The String

Written by Caleb Breakey

Narrated by Jason Culp

Welcome to the string, a game of impossible decisions and deadly consequences. Let's go over the ground rules. Rule #1: Participation is mandatory. Rule #2: If anyone refuses to play, all threats will come to pass. Game on. Get ready for a deadly social experiment as a sociopath known as The Conductor delivers disturbing threats and twisted moral dilemmas to unsuspecting students and staff. As a powerful instinct for self-preservation sweeps through the campus, one man has a grave decision to make. Will university cop Markus Haas play the game to protect those he loves? Or will he break the string and incite massive chaos--and even death? In the great suspense tradition of Ted Dekker and Steven James, Caleb Breakey's explosive debut novel will have you turning pages into the night.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jul 16, 2019
• ISBN: 9781980033882

Reviews for The String

[lamb521 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Title: The String (Deadly Games #1)Author: Caleb BreakeyPages: 320Year: 2019Publisher: RevellMy rating is 3 out of 5 stars.Markus Haas is a police officer at Trenton University. The students like him and think he’s cool. He is dating a single mom, Steph, with two children. Fellow officers at the local police department don’t like him as some event in the past has placed animosity between the two. His fellow officer, Cody, is a good friend though. Markus is unwittingly drawn into a complex but deadly game run by “The Conductor”, who has amassed a network of people he forces to perform unsavory, illegal or dangerous tasks in order to keep the game going. If the players do not do what The Conductor tells them to do, someone they love will suffer severe consequences. Markus enters the game when a student places a bomb in his car.In the course of his investigation, he quickly discovers that this is no game. The threats and consequences are very real. However, Markus is not one to be subdued. He fights back, but there is a cost. He tries his best to discover the identity of The Conductor, but with each attempt, a consequence is incurred. A threat is issued toward his girlfriend and her children who Markus holds dear, but can he discover who is behind this elaborate plot before more people are killed, including Steph and her kids?I would rate this 3.5 if half-stars were allowed. The first book in most series has to lay the groundwork/history of characters and their backgrounds in order for subsequent novels to progress the story. The suspense was off the charts and had my heart pumping. There is a definite creepy factor to this story, which may put some people off. Also, I thought this could have been a great opportunity to showcase a disciple of God’s reaction to evil, but this story just had a few mentions of prayer and God. Believers in God are under attack every day from evil spiritual forces. I hope in subsequent books the author includes more about faith in God. I plan to read the next book in the series to see the potential growth and depth of the main character in relation to his faith in God.Note: The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility.

[hes7 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A thrilling debut novel from Caleb Breakey, The String is perfect for fans of Ted Dekker and Steven James, as the blurb suggests, as well as Frank Peretti.It’s a terrifying game led by a madman, known as The Conductor, and the characters have little choice but to give in to the blackmail, deception, and psychological manipulation—but that does not mean they are playing without a fight.Needless to say, The String is a story full of twists and turns. I never knew what would happen next, and the suspense Breakey creates is pitch perfect for the genre. I cannot wait to read more from him in the future.I received a complimentary copy of this book and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

[virginia51-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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.

[fcplcataloger · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

'The branding iron pulsated reddish orange in the corner fireplace. It was time.'These are the first words of this new book by Caleb Breakey and they introduce readers to the disturbing and thought-provoking world of a person who calls himself the conductor. This unknown villian is playing a cat and mouse game with students and staff members at Trenton University and his rules are very specific. If he chooses you, you must play and if you refuse to play, every other player is at risk. As this story progresses, it is obvious that the conductor is well acquainted with each player and he knows all of their secrets and weaknesses. What he doesn't count on is the determination of one of the players to put this murderous game to an end. Marcus Haas is a university cop and he has some secrets also but he's found someone worth fighting for and he is determined to protect Stephanie and her two little girls. 'This was the love of my life, the woman I wanted to spend my life with---and I'd do anything to keep her and her daughters safe.'If you have a busy day planned you may not want to start this book the night before because author Caleb Breakey has written a story that will keep you reading and rob you of sleep. The String is pyschological suspense at its best but it is also contemporay Christian suspense. Readers are shown good versus evil and the choices that are often required. Do you sacrifice others to save yourself? The String certainly made me think about what I would do and it made me very grateful that I myself wasn't forced to play!I received a complimentary copy from Revell and I am voluntarily sharing my honest thoughts in this review.

[cherylk_44 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I grabbed a copy of this book because of the concept of the book. I was ready for an intense, psychological thriller. In the beginning I was feeling this book. So, here is the deal about this book and my reading experience. There were so many characters introduced so fast that I had a hard time keeping them all straight. Also, some had minor parts and others major parts. By the time I figured it out, some characters were already dead. Thus not giving me much chance to really get to know any one person in particular. In addition, the story seemed to go all over the place. Booping from one place to the next; leaving more questions than answers. While, I did like this book, I just felt that it could have been more grounded on just a few characters. Overall, I thought this was a good book but there was room for improvement.

