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Joe Hunter #3
Slash and Burn
The third action-packed thriller in the compelling series featuring Joe Hunter, rival to Lee Child's Jack Reacher.
Joe Hunter is always ready to help a lady in distress.
Particularly when Kate, the lady in question, is the sister of a dead Special Forces mate. Robert Huffman pretends to be a respectable businessman. But the psychopathic Bolan twins he uses as his enforcers give the lie to that. Huffman is a player in the murky world of organised crime and needs Kate as bait for one of his schemes.
Joe is way outnumbered by the bad guys, but since when did that stop him? He’ll rescue Kate if he has to slash and burn to get her …
Joe Hunter is always ready to help a lady in distress.
Particularly when Kate, the lady in question, is the sister of a dead Special Forces mate. Robert Huffman pretends to be a respectable businessman. But the psychopathic Bolan twins he uses as his enforcers give the lie to that. Huffman is a player in the murky world of organised crime and needs Kate as bait for one of his schemes.
Joe is way outnumbered by the bad guys, but since when did that stop him? He’ll rescue Kate if he has to slash and burn to get her …
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 10, 2010
18 people are currently reading
325 people want to read
About the author
Matt Hilton
87 books240 followersMatt Hilton worked for twenty-two years in private security and the police force in Cumbria. He is a 4th Dan blackbelt and coach in Ju-Jitsu. He lives in Cumbria with his wife and son.
Matt is the author of the best-selling Joe Hunter thriller series, as well as standalone horror thrillers and short stories that have appeared in a number of collections and anthologies. Matt's first novel - Dead Men's Dust - was a Sunday Times best-seller and was shortlisted for the ITW New Novel Award 2009.
Matt is the author of the best-selling Joe Hunter thriller series, as well as standalone horror thrillers and short stories that have appeared in a number of collections and anthologies. Matt's first novel - Dead Men's Dust - was a Sunday Times best-seller and was shortlisted for the ITW New Novel Award 2009.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
April 10, 2014
I ended up picking up the third book in this series first with Slash and Burn, but it isn't detrimental to read these out of order. The book is fairly self-contained, and anything you might need to know about Hunter's previous adventures are given as an aside or in short sentences that give an adequate frame of references to readers. So I think it's okay to start here.
Matt Hilton's Joe Hunter series is a good choice for action/adventure fans who like Lee Child's Jack Reacher, Robert Crais' Joe Pike, and the character of John Reese from the television show "Person of Interest". If it's okay, I will make a few comparisons for readers like myself who can't enough of the tough guys who fight for the defenseless and kick some serious butt and take names (kickbutt artists).
Joe Hunter could probably sit down and have a cup of coffee with the other three characters. They might even start a "I Don't Take Crap And I Hate Bullies" Club. Henceforth, this concept will be abbreviated as IDTCAIHB in the rest of the review. In some ways, Joe Hunter also reminds me of Nate Garrett from Steve McHugh's urban fantasy series, in that he is a very lethal man who really doesn't like abusive people who take advantage of innocents. He seems to be a little more plugged into life than Jack Reacher, but he shares his ability to be brutal when necessary, although he has more of a conscience and feels a bit more regretful when he gets ugly with people. I think Hunter is much less of a loner than Reacher, and perhaps that is why he is more in touch with his emotions. I think more than John Reese (also more emotionally healthy). Oh, I should add that if Nate's invited, he'd drink tea, since he hates coffee.
Like most of the members of the IDTCAIHB club, Hunter has few friends and emotional connections. His besties are Rink and Harvey, both also tough as nails who have his back in a fight. I think it made it more realistic that Hunter did need help. He didn't come off as a superhero. He's vulnerable to all the things that affect most human beings, and he doesn't have any super-skills that inhibits a reader's ability to suspend disbelief. I like that he does have ethics/morals. They are more extreme in that he believes he's responsible for righting wrongs and dealing with injustice, not the police, since the police often fail to do what needs doing (his thoughts, not necessarily mine). Somewhat like Batman, but with more willingness to kill. While I am not advocating vigilantism, I can understand the reasons behind it (at least in fiction), and I admit that I am drawn to these types of characters who are there to help people and don't mind getting their hands dirty doing it. It satisfies that part of me that gets angry when I see gross injustice in society around me, although my personal ethics don't agree with an eye for an eye kind of justice. Fiction is a safe exploration of themes and concepts we don't condone or espouse in life, or so I think.
I could only give this book 3.5 stars, because I found the prose to be a bit simplistic. While I respect terse and concise writing, the writing seemed a bit facile at times. Matt Hilton is a competent writer, but I feel that his voice could be more distinctive and as a result, show the added complexities of a man like Hunter. While Hunter might seem like a simple man, there is an underlying thought process that members of the IDTCAIHB club have that is worthy of exploring. And this story deals with some heavy events. Yes, this is an action/adventure book, so the goal is not deep character exploration. But that doesn't mean that a little sprinkled in amongst the butt-kicking scenes would go amiss.
