Hunter’s Hidden Camera

by Anthony Auswat

A high school track athlete with a perverse hobby. A college heartthrob with a secret life. A dark gay m/m thriller that will stop at nothing until everyone gets exposed.

“Unsettling and surprisingly poignant. It explores sexuality, jealousy, shame, and moral compromise in a way that feels raw and unfiltered…. Hunter’s voice is sharp, self-aware, and darkly humorous…. A provocative and emotionally layered exploration of a young man spiraling under the weight of his own secrets.”
—San Francisco Book Review

Hunter seems to have it all: brains, biceps, and a bright future beyond the halls of his oppressive high school. He also has a private obsession that he knows is wrong: secretly recording his older brother, Nash, with a spy cam. It starts as a thrill and morphs into a power trip. But one day, the video footage reveals something so disturbing that it cracks Hunter’s life straight down the middle.

Now he’s trapped in a nightmare where desire leaves fingerprints, loyalty pulls triggers, and the brother he thought he knew might be the most dangerous person in the room. To survive what he’s uncovered, Hunter turns to his best friend, Oscar, who may also be the man Hunter never knew he needed.

When the family you’re born into puts you at risk, the family you choose may be the only thing that keeps you alive.

Hunter’s Hidden Camera is an emotionally charged LGBT coming-of-age psychological thriller about hunger, shame, and the brutal cost of exposure.

Perfect for fans of:
– campus thrillers tangled with forbidden gay desire
– taboo obsession and morally messy characters
– slow-burn m/m tension mixed with psychological intensity
– literary queer fiction for adults
– vintage pulp paperbacks
– genre storytelling blended with personal experience
– stories about gay men told from a gay male perspective

Smile for the camera.

Genres: M M Romance, Thriller, Mystery, LGBT, Contemporary

320 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 1, 2026

About the author

Anthony Auswat is the author of dark, demented, and deeply gay thrillers, including “The Teacher Inside Me” and “Hunter’s Hidden Camera,” which were viral sensations online before they were officially published. He draws from personal experience and transforms it into genre storytelling. He lives in California, where he keeps a low profile and a high body count.

Reviews

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

And when I finish watching everything that happened in my brother’s room, when all is said and done, I throw my hands over my mouth. I jump out of my chair and run to the restroom as quickly as I can. I throw up in the toilet.


Set in Point Liberty, a small city in California. Takes place contemporaneously to The Teacher Inside Me.

Hunter, 18, is a track runner in high school. A good student and a computer whiz, Hunter has discovered a way to make some quick and solid income (see title).

His brother is Nash (21), a senior in college who’s majoring in business. Hunter is always in his brother’s shadow; Nash is the golden son.

Hunter is very straight-passing. He even has a beard of a girlfriend. Ambivalence towards his brother—especially size envy.

Oscar Bustamante is Hunter’s best friend and fellow track runner. He is Cuban-American.

Struggles with being closeted.

Cameos from many Teacher characters, including Liam and Mr. Hilton. 😉

Anxiety disorder. The author does the psychology super well. Extremely authentic.

The footage. Missing money. The shoelace.

Patricia, cousin and nurse. Reconnecting is a welcome surprise.

Support from Oscar—partner in crime. Oscar is such a great best friend. A real one.

I’m finally seeing Oscar for who he really is.

Chase through campus. The laptop.

The blow. Perpetual Sunset.

Not a “traditional” thriller by any means, but the pacing and flow are excellent. Strong with tension.

Nash’s secrets.

Breaking and entering; pursued by the police.

Confrontation with Nikolai…and older brother 💥 🔪

Blanca, Manny, and Carlos.

The downward portion of the roller coaster is wild. 😵‍💫

Spyglasses for the win. 🕶️ 🙌🏻

Really strong writing—but that ending. It feels borderline tragic to rate this book so low when it’s almost all so great…but one narrative choice, with one MC, is beyond problematic.

There is no need to write GFY. It’s 2026. This is disgusting. I absolutely love this author’s writing; The Teacher Inside Me is one of my favorite novels of the year. Writing Oscar as Gay For Hunter is so incredibly cringe, it’s deduction-worthy.

Excellent, otherwise. 😑


“Sometimes…sometimes I think about what it would be like if you and me were together. You know, as a couple.”

[Brooke · Rating 1 out of 5]

⭐️ 1 star ⭐️

I can’t predict the future, but for some reason I know from this point forward in my life, my relatively short life, things will never be the same again.

This book was ridiculously bad. I don’t think I can really explain it without spoilers, so spoiler warning.

