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The Run
He’s out.
But he’s not free.
Book Four of the Chainmark Series follows the aftermath.
The rules don’t disappear just because the fences do.
Obedience lingers. Silence follows. Survival takes new forms.
This is not a story about escape.
It’s about what comes after.
The Run continues Ryan’s journey in a world that no longer owns him on paper—but hasn’t let him go.
Book Four of the Chainmark Series.
But he’s not free.
Book Four of the Chainmark Series follows the aftermath.
The rules don’t disappear just because the fences do.
Obedience lingers. Silence follows. Survival takes new forms.
This is not a story about escape.
It’s about what comes after.
The Run continues Ryan’s journey in a world that no longer owns him on paper—but hasn’t let him go.
Book Four of the Chainmark Series.
789 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 26, 2026
About the author
Charley Mayne
8 books26 followersCharley is a caffeine and nicotine addict. She writes in a small room with low lighting. She doesn’t let herself smoke inside. but her desk is covered in empty cups and wrappers.
Ryan’s story was born on a beach. She wrote the first three chapters in a tiny notebook while staring at the sea. It was meant to be one book. Then it took on a life of its own.
The world is a fucked up place. People suffer every day. In different ways. In silence.
Charley wanted to write about them.
Not about heroes. Not about love stories.
But about the ones who suffer in the dark.
The ones nobody sees.
The Chainmark Series is her answer to a world that breaks people.
It’s not pretty. It’s not polite. (Neither is she—Charley’s a sarcastic bitch with a foul mouth and no interest in writing happy endings.)
But it’s honest. Raw. Shocking.
Ryan’s story was born on a beach. She wrote the first three chapters in a tiny notebook while staring at the sea. It was meant to be one book. Then it took on a life of its own.
The world is a fucked up place. People suffer every day. In different ways. In silence.
Charley wanted to write about them.
Not about heroes. Not about love stories.
But about the ones who suffer in the dark.
The ones nobody sees.
The Chainmark Series is her answer to a world that breaks people.
It’s not pretty. It’s not polite. (Neither is she—Charley’s a sarcastic bitch with a foul mouth and no interest in writing happy endings.)
But it’s honest. Raw. Shocking.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 27, 2026
Have you ever picked up a book with hope and fear of what it might bring?
Are you the kind of reader that willingly picks up a series knowing that it will be different in every way possible, knowing that your mind and heart may not ever be the same?
That is what reading The Chainmark series is like. And I will never regret picking this series up. I avoided it for a little while. Knowing that my heart wasn't quite ready. But as much as Ryan has been in Charley's head, he calls out to you from there as well.
This portion of Ryan's life holds so many emotions. It brought so many pieces of hope, some glimpses of the kid/young man that Ryan could have been if his luck weren't so poor. It also brought the reality of all of the absolute crap life can throw at you. And yet, Ryan continues on, and in that sense, Charley does too. The resilience, the strength, the absolute courage that it takes to continue to put one step in front of another, even after life flips you upside down over and over. That is what I always take away from these stories. And, as always, Finché c’è vita, c’è speranza. As long as there’s life, there’s hope.
Are you the kind of reader that willingly picks up a series knowing that it will be different in every way possible, knowing that your mind and heart may not ever be the same?
That is what reading The Chainmark series is like. And I will never regret picking this series up. I avoided it for a little while. Knowing that my heart wasn't quite ready. But as much as Ryan has been in Charley's head, he calls out to you from there as well.
This portion of Ryan's life holds so many emotions. It brought so many pieces of hope, some glimpses of the kid/young man that Ryan could have been if his luck weren't so poor. It also brought the reality of all of the absolute crap life can throw at you. And yet, Ryan continues on, and in that sense, Charley does too. The resilience, the strength, the absolute courage that it takes to continue to put one step in front of another, even after life flips you upside down over and over. That is what I always take away from these stories. And, as always, Finché c’è vita, c’è speranza. As long as there’s life, there’s hope.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Infinity stars!! Emotionally heartbreaking in the best possible way!!! Bring tissues, bring alcohol. Bring chocolate! Thank me later!