[jillrey · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of the creepiest reads I've encountered in a long time. Breakey stuns right out of the gate in what is sure to be a long and exciting series of deadly, evil, vile manipulations. Haas may be a rookie, but he isn't going down without a fight. I loved every second of this read - step aside mall cop, Trenton University's own is on the case. *Disclaimer: A review copy was provided. All opinions are my own.

[alekee_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a mind-blowing read, and once a few pages are turned your hooked, and even when the last page is turned, you realize that more is about to happen.How would you like to receive this memo?Rule #1: Participation is mandatory.Rule #2: If anyone refuses to play, all threats will come to pass.Game on.Yes, this is how it begins, and you can’t even imagine how it is played out. Most I never saw coming, and surprises abound here, and don’t rule anyone out.Most of all who will survive to the end? A lot don’t make it, and they tried playing by the rules, the rules of a sociopath, and evil is sure raising its ugly head here.I received this book through Revell Blogger Program, and was not required to give a positive review

[barb_h_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

 This book strongly appealed to me based on the description of it, and it absolutely did not disappoint. I became very hooked on reading it right from the beginning and enjoyed the ride all the way until the end. I look forward to reading any more books that come along in what is supposed to be a new series.I won an Advanced Review Copy of this book via LibraryThings Early Reviewers program.

[ravennight-2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I received an ARC of The String through the Library Things Early Reviewers program. When I first started this novel, I thought that the writing style wasn't going to be for me. However, I got into my groove and fell in love with it after the first three chapters. Breakey's writing had me at the edge of my seat for the entire 300 page journey. The book follows a university cop named Markus Haas. When The Conductor, a sociopath who is controlling most of a college campus through fear, threatens to kill his girlfriend and her daughters, Haas refuses to play his game. The Conductor uses the string he has created against itself to try to get back at Haas. Haas tries to save the love of his life while figuring out who The Conductor is and stopping him. I love puzzles, and reading this book was like trying to solve one. The complexity of the string created by The Conductor was fascinating, and made me want to figure it out myself. There were small hints throughout the book as to who The Conductor really was, but they were extremely hard to put together. His identity was a surprise to me, and I'm glad for it. This book was very dark and twisty, and just kept pulling me forward. I enjoyed the switches in perspective as well. It was nice to have both first person and third person perspectives that alternated; I liked being able to get into the story and also get an observational point-of-view. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys dark crime novels.

[croknot1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I received this book through LT for my honest review. I started it, put it down, then picked it up again. I can't say I enjoyed it, but, I didn't hate it either. The villain, it seems, has reinvented himself, so I think I will pick up the next in the series.

[tabrowne · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was intense. I quickly became invested in Markus Haas and his ability to be a good man. This is a book that kept me guessing until the end. While written by a person of Faith, the faith aspects were a light touch so this shouldn’t turn off those who aren’t Christians or even who are atheists. Matter of fact you could give this to a friend who likes thrillers but needs to have a very light tug towards Faith. This book is similar in genre to some of Ted Dekker’s thrillers while being less scary but still suspenseful. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a suspenseful mystery thriller.I received an ARC with the hope that I will give it an honest review.

[sandylw · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The opening scene of The String is terrifying but good. However, after that, the book became very confusing and difficult to follow. Eventually the reader realizes that there is a man controlling "the string" who calls himself the conductor. The conductor represents the devil who comes in many disguises and in this case it is literally thick white makeup. The characters in the novel are all tied to this string by some wrongdoing in their past which the conductor is holding over them. In order to save their family member, and I suppose atone for their wrongdoing, they had to kill someone else. Markus Haas is the campus cop who is trying to unravel the identity of the Conductor and prevent further deaths. I had a difficult time justifying all of the violence and murder. Initially, I thought the book was going to be a mystery thriller, but then this dark evil being took over so I decided it must be the classic good vs. evil themed novel. Definitely there is a sequel coming.I received a free copy of this book in the Library Thing Early reviewers program.

[amaryann21 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Told by one first person narrator, Haas, and several other perspectives, though inconsistently, the reader learns of The Conductor, someone who is manipulating several members of the town and college staff. He's forcing them to do terrible things to others with threats against their loved ones. The whole book felt like an introduction to the cast, but not like a complete story unto itself. It was very obvious that this was setting up for a series, but not in a way that made me want to read any more about these characters. The plot was haphazard, the characters never developed very well, and motives were alluded to but never fleshed out. I felt frustrated and confused much of the time. Instead of building the tension, there was random violence and killing that didn't feel well planned. This wasn't a pleasurable read.

[jenniferrobb · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program in exchange for an honest review.At the start of the book, I wasn't sure I'd get into this book. If I hadn't agreed to read and review it for LTER, I might have put it down and not picked it up again--but I'm glad I didn't. As the story moved to the part involving Markus Haas, I found myself drawn in.Markus gets drawn in to the web of a sociopath who calls himself "The Conductor". The Conductor manipulates and blackmails others into doing things for him so that he can enact a grand plan. I have to admit that I'm still not sure if the plan was to gain revenge or just to get the high of breaking the wills of strong people or a little of both. But it just goes to show that there's a skeleton in every one's closet if you look hard enough--a skeleton that most people don't want revealed and will go to great lengths to prevent it from coming out.

