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The Chain
- Narrated by: January LaVoy
- Length: 10 hrs and 9 mins
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The Chain
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Summary
You are a parent. Your phone rings. You answer it. It's a panicked stranger.
They tell you that they have kidnapped your child.
The stranger then explains that their child has also been kidnapped, by a completely different stranger.
Their child will be released only when you kidnap a new child.
Your child will be released only when, after you kidnap the new child, that child'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.
It's something parents do every morning: Rachel Klein drops her daughter at the bus stop and heads into her day. 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 again is to follow her instructions exactly: pay a ransom, and find another child to abduct. 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.
Rachel is now part of The Chain, an unending and ingenious scheme that turns victims into criminals - and is making someone else very rich in the process. The rules are simple, the moral challenges impossible; find the money fast, find your victim, and then commit a horrible act you'd have thought yourself incapable of just 24 hours ago.
But what the masterminds behind The Chain know is that parents will do anything for their children. It turns out that kidnapping is only the beginning.
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What listeners say about The Chain
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- SandraL
- 13-07-19
Diabolically good!
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.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- moira doherty M Doherty
- 12-09-19
An exciting story
An engaging book...didnt want to put it down..Clever plot. Unusual & imaginative . I highly recommend it .
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Jo
- 22-08-19
Great up until the end segment.
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.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Bev Meek
- 18-02-24
Totally Gripping!
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!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Joan
- 14-10-19
A cert for a film script soon.
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.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 14-06-23
Where has McKinty gone?
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.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 03-02-22
Promising..
Interesting concept, good characters. The final climactic chapters feel like the editor stepped in quite heavily. Narration is good
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- AOLK
- 07-02-23
Dramatic storyline that didn’t disappoint
When I heard the premise of this book I knew I had to get it to see how it ends up. You’re in the story from the get go and it moves at a good pace throughout. It’s been a while since I’ve been glued to a book! I’ll be surprised if this doesn’t make it to the screen.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- YB
- 13-04-20
A fast paced unputdownable
Great story! Very dark but hard to put down!. Characters are very believable. Good work.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- anne
- 22-07-19
Excellent!
An enthralling story! Very well written, proving that an improbable premise in the hands of an expert storyteller can work in a way never expected!
I must get more of Adrian McKintys books. If this is anything to go by they must be addictive.
January LaVoy did an excellent job as narrator, confirming that she really is one of the best around.
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