September 27, 2026
Ryan Will Always be Family. 🧑🧒🏡❤️
The Run by Charley Mayne
Book 4 of The Chainmark Series
I don’t even know if I have the words for this review.
The Run is one of those books where I finished reading and just sat there for a while because I wasn’t sure how to process everything I had just experienced.
For me, this book was about one thing above everything else:
Ryan. Just BEING Ryan.
Not the Ryan we know AFTER The Bonds of Slavery, The Boy, and The Vanishing
Not the Ryan shaped by the emotional, mental, and psychological abuse of the last two years
BUT…
A straight-A student.
A basketball star.
A hard worker
A kid who learned to make a simple Italian dish from his Nona—and carries that with him to this day.
A kid whose Nona’s friends became like second grandmas to him.
A kid who knew what love was.
And that love became the foundation of his core.
This was Ryan before the world took so much from him.
And Charley gave us a glimpse of who Ryan is despite everything that has happened.
The Scars
The Physical, Mental and Emotional Abuse
The Control
That glimpse broke me.
Because throughout The Run, we get to see Ryan navigating things that many people would consider simple.
Saying hello.
Finding his words.
Making decision.
Trying to trust someone.
Date.
Make friends.
Nurse Corvo to health.
But for Ryan, these aren’t simple things.
They require an incredible amount of courage — strength.
We see him push through anxiety and fear, and despite everything that has been done to him, we can still see the core of who he is.
And that is what makes this book so powerful.
Charley didn’t just show us what Ryan has endured.
She showed us what remains.
She showed us who Ryan was.
Who he could be and maybe still is.
And who he still has the potential to become.
She gave us hope.
She gave us found family.
She gave us heart.
And then I reached Part Four of The Run.
The chapter headers alone BROKE me.
I literally had to stop reading.
I couldn’t.😭💔
I couldn’t bear the thought of Ryan being back in a box.
That reaction says everything about how deeply this character has embedded himself in me.
Because Charley doesn’t simply write Ryan.
She makes you feel Ryan.
His fear.
His anxiety.
His frustration.
His quiet.
His strength.
His hope.
Ryan has embedded himself in my heart, my mind, and my soul.
He is family. He will ALWAYS be Familia
The Run may be one of the most heartbreaking books I’ve read in the Chainmark series, but it is also one of the most hopeful.
There is something incredibly powerful about seeing pieces of the person Ryan was before everything happened.
This story is sweet.
It’s heartbreaking.💔
It’s cruel. 😩
It’s hopeful. 🙏🏻
And Charley somehow manages to tear your soul apart while also finding a way to put the pieces back together.
So, yes.
You’re going to cry.
You’re going to be angry.
You’re going to be frustrated.
You’re going to feel anxiety.
You’re going to sit in the quiet.
You might even need to put the book down for a minute because it’s just too much.
But you’re going to keep reading.
Because once you’ve become invested in Ryan’s story, how can you not?
The series and its Files give you glimpses into a world that feels frighteningly possible. But more than that, Charley creates characters who make you emotionally invest in that world.
And Ryan?
Ryan is the reason I’m still walking through it.
I need Book 5.
Because I’m not ready to leave him behind. 🖤
Well I guess I did have the words for this review 🤣
The Run by Charley Mayne
Book 4 of The Chainmark Series
I don’t even know if I have the words for this review.
The Run is one of those books where I finished reading and just sat there for a while because I wasn’t sure how to process everything I had just experienced.
For me, this book was about one thing above everything else:
Ryan. Just BEING Ryan.
Not the Ryan we know AFTER The Bonds of Slavery, The Boy, and The Vanishing
Not the Ryan shaped by the emotional, mental, and psychological abuse of the last two years
BUT…
A straight-A student.
A basketball star.
A hard worker
A kid who learned to make a simple Italian dish from his Nona—and carries that with him to this day.
A kid whose Nona’s friends became like second grandmas to him.
A kid who knew what love was.
And that love became the foundation of his core.
This was Ryan before the world took so much from him.
And Charley gave us a glimpse of who Ryan is despite everything that has happened.
The Scars
The Physical, Mental and Emotional Abuse
The Control
That glimpse broke me.
