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Deuce Mora #2
The Hunting Ground
DEUCE MORA DOESN’T SHY AWAY FROM FIGHTS – SHE PICKS THEM. THE BIGGER THE BETTER.Although, to be fair, this one is brought to her by a dog with a bone in his teeth. In Jean Heller’s first Deuce Mora mystery, the scrappy female sleuth tangled with the mob; this time out she’s on the wrong side of the NSA, the FBI and the CIA. At a minimum. Fans of hard-boiled female protagonists should hang onto their fedoras-- this one’s an action-packed extravaganza!
The grisly discovery of a human bone while Deuce is out for a hike with handsome arson investigator Mark Hearst leads to the unearthing of a vast burial field, a human trafficking ring, and international intrigue. The pull-no-punches columnist-- and meticulous detective-- keeps turning up information, bit by bit, only to find some Fed in her face, at her door, emerging from the shadows, always guarding the edges of the story, insisting it will not be told. Yes, the Feds are aware of the trafficking ring; yes, they have a plan to move on it; no, Deuce can’t be told about the plan; and under no circumstances can she write about its existence.
This is the story of a lifetime-- bigger than the Vinnie Colangelo story, which earned Deuce and the Journal a Pulitzer, and, for once, she has the support of her editor, but the Journal’s lawyer appears daily, bringing warnings about “national security.” What, Deuce seethes, could be a greater matter of national security than the safety of the city’s children, who are being kidnapped and murdered?
And this story has become very personal for Deuce, as she herself admits, lamenting her loss of objectivity. The hard-hitting journalist has fallen hard for a new a savvy and charming eight-year-old boy named Charles with the face of an angel and the possibility of a bright future, but at great risk due to a life in foster care. Already the street-smart kid has revealed a depth of knowledge about the failures of DCFS and the machinery meant to protect him. For Deuce, every child reported missing and every new body discovered in the hunting ground has Charles’s face. But while she’s racing to break the case wide open, her life and her career are threatened on all sides; she has to wonder where-- or if-- the Feds will stop to contain the horrific truth.
But break wide open it does, racing to an outrageous surprise ending that seems shockingly … plausible, and Deuce learns first-hand the lesson that sometimes the only way to accomplish a great good is to commit unthinkable evil, and then learn to live with the consequences. Author Heller does a masterful job of expanding the story-- and her canvas-- from a simple murder mystery to an ever-widening crime thriller, and finally to an international conspiracy.
“Good reporters do not always good novelists make, but Jean Heller is both.” -- The Boston Sunday Globe
WHO WILL LIKE Fans of Chicago private investigators VI Warshawski and Libby Fischer Hellman’s Georgia Davis, get-the-story-or-die reporters like Hank Philippi Ryan’s Jane Ryland and Kelly Lange’s Maxi Poole, hard-boiled female protagonists like Marcia Muller’s Sharon McCone and Laura Lippman’s Tess Monaghan; and anyone who admires tough-minded women sleuths who’re good in a fight.
The grisly discovery of a human bone while Deuce is out for a hike with handsome arson investigator Mark Hearst leads to the unearthing of a vast burial field, a human trafficking ring, and international intrigue. The pull-no-punches columnist-- and meticulous detective-- keeps turning up information, bit by bit, only to find some Fed in her face, at her door, emerging from the shadows, always guarding the edges of the story, insisting it will not be told. Yes, the Feds are aware of the trafficking ring; yes, they have a plan to move on it; no, Deuce can’t be told about the plan; and under no circumstances can she write about its existence.
This is the story of a lifetime-- bigger than the Vinnie Colangelo story, which earned Deuce and the Journal a Pulitzer, and, for once, she has the support of her editor, but the Journal’s lawyer appears daily, bringing warnings about “national security.” What, Deuce seethes, could be a greater matter of national security than the safety of the city’s children, who are being kidnapped and murdered?
And this story has become very personal for Deuce, as she herself admits, lamenting her loss of objectivity. The hard-hitting journalist has fallen hard for a new a savvy and charming eight-year-old boy named Charles with the face of an angel and the possibility of a bright future, but at great risk due to a life in foster care. Already the street-smart kid has revealed a depth of knowledge about the failures of DCFS and the machinery meant to protect him. For Deuce, every child reported missing and every new body discovered in the hunting ground has Charles’s face. But while she’s racing to break the case wide open, her life and her career are threatened on all sides; she has to wonder where-- or if-- the Feds will stop to contain the horrific truth.
