Many thanks to Mulholland Books & Netgalley for an advance copy of this novel.

I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN.

BLURB:

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.

After a few lackluster reads, I was excited to start reading The Chain. Based on the blurb, I knew I would be in for an unputdownable story. Thankfully, I was exactly right. This book pushes parents to evaluate questions they hope they’ll never be asked. It blurs the lines between simple survival and morality. It will make readers question the vilest parts of their human nature and the cost of unconditional love.

The first half of this story was exceptional. I was on the edge of my seat and was tensely awaiting every page to see what would happen next. I felt ill thinking about how easily this could happen to anyone I know, including myself. It made me want to delete all of my social media and go off the grid to keep my children safe. It was intense.

There was only one discrepancy that stood out to me and kind of made me want to throw my Kindle. It will be minor to most readers, but certain oversights in my reading drive me crazy, especially when books have gone through multitudes of editing. The author writes, “The barrel pounds into her shoulder,” after the main character fires a shotgun for the first time. Um, you better hope the barrel of a shotgun doesn’t pound into your shoulder after shooting it, otherwise you’re blown to bits, friend. The word he was looking for is stock.

The second half of the story wasn’t quite as impressive as I was hoping for after the whirlwind of the first half. A few characters come out of left field and change the feel of the story. Nonetheless, the ending wasn’t too over the top or unrealistic for my tastes, which was a win in my book. I still was eagerly turning the pages, racing towards the conclusion for peace of mind. This was highly entertaining and downright addictive to read. I recommend picking this up if you’re looking for a fast-paced and unique Thriller.

Rating: 4 stars

Purchase on Amazon.

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