(80)The Chain by Adrian McKinty

Rachel drops her daughter off at the bus stop and heads off to her oncologist's appointment.  But then she gets a call that changes her life.  Her daughter, Kylie, has been kidnapped.  To get her back, she has to pay a ransom and kidnap another child.  And then those parents have to kidnap another child in order to keep The Chain alive. Rachel leaps into action.  She will do anything to save her daughter, but she needs help.  Her ex-husband is out of town, so she calls his brother, Pete.  As an ex-Marine, she knows that he has the skills necessary to help her get Kylie back.  But will they be in time to keep The Chain going and get Kylie back alive?

I was pretty much hooked from the very first page.  I don't remember the last time I read such a fast-paced book.  Rachel was a character that you could immediately get behind. She was a single mother who was facing a reoccurrence of cancer. And then her daughter gets kidnapped? How much worse could it possibly get for this woman? There is a point in the book that my excitement just waned. I was actually a little disappointed with the last half of the book.  I am trying to not give it away - but CLICK HERE FOR SPOILERS.

Bottom Line - I was almost willing to add The Chain to my "Best of 2019" list, but the last half was too predictable for it to make the list.  The first half of the book is one of the best thrillers I have ever read, the second half was disappointing, but not enough to keep me from recommending this book. Go into it with an open mind and you will be in for a mostly entertaining read.

• The Chain by Adrian McKinty
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• Pages: 368
• Publisher: Little, Brown, and Company
• Publication Date:7/9/19
• Buy it Here!