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The Huntress/FBI Thrillers #6
Shadow Moon
For thousands of years, women have been prey. This time, the predators lose.
Does Fate connect us?
Mass killer Cara Lindstrom is in the wind, after a deadly encounter which leaves FBI Special Agent Antara Singh questioning her own sanity and fitness to serve. ASAC Matthew Roarke exiles Singh to Portland to work as an assistant to his old mentor, retiring profiler Chuck Snyder—but a series of mysterious break-ins alerts Singh and Snyder to an active threat revolving around an old case: a series of brutal murders of homeless teenagers on the streets of Portland and Seattle.
Singh and Snyder must go on the road and deep into Roarke’s and Cara’s pasts to discover a pattern of destiny and interconnection that holds the key to unsolved child murders, past and present.
The Huntress series takes place over six months in the present and in multiple timelines in the past. Shadow Moon is a culmination of those characters and storylines and it is strongly recommended that the series be read in order.
Praise for Alexandra Sokoloff
“This interstate manhunt has plenty of thrills…Sokoloff keeps the drama taut and the pages flying.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Some of the most original and freshly unnerving work in the genre.” —New York Times Book Review
“Who you know: Agatha Christie, Gillian Flynn, Mary Higgins Clark. Who you should read: Alexandra Sokoloff.” —The Huffington Post
Does Fate connect us?
Mass killer Cara Lindstrom is in the wind, after a deadly encounter which leaves FBI Special Agent Antara Singh questioning her own sanity and fitness to serve. ASAC Matthew Roarke exiles Singh to Portland to work as an assistant to his old mentor, retiring profiler Chuck Snyder—but a series of mysterious break-ins alerts Singh and Snyder to an active threat revolving around an old case: a series of brutal murders of homeless teenagers on the streets of Portland and Seattle.
Singh and Snyder must go on the road and deep into Roarke’s and Cara’s pasts to discover a pattern of destiny and interconnection that holds the key to unsolved child murders, past and present.
The Huntress series takes place over six months in the present and in multiple timelines in the past. Shadow Moon is a culmination of those characters and storylines and it is strongly recommended that the series be read in order.
Praise for Alexandra Sokoloff
“This interstate manhunt has plenty of thrills…Sokoloff keeps the drama taut and the pages flying.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Some of the most original and freshly unnerving work in the genre.” —New York Times Book Review
“Who you know: Agatha Christie, Gillian Flynn, Mary Higgins Clark. Who you should read: Alexandra Sokoloff.” —The Huffington Post
458 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 19, 2019
320 people are currently reading
308 people want to read
About the author
Alexandra Sokoloff
37 books987 followersI'm the Thriller Award-winning and Bram Stoker and Anthony Award-nominated author of the bestselling and very feminist HUNTRESS MOON thrillers: Huntress Moon, Blood Moon, Cold Moon. Bitter Moon, Hunger Moon, Shadow Moon and the supernatural thrillers The Harrowing, The Price, Book of Shadows, The Unseen, The Space Between. The New York Times Book Review has called me "a daughter of Mary Shelley" and my novels "some of the most original and freshly unnerving work in the genre."
I'm a California native and a graduate of U.C. Berkeley, where I majored in theater and minored in everything that Berkeley has a reputation for. After college I moved to Los Angeles, where I made an interesting living doing novel adaptations and selling original thriller scripts to various Hollywood studios.
Now I (mostly!) live in Scotland with my Scottish crime-writing husband, Craig Robertson. We've just written a new mystery/thriller series together — and we're still married and haven't killed each other! LOST HIGHWAY will be out in 2026.
My HUNTRESS MOON series follows a haunted FBI agent on the hunt for a female serial killer, which means I can smash hated genre cliches and kill a lot of men who need to be killed.
In my paranormal and supernatural thrillers, I like to cross the possibility of the supernatural with very real life explanations for any strangeness going on, and base the action squarely in fact. THE UNSEEN is based on real paranormal research conducted at the Duke University parapsychology lab, and BOOK OF SHADOWS teams a Boston homicide detective and a practicing Salem witch in a race to solve what may be a Satanic killing. THE SPACE BETWEEN is an edgy supernatural YA about a troubled high school girl who is having dreams of a terrible massacre at her school, and becomes convinced that she can prevent the shooting if she can unravel the dream.
My non-fiction workbooks SCREENWRITING TRICKS FOR AUTHORS and WRITING LOVE, based on my internationally acclaimed workshops and blog, have helped writers of all levels all over the world finish their books and find agents and book deals. https://alexandrasokoloff.substack.com/
When I'm not writing I travel and I dance: jazz, ballet, salsa, Lindy, swing - I do it all, every chance I get.
Join the mailing list (and receive a FREE short story from the SHATTERING GLASS anthology!):
https://authoralexandrasokoloff.subst... -
Connect with me:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexandra.so...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexandraso...
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/alexsokoloff...
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@alexandrasok...
Substack: https://alexandrasokoloff.substack.com -
Read more about the books! http://alexandrasokoloff.com
I'm a California native and a graduate of U.C. Berkeley, where I majored in theater and minored in everything that Berkeley has a reputation for. After college I moved to Los Angeles, where I made an interesting living doing novel adaptations and selling original thriller scripts to various Hollywood studios.
Now I (mostly!) live in Scotland with my Scottish crime-writing husband, Craig Robertson. We've just written a new mystery/thriller series together — and we're still married and haven't killed each other! LOST HIGHWAY will be out in 2026.
My HUNTRESS MOON series follows a haunted FBI agent on the hunt for a female serial killer, which means I can smash hated genre cliches and kill a lot of men who need to be killed.
In my paranormal and supernatural thrillers, I like to cross the possibility of the supernatural with very real life explanations for any strangeness going on, and base the action squarely in fact. THE UNSEEN is based on real paranormal research conducted at the Duke University parapsychology lab, and BOOK OF SHADOWS teams a Boston homicide detective and a practicing Salem witch in a race to solve what may be a Satanic killing. THE SPACE BETWEEN is an edgy supernatural YA about a troubled high school girl who is having dreams of a terrible massacre at her school, and becomes convinced that she can prevent the shooting if she can unravel the dream.
My non-fiction workbooks SCREENWRITING TRICKS FOR AUTHORS and WRITING LOVE, based on my internationally acclaimed workshops and blog, have helped writers of all levels all over the world finish their books and find agents and book deals. https://alexandrasokoloff.substack.com/
When I'm not writing I travel and I dance: jazz, ballet, salsa, Lindy, swing - I do it all, every chance I get.
Join the mailing list (and receive a FREE short story from the SHATTERING GLASS anthology!):
https://authoralexandrasokoloff.subst... -
Connect with me:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexandra.so...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexandraso...
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/alexsokoloff...
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@alexandrasok...
Substack: https://alexandrasokoloff.substack.com -
Read more about the books! http://alexandrasokoloff.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
September 4, 2019
“Cara, I know you’re here.” “I can feel you” “I always feel you.” And so FBI SAIC Mathew Roarke spoke his truth aloud to Cara Lindstrom in the controversial Hunger Moon.
It takes FBI S/A Antara Singh’s sharp analytical and deeply spiritual mind in the outstanding Shadow Moon to discover the almost life-long, “ red thread” connection between Roarke and serial killer Cara . A spiritual connection beginning in childhood the result of a brutalized Cara being the only survivor of the vicious murder of her family.
Singh thinks Roarke has exiled her to Portland, Oregon. SAIC Rourke has asked Singh to work with Roarke’s mentor and FBI profiler extraordinaire Chuck Snyder in organizing his case files as he prepares to retire.
Singh discovers her assignment is much better and much worse than she had feared. Snyder’s papers are a mess, his health is not the best, but then he enlists Singh in solving one final case that Snyder said he worked unsuccessfully with Roarke.
Snyder and Singh go off on an odyssey through the western US, which takes them to places of staggering beauty. Author Alexandra Sokoloff ensures you see in stunning detail exactly what they are seeing. She also makes you see and partially understand the pervasive evil they encounter. Evil can never be truly understood, but Sokoloff excels at showing its various forms.
As Singh and Snyder travel, he helps Singh start putting the threads together to understand the connection between Roarke and Cara. The two children, becoming adults, always somehow aware of the other; but never meeting until their wildly divergent paths finally cross.
Sokoloff has partially backed off from the politics of Hunger Moon instead concentrating on the horrific sexual crimes being committed against the most vulnerable. Crimes still being mostly ignored by those who should care most, law enforcement and our lawmakers.
Sokoloff relates how an FBI link analysis program, ViCAP, is being ignored by US law enforcement. In Canada, a comparable tool, ViCLAS is being used successfully with almost full compliance from Canadian law enforcement. These programs are designed to follow and catch serial offenders.
Singh and Snyder take center stage for most of the book in the current time-line as they try to solve an ongoing case of missing children.
Sokoloff has a talent for taking you places you don’t want to be, but you can’t turn away from: “The heaviness was more than humidity. A teenage boy’s last sights, last sounds, last breaths were breathed here.”
Shadow Moonis a rarity, succeeding on so many levels. Starting as a crime story and then changing into a book of layers; the multiple crimes, and multiple timelines we follow until they come together in a powerful, almost satisfying end at a closed Glacier Park hotel.
I say almost satisfying because I do not want Shadow Moon to be the last book of the outstanding Huntress series. I will join with everyone else in saying the entire series should be read in order.
It takes FBI S/A Antara Singh’s sharp analytical and deeply spiritual mind in the outstanding Shadow Moon to discover the almost life-long, “ red thread” connection between Roarke and serial killer Cara . A spiritual connection beginning in childhood the result of a brutalized Cara being the only survivor of the vicious murder of her family.
Singh thinks Roarke has exiled her to Portland, Oregon. SAIC Rourke has asked Singh to work with Roarke’s mentor and FBI profiler extraordinaire Chuck Snyder in organizing his case files as he prepares to retire.
Singh discovers her assignment is much better and much worse than she had feared. Snyder’s papers are a mess, his health is not the best, but then he enlists Singh in solving one final case that Snyder said he worked unsuccessfully with Roarke.
Snyder and Singh go off on an odyssey through the western US, which takes them to places of staggering beauty. Author Alexandra Sokoloff ensures you see in stunning detail exactly what they are seeing. She also makes you see and partially understand the pervasive evil they encounter. Evil can never be truly understood, but Sokoloff excels at showing its various forms.
As Singh and Snyder travel, he helps Singh start putting the threads together to understand the connection between Roarke and Cara. The two children, becoming adults, always somehow aware of the other; but never meeting until their wildly divergent paths finally cross.
Sokoloff has partially backed off from the politics of Hunger Moon instead concentrating on the horrific sexual crimes being committed against the most vulnerable. Crimes still being mostly ignored by those who should care most, law enforcement and our lawmakers.
Sokoloff relates how an FBI link analysis program, ViCAP, is being ignored by US law enforcement. In Canada, a comparable tool, ViCLAS is being used successfully with almost full compliance from Canadian law enforcement. These programs are designed to follow and catch serial offenders.
Singh and Snyder take center stage for most of the book in the current time-line as they try to solve an ongoing case of missing children.
Sokoloff has a talent for taking you places you don’t want to be, but you can’t turn away from: “The heaviness was more than humidity. A teenage boy’s last sights, last sounds, last breaths were breathed here.”
Shadow Moonis a rarity, succeeding on so many levels. Starting as a crime story and then changing into a book of layers; the multiple crimes, and multiple timelines we follow until they come together in a powerful, almost satisfying end at a closed Glacier Park hotel.
I say almost satisfying because I do not want Shadow Moon to be the last book of the outstanding Huntress series. I will join with everyone else in saying the entire series should be read in order.
February 5, 2021
5 An Ending for Now Stars
* * * * * Spoiler Free
THIS IS THE BEST SERIES, Limited Time Only 99 CENTS!!!
There is something very special when you read an author that makes you think...Makes you take what they have presented and causes you to ponder on your Own Life. Forces you to see with new eyes or even more meaningful, with your gut instincts about things you have already considered, re-enforcing your beliefs. Alexandra Sokoloff does this with every book I have read of hers. She uses this quote to do just that:
If you look at your own life like I have, this may have special meaning for you...
Anyway, this book took me on a reading binge where I started it and did not stop until the very end. Yes, reading 556 pages in one sitting will take over your day/night. And to top it off, it was done under a bright full moon high up in the sky.
Before I even give a little away, this book should not be read unless you have been following the series. Everything that has been explored in this series is touched on in this. If you have read all the books then you will be prepared for all of the links and insights to things that have already occurred and referenced. This is important and please take this warning seriously. Otherwise, the crafting of this story and series will not have the appropriate impact I fear.
This entry picks up right after the end of Hunger Moon.The course of action FBI Special Agent Antara Singh took while being in pursuit of Mass killer Cara Lindstrom has left her a different person. She is not sure of much except she is not the same FBI agent she once was... instead, there is darkness beating deep in her heart with a need she is unsure of. She just knows it is there and does not know if she still belongs with the FBI.
Singh is so conflicted, she has steeled herself to resign and is planning this when she meets with ASAC Matthew Roarke. He stuns her instead and before she can even approach the topic of leaving, he gives her the assignment of going to Portland to assist his mentor, the world-renown profiler Chuck Snyder. He is retiring and when Singh first hears this is where Roarke is sending her, she feels like she has been banished to the world of administrative hell.
But then she remembers all the long-distance work she did with Snyder when chasing down Cara Lindstrom and the ability to pick his brain about all the ways and means to profile adjust her thinking about this assignment altogether.
Roarke thinks sending Singh to Snyder is a good thing for both of them. He remembers how lost he was after an intense experience with Cara...how he left for a few months to figure out what all of these encounters had meant...not really finding the answers, only more questions.
Singh and Snyder start off on a journey that at first seems to be purely organizational but then turns into a meeting of minds that search out the clues and answers to an unfinished investigation of brutal abuse and killings of homeless teenagers on the streets of Portland and Seattle.
Throughout this telling, we are in Singh's, Roarke's, Cara's lives seeing it all, feeling it all and with a connection so strong, it will pull the reader into the pages.
As I mentioned earlier, this is not a tale to read blindly without all the layers of the previous books. You will miss all of the complexity and understanding of the flashbacks by all of the characters. Each past entry is tied to the current one, as they reveal actions and most importantly, further insight into the whys, hows, and feelings of these events.
We get almost every point of view over the course of this book and it adds so much. I have to say I spent hours either facepalming or with my hand to my face in anxiety. The facepalming was due to all of the beautiful descriptions of this country I live in. I have not traveled to many of the places described but through Sokoloff's prose, I now feel as if I have an understanding of the terrain.
The hand over mouth in horror was due to the ugly which permeates in our country/world. Children, preteen boys and girls, and then adults are taken, forced into the sex trafficking circuit, and those aren't the ones found mutilated and murdered. Evil does exist and IT resides in the predators who hunt their prey.
This is all part of this series and this book. Yet there is so much more than the hunter and hunted. There are facts about this national emergency that are not getting the funding and attention it dearly deserves. Statistics and actual knowledge of what law enforcement is doing and what they are not doing are made very clear and part of the plot.
Sokoloff knows from where she speaks for she explains in the acknowledgments of her past employment history with the criminal system as a teacher in the Los Angeles County Juvenile Courts. She knows of the Social Services system inside and out. She has seen it all and it shows in the crafting of her books.
I promised no spoilers and I think I kept my word. I will do a bit of tease though... as I was left with these questions after this marathon reading... Is this really the last of this series... I mean it could be but then again I felt as though I was introduced to the next level... or maybe spin with a new avenger of evil...Or it could just be my wishful thinking after binging on this book for hours. I will be positive and hope I am right.
The Huntress series takes place over six months in the present and in multiple timelines in the past. Shadow Moon is a culmination of those characters and storylines and it is strongly recommended that the series be read in order.
Huntress Moon (The Huntress/FBI Thrillers, #1)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Blood Moon (The Huntress/FBI Thrillers, #2)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Cold Moon (The Huntress/FBI Thrillers, #3)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Bitter Moon (The Huntress/FBI Thrillers, #4)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Hunger Moon (The Huntress/FBI Thrillers, #5)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Shadow Moon (The Huntress/FBI Thrillers #6)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
~~~ Before Reading ~~~
This is the Calling...
We have been privy to all that has come before it...
Witnesses...
Participants...
Observers...
A Reckoning is taking place...
All who have been connected through the years...
Through the pursuit of ending Evil...
Whether by Any Means Necessary...
Or through Sanctioned Criminal Justice...
All will come together under the...
Shadow Moon- April 19th 2019
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
* * * * * Spoiler Free
THIS IS THE BEST SERIES, Limited Time Only 99 CENTS!!!
There is something very special when you read an author that makes you think...Makes you take what they have presented and causes you to ponder on your Own Life. Forces you to see with new eyes or even more meaningful, with your gut instincts about things you have already considered, re-enforcing your beliefs. Alexandra Sokoloff does this with every book I have read of hers. She uses this quote to do just that:
"The Gods tie a red string around the ankles of people who are destined for each other, or fated to help each other in a certain way."
If you look at your own life like I have, this may have special meaning for you...
Anyway, this book took me on a reading binge where I started it and did not stop until the very end. Yes, reading 556 pages in one sitting will take over your day/night. And to top it off, it was done under a bright full moon high up in the sky.
Before I even give a little away, this book should not be read unless you have been following the series. Everything that has been explored in this series is touched on in this. If you have read all the books then you will be prepared for all of the links and insights to things that have already occurred and referenced. This is important and please take this warning seriously. Otherwise, the crafting of this story and series will not have the appropriate impact I fear.
This entry picks up right after the end of Hunger Moon.The course of action FBI Special Agent Antara Singh took while being in pursuit of Mass killer Cara Lindstrom has left her a different person. She is not sure of much except she is not the same FBI agent she once was... instead, there is darkness beating deep in her heart with a need she is unsure of. She just knows it is there and does not know if she still belongs with the FBI.
Singh is so conflicted, she has steeled herself to resign and is planning this when she meets with ASAC Matthew Roarke. He stuns her instead and before she can even approach the topic of leaving, he gives her the assignment of going to Portland to assist his mentor, the world-renown profiler Chuck Snyder. He is retiring and when Singh first hears this is where Roarke is sending her, she feels like she has been banished to the world of administrative hell.
But then she remembers all the long-distance work she did with Snyder when chasing down Cara Lindstrom and the ability to pick his brain about all the ways and means to profile adjust her thinking about this assignment altogether.
Roarke thinks sending Singh to Snyder is a good thing for both of them. He remembers how lost he was after an intense experience with Cara...how he left for a few months to figure out what all of these encounters had meant...not really finding the answers, only more questions.
Singh and Snyder start off on a journey that at first seems to be purely organizational but then turns into a meeting of minds that search out the clues and answers to an unfinished investigation of brutal abuse and killings of homeless teenagers on the streets of Portland and Seattle.
Throughout this telling, we are in Singh's, Roarke's, Cara's lives seeing it all, feeling it all and with a connection so strong, it will pull the reader into the pages.
As I mentioned earlier, this is not a tale to read blindly without all the layers of the previous books. You will miss all of the complexity and understanding of the flashbacks by all of the characters. Each past entry is tied to the current one, as they reveal actions and most importantly, further insight into the whys, hows, and feelings of these events.
We get almost every point of view over the course of this book and it adds so much. I have to say I spent hours either facepalming or with my hand to my face in anxiety. The facepalming was due to all of the beautiful descriptions of this country I live in. I have not traveled to many of the places described but through Sokoloff's prose, I now feel as if I have an understanding of the terrain.
The hand over mouth in horror was due to the ugly which permeates in our country/world. Children, preteen boys and girls, and then adults are taken, forced into the sex trafficking circuit, and those aren't the ones found mutilated and murdered. Evil does exist and IT resides in the predators who hunt their prey.
This is all part of this series and this book. Yet there is so much more than the hunter and hunted. There are facts about this national emergency that are not getting the funding and attention it dearly deserves. Statistics and actual knowledge of what law enforcement is doing and what they are not doing are made very clear and part of the plot.
Sokoloff knows from where she speaks for she explains in the acknowledgments of her past employment history with the criminal system as a teacher in the Los Angeles County Juvenile Courts. She knows of the Social Services system inside and out. She has seen it all and it shows in the crafting of her books.
I promised no spoilers and I think I kept my word. I will do a bit of tease though... as I was left with these questions after this marathon reading... Is this really the last of this series... I mean it could be but then again I felt as though I was introduced to the next level... or maybe spin with a new avenger of evil...Or it could just be my wishful thinking after binging on this book for hours. I will be positive and hope I am right.
The Huntress series takes place over six months in the present and in multiple timelines in the past. Shadow Moon is a culmination of those characters and storylines and it is strongly recommended that the series be read in order.
Huntress Moon (The Huntress/FBI Thrillers, #1)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Blood Moon (The Huntress/FBI Thrillers, #2)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Cold Moon (The Huntress/FBI Thrillers, #3)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Bitter Moon (The Huntress/FBI Thrillers, #4)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Hunger Moon (The Huntress/FBI Thrillers, #5)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Shadow Moon (The Huntress/FBI Thrillers #6) https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
~~~ Before Reading ~~~
This is the Calling...
We have been privy to all that has come before it...
Witnesses...
Participants...
Observers...
A Reckoning is taking place...
All who have been connected through the years...
Through the pursuit of ending Evil...
Whether by Any Means Necessary...
Or through Sanctioned Criminal Justice...
All will come together under the...
Shadow Moon- April 19th 2019
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
May 2, 2019
No way it's the last one! No way!
April 20, 2019
So here it is, the sixth and apparently final book in the magnificently dark Huntress series - one of my all time favourites - that I’ve been waiting for for eighteen months, and abandoned my other current reads for as soon as the pre-order landed on my Kindle (including a Chris Brookmyre so that says a lot). Does it live up to expectations? Not quite - it’s not what I was hoping for after the brilliance of Hunger Moon - too much of the book is flashbacks, but it is a satisfying conclusion to the series.
Warning: do not even think about starting this if you have not read the rest of the series. This won’t work as a stand-alone as you need to know Cara’s history and all the backstory for it to make sense. I also don’t recommend it to gun-toting Republicans, Male Chauvinist Pigs, or anyone uncomfortable reading about brutal violence & child abuse.
