Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

This is a swift Christian thriller the "cat-and-mouse-game" type, where the sociopath known as The Conductor represents the cat and a group of good guys led by university cop Markus Haas represents the mouse - or not?
The Conductor always seems to be step ahead of anyone else, armed with deadly information and skills - and what is worse, with the capacity to sow disbelief, play with the human psyche, attack in weak places - simply, to create the temptations.
Will the characters survive - and survive as good people, or will they be and stay corrupted by these temptations?

Read this as a thriller and a food for thought about said temptations and your blind spots.
But do not get confused, The Conductor is not the devil himself - brilliant psychopath, yes, but the one formed by sin and pain (as well). Which is my point for 3 stars, actually - as I do not like the superintelligent sociopath/psychopath concept as a whole and also I am not a fan of the usage of the motives here - some are overcomplicated (like the said devilish skills) while some are too simple (the main characters are quite bland and the plot is too thriller-y for my taste, the burning questions which are present might be posed in ways that challenge both the plot and the characters more and more deeply).
Yet, there is something to be said about the edgy, fast-paced reads! I think we need more of that in the realm of (often naive) Christian fiction. The skills are there, the author is obviously smart - so fingers crossed for the next installment in the series to go even more "out of the box"!

This book starts with a punch, with a bang as we meet our serial killer known as The Conductor. He is giving a woman named Janet a dangerous choice. Do what he says or he will kill her dog and her sister. We soon learn that this killer has what he calls his puppets who are pieces on a string and if they don't do what he says - the consequences can be dangerous and people get hurt and the others prior suffer the same thing as when a string gets knotted it has to be cut off at the knot and started again. For the string to work, everyone has to play their part and follow the rules. The latest person on the string is Markus Haas. Markus isn't one to stand by and see anybody get hurt as he is all about standing up and doing what is right. Markus holds quite a high ethic level and if anyone can solve this and bring it to an end it is Markus. However, can Markus follow the clues or will his heart and brain be torn with his decisions when they start hitting and hurting the ones, he loves the most? When you are pushed to the point and told to choose - them or yourself? Who do you choose? It is human instinct to choose ourselves over others and the String will prove just how selfish humans can be when it comes to the crunch and that we do live in a dog-eat-dog world.
This was a really good romantic suspense and I am now looking at seeing if I can source the next book in the series as it ended with a new person and an ooooh moment.

The String by Caleb Breakey is a phenomenal psychological thriller. I am a definite fan of this genre and have read many mysteries/thrillers/psychological thrillers but I have to say— this book was terrifying! It is brilliantly written but not for everyone. I had difficulty with parts and I am not squeamish at all. Amazing book! I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

3.5 stars

I really wanted to love this book. This is only the second Christian suspense that I read. The first one, really missed the mark for me, as I felt it was a little silly and not that thrilling. So I had read the excerpt before picking up this one, and I thought the plot line was really in interesting.

At first, I really liked the story. I was intrigued and it really had me on the edge of my seat, wondering how everything would play out. Unfortunately though, as it was mentioned in other reviews, the story seems to drag on about halfway through the book. The pace did pick back a little towards the end, but even the last few chapters seemed to drag on for me.

There are also other elements I didn't like in the book. First, I felt there were way to many people involved in the String. At one point, it was really hard for me to keep track of everyone, especially when they only made short appearances. It might just be because I'm a slow reader... This might not be an issue for other people. But I still feel like the number of people involved was a little unrealistic. Actually, the fact that this guy was able to pull off such an intricate plot seemed pretty impossible and I honestly doubt some of the "knots" actions and reactions. I know the characters were put into impossible situations, but still I feel more of them would have tried to put an end to it instead for blindly following the Conductor's lead and committing multiple horrible crimes along the way.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book. It did not affect my review.

Wow. I just finished The String and it was outstanding. Completely exceeded my expectations. I didn't even know about this book until I saw the review opportunity and once I read the description, I knew I had to read it. I'm a huge fan of Steven James' thrillers and The String reminded so much of his books -- which is the highest compliment I can give a thriller. ;)

The book starts off right away with action. The beginning scene was so scary and left me needing to know what was going on. I kept feeling like the story HAD to be almost done (because nothing more could happen), but then another twist would happen and then I'd realize why there was so much left to read.