Let’s start with the weirdass plot. It’s all over the place.
It starts with a closeted main character and his unhealthy obsession with his brother, caused by him repressing his sexuality and other insecurities. Weird, but okay.
It then turns into a murder thriller, where Hunter witnesses his brother killing his girlfriend. It all goes downhill after that.
There’s lot of teenage drama that has nothing to do with the plot, a sex party??, the murder turns out to be a prank, Hunter gets run over and gets in a car crash (survives both), his brother turns out not only to be queer (I think?), but also a drug dealer involved with the Russian mafia. THE RUSSIAN MAFIA. What the fuck.
Cherry on top, there’s an out of the blue gay-for-you confession from Hunter’s best friend, and the book ends with an unsatisfying conclusion to the thriller side and a surprise friends-to-lovers romance.
You really have to read it to experience the full mess that is this plot, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Not worth it.

He’s not sleepwalking—he’s sleep-masturbating.

Now, all of that could’ve been kind of funny and amusing, the convoluted plot twists and the messiness, if it weren’t for the atrocious writing.

I think about my name. Hunter. I think about its meaning. By instinct, I move to my laptop, navigate to a dictionary, and type in my name. The first definition reads: “a person or animal that hunts.”

How does one live 18 years without knowing what HUNTER means? It’s a very common word.

I reach towards the knife, and the spirit of teamwork tells Oscar to hand it to me, which he does.

The spirit of teamwork honestly killed me.
The writing was so stilted and wonky, the dialogues were written like message chats — me: … Nash: … Emma: …. — there was one dude that was talking like a British nobleman for no apparent reason, there were random monologues about side characters only for the topic to never be brought up again.

I honestly was hoping for a it was all a dream moment, even if it’s my most hated trope, because all of this actually happening was way too absurd to be believable.
But, like I said, it could’ve been one of those ‘it’s so bad it’s good’ books, where the outlandish-ness of it is the charm, if the writing wasn’t so painful to read.
The self-promo for the teacher book was hilarious, ‘some drama happened with my teacher, maybe someday someone will write a book about it’ *wink wink* . Jfc, there are better ways to insert a different book into your story.

All of this to say, I did not enjoy this book whatsoever. It was incredibly stupid, but not in a fun way where I could laugh along with it. I lost so many brain cells reading this.
The cover’s cool, though. That might be the only positive I can think of.

It’s beginning to look like Nash, the brother I thought I knew and envied, is not really who he seems to be.

I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.

CW and NSFW info (spoilers):
- Violence
- Anxiety attacks
- Suicidal ideation
- Self-harm (off page)
- Incestuous thoughts
- Homophobia (internalized and non)
- F slur
- Non-consensual videos Hunter filmed his brother masturbating and uploaded them to a porn site
- Sexual situations but no spice

[Hayden · Rating 0.25 out of 5]

This book was recommended to me by a "friend" (you know who you are, and I will be hiding raccoons in your pillowcase for the next 365 days, to be clear.)

So, let's set the scene, shall we?

Hunter Doe (he has no surname) is a sexual predator. In the first chapter, we are tactlessly introduced to the fact that Hunter is not only sexually attracted to his older brother, but he is secretly sexually exploiting his older brother by nonconsensually recording him masturbating and showering and selling it on porn sites. Along with this information, Hunter incessantly reminds us of how hot he thinks his brother is and how big his dick is—I wish I was joking. He goes on about his brother's "BDE" for almost the entire first chapter.

Despite these tremendous moral shortcomings, Anthony Auswat will still repeatedly try to redeem Hunter throughout this story by emphasising his charitability, the fact that he cares about his friends (which is honestly debatable), and attempts to elicit pity/sympathy from the reader by mentioning Hunter's self-harm and one-sentence panic attacks. Now, I don't mind a morally bankrupt protagonist; that can be fun, but the author has a responsibility to recognise the moral bankruptcy without attempting to excuse them.

That aside, the writing in this book is likely some of the worst I have ever encountered. If I had to guess, I'd estimate roughly 95% of this book was just told to me by Hunter, and I got to actually experience almost none of it, making for an extremely boring reading experience. This level of writing is the kind I would expect from a middle schooler who just discovered stream-of-consciousness but doesn't understand how inner monologue actually works. From moments when the MC needs to brainstorm being written out as "Think, think, think." on loop, to the excessive usage of the word "like," saying this reading experience felt like amateur hour would be an insult to amateurs.

Speaking of insults, I don't think I've ever read a book that has insulted my intelligence as much as this one; my God, you must think your readers are legitimately brain-dead.

Dear author: you do not need to include what AP English means in parentheses. We know. You do not need to iterate that "kept" is past tense. You do not need to remind your readers 3 times that the shower curtain is missing, and you do not need to explain to us that water will get on the floor if there's no shower curtain. You also do not need to explain to us how basic doors function. Also, your readers will remember events from page to page, and you do not need to reiterate what happened only paragraphs ago, over and over.

I would have more criticism for the way he writes both POC (bafflingly offensive) and women (basically just props), but to be honest, all of the characters in this book read as if the writer has never held a conversation with a real person. Their dialogue is just bizarre and unnatural a lot of the time.

I would have more to say about the story itself, as well, but that can also be summed up in just a few words: nonsensical, incoherent, and ridiculous. There's also a SLEW of events and random details that have no reason to be included; they are never expanded upon or mentioned again, and add nothing to the story. Quite frankly, a lot of useless word vomit makes up the majority of the word count in this book, and when the author gets particularly lazy, we are graced with the writing being reduced to a script-style format.

To summarise... this reads like a first rough draft that was never edited, and was just objectively bad in every way. I might even recommend some creative writing classes to the author.

The only nice thing I can really say about this is that its ridiculousness did get a few laughs, and while it may be slop, it is at least human slop. The bar is in hell, I guess.

[Anmoldeep · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (3.8 / 5 stars)

A chaotic, dark queer thriller that is messy, gripping, disturbing—and weirdly intimate

📖 Overall Impression

Hunter’s Hidden Camera is not a clean, polished thriller—and that’s exactly why it works (and also why it doesn’t).
It reads like a hybrid between Wattpad-style confessional writing and psychological crime drama, packed with:

raw sexuality
mental health struggles

toxic masculinity
crime, deception, and identity collapse

At its core, this is less about a “hidden camera” and more about hidden selves—and the damage that secrecy causes.

🧠 Plot Breakdown (FULL SPOILERS)

The story follows Hunter, a deeply troubled teenager obsessed with his older brother Nash. What begins as voyeuristic curiosity (installing a spy camera in his brother’s room) spirals into something much darker.

That early intrusive thought is chilling:
> “Or worse, did he find my spy cam in his room? Or even worse, did he find his shower videos online?”

This line alone tells you:
Hunter is morally compromised
There is sexual obsession
Boundaries are already broken

🔥 Major twists and arcs:

1. The Brother’s Double Life

Nash transforms from “perfect son” into:
drug user
criminal associate
connected to a crime boss (Nikolai)

Hunter himself reflects:

> “How did my brother go from being the most popular kid in high school… to… a life full of drugs and sex parties… and a criminal organization?”

This descent feels dramatic but slightly rushed (more on that later).

2. The Murder / Fake Narrative Layer

Hunter believes Nash murdered Alessandra—but then she reappears:
> “I thought you were dead.”

This creates a meta-layer twist where:
events feel scripted
reality becomes unreliable
“paper/script pages” literally appear

This is one of the most interesting narrative ideas—but it’s not fully realized.

3. The Queer Identity & Internal Conflict

The emotional backbone of the novel is Hunter’s sexuality.

The most brutal moment:

> “Do your friends know you’re a fag? Does Oscar know you’re sexually obsessed with me?”

This line reframes EVERYTHING:

Hunter’s obsession with Nash becomes psychologically disturbing

The “camera” becomes symbolic of desire + surveillance

Shame fuels his breakdown

4. Oscar – The Emotional Anchor

Oscar is arguably the best-written character.

His support feels raw and real:

> “I know you weren’t drowning on accident.”

This subplot introduces:
suicide ideation
male vulnerability
friendship as survival

And the quiet intimacy later:

> “Oscar falls asleep in my arms… I am so… completely, wide awake.”

This is one of the few moments where the book slows down—and it works beautifully.

🎯 What the Book Does REALLY Well

1. Raw Psychological Honesty

This book doesn’t sanitize anything:
intrusive thoughts
sexual confusion
self-harm
jealousy

It feels uncomfortable—but intentionally so.

2. Voice & Readability

The prose is simple, fast, and bingeable.
You fly through chapters.

Even chaotic scenes feel immediate and cinematic.

3. Queer Representation (Unfiltered)

Unlike polished LGBTQ+ fiction, this shows:

internalized homophobia
confusion
toxic environments

It’s messy—but real.

4. Emotional Peaks

Scenes with Oscar are genuinely strong:
vulnerability
humor
intimacy

They ground an otherwise chaotic narrative.