With the present beginning straight after the events of Hunger Moon, Agent Tara Singh is left beaten and bound in the desert, surrounded by the bodies of her attackers, to disguise her collusion with Cara. When she recovers she is sent by Roarke to Portland to work with legendary profiler Chuck Snyder to enter all his case files into the ViCAP programme. Initially she thinks it’s a punishment, but as she learns more about Snyder’s history with Roarke, his stories help her fill in the gaps and identify apparently impossible links between Cara and Roarke going back to the beginning of his career. Flashbacks revisit Cara’s career as a vigilante, but as the FBI agents learn more, they discover that there are still active predators out there targeting children, and stopping Cara is no longer the teams main goal.
I was a bit disappointed that the author has pulled back from the politics of the last couple of books, with the Bitch movement barely mentioned, and Me Too not at all. The disgust towards the current US government is clear, however. This book is mostly about Tara, rather than Cara, and while the thoughtful elegant FBI agent makes an interesting protagonist, I always want more about Cara - the bulk of her scenes are flashbacks, which removes a lot of the suspense. The final part was super exciting and I liked the ending which managed to resolve things without getting all cheesy.
What I did love here were the descriptions of the scenery that our characters visit - Montana and Yellowstone are definitely going on my bucket list once the regime there changes. I have travelled through the South-West states and was transported back to their stunning bleak beauty. There was more of the supernatural in this one - nothing overt, but in the sense of fate linking our main characters throughout their lives, and in the way that Cara is led to her “work”.
As I mentioned, there are references to brutal and sadistic violence inflicted on young people and the casual way these crimes are treated by law enforcement. I kept wondering if it was a bit far-fetched, but in her afterword the author writes that none of it is exaggerated, and reflects her own professional experience, which is pretty depressing. The subplots about white supremacist militia felt plausible given recent events here in New Zealand - at least our government was able to rapidly make law changes banning SAMSWs, not something I ever see happening in the US.
In summary, while I didn’t love this as much as the earlier books, it’s still a very good end to the series, and if you haven’t read it, you really should!
Warning: do not even think about starting this if you have not read the rest of the series. This won’t work as a stand-alone as you need to know Cara’s history and all the backstory for it to make sense. I also don’t recommend it to gun-toting Republicans, Male Chauvinist Pigs, or anyone uncomfortable reading about brutal violence & child abuse.
With the present beginning straight after the events of Hunger Moon, Agent Tara Singh is left beaten and bound in the desert, surrounded by the bodies of her attackers, to disguise her collusion with Cara. When she recovers she is sent by Roarke to Portland to work with legendary profiler Chuck Snyder to enter all his case files into the ViCAP programme. Initially she thinks it’s a punishment, but as she learns more about Snyder’s history with Roarke, his stories help her fill in the gaps and identify apparently impossible links between Cara and Roarke going back to the beginning of his career. Flashbacks revisit Cara’s career as a vigilante, but as the FBI agents learn more, they discover that there are still active predators out there targeting children, and stopping Cara is no longer the teams main goal.
I was a bit disappointed that the author has pulled back from the politics of the last couple of books, with the Bitch movement barely mentioned, and Me Too not at all. The disgust towards the current US government is clear, however. This book is mostly about Tara, rather than Cara, and while the thoughtful elegant FBI agent makes an interesting protagonist, I always want more about Cara - the bulk of her scenes are flashbacks, which removes a lot of the suspense. The final part was super exciting and I liked the ending which managed to resolve things without getting all cheesy.
What I did love here were the descriptions of the scenery that our characters visit - Montana and Yellowstone are definitely going on my bucket list once the regime there changes. I have travelled through the South-West states and was transported back to their stunning bleak beauty. There was more of the supernatural in this one - nothing overt, but in the sense of fate linking our main characters throughout their lives, and in the way that Cara is led to her “work”.
As I mentioned, there are references to brutal and sadistic violence inflicted on young people and the casual way these crimes are treated by law enforcement. I kept wondering if it was a bit far-fetched, but in her afterword the author writes that none of it is exaggerated, and reflects her own professional experience, which is pretty depressing. The subplots about white supremacist militia felt plausible given recent events here in New Zealand - at least our government was able to rapidly make law changes banning SAMSWs, not something I ever see happening in the US.
In summary, while I didn’t love this as much as the earlier books, it’s still a very good end to the series, and if you haven’t read it, you really should!
September 4, 2019
I'm with the Cat's Mother on this - a few too many flashbacks but still a satisfying conclusion to an awesome series.
Read
November 10, 2022Cara Lindstom is Matt Roarke’s motivation, giving him purpose, a mission in life. What happened to her, shouldn’t happen to anyone…her entire family slaughtered and her left for dead. She was five and he was nine. It drove him to become an FBI agent. There is a mystical connection between them.
IT (evil) came and killed her family, trying to kill her too. IT follows her relentlessly, she can’t escape it, only turn to face it head on, leaving a trail of dead bodies in her wake. I agree with her need for vigilante justice. They deserve the worst. I wonder…could I hand out the same punishment?
Singh, one of the FBI agents working the case, becomes obsessed with Cara and Matt. The red string of fate draws them all to Cara.
Shadow Moon rehashes past events, but that’s okay. It has been a while since I read the last one, so a refresher is fine, but it’s new to Singh, who I know will have a big role to play. I just don’t know what it will be…yet.
Shadow Moon goes from past to present and is told from multiple points of view. I feel there is still more to the story and I want to know how it ends for Cara and Matt. Can they find peace and happiness?
My only problem is the rehashing of the past. It took up a lot of the book and sometimes I wonder, is the publisher or author trying to stretch the story out……
IT (evil) came and killed her family, trying to kill her too. IT follows her relentlessly, she can’t escape it, only turn to face it head on, leaving a trail of dead bodies in her wake. I agree with her need for vigilante justice. They deserve the worst. I wonder…could I hand out the same punishment?
Singh, one of the FBI agents working the case, becomes obsessed with Cara and Matt. The red string of fate draws them all to Cara.
Shadow Moon rehashes past events, but that’s okay. It has been a while since I read the last one, so a refresher is fine, but it’s new to Singh, who I know will have a big role to play. I just don’t know what it will be…yet.
Shadow Moon goes from past to present and is told from multiple points of view. I feel there is still more to the story and I want to know how it ends for Cara and Matt. Can they find peace and happiness?
My only problem is the rehashing of the past. It took up a lot of the book and sometimes I wonder, is the publisher or author trying to stretch the story out……
December 29, 2020
Singh is sent to Portland to help Snyder enter some old files into the FBI database. While there, she admits that she has an interesting theory about how Cara’s killings relate to Roarke’s career and cases. That leads the two to review the past cases and crimes from both Cara and Roarke’s perspectives. Snyder also admits that there is one case that he believes is still open, involving a killer called “Wolf”, but his Alzheimer’s is muddling the facts. Singh and Snyder then set off to Montana to see if they can straighten out what is real and if there is something to Snyder’s gut feeling.
In Bitter Moon (book 3), we got to dive into Cara’s past, so it was interesting to see some of Roarke’s past in this one. I thought showing what was happening to both characters simultaneously in the past was a neat way to show that they are connected in more ways than Roarke knew previously. I am also pleased that there were fewer politics than in the last book. While there was a mention or two, it was toned down, making me feel more at ease and able to just sit back and enjoy the story. I have one particular thought that is bothering me about the future of the series – until this point, Cara only sees “It” (the embodiment of evil) in men that are threatening women specifically, but I think we all know that sometimes there are evil women that do just as much damage. Surely evil is not gender-specific. I’m curious if any of Cara’s future victims will be women.
