What do you think?
Rate this book
Hunter's Moon
A body in the sea turtle tank.
A river poisoned by greed.
Two detectives who will risk everything to uncover the truth.
The Hunter’s Moon glows over the Tennessee River . . . casting long shadows on secrets meant to stay hidden.
When tragedy strikes inside the Tennessee Aquarium, Captain Kate Gazzara calls on private investigator Harry Starke. The victim was more than a scientist . . . she was a voice for the river, fighting to expose the damage being done to its waters.
What begins with a body in a sea turtle tank soon drifts into darker waters. Powerful interests close ranks, political pressure mounts, and whispers of environmental crimes swirl just out of reach.
In a city where the river runs deep with both beauty and danger, Harry and Kate must navigate a tide of lies, greed, and betrayal . . . knowing one wrong step could pull them under for good.
Perfect for fans of police procedurals, private-eye thrillers, and fast-paced crime fiction, Hunter’s Moon delivers sharp dialogue, relentless twists, and two of the South’s most compelling detectives in their most dangerous case yet.
A river poisoned by greed.
Two detectives who will risk everything to uncover the truth.
The Hunter’s Moon glows over the Tennessee River . . . casting long shadows on secrets meant to stay hidden.
When tragedy strikes inside the Tennessee Aquarium, Captain Kate Gazzara calls on private investigator Harry Starke. The victim was more than a scientist . . . she was a voice for the river, fighting to expose the damage being done to its waters.
What begins with a body in a sea turtle tank soon drifts into darker waters. Powerful interests close ranks, political pressure mounts, and whispers of environmental crimes swirl just out of reach.
In a city where the river runs deep with both beauty and danger, Harry and Kate must navigate a tide of lies, greed, and betrayal . . . knowing one wrong step could pull them under for good.
Perfect for fans of police procedurals, private-eye thrillers, and fast-paced crime fiction, Hunter’s Moon delivers sharp dialogue, relentless twists, and two of the South’s most compelling detectives in their most dangerous case yet.
234 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 28, 2025
About the author
Blair Howard
670 books348 followersBlair C. Howard is a Royal Air Force veteran, a retired journalist, and the best-selling author of more than 50 novels, including the international best-selling Harry Starke series, and 23 travel books. In 2021, having been fascinated by the heavens almost from childhood, and a SciFi fan for almost as long, he decided to try his hand at writing a military space opera. His first journey into this genre resulted in the Sovereign Stars series. Book 1 in the series, Avenger was quickly followed by Gods of War and Armored Fleet.
Blair lives in East Tennessee with his wife Jo, and Jack Russell Terrier, Sally.
Blair lives in East Tennessee with his wife Jo, and Jack Russell Terrier, Sally.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
November 2, 2025
One of my favorite books this year - grab it now!
This is a fantastic book! It checks all of my boxes for what defines exemplary writing and I couldn’t put it down.
The focal characters in this story are Private Investigator Harry Starke and police Captain Kate Gazzara and her K-9 partner Samson. The tale is set in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
The story begins when P.I. Starke notices a major police presence at the venerated Tennessee Aquarium and calls in Captain Gazzara and Samson to investigate the situation. They find the body of Dr. Jennifer Parker floating in the habitat of Neptune, the Aquarium’s much loved green sea turtle. Dr. Parker, an environmental toxicologist at a local university, was involved in research with Aquarium biologists. Was her death an unfortunate accident or did something more sinister occur?
P.I. Starke’s and Captain Gazzara’s (and Samson’s) investigation involves them in the arenas of serious pollution of the Tennessee River, the interaction between large corporations and powerful political actors in very dubious activities, and the intrusion of Federal agencies into the case. The story includes many unexpected twists and turns and there are surprising revelations, all of which kept me avidly reading and trying to guess what would happen next.
The characters in this novel, including Starke, Gazzara, Samson, and numerous others who play important roles, are beautifully drawn and developed and they are relatable and engaging. The characters were so well written that I actually felt that I might encounter them if I were to visit Chattanooga, Tennessee! The dialogue, narrative, and overall storytelling are masterfully crafted by Mr. Howard, yielding an immersive and lushly textured novel. Also, the rich and detailed descriptions of the book’s world, characters, and events result in what feels like a rich sensory experience!
Mr. Howard displays in-depth knowledge of the complex issues in the story, such as environmental pollution and toxicology, that reflect a commitment to accuracy and realistic details that further engage the reader’s attention and curiosity. This kind of attention to accurate details is another mark of an extremely skilled writer!