I thought the characters were realistic and the story was written very well. I was never bored and couldn't read fast enough. The ending was crazy and I NEED the next book right now!

I highly recommend The String to fans of thrillers.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning

What would you do if you found yourself in a position of risking others’ lives if you didn’t obey a madman’s crazy orders?

Campus police officer and SWAT candidate, Markus Haas learns the hard way that if you’re chosen to become part of The String, you don’t go against the rules. Still, Markus is an honorable man caught in an insane and deadly game that threatens the woman he loves and her two little girls.

I liked that Markus was a regular guy, though he had experience and determination that made him a thorn in The Conductor’s side.

This one starts creepy, ends creepy, and is downright creepy all the way through with twists and suspects and danger to some people, while the majority go through their days without a clue. The Conductor is maniacal, manipulative, and a cold-blooded murderer.

The story can be a little hard to keep up with if you’re trying to guess the identity of the mastermind by what goes on and the opportunities afforded The Conductor. He seems to be everywhere and know everything, which stretched the imagination a little. And there are numerous suspects. It doesn’t get any easier once the mask is removed and you’re looking at it with hindsight.

But this is a psychological thriller that keeps rolling, keeps the reader turning the page. My one caution is that you go into it knowing it’s a series with a continuing story line. This one ends…but does it?

There’s not much meat with regard to the Christian message, but I’m giving The String 4.5 stars and a definite recommendation if you enjoy stories to read with the lights on.

I have received a copy of the book fro Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you, NetGalley for an opportunity to read this book. if I didn't know it was a debut nobvel I wouldn't believe it. It was so twisted and complicated, So dark and enjoyable. The only criticism I have i that in a second-half o the book it became a bit hard to keep up with all the "knots" and twists. "The Conductor" is a twisted headed individual, I will say. I am looking forward to a sequel.

Buckle up for this fast paced, nail-biting suspenseful, wild ride that never stopped. This story kind of reminded me of the movie starring Shia LaBeouf titled Eagle Eye where strangers are thrown together by a mysterious force threatening their lives, and family if they didn’t do what is requested of them. It’s a race against time (just like this book) as the characters face a series of increasingly dangerous situations, using technology to track and control their every move.

The sociopath blackmailing random people is called the Conductor. He’s truly an evil guy who manipulates his victims to cooperate with him, threatening to hurt the ones they love and kill others because he can. (just like the movie) The stakes are high.

What makes this story different from the movie I mentioned is the fact that this mysterious conductor person focuses on a campus cop, named Markus Kaas, has an obsession with music and has rules. For the string (he calls his victims) which he refers to as sheet music, with notes of all shapes and sizes, tones, and pitches. You’re a note…I’m your conductor.” He says.

” Welcome to the string. Participation is mandatory. And refusal will ensure a dear price is paid.” Rule one of the string. : “Each person gets a positive and negative reason to play their part…

Rule two: dictator decision. But I’m not the dictator. You are. You have the power to destroy not only your own life but the lives of every knot in the string.”

He gives the example of an orchestra playing a piece of music. When everyone does their part, we all succeed when someone freezes, fails. “Every last person on stage would suffer.”

The main character Markus Kaas, campus police at a university. He realizes the woman he’s been dating, and her little girls are in danger. He finds some others who are willing to join him in breaking free of the conductor’s grip, each has a unique skill set to help break this guy’s power and insight. Markus teams up with county sheriff detective Cody, in order to find out what villain is playing this deadly game.

If this were a movie, I don’t think I’d be able to watch it because of the villain, the violence and the fact that the Conductor has a white makeup covered face (I imagine a clown like Stephen King’s It) with a creepy voice. I’m not sure where the author will take book two. I felt like it ended well.

Breakey is a good writer, he delivered an intense, psychological thriller, I couldn’t put down. It’s filled with situations that are very real. Perils happen one after the other (just like the movie I mentioned) No one knows who’s in charge and who to trust. It lacked any spiritual thread, except that Markus’s girlfriend Stephanie is a Christian. Markus is sort of thinking about his faith. He doesn’t go deeper than that. If you and your book club are looking for an action adventure story this is for you.

This book is hard to put down! It sucks you into the story from the get go and makes you want to stay up late reading into the night.