❌ Where the Book Falls Short

1. Editing & Technical Errors (Major Issue)
This is the biggest flaw.
Throughout the text:
words are corrupted (“—ictor”, “Vuickly”, “moEe”)
formatting breaks immersion
OCR-like distortions appear frequently
This seriously reduces readability and professionalism.

2. Tone Inconsistency

The book jumps between:
teen comedy
erotic awkwardness
crime thriller
psychological drama

Example:

A comedic sexual mishap:

> “You shoved your dick in my ass.”

…exists in the same narrative space as:

attempted murder

criminal networks

The tonal shifts can feel jarring rather than intentional.

3. Overloaded Plot

There’s too much happening:

spy cam voyeurism

incest-adjacent obsession

murder mystery

crime syndicate

hacking subplot

mental health arc

Each idea is strong—but together they dilute impact.
4. Underdeveloped Twists

The “script pages” and meta-reality angle:

“Written… like it’s some kind of play or film script”

This is fascinating—but:

not fully explained

not structurally integrated


It feels like a brilliant idea that wasn’t fully executed.

5. Character Depth Imbalance

Hunter → complex but chaotic

Oscar → strong and consistent

Nash → intriguing but underdeveloped


Nash’s transformation feels more told than experienced.

🧩 Themes (What the Book is REALLY About)

This isn’t just a thriller. It explores:

🔍 Surveillance & Desire

The “camera” = control, obsession, and forbidden gaze

🧠 Mental Health

suicidal ideation

emotional suppression

self-destructive behavior


🧬 Identity & Shame

queer identity conflict

internalized stigma

masculinity pressure


🎭 Performance vs Reality

The script pages suggest:

life as performance

identity as constructed
💬 Writing Style Analysis

The style is:

conversational
blunt
sometimes repetitive
Example repetition for emotional emphasis:
“I don’t fall asleep… I don’t want to… I am… wide awake.”

This works emotionally—but overuse weakens impact.

🧨 Final Verdict

This book is:

✔ Addictive
✔ Emotionally raw
✔ Conceptually bold

But also:

✖ Messy
✖ Poorly edited
✖ Overstuffed

⭐ Final Rating Breakdown

Category Rating

Story Concept ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Characters ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Writing Quality ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
Editing ⭐⭐☆☆☆
Emotional Impact ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

🏁 Final Score: 3.8 / 5 stars

📌 Who Should Read This?

You’ll like this if you enjoy:

dark queer fiction

messy psychological narratives

Wattpad-style intensity with thriller elements


Avoid if you want:

polished literary fiction

clean structure

consistent tone

( It was an ARC that u received)

[Tyler Bloodworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was amazing, fast paced. Page turner! A sexy thriller delivered with great dialogue and many twist and turns. Thanks to Gay Romance Reviews for this copy!

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4.25 stars

I have two things to say about this book before I head into the review: One, there is no incest in this book. Hunter is repressed, alone, and like many young men, he is exploring his sexuality. Nash is older and held up as a perfect specimen by Hunter’s parents; it’s titillation and taboo in a world where Hunter’s very sexuality is a taboo. Two, the focus of this book isn’t the plot and the zany hi-jinx so much as it is Hunter’s life falling apart around him, forcing him to be honest with himself about what he wants, what he needs, and who he is.

I enjoyed this book. It’s a lot, and there will be people who decline to read it due to Hunter’s fixation on his brother, and that’s fine. But I think, if you don’t take the plot too seriously, you should have a fun time with this one.

Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loving this story

This is such a fun follow up to book 1, interesting themes haha, but loving the pacing and suspense. I hope there's another book coming!

[Mantis Marr · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book made me cry, not because of how good it is but I was crying from laughter because of how bad the writing is. The way how characters are introduced reminds me so much of those "Am I The Asshole?" Reddit stories. I watched a stream of Anthony Auswat talking about his books and one point he says that his books are better read out loud. no they're not. I was reading this book with a friend and we read it out loud and the writing was still bad. At some parts while I was reading I was starting to think that the author does not believe in pronouns because of the amount of times the writing was just "Hunter said this, Hunter did that" within the same sentence. I could not sympathize with Hunter even though the book tried so hard too. I will give credit that the plot was interesting enough to want to keep reading however. Some moments the book tried to be serious, but were honestly more funny because of the writing (like the Huntersexual part). Overall I guess I would say that I did enjoy reading this book, I read this with a friend and we had a blast laughing and coming up with jokes.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a whirlwind of emotions - the things Hunter got himself into were crazy.
I'm still processing it all so this review is short and to the point.
It was wild, drove my anxiety up at times, but ended on a happy note that I am thankful for.

