‘The Chain’ is a mid-life hit for novelist Adrian McKinty

NEW YORK (AP) — Adrian McKinty’s “The Chain” is a breakout hit for an author who two years ago was driving an Uber.

McKinty’s thriller has just been published and has already reached Amazon.com’s top 100 list. The novel tells the story of a woman whose daughter was kidnapped and who must in turn kidnap someone to get her back.

The novel arrived with blurbs from Stephen King, Dennis LeHane and many others. Film rights have been acquired by Paramount Pictures in a reported seven-figure deal. “The Chain” has also been translated into more than 20 languages.

McKinty, 51, is a late bloomer who once thought seriously of giving up on writing. He is new to most readers of “The Chain,” but he has been an acclaimed crime author for more than a decade.