Having read this book, I will definitely be engaging with other books by Mr. Howard. Fortunately for me and other aficionados of mystery and PI and police procedural works, Mr. Howard has a deep catalog. He has several major mystery series: The Harry Starke Genesis series (nine books so far), The Harry Starke series (26 books), The Lt. Kate Gazzara Murder Files (22 books), and three other mystery series, as well as some short stories and novellas. Hunter’s Moon is considered a standalone novel. For folks who also enjoy audio, quite a few of Mr. Blair’s titles are available as audiobooks as well. Mr. Howard (writing as Blair C. Howard) also has two science fiction series that I recommend.
If you love mystery fiction or simply enjoy great writing and storytelling, I highly recommend this book and anything else by Mr. Howard!
I received no compensation for writing this review.
Review by Sue Ratner
This is a fantastic book! It checks all of my boxes for what defines exemplary writing and I couldn’t put it down.
The focal characters in this story are Private Investigator Harry Starke and police Captain Kate Gazzara and her K-9 partner Samson. The tale is set in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
The story begins when P.I. Starke notices a major police presence at the venerated Tennessee Aquarium and calls in Captain Gazzara and Samson to investigate the situation. They find the body of Dr. Jennifer Parker floating in the habitat of Neptune, the Aquarium’s much loved green sea turtle. Dr. Parker, an environmental toxicologist at a local university, was involved in research with Aquarium biologists. Was her death an unfortunate accident or did something more sinister occur?
P.I. Starke’s and Captain Gazzara’s (and Samson’s) investigation involves them in the arenas of serious pollution of the Tennessee River, the interaction between large corporations and powerful political actors in very dubious activities, and the intrusion of Federal agencies into the case. The story includes many unexpected twists and turns and there are surprising revelations, all of which kept me avidly reading and trying to guess what would happen next.
The characters in this novel, including Starke, Gazzara, Samson, and numerous others who play important roles, are beautifully drawn and developed and they are relatable and engaging. The characters were so well written that I actually felt that I might encounter them if I were to visit Chattanooga, Tennessee! The dialogue, narrative, and overall storytelling are masterfully crafted by Mr. Howard, yielding an immersive and lushly textured novel. Also, the rich and detailed descriptions of the book’s world, characters, and events result in what feels like a rich sensory experience!
Mr. Howard displays in-depth knowledge of the complex issues in the story, such as environmental pollution and toxicology, that reflect a commitment to accuracy and realistic details that further engage the reader’s attention and curiosity. This kind of attention to accurate details is another mark of an extremely skilled writer!
Having read this book, I will definitely be engaging with other books by Mr. Howard. Fortunately for me and other aficionados of mystery and PI and police procedural works, Mr. Howard has a deep catalog. He has several major mystery series: The Harry Starke Genesis series (nine books so far), The Harry Starke series (26 books), The Lt. Kate Gazzara Murder Files (22 books), and three other mystery series, as well as some short stories and novellas. Hunter’s Moon is considered a standalone novel. For folks who also enjoy audio, quite a few of Mr. Blair’s titles are available as audiobooks as well. Mr. Howard (writing as Blair C. Howard) also has two science fiction series that I recommend.
If you love mystery fiction or simply enjoy great writing and storytelling, I highly recommend this book and anything else by Mr. Howard!
I received no compensation for writing this review.
Review by Sue Ratner
October 17, 2025
Just WOW. I feel as though I have just dismounted a roller coaster with no breaks, Blair Howard has addressed a huge environmental assault that could have had catastrophic consequences.
Chief Johnson sat at his desk, he was used to pressure from above, but never on this scale, this was beyond big, he had the FBI, the EFA, PI Harry Starke as well as Captain Kate Gazarra, head of homicide at the Chattanooga PD in his office, someone with money, someone with power, someone with influence at the highest level wanted this case closing but who ? and why ?
When the body of Dr. Jennifer Parker, professor of environmental taxology at UTC, was found floating in the Ocean Journey Exhibition at the Chattanooga aquarium, with Neptune, a giant green sea turtle, swimming in circles around the face down body, Kate knew that she needed help, help that only her ex partner, PI Harry Starke, could give.
Harry, Kate and Kate's beloved K9, Sampson, worked well together but this one had them stumped and to make matters worse, Chief Johnson was twitchy, and on their backs more than usual.
As the body count began to escalate, suspects emerged but evidence was non existent, they needed outside help on this one, it was bigger than any of them could have imagined.
In the true style of this author, the research is spot on, the story twists and turns, red herrings are thrown out, the tension mounts and the suspense is nail biting, all the while, the residents of Chattanooga sleep peacefully under the Hunters Moon unaware of the danger that they are in.