I have found that many action/adventure books don't effectively convey a romantic relationship. This is true of Slash and Burn. The embryonic emotional bond between Hunter and Kate went from 0 to 60 in too fast a time, and I couldn't quite buy into it. I would have preferred if the author either kept it light or used the page scenes more effectively to build romantic tension. Not enough to turn off romance hating readers, but enough to be believable.
The villains are not fluffy bunnies. Nope, they are varying degrees of morally bankrupt to seriously crazy. The Bolan twins are in a class all by themselves, really. I wasn't sure where the author was going, but the early pages of this book set up a suspenseful set of events that helps to drive the plot along. Huffman is the type of sociopath that seems more socially acceptable than vicious psychopaths like the Bolan twins, but I actually feel he's worse, because of the deep rot concealed under his smooth, handsome, sharply-dressed exterior. There are a few disposable villains that I feel could have been given more depth, since I don't like when an author sets up characters just to get killed off, aka Redshirts, to the Trekkies. That might work on an episodic TV show, but not so well in a novel. In general, I think the characterization could have used more development, and that's a major issue with this novel, along with the simplistic writing tone.
Readers looking for an escapist action/adventure novel with a IDTCAIHB kind of hero might consider adding Joe Hunter to their list of potential readers. I think that Reacher, Pike and Nate Garrett's books are better written, but this was a good read, and I did like Hunter. He's worth adding to my action/adventure reading list.
Matt Hilton's Joe Hunter series is a good choice for action/adventure fans who like Lee Child's Jack Reacher, Robert Crais' Joe Pike, and the character of John Reese from the television show "Person of Interest". If it's okay, I will make a few comparisons for readers like myself who can't enough of the tough guys who fight for the defenseless and kick some serious butt and take names (kickbutt artists).
Joe Hunter could probably sit down and have a cup of coffee with the other three characters. They might even start a "I Don't Take Crap And I Hate Bullies" Club. Henceforth, this concept will be abbreviated as IDTCAIHB in the rest of the review. In some ways, Joe Hunter also reminds me of Nate Garrett from Steve McHugh's urban fantasy series, in that he is a very lethal man who really doesn't like abusive people who take advantage of innocents. He seems to be a little more plugged into life than Jack Reacher, but he shares his ability to be brutal when necessary, although he has more of a conscience and feels a bit more regretful when he gets ugly with people. I think Hunter is much less of a loner than Reacher, and perhaps that is why he is more in touch with his emotions. I think more than John Reese (also more emotionally healthy). Oh, I should add that if Nate's invited, he'd drink tea, since he hates coffee.
Like most of the members of the IDTCAIHB club, Hunter has few friends and emotional connections. His besties are Rink and Harvey, both also tough as nails who have his back in a fight. I think it made it more realistic that Hunter did need help. He didn't come off as a superhero. He's vulnerable to all the things that affect most human beings, and he doesn't have any super-skills that inhibits a reader's ability to suspend disbelief. I like that he does have ethics/morals. They are more extreme in that he believes he's responsible for righting wrongs and dealing with injustice, not the police, since the police often fail to do what needs doing (his thoughts, not necessarily mine). Somewhat like Batman, but with more willingness to kill. While I am not advocating vigilantism, I can understand the reasons behind it (at least in fiction), and I admit that I am drawn to these types of characters who are there to help people and don't mind getting their hands dirty doing it. It satisfies that part of me that gets angry when I see gross injustice in society around me, although my personal ethics don't agree with an eye for an eye kind of justice. Fiction is a safe exploration of themes and concepts we don't condone or espouse in life, or so I think.
I could only give this book 3.5 stars, because I found the prose to be a bit simplistic. While I respect terse and concise writing, the writing seemed a bit facile at times. Matt Hilton is a competent writer, but I feel that his voice could be more distinctive and as a result, show the added complexities of a man like Hunter. While Hunter might seem like a simple man, there is an underlying thought process that members of the IDTCAIHB club have that is worthy of exploring. And this story deals with some heavy events. Yes, this is an action/adventure book, so the goal is not deep character exploration. But that doesn't mean that a little sprinkled in amongst the butt-kicking scenes would go amiss.
I have found that many action/adventure books don't effectively convey a romantic relationship. This is true of Slash and Burn. The embryonic emotional bond between Hunter and Kate went from 0 to 60 in too fast a time, and I couldn't quite buy into it. I would have preferred if the author either kept it light or used the page scenes more effectively to build romantic tension. Not enough to turn off romance hating readers, but enough to be believable.
