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The Chain

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The Chain

By: Adrian McKinty
Narrated by: January LaVoy
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About this listen

 VICTIM.
SURVIVOR.
ABDUCTOR.
CRIMINAL.
YOU WILL BECOME EACH ONE.

'Starting THE CHAIN is like climbing aboard a runaway train. You'll miss meals, sleep, and your stop on the bus - guaranteed.'
VAL McDERMID

'Incredibly propulsive and original. You won't shake it for a long time.'
STEPHEN KING

'Scary, plausible, gripping ... If you like compelling storytelling, this taut thriller is going to be your summer holiday read.'
IAN RANKIN

'I may not read a better thriller in my lifetime. It just doesn't get any better than THE CHAIN.'
STEVE CAVANAGH

* * * * *

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

* * * * *

'A masterpiece. You will never be able to forget it.'
DON WINSLOW

'A unique and unforgettable thriller. Breath-taking, breakneck, brilliant.'
MARK BILLINGHAM

'Terrifying. Terrific.'
MICK HERRON

'Striking, memorable, should be savoured.'
TANA FRENCH

'THE CHAIN does for parenting what Gone Girl did for marriage. A must-read thriller.'
JAMES SWALLOW

'Inventive, tense, unputdownable - THE CHAIN is the real deal.'
TIM WEAVER

'Diabolical, unnerving, relentless.'
DENNIS LEHANE

'An electrifying thriller - one of the very best of its kind'
FIONA CUMMINS

'A first-rate edge-of-your-seat thriller. I can't believe what went through my mind while reading it.'
ATTICA LOCKE

'Gripping, nail-biting, convincing.'
MEG GARDINER

'Brutally compelling.'
MASON CROSS

'Staggeringly brilliant. Gripping, propulsive, profoundly affecting.'
LIAM McILLVANNEY

'Relentless from the first page to the last. Clever, uncompromising, and gripping.'
LUCA VESTE

'This is the thriller of the year.'
SJI HOLLIDAY

"YOU ARE NOT THE FIRST.
AND YOU WILL CERTAINLY NOT BE THE LAST." ©2019 Adrian McKinty (P)2019 Orion Publishing Group Crime Thrillers Psychological Suspense Thriller Thriller & Suspense Disappearance Crime Fiction Exciting Scary

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All stars
Most relevant  
Wow what an addictive book!  I started listening to this on Audible and I didn't want to stop! Unfortunately real life got in the way so it took me a couple of days.  Now I feel bereft. I dont know what I want to read next because Im not sure anything else could be as good!

The book is totally scary because it's totally believable.  It could happen to you, and you can't help asking yourself 'What would I do?'  The story isn't completely original as I've read other stuff in a similar vein, but McKinty's writing makes you live through every minute of Rachel's torment and the pacing is terrifyingly fast and had me hold g my breath more than once.

I haven't read anything else by Mr McKinty but his back catalogue will now be on my TBR list.

A few words about the narrator. I hadn't listened to anything narrated by January LaVoy before but her narration of this book was absolutely amazing. She is now on my list of favourite narrators.

Diabolically good!

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An engaging book...didnt want to put it down..Clever plot. Unusual & imaginative . I highly recommend it .

An exciting story

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Really enjoyed it up to a certain point but it gets really unbelievable.
There's one character where most of the development is done at the end and it feels rushed. The ending wouldn't feel so abrupt if their development went further. Same for the motive actually, more details of problems with relationships would stop a certain connection feel less ridiculous.
Characters are generally well formed. It would make a good TV series.

Great up until the end segment.

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A unique story line, had me on the edge of my seat all the way through. As usual narration by January Levoy is first class!

Totally Gripping!

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It hooks you in from the first chapter and takes you on a rollercoaster ride of tension and fear and anxiety. Your palms may sweat and you may listen in one go to see what happens.
You’ll also have to suspend disbelief and may find the plot is becoming more outlandish but it’s so gripping and entertaining and worth the listen...... if only to admire the superb narration by January LaVoy. She is brilliant, and I will definitely be listening to more of her audiobooks.
I think you’ll work out the conclusion of the chain as these super human characters battle their way through a maze of complicated circumstances, but you won’t be disappointed, and I think it will also be coming to a cinema near you fairly soon. Well worth a listen.

A cert for a film script soon.

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I’m aware that if someone else had written this I’d have accepted it as perfectly interesting for one of those easy listeners to occupy myself with whilst doing chores. However, I’ve delighted so much in Mckinty’s very individual and authentic voice - gritty, poetical and moving - that I felt sad at its loss here. This is a good version of a tired genre and it feels like a sell-out. (Fair enough!)
The reader is doing a good job, but again it’s just another feisty mum doing the breakfast like I’ve seen in a billion movies. I guess I’m just an addict for what feels more hard and raw in the reading of his other books.
I feel bad saying some of this as I did enjoy this keeping my mind occupied, but it’s a credit to a really wonderful writer when you can hold them to account and expect more. Other writers can do this but AM has a really unique and magical way of creating stories that was absent here. I checked several times that I’d downloaded the right one and it really was him.

Where has McKinty gone?

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Great idea for a story. The first half was brilliant and hooked me. The second half was a little predictable.

Brilliant book!

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I chose this on the strength of January LaVoy not having heard of the author. It was excellent and a welcome change from the current trend of storylines all being THE thriller of the year, all being very similar and not living up to the hype. I came across this one by accident (is that possible in a world full of cookies?!), sans hype. I loved it. Thank you.

Excellent book

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Loved this book, the idea is great and well delivered!
The only negative is when January does an “English” accent, the rest of the performance was fantastic!! Barely noticed the switching between the rest of the characters speech which is very rare in an audiobook :)

Great book!!

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I hated the ending and I really hated the music at the end. The book is ok but not gripping or entertaining. I don’t know if it would be better in book form,

The story goes on a bit too long and I don’t mind suspending my disbelief but this kind of pushed the boundaries of that. There were parts that didn’t add anything and made no sense. Needless sex and drug use that felt like they were part of a sub-plot that has been dropped.

Just ok - but I don’t feel I gained anything from listening. And as above the ending is dreadful and the music feels like I am being mocked for listening.

Ok - but annoying in parts

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