That may be a little less sexy for some readers, but something about the scheme is as absurd as it is menacing. (July). Divorced teacher Rachel Klein, a cancer survivor, lives on Massachusettss Plum Island with her 13-year-old daughter, Kylie. It seemed like any other morning. Janet Maslin, "Here's an Existential Thriller:Pass It On. "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. says the actress. Description 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). "Dennis Lehane, New York Times bestselling author of Mystic River and Since We Fell"A masterpiece. Rachel Klein is every mother. Brooks places the epicenter of the Bigfoot war in a high-tech hideaway populated by the kind of people you might find in a Jurassic Park franchise: the schmo who doesnt know how to do much of anything but tries anyway, the well-intentioned bleeding heart, the know-it-all intellectual who turns out to know the wrong things, the immigrant with a tough backstory and an instinct for survival. 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. GENERAL THRILLER & SUSPENSE | Adrian McKinty is a Northern Irish writer of crime and mystery novels and young adult fiction, best known for his 2020 award-winning thriller, The Chain,[1] and the Sean Duffy novels set in Northern Ireland during The Troubles. Disclosure: If you click a link in this post and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. They are like mice, these people, mice in the hay fields, and shes the peregrine swooping over them, seeing every little thing they do. BOOK RATING:The Story 4 / 5 ; The Writing 3 / 5 Overall 3.5, OR listen to the audiobook FREE with Audibles Trial (check eligibility). The Chain Adrian McKinty 3.80 89,970 ratings12,229 reviews Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Best Mystery & Thriller (2019) It's something parents do every morning: Rachel Klein drops her daughter at the bus stop and heads into her day. RELEASE DATE: July 9, 2019. It's something parents do every morning: Rachel Klein drops her daughter at the bus stop and heads into her day. His father was a boilermaker and ship's engineer and his mother a secretary. . Buy "The Chain" on Amazon Stanley Milgrams postwar experiments in social cruelty, determining what kind of electric shocks subjects would administer to other people if they thought it was normal, arent directly cited here, but they are essentially what The Chain is about. McKinty's writing is paced to match. There are breakneck thrillers and then there's The Chain. No law enforcement, no politicians, no journalists. It must stick to certain rules, including the one McKinty identifies as Chekhovian (and didnt have to, in this genre): Is there a gun? The Chain scared the hell out of me but I could not put it down! Your child will be released when your victim's parents kidnap another child. Adrian McKinty. In his 2019 novel The Chain, Adrian McKinty digs into the depths of just how far a parent will go to protect their child. Were three pages in. She has survived the devastating trauma and treatment of breast cancer, and horror of horrors, it now appears to have returned. And he brings that experience and talent fully to bear upon the reader with. Adrian McKinty: Working-Class Hero of Irish Crime Fiction. Seriously after reading this book I feel like Ive missed out and will need to catch up on his other boos ASAP!! 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. Five hundred, five thousand, do I heard five billion, oh that redhead woman raised her hand, SOLD to five billion stars to this precious, mind hunting, terrifying, nerve bending, good night sleep killer book! takes what at first seems like a fantastical scenario and imbues it with all the terror, stress, trauma, and messiness of reality. Any parents reading this book will be tempted to find a version of the surveillance gizmo that McKinty writes about, and stick it immediately in their kids footwear. KIDNAPPER. YOUR CHILD WILL BE RELEASED WHEN YOUR VICTIMS PARENTS KIDNAP ANOTHER CHILD. The author at times seems to be at war with the demands of his genre: A sort of cruelly, engrossingly simple story of parental desperation bumps up against corny crime staples larger conspiracies, literal shadowy figures, the occasional red herring. Jewells (I Found You, 2017, etc.) "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. Rachel Klein drops her daughter, Kylie, at the bus stop and heads into her day. As Rachel becomes more determined to bring the whole chain down, McKinty loses a bit of narrative credibility; more frustratingly, in the back half of the book, he slows down, adding fat to what initially reads like a tremendously lean novel. She knows she shouldnt have gotten into the vehicle. From the #1 New York Times bestselling author ofThe Black Widowcomes the thrilling newsummerblockbuster featuring legendary spy, assassin and art restorer Gabriel Allon. The pacing was excellent but I did prefer the first half over the second. ATTICA LOCKE, Diabolically gripping. Shipping speed. Dark and unsettling, this novels end arrives abruptly even as readers are still moving at a breakneck speed. Otherwise The Chain will be broken. Just brilliant. March 2011 by Bantam Books Torrie's Rating: The Plot (Goodreads): [] Read More. Genre:Thriller, Action, Mystery, Crime-Detective. Adrian McKinty's most popular book is The Chain. And where it moves at the speed of a T3 connection: Its victims want to get their children back as quickly as possible, so they race through their tasks, funneling huge amounts of money to The Chain's creators. The scheme brings to light a spectrum of humanity ranging from unimaginable viciousness to well, Rachel thinks she knows her own nature until this storys onslaught of terrible choices hits her. A zombie apocalypse is one thing. 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. And how far into the darkness she is prepared to go. Brooks is a pro at building suspense even if it plays out in some rather spectacularly yucky episodes, one involving a short spear that takes its name from the sucking sound of pulling it out of the dead mans heart and lungs. Grossness aside, it puts you right there on the scene. EMAIL NEWSLETTER: We email our website newsletter containing latest book reviews, giveaways and author interviews to subscribers no more frequently than fortnightly. An Amazon Best Book of July 2019: The Chain is one of those white-knuckle, stay-up-till-3 a.m. thrillers that keeps you reading feverishly because you just need to know how this one plays out. #audies #underdog #blackstoneaudio #mystery", "Rowling's Galbraith makes book shortlist", "Announcing the 2016 Ned Kelly Award Shortlists | Australian Crime Writers Association", "Mystery Fanfare: CWA Dagger Award Longlists", http://bouchercon2017.com/anthony-awards/, "Crime writers Jane Harper and Adrian McKinty win Ned Kelly Award for best novel", "Shotsmag Confidential: CWA Dagger Longlists", "The best books of 2017 - the Boston Globe", "2019 Thriller Awards International Thriller Writers", "Belfast author Adrian McKinty wins major crime fiction prize", "Shotsmag Confidential: CWA Dagger Awards 2020 Longlists Announced", "2022 Thriller Awards International Thriller Writers", "Ned Kelly Awards Australian Crime Writers Association", "New Adrian McKinty Sean Duffy Novel Out in Fall of 2021 Deadly Pleasures", "the psychopathology of everyday life - Adrian McKinty's blog", "Alter Hund, neue Tricks. 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. The answer was always, distressingly, yes. 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. [28], In 2016, The Guardian included book 5 of the Sean Duffy series, Rain Dogs, about the investigation of a death at Carrickfergus Castle, in their "The best recent thrillers" coverage. But by God are these sequences nail-biting. GENERAL THRILLER & SUSPENSE | One of the finest novels ever produced in the genre. I cant believe what went through my mind while reading it. Current price is $16.99, Original price is $18.99. WELCOME BOOKLOVERS! Annabel Monaghan / Book Review. A masterpiece of tension. Reviews & Interviews; Publisher: Mulholland Books Year: 2019 Synopsis: YOUR PHONE RINGS. Letters From The Light author Shel Calopa: Dystopia Now? Javascript is not enabled in your browser. Publisher: Orion Publishing Co. ISBN: 9781409189602. FAMILY LIFE & FRIENDSHIP | Trouble signing in? The Chain is a straight-up, stone-faced thriller, a present-tense race.thunderous ride into the darkest, most fearful reaches of a parent's mind)-- Paddy Hirsch, NPR. [20] He often uses the classic noir tropes of revenge and betrayal to explore his characters' existential quest for meaning in a bleak but lyrically intense universe. SCIENCE FICTION | While Rachel scrambles to get the money together (even though it isnt 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. The Chain : Adrian McKinty : 9781409189589 Share The Chain : The Award-Winning Suspense Thriller of the Year 3.8 (89,187 ratings by Goodreads) Hardback English By (author) Adrian McKinty List price: US$15.67 Currently unavailable Add to wishlist AbeBooks may have this title (opens in new window). Expect the buzz to build quickly for this onethink The Woman in the Window for 2019. In the meantime, I urge readers to check out this highly talented authors far superiorback catalogue. . books have won the Edgar Award, the Ned Kelly Award (3 times), The Anthony Award, Barry Award, Macavity . The call told her that Kylie had been kidnapped, and she was now part of The Chain. [ This book was one of our most anticipated titles of July. Her mind races. Adrian McKinty [18], Patrick Anderson of the Washington Post has praised McKinty as a leading light of the "new wave" of Irish crime novelists along with Ken Bruen, Declan Hughes and John Connolly. The kind that threatened you with plagues and curses if you didnt strictly follow their instructions? Guys. However, this storys execution fell short of my expectations. BOOKLOVER HUB: The Booklover Hub provides another channel for authors and indie publishers to make a connection with a book reviewer. At times, the characters and the emotional core of the events are almost obscured by such quick maneuvering through the weighty plot. ABDUCTOR. When you purchase an independently reviewed book through our site, we earn an affiliate commission. But a cell phone call from an unknown number changes everything . Enabling JavaScript in your browser will allow you to experience all the features of our site. "[25], His novel The Dead Yard was selected by Publishers Weekly as one of the 12 Best Novels of 2006. Alas, its not to be. The Chain reaches and surpasses an almost painful level of page-turning intensity that so many thrillers strive for and never quite achieve. But when little Kylie finds a wrench in the room where shes chained, the outcome is just surprising enough to heighten interest, not kill it. 4.8. What comes next is clunky and a little didactic, making the story bigger than it needs to be, but at least were in the hands of someone who knows how to finish things off with one last irresistible sprint into darkness. I started this website in 2009 and quickly realised I enjoy writing and blogging about books almost as much as reading them. He writes with confidence, heart, and style to spare. In Adrian McKinty's thriller The Chain, that's precisely what the victims are required to do. Were glad you found a book that interests you! I admit I was a skeptic at first and poo-pooed the idea, that it wouldnt work. Adrian McKinty's The Chain was one of last year's hottest thrillers. What I do care about is terrible and unnecessarily pretentious writing, men who insist on writing women despite seemingly never having met a women in their lives, and enormous plot holes you could drive a burning trunk through. Hang on tight, because once you start this book, you cant stoplike the characters in the story, youll be caught in The Chain., Rachel Knights daughter has been abducted, and the only way Rachel can save her is to add another kidnapped child to the terrifying chain. That, or lose their own children forever. [16] Upon hearing of his situation, fellow crime author Don Winslow passed some of his books to his agent, the screenwriter and producer Shane Salerno. Alongside these, McKinty wrote the three books in his Lighthouse Trilogy, a series of science fiction young adult novels set in New York City, his native Ireland, and the fictional planet Altair. He would like you to realize that what youre reading is existentialism in action, with Rachel defining herself moment by moment with each choice she makes. [26] Audible selected Falling Glass as the Best Mystery or Thriller of 2011. I got shortlisted for an Edgar, won a couple of awards, and so then that set me on that path for the next six years of reluctantly, kind of being dragged into writing about Northern Ireland in the 1980s". After writing several short stories, a novella and book reviews, his debut crime novel, Dead I Well May Be, was published by Scribner in 2003. On a Thursday morning, 7:55am, a teenage girl, Kylie, is sitting at the bus stop checking the likes on her Instagram feed, when a man wearing a black ski . Get help and learn more about the design. I read several of the negative reviews of THE CHAIN posted here by other fans of McKinty's previous work and have to thoroughly disagree with . Working within a vividly chilly New England locale, McKinty conjures a fatalistic sense of mystery and confusion. [3] The book was followed by two sequels in what would become to be known as the Michael Forsythe Trilogy. More highly recommended action thrillers: I am blown away. SUSPENSE | EXCLUSIVE: In a seven-figure deal, Universal Pictures has optioned The Chain, the 2019 bestselling novel by Adrian McKinty. 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 . 2.0 stars I hate to spend a lot of time reviewing this book because I was thoroughly unimpressed. 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. a high-concept thriller that draws creatively on familiar tropes . If they dont, the child will die. In desperation, Rachel and her retired military brother-in-law, Pete ONeill, eventually kidnap a random child to win her daughters release. Your child is kidnapped and to get them back you must kidnap someone else's child and tell his/her parents that they need to kidnap a child to get their own back and so the Chain keeps going. If Rachel doesnt follow the program, Kylie will die. McKinty has been an especially astute observer of class in fiction. Her mother, Rachel, then receives a call that she is now part of The Chain. "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? I raced to the end of the book and then went back to see how Adrian McKinty pulled it all off. He read law at the University of Warwick and politics and philosophy at the University of Oxford. THE CHAIN by Adrian McKinty RELEASE DATE: July 9, 2019 For every child kidnapped, another must be taken. The caller is a mother herself, whose son has also been abducted, and if Rachel doesnt do exactly as shes told, both children will die. His father was a boilermaker and ships engineer and his mother a secretary. VIEW MORE at usatoday.com. ", "A masterpiece. This nightmarish story is incredibly propulsive and original. latest thriller moves at a brisk pace even as she plays with narrative structure: The book is split into three sections, including a first one which alternates chapters between the time of Ellies disappearance and the present and a second section that begins as Laurel and Floyd meet. GENERAL THRILLER & SUSPENSE | She must pay a ransom and kidnap another familys child, and then that family must do the same for her daughter to be released. Reviewed By: Jessica Dates Read: April 1-10, 2021 Jessica's Rating: 5 stars. [15], McKinty quit writing in 2017 after being evicted from his rented house, citing a lack of income from his novels, and instead took work as an Uber driver and a bartender. It was with high expectations that I embarked on Adrian McKintysThe Chain. * My receiving a copy from the publisherfor review purposes did not impact the expression of my honest opinions. And because McKinty hangs on to his wit and literacy even under duress. Youre teetering right along with them. $13.99 + $3.65 shipping. Hope you enjoy browsing my book reviews & following my reading adventures. He set that all aside in this one. I went on a wild ride. Thrillers, at least in terms of premise, dont get much more psychologically rich than The Chain, the buzzy new novel from Adrian McKinty (the Sean Duffy series). In 'The Chain,' McKinty hooks the motif up to a power supply, connects it to wi-fi and plunges it into the Dark Web. This was not a good book, and I feel like everyone is pretending it is just to piss me off. You Save 11%. The very definition of a page-turner. And when I first started reading I thought I was correct. Hes the real deal., A grade-A-first-rate-edge-of-your-seat thriller. Nail-biting, smart, and convincing. "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 When the first bullet hit my chest, I thought of my daughter Dr. Marc Seidman has been shot twice, his wife has been murdered, and his six-month-old daughter has been kidnapped. Its a fast read with plenty of excitement and emotion. . The suspense. TO FREE THEM YOU MUST ABDUCT SOMEONE ELSES CHILD. (Shed been in remission for a year.) He writes with confidence, heart, and style to spare. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. You know youre having a bad day when you get a phone call telling you your daughter has been kidnapped, and, to get her back, you must not only pay $25,000 but also kidnap somebody else. Until last week, one of McKintys best-known phrases was less approachable than that, and came from a Tom Waits song: Police at the Station and They Dont Look Friendly. That was the title of one of his many fine, non-best-selling books part of his Belfast-set Detective Sean Duffy series, which had won him esteem, an Edgar Award and a following too small to save him from driving an Uber to make ends meet. Ten years later, Ellies remains and her backpack are found, though the police are unable to determine the reasons for her disappearance and death. Im Jo, an Aussie book reviewer. In 2019, the author made this comment about that novel: "It didnt sell very well, but it ended up getting the best reviews of my career. The Chain cannot be broken or the childrenher child, her Kyliewill be executed. Some scoffing is in order when the disguised, disembodied voice of The Chain recommends antiquated gimmicks like burner phones, the dark web and Bitcoin as the basics of this operation. I asked myself again and againwould I do that? Remember those? Read it that way and it's a thriller on more levels than one. What an elaborate conceptand nightmare! 5.0. The MCUs tiniest heroes are kicking off its biggest phase yet, setting up the next several years of storytelling. Nominee for Best Mystery & Thriller (2019). Great read. 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. McKinty was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1968. You have never read anything quite like THE CHAIN and you will never be able to forget it. Na pewno jest nieodkadaln, wietn rozrywk na jesienne deszczowe wieczory, ale czy zapadnie w pami - raczej nie . Come on. The Chain belongs in the elite company of world-class thrillers like Gone Girl and The Silence of the Lambs. Retrieve credentials. Adrian McKinty was born and grew up in Belfast, Northern Ireland during the Troubles of the 1970s and 1980s. The Book: The Chain by Adrain McKinty, 2019. Pam Grier reflects on her most iconic roles, from Coffy to Jackie Brown. And McKinty finds a lot to work with in the suspenseful possibility of its undoing. Lisa Jewell Number of pages: 416. Truly a nail-biter that will pull you in from start to finish. Pairing an irresistible concept with a winner protagonist, The Chain promises to be your new addiction once you succumb to the first enticing page., "The Chain is a grade-A-first-rate-edge-of-your-seat thriller. Are we not men? 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. It's Taken for mothers. Read more >>. Here's the premise: a child is kidnapped, and the parents are only able to get him or her back if they kidnap somebody else's child, pay a generous ransom in bitcoin, and convince the parents of the child they kidnapped to do the same in turn. AUSSIE AUTHOR CHALLENGE: We hosted this reading challenge from 2010-2022, amassing several hundreds of participant book reviews of titles by Australian writers. Suggested age range - Adult Format - Paperback Product dimensions - 5.5" W x 8.2" H x 1.1" D Genre - Mystery and Thriller Publisher - Little, Brown and Company, Publication date - 09-22-2020 PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER, by Breath-taking, breakneck, brilliant. "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). IF ANY OF THESE THINGS DONT HAPPEN: 35 year old Rachel Klein is a divorced single mother, with 13 year old daughter, Kylie, living on Plum Island, Massachusetts. Max Brooks. Rachel is a part-time philosophy lecturer; divorced, recovering from cancer and struggling to make ends meet. Buy "The Chain" on IndieBound. How Marvel went big with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. [5] In 2000, he relocated to Denver, Colorado to become a high school English teacher.[3]. The Chain has a simple-sounding premise: What if a kidnapping ring used the tactics of a chain letter? Something much better than expected. A tasty, if not always tasteful, tale of supernatural mayhem that fans of King and Crichton alike will enjoy. SUSPENSE, by Who would create something as evil as The Chain? Both of these sections primarily focus on Laurel. He is a winner of the Edgar Award, the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award, the Macavity Award, the Ned Kelly Award, the Barry Award, the Audie Award, the . You wont shake it for a long time. Adrian McKinty | The Chain. McKinty returned to writing after the book landed him a six-figure English-language book deal, and was optioned for a film adaptation by Paramount Pictures. Beautifully written. The novel is at its best when its focus narrows, with punishing clarity, on the emotional intensity of its central predicament. McKinty drops in character details like hes filling out a rsum about how her marriage went south, what the past year has done to her relationship with Kylie but merely because, well, theres no time for anything more: Her daughter is in danger, and she has to get her back. This is the worst version of a chain letter you can possibly imagineand be a part of!! Where McKinty succeeds, in a book that feels heavily worked over to ensure no tangents detract from main events, is in making sure the premise isnt the main event. The novel begins at a bus stop, with the random abduction of a 13-year-old girl named Kylie, and develops in blisteringly short chapters that move virtually in real time. "Steve Cavanagh, author of Thirteen"The Chain is a grade-A-first-rate-edge-of-your-seat thriller. The Chain sounds like the kind of horrifying crime ring that might prey on wealthy businesspeople in far-off places ravaged by drugs or gangs. "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. Entdecke SIGNIERTE Stadt der Trume: Ein Roman von Don Winslow, signiert, neu, Bestseller in groer Auswahl Vergleichen Angebote und Preise Online kaufen bei eBay Kostenlose Lieferung fr viele Artikel! It's called the Chain, and it's a Ponzi scheme from hell. You'll miss meals, sleep, and your stop on the bus - guaranteed. It took four countries, three continents, a couple of careers, philosophy studies at Oxford, serious writing awards and major gonna-make-you-a-star-kid machinations in several fields of endeavor to yield this opening sentence from Adrian McKinty: Shes sitting at the bus stop checking the likes on her Instagram feed and doesnt even notice the man with the gun until hes almost next to her.. But the long arm of the crime novelist Don Winslow, the Cartel wizard who turned his own career into the kind McKinty now hopes to achieve, is also visible.