The villains are not fluffy bunnies. Nope, they are varying degrees of morally bankrupt to seriously crazy. The Bolan twins are in a class all by themselves, really. I wasn't sure where the author was going, but the early pages of this book set up a suspenseful set of events that helps to drive the plot along. Huffman is the type of sociopath that seems more socially acceptable than vicious psychopaths like the Bolan twins, but I actually feel he's worse, because of the deep rot concealed under his smooth, handsome, sharply-dressed exterior. There are a few disposable villains that I feel could have been given more depth, since I don't like when an author sets up characters just to get killed off, aka Redshirts, to the Trekkies. That might work on an episodic TV show, but not so well in a novel. In general, I think the characterization could have used more development, and that's a major issue with this novel, along with the simplistic writing tone.
Readers looking for an escapist action/adventure novel with a IDTCAIHB kind of hero might consider adding Joe Hunter to their list of potential readers. I think that Reacher, Pike and Nate Garrett's books are better written, but this was a good read, and I did like Hunter. He's worth adding to my action/adventure reading list.
May 13, 2017
Fantastic high adrenaline, high octane thriller! Good guy Joe Hunter is a dynamic, complex character with his own moral code and he metes out justice to the bad guy expediently rather than legally. Hunter, the protagonist, once a government assassin, is still in the game, now privately. He eschews being thought of as a vigilante or hit man, but performs services for the helpless who need his help, the innocents who are thrust into situations by the antagonists who need permanent rectifying. The villains in his encounters are seriously bad dudes- psychotic and/or sociopathic - who are no match for standard law enforcement , but they have met their match with Joe Hunter! The suspense-and bodies- keep ratcheting up until the explosive climax! The plot is interesting and unique. The resolution is more than satisfying! If you like Lee Child's Jack Reacher, David Baldacci's John Puller, or Robert Crais' Joe Pike, you will LOVE Matt Hilton's Joe Hunter!
May 16, 2010
Some people have labeled Joe Hunter as a vigilante and others have seen him as a hit man. One thing is for sure and that is if you have a serious problem, Joe Hunter is the man to have on your side.
When Kate Piers showed up on the Florida beach and revealed to Joe that she was the sister of Jake Piers, a buddy from Special Forces, Joe felt obligated to help her. Kate feared that her sister Imogen Ballard was in serious trouble.
Joe and Kate travel to Imogen’s Kentucky home where they are immediately attacked by thugs employed by local businessman Robert Huffman. Huffman has links to organized crime and wants Imogen. Huffman will leave no stone unturned to get to her and that includes kidnapping and murder.
Joe finally finds a woman that he could be interested in romantically but the first priority has to be finding Imogen. That is not an easy task . Slash and Burn is another action-packed thriller.
Joe Hunter was introduced in Dead Men’s Dust followed by Judgement and Wrath. This latest addition to the series is even more exciting that the first two books.
When Kate Piers showed up on the Florida beach and revealed to Joe that she was the sister of Jake Piers, a buddy from Special Forces, Joe felt obligated to help her. Kate feared that her sister Imogen Ballard was in serious trouble.
Joe and Kate travel to Imogen’s Kentucky home where they are immediately attacked by thugs employed by local businessman Robert Huffman. Huffman has links to organized crime and wants Imogen. Huffman will leave no stone unturned to get to her and that includes kidnapping and murder.
Joe finally finds a woman that he could be interested in romantically but the first priority has to be finding Imogen. That is not an easy task . Slash and Burn is another action-packed thriller.
Joe Hunter was introduced in Dead Men’s Dust followed by Judgement and Wrath. This latest addition to the series is even more exciting that the first two books.
November 15, 2017
This third entry in the Joe Hunter series is basically a Steven Seagal movie in prose.
An evil Texas mobster is taking over a small Kentucky town, easily muscling in and corrupting the powers that be.
Some lady asks Joe Hunter for help. Despite being described as oh-so-formidable, of course she is captured, and spends the rest of the book as the woman to be rescued.
There's some pretty exciting bits, but this book is as easily predictable as one of the monthly Mack Bolan novels.
An evil Texas mobster is taking over a small Kentucky town, easily muscling in and corrupting the powers that be.
Some lady asks Joe Hunter for help. Despite being described as oh-so-formidable, of course she is captured, and spends the rest of the book as the woman to be rescued.
There's some pretty exciting bits, but this book is as easily predictable as one of the monthly Mack Bolan novels.
December 14, 2011
This is the third book about a man by the name of Joe Hunter, and no author in the world has ever named their character better. Being a former Special Ops agent with the CIA, Joe lives his life as a hunter - a troubleshooter with the accent on “shooter.” However, when this book begins, Joe is taking a well-deserved vacation in Florida. The hunter is finally relaxing, taking some time out on his rented deck with a beer in one hand and happiness in his heart.
But like everything in Joe’s life, his quiet time comes to an end when he looks up and sees a young woman approaching him from the beach. She turns out to be the sister of a former colleague from the CIA who had saved Joe’s life during an operation. Kate is worried about her sister, Imogen, who is missing from her home in the mountains of Kentucky and may already be dead.