“What is the string, you wonder? Think of the string as one long sheet of music, with notes of all shapes and sizes, tones, and pitches. You’re a note.”

“Eyes of a dark soul, trying to show it’s capable of light.”

“The conductor was here. The string was here.”

Wow, wow, and wow! I’ve read over 100 books this year and this one has been my favorite! It was intense, creepy, and wonderful in every single way. Markus Haas is a Trenton University cop with a few secrets. He’s in love with a woman with two children from a bad marriage. He has a best friend named Cody who never knows when to shut up. And oh yeah, there’s a psycho white faced clown killer who calls himself The Conductor that is terrorizing Markus and Trenton University. And the worst part is that the Conductor has knotted together a string of accomplices to do his bidding for fear of their lives or of their loved ones. So Markus never knows who to trust.

I loved the writing, I loved the climax, I loved the characters, and most importantly, I loved the story that ultimately left me breathless. It even had some spiritual elements. It’s an edge of your seat, action-packed thriller from a debut author with tons of promise. This is definitely for fans of Steven James and some of Ted Dekker’s books. And the ending left room for a sequel which I will definitely read as soon as it comes out.

* I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley and Revell Publishing Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

Title: The String

Author: Caleb Breakey

Series: Deadly Games book 1

Pages: 320

Genre: Suspense, Psychological thriller

Rating: 4.5 in general3.5 stars (for me)


I enjoy reading suspense books but with The String by Caleb Breakey I discovered that I am not really a fan of those suspense books that bleed over into Psychological thrillers. But that's okay because not every book is for every reader. I believe this book was the first book in a while that kept me up all night for two reasons, I wanted to finish it in one sitting, because even though I didn't enjoy the book it was a fast paced read. The other reason being it sort of gave me a slight nightmare. I think mainly because I am such a visual reader. I can picture the setting a book in my mind to point that it's almost like watching TV.

That being said the book is well written, plotted in a manner that allows the story to flow quickly; allowing a reader to read it in one sitting. However, I wouldn't recommend reading it at night or when your home alone. Even though I didn't love it I know that readers who love psychological thrillers will love it. Even those fans who don't read Christian fiction will still enjoy the read. I'm still willing to give future books by this author a try though anymore psychological thrillers of his I plan to approach with caution. My rating is due to personal reasons based on the reaction I had to the book it kind of freaked me out. However, for readers in general and the writing, voice, and plot of the novel I would give it 4.5 stars.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through as part of a blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.


I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Yes, yes, yes!!! Let's hear it for The String! This extraordinary suspense was an all-nighter nail biter. I can’t say enough about it. Some scenes were on the verge of gruesome but author Caleb Breakey kept it clean while the conductor kept me pysched out on my toes ;)! 

 Sure to be enjoyed by thriller readers, this is one I recommend for my ladies friends who say “What do you recommend for my husband?” Caleb brought it home, and left me thirsty for book 2.

It was hard for me to believe that this was a debut book. It was wonderful. Every time I thought I might know who the manipulated was something else happened. I loved the characters and the suspense. I am so looking forward to reading the next book in this series. I received a copy of this book from Revell for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

The String is a well written inspirational suspense reminiscent of Ted Decker. Suspense fans will not want to miss this book. Thanks to the publisher for my advance ebook. This is my unbiased review.

Caleb Breakey has come out with a BANG in this debut novel. I was quite shocked to discover this was a debut, as the writing seemed very much like that of a seasoned pro. With the intricate story line, I would say that is quite a feat.

This book will have you at the edge of your seat from the very first pages right through until the end. You'll find yourself wondering who the conductor could possibly be, how far does the string go and will they catch him in the end? I couldn't wait to find out.

I read a lot of Christian suspense, but I have to say that this one is quite different for a few reasons. First and foremost, I do feel as though it is darker and perhaps even scarier. I would really put it more into the category of thriller even. There is a lot of violence, and we're dealing with a true psychopath rather than your every day run of the mill suspense novel killer. To be honest, to me this reads more like a secular novel. There is no language or otherwise inappropriate content, but there is little Christian content either. There is some talk about faith, so it is certainly there...just not in the forefront as it is in others in this particular genre. Had it not been from Revell (a Christian publisher), I likely would not have thought of it as such. So, if you're looking for something a little more faith based, this might be it. But if you love a good thriller, without language and explicit scenes, this one is certainly that!

