laura_jf_17's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
4.0
tdavies1977's review against another edition
5.0
Wow, this book was all-action right from the word go! It sounds awful, but I kept expecting a plot-hole, just for something to not add up, but Knight pieced everything together perfectly.
Character development was interesting, even down to the secondary characters such as the woman who took Molly to hospital. I also enjoyed the angle of the blogger versus the police, certainly something I’ve not read about before.
I DID guess the perpetrator but that didn’t spoil my enjoyment; it was more of a ‘high-five, go me!’ moment!
Never read anything by this author before, but I would definitely be interested in his other work.
Thank you to NetGalley for my free copy in exchange for an unbiased review.
Character development was interesting, even down to the secondary characters such as the woman who took Molly to hospital. I also enjoyed the angle of the blogger versus the police, certainly something I’ve not read about before.
I DID guess the perpetrator but that didn’t spoil my enjoyment; it was more of a ‘high-five, go me!’ moment!
Never read anything by this author before, but I would definitely be interested in his other work.
Thank you to NetGalley for my free copy in exchange for an unbiased review.
iceteaa's review against another edition
medium-paced
4.0
What I expected from this book is not at all what I got in the best possible way
bookworm_brad's review against another edition
5.0
I read the very short blurb for this one it sounded exciting, my kind of book. I wasn't familiar with the author as this appears to be his first book. All I can say is; what a fabulous first novel. Fast paced and up to date with social media aspects which added to the overall believability of the story.
I did work out the villain early on but not the reason, which did come a little out of nowhere.
Anyway, a great novel which I'd recommend to anyone who likes a good mystery/thriller.
The narration was top notch too with many different and distinct voices for the characters.
I did work out the villain early on but not the reason, which did come a little out of nowhere.
Anyway, a great novel which I'd recommend to anyone who likes a good mystery/thriller.
The narration was top notch too with many different and distinct voices for the characters.
mariasmusings's review against another edition
2.0
‘Hunted’ is the debut novel from Alex Knight and it looks as the Scottish crime writers fraternity, have a new member. The story is set in contemporary San Francisco and is clearly well researched as Knight is familiar with both FBI and police procedures. Within the opening pages, his girlfriend is shot and seriously injured, and her young daughter turns up on his doorstep, scared and seeking refugee. We then jump back several minutes in time to learn what has happened to Molly and her mother. And, just why Jake is the prime suspect in a double homicide and abduction.
From there, the place does not let up and the reader is taken on a wild journey with Molly and Jake as he attempts to prove his innocence – it certainly appears to the reader that Jake is innocent, but why is his past coming back to haunt him? Who could possibly want to hurt him badly enough to frame him for multiple murders? These questions drive the storyline as Jake struggles to hide and investigate at the same time.
This is book for someone who likes a thriller where the villain is not immediately obvious but takes time to determine. Action packed and with plenty of twists.
Thank you to Netgalley and Orion for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review
From there, the place does not let up and the reader is taken on a wild journey with Molly and Jake as he attempts to prove his innocence – it certainly appears to the reader that Jake is innocent, but why is his past coming back to haunt him? Who could possibly want to hurt him badly enough to frame him for multiple murders? These questions drive the storyline as Jake struggles to hide and investigate at the same time.
This is book for someone who likes a thriller where the villain is not immediately obvious but takes time to determine. Action packed and with plenty of twists.
Thank you to Netgalley and Orion for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review
fay_06's review against another edition
4.0
Hunted starts off with a bang. Officer Jake Ellis gets a knock at the door from his girlfriend’s 13 year old daughter Molly. She is shaken up and has escaped some one who shot at her in the car, and gunned down her mother. The police suspect Jake. We follow an intense cat and mouse chase as the police close in on Jake, and try to save Molly.
This is a fact paced thriller that will keep you turning the pages to get to the truth. The pacing was good, and the attention to the small details added to the story which made it gripping and atmospheric. It’s not a unique premise by any means, and I did guess the big reveal early on but Alex Knight has delivered a hard to put down good thriller.
With thanks to Orion Publishing Group and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This is a fact paced thriller that will keep you turning the pages to get to the truth. The pacing was good, and the attention to the small details added to the story which made it gripping and atmospheric. It’s not a unique premise by any means, and I did guess the big reveal early on but Alex Knight has delivered a hard to put down good thriller.
With thanks to Orion Publishing Group and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
corinne82's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
🎧 This is exactly my kind of book but unfortunately and as much as I hate to say it it really was a chore to get through. The opening couple of chapters started off so strong and was building momentum but then it just dulled and turned into a slow paced, long winded man-hunt with not much going on and then all of a sudden it all needs to come together but the conclusion takes far to long to get to and it’s like trudging through mud to get there. The authors style of writing is one I like but this particular read just didn’t live up to expectations.
Thanks to Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for the opportunity to read and review this ARC that was published on the 4th of March 2021.
readingwithbuddy's review against another edition
5.0
This was such an interesting plot and I had to keep reading in one session to find out who the actual killer was. and how it played out. Safe to say that the ending did not disappoint..
The character developments were very good and you really wanted to know what happened = there were hints that it was not all as it seemed throughout the book.
I was given a copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.
The character developments were very good and you really wanted to know what happened = there were hints that it was not all as it seemed throughout the book.
I was given a copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.
karlou's review against another edition
5.0
Alex Knight lays out Hunted's fast-paced credentials in the opening pages of this addictive thriller; Jake Ellis is barely introduced to readers before Molly Donaldson turns up on his doorstep, distraught and covered in the blood of her mother, Rachel who she says has been shot. It would seem to be the most sensible place for her to run to - Jake is her mum's boyfriend and a San Francisco police officer - but then an Amber alert notification lights up his phone. Molly has been identified as an abducted child - and Jake is named as the suspect. It might seem obvious that the best course of action at this point would be to contact SFPD, explain that Molly is safe and is an eyewitness to what happened to Rachel. However, even before Molly arrived, Jake noticed something wasn't quite right with his laptop and as he realises he has been framed, he knows that to keep Molly safe until he can figure out who shot Rachel - and why - they have to run.
The tension is kept knife-edge sharp as we follow Jake and Molly's tense attempt to flee from a city where everybody has been alerted to look out for them, pursued by determined FBI agent, Catherine Lark. The narrative switches between hunter and hunted throughout and as the book progresses, more evidence appears to confirm Jake is a dangerous man. He is clearly a loner whose behaviour as a police officer has recently come under scrutiny and seeds of suspicion are cleverly planted as to whether Jake is quite as innocent as he so vociferously claims to the terrified Molly. Despite the doubts, I believed in him and thought Alex Knight negotiated the tricky balancing act of creating a character I wanted to root for, while understanding why others are so quick to condemn him, perfectly.
Meanwhile, although my natural instinct was to hope Ellis could evade capture, I couldn't help but warm to Agent Lark too. In a novel that hits the ground running like this one, there is no opportunity to get to know the characters first and it's through their responses to what occurs that gives us an insight into who they are. Lark is resolute but adaptable and I loved that this isn't a straightforward thriller which directs readers into hoping the innocent man escapes the obtuse detective. It's a more nuanced book that allows us to empathise with both protagonists. Molly is a beautifully drawn character too, her poignant vulnerability and guilt juxtaposing well with her bravery and determination.
The heart-pounding cat-and-mouse chapters are interspersed occasionally with transcripts from a true crime podcast. Chrissie Chung usually covers cases where the outcome is already known but when her phone pings with the amber alert about Molly, she immediately recognises it's an opportunity to capture the attention of the public. It would be easy to dislike Chrissie, she is after all, capitalising on an ongoing real-life tragedy but I thought these chapters were fascinating in the way they examine how people respond to crime. There is a clear appetite for true-crime shows, partly for the rubberneckers, of course but also because listeners genuinely want to feel they have solved a crime. Both the official and Chrissie's investigations attract time-wasters, and the podcast reveals information which should have been kept confidential. However, although Lark is understandably frustrated by what she sees as interference, she does have to acknowledge that perhaps any resource which encourages the public to come forward has a role to play in modern policing.
There's a cinematic feel to Hunted; the compelling action scenes are complemented by the excellent sense of place throughout which reflects the challenges not only of trying to evade identification but also just merely living in an increasingly gentrified - and thus more expensive - San Francisco. There is an atmospheric and interesting contrast between the densely populated city with its ever-present surveillance system and the smaller Californian communities too, exploring how they both present opportunities and pitfalls to Jake and Lark.
I listened to the audiobook of Hunted and thought the narration by Christopher Ragland captured the essence of the novel superbly. The pacing perfectly matched the rollercoaster storyline, ratcheting up the tension with each near-miss or new revelation, while each character's voice is clearly defined and suits their personalities. I suspect my walks to work were a better workout than usual as my pulse rate rocketed so often while listening to it! By the denouement, I could scarcely breathe; the compulsive, cleverly constructed storyline kept me guessing right up to the final page. Hunted is an exciting, terrifically entertaining thriller - I highly recommend it.