But break wide open it does, racing to an outrageous surprise ending that seems shockingly … plausible, and Deuce learns first-hand the lesson that sometimes the only way to accomplish a great good is to commit unthinkable evil, and then learn to live with the consequences. Author Heller does a masterful job of expanding the story-- and her canvas-- from a simple murder mystery to an ever-widening crime thriller, and finally to an international conspiracy.
“Good reporters do not always good novelists make, but Jean Heller is both.” -- The Boston Sunday Globe
WHO WILL LIKE Fans of Chicago private investigators VI Warshawski and Libby Fischer Hellman’s Georgia Davis, get-the-story-or-die reporters like Hank Philippi Ryan’s Jane Ryland and Kelly Lange’s Maxi Poole, hard-boiled female protagonists like Marcia Muller’s Sharon McCone and Laura Lippman’s Tess Monaghan; and anyone who admires tough-minded women sleuths who’re good in a fight.
412 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 7, 2016
400 people are currently reading
839 people want to read
About the author
Jean Heller
13 books52 followersMy mother once confronted my husband and me, put her hands on her hips, and asked, “Can’t one of you hold onto a job?”
She was joking – sort of. Both of us were journalists, and we kept getting better jobs, which required moving. A lot. Moving frequently is, I have discovered, a good way to avoid having to clean out the closets, the garage, and the cabinets under the kitchen sink.
Through it all, I have been one thing above all else, a writer.
I started my first novel when I was in the third grade, the story of people living at the center of the earth. I liked the concept, but I really didn’t have a good plot point, and when I discovered what it’s really like at the center of the earth, the project sort of went up in flames, so to speak.
My first complete novel, a thriller called “Maximum Impact,” was published by Forge, an imprint of St. Martin’s Press, in 1993. My second, “Handyman,” came two years later. Both received great reviews from critics, and both will be available in Kindle editions in early 2015.
The new one, also a thriller, is called “The Someday File.” It is the first in what will be a series set in Chicago, a city I have loved since I was in college and which I have called home for years. I set it here because Chicago is such a great character in its own right. The stories I can build on these bones – quite literally in the case of “The Someday File” – have infinite possibilities.
_________________________________________________
Jean’s news career included serving as an investigative and projects reporter and editor for The Associated Press in New York City and Washington, D.C., The Cox Newspapers and New York Newsday in Washington, D.C. and the St. Petersburg Times in Washington, D.C. and Florida.
Jean has won multiple awards, including the Worth Bingham Prize, the Polk Award, and is an eight-time Pulitzer Prize nominee.
She was joking – sort of. Both of us were journalists, and we kept getting better jobs, which required moving. A lot. Moving frequently is, I have discovered, a good way to avoid having to clean out the closets, the garage, and the cabinets under the kitchen sink.
Through it all, I have been one thing above all else, a writer.
I started my first novel when I was in the third grade, the story of people living at the center of the earth. I liked the concept, but I really didn’t have a good plot point, and when I discovered what it’s really like at the center of the earth, the project sort of went up in flames, so to speak.
My first complete novel, a thriller called “Maximum Impact,” was published by Forge, an imprint of St. Martin’s Press, in 1993. My second, “Handyman,” came two years later. Both received great reviews from critics, and both will be available in Kindle editions in early 2015.
The new one, also a thriller, is called “The Someday File.” It is the first in what will be a series set in Chicago, a city I have loved since I was in college and which I have called home for years. I set it here because Chicago is such a great character in its own right. The stories I can build on these bones – quite literally in the case of “The Someday File” – have infinite possibilities.
_________________________________________________
Jean’s news career included serving as an investigative and projects reporter and editor for The Associated Press in New York City and Washington, D.C., The Cox Newspapers and New York Newsday in Washington, D.C. and the St. Petersburg Times in Washington, D.C. and Florida.
Jean has won multiple awards, including the Worth Bingham Prize, the Polk Award, and is an eight-time Pulitzer Prize nominee.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
August 29, 2025
Damn! That was a great story. Also a horrific story. And that ending… I am not sure I understand. Wow! I will be thinking about this one for a while. The characters are well rounded and interesting. Deuce is lucky to be alive. She needs to learn how to use a gun if she is going to keep stepping in it. Very well done and entertaining.
Want to read
April 20, 2020DigitalBookSpot
December 27, 2024
A good mystery/thriller and expose of the shadowy underworld of human trafficking.
A simple hike in the woods on a beautiful day uncovers an unpleasant surprise which will lead the two hikers down a different path - one that is very disturbing, grizzly and heartbreaking.
I liked the main character, Deuce Mora, who is a Chicago newspaper journalist. She gets drawn into the initial investigation and then becomes compelled to investigate the very complicated crime on her own. There is more than one instance where her meddling becomes life-threatening and though it slows her down, she is like a dog with a bone (pun intended) in that she remains dedicated to finding the truth.
Like another reviewer, I was somewhat annoyed by the spelling and grammatical errors I kept noticing, and for this reason I reduced my star rating. I read this on my Kindle; if I had my own hard copy, I likely would have been marking the errors as I found them. I agree that the author needs a much better proofreader.
A simple hike in the woods on a beautiful day uncovers an unpleasant surprise which will lead the two hikers down a different path - one that is very disturbing, grizzly and heartbreaking.
I liked the main character, Deuce Mora, who is a Chicago newspaper journalist. She gets drawn into the initial investigation and then becomes compelled to investigate the very complicated crime on her own. There is more than one instance where her meddling becomes life-threatening and though it slows her down, she is like a dog with a bone (pun intended) in that she remains dedicated to finding the truth.
Like another reviewer, I was somewhat annoyed by the spelling and grammatical errors I kept noticing, and for this reason I reduced my star rating. I read this on my Kindle; if I had my own hard copy, I likely would have been marking the errors as I found them. I agree that the author needs a much better proofreader.
December 10, 2018
I am completely hooked. Jean Heller's books are well written and very well edited. Her dialogue is believable and her characters are realistic and intriguing. Her plots are so detailed and involved it's almost like reading an investigative reporter procedural--fascinating.
Deuce Mora is a terrific character--an investigative reporter who doesn't back down but is very human and likeable. The plot involving human trafficking, serial child pedophilia and the killing and disposal of children is compelling. The investigation was stunning. The conclusion was both intriguing and a tad unsatisfying--but only because I believe such vermin should be tortured to death slowly and in the most vile ways possible--as no punishment can be as severe as their crimes.
I will continue reading Jean Heller's Deuce Mora series and, in fact, am already on to the third one, titled, Burning Rage. It involves a serial arsonist who just may be a terrorist.
Deuce Mora is a terrific character--an investigative reporter who doesn't back down but is very human and likeable. The plot involving human trafficking, serial child pedophilia and the killing and disposal of children is compelling. The investigation was stunning. The conclusion was both intriguing and a tad unsatisfying--but only because I believe such vermin should be tortured to death slowly and in the most vile ways possible--as no punishment can be as severe as their crimes.
I will continue reading Jean Heller's Deuce Mora series and, in fact, am already on to the third one, titled, Burning Rage. It involves a serial arsonist who just may be a terrorist.
March 18, 2025
Hiding in Plain Sight!
Within a small park in Michigan, lie the bones of children…which are discovered on a thawing winter walk when a dog retrieves and delivers what is later confirmed to be the femur of a child, a child between the ages of 6 and 8. And just like that Deuce Mora, nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, begins to investigate at what becomes a growing dig site of an ever growing burial ground for missing children, children suspected of having been trafficked.
Plot lines move quickly, zig and zagging with each new discovery increasing as parties, high in government add pressures to contain and/or silence any evidence of further discovery.
Although there are some jump-the-shark moments that Deuce confronts, the characters push the story forward. Fast and furious read with added twists of political influence never imagined.
Within a small park in Michigan, lie the bones of children…which are discovered on a thawing winter walk when a dog retrieves and delivers what is later confirmed to be the femur of a child, a child between the ages of 6 and 8. And just like that Deuce Mora, nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, begins to investigate at what becomes a growing dig site of an ever growing burial ground for missing children, children suspected of having been trafficked.
Plot lines move quickly, zig and zagging with each new discovery increasing as parties, high in government add pressures to contain and/or silence any evidence of further discovery.
Although there are some jump-the-shark moments that Deuce confronts, the characters push the story forward. Fast and furious read with added twists of political influence never imagined.
Read
April 30, 2020WOW-- Loved the story line- Child (sex) trafficking - a real problem in the USA( maybe I should have said world wide)- then add the FBI- NSA and a few other agencies and you have a good story line. Deuce Mora- investigative reporter and her boyfriend and his dog are out hiking and the dogs runs back with a stick- that turns out to be a human bone - of a CHILD. That is all I will say because I do not want to ruin it for you. ENJOY
But this book needed a proof reader and being born & raised in Chicago (southside) I was put off at her lame attempt at Chicago slang and accents. Her description of the city was good but a lot of it was unnecessary.If you lived there you knew the areas she wrote about , if not - it really did not matter.
But this book needed a proof reader and being born & raised in Chicago (southside) I was put off at her lame attempt at Chicago slang and accents. Her description of the city was good but a lot of it was unnecessary.If you lived there you knew the areas she wrote about , if not - it really did not matter.
May 23, 2019
Hard hitting and complex story line
Human trafficking, children in care .... grim and realistic topics woven together in a great story line. The story of the prevalence of trafficking on a national and international scale must be told and told. And the topic of children in 'care' which is underfunded and under monitored is very important in these days and always. My only complaint is in the editing ... 'when' instead of 'went,' errors like that are distracting. Still, a great read.
Human trafficking, children in care .... grim and realistic topics woven together in a great story line. The story of the prevalence of trafficking on a national and international scale must be told and told. And the topic of children in 'care' which is underfunded and under monitored is very important in these days and always. My only complaint is in the editing ... 'when' instead of 'went,' errors like that are distracting. Still, a great read.
February 29, 2024
An excellent book about child trafficking and murder. Although it is fictional, storyline follows many documentaries I have read on the subject. Reporter Deuce Mora discovers a human leg bone (via the dog) in a lesser used park. The police discover multiple body parts and bones, all from children, buried in the area. Deuce is warned off the story and blacked out from more information as a matter of "national security." The credibility of her investigation loses a bit for me, but anything is possible these days. Great story line! Good execution and writing. A great read!
November 8, 2021
A heart-rending story of sex trafficking of children and international intrigue. Although at first it seems far-fetched, the investigations of Deuce Mora convince the reader that indeed, the government could do exactly what she discovers.
This was a book I was eager to return to. It has some surprising twists. I truly enjoyed this second book in a series. I'm hoping that it is more fiction than reality for the sake of children everywhere.
This was a book I was eager to return to. It has some surprising twists. I truly enjoyed this second book in a series. I'm hoping that it is more fiction than reality for the sake of children everywhere.
September 28, 2024
rips. your heart out.
These are not easy novels but they are compelling, fascinating, well written accounts of “actual” events - you read this in the papers and still can’t believe it. And here with all the background details it is horrific. And you can’t turn away from the train wreck, and keep turning the pages faster. These are so well written with such wonderful complex characters. I cannot wait to start another one and continue this story.
These are not easy novels but they are compelling, fascinating, well written accounts of “actual” events - you read this in the papers and still can’t believe it. And here with all the background details it is horrific. And you can’t turn away from the train wreck, and keep turning the pages faster. These are so well written with such wonderful complex characters. I cannot wait to start another one and continue this story.
August 25, 2020
Heller spins a haunting story with plot twists I didn’t see coming. She fleshes out the recurring characters , which is as it should be. The secondary characters are three-dimensional. “Hunting Ground” is a disturbing read, not for the faint of heart or tender of sensibilities. It also suffers from quite a few proofreading and copy editing issues.
May 31, 2021
....Even more compelling than Book 1
This is a sad but powerful mystery, during a time when human trafficking throughout the world is more & more common. It's a very well-written story which, although fictional, will hopefully help open people's eyes. Please recommend this book to all your friends!
This is a sad but powerful mystery, during a time when human trafficking throughout the world is more & more common. It's a very well-written story which, although fictional, will hopefully help open people's eyes. Please recommend this book to all your friends!
September 29, 2024
The real horror of this book is the fact that it all could be completely true and happening today. Sex trafficking of children is a real and terrible activity. Although it needed an editor who actually edits, it was a book of complex emotions and stomach turning images. Unfortunately we all need to be reminded of the real situation.
August 28, 2019
Enjoying a mild winter day in Chicago with her boyfriend and dog. When dog bring back what was thought a stick but instead was bone of small child. Duece is an investigative reporter and wants to know who's killing the children/ Twenty plus dead children's bodies found.
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June 4, 2021
Powerful
Jean Heller writes an incredibly powerful and intense story that stirs many emotions. It is a well put together story that had to have taken a lot of research and been very hard to write.
Jean Heller writes an incredibly powerful and intense story that stirs many emotions. It is a well put together story that had to have taken a lot of research and been very hard to write.
January 15, 2022
Great thriller
This book really brought to light the terrible subject of human trafficking. What these poor victims go through. It also shows how our government can hide anything. Love the main character Deuce and can't wait to read more of her adventures.
This book really brought to light the terrible subject of human trafficking. What these poor victims go through. It also shows how our government can hide anything. Love the main character Deuce and can't wait to read more of her adventures.
March 3, 2022
Heart-rending, emotional and thrilling!
This story kept my rapt attention from beginning to end. It was intriguing with plenty of plot twists and definitely keeps the reader interested. The characters become real and important. This book is a must-read.
This story kept my rapt attention from beginning to end. It was intriguing with plenty of plot twists and definitely keeps the reader interested. The characters become real and important. This book is a must-read.
September 17, 2023
I give this book 5 stars and a WOW! Grab your tissues and something to keep you from grinding your teeth in anger. I have no doubt that there is a lot of truth to the things described in this story and I pray for those people that are living out their own version of this nightmare.
September 29, 2024
Riveting suspense to the max ..
Definitely a good read! Could
Don't put the book down...will remember this book for a long time. Would recommend it to anyone that likes to be tensed up at the story several times throughout the book.
Definitely a good read! Could
Don't put the book down...will remember this book for a long time. Would recommend it to anyone that likes to be tensed up at the story several times throughout the book.
November 1, 2024
Gripping Story
This book grabbed me from the beginning and kept me turning pages. Intrigue and more intrigue! This is one of those books that you hate to finish because you don't want it to end.
This book grabbed me from the beginning and kept me turning pages. Intrigue and more intrigue! This is one of those books that you hate to finish because you don't want it to end.
February 7, 2025
I detested Deuce Mora’s character. I found her annoying and a bit of a hypocrite.
Some parts on the book were not needed, you can tell they’re there just to fill the space.
It could possibly be 4 stars but there are so many typos, grammatical errors and missing words that it was quite distracting!
Some parts on the book were not needed, you can tell they’re there just to fill the space.
It could possibly be 4 stars but there are so many typos, grammatical errors and missing words that it was quite distracting!
October 29, 2018
Excellent story as well as harrowing and sad. It's horrid to know that the books main content really is happening out there. Jean Heller managed to tell a story that rang true, was true and horrific
December 19, 2018
Too much tell not enough show. Cardboard characters, implausible plot.
December 20, 2018
Well written story that will please readers and keep them involved throughout.
5 star recommended book.
5 star recommended book.
May 19, 2020
The Hunting Ground
This book has such a sad subject, but it was very worthwhile reading. I will definitely be reading more books by Jean Heller.
This book has such a sad subject, but it was very worthwhile reading. I will definitely be reading more books by Jean Heller.
March 5, 2022
What a story
This book pulls you in from the first chapter and keeps going until it spits you out at the end wondering could this really happen.
This book pulls you in from the first chapter and keeps going until it spits you out at the end wondering could this really happen.
October 7, 2024
Excellent!
Masterfully written, intriguing story with lots of twists, timely subject matter, one never to be forgotten. Inspires active involvement in putting an end to this horror.
Masterfully written, intriguing story with lots of twists, timely subject matter, one never to be forgotten. Inspires active involvement in putting an end to this horror.
Read
October 26, 2024A good story but a bit incredible, 20 odd kids dead and CIA still trying to cover it up till Deuce starts turning evidence up (it was the dog) and threatening to uncover the cover up.
November 19, 2024
Nonstop action! I love Deuce Mora.
Read
February 10, 2025Read 2/25
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews