting this book to be more of a thriller than it actually was. For me it turned out to be more of a family drama, which is fine, and there is plenty of action towards the end, so maybe my expectations of a Tarantino-style escapade from start to finish were a bit high.

A good read, well written and with some great characters, but a little on the tame side for me. Great summer escapism.

I don't know that the execution quite lived up to the excellent premise here, but the concept and pacing were both really fantastic and made for a gripping read that I really enjoyed.

This book asks the question, how far would you go to protect your child? We all like to think we'd do anything for our children but would you commit a crime? kidnap? murder?
This is a great premise for a book and it doesn't disappoint Fast paced with a few twists and turns . it kept me guessing to the end. Highly recommended.

I loved the premise of this book and was looking forward to a gripping read, but, for me, it didn't quite make it. As soon as the convenient ex marine brother- in-law arrived in the plot and for some reason was allowed to assist Rachel I felt cheated. I had anticipated it would be a book more about "ordinary" people placed in an extraordinary situation begging the question "what would I do?"
Thank you to netgalley and Orion books for an advance copy of this book.

I haven't read anything by this author before, so didn't know what to expect. I loved it!! The premise of the novel and 'The Chain' was quite unique, and not like anything else I'd come across before in any thriller. So, go and read this and enjoy it!

A ruthless concept that ensnares the reader just as quickly as the vicious Chain does to the reluctant participants. How far would you go to protect your loved ones? Just hope you aren’t selected to be a link.

It’s clever, disturbing and you won’t want to put it down!

Have you ever been so enthralled by a book that you purposely put of reading the end because you didn't want it to be over. That you knew from the very first page that you're going to be consumed by it. You're going to try and talk to anyone about this book! Well this is that book for me!
I went into this book with so much excitement because just by simply reading the description, I just knew I had to read this book. Please please accept my request NetGalley!! And then they did and even though I have a mountain of books piling up, I ignored them all and dived heads first into reading this book! I just hoped that it was as good as I was hoping it was going to be.


What first attracted me to this book, is the premise. What would I do in that situation? What would I be capable of in order to save and protect someone I love? I don't have any children, so I couldn't put myself in the mindset of a parent, but that doesn't mean I still couldn't feel and understand the characters in this book. It's such a horrible place to have to be put and yet, is it a hard question for a parent? I asked a couple of parents what they would do in that situation, and they basically told me anything. If it meant saving their child, someone else's is the last thing on their mind. Which is scary to think, what you're capable of when it comes to protecting and ensuring the safety of your loved ones, your child.


This book did a clever way of highlighting how scary and easy it can be to take a child. How simple it is to use things like social media; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, when people are constantly uploading everything. Every detail of their lives, every minute, you location and that of their children's, and how people can use all of that information for their own benefit. How quickly it can be done as well. It's frightening.
This book had me hooked throughout, from the very first page, actually from it description, and that's rare. It started off high and heated and continued at that heated, high adrenaline speed for half of the book. Not really knowing. But after that and it slowed down a little I began wondering what was going to happen and if the author did the right thing starting the first half of his book off so adrenaline filled, as it now seemed to be taking a lull. But it needed that. Especially with what was coming.


Sometimes it's nice to know things within the story as a reader, before the character knows anything and then see them uncover these things for themselves, especially when this is done in a clever way. Which this book did do. Leaving, maybe not so subtle hints here and there, I could see how the plot was going to unfold and I was getting ready for it.


This book was something I've been waiting to read and I thoroughly enjoyed it!! Definitely the best book I've read so far this year and it didn't disappoint me. I'm going to be seeing if this author has any more books out because I am now most definitely a fan!

The Chain is one of the most genuinely terrifying books I have ever read. It’s an adrenaline fuelled ride which made my heart pound. Initially I was struck with disbelief that any parent could kidnap a child in the hope that their own child would be released and effectively countenance murder to ensure that the chain would never be broken but as the story progresses any other course of action is swiftly demolished This book will haunt and linger in a way that very few psychological thrillers have ever done. It’s a wicked premise of a story with great characterisation that exposes the worst and the best of human nature. Thanks to Orion for the ARC.

This is an interesting and tricky novel to review—I'm trying to gather my thoughts. Ultimately, The Chain has a high-concept hook which plunges you in at the deep-end from the first page. When Rachel receives a call saying her daughter Kylie has been abducted, Rachel must kidnap someone else's child to get her own back. She is now part of The Chain. (I know, right? Great premise.) The narrative rips along, driven solely by this premise. Characterisation is left a little by the wayside in pursuit of the hook, and the plotting is a slave to the premise (rather than fleshing out any elements of the story, or providing any surprises). The narrative switches viewpoints between a few characters, and a back story is introduced at the midpoint which, for me at least, left no reveals or twists when the two timelines met in the present. (It reminded me of THE SHINING GIRLS in this way.)

These are all considerations, but the thing about a novel like The Chain is it exists almost solely for its premise. Because it's so strong. The prose, the characters, the plotting... while for me, it felt a little "one note", these things don't matter quite as much as the elevator pitch, which will allow readers to pass this hand-to-hand: 'have you read the one where a woman's daughter is kidnapped and to get her back, she has to kidnap someone else's kid?' That in conjunction with the moral question at the story's heart ("how far would YOU go?") is what The Chain is dealing with. I'm not surprised Hollywood has come calling in a big way; the premise will form the bones for a thrilling movie, and strong casting could mitigate some of the novel's flatter characters. (A mother-daughter two-hander would be really cool.) It's a page-turning story and a fast read, which is ideal for the genre... Your enjoyment of The Chain will likely depend on how much depth you want and expect from a thriller.

The Chain

This book, although it’s fiction I’m sure similar things have happened to people and that’s what makes it so shocking. What would you do if your child was kidnapped? And to release your child you had to kidnap another. I instantly liked Rachel the mother of Kylie. She’s been through such a lot with her divorce and fighting breast cancer. You can see she’s loves Kylie very much. She turns to her brother in law Ben when her daughter is kidnapped. This is the only part of the story that seems a bit convenient that he should be ex military given all things they end up needing to do to rescue Kylie and break The Chain. The book moves at a fast pace and I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. Later in the book you also learn how The Chain started and the upbringing of the girl who orchestrated the whole thing. She really was just evil along with her twin brother. Once it was mentioned that Kylie’s dads new girlfriend had a twin things fell into place and you could guess what was coming when they once had again had to rescue Kylie. This is a great read if not a bit predictable. Thanks to netgalley for letting me read it.

A BOOK that lives up to the hype and blurb.
How far would you go to protect the ones you love? This read is terrifying and chilling.
It really makes you think about what you post on social media. You really need to check your privacy settings.
The plot was original and as I said before bang up to date. I read this book in one sitting, plenty of tension and suspense. Also quite a few heart in the mouth moments. I cannot believe that this book is a work of fiction is actually based on true crime . You need to read this book. Almost five stars and so Highly Recommended.
I would like to thank the author, Orion Publishing Group and Netgalley for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

Much acclaim to compete with in responding to this gripping boom.. maybe it's continued but I literally gasped at times, and right from the beginning: the psychological acuity woven into narrative is brilliant. Maybe it wraps up fast and neat, but by then I'm ready for a break. A writer at top of his game in this one! I literally also gobbled it down .. in one sitting - you will too as inevitably the kidnappings, each with its own inexorable twist, go on with no get out in sight. It takes enormous will power to break the steely links.

I literally stayed up till an entirely ridiculous time of night to finish reading this book, it was honestly that gripping. Considering how much I value my sleep, the fact I stayed up till the early hours just to finish this story, is a glowing endorsement in itself! No but in all seriousness, if the blurb intrigued you too, then continue reading to see exactly why I loved this book so much.

I’m sure all bookworms are familiar with the feeling of reading the blurb of an amazing sounding book and then having super high expectations and sometimes it can be a hit or miss. So when I actually got the chance to read The Chain, it totally lived up to my high expectations and proved to be a really enjoyable read. While the novel definitely deals with a disturbing concept and has some difficult to read moments, it has a unique premise, plenty of suspense and tension as well as a satisfying conclusion in my opinion.

The whole concept of The Chain is utterly terrifying and it’s one of those books that makes you wonder what you’d do if you were in the characters position. Like Rachel, would you follow the demands of the sadistic organisation and go against all your morals to save your own child as Rachel does or would you stick to what’s right, no matter what? McKinty does such a brilliant job of making Rachel a character who we can really get behind and empathise with. Rachel is a character who has been through a really rough patch with her being in remission after suffering from Breast Cancer as well as a divorce from her college sweetheart and also the father of her daughter, Kylie. Then all of a sudden add the insidious Chain situation and Rachel is tested beyond belief.

Personally, I found the tension, suspense and sense of foreboding to be absolutely incredible. It was a wild ride for the first 3/4 of the novel where the tension was so heightened as all the while you could see the path Rachel was going down, knowing that nothing would be the same for any of these characters after. I think the pacing was really well done, which enabled the book as a whole to really work and made it an enjoyable reading experience too. While the last portion is ‘slower’ in a sense, this wasn’t a negative for me considering how fast paced the majority of the novel is. It was great to see the aftermath of the events which precede, from the emotional and psychological impact on the characters as well after such an ordeal. It’s realistic and makes complete sense.

As well as the characterisation and the pacing being a highlight, I also found the whole concept and running of The Chain morbidly fascinating. I enjoyed the way McKinty intersperses chapters where we learn about those behind The Chain, as well as the how and why behind it all. I also found the inspiration behind the story really interesting, as it came from the concept of chain letters or emails. This book would make a really gripping movie or tv series and with the right casting, I feel like it would be super successful.

Overall, The Chain is a well crafted psychological thriller with a unique premise, a fast pace and a satisfying – at least for me – conclusion. I can’t recommend this book enough for fans of thrillers, to other readers who want to get into the genre or just anyone who enjoys a good story.