The Hunt: An Andy Hayes Mystery

Andy Hayes Mysteries #4

by Andrew Welsh-Huggins

As a serial killer stalks prostitutes in Columbus, Ohio, a distraught brother asks private investigator Andy Hayes to find his sister before it’s too late. In a deadly race against time, Andy soon learns he’s not the only person hunting Jessica Byrnes, but he may be the only one who wants her alive. Byrnes hasn’t been seen in weeks following a downward slide that started as a runaway teenager and may have ended permanently on the streets. Assisting Andy is ex-prostitute Theresa Sullivan. She now works at St. Andrew’s, the mission church run by Andy’s pal the Reverend Roy Roberts, who is less than keen on Theresa reliving the memories that nearly killed her. A local congresswoman making headlines with her work against human trafficking puts pressure on Andy to solve the case, while the police don’t want him near their exhaustive search for the murderer. At the same time, Andy’s hunt for Jessica exposes the buying and selling of trafficked women across the region. Looming over Andy’s increasingly desperate search is the shadow of his most dangerous adversary yet.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

264 pages, Hardcover

Published April 15, 2017

About the author

ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS is the Shamus Award-nominated author of the Andy Hayes private eye series, the standalone crime novel "The End of the Road," and editor of "Columbus Noir." His short fiction has appeared in "Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine," "Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine," Mystery Magazine," the anthologies "The Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2021," "Mickey Finn 21st Century Noir: Vols I and III," "Paranoia Blues: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Paul Simon," and other magazines and anthologies. Andrew's nonfiction book, "No Winners Here Tonight," is the definitive history of the death penalty in Ohio.

Reviews

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE HUNT: AN ANDY HAYES MYSTERY by Andrew Welsh-Huggins is the fourth installment in the Andy Hayes series.
‘Bad-Boy’ Andy Hayes is the disgraced former Ohio State Quarterback turned PI. His point-shaving past is the elephant in the room - in every situation, every interview, every conversation. It is hard to keep a secret in Columbus, Ohio, especially when it concerns Ohio State football
Police suspect that a serial killer of prostitutes is loose in Columbus. As the police investigation progresses, the brother of a missing, known prostitute, Jessica Byrnes, asks Andy for help in locating his sister.
Andy becomes involved in a parallel investigation into the whereabouts of Jessica Byrnes. He is assisted by his friend, the Reverend Roy Roberts, and former prostitute Theresa Sullivan. A local congresswoman and her assistant are involved, as are the local police personnel and several active prostitutes.
Andy Hayes is, of course, battling his past and present wives, girlfriends and his own personal demons. We gain rare insights into his family background. We also read about the horror and cost to society of prostitution and human trafficking in central Ohio.
Andrew Welsh-Huggins writes brilliantly of the special place that is Columbus, Ohio - the series has a great ‘sense of place’ quality. (I did learn of this author and series in the BookLoft newsletter - an iconic bookstore in the German Village area of Columbus.)
Some of my favorite lines:
“Skinny drunks are like small, rusty nails: they can leave you with surprisingly nasty injuries.”
An injured man (shot in the side and “crumpled on the floor like a piece of furniture dropped off the end of a truck”) replies to a question by Andy. “Too deep. Sorry.” “His voice was fading, as if he were walking downhill, away from us, as he talked.” (I love that sentence.)
Each title in this series is better than the last - great progression of character development and plot complexity.
Andrew Welsh-Huggins is an AP reporter in Columbus, Ohio. He has written several non-fiction works and three previous Andy Hayes titles. I heartily recommend this book and series. I also recommend his blog.

[Adam Berry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one!

[Elizabeth Hoster · Rating 4 out of 5]

For Columbus folks

This is the fourth in a series that writer/reporter Welsh-Huggins has penned. They are easy reads with some good education around the subjects. The author wants the reader to be aware, and points the reader toward more education on the subject. If one is familiar with Columbus it is fun to follow him around the city--I have learned much about places I have been driving by my entire life. I am looking forward to his fifth book.

[Ken · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm from Columbus so that probably gets it an additional star in that the locale is interesting. A good old-fashioned private-eye noir that's probably below the radar and therefore a great bonus find.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun read in the series. Andy is hired to find a girl who has been a hooker and may be the next victim of a serial killer.

A good yarn that shows some of the scary but real side of human trafficking.

And of course, my favorite part is that he mentions so many favorite places in Columbus. On page 55 he goes to TAT Ristaurante di Famiglia, my neighbor's family owned restaurant. He also includes Resch's Bakery., best birthday cakes around. The empty grain silos that are a backdrop for some nasty stuff are less than 2 miles from where I live.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid read touching on several real-life issues in the Greater Columbus Metropolitan Region including opioids and trafficking. As always, Welsh-Huggins brings in a wry, sarcastic sense of humor to our hero, while just trying to do his thing and make the world a little better for someone. As always, Columbus seems to play the role of a background character ~ familiar, always there, watching you watch it.

A single day kind of read that felt even more put together than previous installments ~ looking forward to seeing the continued growth of writer Welsh-Huggins and PI Andy Hayes.

[Miriam Kahn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andy Hayes, local sleuth, takes on a case involving a serial killer and sex workers in Columbus Ohio. This serious mystery exposes the underside of human trafficking in the mid-west. The fourth book in the series, this one will grab you until the very end.

Look for additional reviews at The Book Loft of German Village (Columbus, OH) http://www.bookloft.com and in the Ohioana Quarterly Newsletter http://www.ohioana.org

[Janis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great plot. Great mystery. I hate that columbus is such a hot spot for human trafficking. Maybe this book will help increase awareness & maybe more awareness can help slow down this blight on humanity.

[Becky Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

When private investigator Andy Hayes is hired to find a missing girl he has no clue he will be pulled in to a serial killer's path. When prostitutes start to turn up dead in Columbus Ohio, he discovers the missing girl might be one of the victims.

[Margaret S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun read about a failed OSU quarterback who is now a P.I. The setting in dark, gloomy, Columbus, Ohio the week before Christmas adds to the atmosphere.

[Jimmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Columbus, Ohio, story of a PI Great escape reading.

[C.J. Whitcomb · Rating 5 out of 5]

best mystery i've read in years. a page turner

[Dora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick, suspenseful read.

[Martha Crone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this series, except for Andy's interior monologue about women. I could do without the crude misogyny about women's looks.