Hunting Game

by Candice Fox, Krysten Ritter (Narrator), Anthony Mackie (Narrator)

4 hours, 31 minutes

Prepare to be captivated by acclaimed crime writer Candice Fox’s gripping audio thriller, Hunting Game. Featuring an all-star cast including Krysten Ritter, Anthony Mackie, and Tony Goldwyn, you’re about to enter a high-stakes game of cat and mouse.

NYPD Detective Esme 'Es' Compran (Krysten Ritter) finds herself torn between her duty and her own desperate circumstances when a child is kidnapped. The victim's father, Jack Dengate (Tony Goldwyn), is a controversial big pharma CEO whose company's price hikes on life-saving drugs have dire consequences for Es' ailing daughter.

As the investigation unfolds, FBI Special Agent Morris Jones seeks Es' help, but suspicions mount when evidence points towards Es’ ex-husband Danny (Anthony Mackie), a suspended officer. With a kidnapper in police uniform, a ruthless bounty hunter, and Danny's knowledge of her darkest secret, Es must navigate a treacherous world to protect her family.

Hunting Game is a heart-pounding, immersive experience that plunges listeners into the depths of suspense and moral ambiguity. Trapped by the demands of duty and the unyielding bonds of blood, can Es outwit the dangers closing in on her family while uncovering the spine-tingling secrets of this relentless hunt?

Genres: Audiobook, Thriller, Fiction, Crime, Mystery, Suspense, Mystery Thriller

Audible Audio

First published December 9, 2023

About the author

Candice Fox is the middle child of a large, eccentric family from Sydney's western suburbs composed of half-, adopted and pseudo siblings. The daughter of a parole officer and an enthusiastic foster-carer, Candice spent her childhood listening around corners to tales of violence, madness and evil as her father relayed his work stories to her mother and older brothers.

As a cynical and trouble-making teenager, her crime and gothic fiction writing was an escape from the calamity of her home life. She was constantly in trouble for reading Anne Rice in church and scaring her friends with tales from Australia's wealth of true crime writers.

Bankstown born and bred, she failed to conform to military life in a brief stint as an officer in the Royal Australian Navy at age eighteen. At twenty, she turned her hand to academia, and taught high school through two undergraduate and two postgraduate degrees. Candice lectures in writing at the University of Notre Dame, Sydney, while undertaking a PhD in literary censorship and terrorism.

Hades is her first novel, and she is currently working on its sequel.

Reviews

[Nina (ninjasbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, the narration was brilliant. It brought so much life to the story and every narrator did an excellent job! But it was also intense in a very good way, with a very thrilling twist!

[PattyMacDotComma · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5~4★
“I don’t read them. When hoboes shout at you in the street do you stop and listen? ”

Jack Dengate is a Big Pharma mogul who’s just raised the price of life-saving medications by an outrageous thousand percent (or something like that!).

NYPD Detective Esme Compran and her ex-husband, Danny, also a cop but currently suspended, are freaking out about how they can afford the medicine they need to keep their little girl alive until she’s older and can get a liver transplant. It used to cost a few dollars a box, but now they’ve been told the new price is $7500 a month!

Dengate’s little boy, Hunter, is missing, so obviously Dengate is asked if he has any enemies. Only most of the country! He tells them his secretary screens hundreds of threatening emails all the time, and when asked what they say, his answer is above. He doesn’t read them – the people are peasants – who cares.

This is a full-cast radio play with sound effects and attention to detail. The story rips along – typical of Fox, of course – and the acting is good. My only real niggle is that a couple of the men sound so much alike that I wasn’t always sure who was speaking.

When scenes change in a book, there is a demarcation of some kind, whether it’s an extra blank space, a few asterisks, or s new chapter. In an audio, moving between two or three groups of people, it took me a minute to be sure which group I was listening to.

There are several twists in the hunt for the abductor and power struggles in both camps – the police and the abductors – while Detective Compran becomes more and more tangled up in the action.

Overall, it’s an entertaining work that is about four and a half hours long. I listened at a speed of 1.2, which sounded like a normal speaking rate.

