The Chain

Rachel Klein (formerly Rachel O’Neill) is The Chain’s protagonist and, at the beginning of the novel, the newest “link” in The Chain—a crime ring responsible for kidnappings, murders, and more. Rachel is not a typical criminal, as she doesn’t join The Chain by choice. Like most links in The Chain, she joins because her daughter Kylie was kidnapped, and in order to get her back alive, she has to kidnap someone else. As a parent, she wishes to protect her daughter no matter the cost, so she takes out a high-interest loan to pay The Chain leaders’ ransom, and then kidnaps a child with the help of her ex-brother-in-law and love interest, Pete. Rachel doesn’t enjoy doing this and repeatedly becomes ill with disgust—exacerbated by her chemotherapy for breast cancer. In this regard, she resembles most links in The Chain: She embodies the type of morality that The Chain leaders Ginger and Olly prey on. Namely, she values her daughter’s well-being, and is willing to put aside her own morality for her sake. This is why most links choose to kidnap a child because they assume their parents will act on love rather than morality and laws.