The tension is kept knife-edge sharp as we follow Jake and Molly's tense attempt to flee from a city where everybody has been alerted to look out for them, pursued by determined FBI agent, Catherine Lark. The narrative switches between hunter and hunted throughout and as the book progresses, more evidence appears to confirm Jake is a dangerous man. He is clearly a loner whose behaviour as a police officer has recently come under scrutiny and seeds of suspicion are cleverly planted as to whether Jake is quite as innocent as he so vociferously claims to the terrified Molly. Despite the doubts, I believed in him and thought Alex Knight negotiated the tricky balancing act of creating a character I wanted to root for, while understanding why others are so quick to condemn him, perfectly.
Meanwhile, although my natural instinct was to hope Ellis could evade capture, I couldn't help but warm to Agent Lark too. In a novel that hits the ground running like this one, there is no opportunity to get to know the characters first and it's through their responses to what occurs that gives us an insight into who they are. Lark is resolute but adaptable and I loved that this isn't a straightforward thriller which directs readers into hoping the innocent man escapes the obtuse detective. It's a more nuanced book that allows us to empathise with both protagonists. Molly is a beautifully drawn character too, her poignant vulnerability and guilt juxtaposing well with her bravery and determination.
The heart-pounding cat-and-mouse chapters are interspersed occasionally with transcripts from a true crime podcast. Chrissie Chung usually covers cases where the outcome is already known but when her phone pings with the amber alert about Molly, she immediately recognises it's an opportunity to capture the attention of the public. It would be easy to dislike Chrissie, she is after all, capitalising on an ongoing real-life tragedy but I thought these chapters were fascinating in the way they examine how people respond to crime. There is a clear appetite for true-crime shows, partly for the rubberneckers, of course but also because listeners genuinely want to feel they have solved a crime. Both the official and Chrissie's investigations attract time-wasters, and the podcast reveals information which should have been kept confidential. However, although Lark is understandably frustrated by what she sees as interference, she does have to acknowledge that perhaps any resource which encourages the public to come forward has a role to play in modern policing.
There's a cinematic feel to Hunted; the compelling action scenes are complemented by the excellent sense of place throughout which reflects the challenges not only of trying to evade identification but also just merely living in an increasingly gentrified - and thus more expensive - San Francisco. There is an atmospheric and interesting contrast between the densely populated city with its ever-present surveillance system and the smaller Californian communities too, exploring how they both present opportunities and pitfalls to Jake and Lark.
I listened to the audiobook of Hunted and thought the narration by Christopher Ragland captured the essence of the novel superbly. The pacing perfectly matched the rollercoaster storyline, ratcheting up the tension with each near-miss or new revelation, while each character's voice is clearly defined and suits their personalities. I suspect my walks to work were a better workout than usual as my pulse rate rocketed so often while listening to it! By the denouement, I could scarcely breathe; the compulsive, cleverly constructed storyline kept me guessing right up to the final page. Hunted is an exciting, terrifically entertaining thriller - I highly recommend it.
whatischellereading's review against another edition
3.0
Jake is a police officer in San Francisco when one morning his girlfriend's daughter Molly appears at his door. Molly is covered in blood spatter and reveals that her mum has been shot. Jake receives an amber alert on his mobile phone that Molly is declared missing and he, Jake, is the prime suspect and the police are hunting him down.
Originally when I read the blurb I thought it sounded really interesting but the more I read I felt the concept was a bit lost on me! I kept thinking "why didn't he just go to the police when he received the amber alert?" If he just went with Molly, he and Molly could have backed each other up and then the whole thing about the police chasing him wouldn't have been an issue? The police then wouldn't have wasted time looking for Molly and Jake? Maybe the concept of the book was lost on me but the more I read the more frustrating it became. The authors writing is sound and very detailed. There is absolute nothing wrong with the writer's technique and went to great detail in describing each of the characters, giving you a connection to them, bringing them to life. The book just didn't hit the spot for me.
Originally when I read the blurb I thought it sounded really interesting but the more I read I felt the concept was a bit lost on me! I kept thinking "why didn't he just go to the police when he received the amber alert?" If he just went with Molly, he and Molly could have backed each other up and then the whole thing about the police chasing him wouldn't have been an issue? The police then wouldn't have wasted time looking for Molly and Jake? Maybe the concept of the book was lost on me but the more I read the more frustrating it became. The authors writing is sound and very detailed. There is absolute nothing wrong with the writer's technique and went to great detail in describing each of the characters, giving you a connection to them, bringing them to life. The book just didn't hit the spot for me.
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