It’s an Audible Original, so it’s free for Audible members. It was a nice surprise to discover today.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wanting a quick audiobook to fill some time, I turned to this great Audible only piece by Candice Fox. A great thriller writer, Fox has been able to spin many great stories over the years, which have caught my attention. This police procedural has all the elements of a great story and keeps the reader on edge as the plight of a kidnapped boy progresses. Fox keeps things intense until the final moment of this sharp audio piece!

After the kidnapping of his son, Big Pharma CEO Jack Dengate turns to the NYPD for help. When the case is assigned to Detective Esme 'Es' Compran, she puts herself in the middle of the investigation, even though she has some harsh feeling about business decisions Dengate made of late. As Es is making some headway, the case is handed over to FBI Special Agent Morris Jones, a veteran when it comes to abducted children. His views differ greatly from Detective Compran and the case kicks into high gear.

Soon, Detective Compran finds herself torn between the case and a personal matter that could cost her everything she has, including her young daughter. When a suspect emerges, Special Agent Morris wants to go in hard, but Detective Compran tries to soften the blow, which reveals more than she wishes.

The race to find Hunter Dengate takes on a new urgency when information about his safety is intercepted by the NYPD. It will take steady hands and a great deal of risk to get Hunter back unharmed, something that Detective Esme Compran will have to do if she wants to see tomorrow. Candice Fox does a great job in this unique form of thriller delivery!

Candice Fox has never failed to deliver in books of hers that I have read. A well-paced narrative is essential in this short piece, providing a roadmap for the listener to delve deeper into this strong story. With intense moments that build into a stunning overall story, Fox keeps the listener guessing and on edge. Characters are able to push the story along and flavors the narrative effectively from the opening moments until all is revealed. Fox has a knack for strong development and does not disappoint here.

With little time to waste, Fox weaves a set of key plot lines together and has her characters deliver. The twists throughout not only keep the story moving, but also provide a sense of action that the listener can thoroughly enjoy. A great story and strong audio delivery kept me listening to get all the action soaked up. I will have to find more of these Audible only selections, as they pack a punch!

Kudos, Madam Fox, for never failing to leave me excited and wanting more.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was ok. I got it mostly because of the cast and the Dolby Audio (wanted to see what that was all about). But really it was pretty pedestrian. And the voice acting was way overdone. Too much effort to make all the voices different so they would be easily discernible ended up sending them all into kitch which was distracting. And the 'twist' at the end was just not anything satisfying. It just was. Oh well.

[Drake McCrary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly the only thing saving this story in places was the full cast of actors making the most of it. The writing was just rough.

[Helena · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting story with some excellent performances. Didn't enjoy the ending.

[James Tomasino · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well that was nerve wracking. Everything that could go wrong did so. There were a few well earned twists. The ending twist felt forced, though. It seemed bolted on. Still, it didn't take away from the rest of the story.

Great voice work from the whole cast.

[Toya (thereadingchemist) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Candice Fox never disappoints! And this cast is spectacular.

[Val Wheeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Woe, this was a very different style audio book from anything I've heard before, the best way to describe it was a tv show without the pictures.

It's fairly short, and there was a lot going on and vary dramatised, but it worked well.

I'm not sure I'd be able to concentrate on it, if I was driving, due to the many different sounds and voices coming from the speakers (different in each ear - Dolby Atmos), but I really enjoyed this thriller from Candice Fox.

It was a change from the usual audio book style, and a good kidnap storyline too

[Ben Gray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty standard book, fun hearing Kristen Ritter and Anthony Mackie portray the characters, but at the end of the day it was a pretty adequate story. Good pacing, good twists, but had a bit of predictability and no real stand out moments.

[Kayleigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good quick listen, with a brilliant team of narrators.

However, there were a few things that made it almost comical in places, and not in a good way.

The female assassin was so over-acted it was painful to listen to.
The FBI guy was just an idiot; reprimanding a staff member in front of a suspect while conducting an interview, really?
The main female character just got more and more ridiculous; who talks to the person who’s kidnapped a child (a person whom you’re trying to protect) WHILE IN FRONT OF A GROUP OF FBI?

Overall it was okay, but the only reason I kept listening was because it was short and free.

[Mandy Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good production and narrators. Kept my attention! BUT cliff hanger and no 2nd book to be made, waste of money. …What is it with leaving no real ending, cliff hanger??? It’s just left hanging. It was made almost 3 yrs ago so no 2nd book. So annoying. Would’ve been higher stars but not with no answers of what happens to everyone. 🙄

[cloe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sure, the plot twist caught me offguard. But bro WHY kill the most interesting character? WHAT is up with kaleigh in the end? You present a threat at the beginning of the story, and then ACTUALLY followed through? I guess they fucked around and found out but also WHYYYYY

[Tazja Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was like listening to a movie. It’s amazing the way they created and developed this. The plot and storyline were really good. I so wanted to give this five stars, but that ending…oh that ending PISSED ME OFF!

[Leah Markham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this. I was so invested in this story. It was a full on production. I would love to see this as an actual tv show.

[Aidan Miess · Rating 3 out of 5]

An okay script with diverse characters but overall not interesting enough to really pull you in

[Iveta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, that was very well paced with several interesting twists! The full cast narration is great.

[Andrea Carey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic story that made you crave more. Perfect amount of twists. I binged this book in one sitting! I listened on Audible and the full cast of voice actors was amazing. Highly recommend.

[James Izumi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ehhh 3.5/5 good story. Twist felt rushed, ending even more so. Fun listen tho!

[Stephanie Rady · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5⭐️ The performances were good but overall this was a disappointment - no narration and lots of noise during action scenes meant we were left in the dark with what was going on until another character let something slip to explain. I expected a decent and closed off ending but we were left with another decision the main character has to make and the story didn’t feel concluded.

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick, fast paced cop thriller that had an average plot but an excellent audio production. Esme is called to work a case of a kidnapped child. Hunter is the son of Jack Dengate, owner of a pharmaceutical company that has just jacked up the price of life saving medication that Esme's daughter needs. Esme's estranged husband and fellow cop, Danny, is guilty of the kidnapping, wanting to extract money to be able to afford the new cost of the drugs. He enlists the help of a police informant/junkie, Green, who is a loose cannon and wants to get more money for the kidnapping. The lead detective on the kidnapping case starts to suspect that Esme is hiding something and has her conversations recorded. When Green shows up, high as a kite and wanting to talk, Esme tips her hand that she knows that Danny is involved. But before she can be questioned, she is abducted by a private investigator hired by Jack Dengate. Green is let go and he catches back up with Hunter after Danny dies from a fall in an abandoned warehouse. Esme escapes from the PI with the help of her probationary officer, Gloria, and the two work together to get Green the millions of dollars that he is asking for by working with Hunter's mother. Thus ensues a big car chase where the police are following Esme as she is chasing Green. The drop goes sideways, as these things always do, Hunter is rescued and Esme and Green arrested. When Jack and his wife visit Esme in jail, offering legal support, she says that she knows that the whole kidnapping was a set up to extract money from Jack so that she could leave him and build a life with Danny, since the 2 were having an affair. A decent story, if a bit too much melodrama for my taste.

[Lynda Lentz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute little story to listen to when bored but not really catching

[Samantha Sears · Rating 1 out of 5]

Garbage. It’s not a book it’s just an audio experience on audible. Not worth the credit.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recommended by the author this was a great listen while driving while on holidays. The narration is as others have pointed out is like watching TV with no picture complete with sound effects which at times become a bit distracting. It’s not overdone but I did find myself drifting away at times because of it. A minor quibble. The story is engaging with a few twists and turns that we have come to expect from one of Australia’s most talented authors. Characters are great especially Esme and Greeny. A kidnapping leads to a significant conflict for Esme who for a time leads the investigation. The subplot of the exploitation of human suffering by big Pharma is nicely done and the plot moves fast so it can be listened to in one sitting. The ending is left in the air but that’s what I really loved about it. It posed the question “what would I do” if faced with Esme’s choice at the end. There’s greed and then there’s greed! If you’re a fan of books that don’t muck around you will appreciate how quickly it moves along. Found exclusively on audible.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent thriller and lightening fast paced! Great story with many twists and turns involving dirty and shady cops mixed in with real kidnappers. Too many people have motive and opportunity to guess how it will all end! A child of CEO of a big pharmaceutical company is kidnapped and impedes the NYPD investigation at every turn lead by female detective Esme. She and her ex-husband, suspended detective, each have motive with their personal anger towards the CEO. Their insurance is denying their claim to save their daughter’s life and cover the exorbitant cost of the life saving drugs she needs and his company makes.
All star cast starring Krysten Ritter, Anthony Mackie, and Tony Goldwyn, and full sound effects in this 10 “series” Audible production.

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️s

#bookreviewmaureenvandusky

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

The shorter book is very good and with the narration being acted out superbly, this book is a wonderful way to spend a bit of time. Just great from beginning to end.

Right from start of book we know that Esme has a child who needs a lifesav8ng drug that is not affordable. It’s recently been jacked up to many thousands a month. There are no methods of getting it more cheaply.

Then Esme is assigned a case of a missing child whose father owns the drug and has undpfeekingly raised the cost. As the plot comes together I worried for the missing child, for Esme and her ex husband and for their little girl. Never once did I fear for the father of the missing boy. And for me, that was fine. This might be a well dressed executive rich beyond most people’s dreams but he was cold and unfeeling except about money.

[Marc · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this was an exciting and thrilling work there were problems with it that I couldn't excuse. The voice acting was very good indeed, if, at times, a little too intense. The plot twisted and turned and kept you on the edge of your seat. The narrative was fast-paced and didn't stop for periods of sentiment that didn't directly apply to the action.

No, the main problem that I had was with the characterisation. It appears to me that within the context of this story, the NYPD has a very very serious problem with vetting potential police candidates. This becomes more and more apparent as the audiobook progresses and at times gives rise to an "Oh Come on!!"

But it did keep me entertained, if, at times, a little frustrated

[Christine's · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hunting Game is a 4.5 star audiobook. With its star studded cast it’s a gripping thriller about the kidnapping of the boy of a wealthy big pharma executive, Jack Dengate. NYPD Detective, Esme Compran, is torn between the circumstances that surround the kidnapping and her own daughter’s dire health, which is connected to the Dengate family.

This story takes you down a dark road of wealth, crooked cops, and just how far people will go for money. I love the graphic audio full cast format. It’s such a fun way to fully immerse yourself into a story. It’s like watching a movie…in your mind. I’ll be looking for me stories like this.

[Reader_for_LifeTLG · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sins of the mother - I listened to the Audible version of this tale and was rapt from the beginning. The storyline was well-thought-out, the characters a vibrant mix of grit and heart that I felt to my core. Cops, criminals and victims coalesced to bring forth a tale of greed, revenge and power with a side of love that made me cringe even as I yearned for more. The good guys aren't always good, the bad guys not always bad. The hunt is on, but not just for young Hunter, as the adults scramble to save themselves from the consequences of their choices. A great listen with an amazing cast of voices!

[Shantel Patt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished Hunting Game, and I’m genuinely blown away by how gripping and atmospheric this story is. Candice Fox drops you straight into the Australian wilderness and never lets you catch your breath. I felt like I was right there—mud on my boots, heart hammering, constantly looking over my shoulder.

What really hooked me was how alive the characters felt. They’re flawed in all the right ways, and their choices—good and bad—ripple through the story with real weight. Fox balances tension, emotion, and razor-sharp pacing so well that I kept promising myself “just one more chapter”… and suddenly the book was done.

The twists landed, the suspense never dipped, and the setting was so vivid it felt like its own character.

If you love thrillers that combine survival, danger, and complex human dynamics, Hunting Game is absolutely worth your time. This is Candice Fox doing what she does best.

Highly recommend.