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Agent Dalton: A Chainmark Novella
The law created the system.
Her job is to make sure it works.
When the Chainmark Act reshaped the country, Agent Dalton was assigned to a role few people even knew existed.
The Chainmark Compliance Unit.
She visits registered owners.
She interviews the slaves.
She files the reports that prove the system is working.
Officially, everything is functioning exactly as intended.
Unofficially, Dalton sees what never makes it into the paperwork.
Fear disguised as obedience.
Owners who bend the rules too well.
Silence that feels practiced.
Two names keep appearing on her roster.
Brad Wilkins.
Ryan Murphy.
One owns the system.
The other survives it.
Dalton’s job is not to judge.
Only to observe.
But the more reports she files, the harder it becomes to tell the difference between compliance… and complicity.
Compliance is approval.
A dark companion novella in the Chainmark Files.
This is a companion novella to Bonds of Slavery and The Boy.
If you haven’t read them, start there.
This won’t make sense without them, and frankly, it’s not meant to.
Her job is to make sure it works.
When the Chainmark Act reshaped the country, Agent Dalton was assigned to a role few people even knew existed.
The Chainmark Compliance Unit.
She visits registered owners.
She interviews the slaves.
She files the reports that prove the system is working.
Officially, everything is functioning exactly as intended.
Unofficially, Dalton sees what never makes it into the paperwork.
Fear disguised as obedience.
Owners who bend the rules too well.
Silence that feels practiced.
Two names keep appearing on her roster.
Brad Wilkins.
Ryan Murphy.
One owns the system.
The other survives it.
Dalton’s job is not to judge.
Only to observe.
But the more reports she files, the harder it becomes to tell the difference between compliance… and complicity.
Compliance is approval.
A dark companion novella in the Chainmark Files.
This is a companion novella to Bonds of Slavery and The Boy.
If you haven’t read them, start there.
This won’t make sense without them, and frankly, it’s not meant to.
338 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 13, 2026
About the author
Charley Mayne
7 books19 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 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 13, 2026
A Novella of A Woman Behind the Badge
Agent Dalton (Chainmark Files) by Charley Mayne is a novella that offers something very different from Wilkins’ story. Rather than focusing primarily on psychological complexity, this novella gives readers an intimate look at Agent Dalton…
The Woman behind the Badge.
What struck me most about this story was how deeply human it feels.
Through Dalton’s perspective, we see the realities of a system that is supposed to protect prisoners aka “slaves” from owners that cross the line, yet often fails those who need it most.
The novella explores how power, bureaucracy, and institutional failures can allow some of the worst individuals to operate under the guise of legality and procedure.
But at the heart of this story is Agent Dalton herself.
She is resilient, intelligent, fiercely protective, and deeply devoted to her family. Yet despite her strength, we also witness the ways she is silenced, overlooked, and forced to navigate a system that doesn’t always value the people it claims to serve.
This novella reveals a side of Dalton that readers of The Bonds of Slavery may not have fully seen before. We get to know her family, her motivations, her struggles, and the events that helped shape the woman she eventually becomes.
This isn’t an easy story, nor is it meant to be. It’s raw, frustrating, and at times heartbreaking. Yet it is also INSPIRING because it highlights what one determined person is willing to do to protect a prisoner aka “Slaves”and preserve the humanity of those caught within a broken system.
The dual timeline structure, showing both the beginning of Dalton’s journey and events four years later, adds another layer of depth to her character and gives readers a greater appreciation for her growth and sacrifices.
More than an agent. More than a mother.
This novella reminds us that Dalton is, above all else, a person…and one whose story deserves to be told.
Another MUST Read 📚❤️
Agent Dalton (Chainmark Files) by Charley Mayne is a novella that offers something very different from Wilkins’ story. Rather than focusing primarily on psychological complexity, this novella gives readers an intimate look at Agent Dalton…
The Woman behind the Badge.
What struck me most about this story was how deeply human it feels.
Through Dalton’s perspective, we see the realities of a system that is supposed to protect prisoners aka “slaves” from owners that cross the line, yet often fails those who need it most.
The novella explores how power, bureaucracy, and institutional failures can allow some of the worst individuals to operate under the guise of legality and procedure.
But at the heart of this story is Agent Dalton herself.
She is resilient, intelligent, fiercely protective, and deeply devoted to her family. Yet despite her strength, we also witness the ways she is silenced, overlooked, and forced to navigate a system that doesn’t always value the people it claims to serve.
This novella reveals a side of Dalton that readers of The Bonds of Slavery may not have fully seen before. We get to know her family, her motivations, her struggles, and the events that helped shape the woman she eventually becomes.
This isn’t an easy story, nor is it meant to be. It’s raw, frustrating, and at times heartbreaking. Yet it is also INSPIRING because it highlights what one determined person is willing to do to protect a prisoner aka “Slaves”and preserve the humanity of those caught within a broken system.
The dual timeline structure, showing both the beginning of Dalton’s journey and events four years later, adds another layer of depth to her character and gives readers a greater appreciation for her growth and sacrifices.
More than an agent. More than a mother.
This novella reminds us that Dalton is, above all else, a person…and one whose story deserves to be told.
Another MUST Read 📚❤️
June 19, 2026
This novella hits like a quiet storm that builds into something absolutely devastating.
It offers a gripping, emotional glimpse into the early days of the Chainmark Act, pulling you straight into the chaos, the injustice, and the impossible choices forced upon those caught in its wake. Watching the agent fight to do what’s right, to help the very people the system labeled as criminals and slaves, was both inspiring and utterly heartbreaking. She tried. She fought with everything she had, but the weight of a broken system kept her hands bound, and that helplessness seeps into every page.
The emotional impact is relentless. I didn’t just read this story, I felt it. The pain, the frustration, the quiet moments of hope that get crushed just as quickly… it lingers long after you finish.
And Charley...... That ending? Absolutely shattered me. I was not prepared for the emotional blow it delivered.
This is a powerful, gut-wrenching installment that adds so much depth to the series while leaving you desperate for more. I am beyond ready for the next book.
It offers a gripping, emotional glimpse into the early days of the Chainmark Act, pulling you straight into the chaos, the injustice, and the impossible choices forced upon those caught in its wake. Watching the agent fight to do what’s right, to help the very people the system labeled as criminals and slaves, was both inspiring and utterly heartbreaking. She tried. She fought with everything she had, but the weight of a broken system kept her hands bound, and that helplessness seeps into every page.
The emotional impact is relentless. I didn’t just read this story, I felt it. The pain, the frustration, the quiet moments of hope that get crushed just as quickly… it lingers long after you finish.
And Charley...... That ending? Absolutely shattered me. I was not prepared for the emotional blow it delivered.
This is a powerful, gut-wrenching installment that adds so much depth to the series while leaving you desperate for more. I am beyond ready for the next book.
June 22, 2026
Another incredible story that only deepens the already complex world of Charley Mayne's Chainmark Series. Agent Dalton gives us a new and needed perspective on the world after the Chainmark Act was put into effect. Kelly Dalton is more complex than I expected, in a way that I think elevates this entire storyline. This book reminds you that not everyone has a choice, but that doesn't mean they won't fight back. I really enjoyed seeing a home atmosphere that was indirectly touched by this story, and how the characters living in it carried on despite not being the ones suffering. Charley is an incredible writer with a gift for setting scenes that emotionally transfix the reader. So excited for what comes next in this series and from this author.
June 13, 2026
My entire existence has been affected.
I officially have a knot in my chest where my heart has been twisted. I mean this in the best possible way. I am so mad at myself for not seeing the bigger picture about Agent Dalton before. I should have seen the bigger picture, considering the work I do. I am pretty sure that between the Chainmark series and the Chainmark Files my entire existence has been affected.
Thank you, for being brave enough to share this story.
I officially have a knot in my chest where my heart has been twisted. I mean this in the best possible way. I am so mad at myself for not seeing the bigger picture about Agent Dalton before. I should have seen the bigger picture, considering the work I do. I am pretty sure that between the Chainmark series and the Chainmark Files my entire existence has been affected.
Thank you, for being brave enough to share this story.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you Charley for allowing me to ARC read this ! I really loved getting Agent Kelly's perspective as she works through different files of the Chainmark Act! It really makes you wonder how you personally would handle the situation while working within the system itself. I especially loved the little snippet of Ryan and can not wait to read more about him in The Run. My heart breaks for Tomas!!
June 16, 2026
Another masterpiece of writing. As a former social worker who had to turn a blind eye and conform to the state I worked in, this story resonated in my soul. It was heartbreaking and 100 percent real. This series is not for the faint of heart but it should be read by all! Highly recommend.
June 16, 2026
So glad you wrote this one, I didn't want to dislike her.
I can only imagine how she felt having to see these people like this. I wouldn't be able to do it. She's strong.
I love this series!
I can only imagine how she felt having to see these people like this. I wouldn't be able to do it. She's strong.
I love this series!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews