Unleashed : A Matt Hunter Mystery (2)

Matt Hunter #2

by Peter Laws

(WINNER, Thriller of the Year, Fully Booked)

A group of friends. A supposedly 'haunted' house. Can Matt Hunter find a terrifying killer?

Fifteen years ago, 29 Barley Street in Menham, South London, became notorious as the scene of alleged poltergeist activity, which led to the death of young Holly Wasson. The shadow cast by this episode is still felt in the town and among the gang of friends who were caught up in the tragic events.

That shadow looms larger than ever when one of the group dies in horrific and strange circumstances. Matt Hunter, former minister and now professor of sociology is called in to advise the police on the possible ritualistic elements of the death. And he is forced to ask himself, are forces beyond the grave at work or is a flesh-and-blood killer at large?

What they're saying about Unleashed . (WINNER - Thriller of the Year)
'Unleashed is terrific entertainment. Laws lays on the shocks thick and fast but never loses sight of the fact that he is writing a well-plotted crime story.'
Fully Booked ‘It's a crime story wound up in supernatural, nerve-jangling creepiness. Be warned; you'll be peering under the bed before you switch out the light!'
Peterborough Evening Telegraph 'Scary as all hell...Unleashed is addictive, cleverly manipulative, beautifully unpredictable and never any less than utterly engaging. Be prepared to sleep with the lights on!'
Liz Loves Books `A deliciously creepy portrait of fear, and it grips completely from start to finish. ... a chillingly modern interpretation of the Haunted House. ... This novel isn't a conventional horror story - it's a clever thriller, and the terror doesn't always lie where expected. ... A great thriller with just the right amount of creepy chills.'
For Winter Nights

Genres: Thriller, Horror, Crime

444 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 2, 2023

Reviews

[Liz Barnsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone who remembers how (in the literary sense!) orgasmic I was about the first in this series, Purged, will know just how much I’ve been looking forward to getting my hands on Unleashed. Well yesterday I DID get my hands on it and I read it in one afternoon into evening – then couldn’t sleep because psychopathic labradors. And not so cute bunnies. When I DID finally nod off you wouldn’t have wanted to be in my rather surreal dreams. Because that’s how this type of storytelling gets you.

So Matt Hunter is back again then, this time caught up in a Ghostwatch type scenario with weird demonologist types, even stranger prayer spouting types and a few normal people hiding some dark secrets. Normal of course being both relative and subjective.

It is a heady blend of crime, horror and hints at the supernatural, with a firm eye towards driving you crazy (I’m extrapolating on this authors reasons for writing) and embedded inside of all that some dark authentic themes and some truly thought provoking questions about humanity. Both Purged and Unleashed achieve that difficult to get right genre mash up extraordinarily well, both speculative and realistic, they sit in a place not filled by any other writer that I know currently out there. Although I’m happy to be advised! It could be called genre fiction, popular fiction or literary fiction and sit well enough in any of those boxes but I’m wary of boxes, things tend to jump out of them without warning. I’m probably not going to open any cupboards for a while either…

Honestly creepy too, even when I was reading in daylight I was half looking over my shoulder and by some twist of fate I ended up reading the finale (which is not only very edge of the seat but scary as all hell) after darkness had fallen. In more ways than one. The truly immersive prose and beautifully described claustrophobic setting just got right into my head, that is some clever writing for sure and not that usual in all honesty. I didn’t have the disconnect I usually maintain when reading fiction except when it comes to those odd few, so coming out of Matt Hunter’s world again was somewhat of a stretch and took me a while.

Influenced by this novel I’m never eating Lasagne again, but I will be re-watching a certain 80’s cult television show – Unleashed is addictive, cleverly manipulative, beautifully unpredictable and never any less than utterly engaging. Be prepared to sleep with the lights on!

Highly Recommended.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deliciously creepy!

[Gemma McGee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unleashed by Peter Laws Matthew Hunter series that follows ex victor, now professors of sociology of religion who help out the police with crime with a religious angle.

This book is set a couple of months after the events in Purged, Matt has finally finished the difficult 1st book and is doing ‘press’ for the book.

He is brought into a case as rare religious symbols are left with the body. When the case looks open and shut accidental death,  but the symbols have Matt questioning so he digs deeper. What he uncovers is a hunted house where a young girl committed suicide 15 years ago, when the girls older sister friends start dying one by one there is more going on than the eye can see. This case will make Matt question is this killer from beyond on the Grave or a flesh and blood human. 

At the beginning of the book we get a good balance between the darkness of death, and the lightness of Matt being drunk and singing with his daughters.  I do like the relationship that Matt has with his daughter and wife, especially between him and Amelia. 

The story was a slow build, the tension grows as the story becomes more surreal and slightly creepy. The book make you realise that sometimes humanity is scarier than what goes bump in the night. The only part of the story that I found difficult was regarding the dogs and their deaths, I have Labrador so that hit at my heart a little. 

The book is split between Matt point of view and Rachel (She is the older sister of the girl who committed suicide.) Rachel point of view was interesting and help build up the story, I do prefer Matt point of view as I find his thought process really interesting. 

I hope that this isn't the last we hear from Peter Law and Matt Hunter

[Angela Watt · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Matt Hunter books by Peter Laws are a proper romp and be warned once you pick one up, you'll find it very hard to put down. I really enjoyed the first book - Purged but the second Unleashed was even better in my opinion.

This book is really creepy and has plenty of supernatural elements that mean you may not wish to read it late at night and if you do, feel free to keep the light on. The author plays on a lot on your own insecurities and do you or don't you believe in this stuff. The ending is satisfying yet truly horrible.

I can't wait to read the third in the series and understand that Peter Laws is currently writing the fourth. Hurrah!

[Contrary Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fright fest! Thoroughly enjoyed this one. Genuine scares with a thoughtful dissection of fear. What are the real horrors? Nicely done

[Ivana Richards · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good book which reminded me of early James Oswald novels. Recommended for his fans and anyone who likes a bit of horror with their mysteries.

[Wayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrifying chaotic goodness

How can something good come out of something so scary? Read and find out, but skip the caffeine. Your heart will already be racing.

[Kevin Lucia · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, Matt Hunter has quickly become a series character that I'll be sure to follow from now on. PURGED was a good read, but I absolutely loved UNLEASHED. He's kind of like an occult Repairman Jack - former priest now turned atheist religion professor who gets pulled into police cases involving the strange, religious, or the occult.

The best thing is what I *think* Peter Laws is doing with Matt Hunter. I don't want to go into too much detail - I'll save that for when I feature Laws on my Cemetery Dance Online column, REVELATIONS - but I love how it seems like he's making Hunter more and more uncertain about his convictions that there's no supernatural elements in the world, that there's nothing "bigger" out there. He's doing it subtly, though, and who knows if he's continued that trend in SEVERED, or plans to continue it along Matt Hunter's journey. In any case - don't let the author's background as a Baptist minister throw you off. This is NOT watered down "Christian fiction." This is excellent suspense/thriller (supernatural?) fiction, and Laws seems to be using Hunter to grapple with serious existential questions in an authentic, honest way.

[Alison Banks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg

Take some advice. Don't read this book late into the night as Halloween approaches. A little girl hung herself years ago. Now her sister and her sisters friends have to meet up for the first time in ten years. Matt's had a call to look into a case, that seems to be demons and poltergeist behaviour. Is it connected.

[Judi Mckay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is even better than the first in the series! A great read if you like the supernatural and gore - but be aware - lots of animals die in this book too.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aka We Need to Talk About Bunnies.

Creeped the hell out of me. Cracking read - full review Of Unleashed, and book 1, Purged, here:

https://irregularfiction.wordpress.co...

[mellidiezahnfee · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Platzhalter für die deutsche Version


Ich überlege gerade wie ich diese Rezension am geschicktesten eröffne. Mit meiner Motzerei oder den richtig guten Passagen? Okay von schlecht zu gut…

Meine Meinung:

Es hat mich sehr genervt, dass auf dem Einband" Thriller " steht. So hatte ich etwas völlig anderes von diesem Buch erwartet. Davon ausgehend, dass mich eine knackige Krimigeschichte nach England entführt, musste ich mir manches Mal verwundert die Augen reiben. Also für mich ist das Buch im falschen Genre, bzw. gehört die paranormale Komponente deutlich auf den Einband dazu.