Joe feels duty bound to help and very soon finds himself far from his relaxing vacation standing at the door of Imogen’s house, only to find it occupied by a couple of seriously bad individuals who are trashing everything inside. (Readers, this is the first action-packed gun battle with plenty more to come.)
This plot is so fast moving, that all readers had better be awake in order to keep track of the many, many characters. Little by little the plot is revealed and Joe, with the help of Kate and two of his buddies - Harvey and Rink - go after the bad guys and end up in Texas where they take some more out. As the bodies start piling up, Joe and his friends think that they have solved the case and cleared the world of the worst men imaginable, however, as with all the Joe Hunter novels, just when you imagine that the story is over and everyone lives happily ever after, there is one more tough situation to handle.
This is not your ordinary action book. In fact, it would not come as a surprise to see Joe Hunter up on the big screen one day. Joe and his friends can really put things right, so to speak, but are sincerely likable in the process. The bad guys are well written and certainly deserve every single thing that’s coming to them, and the author is very adamant about showing the sincere loyalty that exists between Joe and his friends. This is an all-out action plot that will keep you reading all day, with the only downside being that the Joe Hunter books go by so fast that it takes too long to receive the next one.
(Amy for Suspense Magazine)
But like everything in Joe’s life, his quiet time comes to an end when he looks up and sees a young woman approaching him from the beach. She turns out to be the sister of a former colleague from the CIA who had saved Joe’s life during an operation. Kate is worried about her sister, Imogen, who is missing from her home in the mountains of Kentucky and may already be dead.
Joe feels duty bound to help and very soon finds himself far from his relaxing vacation standing at the door of Imogen’s house, only to find it occupied by a couple of seriously bad individuals who are trashing everything inside. (Readers, this is the first action-packed gun battle with plenty more to come.)
This plot is so fast moving, that all readers had better be awake in order to keep track of the many, many characters. Little by little the plot is revealed and Joe, with the help of Kate and two of his buddies - Harvey and Rink - go after the bad guys and end up in Texas where they take some more out. As the bodies start piling up, Joe and his friends think that they have solved the case and cleared the world of the worst men imaginable, however, as with all the Joe Hunter novels, just when you imagine that the story is over and everyone lives happily ever after, there is one more tough situation to handle.
This is not your ordinary action book. In fact, it would not come as a surprise to see Joe Hunter up on the big screen one day. Joe and his friends can really put things right, so to speak, but are sincerely likable in the process. The bad guys are well written and certainly deserve every single thing that’s coming to them, and the author is very adamant about showing the sincere loyalty that exists between Joe and his friends. This is an all-out action plot that will keep you reading all day, with the only downside being that the Joe Hunter books go by so fast that it takes too long to receive the next one.
(Amy for Suspense Magazine)
December 18, 2011
Its time to say shuffle over to Jack Reacher , Alex Cross, John Sampson , Jack Morgan, Ty Hauck , Myron Bolitar and say hello or as New Zealander's would say Kia Ora to Joe Hunter. Joe Hunter is the new ex-military hero or more appropriately vigilante in Matt Hilton's books . Slash and Burn is book #3 of Joe's adventures and hoping for a nice peaceful vacation between jobs , Joe is interrupted. A women Kate wants Joe's help in finding her sister and since Joe used to work with her brother in the military he feels obliged . However , like most of Joe's cases this isn't your usual missing person case and things that tend to be done Joe's way isn't necessary by the book or even above the law so when he realises that Kate is in fact a police officer , the tension in the story gets a little heated and shaky. Soon as they get deeper and deeper into the case , several people dead later they discover , things aren't exactly as they seem and Kate's sister Imogen might be in deeper than anyone realised. When Kate is kidnapped , Joe's feelings start to play him - Can Joe get to the bottom of Imogen's disappearance without bringing harm to Kate and what happens when romantic sparks start whizzing between Kate and Joe ? Is it happily "shoot" ever "bang" after for the couple or will their above and below the law differences put a stop in this relationship from actually progressing from friends to more than friends ?
Find out in this action-packed novel and Im looking forward to reading more "mis" adventures of Joe Hunter and to see what mischief he gets up to next.
Find out in this action-packed novel and Im looking forward to reading more "mis" adventures of Joe Hunter and to see what mischief he gets up to next.
April 8, 2024
Dumb. Whoever thinks this character or author are on par with Reacher and Child doesn't understand anything more than fantasized action, motivation, storytelling, and characters.