I received a free copy of this book and my review is voluntary
Chief Johnson sat at his desk, he was used to pressure from above, but never on this scale, this was beyond big, he had the FBI, the EFA, PI Harry Starke as well as Captain Kate Gazarra, head of homicide at the Chattanooga PD in his office, someone with money, someone with power, someone with influence at the highest level wanted this case closing but who ? and why ?
When the body of Dr. Jennifer Parker, professor of environmental taxology at UTC, was found floating in the Ocean Journey Exhibition at the Chattanooga aquarium, with Neptune, a giant green sea turtle, swimming in circles around the face down body, Kate knew that she needed help, help that only her ex partner, PI Harry Starke, could give.
Harry, Kate and Kate's beloved K9, Sampson, worked well together but this one had them stumped and to make matters worse, Chief Johnson was twitchy, and on their backs more than usual.
As the body count began to escalate, suspects emerged but evidence was non existent, they needed outside help on this one, it was bigger than any of them could have imagined.
In the true style of this author, the research is spot on, the story twists and turns, red herrings are thrown out, the tension mounts and the suspense is nail biting, all the while, the residents of Chattanooga sleep peacefully under the Hunters Moon unaware of the danger that they are in.
I received a free copy of this book and my review is voluntary
September 27, 2025
I received an ARC and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
The story begins with Harry unable to sleep, taking a walk when he notices a great deal of police activity. Harry calls Kate and advises her of the situation. Upon Kate's arrival, they enter the aquarium and discover a body in the tank where the sea turtle is located. They learn that the person has been killed and it is not an accidental death. As they begin the search for the killer they discover that Jennifer, the dead person, has been looking into environmental damage happening to the Tennessee River. As they get deeper into their search, more and more individuals are also winding up dead. To make matters worse, there is a great deal of pushback regarding who they are looking at as a suspect. Things finally reach a point where the Feds are brought in and a task force is put in place. As they continue their investigation, it seems like there is a leak and someone knows what is coming and makes their effort to clean up the location before they get there.
To discover who was behind Jennifer's killing as well as others along with who a 2nd party is that is also involved. The ending is well done and all of the questions you have will be answered.
This is another great book in the series and a definite read!
The story begins with Harry unable to sleep, taking a walk when he notices a great deal of police activity. Harry calls Kate and advises her of the situation. Upon Kate's arrival, they enter the aquarium and discover a body in the tank where the sea turtle is located. They learn that the person has been killed and it is not an accidental death. As they begin the search for the killer they discover that Jennifer, the dead person, has been looking into environmental damage happening to the Tennessee River. As they get deeper into their search, more and more individuals are also winding up dead. To make matters worse, there is a great deal of pushback regarding who they are looking at as a suspect. Things finally reach a point where the Feds are brought in and a task force is put in place. As they continue their investigation, it seems like there is a leak and someone knows what is coming and makes their effort to clean up the location before they get there.
To discover who was behind Jennifer's killing as well as others along with who a 2nd party is that is also involved. The ending is well done and all of the questions you have will be answered.
This is another great book in the series and a definite read!
November 19, 2025
When Lt,Kate Gazzara is called out to the Tennessee Aquarium for a body floating in a tank, she calls Harry Starke for help because she has a feeling it’s going to be a hard case. When she checks in with the chief of police, she finds out there is a lot of political pressure being put on him and they need to find the killer fast. Fast doesn’t happen fast enough and before you know it, the Feds are involved and more killings are happening. Somewhere there’s a mole, but who? There’s plenty of action, bribes, you name it, this book has it. I love that Kate and Harry are back together investigating in a full feature book instead of guest appearances in each other’s stories. If you like crime fiction, you’re going to love this book.
December 23, 2025
It starts with a drowning in an aquarium with a sea turtle as the only witness. When the victim is removed from the tank, the facts show that it was actually a murder. This leads to an investigation that shows there is a lot more to this than a simple murder. Instead, it marked the beginning of a chain of events that unfolded over several days. Harry and Kate work together with Tim and TJ to solve the crimes. Soon, the Federal players become involved. It appears that someone is leaking information about the investigation, and everyone is a potential victim.
This book is fast-moving. It holds the reader’s attention as we try to figure out who the murderer is. Or is there more than one? I truly enjoyed this book – one of Blair Howard’s recent best.
This book is fast-moving. It holds the reader’s attention as we try to figure out who the murderer is. Or is there more than one? I truly enjoyed this book – one of Blair Howard’s recent best.
