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Last to Die
He watches. He waits. He kills... When Jessie Conway survives a horrific mass high school shooting, in the aftermath she finds herself thrust into the media spotlight, drawing all kinds of attention. But some of it is the wrong kind. Caleb Switch , a sadistic serial killer, has been watching her every move. A skilled hunter, he likes his victims to be a challenge. Jessie is strong, fearless, a survivor, and now… she is his ultimate prey. As Caleb picks off his current victims one by one, chasing, killing and butchering them with his crossbow, he’s closing in on Jessie... But will Jessie defy the odds and escape with her life? Or will she be Caleb’s final sacrifice … A clever, dangerously twisted thriller that will have fans of Tess Gerritsen and Karin Slaughter gripped until the very last page. What readers are saying about Last to ‘A taut, sharp, gripping reimagining of the serial-killer novel.’ Tana French ‘Absolutely relentless in pace... I became totally immersed in Last to Die. It's a story of survival and there was certainly plenty of tension and suspense to keep me reading late into the evening.’ The Book Review Café ‘This book needs to be finished in one sitting... Jessie had a lot of grit and was a strong main character. Caleb was a true sociopath. Put these two characters together and you are in for a real treat. My first book by this author and definitely it won't be my last. Highly recommend reading this. But clear your calendar because you won't be moving until you finish.’ Laura’s Book Reviews
354 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 24, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
December 11, 2016
LAST TO DIE by Arlene Hunt is a psychological thriller that will have you flipping the pages to see what will happen next. This is the first novel I have read by this author and it won’t be my last. I was immediately drawn in by the narrative on the cover.
“He watches. He waits. He wants her…dead or alive.”
Jessie Conway is a thirty eight year old, married special Ed teacher at Rockville High, whose world turns upside down one day at school. Most of the children were the product of dysfunctional families, neglect, physical and mental abuse and in many cases were being raised by the grandparents. The story opens with a school mass shooting where Jessie becomes the “Hero” after saving so many lives and taking down the two shooters.
“He was fourteen with a loaded gun.”
Mike Conway, Jessie’s loving husband runs his own auto repair shop, and is assisted by his brother, Ace, who was on patrol and one of the conditions was that he must involve himself in gainful employment. Ace was always late for work or hung over. Over time, we see Ace mature and become a better person…one you might even like.
Darla Levine, is a pushy reporter who works for the Rockville Gazette, along with her cameraman, “Chippy” Gomez, got a call from the office of a possible shooting of a kid at the High School. They raced to the scene. Darla is desperate to get an exclusive interview with Jessie at the hospital, but Jessie just wants to be left alone. In order to keep her job and get a story, she digs deeper into her background and learns things that even her husband didn't know!
There was a serial killer…an apex hunter of human prey…a master of disguise, strong and smart, but a man without mercy, who blended into his environment. He categorizes his victims in category A or B, A being smart and more of a challenge. He researches and stalks all his victims and then kidnaps the women and takes them deep into the mountains for a private hunt. He allows them a 5-minute head start, and then he sets off after them with his rifle and bow. “Time to hunt.” It was all a game to him…and one that he thoroughly enjoyed.
This story revolved around the “battle of survival and a test of wills”
The POV switches between the different perspectives, and allows for greater depth to the book. This is a well-developed book, from the clever title and front cover, to the ending. Characters come alive as you read each small detail unfolding. I found there was a slight lull in the middle of the book, and for that reason, I have rated it as a 4 and not a 5. I highly recommend this book
Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley who provided a digital copy.
“He watches. He waits. He wants her…dead or alive.”
Jessie Conway is a thirty eight year old, married special Ed teacher at Rockville High, whose world turns upside down one day at school. Most of the children were the product of dysfunctional families, neglect, physical and mental abuse and in many cases were being raised by the grandparents. The story opens with a school mass shooting where Jessie becomes the “Hero” after saving so many lives and taking down the two shooters.
“He was fourteen with a loaded gun.”
Mike Conway, Jessie’s loving husband runs his own auto repair shop, and is assisted by his brother, Ace, who was on patrol and one of the conditions was that he must involve himself in gainful employment. Ace was always late for work or hung over. Over time, we see Ace mature and become a better person…one you might even like.
Darla Levine, is a pushy reporter who works for the Rockville Gazette, along with her cameraman, “Chippy” Gomez, got a call from the office of a possible shooting of a kid at the High School. They raced to the scene. Darla is desperate to get an exclusive interview with Jessie at the hospital, but Jessie just wants to be left alone. In order to keep her job and get a story, she digs deeper into her background and learns things that even her husband didn't know!
There was a serial killer…an apex hunter of human prey…a master of disguise, strong and smart, but a man without mercy, who blended into his environment. He categorizes his victims in category A or B, A being smart and more of a challenge. He researches and stalks all his victims and then kidnaps the women and takes them deep into the mountains for a private hunt. He allows them a 5-minute head start, and then he sets off after them with his rifle and bow. “Time to hunt.” It was all a game to him…and one that he thoroughly enjoyed.
This story revolved around the “battle of survival and a test of wills”
The POV switches between the different perspectives, and allows for greater depth to the book. This is a well-developed book, from the clever title and front cover, to the ending. Characters come alive as you read each small detail unfolding. I found there was a slight lull in the middle of the book, and for that reason, I have rated it as a 4 and not a 5. I highly recommend this book
Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley who provided a digital copy.
April 22, 2017
I don't want to give too much away about this book. It started off slowly, but built up in momentum and ended up being a really good read. I have read other books with a similar theme, but this is definitely one of the better ones.
To quote the author ' this is a true battle for survival and a test of wills. I have pulled no punches, and no character is above harm......An apex hunter, Caleb Switch is strong, capable, intelligent and utterly without mercy. He blends into his surroundings, the kind of man of whom his neighbours would say, 'Oh him? He just seemed a regular guy.' But there is nothing regular about Caleb Switch. You don't ever want to let him take you into the mountains. NOT EVER.'
Thank you to Bookouture via NetGalley for a digital ARC of Last to Die by Arlene Hunt for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
To quote the author ' this is a true battle for survival and a test of wills. I have pulled no punches, and no character is above harm......An apex hunter, Caleb Switch is strong, capable, intelligent and utterly without mercy. He blends into his surroundings, the kind of man of whom his neighbours would say, 'Oh him? He just seemed a regular guy.' But there is nothing regular about Caleb Switch. You don't ever want to let him take you into the mountains. NOT EVER.'
Thank you to Bookouture via NetGalley for a digital ARC of Last to Die by Arlene Hunt for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
May 1, 2016
This was a doozy of a book, with real character and a complicated morality. Even though the school shooting in the opener and the hunter as 'hunter of humans' are not new ideas, the author injected freshness to the story in all the bits surrounding these two points. It lived through the strength of the people and their interactions. Jessie is a character you really want to get behind, capable and flawed and more than a little unlucky. The supporting cast held their own too, especially Ace and his dog, Captain. The villain, Caleb, was something else. Relentless. Focused. Clever. Along with the potential zombie apocalypse, he's given me another reason to keep up my marathon training.
Many thanks to Arlene Hunt, Bookouture, and Netgalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
Many thanks to Arlene Hunt, Bookouture, and Netgalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 5, 2016
3.5 stars
I didn't love or hate this…it was just okay.
Fairly predictable storyline with some diversions added which I am assuming was an attempt to ramp up the mystery. It just didn't do it for me.
I think with more in-depth character development and less side stories this would have been more of a page turner for me.
Again it wasn't bad, just unremarkable.
My thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I didn't love or hate this…it was just okay.
Fairly predictable storyline with some diversions added which I am assuming was an attempt to ramp up the mystery. It just didn't do it for me.
I think with more in-depth character development and less side stories this would have been more of a page turner for me.
Again it wasn't bad, just unremarkable.
My thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 19, 2016
Jessie Conway thought she'd left her past behind her and built a new life with a good job and a loving husband. But when she intervenes in a mass shooting at the school where she teaches and is labelled a hero she attracts the attention of a cold inhumane killer. Caleb Switch is a sadistic psychopath who loves to stalk and then hunt his victims. But he may just have met his match in Jessie.
Although this has a somewhat predictable storyline in that we know who the serial killer is and that he has his sights set on Jessie, it's well told from different points of view. Caleb is as cold and unempathetic as any psychopath could be and a ruthless hunter who is used to always getting his prey in the end. Jessie is portrayed as a strong, smart and gutsy woman with a huge will to survive. One of my favourite character's was Ace, Jessie's brother in law who has served time in prison and is initially portrayed as feckless and unreliable. He really matures over the course of the novel and comes to Jessie's aid when he is most needed. Not too many unexpected twists and turns but an excellent ending.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher Bookouture for a digital copy of the book to read and review
Although this has a somewhat predictable storyline in that we know who the serial killer is and that he has his sights set on Jessie, it's well told from different points of view. Caleb is as cold and unempathetic as any psychopath could be and a ruthless hunter who is used to always getting his prey in the end. Jessie is portrayed as a strong, smart and gutsy woman with a huge will to survive. One of my favourite character's was Ace, Jessie's brother in law who has served time in prison and is initially portrayed as feckless and unreliable. He really matures over the course of the novel and comes to Jessie's aid when he is most needed. Not too many unexpected twists and turns but an excellent ending.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher Bookouture for a digital copy of the book to read and review
May 22, 2016
Jessie is school teacher. She is also the town's heroine when she's responsible for taking down the two students who were firing automatic weapons at other students and teachers. Suffering from PTSD and recovering from her injuries, she just wants to be left alone and deal with the shakes, the nightmares, the memory of killing a 14-year-old child.
A very determined reporter desperately needs an interview and she goes after Jessie with a vengeance. The reporter digs into Jessie's past and discovers things that even her husband didn't know.
Meanwhile, there is a serial killer looking for his next victim. He's armed with a knife, a gun, and a long bow. He kidnaps his victims, drives them into the mountains, turns them loose with a 5-minute head start. To date, no one has survived.
He happens to be between hunts, when he sees the news that features Jessie. He figures she will be a fighter and he loves to have a good fight.
The action picks up by leaps and bounds when he manages to get Jessie trapped in his car.
The plot is good, other than it's not new or unique. I did like the characters .. Jessie makes a good anti-hero. Her husband, Mark, is a good man and he loves his wife, but he just can't understand why she never told him about her past. Mark's brother, Ace, is an ex-felon, but he's got his brother's back and Jessie's. The lady reporter had my hackles rising at several points. She's the character you like to dislike.
All in all a good read ... the ending was somewhat of a surprise.
My thanks to the author / Bookouture / NetGalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
A very determined reporter desperately needs an interview and she goes after Jessie with a vengeance. The reporter digs into Jessie's past and discovers things that even her husband didn't know.
Meanwhile, there is a serial killer looking for his next victim. He's armed with a knife, a gun, and a long bow. He kidnaps his victims, drives them into the mountains, turns them loose with a 5-minute head start. To date, no one has survived.
He happens to be between hunts, when he sees the news that features Jessie. He figures she will be a fighter and he loves to have a good fight.
The action picks up by leaps and bounds when he manages to get Jessie trapped in his car.
The plot is good, other than it's not new or unique. I did like the characters .. Jessie makes a good anti-hero. Her husband, Mark, is a good man and he loves his wife, but he just can't understand why she never told him about her past. Mark's brother, Ace, is an ex-felon, but he's got his brother's back and Jessie's. The lady reporter had my hackles rising at several points. She's the character you like to dislike.
All in all a good read ... the ending was somewhat of a surprise.
My thanks to the author / Bookouture / NetGalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
March 17, 2019
Jessie is a special education teacher, who killed a gunman after to students began firing automatic weapons around the cafeteria. Two students were killed before she was able to shoot one of them. She is hailed as a local hero, but suffering from PTSD and recovering from her injuries, she just wants to be left alone to deal with the memory of killing a 14-year-old child. The media is klammering to get an interview with her, but she refuses. One reporter desperately needs an interview and she goes after Jessie with a vengeance. Digging into her past, she unearths information that no one knew and Jessie had hoped would remain buried. Meanwhile, there is a serial killer looking for his next victim. He's armed with a knife, a gun, and a longbow. He kidnaps his victims, drives them into the mountains, turns them loose with a 5-minute head start, then hunts them down. To date, no one has survived. He has set his sights set on Jessie, figuring that she will be a fighter and he loves to be challenged. He has no idea how much of a fighter Jessie is.
This plot is not new, but it is well written. The pace is slow during the build up, but then it takes off. I liked most of the characters, especially Jessie. She is a damaged character who makes a good anti-hero. Her husband, Mark, is a good man and he loves his wife, but when he is blindsided by Jessie's secrets, he isn't quite sure what to think. I really liked Mark's brother, Ace. He is an ex-felon who will do anything for Jessie. She stood up for him against his family and he loves her for that. Of course the characters we are not supposed to like, Caleb and Darla the reporter, are easily disliked. The POV switches between Caleb's and Jessie's perspectives, and allows for insight into both of them, thus giving greater depth to the book. I enjoyed this story, listening to it well after I should have gone to bed. The narrator did a great job with the reading of this book. The voices were easily distinguished, although not all that much different from one another, it still worked. I recommend this one to those who enjoy thrillers, especially those with a cat and mouse chase in the plot as well as a well written story.
This plot is not new, but it is well written. The pace is slow during the build up, but then it takes off. I liked most of the characters, especially Jessie. She is a damaged character who makes a good anti-hero. Her husband, Mark, is a good man and he loves his wife, but when he is blindsided by Jessie's secrets, he isn't quite sure what to think. I really liked Mark's brother, Ace. He is an ex-felon who will do anything for Jessie. She stood up for him against his family and he loves her for that. Of course the characters we are not supposed to like, Caleb and Darla the reporter, are easily disliked. The POV switches between Caleb's and Jessie's perspectives, and allows for insight into both of them, thus giving greater depth to the book. I enjoyed this story, listening to it well after I should have gone to bed. The narrator did a great job with the reading of this book. The voices were easily distinguished, although not all that much different from one another, it still worked. I recommend this one to those who enjoy thrillers, especially those with a cat and mouse chase in the plot as well as a well written story.
August 17, 2017
Jessie Conway finds herself caught up in the midst of a school mass shooting, many see her as brave and a hero but the cold blooded killer thinks otherwise. Soon, due to the attention, a reporter starts digging into her past and soon secrets of her life are revealed, secrets that she has kept away from those close to her. Jessie is a strong character and I really liked her, this is an excellent story and I read it in two sittings. Full of suspence, the tension builds and builds until it's satisfying ending. Highly recommended. Thanks to Netgalley and the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 30, 2016
Oh I really enjoy a cat and mouse stalker, whose watching me kind of book at times.
Keeps me alert, keeps my brain ticking over and keeps me awake!
There was a mass murder at Jessie's high school and she was Jessie survives to tell the tale, the media are all over her like a rash.
But not all media attention is good and we never know who may be watching.
Because Jessie is a strong person, she knows her own mind, shes a survivor. This now makes her a challenge to someone. Someone who wants to prey on her and take her down.
Jessie isn't a young girl, she is 38 years old and was a special Ed teacher at the school.
She taught children who had special needs, ones that were abused, neglected, from dysfunctional families being reared mainly by grandparents.
Jessie knows how life can be tough.
But is she tough enough?
This is a sure 'sit on the edge of your seat and bite your nails' thriller.
I have just had to give this 5 stars its been a journey of fast heart beats to tension to panting for breath.
Riveting.
My thanks to Bookouture via Net Galley for my copy
June 7, 2016
Teacher Jessie risks her life during a high school shooting and becomes a local hero. The ensuing media spotlight, however, reveals details of Jessie's past that not even her husband Mike was aware of. On top of that, it brings Jessie to the attention of a hunting-obsessed serial killer who believes Jessie would prove to be an exciting, worthwhile object for his next hunt.
This was quite a decent storyline and deserves some praise for being a bit different from the usual serial killer thriller. But it also had a couple of flaws. The side story about the reporter was left unfinished, and there was too much detailed information on some side characters that felt unnecessary for the progression of the plot, slowed the pace and never went anywhere. The beginning and the final third were pretty gripping, but in-between there was a bit of a lull.
Nonetheless, I liked all the characters and the different perspectives, including Caleb's, the serial killer's, worked well. For me, the star of the show was Jessie's brother-in-law, Ace, and his dog. Loved them. An enjoyable read if you like action coupled with a small town and wilderness setting and want something different from the police-based serial killer procedurals. 3.5 stars.
I received an ARC from Bookouture via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was quite a decent storyline and deserves some praise for being a bit different from the usual serial killer thriller. But it also had a couple of flaws. The side story about the reporter was left unfinished, and there was too much detailed information on some side characters that felt unnecessary for the progression of the plot, slowed the pace and never went anywhere. The beginning and the final third were pretty gripping, but in-between there was a bit of a lull.
Nonetheless, I liked all the characters and the different perspectives, including Caleb's, the serial killer's, worked well. For me, the star of the show was Jessie's brother-in-law, Ace, and his dog. Loved them. An enjoyable read if you like action coupled with a small town and wilderness setting and want something different from the police-based serial killer procedurals. 3.5 stars.
I received an ARC from Bookouture via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 23, 2016
I would like to thank Net Galley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this Advanced Reader’s Copy.
Last To Die by Arlene Hunt is a fast paced, edge of your seat thriller that follows Jessie and Mike Conway, and Caleb Switch.
Jessie is a hero in her own right as she single handedly brings down a school shooter and minimizes the deaths and damages down at the hand of these disturbed children. While Jessie has a hard time coming to terms with her actions, little does she know that she has much tougher days ahead at the hands of hunter, Caleb.
Told in alternating perspectives, Jessie learns that the world is a very dark place and heroes like her are few and far between. She has dealt with death in the past and continues to deal with it as the story progresses. In a rare, twist, Jessie’s heroism is what puts her in the sights of human hunter, Caleb as he attempts to find someone worthy of the hunt. Jessie is not one to fall easily and must do what she can to escape the clutches of the game she thrown into while her husband Mike tries to convince the community his wife is in danger.
This book is one that could easily be read in a day. It’s one of those stories that is so good that you put it down so that you can savor the story and lengthen the time you are reading it. This is a thriller that deals with the adverse effects of being a hero and being in the spotlight. Explosive themes and taboo ideas keep you reading well into the morning. Jessie is a classic heroine who you easily identify as a character that will not go down without a fight. She has skeletons in her closet that help push her to being this type of character. Caleb is a well written psychopath that you very early on begin to despise. He is flawed in every way, making him the perfect killer.
Not only is this an amazing thriller, but the author has spotlessly developed accents and scenery so real that you will truly feel you are there. The dialog between the characters is real and you feel the true emotion (and lack of emotion in Caleb’s case) that these characters are going through.
The only thing I wish this story had more of was backstory. We get a glimpse of Jessie’s past, but it would be interesting to have more and to really see where she came from in order to develop her into this fearless hero that won’t give up. Also, Ace is a very interesting character that I would have loved to get to know more of. His backstory would have helped to progress the story in a way that didn’t seem so coincidental in finding Jessie.
I would definitely recommend this book to lovers of thrillers! There is a uniqueness to this story that I haven’t found in other books of this genre and would love to see more of these themes in the future.
Please follow all my reviews at https://alohareviews.wordpress.com/
Last To Die by Arlene Hunt is a fast paced, edge of your seat thriller that follows Jessie and Mike Conway, and Caleb Switch.
Jessie is a hero in her own right as she single handedly brings down a school shooter and minimizes the deaths and damages down at the hand of these disturbed children. While Jessie has a hard time coming to terms with her actions, little does she know that she has much tougher days ahead at the hands of hunter, Caleb.
Told in alternating perspectives, Jessie learns that the world is a very dark place and heroes like her are few and far between. She has dealt with death in the past and continues to deal with it as the story progresses. In a rare, twist, Jessie’s heroism is what puts her in the sights of human hunter, Caleb as he attempts to find someone worthy of the hunt. Jessie is not one to fall easily and must do what she can to escape the clutches of the game she thrown into while her husband Mike tries to convince the community his wife is in danger.
This book is one that could easily be read in a day. It’s one of those stories that is so good that you put it down so that you can savor the story and lengthen the time you are reading it. This is a thriller that deals with the adverse effects of being a hero and being in the spotlight. Explosive themes and taboo ideas keep you reading well into the morning. Jessie is a classic heroine who you easily identify as a character that will not go down without a fight. She has skeletons in her closet that help push her to being this type of character. Caleb is a well written psychopath that you very early on begin to despise. He is flawed in every way, making him the perfect killer.
Not only is this an amazing thriller, but the author has spotlessly developed accents and scenery so real that you will truly feel you are there. The dialog between the characters is real and you feel the true emotion (and lack of emotion in Caleb’s case) that these characters are going through.
The only thing I wish this story had more of was backstory. We get a glimpse of Jessie’s past, but it would be interesting to have more and to really see where she came from in order to develop her into this fearless hero that won’t give up. Also, Ace is a very interesting character that I would have loved to get to know more of. His backstory would have helped to progress the story in a way that didn’t seem so coincidental in finding Jessie.
I would definitely recommend this book to lovers of thrillers! There is a uniqueness to this story that I haven’t found in other books of this genre and would love to see more of these themes in the future.
Please follow all my reviews at https://alohareviews.wordpress.com/
July 7, 2016
Gritty, Intense, Gripping, Chilling, Fascinating, Addictive & Heart Pounding! An Excellent Read! I Loved It!
June 24, 2016
I hadn't heard of this author before but she is certainly one I won't forget in a hurry! Last to Die is described as a psychological thriller and thrill it does. You are taken on an adrenaline fuelled chase throughout the plot, that once it grabs hold will be difficult to stop. It truly is a rollercoaster ride of a read and made me feel like I was struggling to escape from one of those awful "running away" nightmares!
Jessie is just the sort of female character that I like to read about. She is a strong minded individual who puts her life on the line in the opening pages of this book, she's definitely the one you'd like around in an emergency. Her experience at the start of the book throws us in at the deep end straightaway and then we are introduced to other characters like Mike, Ace and the dreadful local reporters who are the type to give journalism a bad name! During the middle of the book there was a lot of background information and setting the scene about why the characters behaved the way they did and it wasn't really until the last 30% of the book that things picked up again. From that point onwards it really became a race against time that I couldn't put down.
Arlene Hunt has created a creepy villain here who exudes evil. Sometimes during the book I felt like I was in one of those movies like Deliverance where the setting of the wide open countryside is as much of adversary as the hunter himself, watching and waiting to capture unsuspecting people in its traps.
If you like books by CJ Box or Rick Morfina then this will be right up your street and I will definitely be happy to read other books by Arlene Hunt in the future!
I received a copy of this book via netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
Jessie is just the sort of female character that I like to read about. She is a strong minded individual who puts her life on the line in the opening pages of this book, she's definitely the one you'd like around in an emergency. Her experience at the start of the book throws us in at the deep end straightaway and then we are introduced to other characters like Mike, Ace and the dreadful local reporters who are the type to give journalism a bad name! During the middle of the book there was a lot of background information and setting the scene about why the characters behaved the way they did and it wasn't really until the last 30% of the book that things picked up again. From that point onwards it really became a race against time that I couldn't put down.
Arlene Hunt has created a creepy villain here who exudes evil. Sometimes during the book I felt like I was in one of those movies like Deliverance where the setting of the wide open countryside is as much of adversary as the hunter himself, watching and waiting to capture unsuspecting people in its traps.
If you like books by CJ Box or Rick Morfina then this will be right up your street and I will definitely be happy to read other books by Arlene Hunt in the future!
I received a copy of this book via netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
October 10, 2016
Wow, I was expecting the usual over-hyped psychological thriller that was not that thrilling. Why did I buy it? Because I live in hope. (Note these reviews do not appear in the order I read them). This was really very good. In fact it was almost as harrowing as Tom Bale's All Fall Down. and I'd only just got my breath back before being swept into another nightmare scenario.
Jessie Conway's nerves are all shot to hell after she survives a school shooting where she performed heroic acts. But she feels really bad about having had to a (14 year old) child even though she had no choice. Unfortunately things are about to get a whole lot worse for Jessie.
The news coverage brings her to the attention of a most sadistic predator, Caleb Switch, who hunts women for sport. Mostly they cower in fear and are not enough of a challenge for him. Jessie, however, seems like a fighter and he is looking forward to hunting her. Sure enough he captures her and sets her off with a 5 minute head start. And so the hunt begins. Jessie is no pushover but can she prevail against a stronger, fitter and armed opponent who knows the terrain?
Let's face it, the plot is by no means unique, but I think this treatment of it was very well done and the action was pulse-pounding, and the lead character was not a weak, whiny woman, and there was no tedious romance so lots of ticks from me. But now I really do need something a little more soothing!
Jessie Conway's nerves are all shot to hell after she survives a school shooting where she performed heroic acts. But she feels really bad about having had to a (14 year old) child even though she had no choice. Unfortunately things are about to get a whole lot worse for Jessie.
The news coverage brings her to the attention of a most sadistic predator, Caleb Switch, who hunts women for sport. Mostly they cower in fear and are not enough of a challenge for him. Jessie, however, seems like a fighter and he is looking forward to hunting her. Sure enough he captures her and sets her off with a 5 minute head start. And so the hunt begins. Jessie is no pushover but can she prevail against a stronger, fitter and armed opponent who knows the terrain?
Let's face it, the plot is by no means unique, but I think this treatment of it was very well done and the action was pulse-pounding, and the lead character was not a weak, whiny woman, and there was no tedious romance so lots of ticks from me. But now I really do need something a little more soothing!
June 20, 2016
This book was previously published as 'The Chosen', so if you have read that book, this is the same one.
Imagine for one minute you're running for your life in the wilderness. You know that your killer is closing in on you and that no matter what he will find you. What would you do? Run as much as you can? But for how long can you keep running? Try and hide somewhere? He knows the area well, he'll find you anywhere. Or just give up and let him get you? Set in the mountainous regions of North Carolina and Tennessee, this is a suspenseful thriller that made me imagine myself in this terrifying situation.
Jessie Conway survives a mass shooting at the school where she teaches, and is praised by the press for her heroic deed. However, she's riddled by guilt, her nerves are in tatters and she's suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. Her husband Mike and his family all try to help her rebuild her life, but before that happens, her life is put in even more grave danger...
"I don't want to die. Please mister, I don't want to die."
Caleb Switch is an evil killing machine without feelings and emotions. He's a hunter - strong, capable, intelligent and without mercy. He lives for the thrill he gains from hunting. But his preys are not bucks, wolves or bears... they're humans. He's always on the lookout for the smartest prey possible to have his hunting skills truly challenged and his excitement heightened to a whole new level.
Watching the news, Caleb learns about Jessie's remarkable story. He's sure she would be an ideal candidate for his needs and immediately makes it a point to turn her into his ultimate prey...
With unwavering tension throughout, especially in the last 40 percent of the book where I was practically devouring the pages, this was a very enjoyable, gripping, fast-paced read. It kept me hooked till the end thanks to some interesting, flawed characters and a clever, suspenseful plot. This author's writing is just superb; it is fluid and with the short-chapter setting makes this an easy, fast read.
Though I could roughly guess how the author would end the book, she still managed to surprise me with a few unexpected twists. This is a terrifying book that made me actually look behind my back more than once. The author says that Caleb is one of the scariest villains she has ever created, and I have to say that he is truly one of the scariest fictional characters I've ever read about.
This was my first book by Arlene Hunt and it certainly won't be my last and I highly recommend it.
With thanks to Bookouture for bringing this author to my attention by approving my request to read and review this book through Netgalley.
Imagine for one minute you're running for your life in the wilderness. You know that your killer is closing in on you and that no matter what he will find you. What would you do? Run as much as you can? But for how long can you keep running? Try and hide somewhere? He knows the area well, he'll find you anywhere. Or just give up and let him get you? Set in the mountainous regions of North Carolina and Tennessee, this is a suspenseful thriller that made me imagine myself in this terrifying situation.
Jessie Conway survives a mass shooting at the school where she teaches, and is praised by the press for her heroic deed. However, she's riddled by guilt, her nerves are in tatters and she's suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. Her husband Mike and his family all try to help her rebuild her life, but before that happens, her life is put in even more grave danger...
"I don't want to die. Please mister, I don't want to die."
Caleb Switch is an evil killing machine without feelings and emotions. He's a hunter - strong, capable, intelligent and without mercy. He lives for the thrill he gains from hunting. But his preys are not bucks, wolves or bears... they're humans. He's always on the lookout for the smartest prey possible to have his hunting skills truly challenged and his excitement heightened to a whole new level.
Watching the news, Caleb learns about Jessie's remarkable story. He's sure she would be an ideal candidate for his needs and immediately makes it a point to turn her into his ultimate prey...
With unwavering tension throughout, especially in the last 40 percent of the book where I was practically devouring the pages, this was a very enjoyable, gripping, fast-paced read. It kept me hooked till the end thanks to some interesting, flawed characters and a clever, suspenseful plot. This author's writing is just superb; it is fluid and with the short-chapter setting makes this an easy, fast read.
Though I could roughly guess how the author would end the book, she still managed to surprise me with a few unexpected twists. This is a terrifying book that made me actually look behind my back more than once. The author says that Caleb is one of the scariest villains she has ever created, and I have to say that he is truly one of the scariest fictional characters I've ever read about.
This was my first book by Arlene Hunt and it certainly won't be my last and I highly recommend it.
With thanks to Bookouture for bringing this author to my attention by approving my request to read and review this book through Netgalley.
August 1, 2016
Seems I've been a roll lately with psychological thrillers. And this is one of the better ones for certain. Easy 5 stars.
It does start off a little oddly with a school shooting that's only given enough attention to launch the story which is about Jessie. Which is a hard thing because shootings are such a serious epidemic these days. Not to say it's taken lightly though.
Since Jessie ended up saving the day by taking down the one shooter and taking the miraculous opportunity given to shoot the other, she's become a huge hero to the community and it spreads out from there via the media.
But she shuns ALL of the attention. To a point where even those close to her start to wonder why she's so despondent.
Meanwhile, there's a sociopathic killer behaving as an apex predator categorizing everyone into category A or B. Bs being most suitable for stealing identities, or possessions for funds, or just to fulfill a momentary need to kill. As are the fun part. As will give him a bit of a challenge for him to hunt.
The story is straight forward and there's really not any twists to be had. There's at least one but it's not really a shocker.
What makes this book captivating is the well paced and written action. And quite a few of the supporting characters being given some decent depth even if only a small piece in the story.
Recommended for everyone. Especially if you like psychological thrillers that aren't cop or lawyer driven.
Thank you the publisher for the free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
It does start off a little oddly with a school shooting that's only given enough attention to launch the story which is about Jessie. Which is a hard thing because shootings are such a serious epidemic these days. Not to say it's taken lightly though.
Since Jessie ended up saving the day by taking down the one shooter and taking the miraculous opportunity given to shoot the other, she's become a huge hero to the community and it spreads out from there via the media.
But she shuns ALL of the attention. To a point where even those close to her start to wonder why she's so despondent.
Meanwhile, there's a sociopathic killer behaving as an apex predator categorizing everyone into category A or B. Bs being most suitable for stealing identities, or possessions for funds, or just to fulfill a momentary need to kill. As are the fun part. As will give him a bit of a challenge for him to hunt.
The story is straight forward and there's really not any twists to be had. There's at least one but it's not really a shocker.
What makes this book captivating is the well paced and written action. And quite a few of the supporting characters being given some decent depth even if only a small piece in the story.
Recommended for everyone. Especially if you like psychological thrillers that aren't cop or lawyer driven.
Thank you the publisher for the free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
June 25, 2016
Jessie Conway's heroic deed brings her unwanted attention while she's struggling to cope with the after-effects of the school shooting.
This isn't a whodunnit or mystery as such, rather a case of us waiting for the inevitable.
It's well paced and there's a tense of a ticking time bomb in the background.
It’s an enjoyable read and I easily raced through it in a couple of hours.
Read the full review on my blog: http://www.debbish.com/books-literatu...
This isn't a whodunnit or mystery as such, rather a case of us waiting for the inevitable.
It's well paced and there's a tense of a ticking time bomb in the background.
It’s an enjoyable read and I easily raced through it in a couple of hours.
Read the full review on my blog: http://www.debbish.com/books-literatu...
July 23, 2016
This book started off so promising! The opening chapter has us experience a genuinely chilling school shooting. In the midst of chaos, a young female teacher named Jessie manages to thwart them and is named a hero. Then the story perspective shifts to the second main character--a serial killer unimaginatively ripping on the short story "The Most Dangerous Game". With very rare exceptions, whenever I read a book where the author jumps in the mind of a serial killer, anything from their perspective just comes off forced and over the top--cartoonishly evil. We know from very on who the killer is, what his motivation is, and we know who he's after. There's not much in the way of suspense. He of course decides he wants to hunt Jessie, who may finally give him a challenge.
My problem is that the story is clunky. No one feels like a "real" person, not even Jessie. The big climactic hunt the entire book sets up read flat to me; yes, it was a dangerous situation but it didn't carry any weight with me, I didn't really believe there would be any outcome other than the one that happened. It's also an overly long book that feels like it meanders just to pump out more pages. This includes a goes-no-where subplot of a reporter looking for some dirt on Jessie, who we spend way too much time with, and after she serves her purpose of catalyst for a (non) reveal, she pretty much disappears. The school, other than appearing the opening scene, really has no bearing on the rest of the story either. There's just so much extraneous fluff that could have been easily excised. Aside from that, I have to be interested and invested in these characters to ever feel anything. Had the book retained the tension and characterizations of that opening chapter, this would be an amazing story. Unfortunately, there's too much going on and yet nothing happens. Far from a "thriller" for me.
ARC provided by NetGalley.
My problem is that the story is clunky. No one feels like a "real" person, not even Jessie. The big climactic hunt the entire book sets up read flat to me; yes, it was a dangerous situation but it didn't carry any weight with me, I didn't really believe there would be any outcome other than the one that happened. It's also an overly long book that feels like it meanders just to pump out more pages. This includes a goes-no-where subplot of a reporter looking for some dirt on Jessie, who we spend way too much time with, and after she serves her purpose of catalyst for a (non) reveal, she pretty much disappears. The school, other than appearing the opening scene, really has no bearing on the rest of the story either. There's just so much extraneous fluff that could have been easily excised. Aside from that, I have to be interested and invested in these characters to ever feel anything. Had the book retained the tension and characterizations of that opening chapter, this would be an amazing story. Unfortunately, there's too much going on and yet nothing happens. Far from a "thriller" for me.
ARC provided by NetGalley.
February 7, 2017
This book with a shooting in a high school and certainly wakes you up with the first few pages. Jessie Conway is a teacher and we see the events that follow after the shooting. Everybody thinks that Jessie is a hero, however sadly all the media publicity puts her firmly back in danger when Caleb comes on the scene.
Caleb is a decent character to read, he also happens to be a sadistic killer. He has his eyes firmly set on his prize in the form of Jessie. Out of the two characters Caleb was the one that caught my attention the most. Even though Jessie has a hidden and secretive past that even her husband is unaware of, I just found myself not caring too much either way about her. Caleb on the other hand with his twisted and depraved mind made for a much more engaging read.
However, I felt like although the first half was a it slow and the second half a lot faster paced it still overall felt a little flat. It was an enjoyable read, but to be honest didn't spark any real emotion from me either way and by the time I reached the end, I felt like maybe I had missed something? I know that this book has received rave reviews and it's far from a bad book, but for me it just fell a little bit too much down the middle road for my liking. I think that most of this was down to the characters, and the fact that the story felt like it lacked pace in places.
Caleb is a decent character to read, he also happens to be a sadistic killer. He has his eyes firmly set on his prize in the form of Jessie. Out of the two characters Caleb was the one that caught my attention the most. Even though Jessie has a hidden and secretive past that even her husband is unaware of, I just found myself not caring too much either way about her. Caleb on the other hand with his twisted and depraved mind made for a much more engaging read.
However, I felt like although the first half was a it slow and the second half a lot faster paced it still overall felt a little flat. It was an enjoyable read, but to be honest didn't spark any real emotion from me either way and by the time I reached the end, I felt like maybe I had missed something? I know that this book has received rave reviews and it's far from a bad book, but for me it just fell a little bit too much down the middle road for my liking. I think that most of this was down to the characters, and the fact that the story felt like it lacked pace in places.
September 7, 2016
DNF at 54%
I have mixed feelings about this book. Part of me liked the suspense and the tension, but the other part of me was just bored.
The story starts off with a school shooting where Jessie Conway (our MC) teaches at. She manages to get hold of a gun and kills the two shooters, which sets off a chain of events leading to Jessie gaining the attention of a serial killer.
After the shooting, not much happens for like, the next 30%. I was tempted to DNF at 35% but I saw many positive reviews saying things like "it started out slow but it was worth it!", so I continued reading. I made it halfway before I decided to quit it for real. Every time something interesting happened, the author switched POV's and I had to get through a couple of chapters of characters talking about their feelings and other useless dialogue. It didn't hold my attention much...
It also annoyed me that I never saw the serial KILLER kill anyone. We know that he's a "hunter" who gives his victims a 10 min head start in the forest before tracking them down, which I wanted to see in more detail. The author describes everything about how he lures people in, then we switch to someone else's chapter and by the time we're back to Caleb, he's already looking for his next victim. It made it hard to take him seriously as he didn't seem threatening at all.
Overall it wasn't a bad read but unfortunately it's not what I was expecting :(
Received ARC through NetGalley!
I have mixed feelings about this book. Part of me liked the suspense and the tension, but the other part of me was just bored.
The story starts off with a school shooting where Jessie Conway (our MC) teaches at. She manages to get hold of a gun and kills the two shooters, which sets off a chain of events leading to Jessie gaining the attention of a serial killer.
After the shooting, not much happens for like, the next 30%. I was tempted to DNF at 35% but I saw many positive reviews saying things like "it started out slow but it was worth it!", so I continued reading. I made it halfway before I decided to quit it for real. Every time something interesting happened, the author switched POV's and I had to get through a couple of chapters of characters talking about their feelings and other useless dialogue. It didn't hold my attention much...
It also annoyed me that I never saw the serial KILLER kill anyone. We know that he's a "hunter" who gives his victims a 10 min head start in the forest before tracking them down, which I wanted to see in more detail. The author describes everything about how he lures people in, then we switch to someone else's chapter and by the time we're back to Caleb, he's already looking for his next victim. It made it hard to take him seriously as he didn't seem threatening at all.
Overall it wasn't a bad read but unfortunately it's not what I was expecting :(
Received ARC through NetGalley!
July 5, 2016
Bookouture and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Last to Die, in exchange for an honest review.
When Jessie Conway, a special education teacher at Rockville High School, saves the lives of countless students and teachers after former students open fire at school, her heroics catches the attention of a sadistic killer. After uninvited inquiries from the media isolates Jessie from her base of support, will her vulnerability place her in more danger?
Told in alternating perspectives between Jessie and the killer, Last to Die features dual plot lines that converge early on in the story. Jessie is a well developed main character and her strength, combined with her ability to persevere despite difficult circumstances, make her story very compelling. I question the addition of Jessie's past, as it seemed to be mainly a tool to divide the main character from her support structure. As there was not enough information given as to the real circumstances, it seemed more like a way to move the story along. Last to Die was a quick read, full of suspenseful moments until the final, explosive conclusion. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy suspense thrillers and look forward to reading more by this author in the future.
When Jessie Conway, a special education teacher at Rockville High School, saves the lives of countless students and teachers after former students open fire at school, her heroics catches the attention of a sadistic killer. After uninvited inquiries from the media isolates Jessie from her base of support, will her vulnerability place her in more danger?
Told in alternating perspectives between Jessie and the killer, Last to Die features dual plot lines that converge early on in the story. Jessie is a well developed main character and her strength, combined with her ability to persevere despite difficult circumstances, make her story very compelling. I question the addition of Jessie's past, as it seemed to be mainly a tool to divide the main character from her support structure. As there was not enough information given as to the real circumstances, it seemed more like a way to move the story along. Last to Die was a quick read, full of suspenseful moments until the final, explosive conclusion. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy suspense thrillers and look forward to reading more by this author in the future.
August 18, 2017
While being an engaging read, the book has some flaws.
*spoiler alert*
The first part was boring and filled with clichés, such as the overzealous journalist who does not appear to have a human bone in her body and her always pissed off, swearing nutjob of a boss. The whole of this part felt more like one giant background story than the main plot itself. Also, the fast switching from character to character makes it more difficult to really get to know them. (Aside from Caleb, who is portrayed as a psycho from the get go.) The second part, starting somewhere before the middle of the novel, was a lot better as it started to develop (what felt to me like) the main plot. This is also where the characters of Jessie, Mike, Ace and Caleb become more rounded as you learn more about them. However, I think there are some issues that I have with the plot. 1) why would a man who stalks his victims, learns about their patterns, and carefully plans the way he will take them, be so neglectful as to leave a piece of evidence that might lead straight to him, lying around the area from which he took his victim, shot her dog and which is so close to the victim's house, you can actually see it, when he knew people would go looking for her? 2) why is the local sherrif such a neglectful and incompetent ass that he wouldn't consider foul play even though there are serious issues pointing right in that direction? 3) why doesn't Jessie kill Caleb when she gets the opportunity when, later on, she says she does not regret the fact that Ace shot him nor the fact she killed someone who deserved it a number of years ago?
Aside from that, I thought Jessie was a great character whom I was secretly hoping from the start would give Caleb a run for his money and kick his ass so hard he wouldn't be able to tell whether he had one to start with, which she did. Well done, lady.
Also, I will not be venturing into the woods by myself for some time, I think :p
*spoiler alert*
The first part was boring and filled with clichés, such as the overzealous journalist who does not appear to have a human bone in her body and her always pissed off, swearing nutjob of a boss. The whole of this part felt more like one giant background story than the main plot itself. Also, the fast switching from character to character makes it more difficult to really get to know them. (Aside from Caleb, who is portrayed as a psycho from the get go.) The second part, starting somewhere before the middle of the novel, was a lot better as it started to develop (what felt to me like) the main plot. This is also where the characters of Jessie, Mike, Ace and Caleb become more rounded as you learn more about them. However, I think there are some issues that I have with the plot. 1) why would a man who stalks his victims, learns about their patterns, and carefully plans the way he will take them, be so neglectful as to leave a piece of evidence that might lead straight to him, lying around the area from which he took his victim, shot her dog and which is so close to the victim's house, you can actually see it, when he knew people would go looking for her? 2) why is the local sherrif such a neglectful and incompetent ass that he wouldn't consider foul play even though there are serious issues pointing right in that direction? 3) why doesn't Jessie kill Caleb when she gets the opportunity when, later on, she says she does not regret the fact that Ace shot him nor the fact she killed someone who deserved it a number of years ago?
Aside from that, I thought Jessie was a great character whom I was secretly hoping from the start would give Caleb a run for his money and kick his ass so hard he wouldn't be able to tell whether he had one to start with, which she did. Well done, lady.
Also, I will not be venturing into the woods by myself for some time, I think :p
July 5, 2016
Finished reading: July 2nd 2016
“Hero. People didn't even know the meaning of the word.”
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
March 28, 2024
DNF -
I tried to get into this, but for me, just wasn’t going to happen 50% through it.
The foul language was also a huge turn-off.
Warning: May trigger regarding school shootings.
I tried to get into this, but for me, just wasn’t going to happen 50% through it.
The foul language was also a huge turn-off.
Warning: May trigger regarding school shootings.
June 22, 2016
Last to Die is a multi-layered psychological thriller that plays on your fears of the darker aspects of American society.
The book begins with Jessie Conway’s survival of a high school shooting. An unusual way to start the book, I thought, as it is not the main premise of the story, however, it becomes an integral part of what ultimately happens to Jessie. The shooting and the subsequent actions around it cause a knock on effect as the media coverage and pursuit of a story brings her to killer Caleb Switch’s attention and impacts on the police’s attitude towards her and how much they are willing to help.
Arlene, through the discussions her characters have, explores the inevitable question of why these shootings happen, covering the lack of moral guidance, growing up in a society in which material possessions are everything, the media and a lack of religion and belief in God. She also describes Jessie’s grief and emotions about the event perfectly, and effectively puts you in Jessie’s shoes.
‘You’re dolling yourself up while your friends lie rotting in the earth, while parents are crying over their injured babies, while children are learning how to be people again’
As a true crime fan, I loved Arlene’s portrayal of Caleb Switch. She writes his parts in a cold manner that reflects his sociopathic personality. He is clever, conniving, calculating and a master manipulator - everything I want in a killer. Reminiscent of Ted Bundy, he knows exactly how to act and what to do to disarm his victims and lull them into a false sense of trust. Brilliantly written, I wonder if Arlene had researched serial killers and sociopath personality traits.
‘He thought of them and the many like them, drifting through life with a big bullseye painted on their backs. If they were lucky, the predator was not looking as they drifted by. If not…well, if not there were people like him.’
Jessie, however, is not his usual vulnerable victim living on the fringes of society and I had no idea how this would end. Has Caleb finally become too cocky and arrogant, which will be his inevitable downfall? Or will Jessie not have the strength of will given what has happened to her to survive?
For me the most enjoyable part of this book was the whole tense build up to what was inevitably coming. That feeling of being an observer to what is going on while the main character is oblivious, culminating in the inevitable outcome was chilling and creepy.
A great thriller that is extremely well written and will keep you on the edge of your seat while giving you food for thought. Highly recommended.
Thanks to Arlene Hunt, Bookouture and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
All my reviews can be seen on http://www.bloominbrilliantbooks.com/
The book begins with Jessie Conway’s survival of a high school shooting. An unusual way to start the book, I thought, as it is not the main premise of the story, however, it becomes an integral part of what ultimately happens to Jessie. The shooting and the subsequent actions around it cause a knock on effect as the media coverage and pursuit of a story brings her to killer Caleb Switch’s attention and impacts on the police’s attitude towards her and how much they are willing to help.
Arlene, through the discussions her characters have, explores the inevitable question of why these shootings happen, covering the lack of moral guidance, growing up in a society in which material possessions are everything, the media and a lack of religion and belief in God. She also describes Jessie’s grief and emotions about the event perfectly, and effectively puts you in Jessie’s shoes.
‘You’re dolling yourself up while your friends lie rotting in the earth, while parents are crying over their injured babies, while children are learning how to be people again’
As a true crime fan, I loved Arlene’s portrayal of Caleb Switch. She writes his parts in a cold manner that reflects his sociopathic personality. He is clever, conniving, calculating and a master manipulator - everything I want in a killer. Reminiscent of Ted Bundy, he knows exactly how to act and what to do to disarm his victims and lull them into a false sense of trust. Brilliantly written, I wonder if Arlene had researched serial killers and sociopath personality traits.
‘He thought of them and the many like them, drifting through life with a big bullseye painted on their backs. If they were lucky, the predator was not looking as they drifted by. If not…well, if not there were people like him.’
Jessie, however, is not his usual vulnerable victim living on the fringes of society and I had no idea how this would end. Has Caleb finally become too cocky and arrogant, which will be his inevitable downfall? Or will Jessie not have the strength of will given what has happened to her to survive?
For me the most enjoyable part of this book was the whole tense build up to what was inevitably coming. That feeling of being an observer to what is going on while the main character is oblivious, culminating in the inevitable outcome was chilling and creepy.
A great thriller that is extremely well written and will keep you on the edge of your seat while giving you food for thought. Highly recommended.
Thanks to Arlene Hunt, Bookouture and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
All my reviews can be seen on http://www.bloominbrilliantbooks.com/
June 8, 2016
Review originally posted: https://thesnowbookhollow.wordpress.c...
The plot:
My experience:
What made me want to read this book was the sentence on the cover of this book.
“He watches he waits… dead or alive he wants her.”
That ladies and gentleman elves and dragons, that is how you hook me. I was very curious as to what would happen and my curiosity only grew bigger until it started to sit on my shoulder poking me to go read again.
I compare my experience with this book to a fresh day in autumn. You feel the light breeze you enjoy the last bit of warmth of that was is good around you. However, you can feel the winter approaching. You can sense the cold and danger ready to eat and incinerate all that holds warmth. When the winter arrives, you find yourself in the middle of a blizzard. You will be climbing mountains, tracking old arrows, searching through old newspaper articles fast but at a very balanced comfortable pace.
This is a bonafide thriller. It had me nervous, breathless and at times utterly absorbed where all sound of the world disappeared.
I enjoyed the way the characters interacted with each other and you could read out of each person’s point of view. You could scratch and dig in their brains and see what made them tick. The effect was dynamite and made me so much more invested in the story.
It is a gripping thriller. A book that will easily keep you up until 2 am to finish because to put it down is simply not an option.
What I liked:
I liked the way the story was balanced between the characters. You neither loved a character nor completely hated them. You knew each one too well to be judgemental. If somebody were to come and accuse the character you would almost feel an instant need to defend them. Even though they can defend themselves perfectly well.
Not to give anything away but something was used as a weapon in this book I could never have imagined for self-defense. Well done Arlene Hunt. Very original.
What I did not like:
I suppose there were some paragraphs that were less than entertaining. Some background characters were clearly meant to be disliked which made them less real to me. They did not become real they stayed flat on the paper for me.
I would have liked to have one last chapter from Darla to know how she felt after all was said and done.
My rating:
"A book that will easily keep you up reading until 2 am because to put it down is simply not an option."
The plot:
"He watches. He waits. He kills ...
My experience:
What made me want to read this book was the sentence on the cover of this book.
“He watches he waits… dead or alive he wants her.”
That ladies and gentleman elves and dragons, that is how you hook me. I was very curious as to what would happen and my curiosity only grew bigger until it started to sit on my shoulder poking me to go read again.
I compare my experience with this book to a fresh day in autumn. You feel the light breeze you enjoy the last bit of warmth of that was is good around you. However, you can feel the winter approaching. You can sense the cold and danger ready to eat and incinerate all that holds warmth. When the winter arrives, you find yourself in the middle of a blizzard. You will be climbing mountains, tracking old arrows, searching through old newspaper articles fast but at a very balanced comfortable pace.
This is a bonafide thriller. It had me nervous, breathless and at times utterly absorbed where all sound of the world disappeared.
I enjoyed the way the characters interacted with each other and you could read out of each person’s point of view. You could scratch and dig in their brains and see what made them tick. The effect was dynamite and made me so much more invested in the story.
It is a gripping thriller. A book that will easily keep you up until 2 am to finish because to put it down is simply not an option.
What I liked:
I liked the way the story was balanced between the characters. You neither loved a character nor completely hated them. You knew each one too well to be judgemental. If somebody were to come and accuse the character you would almost feel an instant need to defend them. Even though they can defend themselves perfectly well.
Not to give anything away but something was used as a weapon in this book I could never have imagined for self-defense. Well done Arlene Hunt. Very original.
What I did not like:
I suppose there were some paragraphs that were less than entertaining. Some background characters were clearly meant to be disliked which made them less real to me. They did not become real they stayed flat on the paper for me.
I would have liked to have one last chapter from Darla to know how she felt after all was said and done.
My rating:
Fresh 4 snowflakes that fell out of my dreams after I finished reading the book at 1 AM.
July 30, 2016
Full review on www.novelgossip.com
From chapter one this book takes you on a nonstop roller coaster of a ride. It opens with Jessie, a thirty something teacher in the middle of a typical school day, but this day is anything but typical as it turns into a horror show as students with guns appear and open fire. Jessie is quick thinking and intelligent and manages to save the lives of several students and is soon lauded as the town hero.
But this act of heroism has a hefty price tag as it’s made her catch the evil eye of Caleb Switch. You see, he is a hunter and he is no longer satisfied by simply hunting big game animals, he now hunts humans.
This book has several compelling characters that are well developed and intriguing. Besides Jessie there is her brother in law Ace, an ex con. While he’s made some mistakes and bad choices in the past, it seems that now he is ready to do what’s right. Darla is a local reporter who will not let anything stop her from getting to the heart of a story. Caleb is a cold blooded, cunning sociopath with no emotions and no regrets. He places his victims into two categories; A or B with A being reserved for those he feels are the strongest and smartest.
Since the killer is revealed right from the start, there is no mystery behind that aspect. There were a few twists, but only one really surprised me. Rather than keeping you constantly guessing whodunnit, this book ramps up the suspense while you’re waiting for the action to unfold. The reader knows the who, and some of the how, but you don’t know when.
The only thing missing for me was more detail about Darla’s story. I enjoyed her and would’ve liked to learn what happened to her in the end. There were also mentions of Jessie’s brother a few times, then…nothing. I had a few theories about him that I had hoped would come up but nothing panned out.
If you’re set on a story with lots of twists and turns then this probably isn’t for you, but if you want a wonderfully written thriller with well developed characters and fast paced chapters told from several interesting viewpoints, give this one a read.
From chapter one this book takes you on a nonstop roller coaster of a ride. It opens with Jessie, a thirty something teacher in the middle of a typical school day, but this day is anything but typical as it turns into a horror show as students with guns appear and open fire. Jessie is quick thinking and intelligent and manages to save the lives of several students and is soon lauded as the town hero.
But this act of heroism has a hefty price tag as it’s made her catch the evil eye of Caleb Switch. You see, he is a hunter and he is no longer satisfied by simply hunting big game animals, he now hunts humans.
This book has several compelling characters that are well developed and intriguing. Besides Jessie there is her brother in law Ace, an ex con. While he’s made some mistakes and bad choices in the past, it seems that now he is ready to do what’s right. Darla is a local reporter who will not let anything stop her from getting to the heart of a story. Caleb is a cold blooded, cunning sociopath with no emotions and no regrets. He places his victims into two categories; A or B with A being reserved for those he feels are the strongest and smartest.
Since the killer is revealed right from the start, there is no mystery behind that aspect. There were a few twists, but only one really surprised me. Rather than keeping you constantly guessing whodunnit, this book ramps up the suspense while you’re waiting for the action to unfold. The reader knows the who, and some of the how, but you don’t know when.
The only thing missing for me was more detail about Darla’s story. I enjoyed her and would’ve liked to learn what happened to her in the end. There were also mentions of Jessie’s brother a few times, then…nothing. I had a few theories about him that I had hoped would come up but nothing panned out.
If you’re set on a story with lots of twists and turns then this probably isn’t for you, but if you want a wonderfully written thriller with well developed characters and fast paced chapters told from several interesting viewpoints, give this one a read.
June 27, 2016
I received a copy of this via NetGalley and Bookouture in return for a fair and honest review.
I hadn't read any books from Arlene Hunt before starting this one, but her style of writing and storytelling had me gripped from page one to the end so I'll definitely be hunting down (sorry, bad pun considering the nature of the story!) more of her books in the future
This book features Jessie Conway who has a quiet life as a teacher of fairly troubled children at Rockville High, but this quiet life is shattered when 2 former pupils storm the school and go on a shooting rampage until Jessie helps put a stop to it all.
The trauma she suffers really affects her in the days and weeks after the shooting, and then the attention that her heroic actions bring from the press has her constantly looking over her shoulder and brings her to the attention of a wider public despite her best intentions to avoid all press attention. Even her husband Mike is extremely worried about her and it does add strain to their once solid marriage, especially when one journalist starts digging into her past
We also see the story from the point of view of Caleb Switch, who is a gruesome individual and killer, who sees killing as a kind of sport and he's always looking for new challenges to help him get that high he seems to thrive on through the process of murder
It is a fascinating look at the different attitudes of the main characters and how they both deal with the world after suffering traumas in their lives, and how it has shaped their lives
The last few chapters were extremely pulsating and seemed the perfect way to end an extremely gripping and exciting thriller.
I hadn't read any books from Arlene Hunt before starting this one, but her style of writing and storytelling had me gripped from page one to the end so I'll definitely be hunting down (sorry, bad pun considering the nature of the story!) more of her books in the future
This book features Jessie Conway who has a quiet life as a teacher of fairly troubled children at Rockville High, but this quiet life is shattered when 2 former pupils storm the school and go on a shooting rampage until Jessie helps put a stop to it all.
The trauma she suffers really affects her in the days and weeks after the shooting, and then the attention that her heroic actions bring from the press has her constantly looking over her shoulder and brings her to the attention of a wider public despite her best intentions to avoid all press attention. Even her husband Mike is extremely worried about her and it does add strain to their once solid marriage, especially when one journalist starts digging into her past
We also see the story from the point of view of Caleb Switch, who is a gruesome individual and killer, who sees killing as a kind of sport and he's always looking for new challenges to help him get that high he seems to thrive on through the process of murder
It is a fascinating look at the different attitudes of the main characters and how they both deal with the world after suffering traumas in their lives, and how it has shaped their lives
The last few chapters were extremely pulsating and seemed the perfect way to end an extremely gripping and exciting thriller.
June 22, 2016
This was a very well written book filled with rich details of the gruesome maiming and murder. There were many subplots to the ultimate final showdown between the heroine and the serial killer. The author wove a great tale of how strong the heroine, Jessie, truly is, however, I felt disconnected to her. On the one hand, based on a subplot, I should feel sorry for Jessie, but I don't. I didn't feel anything for her, even when she was placed in peril at several points in the story. The end could have gone either way and I would close the book and think, "eh." And I hated feeling that way because to some degree, I suspect the author wants the reader to feel for Jessie--to root for her and feel anguish at her plight. Her husband, Mike, was another character that wasn't as strong and tough as portrayed. I felt him weak--weak for Jessie. Reading Caleb's, the serial killer, 3rd POV, was interesting, but I couldn't quite understand what his motivations were--why he was the way he was. The ultimate explanation wasn't enough. I needed more than his need to hunt.
Despite my many concerns about my engagement with the characters, Ms. Hunt is a terrific author who has a way of setting a scene and placing me there. I felt in the scene, hovering overhead as I watched everything in slow motion. And for me, it was slow motion. But nonetheless kept me reading and wanting to know what was going to happen next.
I recommend this book to readers of thrillers.
Despite my many concerns about my engagement with the characters, Ms. Hunt is a terrific author who has a way of setting a scene and placing me there. I felt in the scene, hovering overhead as I watched everything in slow motion. And for me, it was slow motion. But nonetheless kept me reading and wanting to know what was going to happen next.
I recommend this book to readers of thrillers.
June 24, 2016
Wow, what a fabulous, high adrenaline read! I could not put this book down, from the opening page until the last word! Packed full of action, this is one thrilling roller-coaster of a read. Loved every minute of it and will definitely be reading more by this wonderful author.
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