January 11, 2012
Slash and Burn by Matt Hilton is an action packed thriller that takes the reader from Florida to Kentucky to Texas and back to Florida. Slash and Burn is filled with action and violence. Hilton creates a main character, Joe Hunter, whose sense of justice may not always fit inside the law but is based on his own code of right and wrong. The pages are littered with dead bodies as Hunter strives to save two sisters from criminals. Sibling love, friendship, and loyalty are all tested and reaffirmed in Slash and Burn. Driven by greed, Robert Huffman will do anything to protect his criminal empire including murder anyone who dares try to expose him or stand in his way. Though he uses the resources at his disposal, he’s willing to get his hands dirty, enjoys it, in fact. Though there are moments in the story that seem a bit incredulous, the story is compelling enough for the reader to overlook them. Hilton’s detailed fight scenes paint a picture that will make the reader feel as if they’ve been dropped in the middle of the action feeling the heat of the blaze burning, the impact of a punch, the slice of a knife, and the bullet tearing through skin and flesh.
September 8, 2023
Slash and Burn, the third in the Joe Hunter series by Matt Hilton is another good ready. Joe Hunter is a very good character who looks out for others and served kind of as a vigilante in trying to make things right for those others.
Joe is approached by the sister of one of his former colleagues in the Special Forces. Her other sister is missing and she needs help finding her and, maybe, saving her from unsavory people. Joe feels obligated to help. Things go crazy immediately, as they tend to do for Joe Hunter! When they travel to the sisters house in Kentucky, they are set upon by numerous men trying to kill them. 2 of these are killed in her house in the backwoods of KY. They are chased down the hill by the others into a trap. Joe avoids the trap and they escape, hiding in the small town. Nobody has seen their faces so they are still anonymous. Joe dumps a vehicle he stole from a pair of brothers that was used in the trap. While walking back to their hotel he sees the brothers, one is 6'9 and the other is 7', so he recognized these guys. He confronts them in the workshop and in the ensuing battle kills the younger 7' one. The other escapes but vows revenge on this guy, whoever he is!
joe still doesn't even know what is going on or who is behind it. The brothers work for a man who has taken over the small Kentucky town, buying up property and owning a restaurant in town. The sister turns out is on the run from this guy- who wants her dead after he can get compromising information and pictures from her. He and the brothers had killed the previous Sheriff and installed a crony of their own. Pics show him at the killing. ThThe guy has connections to Texas and a long-standing relationship with organized crime. First sister is help captured and help captive to lure Joe Hunter to try to save her. The sister on the run needs to be brought and swapped by Joe. Joe doesn't even know where she is. But, she contacts him and Joe hatches a plan to save both girls while killing the other brother and his boss at the Texas ranch of said boss. The boss has numerous hired killers besides the brothers who are at the ranch, hired to kill Joe Hunter and his companions.
Joe is joined by his loyal companion and former Special Forces soldier- Rink. And a newer friend who Rink knows and Joe has worked with in the previous book.
There is a big blowout at the Ranch. Prior to this big battle, the sisters are sent back to Tampa/St. Pete where Rink and Joe have a home office. There is so much action throughout the book. Again, it starts right at the beginning and doesn't let up until Joe and friends have disposed of the bad guys. The are twists and turns with one final twist at the end.
Good read! A lot of action that just keeps on going. Joe Hunter always finds a way to make the bad guys pay and this book is no exception.
Joe is approached by the sister of one of his former colleagues in the Special Forces. Her other sister is missing and she needs help finding her and, maybe, saving her from unsavory people. Joe feels obligated to help. Things go crazy immediately, as they tend to do for Joe Hunter! When they travel to the sisters house in Kentucky, they are set upon by numerous men trying to kill them. 2 of these are killed in her house in the backwoods of KY. They are chased down the hill by the others into a trap. Joe avoids the trap and they escape, hiding in the small town. Nobody has seen their faces so they are still anonymous. Joe dumps a vehicle he stole from a pair of brothers that was used in the trap. While walking back to their hotel he sees the brothers, one is 6'9 and the other is 7', so he recognized these guys. He confronts them in the workshop and in the ensuing battle kills the younger 7' one. The other escapes but vows revenge on this guy, whoever he is!
joe still doesn't even know what is going on or who is behind it. The brothers work for a man who has taken over the small Kentucky town, buying up property and owning a restaurant in town. The sister turns out is on the run from this guy- who wants her dead after he can get compromising information and pictures from her. He and the brothers had killed the previous Sheriff and installed a crony of their own. Pics show him at the killing. ThThe guy has connections to Texas and a long-standing relationship with organized crime. First sister is help captured and help captive to lure Joe Hunter to try to save her. The sister on the run needs to be brought and swapped by Joe. Joe doesn't even know where she is. But, she contacts him and Joe hatches a plan to save both girls while killing the other brother and his boss at the Texas ranch of said boss. The boss has numerous hired killers besides the brothers who are at the ranch, hired to kill Joe Hunter and his companions.
Joe is joined by his loyal companion and former Special Forces soldier- Rink. And a newer friend who Rink knows and Joe has worked with in the previous book.
There is a big blowout at the Ranch. Prior to this big battle, the sisters are sent back to Tampa/St. Pete where Rink and Joe have a home office. There is so much action throughout the book. Again, it starts right at the beginning and doesn't let up until Joe and friends have disposed of the bad guys. The are twists and turns with one final twist at the end.
Good read! A lot of action that just keeps on going. Joe Hunter always finds a way to make the bad guys pay and this book is no exception.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 14, 2021
For me this was a bit of a disappointment. For me it came across as a weak imitation of a Lee Child "Jack Reacher" book: you have a basically invincible hero, who can shoot the dots out of a playing card at 50 paces while hurling himself to the ground (except when the plot requires him to miss), and who just needs to walk into the room with beautiful woman for her to fall hopelessly for him. But without the plot twists and cool narrative style that Child produces.
Altogether unconvincing. I'll stick with Reacher when I need invincible heroes and good plots, or perhaps Andy McNab's "Nick Stone" series for a hero who is the scruffy ex-special force type, but who still gets shot a lot and in the end wins out.
Altogether unconvincing. I'll stick with Reacher when I need invincible heroes and good plots, or perhaps Andy McNab's "Nick Stone" series for a hero who is the scruffy ex-special force type, but who still gets shot a lot and in the end wins out.
December 12, 2020
Hunter is back on his home turf and Rink sends Kate his way. Kate needs help finding her sister, Imogen. Hunter didn't find out until later that Kate was a cop and that Imogen was escaping a syndicate who wanted some documents from her that could topple their empire. Loaded with action!
July 31, 2021
"Slash and Burn" is the 3rd of the Joe Hunter series...Hunter is a retired Spec Ops soldier handing out vigilante justice to those doing evil...A bit of Elmore Leonard's Raylan Givens emerges here as Hunter confronts a segment of the Appalachian Mafia protecting two sisters, one of which has the evidence that can bring down the head of the organization...Just Okay!
April 9, 2013
Another Matt Hilton read finished within 24 hours, always the sign of a good book. Like the other two this one was unputdownable, but it was also a better read than the other two, hence the five star reading. Hilton's first book was an enjoyable read but he only seems to get better with each book as this one proves.
The action kicks off after a couple of pages and does not relent until the Epilogue. It reads like a Hollywood script and your heart will be in your mouth throughout the whole book. This book finds Joe helping out the sister of an old friend, she is looking for her sister but she isn't the only one. Robert Huffman, a 'player in the murky world of organised crime' is also looking for Kate's sister too.
This book moved at such a quick pace, in real time for most of it so it was hard to put it down because you just wanted to keep reading. Joe Hunter is a fantastic creation and one that I enjoy reading about a lot. I haven't read Lee Child's Reacher series so can't compare the two but I would always be comparing Hunter with Tom Cruise and for that reason I have no intention of reading the Reacher novels if that is the man I would be picturing. What I did note was that the death toll in this book was massive, I wonder how long Hunter can keep getting away with it. He does kill for the good of others, and always the bad guys but there was so much bloodshed here. I did draw comparisons in earlier books with Ryan Lock from Sean Black's fantastic series of books however I don't think Lock is quite as trigger happy.
Matt Hilton however is a fantastic author and tells a damn good story. Some people might find the book has too much action (I often see reviews stating this) but to me there can never be enough action. Fiction is escapism, written fiction allows authors to push the boundaries and write pretty much what they want because unlike TV and movies, they have no restrictions of budgets. So for me the more action the better, and this book is full of it. Hardly a page goes by without an explosion, gun fight, a chase or just brilliantly written intensity. Do not miss this book and I only hope the rest of the series continues to get even better.
Joe Hunter is now a new favourite character of mine and one I can't wait to read more about.
The action kicks off after a couple of pages and does not relent until the Epilogue. It reads like a Hollywood script and your heart will be in your mouth throughout the whole book. This book finds Joe helping out the sister of an old friend, she is looking for her sister but she isn't the only one. Robert Huffman, a 'player in the murky world of organised crime' is also looking for Kate's sister too.
This book moved at such a quick pace, in real time for most of it so it was hard to put it down because you just wanted to keep reading. Joe Hunter is a fantastic creation and one that I enjoy reading about a lot. I haven't read Lee Child's Reacher series so can't compare the two but I would always be comparing Hunter with Tom Cruise and for that reason I have no intention of reading the Reacher novels if that is the man I would be picturing. What I did note was that the death toll in this book was massive, I wonder how long Hunter can keep getting away with it. He does kill for the good of others, and always the bad guys but there was so much bloodshed here. I did draw comparisons in earlier books with Ryan Lock from Sean Black's fantastic series of books however I don't think Lock is quite as trigger happy.
Matt Hilton however is a fantastic author and tells a damn good story. Some people might find the book has too much action (I often see reviews stating this) but to me there can never be enough action. Fiction is escapism, written fiction allows authors to push the boundaries and write pretty much what they want because unlike TV and movies, they have no restrictions of budgets. So for me the more action the better, and this book is full of it. Hardly a page goes by without an explosion, gun fight, a chase or just brilliantly written intensity. Do not miss this book and I only hope the rest of the series continues to get even better.
Joe Hunter is now a new favourite character of mine and one I can't wait to read more about.
February 7, 2012
I’ll admit to never reading any novels by Lee Child, Jeffrey Deaver, Michael Connelly or any of the other really popular male authors constantly making the New York Times Bestseller List. So when I got the Advance Readers Copy of Slash and Burn by Matt Hilton, I decided to give it a chance, as Hilton is often compared to the authors previously mentioned.
Joe Hunter, ex-CIA tough guy/hero of the Hilton novels, meets a desperate woman named Kate while on a Florida retreat. She needs help finding her sister, Imogen, who is missing and may be in trouble. Joe agrees to help Kate and slowly falls for this woman who appeared so desperate in the beginning but who is actually capable of herself. Together they fight a lot of men while trying to figure out why Imogen has disappeared and why these men are searching for her as well.
While reading this, I will admit that much of it was easily predictable, especially the love between Joe and Kate. Even the play on Joe’s last name, Hunter, was a bit silly. There was only one part of this entire book that I was actually surprised at but I won’t speak of it here, just in case someone else is planning to read this novel of course, but I will say that it was surprising and made the overall novel a bit better for me. This novel is most definitely something I would call a “mindless read” nothing you need to pay close attention to but something that is somewhat enjoyable and easy to read. I wouldn’t suggest running out to purchase it- only if violence and an easy read is something you are seeking. But, if you stumble upon it, you may want to pick it up especially if you happen to like the afore mentioned authors.
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Joe Hunter, ex-CIA tough guy/hero of the Hilton novels, meets a desperate woman named Kate while on a Florida retreat. She needs help finding her sister, Imogen, who is missing and may be in trouble. Joe agrees to help Kate and slowly falls for this woman who appeared so desperate in the beginning but who is actually capable of herself. Together they fight a lot of men while trying to figure out why Imogen has disappeared and why these men are searching for her as well.
While reading this, I will admit that much of it was easily predictable, especially the love between Joe and Kate. Even the play on Joe’s last name, Hunter, was a bit silly. There was only one part of this entire book that I was actually surprised at but I won’t speak of it here, just in case someone else is planning to read this novel of course, but I will say that it was surprising and made the overall novel a bit better for me. This novel is most definitely something I would call a “mindless read” nothing you need to pay close attention to but something that is somewhat enjoyable and easy to read. I wouldn’t suggest running out to purchase it- only if violence and an easy read is something you are seeking. But, if you stumble upon it, you may want to pick it up especially if you happen to like the afore mentioned authors.
Check out my blog http://www.endlessqueue.wordpress.com and subscribe! =]
October 4, 2011
Joe Hunter was relaxing in Florida when he was approached by a beautiful young woman sent there to see him. Kate Piers was the sister of one of his comrades who'd died on a Black Ops mission to save Joe and the other guys on the assignment.
Joe didn't do that anymore.
She was looking for help in finding her older sister who'd gone missing and wasn't answering her cell phone. Kate was afraid she might be dead or held by someone-she didn't know who.
He headed with her up to Kentucky to the sister's home only to find a quartet of killers waiting. Obviously for the sister as no one knew they were coming. Joe and Kate fought their way clear and were soon in a running gun battle with a pack of killers led by the very dangerous Bolan brothers, twin seven footers with a collective weight of nearly six hundred pounds.
But there was someone even more dangerous behind them. A mobster named Huffman with nickname Quicksilver from his younger days, a nickname he'd earned because of his speed with a blade.
The slash and burn of the title comes from the finale on a ranch in Texas.
Not a bad book, but it employs a narrative technique in vogue in today's modern thriller that I'm not fond of: mixing first tense and third tense. If the book can't be told in one or the other, maybe it shouldn't be told.
But that's just me. It must be popular as it's used quite frequently.
Joe didn't do that anymore.
She was looking for help in finding her older sister who'd gone missing and wasn't answering her cell phone. Kate was afraid she might be dead or held by someone-she didn't know who.
He headed with her up to Kentucky to the sister's home only to find a quartet of killers waiting. Obviously for the sister as no one knew they were coming. Joe and Kate fought their way clear and were soon in a running gun battle with a pack of killers led by the very dangerous Bolan brothers, twin seven footers with a collective weight of nearly six hundred pounds.
But there was someone even more dangerous behind them. A mobster named Huffman with nickname Quicksilver from his younger days, a nickname he'd earned because of his speed with a blade.
The slash and burn of the title comes from the finale on a ranch in Texas.
Not a bad book, but it employs a narrative technique in vogue in today's modern thriller that I'm not fond of: mixing first tense and third tense. If the book can't be told in one or the other, maybe it shouldn't be told.
But that's just me. It must be popular as it's used quite frequently.
October 21, 2010
The sister of an old army buddy of Hunter asks him to help find her missing sister. All is not as it seems though and Hunter and his cohorts find themselves coming up against organised crime. It's very exciting and reads like it was made to be turned into a Hollywood blockbuster. I liked the ending as it didn't follow the predictable route that I thought it would. This author just keeps on improving.
April 2, 2015
The premise of the book was interesting.. I just did not care much for the writing (I don't know if its his first or second book).. I will try another as he becomes more established of an author.. Some of my current authors whom I enjoy now, I didn't care for their first books.. I will give him a chance..
October 4, 2011
I really enjoyed this book. Matt has a very good thriller here. The only reason it didn't get 5 stars was that I was a little disappointed with the "love interest" aspect, just didn't seem realistic to me. The rest was great.
July 5, 2016
Getting quite into these books now, the stories are good and allow you to lose yourself in a bit of Reacheresque / Bourne style of good guy gets the girl and kills the baddies sort of way.
It's exactly what you'd expect but well written.
It's exactly what you'd expect but well written.
November 4, 2011
Murder and mayhem aplenty but a good escapist read as usual with this author.
October 30, 2011
The first 3/4 of the book were good, but the end was just crap! Hope you enjoy it more than I did!
November 7, 2011
I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/10222699
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/10222699
Read
May 9, 2015DNF was not for me
September 23, 2021
It’s taken a while but I’ve finally got around to reviewing one of Matt Hilton’s Joe Hunter action thrillers, jumping in at number three in the series, but hey – that’s the earliest I had.
Where do I start?
How about the fact that Joe Hunter is faster paced and more action packed than most of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher stories.
It’s a good start.
Add in a plotline that is plausible and well thought through and you have the core ingredients for a page-turning action thriller. One that’s bound to get readers coming back for more – and becoming fans of Matt Hilton’s writing.
On that point I most definitely count myself as one now.
There’s plenty of violence and brutal action which I like in my action thrillers, but there is intelligence and a level of descriptive detail I enjoy too. In my eyes Matt Hilton is the equal of Lee Child in this respect.
Joe Hunter has become a new hero I need to read more about.
Another action-hero story collection has begun...
James Marx – October 2020
Where do I start?
How about the fact that Joe Hunter is faster paced and more action packed than most of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher stories.
It’s a good start.
Add in a plotline that is plausible and well thought through and you have the core ingredients for a page-turning action thriller. One that’s bound to get readers coming back for more – and becoming fans of Matt Hilton’s writing.
On that point I most definitely count myself as one now.
There’s plenty of violence and brutal action which I like in my action thrillers, but there is intelligence and a level of descriptive detail I enjoy too. In my eyes Matt Hilton is the equal of Lee Child in this respect.
Joe Hunter has become a new hero I need to read more about.
Another action-hero story collection has begun...
James Marx – October 2020
October 18, 2017
Third in the Joe Hunter series -I haven't read the second but once I'd bought this I couldn't wait to read it! So was it as good as "Dead Man's Dust"? Not quite as good for me (but then I did have a soft spot for Tubal Cain) but still a cracking read.
Comparisons to Jack Reacher are inevitable, Joe isn't the loner that Jack is (associates Rink & Harvey are also strong characters) but he's a tough action hero with no qualms about killing anyone - great to read about! At the moment Jack is still top dog for me but looking forward to how the "competition" progresses :o)
Comparisons to Jack Reacher are inevitable, Joe isn't the loner that Jack is (associates Rink & Harvey are also strong characters) but he's a tough action hero with no qualms about killing anyone - great to read about! At the moment Jack is still top dog for me but looking forward to how the "competition" progresses :o)
January 31, 2018
Looking for an easy read and the Joe Hunter books fill that void. Not classics but straight forward, no-nonsense violence and plots without logical devices that don't colour outside the lines a lot. Still enjoyed it but are re-reading these as A) they are light and B) I can churn through one in two-three days. Not memorable (hence why I am re-reading them nearly 10 years later) but still enjoyable.
July 10, 2025
Much better than 'Collision Course' a fast read, full of action of ex Special Forces Joe Hunter and colleagues. Hilton tries to pack the most drama into the climatic showdown, but through stupid and uncharacteristic actions of those trained to neutralise through lethal force and introducing a want of revenge by the hero. Never mind, still an enjoyable and worthwhile read.
October 11, 2017
Another first class read from Matt Hilton. There are great similarities between the characters of Joe Hunter and Jack Reacher. This story had an unrelenting momentum which made it a most enjoyable if somewhat gory read.
October 29, 2021
Oof! Borrowed this book from my dad and took it to Mexico. I was desperate…finished it but it was pretty bad. I love Jack Reacher books (or at least the majority of them) and this was similar but way weaker, cliche and oh so predictable.
October 24, 2017
Another Hilton scorcher! It was go go go from the first to the last page! Joe Hunter is an "animal". "Slash & Burn" was a proper topic.
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