Overall, this was an action packed thrill read that I would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys a little scare! I look forward to seeing more from this new author!

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for consideration. All thoughts are 100% my own.

This book is a study in the actions of a sociopath. It includes a truly evil villain who manipulates and kills through that manipulation. It was a hard novel for me to read. Not only was the subject matter depressing but the intense action was repetitive. We readers are kept in the dark as to the villain's reasons for his evilness until late in the book. One of the characters says about 70 percent through the book, “What has this guy done that makes sense?” (2734/3884) Exactly. Since we did not have any clues to his motives, his actions did not make any sense. Some foreshadowing about his motives would have been helpful and might have grabbed my interest.

Another distraction was the villain's resources. He had all kinds of technological gizmos and lots of secret information on people. Where in the world did he get the finances for all of it? That becomes an even more serious issue when the identity of the villain is revealed.

And where is the spiritual lesson in this book? There was a vague exploration of not knowing why God does what He does, such as letting people suffer. That was it. Considering the nonfiction Breakey has written, I expected a much stronger spiritual message and was disappointed there was nothing about the power of God in battle against the forces of evil.

Readers who like a psychological thriller with repetitive action that lacks any Christian message might like this novel. Breakey is a good writer and can create intense scenes. He gets points for that. But he loses points for having an unrealistic villain, unrealistically funded, and not being confronted by the spiritual power only God can provide.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

When a Sociopath who calls himself The Conductor decides to run a social experiment on a collage campus, nothing good is going to happen. Nothing. *Cue creepy dramatic music*

This book is intense, morbid, and a bit gruesome. The story is not as simple as just catching the bad guy and throwing him under the jail either. There’s a lot of psychological craziness going on. It is borderline horror, the Villain is beyond EVIL, so be warned.

What I love most about this book, is the main group of character’s that is forced to play the games. They are not spending the entire book panicking, blaming or fighting with each other, or randomly stumbling into a solution, and so on. They join forces and really try to figure out how to deal with this.

BONUS POINTS to the Author for not having the women turn into sniveling damsels in distress who cry or scream at everything, but Smart Chicks with Grit. *Applause and Thank You To Author*

This is a Mystery/Thriller (Psychological Thriller), so it’s an intense, bone chilling, heart pumping, page turner. All the while still staying a “Clean” read with a great message woven into it.

I loved this book, it was hard to put down this intriguing and engrossing book once I started it. I am looking forward to the next book in this series. Although its not for everyone. If your a fan of Ted Dekker, Frank Peretti, or James Rubart, then Caleb Breakey and The String should be on your list.

“The String” by Caleb Breakey was an intense read! I read that this book was in the great suspense tradition of Ted Dekker and Steven James. That is exactly true! I have read books by both of those authors, and this book reminded me a lot of those other books. In other words, I really enjoyed this read. I couldn’t wait to see who was controlling “The String”, and I had no idea who it was.

I loved the way this book wasn’t like the typical suspense I usually read. There is a madman/woman who calls himself The Conductor. He sends really disturbing threats and tries to get others to do what he wants them to. He calls it controlling “The String”. It is a race against the clock to try to find out who he/she is and stop them!

I definitely recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a good, clean, thriller. I don’t think you will be disappointed.

I received this book from the publisher for my honest opinion.

The String
by Caleb Breakey

Revell

Christian

Pub Date 16 Jul 2019



I am reviewing a copy of The String through Revell and Netgalley:



The String is a game of decisions that are impossible to make, and deadly consequences. Participation is not optional it is mandatory and if any one refuses to play, the threats will come to pass.


The String is a deadly social experiment as a Sociopath called The Conductor, delivers disturbing threats and twisted Moral dilemma’s to unsuspecting students and staff.


As the instinct for self preservation sweeps through the campus, one man must make a grave decision. Will Markus Haas, the university cop play the game to protect his loved ones. Or will he break The String and on-site horrible chaos, and even death.



I found The String to be a powerful novel, full of intrigue and suspense, a novel that draws you in from the first word to the last.


Five out of five stars!



Happy Reading!