ABER:

Wer es schafft sich darauf einzulassen, dass es sehr mystisch und okkult und geheimnisvoll zugeht der erlebt eine ganz tolle Geschichte, die – und da lehne ich mich jetzt mal ganz weit aus dem Fenster – mich persönlich sehr an Stephen Kings Stil Geschichten zu erzählen erinnert hat. Soooo ein tolles Buch. Effizient beschriebene Protagonisten und abgesehen von einigen sehr langatmigen Beschreibungen der Umgebung auch ein Schreibstil, der mir zwischendurch tatsächlich Gänsehaut verursacht hat. Und es ist mal eine absolut andere Richtung, kein 08/15, das Buch wird einen sehr hohen Wiedererkennungswert haben, da es ziemlich einzigartig ist. Die Umsetzung der Geschichte ist auch klasse und als ich es ersteinmal geschafft hatte mich auf die Thematik einzulassen, stellte ich fest, dass alle Elemente perfekt zueinander passen und der Grusel – Gänsehautfaktor hat sich da noch einmal erhöht.

Das Ende war viel zu schnell abgehandelt und es sind nach meinem Empfinden drei Handlungsstränge überhaupt nicht aufgelöst. Schade. Dies und die Tatsache, dass ich mich lange nicht auf das Buch einlassen konnte, weil ich einen" echten"Krimi erwartet hatte zwingen meine Aura dazu einen Stern abzuziehen.

[The Honest Book Reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, I'm shocked that this novel has so few ratings and reviews on Goodreads. It definitely deserves more.

The second in the Matt Hunter series by Peter Laws occurs a few months after the conclusion of the first novel. Hunter is feeling good about his life, there have been a few positive changes - and then he gets that phone call. The story shifts into darkness overdrive and it's a downward spiral into madness.

We encounter a lot of themes this time, including the obvious religious themes since the protagonist is a professor of religion. While the religious and psychological overtones were satisfyingly dark and sinister, I felt the story relied heavily on shocks to drive the narrative and engage the readers. The author did not manage to create the same chilling suspense that existed in the debut novel, but I think it still a damn good effort.

Another contrast to the debut was how the POV shifted to other characters more in this novel. I preferred when the POV was from Hunter, as I felt this unique character offered so much to the story. When it shifts to other characters something gets lost and the story drags a bit. When you create a character like Hunter, you'd want him to always be the torch bearer - after all, he is the expert and his insight into the crimes. Use his voice - hell, overuse his voice if you must. Matt Hunter is the reason I've continued reading this series!

Is this series still worth reading? Yes, because I think there are a lot of unique things being offered.

[Belinda Rastall · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's the second Matt Hunter book in the series - and although it feels like an age ago when I read and enjoyed book 1, I dropped right back into the story narrative really easily.

Unleashed focuses on the story of Holly Wasson, who died as a supposed suicide, in amongst terrifying poltergeist activity. Fifteen years later, her sister's friends start to die in horrifying and violent circumstances. Is the malevolent spirit which Holly's mother believes caused her death back to cause more havoc, or is there something else just as dark in play?

Unleashed is a great read which never falls into a formulaic rut, instead challenging our thought patterns and perceptions. No matter whether you are firmly in the non believers camp or not, this is definitely a recommended read, as all is never as it seems.

The novel also does an excellent job of handling loss and its ongoing impact very sensitively. If you've ever lost someone in traumatic circumstances, you'll resonate keenly with the themes of the book, as it delicately unravels what it is to be prised apart from someone you love.

Definitely a highly recommended read!

[Michelle Nash · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, but rounded down.

I actually enjoyed this story or the type of story trying to be told. A nice mixture of creepy and brutal but to the point that the author is trying to pull you to the supernatural as a possibility. I don't mind books where the supernatural is real, or where the supernatural is purported to be real but then a logical human explanation is reached at the conclusion of the story, with no real lingering supernatural component. This is a 'me' issue, and since the reviews are of what I enjoyed, if you're into the supernatural being maybe real at the end of a crime novel, please give this one a go, you'll enjoy it. I am not sure why I struggle with books that leave the possibility of another world realm hanging there...my own belief system should say I accept this possibility, but I think that it's because when crime books leave the supernatural hanging about, it is always in a malevolent way, and that I don't like. Hmmm, maybe I did just work out why I don't like it. Cool.

[Nikki Houghton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unputdownable, laugh out loud funny in places - Mr Laws is certainly honing his writing skills, I thought the narrative and language had matured a great deal for this, the second book in the series about Matt Hunter, reluctant sleuth, and all round good guy with a fundamental belief in something - though he’s not quite sure, anymore, quite what....
The setting of South London is extremely unsettling; a terrific choice for a sense of suburban menace and psychic horror.
These are not “fun” reads but they are excellent entertainment (some of the gorier bits have to be rush-read, it’s true) and i wholeheartedly recommend them to anyone with a love of novels full of crime and intrigue. Just leave the light on, for this one, otherwise you’ll end up with Leporiphobia.

