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
The Chain by Adrian McKinty was published in hardback on 9 July 2019 by Orion. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review and to Tracy from Compulsive Readers who invited me to take part on this Blog Tour
I first heard about The Chain when I was at the Noireland Festival in Belfast earlier this year. I was absolutely intrigued by the premise and by the fact that so many authors that I respected hugely were raving about this one.
I haven't read Adrian McKinty before, although many of my crime fiction loving friends have urged me to check out his earlier works, and I will. Whilst I had some idea of the concept of The Chain, I had no expectations regarding the writing.
There is no doubt that this author can write extremely well. He hooks the reader right in from the first page and his story is so compelling that there's nothing for it, you need to put other plans aside and concentrate on this one.
Those of us of a certain age will remember the 'chain letter'. Whilst we knew deep down that it was all nonsense, there was something that niggled us and made us copy out the letter ten times and send it on to another ten unsuspecting folk. Looking back, it's pretty horrendous. Sending a letter informing the recipient that if they don't send it on, something dreadful will happen to them, or their family.
That's the basis of McKinty's novel - it's pretty simple, but oh my goodness, this chain is so far away from those innocent scraps of lined paper. This Chain really can kill.
Lead character Rachel O'Neill hasn't had the easiest ride in life. She's recently divorced, with a teenage daughter Kylie. Her house is little more than a beach hut and she's just been recalled to her Consultant after thinking that she'd beaten breast cancer. However, all of those things pale into insignificance when she receives a phone call.
Kylie has been abducted the female voice tells her. Rachel must find $25,000 to free her, but that's not all; she also has to kidnap a child herself; and demand a ransom. If she doesn't, then Kylie is no more.
What the hell does an ordinary mother do in this situation? What would anyone do. It's clear that the police cannot be involved. Rachel is only concerned about Kylie. She wants her back, alive. The story that follows is a fast paced, sometimes a little far fetched, but always entertaining tale of just how far a mother will go for their child.
I don't have children, and I really think that makes a difference as a reader of this book. Whilst I understand that there's this unconditional, put your life on the line love that a parent has for a child, I did find it difficult at times to put myself into Rachels' position. Therefore there were times when I just wanted to shout 'oh, come on ....'
However, this takes nothing away from the sheer entertainment that McKinty has dished up for his readers. It's pretty unnerving in places and it's very clever in others.
The second half of the novel slows down a pace and the reader comes to realise that there's more to this story than the cat and mouse chase for Rachel and her brother in law Pete, in trying to get Kylie back. The author introduces other characters who've been involved in the Chain, and the final reveal was a surprise for me. I like a surprise; whilst I'm sometimes pleased when I work out a plot for myself, I'm more pleased when an author shows that they are far far cleverer than I'll ever be.
No doubt, this book is going to be huge, and I'd recommend it to those who like a thriller that moves at break neck speed, with an unusual premise
Adrian McKinty is a crime novelist from Belfast, Northern Ireland. His books have won the Edgar Award, the Anthony Award, the Ned Kelly Award and the Barry Award. Adrian is also a two time Dagger nominee and shortlistee for the Theakston Crime Novel of the Year.
He studied law at Warwick University and philosophy at Oxford University before emigrating to New York City in the mid 90s.
Twitter @adrianmckinty
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