[nadinec.keels · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A sociopath who calls himself The Conductor is running a deadly "string" of a social experiment on a university campus. A university cop, Markus Haas, has to decide whether to play along to protect his loved ones or to go after The Conductor and risk more lives being lost in The String by author Caleb Breakey.Okay. Maybe I read too much and have seen too many ruthless villains to have enough patience when it seems like characters spend a bit too much time in disbelief over an evil person, asking the disguised evil person questions he's obviously not going to answer ("Who are you?") or pleading with the evil person or making demands of him ("Stop it!") as if he's going to listen. I suppose it's just human nature, but a little of that in this book, along with my wondering if The Conductor would basically be a knock-off of the Joker, gave me some reservations.Nevertheless, the more I got invested in the characters, the more my reservations didn't matter.What I like most about a core group of characters trapped in the string is that they don't spend all or most of the time panicking and then just stumbling into solutions. They're thinking people who choose to be proactive, and it's not because they've all had law enforcement or combat training. Even a few of the key female characters who could've easily been the helpless or hysterical damsels in distress throughout a hero's tale are instead rational women who've got grit.While, yes, this novel is rather gruesome, it's not a basic "shoot 'em up and catch the bad guy" story with a neat and tidy ending. It's psychological warfare with spiritual impact. And if you let the central message really hit you (as it hit me), then you'll likely begin to anticipate the next book in the Deadly Games series.__________Revell provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review.

[jfe16 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Review of Advanced Reading CopyA sociopath known as the Conductor wreaks his own particular brand of havoc on a university campus. Markus Haas is determined to put an end to the Conductor’s fiendish reign of terror; however, the Conductor is elusive and there’s no way to know who can be trusted and who is a knot on the Conductor’s string. Marcus soon finds himself confronting the same impossible decisions and wrestling with horrific situations similar to those faced by the monster’s other victims. While he is intent on stopping the Conductor, Marcus must also find a way to protect those he loves. But what is the Conductor’s plan? Is it nothing more than a madman playing out a game to which only he knows the rules . . . or is it something far more sinister?The reprehensible plan of the Conductor draws readers into the telling of the tale and keeps them on the edge of their seats. Tension permeates the narrative with an almost palpable apprehension while unforeseen plot twists reveal backstories and take the story in unexpected directions. Believable characters and a strong sense of place strengthen the narrative while the constantly-building sense of terror captures readers and keeps the pages turning in this unputdownable tale.Highly recommended. I received a free copy of this book through the LibraryThing Early Readers program

[jypsylynn · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

*I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Revell Books. All opinions expressed are my own.*The String By: Caleb Breakey*REVIEW* ????The String is a seriously twisted tale of the manifestation of evil, appearing as "The Conductor". This individual is the villain to end all villains, having no reservations about using any type of leverage against absolutely anyone to achieve the desired result. Obviously believing he possesses the power of God, the villain manipulates lives like a master puppeteer pulling the strings with the greatest of ease. It's scary how smart this self proclaimed "Conductor" really is. I'm not cheering for the bad guy, but this character has a wow factor. The author has crafted a villain who is the complete opposite of generic, rather, "The Conductor" is eerily unforgettable To the other end of the spectrum we now go. The hero, Haas, is a cop at Trenton University. He's well liked by the students, and he's in a great relationship with a woman named Steph, plus her two daughters. Steph is recovering from a terrible first husband/monster and subsequent divorce. Haas is admirable in that he not only cares deeply about Steph but her children as well. He knows about the possibility of becoming a step father, but he doesn't run away from the situation. Haas shows heart, kindness and loyalty. There is, however, something dark in his past that is alluded to from the first pages. Most other officers don't like him, and they joke about whatever previously happened. I immediately felt like it was something that, if revealed, could destroy his present day life. Haas seems to be the center of the string, and you get the sense that he somehow hurt/offended the villain, and this unknown dark past event is also part of the equation. This madman is out to destroy everything Haas holds dear. Haas is only one knot in the string. There are many other knots/people involved in the bigger picture. I won't delve into that because I don't want to spoil anything. I will say I was amazed by how deftly the author intertwines the strings with each having a part to play and some type of leverage against each one forcing them to act as instructed by "The Conductor". Free will is not on the agenda. If one knot acts off script , the other knots suffer. How do you save your own life and loved ones without destroying the others? You don't. That's part of the genius of the story. It's an impossible situation, but as a reader, you want so much for it to be possible. This story is action from the start, and it's a non stop roller coaster all the way. The mystery here drove me insane! I wanted to flip to the end so many times. I see the pieces, but I can't make them fit. I was completely engrossed in this book and read it in one setting. Truly, it's a fascinating complex narrative with bizarre situations that will leave you wondering what just happened. Will Haas outsmart "The Conductor"? What darkness lurks in the past? And, who the heck is this crazy person?! The String is a sharp edgy read that's not for the faint hearted. If you easily have nightmares, then proceed with caution. If you aren't scared and want a mind blowing mystery, then proceed with gusto!