[Daniel Heintz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the best thrillers I've read in the last years. The beginning with lots of descriptions of the supercool Protagonist Matt Hunter is a little annoying, but over the pages I learn to like him. This is a very dark, gripping story about guilt and demons from the past, although sometimes it's a litte Stephen King-lie, but no horror book. Peter Laws makes you believe there are monsters, but in the end the monsters are human beings. It's a Ghost Story without a real ghost.
I was a little traumatized by Stephen Kings The Outsider, which, I thought, was a classic crime story/thriller. Some of you might know what I mean

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting beginning, I was excited to read the rest of the book. I found after the first few chapters, the text between dialogue became stilted in an effort to build suspense, therefore making the plot increasingly difficult to follow, particularly as more and more characters were introduced. Although I didn't dislike this book, I wouldn't actively encourage friends to read it, unless they really liked supernatural books. Having said that, it did begin to make me wonder if all the insistence that ghosts aren't real would be proven wrong, perhaps that was the purpose of the book.

[Chelice Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

No sooner had I read Peter Laws first book, did I rush out to get myself a copy of his second. I was not disappointed! Maybe it is the atheist in my that relates so much to Matt Hunters pessimism of the world as he used to see it and of others around him, but I have not connected to a main character (especially a male) in a very long time as I do with the MC in this series.

Fast becoming a very big Peter Laws fan!!

[Jane Wynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Professor Matt Hunter is an ex vicar, now sceptic who teaches how we use good and evil and omens to create sense and order in our lives. But when he is asked to help with the tragic death of a woman where strange symbols have been found at the scene, even he and the police question whether evil spirits exist. A great read with doubt and tragedy at every turn. Don't read on a dark and stormy night!

[Genevieve Paquette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seeing that the writer is an ordained Baptist minister, suddenly everything makes so much more sense.
My favourite parts of this series? When the author breaks down anthropological/sociological concepts for the lay person. He is clearly well studied/researched, and he presents information in a really interesting way. (Full disclosure, I did my undergrad in anthropology, maaany years ago, haha, but I really enjoyed it, especially the courses I took in paranormalism, and religion, magic and witchcraft. I was lucky, though, to have excellent professors who were nothing like the protagonist!)
The mystery in this installment was good and spooky. Not the ghost stuff, but the "what horrible thing did they do?," and the creeping unease that permeated. When it was revealed, I was overwhelmed with righteous indignation, heh. No, seriously, though, I was mad, and even more so when one particularly hateful character didn't get the ending I'd hoped. Aargh.
Of the three I've read so far, I enjoyed the mystery in this one the most. It was well developed with a villain who had an interesting and believable (and tragic) backstory.

[David Needham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book based on the strength of the very good reviews it had received.Having just finished it l can see why it was so popular. It's an excellent story, very well written and so much different in character to my normal reading material. I liked the idea of the vaults and the blaming of witches along with good twists and turns. A very entertaining novel and one that I'd personally recommend.

[Olivia O'Leary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a creepy and confusing crime/supernatural thriller. At times I was genuinely scared. It didn't grab my attention to the same extent as Purged, the first of the Matt Hunter series. I think this was due to the confusing otherworldly aspect of the story that I found hard to reconcile with the Matt Hunter character from book 1.

[Myke · Rating 4 out of 5]

After being unsure on the first book I thought I’d try the second, I’m glad I did.
A good story that plodded along at a good pace, a lot less “I don’t believe I don’t believe, no God blah blah” which the first book fell foul of.
Really enjoying the subtle hints of maybe there is something supernatural behind this

[Alicia A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm giving this a four because there was just a little too much animal abuse in this particular book which I skipped.
I love Matt Hunter's character and these books are a refreshing change from the regular "supernatural" thriller. The supernatural elements are always just a little creepy. I can't wait to see what else happens to Matt.

[Lee Franklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding genre mash if crime, horror and thrills. A neck snapping who or what done it. Insightful and complicated characters. I thought Purged was great, but this is even better.

[Karen Perkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Gripping, dark, cleverly plotted and with plenty of twists and turns - then leaves the reader with some deep questions

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great- homage to Hammer house of horror .
Good character in Matt. elements of witchcraft and the occult. mixed in with crime and religious fervor. Loving it.

[Matt Adcock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unleashed is a fun and spooky thrill-ride that is highly worth taking a trip on!!

[Erix · Rating 2 out of 5]

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