Because throughout The Run, we get to see Ryan navigating things that many people would consider simple.
Saying hello.
Finding his words.
Making decision.
Trying to trust someone.
Date.
Make friends.
Nurse Corvo to health.
But for Ryan, these aren’t simple things.
They require an incredible amount of courage — strength.
We see him push through anxiety and fear, and despite everything that has been done to him, we can still see the core of who he is.
And that is what makes this book so powerful.
Charley didn’t just show us what Ryan has endured.
She showed us what remains.
She showed us who Ryan was.
Who he could be and maybe still is.
And who he still has the potential to become.
She gave us hope.
She gave us found family.
She gave us heart.
And then I reached Part Four of The Run.
The chapter headers alone BROKE me.
I literally had to stop reading.
I couldn’t.😭💔
I couldn’t bear the thought of Ryan being back in a box.
That reaction says everything about how deeply this character has embedded himself in me.
Because Charley doesn’t simply write Ryan.
She makes you feel Ryan.
His fear.
His anxiety.
His frustration.
His quiet.
His strength.
His hope.
Ryan has embedded himself in my heart, my mind, and my soul.
He is family. He will ALWAYS be Familia
The Run may be one of the most heartbreaking books I’ve read in the Chainmark series, but it is also one of the most hopeful.
There is something incredibly powerful about seeing pieces of the person Ryan was before everything happened.
This story is sweet.
It’s heartbreaking.💔
It’s cruel. 😩
It’s hopeful. 🙏🏻
And Charley somehow manages to tear your soul apart while also finding a way to put the pieces back together.
So, yes.
You’re going to cry.
You’re going to be angry.
You’re going to be frustrated.
You’re going to feel anxiety.
You’re going to sit in the quiet.
You might even need to put the book down for a minute because it’s just too much.
But you’re going to keep reading.
Because once you’ve become invested in Ryan’s story, how can you not?
The series and its Files give you glimpses into a world that feels frighteningly possible. But more than that, Charley creates characters who make you emotionally invest in that world.
And Ryan?
Ryan is the reason I’m still walking through it.
I need Book 5.
Because I’m not ready to leave him behind. 🖤
Well I guess I did have the words for this review 🤣
September 30, 2026
Dark fiction at its best!
I have loved this series from the first line of the first paragraph of BONDS OF SLAVERY. Ryan is the most unforgettable character I have had the pleasure of knowing. There are so many facets to his character. The way Ryan has had to learn to live. To learn to live safely. Can he even trust anyone? He has had a hard life with none of it being his fault. And yet the values that his Nonna instilled in him continue at the forefront of who Ryan is. There is a quote from one of the characters “You can’t help but like the kid”.
The way Charley writes this story it feels so real. I can see it all happening right in front of me.
I absolutely recommend this series.
I have loved this series from the first line of the first paragraph of BONDS OF SLAVERY. Ryan is the most unforgettable character I have had the pleasure of knowing. There are so many facets to his character. The way Ryan has had to learn to live. To learn to live safely. Can he even trust anyone? He has had a hard life with none of it being his fault. And yet the values that his Nonna instilled in him continue at the forefront of who Ryan is. There is a quote from one of the characters “You can’t help but like the kid”.
The way Charley writes this story it feels so real. I can see it all happening right in front of me.
I absolutely recommend this series.
November 1, 2026
Bad. Luck
I swear. If it weren’t for bad luck, Ryan wouldn’t have any at all. This part of Ryan’s story is heartbreaking but in a different way from the previous books. He’s moved across the continent. He has..sort of… independence. Yet still a slave. I love Charley’s writing style. It’s very unique. Easy to read and very engaging. I wish I were still teaching high school English. I would encourage my students to read these books not only for the storylines but also as examples of taking a chance with a non-standard writing style and being successful with that. Ryan’s story, while set in the future, reminds me so much of A Child Called It. Hard to get through without your heart breaking for the kid, but you can’t put it down.
I swear. If it weren’t for bad luck, Ryan wouldn’t have any at all. This part of Ryan’s story is heartbreaking but in a different way from the previous books. He’s moved across the continent. He has..sort of… independence. Yet still a slave. I love Charley’s writing style. It’s very unique. Easy to read and very engaging. I wish I were still teaching high school English. I would encourage my students to read these books not only for the storylines but also as examples of taking a chance with a non-standard writing style and being successful with that. Ryan’s story, while set in the future, reminds me so much of A Child Called It. Hard to get through without your heart breaking for the kid, but you can’t put it down.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Run was exactly what I needed as a reader after finishing The Vanishing. Ryan's story is not only inspiring but it's become an epic tale of a young man who continues to endure. This book changed the pace for Ryan, but it was still just as heartbreaking and yet filled with hope. Charley writes emotion with such a captivating tempo that it's impossible not to feel what the characters are feeling. We also got a lot more perspective from side characters, and the new angles that we see them through made them even more interesting. Do yourself a favor and start this series. You won't be sorry. It will change the way you see the world.
September 30, 2026
The Chainmark Series continues to surprise me with the journey that Ryan is on. The character of Ryan Murphy is the most unforgettable character I have ever read. I want, no I need to keep Ryan close to my heart. He has to be ok. I want him to finally have a relationship. The trauma he has gone through would have broken a grown man. This is a child who began this abuse at 16 and it continues at 18 years of age. I wonder will he be able to have a woman in close contact. Will perfume keep affecting him? Can he even sit at a table without the memories overwhelming him? Charley gives no spoilers so this is where I am. I only know this … I am here for all of it. Ryan has become a part of my family.
This is a series that everyone must read beginning with Bonds of Slavery. With so many nominations from most unforgettable character Ryan to best Novella The Clients, Best Dystopian is book 3 in the series The Vanishing and especially most wicked Villain Wilkins wins every time
This is a series that everyone must read beginning with Bonds of Slavery. With so many nominations from most unforgettable character Ryan to best Novella The Clients, Best Dystopian is book 3 in the series The Vanishing and especially most wicked Villain Wilkins wins every time
October 24, 2026
Another book you just can’t put down from Charley. This one gives you hope - Ryan is on his own, not completely but for the most part. You get to see his true self come out & watch as he forms solid relationships with some amazing people - Bibi, Mrs. Pike, and yes even Corvo. But if you know anything about Ryan’s journey, you know it’s heartbreaking. And that ending… definitely broke my heart! I think this book is the most cruel thing that has happened so far… giving Ryan hope that things are better, and jerking out from under him. 💔
October 22, 2026
Charley Mayne has scored another home run with this instalment of the Chainmark Series.
Just when you think things might be just a little brighter for Ryan, the rug is pulled out from under him… again!
I ended this one with a real sense of desperation for Ryan. It’s not often a character gets under your skin this way, but I defy anyone to get this far into the series and not feel desperate for poor Ryan to be okay.
READ THIS SERIES!! IMMEDIATELY!!
Just when you think things might be just a little brighter for Ryan, the rug is pulled out from under him… again!
I ended this one with a real sense of desperation for Ryan. It’s not often a character gets under your skin this way, but I defy anyone to get this far into the series and not feel desperate for poor Ryan to be okay.
READ THIS SERIES!! IMMEDIATELY!!
September 29, 2026
WHAT THE….. you’ve gutted me again! Oh how my heart breaks for Ryan. Even though I love this series so much, I hate it at the same time. You’re tearing me up with this story. I’m interested to know how many more books you have in you.
The amount of people that have failed this boy is astounding. I could not fathom what he goes through on the daily.
Can’t wait for the next book!
The amount of people that have failed this boy is astounding. I could not fathom what he goes through on the daily.
Can’t wait for the next book!
October 1, 2026
This book series has been a wild and eye opening ride. It broke my heart in so many ways and the way it ended shocked the shit out of me. At the same time, it was so accurate and true to life, it had to be done that way. Charley is a phenomenal author and when she puts pen to paper, she makes magic happen.
September 27, 2026
Wow!
This one hit home ... amazing 4th installment i literally didnt put it down! I felt alll his emotions and i love his crow lol
This one hit home ... amazing 4th installment i literally didnt put it down! I felt alll his emotions and i love his crow lol
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews