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Vintage Hunted.
Your kids are missing, accused of plotting to kill thousands. Can you find them before it's too late?
It's a week before the presidential elections when a bomb goes off in an LA shopping mall.
In London, armed police storm Heathrow Airport and arrest Sajid Khan. His daughter, Aliyah entered the USA with the suicide bomber, and now she's missing, potentially plotting another attack on American soil.
But then a woman called Carrie turns up at Sajid's door after travelling halfway across the world. She claims Aliyah is with her son and she has a clue to their whereabouts. Carrie knows something isn't adding up - and that she and Sajid are the only ones who can find their children and discover the truth.
On the run from the authorities, the two parents are thrown together in a race against time to stop their kids and prevent a catastrophe the likes of which the world has never seen.
It's a week before the presidential elections when a bomb goes off in an LA shopping mall.
In London, armed police storm Heathrow Airport and arrest Sajid Khan. His daughter, Aliyah entered the USA with the suicide bomber, and now she's missing, potentially plotting another attack on American soil.
But then a woman called Carrie turns up at Sajid's door after travelling halfway across the world. She claims Aliyah is with her son and she has a clue to their whereabouts. Carrie knows something isn't adding up - and that she and Sajid are the only ones who can find their children and discover the truth.
On the run from the authorities, the two parents are thrown together in a race against time to stop their kids and prevent a catastrophe the likes of which the world has never seen.
512 pages, Paperback
First published May 7, 2024
890 people are currently reading
7880 people want to read
About the author
Abir Mukherjee
11 books1,319 followersAbir Mukherjee is the Times bestselling author of the Sam Wyndham series of crime novels set in Raj era India. His debut, A Rising Man, won the CWA Endeavour Dagger for best historical crime novel of 2017 and was shortlisted for the MWA Edgar for best novel. His second novel, A Necessary Evil, won the Wilbur Smith Award for Adventure Writing and was a Zoe Ball Book Club pick. His third novel, Smoke and Ashes, was chosen by the Sunday Times as one of the 100 Best Crime & Thriller Novels since 1945. Abir grew up in Scotland and now lives in London with his wife and two sons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 700 reviews
February 23, 2024
*4.5 stars*
I’ll let the synopsis speak (mainly) for itself, but if you choose to read ‘Hunted’ you’d best buckle up and hold on tight because you’re in for a real roller coaster ride.
We have British father Sajid Khan flying to the States in search of his daughter Aliyah - last seen on cctv with a known suicide bomber, who’s suspected of being in the process of carrying out another attack. American mother Carrie, joins forces with Sajid in order to find her son Greg, thought to be fleeing from the FBI with Aliyah, however when further information is revealed, US Special Agent Shreya Mistry begins to think that there’s much more to this case than meets the eye.
Two very ordinary parents, thrown together in a race against time - they need to find their kids asap before another catastrophic event is repeated - one which will derail the US for some years to come. The clock is ticking!
‘Hunted’ is a particularly well written storyline revolving around the US elections, terrorism, political dissatisfaction, radicalisation, racism, and the power of love between a parent and their child. Fast paced with lots of twists and turns, ‘Hunted’ comes highly recommended!
*Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK, Vintage for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
I’ll let the synopsis speak (mainly) for itself, but if you choose to read ‘Hunted’ you’d best buckle up and hold on tight because you’re in for a real roller coaster ride.
We have British father Sajid Khan flying to the States in search of his daughter Aliyah - last seen on cctv with a known suicide bomber, who’s suspected of being in the process of carrying out another attack. American mother Carrie, joins forces with Sajid in order to find her son Greg, thought to be fleeing from the FBI with Aliyah, however when further information is revealed, US Special Agent Shreya Mistry begins to think that there’s much more to this case than meets the eye.
Two very ordinary parents, thrown together in a race against time - they need to find their kids asap before another catastrophic event is repeated - one which will derail the US for some years to come. The clock is ticking!
‘Hunted’ is a particularly well written storyline revolving around the US elections, terrorism, political dissatisfaction, radicalisation, racism, and the power of love between a parent and their child. Fast paced with lots of twists and turns, ‘Hunted’ comes highly recommended!
*Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK, Vintage for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
February 14, 2024
4-5 stars
Yasmin Malik is in LA with Jack, but she’s full of doubts. Does he feel the same as her, are her actions the right thing to do? Whatever her thoughts a bomb goes off in a shopping mall and FBI agent Sheyra Mistry is part of the investigative team and she soon learns that British born Yasmin has been in the United States for nine weeks, so where is she been before her explosive actions? The timing too is crucial, as it’s eight days to a critical US election with two very diverse, if not divisive, candidates. Meanwhile, in the United Kingdom, Sajid Khan gets a shocking and brutal understanding that his daughter Aliyah is not in Japan as he thought, but is, in fact in the USA. A surprising visitor arrives on his doorstep, another desperate parent. Can they save their children? The law can’t help them, can they do it themselves?
I’ve not read an Abir Mukherjee novel before, but I’m impressed with this standalone, political thriller as he hooks me in right from the terrifying start. The well thought out plot feels current,topical and is downright scary, and although at times it has an action movie feel to it, it also feels credible. It’s frighteningly honest as it pulls no punches with regard to radicalisation, prejudice and racism which are utilised to great effect in the storytelling. It’s a chilling portrait of pawns who get a caught up in someone else’s plans and they’re not necessarily privy to the rules. it gets deeply strange and weird in a what on earth is going on kind of a way and you take deep gulps as your suspicions fly, hither and thither. It’s clear there are games within games, puzzles, enigmas, and then ultimately horrible realisations dawn. It’s very well paced, the changing perspectives keeps you on your toes and also maintains the plot momentum. The tension and suspense keeps ramping up as the story locations switch this way and that. It’s heartbreaking as parental desperation comes across loud and clear, it’s part high octane, breathtaking Mach One terrifying thriller. The plot navigates twist after twist, there’s one final, good one just before the ending, though my suspicions cast in that direction. The ending is definitely a wow one, though perhaps a tad rushed but it’s still a cracker though.
Overall, this is a well written thriller with a complicated rollercoaster, exciting storyline that flows. So, strap yourself in and enjoy the twisty ride.
With thanks to NetGalley, and especially to Random House UK, Vintage for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
Yasmin Malik is in LA with Jack, but she’s full of doubts. Does he feel the same as her, are her actions the right thing to do? Whatever her thoughts a bomb goes off in a shopping mall and FBI agent Sheyra Mistry is part of the investigative team and she soon learns that British born Yasmin has been in the United States for nine weeks, so where is she been before her explosive actions? The timing too is crucial, as it’s eight days to a critical US election with two very diverse, if not divisive, candidates. Meanwhile, in the United Kingdom, Sajid Khan gets a shocking and brutal understanding that his daughter Aliyah is not in Japan as he thought, but is, in fact in the USA. A surprising visitor arrives on his doorstep, another desperate parent. Can they save their children? The law can’t help them, can they do it themselves?
I’ve not read an Abir Mukherjee novel before, but I’m impressed with this standalone, political thriller as he hooks me in right from the terrifying start. The well thought out plot feels current,topical and is downright scary, and although at times it has an action movie feel to it, it also feels credible. It’s frighteningly honest as it pulls no punches with regard to radicalisation, prejudice and racism which are utilised to great effect in the storytelling. It’s a chilling portrait of pawns who get a caught up in someone else’s plans and they’re not necessarily privy to the rules. it gets deeply strange and weird in a what on earth is going on kind of a way and you take deep gulps as your suspicions fly, hither and thither. It’s clear there are games within games, puzzles, enigmas, and then ultimately horrible realisations dawn. It’s very well paced, the changing perspectives keeps you on your toes and also maintains the plot momentum. The tension and suspense keeps ramping up as the story locations switch this way and that. It’s heartbreaking as parental desperation comes across loud and clear, it’s part high octane, breathtaking Mach One terrifying thriller. The plot navigates twist after twist, there’s one final, good one just before the ending, though my suspicions cast in that direction. The ending is definitely a wow one, though perhaps a tad rushed but it’s still a cracker though.
Overall, this is a well written thriller with a complicated rollercoaster, exciting storyline that flows. So, strap yourself in and enjoy the twisty ride.
With thanks to NetGalley, and especially to Random House UK, Vintage for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
May 30, 2024
An intense action-packed political thriller. I was hooked from start to finish with a gasp out loud ending. I wanted more. Easy to read full of intrigue. Politics vs terrorism but all is not as it seems. Told from multiple viewpoints, 2 parents of potential terrorists doing anything to find their children, a rougue FBI agent that can't follow orders, and a potential terrorist and a twist I didn't see coming. It's brilliant and well executed. Set in political turmoil with an election race in the USA, but it is so much more. Radicalised, racism and parental love are key themes, so a fast-paced book which also makes you think. The only negative is how the parents manage to out fox the multiple agencies in the US bordering on the unbelievable. But that did not detract from the utter brilliance of this book. The first I've read by this author, it certainly encouraged me to read his other books. I heartedly recommend reading this book. Fantastic heart in mouth excellent read.
May 14, 2024
Had to force myself to get through this book was really disappointed as the first few chapters started off strong. I was expecting the suspense to carry on through but it didn’t. 500 pages for it all to be rushed and ended in the last ten pages with no actual answers at all. The whys and the who’s weren’t really fleshed out, there wasn’t a satisfying ending or explanation to anything or anyone’s story. It could have been half the length of pages for all it achieved.
April 26, 2024
I can certainly see Hunted on the big screen. An intense, action packed thriller that kept me guessing until the very end.
A story of parents trying to find their children who have been caught up with a terrorist group. Bombs are toting off across America, and these parents are scared for their children. All of this happening amidst a presidential campaign. Thee are plenty of unexpected twists in this story, and lots of characters that you will love and those you will loathe.and some you won’t know what to think about.
After a slow start, I really got invested in this story and flew through the second half.
Thanks so much to Random House UK and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. Publishes on May 9th.
A story of parents trying to find their children who have been caught up with a terrorist group. Bombs are toting off across America, and these parents are scared for their children. All of this happening amidst a presidential campaign. Thee are plenty of unexpected twists in this story, and lots of characters that you will love and those you will loathe.and some you won’t know what to think about.
After a slow start, I really got invested in this story and flew through the second half.
Thanks so much to Random House UK and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. Publishes on May 9th.
May 15, 2024
In my experience,when writers of excellent series (Mukherjee writes the superb Sam Wyndham series) try stand alones, it rarely turns out well,and this is a prime example.
Over the top, ridiculous,implausible, predictable,one of those books that make you groan with embarrassment for the author. Cardboard characters,stupid twists, superhuman FBI agents,stereotypes galore. It annoys me, because Mukherjee is capable of subtle, tight plots with finely drawn, nuanced characters,I don´t think even die hard cheap thriller fans would like this,it´s so absurd.
I hope Mukherjee goes back to Wyndham soon.
Over the top, ridiculous,implausible, predictable,one of those books that make you groan with embarrassment for the author. Cardboard characters,stupid twists, superhuman FBI agents,stereotypes galore. It annoys me, because Mukherjee is capable of subtle, tight plots with finely drawn, nuanced characters,I don´t think even die hard cheap thriller fans would like this,it´s so absurd.
I hope Mukherjee goes back to Wyndham soon.
April 14, 2024
This is a story about every day people who become radicalized and an FBI agent trying to stop terrorist attacks. There are a lot of POVs and I would find myself feeling like I was pulled in too many directions - I would've liked this better getting close to just 1 or 2 characters stories.
It was heavy action, blockbuster vibes. Not a ton of mystery/psychological suspense but you do get a twist reveal. Overall okay, just felt kinda like a crime show like NCIS and that's not my favorite vibe.
Thank you to the publisher for granting me access to an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
It was heavy action, blockbuster vibes. Not a ton of mystery/psychological suspense but you do get a twist reveal. Overall okay, just felt kinda like a crime show like NCIS and that's not my favorite vibe.
Thank you to the publisher for granting me access to an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 2, 2024
For me to give HUNTED a 5+ star rating, even though this sub-genre of thrillers is not my usual cup of tea, demonstrates just how well-written it is. It is one of the best books I’ve read this year.
Abir Mukherjee is the author of the Wyndham and Banerjee historical series set in India. Because I thoroughly enjoyed the one book I read from that series, I keep checking to see if my library has acquired the others. It hasn’t, but it recently got HUNTED, his latest novel, a fast-moving terrorism conspiracy thriller. I had read the Goodreads reviews, marked it as a “possibility” but wasn’t greatly enthusiastic; although I like thrillers, the terrorism conspiracy ones are a sub-genre that I generally avoid.
Brief Synopsis
From the beginning, the reader is aware that there is a terrorism group that includes Muslims—and possibly others—planting bombs in strategic places. For one conspirator, Yasmin, something goes wrong, although we’re not sure exactly what, except that she didn’t expect to die as a suicide bomber. After many people are killed in the shopping mall bombing, FBI agent Shreya Mistry takes over the investigation. It is one week before the U.S. presidential election.
We do get a brief look at the conspiracy group through the POV of Greg, who is a member of this group but having doubts about its intentions.
After following Shreya’s investigation for awhile, the action shifts to London, where Sajid Khan is arrested because the FBI investigation discovered that his daughter, Aliyah, accompanied the suicide bomber on a trip to the U.S. Sajid is distraught; he thought his daughter had gone to Japan. Then Sajid is confronted by an American woman, Carrie, who says that her son, Greg, is with Aliyah and others, and consequently in danger of being hunted down and killed by American authorities searching for the conspiracy group. Carrie wants Sajid to accompany her to the U.S. and find them before they are killed.
Complex? Indeed. This is just the start of a plot full of twists and turns as we follow the POV’s of Shreya, Sajid, and Greg.
Character Development
The plot is complex but the reason I couldn’t put the book down was the depth of character development taking place as the plot followed its whiplash pattern. My favourite was Shreya, an agent who has been shifted from one office to another because she doesn’t adhere to team player rules, and sometimes has difficulty explaining her inner thoughts, the reasoning behind her “outside the box” thinking.
She could and did follow orders, just not the dumb ones.
No, it was better to take the crap; to listen to the man in authority. That’s what a smart woman always did, wasn’t it? Defer to the man, even if he was just the right side of mediocre.
sometimes, in the heat of the moment, the words got tied up in Shreya’s mouth. The act of spelling out her thoughts to another person became a challenge in itself, like wading through quicksand or pushing water uphill.
Sajid, also, was a very sympathetic character, caught up in situation where he wanted, above all, to protect his family. Even Greg, the conspirator, elicited sympathy as his story unfolded.
As well, minor characters are well described, not the stereotypical cliches often found in fast-moving action thrillers.
Writing Style
As my friends on Goodreads know, one thing that can turn me off fast is a poor writing style. Mukherjee is a superb writer, as he already has demonstrated in the Wyndham/Bannerjee series. In HUNTED I was immediately struck by how well he used the “show don’t tell” technique. Here is just one example:
Sweat glistened on Sajid Khan’s forehead. He wiped at it with the fingers of one hand.
Political Controversy
As mentioned above, the timeline is set one week before the U.S. Presidential election, and this is constantly a background issue. Are the conspirators trying to influence the outcome?
The two candidates have fictional names but are remarkably similar to the real candidates in the current election (albeit with some definite differences in addition to the fictional names). Given the time period when the book was written, the characteristics of one potential candidate were predictable, but the other was less likely, so either the author has incredible prognostication ability or it was just a lucky coincidence.
I think the subtle political views underlying the plot structure are going to turn off some American readers. Mukherjee conveys a criticism of both sides of the contemporary division in today’s society, and particularly, of the U.S. system structure.
But for the discerning reader, this is a must-read. Highly recommended! A+
Thanks to the Greater Victoria Public Library for providing the ebook that I read.
Abir Mukherjee is the author of the Wyndham and Banerjee historical series set in India. Because I thoroughly enjoyed the one book I read from that series, I keep checking to see if my library has acquired the others. It hasn’t, but it recently got HUNTED, his latest novel, a fast-moving terrorism conspiracy thriller. I had read the Goodreads reviews, marked it as a “possibility” but wasn’t greatly enthusiastic; although I like thrillers, the terrorism conspiracy ones are a sub-genre that I generally avoid.