October 9, 2025
Hunter's Moon (The Harry Starke Novels), my seventy-third read from author Blair Howard. Well-written and enjoyable, edge-of-your-seat detective fiction, thoroughly entertaining, as always! A Blair Howard book is like a visit from an old detective friend, I always look forward to the next work from Howard. I received a complementary Kindle copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review." The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
October 17, 2025
I've been reading Harry Starke and Kate Gazzara's adventures from the begining. This one has to be one of the most complicated and relevant to the real world to date. When an environmental investigator and marine biologist is found dead in a tank at the Chattanooga aquarium, it opens a can that contains a lot more than worms - and it takes everything Harry, Kate and Kate's dog Sampson plus two FBI agents have to keep up with fast moving events. Blair Howard said in one of his newsletters that this story was hard work. It was well worth it! This book is a thrill ride from start to finish.
December 3, 2025
This was a very enjoyable read. There was no lag in the action, it moved along very fast. The premise of the story was intriguing in that morals came into play in a number of areas. What people would do for money, including poisoning water supplies and then killing to cover it up. Having Harry, Kate and Samson together was fun, not to mention Amanda and Jade. Jade even has some lines. A very good and enjoyable read. I believe you will feel the same way.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review of the book,
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review of the book,
Read
October 28, 2025I love every book I have read by Blair Howard. This is probably my favorite. I love the characters and the story. I enjoyed the addition of Federal agencies getting involved it the mystery. Blair Howard's writing style keeps the reader involved and wanting more. I love the twist at the end, which I didn't see coming. I hope if you have not read any of Blair Howard's books, you will give this one a try. He will have you hooked and reading more of his books. You won't be sorry.
November 9, 2025
Hunter’s Moon by Blair Howard finds Harry and Kate working together again in an exciting novel.
A series of baffling murders are occurring in Chattanooga and Harry is once again called in as a consultant
to help solve them. There also is some high level corruption going on which fits into the plot nicely.
I found the novel to be very enjoyable. I’d recommend it to any mystery/crime fans who enjoy exciting and well written books
A series of baffling murders are occurring in Chattanooga and Harry is once again called in as a consultant
to help solve them. There also is some high level corruption going on which fits into the plot nicely.
I found the novel to be very enjoyable. I’d recommend it to any mystery/crime fans who enjoy exciting and well written books
October 16, 2025
Another great murder mystery. Kate and Harry are drawn into more than they bargained for, when a body is found in a sea turtle tank. It leads them into the depths of corruption, illegal dumping and so much more with an unexpected ending. Highly recommended. Read as an ARC and my review is honest and voluntary.
October 23, 2025
Wow, this is a complicated story for sure. Twists and turns all the way through to the ending I didn’t see coming. We always knew one of the guilty but I didn’t guess the other until it was revealed at the end. I was certainly enamoured with this one. I loved it. I always knew Kate and Harry worked best together. Cannot wait for the next one. Highly recommended.
October 18, 2025
I found this plot had twists and turns that kept me reading to the end.
Greed and a powerful voice of a controlling person leads to murder.
Even the captain is telling Kate and Harry to back off with the investigatiion.,
I enjoy this author.books and recommend them.
Greed and a powerful voice of a controlling person leads to murder.
Even the captain is telling Kate and Harry to back off with the investigatiion.,
I enjoy this author.books and recommend them.
October 27, 2025
This is the twenty sixth book in the awesome Harry Starke series. One murder leads to more as Harry and Kate investigate mystery at an aquarium. It’s a fast paced, entertaining plot that kept me guessing. A very well developed mystery with an ending I didn’t see coming.
November 7, 2025
Poison what a way
Harry and Kate find themselves in a who dunnit and the implications are truly devastating.
Together and their teams they break it down methodically and have to give part of investigation to other agencies, not a great idea.
Harry and Kate find themselves in a who dunnit and the implications are truly devastating.
Together and their teams they break it down methodically and have to give part of investigation to other agencies, not a great idea.
October 23, 2025
Anothergreatstory inthe Harry Starke series
November 9, 2025
Harry and Kate deliver another great read.
I love it when Harry, Kate and Samson all get together to solve a mystery. Another great book in this series
I love it when Harry, Kate and Samson all get together to solve a mystery. Another great book in this series
January 21, 2026
Excellent story
Hunters moon is a other excellent read from the master. Blair has the knack of getting you hooked, I really like the style of Blair Howard s books.
Hunters moon is a other excellent read from the master. Blair has the knack of getting you hooked, I really like the style of Blair Howard s books.
February 11, 2026
Great book
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews