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The Hunted
The Hunted begins with a little girl witnessing a horrible crime. Due to the child's testimony, the murderer is convicted. Eighteen years later the killer is released on parole, and his mission is to track down the now grown woman he feels betrayed him. A deranged dance of masked identities ensues, and it is up to newly single homicide detective Frank Russo to unravel the case.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published April 14, 2009
2 people are currently reading
67 people want to read
About the author
Wayne Barcomb
7 books7 followersWayne Barcomb spent over 20 years in the publishing industry. At the age of 59, he abandoned the business end of publishing and into the writing end.
Barcomb grew up in North Adams, Massachusetts and attended the University of Massachusetts. He enlisted in the Army and was stationed in New York City spending two years assigned to counterintelligence. Barcomb was active in tennis and the theater, acting in more than 30 productions. He also wrote theater reviews for local papers and the Boston Herald.
Barcomb moved to the Gulf Coast in 1992 with his wife Susan.
Barcomb grew up in North Adams, Massachusetts and attended the University of Massachusetts. He enlisted in the Army and was stationed in New York City spending two years assigned to counterintelligence. Barcomb was active in tennis and the theater, acting in more than 30 productions. He also wrote theater reviews for local papers and the Boston Herald.
Barcomb moved to the Gulf Coast in 1992 with his wife Susan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
November 2, 2012
Why I thought about this book was that it was alarming, bloodcurdling because in the story The Hunted a girl named Lucky is watching her dad beat up her mom. Lucky was sent to her room because she is worried that her dad was going to bit her as well. Lucky witnesses her father killing her mother on the floor with nothing on, that's how bad her father beat her up. She was told by her father to not say anything or she was become like her mom. She couldn't hold it and had to tell someone, so she told the police. The police arrested her father and she lived her life in peace
I recommend this book to people because it is interesting and amazing, I believe that boys will like this book more than girls because it have violence and insults woman’s in the beginning of the story. In the middle of the story it talked about a detective named Frank and he was investigating crimes like the case of Lucky’s dad. Frank like to solve cases about killings and deaths. In the story it says that Frank has a hot super model girlfriend that is a hooker, then breaks up they her 6 months later. Frank has trouble working and is being distracted in his mind. I know this because Frank was sleepy when he was presenting a case and was falling asleep.
In the story it throw in random characters that have no background information in the story, it just jumps to what they are doing now and what they are going to do later. While they are talking about the random characters Luck’s father is planning to kill her daughter and becomes a serial killer, but he don’t know that she changed her name. I know this because the author starts to talk about a person and a guy.
Boys will like this book more than girls because Frank is a man and has a super model girlfriend that is a hooker and works on crimes about killer and other deaths trying to solve them. Boy will make it more inside the book then girls because in the beginning, Lucky’s dad is beating up Lucky’s mom and uses language that grabs male reader, but for girl readers they will stop reading that book in the first paragraph because they will not like violence and language and will stop read it.
If I could rate this book The Hunted I will rated it as a four because it interested me in reading more books about thriller books and other the book that I read is a great book and recommend all kinds of ages. At the end of the book Luck’s father hunts her down and was two seconds away for killing her then Frank saves he. Her dad was gunned down and Lucky lives on with a great life.
I recommend this book to people because it is interesting and amazing, I believe that boys will like this book more than girls because it have violence and insults woman’s in the beginning of the story. In the middle of the story it talked about a detective named Frank and he was investigating crimes like the case of Lucky’s dad. Frank like to solve cases about killings and deaths. In the story it says that Frank has a hot super model girlfriend that is a hooker, then breaks up they her 6 months later. Frank has trouble working and is being distracted in his mind. I know this because Frank was sleepy when he was presenting a case and was falling asleep.
In the story it throw in random characters that have no background information in the story, it just jumps to what they are doing now and what they are going to do later. While they are talking about the random characters Luck’s father is planning to kill her daughter and becomes a serial killer, but he don’t know that she changed her name. I know this because the author starts to talk about a person and a guy.
Boys will like this book more than girls because Frank is a man and has a super model girlfriend that is a hooker and works on crimes about killer and other deaths trying to solve them. Boy will make it more inside the book then girls because in the beginning, Lucky’s dad is beating up Lucky’s mom and uses language that grabs male reader, but for girl readers they will stop reading that book in the first paragraph because they will not like violence and language and will stop read it.
If I could rate this book The Hunted I will rated it as a four because it interested me in reading more books about thriller books and other the book that I read is a great book and recommend all kinds of ages. At the end of the book Luck’s father hunts her down and was two seconds away for killing her then Frank saves he. Her dad was gunned down and Lucky lives on with a great life.
June 15, 2009
This was a good vacation book to read. The plot was suspenseful without the aspects of a "thriller", as the title implies. However, one spends most of the reading attempting to determine who is the perpetrator of these brutal serial murders. Many times the author has interjected some tricky feature which would suggest to the reader that this a person is the guilty party. It would be fair to assume that most would not guess who is the murderer until the final pages. It is a good police procedural novel with realistic characters in their roles as detectives.Many others who are portrayed in this tale have interesting, yet difficult baggage in their lives.
September 1, 2009
This book was the first in my search for great stand-alone thrillers/mysteries and I was not disappointed. This book kept me guessing with every turn of the page. At one point I had the killer pegged to two people and then decided it had to be a particular one. I cast the other suspect aside. I was wrong!!! In a literary world full of mystery series, this book is a great find. It's a thrilling, quick read.
August 3, 2009
Great thriller. Kept me guessing until the end who the killer was! This is supposedly the first in what will become the Detective Frank Russo series.
September 25, 2018
The rating of 3 Stars for Goodreads is perfect for this book. I didn't dislike, but I also didn't "really like it" or think it was "amazing". I just "liked" it. I enjoyed the pace of the book and there were really no lulls in story line.
One of the drawbacks for me is that the characters mostly seemed like stock characters that have been done many times before. The author also goes out of the way to make sure we know that basically every character in this book is "good looking", which is fine, but it started to get silly. The other drawback was that I thought the ending was pretty predictable. I guessed who it was probably halfway through this book.
But overall, I would consider this book a worthwhile read, just don't expect anything too groundbreaking or original.
One of the drawbacks for me is that the characters mostly seemed like stock characters that have been done many times before. The author also goes out of the way to make sure we know that basically every character in this book is "good looking", which is fine, but it started to get silly. The other drawback was that I thought the ending was pretty predictable. I guessed who it was probably halfway through this book.
But overall, I would consider this book a worthwhile read, just don't expect anything too groundbreaking or original.
May 11, 2022
I disliked this book. Immensely. I almost called it quits on page 2. But I'm a bit of a completionist so I kept going, hoping it would get better. It didn't.
The writing was weak, the dialogue is contrived, the characters were beyond cliche, and the author kept repeating the same cheap plot devices. So much time was spent telling us how almost every character was so tall & good looking 🙄 Also why did the author have to go into so much detail about the sexual violence the girl witnessed?
The reason this gets 1 bone at all is because it takes place in NYC and the city is one of my favorite places.
The writing was weak, the dialogue is contrived, the characters were beyond cliche, and the author kept repeating the same cheap plot devices. So much time was spent telling us how almost every character was so tall & good looking 🙄 Also why did the author have to go into so much detail about the sexual violence the girl witnessed?
The reason this gets 1 bone at all is because it takes place in NYC and the city is one of my favorite places.
June 25, 2024
Book 27 of '24 - The Hunted by Wayne Barcomb (309). I've read this one before years ago - an old fashioned procedural mystery - still a good read, even the 2nd time. The police procedural can get bogged down in the details, but this one keeps the story moving by flashing to the killer's Point of View for each murder. 6/10
April 17, 2022
You think you know what's going on and you feel as though you're meant to be led down a path. The monotonous drum of police work and relationships truly melds together. When it finally unfolds you feel everything all at once and then it's over. Very good book!
December 29, 2017
It was decent but I don't feel I was given enough information to figure out the killer on my own.
February 8, 2018
Best Ending Ever!
February 4, 2022
God I’ve read this book two or three times I LOVE IT it’s awesome.
July 24, 2024
Definitely not the twist I was expecting.
May 21, 2009
I don’t normally label a book as “awesome,” but Wayne Barcomb’s The Hunted gets a triple-wow from me—because the ending shocked me right down to my toes.
As a child, Lucky witnesses a brutal murder—one that shapes her future in the worst way. She becomes a serial killer, stalking men who can’t normally attract a woman—especially an exceptional beauty like Lucky. Once her victim gets her back to his apartment and starts getting touchy-feely, she whacks him in the head with a wine bottle and beats her victim’s head on the floor until he’s dead. Then she shoves the neck of the bottle somewhere obscene. It’s meant to send a message, but it’s a message that only Lucky understands—along with one other person, who’s just been paroled and is looking to exact his revenge on Lucky, since her testimony convicted him of murder.
Detective Frank Russo is newly single and under a lot of pressure to solve a string of related murders. The killer leaves behind long strands of hair and the scent of Jean Nate, leading him to believe that the murderer is a woman. He suspects that she’s a prostitute, but anyone who’s seen the woman with the victim before he dies says that she doesn’t come across as a prostitute—and Jean Nate isn’t sexy enough for a hooker.
Author Wayne Barcomb skillfully weaves a tangled tale of revenge and silent rage, and The Hunted unfolds as an edgy, enthralling, can’t-wait-to-get-back kind of read.
Lucky is an unusual serial killer—not only because she’s a woman but also because you’ll find yourself empathizing with her. She just seems so lost and confused, and she’s still haunted by what happened when she was a child. It’s almost as if she’s not to blame for what she’s doing. That’s something I normally think is a bunch of bull, but it seems to work for this character.
Best of all, though, when the identity of the killer in The Hunted was revealed, I was so shocked that my mouth dropped open—and it stayed that way for at least ten minutes. I kept thinking, Oh wow, oh wow, oh wow, over and over. It’s such an awesome and unexpected ending, yet it’s completely plausible, too.
I don’t often like to compare authors, but, when it comes to thrillers, Wayne Barcomb ranks right up there with James Patterson. I highly recommend The Hunted, and I’m definitely getting in line for the next Detective Frank Russo police procedural.
This Review first appeared in NightsandWeekends.com: http://www.nightsandweekends.com/arti...
September 17, 2012
The Hunted
320 pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books; First Edition edition (April 14, 2009)
Wayne Barcomb author of "Blood Tide", and "Under Current" has not yet written a thriller. The Hunted is his attempt at a detective thriller, yet I think he created a much darker creation that thrives off of brutality and the most sadistic parts of human sexuality. While the hunted does have many dark twisted scenes, including child molestation, and postmortem rape the book does contain humor in two ways; Ironic twist of events in the start being one, and the absolutely childish homicide detective and the band of immature idiots he calls his friends.
The irony I speak of in this book is this. As a young girl Lucky (main antagonist) watches her mother murdered by her father, then is molested by the same. The scars of that night do not leave her even after Lucky's father is sent to prison and many years of therapy, and after a bizarre turn of events Lucky herself murders a man and then violates the dead body. Some thing snaps and this becomes her calling card in the string of murders that she brings upon the city choosing targets at near random, the only lead is that the targets are all men.
Meanwhile the book takes two other fronts, one being the story of the hopeless Homicide detective assigned to the case, and a constant side story, Lucky's father who has finally gotten out of prison and searches for Lucky for a chance for Revenge or Redemption, (not the best option searching for a now psychotic killer. For the detective I feel that Wayne tried to create a heart broken young man in the middle of a stressful job trying to both find love and survive the case. What Wayne did create however was a whiny, apathetic, girl who just cant get a break. While his circumstances are rather grim, not a page goes buy with him where he isn't upset or flashing back to his ex girlfriend. The sad fact was that I found the main "good" characters boring, and whiny. While this is strange and terrible to say I found the best parts being with Lucky and her murders, and how she always was able to stay 3 steps ahead through pure blind luck.
I must say I thought The Hunted was an alright book the plot and Idea was good, but the characters were just too cut and dry even for amount of drama they had. Never once did I feel what they felt and I think Barcomb has had much better work.
320 pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books; First Edition edition (April 14, 2009)
Wayne Barcomb author of "Blood Tide", and "Under Current" has not yet written a thriller. The Hunted is his attempt at a detective thriller, yet I think he created a much darker creation that thrives off of brutality and the most sadistic parts of human sexuality. While the hunted does have many dark twisted scenes, including child molestation, and postmortem rape the book does contain humor in two ways; Ironic twist of events in the start being one, and the absolutely childish homicide detective and the band of immature idiots he calls his friends.
The irony I speak of in this book is this. As a young girl Lucky (main antagonist) watches her mother murdered by her father, then is molested by the same. The scars of that night do not leave her even after Lucky's father is sent to prison and many years of therapy, and after a bizarre turn of events Lucky herself murders a man and then violates the dead body. Some thing snaps and this becomes her calling card in the string of murders that she brings upon the city choosing targets at near random, the only lead is that the targets are all men.
Meanwhile the book takes two other fronts, one being the story of the hopeless Homicide detective assigned to the case, and a constant side story, Lucky's father who has finally gotten out of prison and searches for Lucky for a chance for Revenge or Redemption, (not the best option searching for a now psychotic killer. For the detective I feel that Wayne tried to create a heart broken young man in the middle of a stressful job trying to both find love and survive the case. What Wayne did create however was a whiny, apathetic, girl who just cant get a break. While his circumstances are rather grim, not a page goes buy with him where he isn't upset or flashing back to his ex girlfriend. The sad fact was that I found the main "good" characters boring, and whiny. While this is strange and terrible to say I found the best parts being with Lucky and her murders, and how she always was able to stay 3 steps ahead through pure blind luck.
I must say I thought The Hunted was an alright book the plot and Idea was good, but the characters were just too cut and dry even for amount of drama they had. Never once did I feel what they felt and I think Barcomb has had much better work.
January 2, 2010
The Hunted was a solid police procedural for Wayne Barcomb. Homicide detective Frank Russo has had his ups and downs in life and currently things are down. Recently splitting from his model girlfriend Carla because of his commitment to his job, he is lonely and hoping to find something to help him change his ways. Unfortunately the presence of a new serial killer in the city is pulling his life in two different directions. Committed to capturing this unusual new murderer, he must balance his work with time for his new acquaintance Denise. Running himself through a gambit of emotions is leaving Frank exhausted and his only hope for happiness is to capture this killer before he becomes the next victim.
This book had a lot of potential. The idea behind the story was solid and the use of characters to leave the suspense broiling was excellent. Unfortunately with all of these aspects working in Barcomb's favor, the book fell flat. The characters were never developed well enough to allow the reader to connect with them. In the effort to sustain the suspense of who the killer is, all of the potential suspects are left with little to no back story. By about halfway through the book, I was apathetic to the whole plotline. Lucky was introduced from the very first page but there was never enough detail given. Knowing that she was the killer simply wasn't enough to generate interest in discovering the identity she assumed. The same nonchalance was easily carried over into Frank. He is cut from the mold of overworked NYPD detectives but he was never made unique. He felt like just another bland character not a strong commanding male lead. His partner Harry and Lieutenant Jerry were not even enough of a presence to show the dynamic of Frank with his job. Overall, this book started with a bang and ended in disappointment. The highlight of the story was the suspense. I had several suspects for "Lucky" throughout the story and I was never able to narrow down her identity until the end. Overall, I would rate this book as a mediocre performance but I would be willing to read Wayne Barcomb's work again. The potential for a strong novel is evident in his writing. This just wasn't the book.
This book had a lot of potential. The idea behind the story was solid and the use of characters to leave the suspense broiling was excellent. Unfortunately with all of these aspects working in Barcomb's favor, the book fell flat. The characters were never developed well enough to allow the reader to connect with them. In the effort to sustain the suspense of who the killer is, all of the potential suspects are left with little to no back story. By about halfway through the book, I was apathetic to the whole plotline. Lucky was introduced from the very first page but there was never enough detail given. Knowing that she was the killer simply wasn't enough to generate interest in discovering the identity she assumed. The same nonchalance was easily carried over into Frank. He is cut from the mold of overworked NYPD detectives but he was never made unique. He felt like just another bland character not a strong commanding male lead. His partner Harry and Lieutenant Jerry were not even enough of a presence to show the dynamic of Frank with his job. Overall, this book started with a bang and ended in disappointment. The highlight of the story was the suspense. I had several suspects for "Lucky" throughout the story and I was never able to narrow down her identity until the end. Overall, I would rate this book as a mediocre performance but I would be willing to read Wayne Barcomb's work again. The potential for a strong novel is evident in his writing. This just wasn't the book.
July 6, 2009
When Lucky was just eight years old, she witnessed her father killing her mother. Her father tried to make it seem like it was an accident but at the last second, Lucky couldn't go through with it and turned her father in. He was sent away but he would never forget who was responsible for where he is now.
Many years later, Lucky is all grown up and has tried to put her life together pretty well. She had better watch her back, as her father is now a free man. He his one thing on his mind...revenge.
New York Police Department Homicide Detective Frank Russo has been called on the scene of a murder. A young man has been found with his brains bashed in and a wine bottle shoved up his ass. Detective Russo tries to wrap his mind around what type of sick person who do something like this to someone else. Unfortunately his doesn't have much time to ponder on the current matter, as his has a serial killer on his hands.
The Hunted is the first book to feature Homicide Detective Frank Russo. This story moves really fast in a good way, but at the same time, there was a point at the beginning where I did stumble a bit. This was because there were so many different characters written into this story that I had a hard time trying to separate and figure out what each characters connection was in the storyline. Once I gotten everyone straighted out in my head, the book read pretty smoothly after that. Mr. Barcomb shows he can produce a good suspense/thriller police drama.
Many years later, Lucky is all grown up and has tried to put her life together pretty well. She had better watch her back, as her father is now a free man. He his one thing on his mind...revenge.
New York Police Department Homicide Detective Frank Russo has been called on the scene of a murder. A young man has been found with his brains bashed in and a wine bottle shoved up his ass. Detective Russo tries to wrap his mind around what type of sick person who do something like this to someone else. Unfortunately his doesn't have much time to ponder on the current matter, as his has a serial killer on his hands.
The Hunted is the first book to feature Homicide Detective Frank Russo. This story moves really fast in a good way, but at the same time, there was a point at the beginning where I did stumble a bit. This was because there were so many different characters written into this story that I had a hard time trying to separate and figure out what each characters connection was in the storyline. Once I gotten everyone straighted out in my head, the book read pretty smoothly after that. Mr. Barcomb shows he can produce a good suspense/thriller police drama.
May 17, 2010
In this book eight year old Lucky watches her father horribly murder her mother. After telling the poilce what happens her father is then sentence to prison and is realsed after 18 years. Paul is now on a mission to find his long lost daughter and make her pay. While there are a murders going on and dective Frank Russo is working day and night to find the killer. After 6 months being broken up with super hot model girlfriend it just adds to his depression, till he meets a wonderful women named Denise. The stakes are high and only he can find out who is behind the killings. This book was amazing it starts out a little disturbing, but it makes you think of everyone that is introuduced maybe the killer. Once you think who is behind it takes a dramatic twist and it keeps you guessing till the last page. This was amazing yet disturbing book.
May 16, 2013
I purchased this book today and finished it within 3-4 hours. I could not put this book down. I am the kind of person that normally figures out the end of a mystery book/movie/show about halfway through, yet I was entirely wrong in this case. Barcomb's writing style is not only unique, it is quite inventive. He goes into such great detail the you feel the pain of the characters. It is a twisted book and has such realistic undertones, there is chance it can make one uncomfortable, yet it adds to the story in a way that enhances it completely. His method of telling the story through so many character's views (plus the killer's) made me target the wrong person for the entirety of the novel. This book will keep you guessing. I instantly told all my friends about it and wanted to read it again.
So yeah, I guess I liked it.
So yeah, I guess I liked it.
May 2, 2016
I was amazed by this thriller. Wayne Barcombe is very clever. I was totally thrown for a loop. The ending is a jaw dropper! I actually had to go back and re-read certain scenes to figure out what I missed. The clues along the way are very subtile. This is why this book is so enjoyable as a thriller. This is a story about a serial killer loose in New York City and a young multi-generational heartbroken cop is under pressure to hunt down the killer and solve the hideous crimes. In addition to the cops, there is another hunter hunting the elusive killer. There are a few scenes in the book that I found hard to take as a female and as a human being, but it is a cruel world and Barcombe doesn't shelter his readers from such real horrors. Reminiscent of John Lutz's' Frank Quinn Series.
March 31, 2013
Subject matter at some points could be a bit disturbing to some. I couldn't stop flip-flopping as to whodunnit. The characters' lives intertwine in believable ways, with quick glimpses into their thoughts and actions as the timeline progresses, but, with the exception of the main character, never long enough to pin them down. Frank Russo doesn't play out as the stereotype novel detective, which was nice, as that "lone wolf with a bad attitude and a distrust of people" thing can get a tad annoying. I'll definitely be looking for his other books.
September 11, 2009
A little girl witnessed abuse and murder. She testified in court and the murdered was convicted. Eighteen years later, the killer is done serving his time. He wants to track down the woman to put him behind bars. Frank Russo is a homicide detective who tracks a serial killer and gets the surprise of his life. I was very surprised at the end. It was a little hard to follow because of all the different characters and going back and forth, but it was a good book.
August 10, 2025
Builds suspense. Check. Fairly decent serial killer back story. Check. Kept the killer's identity fairly well hidden until late in the story. Check. Decent detective lead. Check. Rushed, ultimately unsatisfying ending. Double check. Not bad, but could have been wrapped up with more consistency with the overall storyline and characterizations. I ended up really disappointed overall.
March 27, 2010
Wow, this one was good. I can totally see it being a screenplay. While it wasn't a book that I just couldn't put down, I always looked forward to the next time I would pick it up. And the end? I just had to read it again. Wow. Great book!
August 15, 2012
Excellent book! I really enjoyed the mystery of it. It had a GREAT TWIST at the end......and I didn't figure it out until about two pages before! I LOVE that! I read the 300+ page book in one day! That's how much I loved it.....couldn't put it down!
March 25, 2016
Honestly; I didn't think this book was going to be that good. But it had me on the edge of my seat and then that ending! I thought I had the killer pegged and whoa, wasn't expecting what I got. Great book
August 15, 2009
This is a thriller that lives up to the genre. You will be guessing down to the very last page!
November 19, 2009
Eh, this book probably deserved 2-1/2 stars. It was a quick read and I did find it compelling, but it was pretty shallow and I didn't find the shocking revelation at the end to be very shocking.
February 15, 2010
Good writer. Suspenseful.
September 22, 2011
This is a really good book! It jumps around a lot and the end is not what you expect. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes thrillers and mysteries!
December 22, 2011
Well written and plotted. The final twist was well played and unexpected until the final chapter.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews