The Night Hunter

by Natalie Moss

In a remote corner of the South African bush, two sisters reunite to bury a family secret once and for all, but when they’re stranded among the wild animals, they find a predator far more dangerous waiting for them in the shadows. . . .

When their conservationist mother passes, Danielle and her sister, Grace, reunite to return to their isolated family house nestled within a wild-game reserve. While Grace clings to nostalgia as their mother’s favorite, only Danielle carries the weight of their enigmatic mother’s final “Find the storehouse . . . Burn everything inside.”

What begins as a reluctant homecoming disguised as a safari adventure—each sister inviting two friends to ease the journey—turns into a nightmare when a murder rocks their first morning in the bush. In the chaos that follows, they crash their vehicle, stranding them, with no way to call for help.

Now Danielle must lead them on foot across miles of merciless savannah, with dwindling supplies and only one rifle. As the group navigates land where every rustle could mean death, a truth someone is sabotaging their escape.

Breathtaking and tense, The Night Hunter maps the treacherous terrain of family duty and loyalty as the two sisters confront what they’ve spent years trying to forget.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Nature, Contemporary, Adult

352 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication July 28, 2026

About the author

Natalie Moss is the author of the adult psychological thriller, The Night Hunter, which is planned to debut in July 2026, and has sold in five territories. She is a Filipina-South African, born and raised in Manila, Philippines, and has gone on safaris since she was three years old. An Oxford graduate, Natalie has lived in seven countries, including the Philippines, Australia, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea, South Africa, and Spain, and has now settled in London. She's an avid reader of thrillers and crime fiction, and is obsessed with solving the puzzle of a good mystery.

For more information about her books, check out her website.

Reviews

[Brea · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Night Hunter by Natalie Moss is survival suspense at its most feral—claustrophobic, nerve-shredding, and relentlessly immersive. Moss drops the reader straight into the South African bush and never lets up, using the landscape as both setting and weapon. Sisters Danielle and Grace, still fractured by old trauma, return to their mother Elizabeth’s conservation reserve expecting closure and instead find themselves pulled into a nightmare where grief, secrets, and violence collide. Alongside Elliot, Naomi, and local guide Jacques, they’re forced to navigate not only an unforgiving wilderness but the far more dangerous predators hiding within it. The writing is sharp and cinematic, packed with sensory detail—you can feel the press of the forest, hear every snapped twig, sense the constant watchfulness just beyond the tree line. Moss excels at tension, letting dread seep in slowly before tightening the screws, and the themes of conservation, legacy, and human greed deepen the stakes without slowing the pace. While a few character choices felt more plot-driven than emotionally grounded for me, the overall experience is gripping, atmospheric, and compulsively readable. This is the kind of thriller that makes your pulse spike and your surroundings fade away—wild, brutal, and impossible to ignore.
Thank you to Natalie Moss, Berkley Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the eARC

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the book to be a pretty good thriller, though I somehow initially (very mistakenly) thought this would be a family drama - it was not!!! There were definitely parts where I could not put the book down because I wanted to see if my theories were correct - some were and some were not (haha). As a result, I read the book very quickly and felt it was a solid read overall. I enjoyed the setting: an animal reserve/protection zone - that was unique in my reading history. The plot was also pretty good, though the ending was far too bow-tied for my liking - everything just wrapped up so nicely and after the rest of the plot, it felt more forced or fake than usual. The twists and turns did keep me guessing and it sure ratcheted up the suspense factor! The characters, though, were rather flat and overall I found them all to be pretty intolerable. In summing up this feedback, I’d recommend this book; I did enjoy it and think others works enjoy it, as well.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.


This was such an immersive, atmospheric survival thriller and I was locked in for most of it.

Two estranged sisters reunite in the South African bush after their conservationist mother dies, and what starts as a tense, emotional homecoming turns into a literal nightmare when someone in their group is murdered and they end up stranded in the wild. The setting alone? Incredible. You can feel the heat, the isolation, the constant danger. I genuinely felt like I learned a lot about wildlife and conservation, which made everything feel even more real.

The first half had amazing pacing. It was tense, gripping, and I flew through it. Natalie Moss is such a strong writer when it comes to evoking emotion — the sister dynamic, the resentment, the grief, all of it felt layered and believable.

The second half slowed down a bit for me, pacing-wise. But there was one major twist/event that I absolutely did NOT see coming. It was crazy… but in a way that felt realistic. And I personally love that. Even though this is fiction, I appreciate when big moments feel grounded and plausible instead of over-the-top for shock value.

Overall, this is a beautifully written, emotionally charged survival thriller with a vivid setting and one seriously unexpected turn. Definitely recommend if you love wilderness settings and messy family dynamics mixed with danger.

[Ella · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Received ARC from publisher*

2.5 stars (rounded up for interesting plot)

........MAJOR SPOILER.......

I don't normally go on rants about the author's choice to kill off characters but...

Elliot dies?! Are you kidding me?! I'm so pissed. This was not a short book, and I spent a lot of time in the head of someone I'd really rather not, only for the one truly innocent person in all this to die?! I might as well just watch the news; I could feel this let down but much faster. I'd really rather the MC died, along with all her complaining and martyrdom. I haven't been this pissed at a book in a long time. Though, I don't normally read straight thrillers, so maybe stringing the reader along and harpooning their heart at the end is just par for the course.

Also, I'm so sick of first person and being subjected to strings and strings of annoying thoughts. This book would have been so much better (and shorter) without having to read everything going through MC's mind.

I don't know if authors still make changes after ARCs go out, but if they do, I'm 100% team Save Elliot. The reader deserves as much.

Oh also, you can't say it's "only a flesh wound" without calling to mind Monty Python and immediately ruining the seriousness of the moment.

[J Kromrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to the Berkely Publishing group and Netgalley for this outstanding eARC.

I was surprised this was Natalie Moss's debut novel, as it read like it was written by a seasoned professional.

The Night Hunter - in this novel Natalie Moss doesn’t write a mere thriller; she constructs a pressure cooker and slowly turns up the heat until the reader is as breathless as the protagonists. In The Night Hunter, Moss delivers a chilling, atmospheric masterclass in suspense and rich environment.

This story follows Danielle, her sister Grace and their small group of friends as they return to their childhood home and navigate a world few of us will ever be lucky enough to experience.

Natalie Moss brings this rarified world into crystal sharp vision for her readers.

Having been raised in the African outback, the two sisters revisit their newly deceased mother's home as they decide what to do with her house and her sanctuary. However, there there is something—or someone—out in the dense timber, and it isn't just watching; it’s harvesting.
​
​Moss uses the environment as a secondary antagonist in The Night Hunter. . The "Great Green Wall" of the forest feels claustrophobic despite its vastness. You can almost smell the damp earth and feel the cold mist on your skin.
​
While "survival horror" is a well-worn path, Moss avoids the predictable. Danielle, Grace and their friends aren't helpless victims, they are knowledgeable trackers and conservationists who are scrap-metal tough, making choices that feel grounded in raw human instinct, in a world of animals who merely want to be allowed to thrive peacefully. The threat to the endangered wild animals from poachers and other villains mirrors the threat to the young women's very existence.

The narrative structure is lean, it crackles with tension, mystery, suspicion, betrayal and intrigue. . There is very little "fat" in this story; every crack of a twig and every silent shadow serves to tighten the metaphorical noose around the reader’s neck.

​The brilliance of The Night Hunter lies in its restraint. Moss understands that what we don't see is often more terrifying than what we do. The antagonist is handled with a ghostly touch, appearing more as a force of nature than a mere villain, which makes the eventual confrontation feel visceral and earned.

​"A haunting exploration of the thin line between the hunter and the hunted, Moss proves that the most dangerous predators aren't always the ones with claws.

​If you are a fan of psychological tension paired with survivalist grit—think The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon meets Silence of the Lambs—this is an essential addition to your shelf.

Also highly recommended for those who are curious about the amazing animals that most of us will never get to experience unless we visit the amazing South African bush; this story is reflective, suspenseful and educational.

A resounding 5 stars from this grateful reader, this author is definitely one to watch and follow.

[Susan Poer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A serene wildlife reserve is transformed into a landscape of physical and psychological danger, where predators lurk on two legs as well as four.

We first meet sisters Danielle and Grace as they return to their isolated childhood home following their conservationist mother's death. Their mother's cryptic final instruction was to locate a hidden storehouse and destroy its contents, which sets the story in motion. What begins as a reluctant reunion quickly turns deadly after a murder occurs during a safari excursion, leaving the group stranded in the wilderness with dwindling supplies and a growing suspicion that one of them is a killer.

Moss's greatest strength lies in her setting. Drawing on her extensive experience with African safaris, she creates a vivid and immersive landscape where the environment itself becomes a character. The relentless savannah, dangerous wildlife, and isolation amplify the novel's tension, producing an atmosphere that feels both breathtaking and claustrophobic. The wilderness is not merely a backdrop but an active force shaping every decision and escalating every threat.

The relationship between Danielle and Grace provides the emotional core of the novel. Their fractured bond, shaped by childhood trauma and parental favoritism, adds depth to the thriller elements. As secrets emerge, themes of loyalty, guilt, and the lingering impact of family wounds are highlighted. The mystery unfolds alongside these emotional revelations, giving the story more substance than a conventional survival thriller.

The pacing is relentless. Once the murder occurs, the narrative rarely pauses for breath, balancing survival challenges with a steadily escalating whodunit. The author is good at scattering clues throughout the story while maintaining enough uncertainty to keep the identity of the culprit hidden until the final act. Great twists, atmosphere, and a satisfying conclusion.

[Amber Boos · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!!! That opening Prologue is absolutely jaw-dropping!!! And the story never loses that momentum! This is by far and away one of the best, if not THE best, debuts I have ever read. After that Prologue, we go to present day where the story starts off pretty typical for these sorts of adventures gone way wrong type stories. I was already picking out who was going to be the first body to drop, and which ones would be the next most expendable. But then the first body dropped. I was quickly reminded that I was reading one of the most exciting, suspenseful, fast-pasted, character driven thrillers that I have ever had the pleasure of reading! Good Gosh, where to start!? Dani and Grace are estranged sisters who partially grew up living on an African game preserve run by their mother. Mom and Grace were still close. Mom and Dani, not so much. Well, Mom has died and the girls go back to close up the house on the preserve and get it ready for sale. As the girls and friends are prepping to hit the Safari trail, Dani is handed a note from their late Mom. It says "Burn everything in the storeroom. Tell no one." Storeroom? Dani has no clue about a storeroom or where it could be and why shouldn't she tell her sister? That's just the beginning. The group takes off across the days long trail. Of course, mayhem ensues. LOTS of mayhem. Dani ends up leading the group in a battle for survival. I don't want to spoil anything plot point wise. Let's just say, I had no idea who to trust. The story is told both in the past and present and both timelines are fascinating. And that setting!! I actually felt as if I were out on the African plains trying to survive! I am already so excited to read more from this author.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Natalie Moss and Berkley Publishing Group for this much appreciated ARC.

[Jela · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a thrilling debut! Natalie Moss bursts onto the scene with The Night Hunter, a pulse-pounding psychological thriller set in the wild, remote South African bush. The story follows two sisters who return to their family home in South Africa to handle their mother's estate. When one of the sisters receives a cryptic message from their deceased mother, things start getting dicey. Now, Dani must work to fulfill their mother's final wish, only to find themselves stranded, hunted, and forced to confront buried secrets amid dangerous wildlife and even more dangerous human threats.

The characters feel so real and layered, especially the sisters, whose complicated relationship and individual backstories kept me invested from the first page. Moss does an incredible job bringing the setting to life: the heat, the sounds of the bush, the constant sense of vulnerability among the animals, it's immersive and atmospheric in the best way. I usually don't read books, but this setting and Moss did a great job of immersing the reader in the environment.

I am definitely a fan of the dark and twisty thriller, and lately it seems like writers are so caught up in making them mindblowing that they often don't make any dang sense at all! Moss did a fantastic job of layering the story so you could go back and see the signs after you read. Her twists genuinely caught me off guard more than once, building tension perfectly without feeling forced.

For a first novel, this reads like the work of a seasoned pro with tight pacing, high stakes, and a gripping survival element that had me racing through the pages. This is a must-read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

[Laura Brandt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the ARC of The Night Hunter by Natalie Moss. The Night Hunter is Natalie Moss' debut novel and I was excited to dive in. The first part of the book was suspenseful and showed promise.

Unlike other fiction reads, the setting here is an emote corner of the South African bush which should be more captivating. While I appreciated little nuances such as animal characteristics specific to the bush, over the course of the story, it became difficult to imagine.. Danielle and Grace, sisters with a relationship complicated by a tragic event reunite to settle their conservationist mother's estate. Each sister invites someone to join them on the journey to South Africa, however, the cast of characters is odd considering the reason for the trip.

The first night a killing happens in the bush. To protect themselves and continue the journey, the group packs up camp to leave. In the chaos that follows, they crash their vehicle, stranding them, with no way to call for help. From here, the events, begin to escalate in a way that seems unrealistic. As they make their way on foot across the savannah, they are faced with murder/killings and animal mutilation.

I found the characters, especially Danielle, insufferable. There is an underlying theme of mistrust. While understanding that the author is using this to develop the story, as not to unleash details, I found myself not connecting to the characters, specifically the main. Overall, while I believe Natalie Moss has a real future as a novelist, The Night Hunter was not for me. Again, I want to say thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

[Michelle Kocin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this quick, fun read. I liked the story and it was fast paced with a bit of a twist on the usual locked room murder mystery trope. The locked room was literally an enormous game reserve but with a limited number of characters, the author creatively achieved the same effect.

The descriptions of the South African bush were vivid and I'm a sucker for some good personification so I liked her heavy use of it to set the mood. I was curious about her background since she's a new author and it seems there's some autobiographical content (or autobiographical adjacent) as her bio says she is Filipina-South African, born and raised in Manila, Philippines, and has gone on safaris since she was three years old. I think it was nice that she let the main character, Danielle, wait until five years old to go on her first safari ;-)

*Spoilers* I would have preferred for her boyfriend to live but starting to repair her relationship with her sister was a good start.

Really my only criticism is towards the end there was a lot happening and I kept forgetting where people were supposed to be, but I read it in multiple sittings and have ADHD so that's probably on me. I also thought that a dialogue could have been subbed in for the part *Spoilers* where they discover "the supply" and it would have felt less like a thought leadership piece taking part inside Danielle's head about the legalities surrounding rhino horns. But again, that's probably just a personal preference and it didn't take away from the overall book.

[Coco · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into this ARC expecting a solid mystery, but what I got was something far better: a slow-burn, atmospheric thriller that feels right at home beside a Jane Harper novel—only set deep in the African bush.

From the first pages, the setting does heavy lifting. The heat, isolation, and vastness of the safari landscape are palpable, and the world of tour guides, conservation, and the dark undercurrent of illegal poaching feels lived-in and authentic rather than exoticized. The author uses the environment not just as a backdrop, but as a source of tension—danger lurks everywhere, and not all of it comes from wildlife.

The mystery itself is expertly constructed. Clues are layered carefully, red herrings are genuinely convincing, and just when I thought I had things figured out, the story slipped sideways. I kept second-guessing myself all the way to the final reveal, which felt both surprising and earned—a rare and satisfying combination.

The characters are all very flawed (reminiscent of a Jane Harper family) but compelling, and the stakes feel grounded rather than melodramatic. It’s the kind of mystery that trusts the reader to pay attention—and rewards them for doing so.

If you enjoy character-driven mysteries, morally complex themes, and settings that quietly tighten the noose as the story unfolds, this one is absolutely worth your time. Special thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

[Kimberly Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thriller set in the South African bush country? I'm all in!

To say Danielle had a complicated relationship with her mother would be putting it mildly. Mom Elizabeth ran a wildlife conservation foundation that resulted in Danielle feeling neglected and resentful. Combined with a terrible childhood event involving her sister Grace, Danielle left Africa in her late teens with no intention to ever return. But now her mother has died following a scorpion sting, and she has a last request for Danielle. Danielle, in turn, needs to permanently close this chapter of her life so she wants to sell her mother's home. She decides to invite Grace on a trip to the wildlife reserve where they lived as children in hopes of convincing her to sell the house.

Both sisters are keeping big secrets not only from each other, but from the friends they invite to accompany them on the trip. From the very beginning the trip seems off somehow but it's not until one traveler is murdered that the crew realizes they are trapped in the African desert, surrounded by the animals who live there. As if the wild animals were not enough of a threat, there seem to be humans out there with them intent on murdering them all.

This book was a rip-roaring good time. I was suspicious of nearly everyone and yet still found myself surprised by the ending.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Helen Beesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This debut novel begins on a strong note, sweeping the reader off to the wilds of South Africa, where the humans are much more dangerous than any type of wildlife this small safari might encounter. Filled with secrets, family drama, romance issues, greed and violence Natalie Moss has everything it takes to be a top-notch thriller. However, while Moss’s writing is excellent there are a few things that kept the novel from being great. First only one character is someone, I was rooting for and it was not the main character. All the characters were self absorbed and it was really hard to care what happened to them. Some of the action, at least for me, was confusing. I will say some things that I got hung up on, were explained at the end, but it kept me from enjoying the book as I kept saying, that doesn’t even make sense!  I also found the ‘secrets’ confusing. Quite a bit happens in the last few chapters and at times it was difficult to figure it all out. I also wasn’t happy with how it ended for some of the characters and the reaction of the survivors at the end. Finally, I have no idea where the title The Night Hunter comes from, as it has nothing to do with this book. All and all the writing clearly shows Moss can write and her use of the wilderness of South Africa made this book unique and interesting. I would absolutely try her next book. Many thanks to Bookbrowse.com, Netgalley.com, and Berkley Press for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Safari gone wild in the South African bush?! Yep, count me in. I made a comment after reading a somewhat similarly-set book last year that we needed more books set in Africa and it looks like my wish was Moss' command. This was a lekker read! South Africa is such a special place to me and I love being transported back there through the pages of a good book. Granted, this is not the safari experience anyone should have, but it's a thriller, after all! There was a lot of great information about the animals peppered in in a pretty natural way, and I felt the descriptions of the wildlife were exceptional.

Plot: Dani & Grace return to their homeland of South Africa to deal with some matters related to their mother's sudden death. Both girls had a complex relationship with Elizabeth, who was more workaholic than mom. Her foundation to help rhinos was always at the forefront of her mind, leaving her daughters to literally and metaphorically fend for themselves in the beautiful but dangerous wild-game reserve. The sisters bring along a couple of travel companions on their mission and things go south when one of their own is murdered only a day into the trek. The group is soon left helpless with no method of communication, no car, and dwindling food supply. They must journey across the African savannah on foot. Survival instincts kick in and secrets come out as the days go on. Can Dani discover who's at the heart of the sabotage before it's too late?

I try to keep in mind that this is a debut---in my opinion, it's a fantastic one! Did a few too many characters die for the plot to be entirely believable. For me, yes. But I was able to overlook that in the name of adventure! Grab The Night Hunter and get yourself ready for shock upon shock.

Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing Group, Natalie Moss, and NetGalley for the ARC of The Night Hunter.

[Paula Korelitz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A suspense-filled thriller set against the backdrop of the African bush. The prologue establishes the family tensions that simmer throughout the novel, drawing readers immediately into its layered dynamics.

Sisters Dani and Grace are attempting to return to their childhood wilderness home following their mother's death. Their mother, Elizabeth, ran a foundation to protect Rhinos and it is her role that is crucial to the narrative. However, Grace’s early experience, and Dani’s and their mother’s roles in that experience are also hugely important in the dynamics of this plot.

Elizabeth's deathbed letters to each sister are completely different but Dani’s is intriguing enough to send her back to a home she would rather not revisit. What begins as a group of six venturing into the bush quickly becomes something far more sinister, as the party's numbers dwindle with alarming speed.

The body count may test some readers' patience, as it did for me, occasionally straining credibility, but the pacing never falters.. For a debut novel, it demonstrates impressive confidence: an unusual premise, a vividly rendered setting, and characters who linger well after the final page.

[Olga · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing Group for an e-ARC, available everywhere this July.

At a wildlife sanctuary, the animals aren’t the only predators, and that idea hangs over the entire story from the very first page. What starts as a tense reunion between sisters Danielle and Grace quickly turns deadly when they realize the real threat is walking among them.

The novel centers on the sisters’ fractured relationship, shaped by a terrifying incident in their childhood that neither has truly moved past. Their reluctant return to settle their late mother’s isolated estate. forces them back into each other’s orbit, along with all the resentment and unresolved grief they’ve tried to bury. Stranded in the wild, they must navigate not only the brutal heat and isolation, but the treacherous terrain, where one false move could have deadly consequences.

The novel’s setting and atmosphere are vivid, and the tension between Danielle and Grace adds emotional depth. However, the pacing drags in the second half, it’s hard to root for most characters aside from the boyfriend, and the mounting deaths never build real panic for the characters.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This book was very hard to put down. Danielle and Grace are returning to their childhood home after their mother had died. Danielle wants to sell the house and Grace doesn't. The home is in the South African Bush. The sisters have not stayed close at all Danielle just wants this business done and over. She invited her boyfriend and another friend. Turns out Grace brought a friend and their guide, who is another friend. Their first night camping out ends with the guide being murdered.

That sets this little group off in fear and as time goes on, worry about even making it to the house. They have seriously dangerous animals to contend with along with other nefarious parties. The sisters have a lot of unfinished business between themselves and that affects everything.

I have to say that this was a super tense read. The suspense started and just did not end up until the final moments. I was not expecting the turn the story took, or I should say, the many turns. Yikes. This book will stay in my mind for quite some time.

I would like to thank Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for this advanced read. What a gift!

[Jeff · Rating 2 out of 5]

Natalie Moss composed an original mystery in The Night Hunter, punctuating relatively short chapters with surprises throughout the fast-paced narrative. Readers who limit their literary ambitions to those elements should be very satisfied, but anyone looking for more will be disappointed. Wildlife conservation content in the story is contrived and superficial. The focus is on the equally contrived emotions of the characters involved, who are difficult to empathize with beyond their desire to survive. A complete lack of authentic detail in backcountry camping scenes makes the whole thing feel like an AI interpretation of a safari. Even though much of the plot occurs in the African wilderness, the environment and its natural inhabitants play almost no role in the story's final outcome (especially when the hidden truth of the first scene is revealed). For a visceral safari thriller experience, try Michaelbrent Collings' Predators.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC.

[Susan Duttry · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars
3 stars
3 stars
3 stars
3 stars
Danielle and her sister Grace set out to settle their late mother’s estate located in a wild-game reserve where they had grown up. Danielle and Grace had been estranged due to Grace being attacked by a wild hyena while Danielle ran away leaving Grace with her arm damaged for life. Upon planning their reunion and upcoming homecoming, Grace invites a man she had met to accompany her, unbeknownst to Danielle and the rest of the party. Also the bush guide Grace arranges to led them through the bush is a man that is known to have worked with the girl’s mother, but Danielle has an intuition that the guide has some alternative motive as to why he wants to come along. The girl’s mother was well known in the area as she had started a foundation protecting the bush’s wildlife. Soon tensions rise within the camp leaving them running for their lives, where hours before Danielle had learned a secret her mother had kept hidden. In the letter, her mother instructed Danielle to burn down the storehouse on the premises and tell no one.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Night Hunter
By Natalie Moss

This is a first novel. It is a murder mystery and suspense thriller set in a game reserve in South Africa. Danielle and Grace are two sisters whose mother ran a foundation to protect the African wildlife. Mom has since died, and the two sisters, together with their respective friends/love interests are here to decide what to do with their mother's property.

But almost right away a murder takes place. Since the sisters are somewhat estranged because of childhood events, they don't really trust each other – and so they each keep what they know about the guide and others of their party. Another murder takes place and the distrust grows. In the end, after several deaths and revelations, the "bad guy" is revealed, but at what cost?

For a first novel, this book is pretty good. There are a few discrepancies and the story takes a little too long to unfold. But overall it is worth the read.
I only wish I could understand the title!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Night Hunter follows Danielle, her sister Grace, and their small group of friends as they return to their childhood home. What starts as a tense, emotional homecoming quickly turns into a nightmare when someone in their group is murdered—and they end up stranded in the wilderness. 🌲😰

I really loved how the mystery was put together.Clues are sprinkled throughout, and the red herrings had me questioning everyone in the group.I honestly kept second-guessing myself the whole time!🕵️‍♀️

The setting made the suspense even more intense. Being stuck in the wild with a killer among them felt so claustrophobic and tense—it really kept me on edge.🌙🔪

I found this to be a very engaging thriller with twists that kept me turning pages late into the night.If you like mysteries with suspicion, secrets, and a bit of wilderness danger, this one’s for you!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. 📚✨

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

After their mother’s death two sisters, Danielle and Grace, reunite at a wild game reserve with some friends along in the South African bush country where they lived as children. When she arrives, Danielle finds a cryptic note from her mother, instructing her to burn a storehouse on their property. And when one of their safari group is murdered, the trip takes a nightmarish turn. The Night Hunter is an atmospheric foot race through the jungle, replete with wild animals at every turn as well as a murderer on the loose. The suspense oozes from every page, with shady characters galore and a dark backstory that’s slowly revealed, with the author doing a great job of setting the scene and putting the reader right in the middle of the bush. This one flew by fast with the tension ratcheting up as the plot unfolds right through the unexpected ending. Well done, highly recommended. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 🌟 upcoming thriller novel set for release July 2026!

Danielle and her estranged younger sister, Grace, are on a trip to their mother’s reserve, traveling to her home deep in the South African bush following her death, when an accident leaves them stranded in the wilderness with no phone, no car, and only one rifle. Along with each sister’s two friends, they must travel to their mother’s house with danger following them from both wildlife and human predators.

I loved the setting of this novel and the premise made for an exciting, suspenseful read! It was fast-paced, interesting throughout, and well-written. While I had some inklings of elements of the twist at the end, the big reveal was surprising for me, which is always satisfying to me as a thriller reader. The only things I was left wanting more of were further details and scenes with wildlife than there were. Overall, an exciting, unique thriller read and definitely one to look out for come July

[Liz O'Connor · Rating 3 out of 5]

*ARC review via NetGalley

While I enjoyed the wildlife setting, this book asked too much of me as a reader. This wasn’t an easy read, there’s animal mutilation, child endangerment, and a protagonist who seems to be strangely resilient to the horrors that happen around her. If I’m being asked to experience events first person style, then I’m going to need to identify with or at least not dislike the main character. Sadly, I couldn’t connect with her at all. Also, one of the characters who were killed off made it so that there wasn’t any real catharsis story wise. I felt like I put in the time to make the trek through the South African wilds only to be left unsatisfied and a bit worse for wear. I think this new writer has so much potential and I’ll read whatever she writes next, but this story wasn’t for me.

[Kayla Carroll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Something about a thriller set in the wild just hits differently. In The Night Hunter, the danger is not just the people. It is the African bush itself.

I really enjoyed this debut thriller from Natalie Moss. The survival elements kept the tension high, but what truly stood out to me was the setting. Moss brings the African bush to life with vivid details about the wildlife and plants. It makes sense when you learn she actually grew up there, because the environment feels incredibly authentic.

The wildlife moments added so much atmosphere. The buffalo scene especially made me eek. It was one of those moments where you can practically feel the danger closing in.

Overall, this was a gripping and very enjoyable survival thriller. I’m rating it 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5, and I am excited to read more of Moss’s work in the future. 📚🌿

[ReadTheHotline · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Night Hunter | Natalie Moss

🖤🖤🖤🖤/5

The most dangerous thing in the South African bush isn’t always the wildlife…but you’d be smart to fear both. In Natalie Moss’s debut, "The Night Hunter", danger comes from every direction; teeth in the tall grass, secrets within the group, and the constant, suffocating feeling that something is watching.

Sisters Dani and Grace return to their mother’s remote game reserve expecting closure, but instead, walk straight into chaos. Murder, sabotage, buried family secrets…this story wastes no time dropping you into the wild and letting the tension simmer (and then boil over). From the very first pages, you can feel the heat, the isolation, the constant sense that something (or someone) is watching.

And that’s what really worked for me: the setting. The bush isn’t just a backdrop, it’s a full-blown character. Every sound, every movement, every decision is shaped by the environment. It made the danger feel immediate and real in a way that hit differently than your typical thriller. The sister dynamic also brought a lot of emotional weight. There’s resentment, grief, and complicated history layered into every interaction, and it gave the story depth beyond just survival stakes. You can tell everything happening in the present is tangled up in the past, which kept me hooked.

The first half? I flew through it. The pacing was tight, the tension was relentless, and I genuinely didn’t want to put it down. The second half slowed just a bit for me, but it also delivered a twist that got me; wild, but still grounded enough to feel believable (which I appreciate in a genre that sometimes goes off the rails for shock value).

The ending landed a little abruptly for me, but that's simply because I wanted just a bit more time to sit with everything after the intensity of what came before. But even so, the journey there? So worth it.

Tropes for ya:

🔪 Survival thriller
👭 Estranged sisters / messy family dynamics
🌍 Remote wilderness setting
👀 “We’re not alone out here” energy
🔐 Secrets from the past resurfacing
🦁 Nature as a character
🔥 Slow-burn tension + high-stakes chaos

Overall, this is a gritty, atmospheric survival thriller that keeps you on edge the entire time. If you love wilderness settings, messy family dynamics, and that constant “predator lurking in the shadows” vibe…add this to your list immediately.

Thank you to NetGalley and Natalie Moss for the opportunity to read and relish this book.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolute cracker of a novel! I would strongly recommend this, not just for those who enjoy a good thriller, but for anyone who enjoys and appreciates nature. Natalie Moss captures the unique wildness of the South African bush in a way that only someone who has grown up in it could. The Night Hunter gives a visceral sense of the tension and danger of an encounter with wild animals, but never loses sight of the fact that it is humans, rather than the animals, that are the true antagonists of the story. Can't believe this is Moss's debut as she builds tension like a seasoned veteran. Based on reviews it seems as though a few people were disappointed in the ending, but for me, it was perfect. Thrilling and emotional. I'm so glad that Moss was willing to be brave when many authors might have gone another way.

[Olivia · Rating 3 out of 5]

After the death of their conservationist mother, sisters Danielle and Grace return to the South African bush and the family home located within a wild game reserve. Each sister brings along two friends for what is supposed to be a safari adventure. Instead, one of the friends is murdered on their very first morning in the reserve. With no way to call for help, limited supplies, and danger lurking around every corner, the group must decide whether to turn back or continue deeper into the bush toward the family home.

The South African setting was easily the strongest part of this book. The isolation of the game reserve created a creepy, eerie atmosphere, and the ever-present danger of the wilderness added tension throughout the story. I found the premise entertaining and was curious to see how everything would unfold.

While I enjoyed the book overall, I never became fully invested in the characters, and some of the suspense didn't land quite as strongly as I had hoped. I didn't dislike this book, but I didn't absolutely love it either. Still, it was a solid thriller with a unique setting and enough intrigue to keep me turning the pages.

[Ann Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the absolute pleasure of reading The Night Hunter early and I'm telling you right now this book is going to live up to the hype. Set largely in the unforgiving South African bush, the main plot of survival, mystery, and animal-related danger are tense and vivid -- and ever-present danger from both man and nature keeps the suspense high throughout. At the same time, the characters feel genuinely real, the emotional stakes are always high, and the relationship between the main pair is believable and gives the story so much heart. It's is a gripping, character-driven thriller that blends survival tension with real emotional depth, with strong pacing and a super satisfying climax. Highly recommended!

[Jeremy Reppy · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Night Hunter" is full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing. Multiple characters are keeping secrets, which will prove deadly. Sisters Danielle and Grace are burdened by their past and the incident that led to Grace's arm injury but also their very different relationships with their mother, a no-nonsense conservationist whose wildlife foundation took precedence. I was surprised by the identity of the villain and the motive. Having the story set in the South African bush added a uniqueness to the story. The author used the setting very effectively, as a source of wonder and danger -- animal sightings and confrontations, the ruggedness of the terrain, the struggle to find water, the beauty of the land and its wildlife, etc.