I received an ARC from Book Sirens for my honest review.

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Don’t know What to Think

Dee’s Grade: B-

This book was all over the place. According to the author’s not that was intentional. The author tried to insert a lot of diversity into the book. Often it was borderline offensive and stereotypical.

It felt like these were the views of the characters and they were immature and crude. The book could have benefited from a sensitivity reader.

[SJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This dark MM thriller is not for the faint of heart. It is harsh and messy, and it easily will make a sensitive reader really uncomfortable, so please check your triggers.

This book is insane! I was on the craziest roller-coaster ride. Its thriller vibes kept me on the edge-of-my-seat eagerly turning pages, trying to figure out what would happen next. It was definitely unexpected and kept me completely surprised and shocked. It's a fast read with a lot of moving parts, and I definitely recommend this unique thrilling ride.

This is the second book I've read by Anthony Auswat, and this author never fails to write thought-provoking chilling stories with characters that are morally complex, raw, and messy.

Tropes:
Taboo
Gay awakening
Slow-burn
Friends to lovers
Mental health rep

Check TW

Thank you, GRR and Anthony Auswat, for the opportunity to read this book.

[Samantha Cato · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, this was such a departure from what I usually read and I really enjoyed it!

[Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘I’m as queer as a rainbow flag, but nobody knows’ – A fascinating coming of age novel!

What a pleasure to meet new California author Anthony Auswat! To date he has published two books – THE TEACHER INSIDE ME and this winner, HUNTER’S HIDDEN CAMERA – and already he has gathered a following of committed readers because of his amazing writing skills. Described as a coming-of-age psychological thriller that ‘a lot of it came from a very personal place,’ this fascinating novel secures attention in the opening lines: ‘My brother has BDE. He walks tall, stretching out his body, a reel-life Mr. Fantastic, his head held high but kind of cocked to the side, like he’s sizing up the world and impressed with what he sees…’

And this fascination leads to a very dark tale, summarized as follows: ‘Hunter seems to have it all: brains, biceps, and a bright future beyond the halls of his oppressive high school. He also has a private obsession that he knows is wrong: secretly recording his older brother, Nash, with a spy cam. It starts as a thrill and morphs into a power trip. But one day, the video footage reveals something so disturbing that it cracks Hunter’s life straight down the middle. Now he’s trapped in a nightmare where desire leaves fingerprints, loyalty pulls triggers, and the brother he thought he knew might be the most dangerous person in the room. To survive what he’s uncovered, Hunter turns to his best friend, Oscar, who may also be the man Hunter never knew he needed. When the family you’re born into puts you at risk, the family you choose may be the only thing that keeps you alive.’ This is a compelling story, successful on many levels, and introduces an author who deserves his rising fame. Very highly recommended.

[Nadine Sturgill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insane twist!

4.5☆

This was definitely an interesting book. Hunter is the typical teenage boy who is trying to hide the fact that he is gay. He is also a sneaky little freak, hiding a spy cam in his brother's room & in the bathroom. And this is the kick starter to the chaos that this book becomes. I absolutely mean that in a good way!

Received a copy of this through LiteraryInspired and the, author, Anthony Auswat.

[smatchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

WHAT THE HELL DID I JUST READ?!?

This book starts out somewhat normally. Teen boy is gay, neglected by his family, obsessed with his brother who is popular and handsome, ok. Hides a camera and sells the videos online to make money, ok dark but still pretty “normal” for lack of a better word.

When he sees something he shouldn’t (no spoilers!), what follows is the craziest path to two boys kissing I have ever read.

[Obinna Tony-Francis · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5

I received an advance review copy at no cost, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is my second book from the author that I’m reading and I think this one had a better promise but they both did the same thing, selling the utmost fantasy of what goes on in a gay guy's head and not obtainable in real life. Just a bunch of messy narratives that keep you screaming, “What the hell is happening here?”

I prefer the pacing in this one and the story development but it went downhill as it progressed. It felt like the writer wanted to end it and then started introducing numerous plot twists, but if you love some messy drama and an out-of-this-world gay universe, then this is your best world to dive into.

It’s a fast read and also sweet to read. Great language and smooth writing. I will recommend it if you are open-minded.

[Ric Eberle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I don’t want to give anything away so just take it from me that this a roller coaster of a coming of age story, full of intrigue, lies, deceit, true friendship, murder and romance.

I sure hope that we get to read more about Hunter and Oscar!

This would be a great movie!

[Moon Side Sun · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is definitely not for everyone, it has some almost taboo themes and is pretty dark and intense. It did keep me on the edge of my seat for the most part. The romantic relationship was not the most important aspect of this book, but it was present nonetheless, even if the ending was not as happy as one might have expected. Overall great book for thrill seekers and someone looking to read action based book.

[KaRon Spriggs-bethea · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a ride! I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Honestly, I did not want to put this down. Many times, I should have been sleeping but I kept saying to myself that I could read one more chapter. There were many twists that kept me at the edge of my seat. I appreciate how the author is able to develop the characters and move the storyline along.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, I was going to give it an average rating (mostly because it was entertaining, fast - paced, like nothing I've ever read and I finished it in an afternoon which doesn't usually happens).
However, in the end it fell flat. It was over the top and unrealistic and that was its undoing.
Also, I need to say. This is not a dark MM romance.
Where is the romance between these two brothers? That was 100% a marketing strategy.

[Naito Diamond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hunter's Hidden Camera by Anthony Auswat presents itself as a psychological thriller, but in reality, it’s a much lighter read than that label might suggest.

While there are definitely thriller elements, the story often leans into absurdity in ways that make it feel surprisingly comedic. Some moments were admittedly a bit hard to believe, but rather than detracting from the experience, that exaggerated chaos actually added to the book’s charm.

I genuinely laughed quite a lot watching Hunter’s increasingly chaotic spiral unfold. There’s an entertaining unpredictability to how everything unravels, and that balance between tension and humor gave the story a unique flavor.

As someone who usually prefers darker themes and more grounded, immersive worldbuilding, this wasn’t entirely my usual style. Still, I found it refreshing to read something that sat somewhere between psychological thriller and comedy.

Overall, it was an enjoyable, quirky read—light, chaotic, and fun in its own unconventional way.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jennifer Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

🤯

This book.... whew! It had me on a leash and was leading me all over the place! I felt just like the main character, clueless as to what the hell was going on (but in a good way). I never knew what was coming next, and I never got to a point where I knew where it was going before it was stated (except for the glasses and a bit about the "party").

Yes, the plot was a bit far-fetched in a comedy of errors sort of way, but the characters felt authentic, including the ending between Hunter and Oscar. This was definitely one wild ride!

Spice level:🌶🌶 out of 5, but there was so much going on that I didn't miss it.

[Mx Phoebe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hunter’s Hidden Camera is a mix of taboo drama, violence, action, and first love where people don’t want to come out of the closet. It’s teen angst with movie drama thrown in…think Judd Apatow produced movies. It’s the right kind of twisted.

“Thank you, Point Liberty Press, for providing this book for review consideration via Gay Book Promotions. All opinions are my own.”

[kendrix · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks Reedsy and Anthony for trusting me again with your sophomore work. Anthony is proving himself to be a prolific writer in the gay erotic thriller space and this second outing is evident that his voice and craft are just improving with time. I certainly enjoyed every page of this exhilarating, incredible novel.

To start, Hunter’s Hidden Camera proves to be an even better follow-up to an already strong debut with The Teacher Inside Me. Both feature a closeted young protagonist in his exploration of his sexuality who unwittingly falls into circumstances beyond his control. What Anthony explored in The Teacher Inside Me, he builds on it here with the thrilling aspects increased up multiple antes - so much so that it makes the suspenseful elements in the story so tantalising to read. Though it may seem like I took a longer time to read this, in truth, every time I pick up this novel, I just cannot put it down! The difference this time as compared to the last is that I’m reading this while juggling my work while I read his previous work while on holiday.

Even though the novel contains unexpected turns with elements like drug kingpins and porn empires, I was never taken out of it because of how tightly and brilliantly Anthony plots these in his story. And every time we are introduced to these wild elements, Anthony walks the reader through from point A to point B, which is why it is such an easy read. With a title like Hunter’s Hidden Camera, you are going into the story with some suspension of disbelief, so the expectation is that when the story goes wild (and it does in the most delightful of ways), you are not taken aback and instead encouraged to enjoy the ride with no judgment. With this novel, you get exactly what you’re promised in the blurb - a great story that is both fun and thrilling!

I don’t know if I have any criticisms of this novel. I think the reveals are predictable yet delightful. I figured that a certain character was not dead the entire time but the fact that he could keep me guessing and question myself is an incredible feat. I also anticipated that the bad guy was not going to actually kill one of our characters, but it is exciting to be kept on my toes about his fate.

The greatest strength in Anthony’s writing is how he crafts his characters, like they are all delightfully grey in their morality and intentions. Just like in real life, it makes their motivations believable and helps to make characters like Hunter empathetic through his flaws. I guess the only small criticism is the twist at the end when our two characters got together, especially when the character has been portrayed as a hyper masculine, heterosexual type the entire story, but again, some suspension of disbelief is expected, and in the context of the story, it is not all that wild considering we have all met the hyper straight man who would kiss a boy after three drinks.

I cannot recommend this enough. I hope we get more stories from Anthony in the future. Whatever that is in whatever form, I know that it will be a wild ride and I will be reserving my next read from him at the beach, drink in hand, ready to take it all in one sitting.

[Gale MR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anthony Auswat! Remember this name if you are craving a gritty, thought provoking thriller with characters that defy the labels. I wouldn't call it a Gay thriller because the focus of the story isn't sorely on the coming out aspect even though it's a significant element that colors the reading experience.
There is a quote from the book that has captured the essence so accurately with heart stabbing precision.
"I told you. I'm not gay. I'm not bi. And I'm not saying all this 'cause I'm in the closet or some shit. I'm not.
"But with you, somehow, it's different, I don't know, it's crazy. I'm kinda that way for you." I say ..."/Oscar/
"Society wants to label people, wants to shove people in a box, force them into a category. But it doesn't have to be like that. You don't have to be anything other than Oscar."
This is a thriller but the author has implemented masterfully very pressing mental health topics like self harm and the currently expanding social problem of people pushed into one and the same boxes, having to adjust to a certain social code expectations and be the citizens of a human society that has very twisted "ideals", "norms" and fading morals.
In such kind of society where every single person has to fit and conform, Hunter doesn't feel comfortable in his societal "box". Being unwanted by his family and cast aside to face life head on without emotional and family support has shaped his personality, thinking and even the choices he makes. The complex living situation is even harder to endure because he has an older brother, the one his family actually wanted. The author has brilliantly developed the story from one seemingly "innocent" and "harmless" thread - the Golden child against the Fallout of one unwanted pregnancy. Two brothers set on different paths from birth. And this Thread spins uncontrollably in a web of lies, fear, anxiety,self harm, doubt, pain and so much more. Once again I wasn't disappointed opening a book from this author. Mind the trigger warnings because this is the kind of story that worms its way deep into the heart and settles comfortably there while your mind tries to make sense of all the events unfolding on page like small Domino tiles hitting each other and falling down.
Hunter doesn't even duel too much on the camera he installs in his brother bathroom. He is just set on pursing his goals and finding the money to achieve them. One simple act of defiance, anger and frustration that he is once again left on his own leads to a world of destruction and the reveal of what life truly is, exposing secrets, hidden in plain sight and showing the true faces of people he thought he knew. But nothing is ever what it truly is on surface level. There is depth and deception, far bigger than what Hunter thought.
Once again the author has delivered a top notch story that hits a reader with intensity, thoughtfulness and raw emotional impact.

[BookBelow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hunter’s Hidden Camera really grabs your attention from the start and keeps you hooked. Anthony Auswat has written a story that feels raw and brave, but also surprisingly gentle. It follows a queer teen coming into his own, wrapped inside a thriller that isn’t afraid to take risks.

The story belongs to Hunter: eighteen, in conservative Point Liberty, living in his brother Nash’s shadow and hiding that he’s gay from his Irish Catholic family, his girlfriend Emma, and almost everyone else. When he starts secretly filming Nash and monetizing the footage online, what begins as a twisted way to pay for college spirals once Nash’s real life—drugs, a Russian crime boss—crashes in. Best friend Oscar gets pulled into the chaos, and the book becomes as much about saving each other as it is about Hunter finally facing who he is. I won’t spoil the end, but the last stretch hit me harder than I expected—the kind of ending that sticks with you for a bit. Messy, morally complicated, and human.

Hunter’s voice is the book’s strongest asset: funny, self-aware, painfully honest about desire, shame, and performing straightness. Oscar, Emma, cousin Patricia, and the chosen family around Jo feel real, not props. The prose is direct; the content warnings (sex, violence, suicidal ideation) are earned. The thriller plot sometimes stretches credulity, and the mix of high school drama and organized crime won’t be for everyone—but the emotional core holds. The way Auswat handles identity without forcing labels, and the “take it slow” ending between Hunter and Oscar, landed for me with genuine warmth after so much darkness.

It’s a sharp, personal novel about the cost of hiding and the relief of being seen. If you’re okay with dark material and want a queer story that goes to uncomfortable places and still finds hope, I’d say this one’s worth your time.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story was a RIDE, I hadn't closely read the synopsis and warnings (I don't really care about trigger warnings so I never pay close attention) so how we started off the story with Hunter was a surprise. The description of morally messy characters is so very accurate for several people in several ways, even Hunter's absent through the story time-frame parents, I have thoughts and we didn't even meet them. The taboo things were there, but we didn't get too far into it or push those boundaries too much, and things definitely could have easily gone farther and darker.
This isn't a long book but we meet a lot of people and a lot happens, it's relatively fast paced entire time, and managed to actually throw me a twist I wasn't expecting which doesn't happen a lot for me. There were a lot of side characters and activity that were kind of thrown in but not actually important to the story, I didn't love that there were quite so many people. I have seen there was another book set in this universe and that might be why one of them was present in current story, I'll have to go read that one now though because I expected more from this person and we didn't get it, I want to know more of their story.
This did end up coming together into a relatively happy ending, things were wrapped up for us, which I really appreciate in a book. There were some bits of the middle that the writing off for me and I checked out a little bit from the story. This one was probably more of a 2.5 for me, but I'm rounding up to a 3.

[Debby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hunter seems to have it all – brains, brawn, and a potentially good life after high school. He does have a few problems. He is gay but living the life of a straight man, complete with a girlfriend. He has an obsession with his brother, Nash, his parents’ shining star. He buys a spy cam and start recording his brother and using those recordings to make a lot of money. When he captures something unexpected on the spy cam, Hunter finds his life completely extirpated. He needs help and he turns to his best friend, Oscar. The two learn that Nash is so much more than they thought. Nash could very well be the most dangerous person in his life.

So much is going on in this story. Hunter is definitely not the favored child while Nash certainly is. Hunter has so much growing to do and only one weekend to accomplish it. While Hunter is plagued by guilt, and jealousy, at the same time, he is determined to do the right thing, no matter the cost. What started as something that should have resolved itself easily morphed into danger, surprises, and more than a few misinterpretations. Intensity and danger increase as the story unfolds as well as more revealing more than a few surprises. This is one story that will stay with you long after the last word has been read. An excellent coming of age thriller, this book is perfect for anyone who enjoys a thriller with lots of surprises to uncover.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Merissa (Archaeolibrarian) · Rating 3 out of 5]

HUNTER'S HIDDEN CAMERA is a standalone story that deals with sensitive subjects, like mental health, taboo obsession, drugs, anxiety, self-harm, and homophobia.

This is the first book by this author I have read, so I had no idea about the writing style. I can say that it didn't really work for me. It is first person, present tense, which I usually don't mind, but this was very messy. I don't know if it is actually supposed to be a reflection of Hunter's mind - in which case, it worked very well!

The writing style changed occasionally from being a 'story' to being more like a play. Instead of reading it as paragraphs, it became 'Me:..., Emma:..., Blanca:..., Oscar:...' There was no explanation for the change; it just happened, sometimes with 'normal' sentences in the middle.

There are a lot of characters in here, from Hunter and his girlfriend, to his best friend and his girlfriend, to other friends, his brother, cousins, and forever missing parents. The number of characters helped with the messy feel of the book, too.

While I appreciate the hard work that has gone into writing this book, it isn't one that I particularly enjoyed. It is a fairly short book, though, and the chapters fly by at a fast pace. 2.5 rounded up.

** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 10, 2026

[Michael Greenwaldt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to get an early copy of Hunter’s Hidden Cameras, and I liked it just as much—if not a bit more—than The Teacher Inside Me.

This is a dark, sexy, fast-paced gay thriller that completely pulled me in. It’s the kind of book you fly through in one sitting—and then immediately wish it was longer because you’re not ready to leave it behind.

What really made this one stand out for me was Hunter. He’s definitely not a perfect character—he made some very questionable choices to get into this mess, but being inside his head made it impossible not to feel for him anyway. I found myself rooting for him through it all.

The story builds tension really well, and once things start unfolding in the back half, it gets especially gripping. I don’t want to say too much and spoil anything, but the mystery kept me hooked and paid off in a really satisfying way.

If I had one complaint, it’s honestly just that I wanted more. More story, more time with these characters, and yes…maybe just a little more spice too. I would absolutely read a sequel in a heartbeat.

If you liked The Teacher Inside Me, this is a must-read. I’d also recommend it to anyone who enjoys dark, slightly taboo-leaning LGBTQ+ thrillers with a sexy edge.