Brief Synopsis
From the beginning, the reader is aware that there is a terrorism group that includes Muslims—and possibly others—planting bombs in strategic places. For one conspirator, Yasmin, something goes wrong, although we’re not sure exactly what, except that she didn’t expect to die as a suicide bomber. After many people are killed in the shopping mall bombing, FBI agent Shreya Mistry takes over the investigation. It is one week before the U.S. presidential election.
We do get a brief look at the conspiracy group through the POV of Greg, who is a member of this group but having doubts about its intentions.
After following Shreya’s investigation for awhile, the action shifts to London, where Sajid Khan is arrested because the FBI investigation discovered that his daughter, Aliyah, accompanied the suicide bomber on a trip to the U.S. Sajid is distraught; he thought his daughter had gone to Japan. Then Sajid is confronted by an American woman, Carrie, who says that her son, Greg, is with Aliyah and others, and consequently in danger of being hunted down and killed by American authorities searching for the conspiracy group. Carrie wants Sajid to accompany her to the U.S. and find them before they are killed.
Complex? Indeed. This is just the start of a plot full of twists and turns as we follow the POV’s of Shreya, Sajid, and Greg.
Character Development
The plot is complex but the reason I couldn’t put the book down was the depth of character development taking place as the plot followed its whiplash pattern. My favourite was Shreya, an agent who has been shifted from one office to another because she doesn’t adhere to team player rules, and sometimes has difficulty explaining her inner thoughts, the reasoning behind her “outside the box” thinking.
She could and did follow orders, just not the dumb ones.
No, it was better to take the crap; to listen to the man in authority. That’s what a smart woman always did, wasn’t it? Defer to the man, even if he was just the right side of mediocre.
sometimes, in the heat of the moment, the words got tied up in Shreya’s mouth. The act of spelling out her thoughts to another person became a challenge in itself, like wading through quicksand or pushing water uphill.
Sajid, also, was a very sympathetic character, caught up in situation where he wanted, above all, to protect his family. Even Greg, the conspirator, elicited sympathy as his story unfolded.
As well, minor characters are well described, not the stereotypical cliches often found in fast-moving action thrillers.
Writing Style
As my friends on Goodreads know, one thing that can turn me off fast is a poor writing style. Mukherjee is a superb writer, as he already has demonstrated in the Wyndham/Bannerjee series. In HUNTED I was immediately struck by how well he used the “show don’t tell” technique. Here is just one example:
Sweat glistened on Sajid Khan’s forehead. He wiped at it with the fingers of one hand.
Political Controversy
As mentioned above, the timeline is set one week before the U.S. Presidential election, and this is constantly a background issue. Are the conspirators trying to influence the outcome?
The two candidates have fictional names but are remarkably similar to the real candidates in the current election (albeit with some definite differences in addition to the fictional names). Given the time period when the book was written, the characteristics of one potential candidate were predictable, but the other was less likely, so either the author has incredible prognostication ability or it was just a lucky coincidence.
I think the subtle political views underlying the plot structure are going to turn off some American readers. Mukherjee conveys a criticism of both sides of the contemporary division in today’s society, and particularly, of the U.S. system structure.
But for the discerning reader, this is a must-read. Highly recommended! A+
Thanks to the Greater Victoria Public Library for providing the ebook that I read.
March 29, 2024
Abir Mukherjee changes direction... And it's an absolute banger.
Following three characters in the aftermath of a bombing at an LA shopping mall, this brilliant conspiracy/political thriller is packed full of action and quality characters. It also has a deeply messy moral centre that I really loved - the bad guys aren't always easy to spot in Hunted.
A great read for fans of Lee Child, David Baldacci and I Am Pilgrim.
Following three characters in the aftermath of a bombing at an LA shopping mall, this brilliant conspiracy/political thriller is packed full of action and quality characters. It also has a deeply messy moral centre that I really loved - the bad guys aren't always easy to spot in Hunted.
A great read for fans of Lee Child, David Baldacci and I Am Pilgrim.
August 5, 2024
Nonstop thrills and chills readymade for the small or large screen, a few mostly predictable twists, and plot points ripped from recent history headlines—yup, all here. But the story is way too over the top for me, and the characters are all (with one or two exceptions) as one-dimensional as cardboard cutouts. For the genre, it’s not bad…just don’t think too hard about all the improbabilities along the way.
July 31, 2024
What would you do if your child was a terrorist? Abir Mukherjee sets up this scenario in this novel by the previously mystery exclusive author. This thriller has an intriguing premise that led me to pick it up, especially on the back of enjoying Mukherjee's previous mystery titles. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy this novel as much as I would have liked. I think the novel's plot, while it could have been intriguing, was not engaging. I would find myself closing the book almost every chapter to see how much more I had to go. The action and intrigue is over the top to the point that it doesn't seem remotely realistic. While I have thoroughly enjoyed Mukherjee's other books, this one felt like a miss for me. It's short and staccato chapters was jarring and multiple times going between characters for a few pages at a time made me feel disconnected from what was going on. Overall I think the book had potential to be engaging with the plot direction but due to a lack of continuity with short and too fast paced chapters and over the top unrealism, I would have to say this one is a no go for me. 1.5 stars
August 6, 2024
Very disappointed in this book A political thriller only not very political and not at all thrilling. I found it quite boring and struggled to finish.
I didn’t care about any of the characters and found the plot absurd.
You can tell it was written by someone who does not live in N. America. Some of the dialogue was not quite right.
A few glaring errors, one on the arrival in the Vancouver airport made me laugh out loud. A Canada Border Service Agent lounging against the wall with a machine gun. Yeah no. As in never in any airport in Canada.
The sleepy town of Abbotsford, which happens to be a city of almost 200,000.
If you are going to add extraneous and unnecessary detail at least make it accurate.
Some scenes in the U.S caused eye rolling as well.
This author wrote a great series and should stick to what he knows and is good at. This is not it.
Can’t be a coincidence this was released in a U.S election year.
I didn’t care about any of the characters and found the plot absurd.
You can tell it was written by someone who does not live in N. America. Some of the dialogue was not quite right.
A few glaring errors, one on the arrival in the Vancouver airport made me laugh out loud. A Canada Border Service Agent lounging against the wall with a machine gun. Yeah no. As in never in any airport in Canada.
The sleepy town of Abbotsford, which happens to be a city of almost 200,000.
If you are going to add extraneous and unnecessary detail at least make it accurate.
Some scenes in the U.S caused eye rolling as well.
This author wrote a great series and should stick to what he knows and is good at. This is not it.
Can’t be a coincidence this was released in a U.S election year.
July 2, 2024
Fast paced thriller doesn't disappoint and keeps you entrilled until the end
March 26, 2024
One of my top reads of 2024!
This book has an incredible plot and the characters are fantastic. The journeys they all go on are so well thought out and interwoven, it all just felt so real.
This book has brilliant plot twists and you will be kept guessing until the very end!
This book has an incredible plot and the characters are fantastic. The journeys they all go on are so well thought out and interwoven, it all just felt so real.
This book has brilliant plot twists and you will be kept guessing until the very end!
April 4, 2024
Abir Mukherjee is best known for his historical mysteries, featuring Wyndham and Banerjee, and set in India during the time of the Raj. However, with this book he has moved to a contemporary thriller and has done so effortlessly.
The novel opens with a shocking explosion in a shopping mall, but it is obvious to the reader that things are not clear cut. The young girl pulling a bomb in a case in an American shopping centre is a British Muslim and it soon appears the bombing did not go as planned. One of the first on the scene is rogue FBI agent Shreya Mistry, tenacious and obsessive, who enters the damaged mall against advice on her hunt for answers. America, meanwhile, is eight days before an election which, well, we all know what is happening in the US, so you get the picture. The candidates are lightly camouflaged but the out-of-control language and the damaging fissures in society are obvious and so this is an event which can easily become toxic very quickly.
Meanwhile, in London, Sajid Khan is a man quietly going to work at Heathrow Airport. He believes his youngest daughter, Aliyah, is in Japan but when the police arrive, he discovers she is believed to be in America, having travelled there with the girl from the shopping mall. Shocked and horrified, he is then visited by Carrie, an American woman who believes that Aliyah and her son, Greg are together. Together, the two try to find their children and uncover what is going on. Mistry is also desperate to uncover answers before she is pulled completely from the case.
Mukherjee has lots to say about the state of our world, the assumptions we make and has enough twists and turns to make this an exciting and intelligent read. Shreya is an excellent character but the one most readers will be rooting for is Sajid, who is determined to discover the whereabouts of his daughter and save her. I thought this a very interesting read and it would also be excellent for a book club as there is much to discuss.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
The novel opens with a shocking explosion in a shopping mall, but it is obvious to the reader that things are not clear cut. The young girl pulling a bomb in a case in an American shopping centre is a British Muslim and it soon appears the bombing did not go as planned. One of the first on the scene is rogue FBI agent Shreya Mistry, tenacious and obsessive, who enters the damaged mall against advice on her hunt for answers. America, meanwhile, is eight days before an election which, well, we all know what is happening in the US, so you get the picture. The candidates are lightly camouflaged but the out-of-control language and the damaging fissures in society are obvious and so this is an event which can easily become toxic very quickly.
Meanwhile, in London, Sajid Khan is a man quietly going to work at Heathrow Airport. He believes his youngest daughter, Aliyah, is in Japan but when the police arrive, he discovers she is believed to be in America, having travelled there with the girl from the shopping mall. Shocked and horrified, he is then visited by Carrie, an American woman who believes that Aliyah and her son, Greg are together. Together, the two try to find their children and uncover what is going on. Mistry is also desperate to uncover answers before she is pulled completely from the case.
Mukherjee has lots to say about the state of our world, the assumptions we make and has enough twists and turns to make this an exciting and intelligent read. Shreya is an excellent character but the one most readers will be rooting for is Sajid, who is determined to discover the whereabouts of his daughter and save her. I thought this a very interesting read and it would also be excellent for a book club as there is much to discuss.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
May 10, 2024
"You know we have to. It's the right thing to do. And when it's done, we'll be together."
At a shopping mall in the U.S., a young woman carries out a suicide attack, killing dozens right in the middle of a presidential campaign. She's part of a group that plans to change the face of America, and this attack is only the beginning.
FBI agent Shreya Mistry is on the case. But not for long. Her unorthodox methods mean she's being transferred. However, she believes her suspicions about the case are worth following up on, and she goes rogue, trying to find out who is behind the attack and what their mission is.
Sajid Khan is detained by UK police after his daughter is identified as belonging to the terror group. He thought she was teaching English in Japan. When the mother of another group member arrives in London, the two decide to flee to the U.S. to find their wayward children and stop them from doing something they cannot return from.
The pace of the book is frenetic and I enjoyed the twists. The thing is, I struggled to identify with the characters. I didn't for one moment feel sorry for the 'brainwashed' members of what I thought was a kind of cult. I did have some sympathy for the parents who want to help their children but they just do so many silly things in their quest.
Shreya is an engaging character though her troubled, flawed anti-hero personality is too much of a classic detective cliche to be really interesting.
This was my second action thriller in as many days and maybe it's just not the sub-genre for me. I think I should stick to psychological thrillers, crime and mysteries.
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May 18, 2024I don't read a lot of political thrillers but I enjoyed this one. It had a "ripped from the headlines" quality. The story is told by the POV of two parents who are frantically trying to get to their adult children, whom they believe have been brainwashed and radicalized by a dangerous group of terrorists, plus a US Special Agent.
Sajid Khan is a dad from the UK frantically searching of his daughter Aliyah. She told him she was teaching English in Japan, but she was seen on CCTV footage with a member of a group who just perpetuated a terrifying and deadly suicide bomb attack in a Los Angeles shopping mall.
Sajid is then contacted by Carrie, an American mother trying to find her military veteran son Greg, who she thinks is on the run from the authorities with Aliyah.
US Special Agent Shreya Mistryis is trying to stop the terrorists' next move. Brilliant and willing to break rules, can she stop this
To me, a good political thriller has a fast pace and very high geopolitical stakes along with characters who also have personal stakes in what is happening. Hunted carries this out well, balancing the multiple POVs and keeping the pace fast and the tension high.
Subscribe to my amazing newsletter HERE at JenRyland.com Let's be friends on Bookstagram!
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
Sajid Khan is a dad from the UK frantically searching of his daughter Aliyah. She told him she was teaching English in Japan, but she was seen on CCTV footage with a member of a group who just perpetuated a terrifying and deadly suicide bomb attack in a Los Angeles shopping mall.
Sajid is then contacted by Carrie, an American mother trying to find her military veteran son Greg, who she thinks is on the run from the authorities with Aliyah.
US Special Agent Shreya Mistryis is trying to stop the terrorists' next move. Brilliant and willing to break rules, can she stop this
To me, a good political thriller has a fast pace and very high geopolitical stakes along with characters who also have personal stakes in what is happening. Hunted carries this out well, balancing the multiple POVs and keeping the pace fast and the tension high.
Subscribe to my amazing newsletter HERE at JenRyland.com Let's be friends on Bookstagram!
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
May 5, 2024
Powerful thriller!
Abir Mukherjee has served up a fast paced thriller exploring many of the challenges of our society today. Racism, religious tensions, the everyday working class feeling disenfranchised, refugees in despair, ideological conservatism on the rise, Government organizations gone rogue. Citizens feeling their dreams and hope lost, the rise of populist demigods “peddling simple answers to complex situations.”
It takes talent to roll all those factors into your storytelling. Mukherjee does it with ease.
I was disturbed and yet enthralled by the determination of FBI agent Sheyra Mistry as she defied bosses and protocols in her hunt for terrorists who were multi racial, multi religious, and angry. Their actions are being steered by an unknown enemy with contacts at the highest levels.
What follows is a complex, gut wrenching chase that serendipitously is helped by the stubbornness and brilliance of Agent Mistry.
I found the author’s notes extremely enlightening.
Brilliant and heart stopping. I couldn’t put it down. I was enthralled and read into the wee small hours!
A Mullholland ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change
Abir Mukherjee has served up a fast paced thriller exploring many of the challenges of our society today. Racism, religious tensions, the everyday working class feeling disenfranchised, refugees in despair, ideological conservatism on the rise, Government organizations gone rogue. Citizens feeling their dreams and hope lost, the rise of populist demigods “peddling simple answers to complex situations.”
It takes talent to roll all those factors into your storytelling. Mukherjee does it with ease.
I was disturbed and yet enthralled by the determination of FBI agent Sheyra Mistry as she defied bosses and protocols in her hunt for terrorists who were multi racial, multi religious, and angry. Their actions are being steered by an unknown enemy with contacts at the highest levels.
What follows is a complex, gut wrenching chase that serendipitously is helped by the stubbornness and brilliance of Agent Mistry.
I found the author’s notes extremely enlightening.
Brilliant and heart stopping. I couldn’t put it down. I was enthralled and read into the wee small hours!
A Mullholland ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change
April 14, 2025
I really wanted to like this book, but it all just felt too implausible and laboured. The characters felt under-developed and I found it difficult to root for them. The pace was slow up until the last 100 pages, but the ending felt abrupt and unsatisfying. After all that, to end so suddenly, I felt a bit cheated and annoyed that I’d invested my time in this book.
September 18, 2025
Iki rinkimų JAV liko vos savaitė. Los Andželo prekybos centre susisprogdina teroristė, sykiu su savimi nusinešdama daugybę nekaltų žmonių. Tas sprogimas apverčia Londone gyvenančio Sajido Khano gyvenimą. FBI išsiaiškina, kad jo duktė, Aliyah (kuri, kaip jis buvo įsitikinęs, yra Japonijoje), į JAV atliko kartu su sprogdintoja. Dabar Sajidas – medžiojamos teroristės tėvas. Ir tuomet į Sajido duris pasibeldžia nepažįstama moteris, prisistačiusi kaip Carrie ir tvirtinanti, kad jos sūnus yra kartu su Aliyah. Sahidas ir Carrie pasileidžia į lenktynes su laiku – jiedu tikisi surasti savo vaikus anksčiau, nei specialiosios tarnybos.
FBI dabar medžioja ne tik Aliyah, bijodami, kad planuojama daugiau išpuolių, bet ir nelegaliai į šalį patekusį Sajidą bei Carrie. Bet agentei Shreya vis labiau stiprėja įtarimas, kad išpuolį prekybos centre suorganizavo anaiptol ne musulmonų teroristai. Galbūt, priešo reikia ieškoti tarp savų?
Abir Mukherjee atidėjo į šalį savo istorinių detektyvų apie Wyndhamą ir Banerjee seriją į šalį ir parašė kuo tikriausią trilerį. Kupiną veiksmo, „čia tai bent“ siužeto posūkių (ok, kai kuriuos galima buvo nuspėti, nemeluosiu) bei nūdienos aktualijų. Neatpažinti (kad ir už kadro besimaskatuojančiame) viename iš kandidatų į JAV prezidentus tipiško Trumpo – neįmanoma.
Gerai suregztas, dinamiškas, įtraukiantis trileris. Nepaliekantis nuošaly taip Mukherjee rūpimų dviejų kultūrų sąveikos klausimų.
FBI dabar medžioja ne tik Aliyah, bijodami, kad planuojama daugiau išpuolių, bet ir nelegaliai į šalį patekusį Sajidą bei Carrie. Bet agentei Shreya vis labiau stiprėja įtarimas, kad išpuolį prekybos centre suorganizavo anaiptol ne musulmonų teroristai. Galbūt, priešo reikia ieškoti tarp savų?
Abir Mukherjee atidėjo į šalį savo istorinių detektyvų apie Wyndhamą ir Banerjee seriją į šalį ir parašė kuo tikriausią trilerį. Kupiną veiksmo, „čia tai bent“ siužeto posūkių (ok, kai kuriuos galima buvo nuspėti, nemeluosiu) bei nūdienos aktualijų. Neatpažinti (kad ir už kadro besimaskatuojančiame) viename iš kandidatų į JAV prezidentus tipiško Trumpo – neįmanoma.
Gerai suregztas, dinamiškas, įtraukiantis trileris. Nepaliekantis nuošaly taip Mukherjee rūpimų dviejų kultūrų sąveikos klausimų.
April 19, 2024
"Your enemy doesn't travel by dinghy. He travels by jet."
Thank you to Novel Suspects, Mulholland Books, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was really drawn to the synopsis of this book, and it sounds like it would be incredibly compelling and thought-provoking, but for me it never quite got there.
I struggled with the different perspectives, as it didn't feel like they were fully-fleshed out characters. It doesn't feel like they get to have complete arcs and it also feels like the book is trying to do too much, I think it would have benefitted from a tighter focus. I didn't have the anxious feeling that I look for when reading a thriller. I can see what this book was trying to do, but it felt a bit chaotic and choppy.
With Shreya, we get a bit of her backstory and it helps to sympathize with her. She feels like the most fleshed out character in the book. She has this history with her ex-husband and daughter that has been broken by her commitment to her job. She's trying to find that balance, but gets completely sucked into this case. I honestly think that I would have enjoyed this book more if it focused on Shreya.
Miriam's group was a bit frustrating as it felt like their actual motives were never clear, even though you can infer it from the text. The parts with Sajid felt tedious and almost a bit unrealistic as he leaves behind his wife and other child to go off searching for Aliyah. The process isn't compelling, and I really struggled with his chapters. I realize a parent will do whatever they can to help their child, but it's implied that she's now part of a cult and that requires delicate actions and deprogramming,
Ultimately, this is not the best thriller I've read this year. I think it just feels incomplete.
Thank you to Novel Suspects, Mulholland Books, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was really drawn to the synopsis of this book, and it sounds like it would be incredibly compelling and thought-provoking, but for me it never quite got there.
I struggled with the different perspectives, as it didn't feel like they were fully-fleshed out characters. It doesn't feel like they get to have complete arcs and it also feels like the book is trying to do too much, I think it would have benefitted from a tighter focus. I didn't have the anxious feeling that I look for when reading a thriller. I can see what this book was trying to do, but it felt a bit chaotic and choppy.
With Shreya, we get a bit of her backstory and it helps to sympathize with her. She feels like the most fleshed out character in the book. She has this history with her ex-husband and daughter that has been broken by her commitment to her job. She's trying to find that balance, but gets completely sucked into this case. I honestly think that I would have enjoyed this book more if it focused on Shreya.
Miriam's group was a bit frustrating as it felt like their actual motives were never clear, even though you can infer it from the text. The parts with Sajid felt tedious and almost a bit unrealistic as he leaves behind his wife and other child to go off searching for Aliyah. The process isn't compelling, and I really struggled with his chapters. I realize a parent will do whatever they can to help their child, but it's implied that she's now part of a cult and that requires delicate actions and deprogramming,
Ultimately, this is not the best thriller I've read this year. I think it just feels incomplete.
January 31, 2024
This book concerns terrorism and radicalisation of young people. Greg and Aliyah have been drawn into a world of suicide bombers, except Greg didn't really think his bombs would be used to kill people or his friends. Their parents Carrie and Sajid travel to the States to find them - but Sajid has a price on his head as a suspected terrorist himself, by association with his wilful daughter. Shreya is the FBI agent determined to stop any more bombings.
Sadly I found it impossible to identify or sympathise with any of the characters. Shreya is just ineffective, inarticulate and frustratingly dense and Aliyah is self-willed, deluded and lacking any moral compass. None of them became three dimensional for me. The only one I really had sympathy with was Sajid - his family ripped apart as he tried to do the right thing.
I didn't particularly enjoy the read, the subject matter or the fact I felt I was standing outside the action - the characters did not come alive on the pages or allow me to understand them. Even the sections that should have been exciting, like evading the police, just felt lacklustre.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Sadly I found it impossible to identify or sympathise with any of the characters. Shreya is just ineffective, inarticulate and frustratingly dense and Aliyah is self-willed, deluded and lacking any moral compass. None of them became three dimensional for me. The only one I really had sympathy with was Sajid - his family ripped apart as he tried to do the right thing.
I didn't particularly enjoy the read, the subject matter or the fact I felt I was standing outside the action - the characters did not come alive on the pages or allow me to understand them. Even the sections that should have been exciting, like evading the police, just felt lacklustre.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 16, 2024
The story begins with Yasmin who has doubts about the mission is about to carry out. She has a bomb but has been told that no-one is going to get hurt. Too late, she realises she has been lied to. Shreya is an FBI agent who is determined to dig deeper. Also involved are too other members of this terrorist group and their parents. It’s a thriller that I can imagine would make a good film because there is plenty of action and pace and characters you sympathise with (and those you don’t). I didn’t quite feel that the cause they were fighting for was portrayed strongly enough to feel people could justify these actions. 3.5 stars rounded down because I just didn’t really become emotionally involved, perhaps because I didn’t really like the FBI characters. Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC.
July 30, 2024
Semi predictable, characters are decent. Story did not grip or grab or make it so one would really want to see what's next. Somewhat drags. If there was a part two I wouldn't listen...or read if you're into that stuff.
August 7, 2024
Having absolutely loved the uniqueness and characters within the Wyndham & Banerjee books, this felt formulaic and predictable. So a good holiday read but nothing special.
December 8, 2024
Please go back to writing historic fiction Mr Mukherjee..
May 27, 2024
This read like a poor movie script with an unbelievable plot and unlikeable, clichéd characters. All the things I loved about the author's previous work are missing here. I spent most of the time yelling in annoyance as characters made one stupid decision after another.
The FBI agent Shreya Mistry runs number combinations in her head to keep calm, neglects her family for her work, disobeys all of her bosses because she knows best, and makes one poor decision after another. Homeland's Carrie should sue!
The romance between the young couple at the centre of the story was hard to empathise with when they were involved in mass bombings. In fact, apart from the father, the characters were so unlikeable that I didn't care what happened to them, undermining the tension as the plot reached its climax. And the ending was awful.
Compare this to Kamila Shamsie's unforgettable Home Fire with its stark portrayal of the way a family was torn apart by the actions of their loved ones. That book was so thought-provoking and made me look at things in a different way. This, in stark contrast, left me unmoved and really hoping it isn't made into a movie.
The FBI agent Shreya Mistry runs number combinations in her head to keep calm, neglects her family for her work, disobeys all of her bosses because she knows best, and makes one poor decision after another. Homeland's Carrie should sue!
The romance between the young couple at the centre of the story was hard to empathise with when they were involved in mass bombings. In fact, apart from the father, the characters were so unlikeable that I didn't care what happened to them, undermining the tension as the plot reached its climax. And the ending was awful.
Compare this to Kamila Shamsie's unforgettable Home Fire with its stark portrayal of the way a family was torn apart by the actions of their loved ones. That book was so thought-provoking and made me look at things in a different way. This, in stark contrast, left me unmoved and really hoping it isn't made into a movie.
March 8, 2025
i don't read a lot of thrillers, particularly not ones involving politics or fbi stuff, so it's nice to read one that shoehorns every single trope possible into the narrative.
i was enjoying this one until i got about 2/3 in, when it suddenly took a turn into action movie territory. the story got far too far-fetched and the writing became noticeably lazier. at that point i was close to giving up, but i carried on because i hate to dnf anything. by the time i'd started the cheesy and cinematic (derogatory) final chapter i'd wished i had just given up.
one of the only positives i really have for it is, partly due to it not being very well-written from a technical perspective, it does read very quickly.
i was enjoying this one until i got about 2/3 in, when it suddenly took a turn into action movie territory. the story got far too far-fetched and the writing became noticeably lazier. at that point i was close to giving up, but i carried on because i hate to dnf anything. by the time i'd started the cheesy and cinematic (derogatory) final chapter i'd wished i had just given up.
one of the only positives i really have for it is, partly due to it not being very well-written from a technical perspective, it does read very quickly.
May 19, 2024
I understand why British authors try to break into the US market but this is a formulaic mess and nowhere near the standard of the Captain Wyndham series.
There’s the kernel of a great idea in there but the execution is poor, full of fanciful and ridiculous events. And a cop out ending to boot.
Extremely disappointing from one of my favourite authors.
There’s the kernel of a great idea in there but the execution is poor, full of fanciful and ridiculous events. And a cop out ending to boot.
Extremely disappointing from one of my favourite authors.
May 7, 2024
DNF at page 98, plot is very heavy for someone that lived through 9/11 as a child. The writing also lacks research and many “American” notes are very clearly not written in the correct American descriptors. Plot is a struggle to follow due to short chapters and many pov .
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