In Bitter Moon (book 3), we got to dive into Cara’s past, so it was interesting to see some of Roarke’s past in this one. I thought showing what was happening to both characters simultaneously in the past was a neat way to show that they are connected in more ways than Roarke knew previously. I am also pleased that there were fewer politics than in the last book. While there was a mention or two, it was toned down, making me feel more at ease and able to just sit back and enjoy the story. I have one particular thought that is bothering me about the future of the series – until this point, Cara only sees “It” (the embodiment of evil) in men that are threatening women specifically, but I think we all know that sometimes there are evil women that do just as much damage. Surely evil is not gender-specific. I’m curious if any of Cara’s future victims will be women.
April 23, 2019
SPOILER ALERT: I really wanted this sixth and (last?) installment of the Cara Lindstrom series to be a real punch. And I guess in some ways it was. BUT . . . to a lesser degree, the author continues her diatribe against everything conservative and especially laying (false) blame at the feet of our current President, one Supreme Court Justice in particular, gun owners, and straight white males in general. There is no allowance for "extremists" . . . everyone to the right is lumped in together. Period.
Here's my deal, if you're going to excoriate someone for their crimes, make sure those crimes REALLY HAPPENED. In my experience (and I personally have experience), REAL victims of sexual assault seek help from emergency medical professionals and law enforcement. They do NOT hire a millionaire SJW or liberal activist attorney to go for a big payday through the civil courts. Real victims want their attackers behind bars. And their witnesses don't say "I never saw that" or "we weren't even there" or "I've never even been in the same room with that guy." This author does a serious disservice to real victims who have endured real physical and emotional pain. To my way of thinking, she victimizes real victims again when she crows about a rapist in the White House. Really? Pardon me but every time an accuser came forward, they subsequently rescinded their accusations because they didn't have any evidence. EVIDENCE that would have been collected by medical professionals and law enforcement if a real assault had occurred. Do I think POTUS engaged in extremely crude locker room talk? Yes. Do I think POTUS is an angel? Absolutely not. But I'm smart enough and PRACTICAL enough to know that he was an extremely wealthy playboy in his day and there was no lack of females with dollar signs in their eyes if they thought they could hook up with him. I lived in the Dallas area for a decade. I witnessed women brazenly putting themselves in situations to get the attention of Dallas Cowboy football players. It was embarrassing to me their total lack of dignity and self respect. But it's not our place to tell these women how to behave. And it's even less our place to attach such egregious crimes to a man who only accepted what was so freely offered. And surely I don't even have to go into the whole Cavanaugh debacle that had ZERO evidence. I am not victim blaming because there are no victims in the aforementioned instances.
BACK TO THE BOOK . . . the author did the "past/present/past/present" format in this installment and while I'm not really a fan of that format, it was easy to follow and still told an engrossing story. It wasn't as interesting as the other books in this series because it seemed to focus more on Agent Tara Singh instead of Roarke and Cara. They really seemed to be supporting characters in this one. The human trafficking and child prostitution issues are not watered down at all. Those are very real evils that exist all over the world and we should each push our elected representatives to stop arguing over fast food chicken joints and address the real issues facing our communities and nation, especially crimes against children.
I think the ending was kind of a fizzler. Did Roarke go out into the wilderness and meet up with Cara? Do they go back to the scenario of him always being a couple of steps behind her while she continues her crisscrossing of the country exacting punishment on It? I have unanswered questions!
Whew. With all that said, I'm unfollowing this author and will not be reading any of her other works. And that makes me tremendously sad. She had been one of my very favorites for years. She is an incredible story teller and I always felt like I was right there in the middle of the action and as if I personally knew each character, all of them so very relatable.
Despite it all, I wish her success. I also wish her peace.
Here's my deal, if you're going to excoriate someone for their crimes, make sure those crimes REALLY HAPPENED. In my experience (and I personally have experience), REAL victims of sexual assault seek help from emergency medical professionals and law enforcement. They do NOT hire a millionaire SJW or liberal activist attorney to go for a big payday through the civil courts. Real victims want their attackers behind bars. And their witnesses don't say "I never saw that" or "we weren't even there" or "I've never even been in the same room with that guy." This author does a serious disservice to real victims who have endured real physical and emotional pain. To my way of thinking, she victimizes real victims again when she crows about a rapist in the White House. Really? Pardon me but every time an accuser came forward, they subsequently rescinded their accusations because they didn't have any evidence. EVIDENCE that would have been collected by medical professionals and law enforcement if a real assault had occurred. Do I think POTUS engaged in extremely crude locker room talk? Yes. Do I think POTUS is an angel? Absolutely not. But I'm smart enough and PRACTICAL enough to know that he was an extremely wealthy playboy in his day and there was no lack of females with dollar signs in their eyes if they thought they could hook up with him. I lived in the Dallas area for a decade. I witnessed women brazenly putting themselves in situations to get the attention of Dallas Cowboy football players. It was embarrassing to me their total lack of dignity and self respect. But it's not our place to tell these women how to behave. And it's even less our place to attach such egregious crimes to a man who only accepted what was so freely offered. And surely I don't even have to go into the whole Cavanaugh debacle that had ZERO evidence. I am not victim blaming because there are no victims in the aforementioned instances.
BACK TO THE BOOK . . . the author did the "past/present/past/present" format in this installment and while I'm not really a fan of that format, it was easy to follow and still told an engrossing story. It wasn't as interesting as the other books in this series because it seemed to focus more on Agent Tara Singh instead of Roarke and Cara. They really seemed to be supporting characters in this one. The human trafficking and child prostitution issues are not watered down at all. Those are very real evils that exist all over the world and we should each push our elected representatives to stop arguing over fast food chicken joints and address the real issues facing our communities and nation, especially crimes against children.
I think the ending was kind of a fizzler. Did Roarke go out into the wilderness and meet up with Cara? Do they go back to the scenario of him always being a couple of steps behind her while she continues her crisscrossing of the country exacting punishment on It? I have unanswered questions!
Whew. With all that said, I'm unfollowing this author and will not be reading any of her other works. And that makes me tremendously sad. She had been one of my very favorites for years. She is an incredible story teller and I always felt like I was right there in the middle of the action and as if I personally knew each character, all of them so very relatable.
Despite it all, I wish her success. I also wish her peace.
May 27, 2019
This book is a bit slower than others, has a quiet tone, but that is due to what is covered. I loved how Agent Singh's mind worked, the connections that she made. It really makes a person wonder what fate has planned for person. I find myself really intrigued by how Rourke will react to seeing Singh's board. I have a feeling that it will screw with his mind. I truly wish that Cara could have seen the board too and wonder what she would think of it. I also find with each book that I have a hard time seeing why Cara should be punished and seen as a bad guy, she is doing what needs to be done.
June 29, 2021
This took me a very long time to finish. Part of it was because it was a Kindle book and I don’t want to stare at screens after doing it at work all day. However, the book itself was extremely slow. I didn’t like where this book was going and kept put off the inevitable. The book wasn’t what I wanted or expected for the ending to this series.
August 31, 2021
Great Read. I highly recommend the Huntress Series. Certainly one of me Favorite Series.
November 26, 2019
The story begins in the present, following on immediately from Hunger Moon, with FBI Special Agent Antara Singh bound, drugged and blindfolded…alone in the deserted and derelict hotel except for the carnage left behind…to hide the fact she was complicit in what happened.
The pursuit of Cara Lindstrom has left Singh conflicted and unsure of her future. Instead of resigning as she had planned, she finds herself on her way to Portland to assist soon to be retired Special Agent Snyder, as per ASAC Matthew Roarke’s orders. Chuck Snyder is Roarke’s mentor and friend, a successful profiler and although age has caught up with him, there are times his perception and sharp mind are most definitely still in evidence.
Initially Singh is helping Snyder add his case files into ViCAP—The Violent Criminal Apprehension Program. The work is soul destroying in its tediousness and horrific detail, plus the fact a good number of the violent perpetrators are still at large due to lack of prioritisation and diligence by some areas of law enforcement. Singh also discovers that Roarke’s history with Cara goes much further back than she had ever imagined.
The narrative comes from various perspectives which puts the reader or listener right there with the characters, feeling what they feel, experiencing the horror and the light bulb moments. Singh’s conversations with Snyder bring to light the many surprising links between Cara and Roarke, when their paths crossed, knowingly or otherwise, spanning years. The story includes flashbacks to events in Roarke’s past, and follows Cara as she traversed the country, the fleeting hope that she can escape the darkness of It never materialising. Chapter headings give the timelines and places ensuring there’s no confusion.
There’s a layer of mysticism and the supernatural making their presence felt, as it has through most of the series and the white supremacist subplot seems all too horribly real.
Descriptions of Montana and Glacier National Park are beautifully vivid, the hotel used in the story is a real one and looks fabulous in its breathtaking setting.
Shadow Moon is a culmination of previous storylines and the parts the characters played in the dramas that have been unfolding. It’s really not a standalone read and the books should be read in sequence to get the most out of the complete story. The series covers the darkest aspects of humanity—among other things abuse, torture, corruption and child sex trafficking. There’s a deeply sexist attitude from a section of the male community that degrades women and children, whether it be because of race, colour or sexual orientation, they reduce people to objects to do with as they please.
The political aspect isn’t as obvious in this instalment although it’s apparent the author’s views on the present US government haven’t changed.
Alexandra Sokoloff states in the author’s note that she has not “in any way exaggerated the plight of children and teens in the Social Services and justice systems and the prevalence of child trafficking. All the predators and crimes in the Huntress books are reflective of real-life predators and real-world events” which is a terrible thing to contemplate and, whether right or wrong, more than half of me wants to side with Cara as she metes out her own form of justice. It’s a sobering thought that these atrocities are actually happening and are the reality for countless victims. The messages contained in this, and the previous books, are powerful ones that are heart breakingly relevant and desperately need addressing.
Although I believe this may be the last in the series (and hope it isn’t) the open ending does leave room for a continuation.
The pursuit of Cara Lindstrom has left Singh conflicted and unsure of her future. Instead of resigning as she had planned, she finds herself on her way to Portland to assist soon to be retired Special Agent Snyder, as per ASAC Matthew Roarke’s orders. Chuck Snyder is Roarke’s mentor and friend, a successful profiler and although age has caught up with him, there are times his perception and sharp mind are most definitely still in evidence.
Initially Singh is helping Snyder add his case files into ViCAP—The Violent Criminal Apprehension Program. The work is soul destroying in its tediousness and horrific detail, plus the fact a good number of the violent perpetrators are still at large due to lack of prioritisation and diligence by some areas of law enforcement. Singh also discovers that Roarke’s history with Cara goes much further back than she had ever imagined.
The narrative comes from various perspectives which puts the reader or listener right there with the characters, feeling what they feel, experiencing the horror and the light bulb moments. Singh’s conversations with Snyder bring to light the many surprising links between Cara and Roarke, when their paths crossed, knowingly or otherwise, spanning years. The story includes flashbacks to events in Roarke’s past, and follows Cara as she traversed the country, the fleeting hope that she can escape the darkness of It never materialising. Chapter headings give the timelines and places ensuring there’s no confusion.
There’s a layer of mysticism and the supernatural making their presence felt, as it has through most of the series and the white supremacist subplot seems all too horribly real.
Descriptions of Montana and Glacier National Park are beautifully vivid, the hotel used in the story is a real one and looks fabulous in its breathtaking setting.
Shadow Moon is a culmination of previous storylines and the parts the characters played in the dramas that have been unfolding. It’s really not a standalone read and the books should be read in sequence to get the most out of the complete story. The series covers the darkest aspects of humanity—among other things abuse, torture, corruption and child sex trafficking. There’s a deeply sexist attitude from a section of the male community that degrades women and children, whether it be because of race, colour or sexual orientation, they reduce people to objects to do with as they please.
The political aspect isn’t as obvious in this instalment although it’s apparent the author’s views on the present US government haven’t changed.
Alexandra Sokoloff states in the author’s note that she has not “in any way exaggerated the plight of children and teens in the Social Services and justice systems and the prevalence of child trafficking. All the predators and crimes in the Huntress books are reflective of real-life predators and real-world events” which is a terrible thing to contemplate and, whether right or wrong, more than half of me wants to side with Cara as she metes out her own form of justice. It’s a sobering thought that these atrocities are actually happening and are the reality for countless victims. The messages contained in this, and the previous books, are powerful ones that are heart breakingly relevant and desperately need addressing.
Although I believe this may be the last in the series (and hope it isn’t) the open ending does leave room for a continuation.
April 26, 2019
Amazing series
The Moon series has been a fascinating ride. Not just a FBI Thriller but as an awakening to the many life atrocities the world faces. Kidnappings, rapes, prostitution, torture, corruption, and the horrible ideals people hold in the name of their "freedoms". For me personally book 6 brought a nostalgic view of a beautifully scenic amazingly glorious western road trip I had taken many years ago. The vividly descriptive words of the terrain brought me back in time. I thank the author for the trip down memory lane.
The Moon series has been a fascinating ride. Not just a FBI Thriller but as an awakening to the many life atrocities the world faces. Kidnappings, rapes, prostitution, torture, corruption, and the horrible ideals people hold in the name of their "freedoms". For me personally book 6 brought a nostalgic view of a beautifully scenic amazingly glorious western road trip I had taken many years ago. The vividly descriptive words of the terrain brought me back in time. I thank the author for the trip down memory lane.
April 25, 2019
Another thrilling ride
This series quickly became a huge favorite of mine with the first book. Cara's story was/is so sad and traumatic. Love how this book helped filled more of Cara's and Rourke's backstory. I am hopeful that we have met a new character that will be in future stories. I highly recommend this series.
This series quickly became a huge favorite of mine with the first book. Cara's story was/is so sad and traumatic. Love how this book helped filled more of Cara's and Rourke's backstory. I am hopeful that we have met a new character that will be in future stories. I highly recommend this series.
April 22, 2019
Breathless
There are good authors and then there is brilliant. AS's writing is enthralling and full of relentless intensity, filled with amazing characters living in constant danger and drama amidst breathtaking backdrops. I love Cara and this series of FBI thrillers is the best I've read. I do hope there is more Cara coming.
There are good authors and then there is brilliant. AS's writing is enthralling and full of relentless intensity, filled with amazing characters living in constant danger and drama amidst breathtaking backdrops. I love Cara and this series of FBI thrillers is the best I've read. I do hope there is more Cara coming.
May 6, 2019
Wow, just WOW! That was well worth the wait! If you haven’t read any of the previous books in the series, I would make sure you go back and read them first. The author makes it very clear that in order to appreciate this novel, you really do have to have read the others. And anyway, why wouldn’t you read them? It really is an outstanding series!
In Shadow Moon Agent Tara Singh has been sent to assist profiler Chuck Snyder clear up his files as he approaches retirement. It soon becomes clear that Snyder is hiding something. Singh too, is not without her secrets. Singh and Snyder take centre stage in this novel with Cara and Roarke’s story being revealed in the background. We learn more about both of them through the eyes of others and through flashbacks. Not many writers could pull off the multiple timelines but Alexandra does it with aplomb and then some! It weaves together beautifully, it’s like watching a jigsaw being completed on the pages in front of you.
There is something exceptional about Alexandra Sokoloff’s writing. Not only does she present you with an outstanding cast of characters and a tightly knitted plot but she drills right into your brain and she makes you think; she makes you think about all that is wrong with the world. And as a woman she makes me proud and she makes me feel confident in knowing that it is absolutely OKAY to not put up with shit because of my gender.
The whole series and indeed Shadow Moon, is more than just a story, it is a strong and powerful statement: she addresses and strips back that “we’re just all guys here” mentality that pervades some of the country’s top agencies: the attitude that objectifies women and seeps through to practice. There is something gloriously empowering about this series, watching Cara bring down the predators, does not mean I want to go out and kill people but there’s a certain sense of a justice being served, Cara’s actions are a metaphor for true justice.
I have to be truthful and say that I do not see Cara’s victims as victims at all. The scene at the Grand Canyon in this novel, was particularly poignant, looking at how an act of sexual violence has destroyed some of the beauty of nature; how such ugliness and evil does not belong in a place like that.
Alexandra Sokoloff never ceases to amaze me. How she weaves time and character without leaving the reader behind. She not only tells a story but she gives a powerful message: the child abuse, trafficking are not fiction, it is a reality for kids on the streets; she has based this on her own professional experience. She uses Cara as a tool to advocate for these kids who do not have a voice; she uses her characters to express an anger at a systematic failure to protect these kids and she uses her writing to give the world a massive big nudge to sit up, take notice and do something. Using the narrative the author highlights the issues with the systems in place eg.ViCAP database isn’t working as law enforcement agencies consistently fail to input the data into the system which means violent offenders and predators are free to continue.
Cara Lindstrom is my all time favourite serial killer! I’ve followed her and Matthew Roarke across the series, I’ve watched her slip away from law enforcement and I’ve watched him watch her with admiration, awe and with love. It is a perfect fictional pairing. The parts of the book dedicated to Cara are for sure my all time favourite. And of course Matt Roarke, he is determined and he is focused and he always has been. We learn what connects the two characters and just how far back that connection goes, Cara’s influence on Matt’s decision to aim to be an FBI agent.I’d want both these characters fighting my corner any day.
I enjoyed getting to know Snyder a little better this time round; learning about his relationship with Roarke and in total awe of his mentoring skills. As he and Singh work together I can see the man he was way back at the beginning shining through.
Alexandra Sokoloff has created a wonderful cast of characters who I have connected with right from the start of the series: her use of narrative to address some relevant and topical issues is fantastic and extremely well written. It might win her no friends in a certain POTUS camp, but I somehow don’t think she will lose any sleep over this, and not should she because these are issues that have to be raised and addressed and I strongly believe that fiction has a place in opening up dialogue and discussion. Alexandra does this beautifully in addition to providing readers with a bloody brilliant read!
In Shadow Moon Agent Tara Singh has been sent to assist profiler Chuck Snyder clear up his files as he approaches retirement. It soon becomes clear that Snyder is hiding something. Singh too, is not without her secrets. Singh and Snyder take centre stage in this novel with Cara and Roarke’s story being revealed in the background. We learn more about both of them through the eyes of others and through flashbacks. Not many writers could pull off the multiple timelines but Alexandra does it with aplomb and then some! It weaves together beautifully, it’s like watching a jigsaw being completed on the pages in front of you.
There is something exceptional about Alexandra Sokoloff’s writing. Not only does she present you with an outstanding cast of characters and a tightly knitted plot but she drills right into your brain and she makes you think; she makes you think about all that is wrong with the world. And as a woman she makes me proud and she makes me feel confident in knowing that it is absolutely OKAY to not put up with shit because of my gender.
The whole series and indeed Shadow Moon, is more than just a story, it is a strong and powerful statement: she addresses and strips back that “we’re just all guys here” mentality that pervades some of the country’s top agencies: the attitude that objectifies women and seeps through to practice. There is something gloriously empowering about this series, watching Cara bring down the predators, does not mean I want to go out and kill people but there’s a certain sense of a justice being served, Cara’s actions are a metaphor for true justice.
I have to be truthful and say that I do not see Cara’s victims as victims at all. The scene at the Grand Canyon in this novel, was particularly poignant, looking at how an act of sexual violence has destroyed some of the beauty of nature; how such ugliness and evil does not belong in a place like that.
Alexandra Sokoloff never ceases to amaze me. How she weaves time and character without leaving the reader behind. She not only tells a story but she gives a powerful message: the child abuse, trafficking are not fiction, it is a reality for kids on the streets; she has based this on her own professional experience. She uses Cara as a tool to advocate for these kids who do not have a voice; she uses her characters to express an anger at a systematic failure to protect these kids and she uses her writing to give the world a massive big nudge to sit up, take notice and do something. Using the narrative the author highlights the issues with the systems in place eg.ViCAP database isn’t working as law enforcement agencies consistently fail to input the data into the system which means violent offenders and predators are free to continue.
Cara Lindstrom is my all time favourite serial killer! I’ve followed her and Matthew Roarke across the series, I’ve watched her slip away from law enforcement and I’ve watched him watch her with admiration, awe and with love. It is a perfect fictional pairing. The parts of the book dedicated to Cara are for sure my all time favourite. And of course Matt Roarke, he is determined and he is focused and he always has been. We learn what connects the two characters and just how far back that connection goes, Cara’s influence on Matt’s decision to aim to be an FBI agent.I’d want both these characters fighting my corner any day.
I enjoyed getting to know Snyder a little better this time round; learning about his relationship with Roarke and in total awe of his mentoring skills. As he and Singh work together I can see the man he was way back at the beginning shining through.
Alexandra Sokoloff has created a wonderful cast of characters who I have connected with right from the start of the series: her use of narrative to address some relevant and topical issues is fantastic and extremely well written. It might win her no friends in a certain POTUS camp, but I somehow don’t think she will lose any sleep over this, and not should she because these are issues that have to be raised and addressed and I strongly believe that fiction has a place in opening up dialogue and discussion. Alexandra does this beautifully in addition to providing readers with a bloody brilliant read!
April 28, 2019
This series is a powerhouse of great writing with breath holding suspenseful moments. Charles Bronson's character Paul Kersey in Death Wish doesn't hold a candle to Alexandra Sokoloff's Cara Lindstrom. Please do not let this be the last of the series there is just so much more to tell and explore.
May 9, 2020
The Huntress/FBI Thrillers is a fantastic series. I read the first five books in the series back in 2017 and loved each and every one. Not only is the storyline gripping, but it is also very much a book of its time. Hunger Moon in particular fits in with the #metoo movement and all that has been going on in the world. I somehow missed this sixth and I think final instalment in the series, but once I did see that it had been published I couldn't help but dive straight in.
In some ways, this is slightly different from the previous books. While they focused on Matthew and Cara in one way or another, it's two other agents Singh and Snyder who lead much of the story. As things progress it soon becomes clear that it's still the same link that Cara and Matthew share that move the story on.
I think that this is intended as the last book. I don't know if there will be any more, I wouldn't be sad if there was more, but at the same time, the storyline did come to a conclusion of sorts and possibly doesn't need to be continued.
I highly recommend this series, you do really need to go back to the first one and start with Huntress Moon
In some ways, this is slightly different from the previous books. While they focused on Matthew and Cara in one way or another, it's two other agents Singh and Snyder who lead much of the story. As things progress it soon becomes clear that it's still the same link that Cara and Matthew share that move the story on.
I think that this is intended as the last book. I don't know if there will be any more, I wouldn't be sad if there was more, but at the same time, the storyline did come to a conclusion of sorts and possibly doesn't need to be continued.
I highly recommend this series, you do really need to go back to the first one and start with Huntress Moon
April 27, 2019
Short chapters with alternating POV of the main characters. also jumping in time but clearly marked, so you do not have to guess. Some nice twists. Ending is ok, but for me a low point, although I like it that there was not too much of a vigilante-killing-spree and a few things went according to law.
Great scenery in this book.
Reasonably fast read, it took my longer as I paused to binge Vampire Diaries on Netflix - starting at S01E01, as I could not get into the S03 where stopped seeing it years ago.
As most of the books from this series felt like it could have been the end to the series, I will not guess wether there will be more, but hope so. Also there seem to be talks or even solid plans for a TV-series, yeah!
Not as much a mirror image for the current (2018/2019) USofA like the last book, at least not for me, but I am not so much into Militia and Conspiracy-Theories, so I may be wrong.
Some good use of internet and current technology, I will not spoil it, only to say there was a nice decision from one of the minor characters.
Solid 5 star, highly recommended, would not consider this a standalone, too much background story would be missing, strongly suggest reading all the books in the series in order. One of my favourite series, hands-down-ever. For more Info read my reviews of the other 5 books in the series.
Great scenery in this book.
Reasonably fast read, it took my longer as I paused to binge Vampire Diaries on Netflix - starting at S01E01, as I could not get into the S03 where stopped seeing it years ago.
As most of the books from this series felt like it could have been the end to the series, I will not guess wether there will be more, but hope so. Also there seem to be talks or even solid plans for a TV-series, yeah!
Not as much a mirror image for the current (2018/2019) USofA like the last book, at least not for me, but I am not so much into Militia and Conspiracy-Theories, so I may be wrong.
Some good use of internet and current technology, I will not spoil it, only to say there was a nice decision from one of the minor characters.
Solid 5 star, highly recommended, would not consider this a standalone, too much background story would be missing, strongly suggest reading all the books in the series in order. One of my favourite series, hands-down-ever. For more Info read my reviews of the other 5 books in the series.
May 29, 2019
Book: Shadow Moon: Book VI of the Huntress/FBI Thriller Series by Alexandra Sokoloff
Book 32/52 for the year
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Time to Read: 14 Days
How Did I Get It? Digital Version via Kindle
Mini Review: Cara Lindstrom, mass killer, is in the wind after a deadly encounter with FBI agent Antara Singh. ASAC Matthew Roarke assigns Singh to Portland under his mentor Chuck Snyder. After mysterious alerts revolving an old case Snyder and Singh delve into Roarke and Cara’s past and discover a pattern that can change the course of child murders.
I must preface my review by saying you cannot read this book without reading the previous ones. This book picks up right where the other left off. This book did the typical back and forth time jump but it wasn’t as entertaining as previous books. It may be because the book focuses on Singh and Snyder more than it did Roarke and Cara. The book also took a long time to get to the big case at hand. I have read that this is the last book of the series and am disappointed that it ended on a bit of a cliff hanger. I hope there will be another book.
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Book 32/52 for the year
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Time to Read: 14 Days
How Did I Get It? Digital Version via Kindle
Mini Review: Cara Lindstrom, mass killer, is in the wind after a deadly encounter with FBI agent Antara Singh. ASAC Matthew Roarke assigns Singh to Portland under his mentor Chuck Snyder. After mysterious alerts revolving an old case Snyder and Singh delve into Roarke and Cara’s past and discover a pattern that can change the course of child murders.
I must preface my review by saying you cannot read this book without reading the previous ones. This book picks up right where the other left off. This book did the typical back and forth time jump but it wasn’t as entertaining as previous books. It may be because the book focuses on Singh and Snyder more than it did Roarke and Cara. The book also took a long time to get to the big case at hand. I have read that this is the last book of the series and am disappointed that it ended on a bit of a cliff hanger. I hope there will be another book.
Have you read this book?
#bookstgram #books #bookworm #booksofinstagram #reading #bookreviews #bookrecommendations #readingchallenge #goodreads #amreading #currentlyreading #kindle #ebook
April 24, 2019
In this last book in the Huntress series, the character Tara Singh has a chance to shine, ties one of the major themes of the novels together, and helps to bring the series to a close (or at least I think it's the end of the series, I wouldn't mind if it went on). I loved the shift in focus to Singh and Snyder, while in the back story, the Roarke and Cara story is fully revealed. While still a mystery/thriller, the author drew on her horror-writing background to give the novel its dark, eerie, and fate-filled aura. Book 5 was good, yet the author's anger about current political events came through loud and clear - that did not detract from the story, but reinforced the underlying motivations of the main characters. In Book 6, the author has backed off from that sense of fury. It's still there, but not as urgent, and by the end there is a sense of resolution.
Alexandra Sokoloff's novels are well-crafted, compelling, with well-developed characters and wonderful imagery. This one did not disappoint.
Alexandra Sokoloff's novels are well-crafted, compelling, with well-developed characters and wonderful imagery. This one did not disappoint.
March 11, 2020
This has been an excellent series of modern crime fighting within the FBI as they seek a female vigilante serial killer. The rub is Cara is taking out the worst of worst who prey on young women in marginalized and vulnerable situations from foster care, human trafficking, serial rapists and the scary pedophile next door. Rape culture and the effects of it rippling across the country and in the women’s lives can be raw. The profilers have become well known to us and we see them question “Who is the bad guy here?” We seen them grow tremendously as this book gave us even deeper backstory and character development.
I’ve both read the book and listened to the audiobook and they were both excellent. The Narrator’s are excellent and in this book there are multiple voices. I enjoyed it tremendously.
I highly recommend this book. We see Agent Singh as multifaceted as her story and input comes to fore. There are so many wonderful viewpoints, beliefs and diversity presented in this book. It should be mandatory reading in both criminology and women’s studies programs.
I’ve both read the book and listened to the audiobook and they were both excellent. The Narrator’s are excellent and in this book there are multiple voices. I enjoyed it tremendously.
I highly recommend this book. We see Agent Singh as multifaceted as her story and input comes to fore. There are so many wonderful viewpoints, beliefs and diversity presented in this book. It should be mandatory reading in both criminology and women’s studies programs.
May 5, 2019
I have all the books in this series and each one has been a stand out and stand alone thriller. This is a series where it is the men who prey on the weak and vulnerable in our society be they young or old, male or female who are being hunted and put down. This particular novel moves back and forth in time between the Huntress and her pursuers, or are they her pursuers? Maybe, maybe not. I understand that this particular series is currently being considered for a t.v series and I'm not sure whether I want to see someone else's take on Cara Lindstrom and Matthew Roarke as I have such strong mental images of these two protagonists. Nonetheless this is a great book and absolutely worth reading.
May 22, 2019
Maybe I was just expecting too much. I've thoroughly enjoyed reading the Huntress/FBI thriller series & had high expectations for how this (last??) book would escalate Cara's "mission" in life. Instead the main focus is on Singh & her suspicions that there is some unknown force connecting Rourke & Cara. Parallel stories (past & present) involving investigations into missing boys provide further insight into Rourke's early years in the FBI. Cara (aka The Huntress) is hovering around in both storylines without actually doing much. It's an overall good book, but not particularly satisfying to me. I also suppose that at least some of the author's intent in writing this book is to to acknowledge that rape & abuse affects young men/boys too.
November 11, 2019
This was my first encounter with a book of Alexandra Sokoloff and I ended up very pleasantly surprised. I'm both willing and weary of giving an author I don't know a fair chance to impress me but she managed to impress me without me realizing I'm getting pulled into the story.
Although the jumping around between time-frames can be a bit disconcerting at first it does tend to keep your mind focused.
Since it's the first of her books I've read there was also some references to incidents in previous books or gaps in the plot that apparently a reader that followed the series would be able to explain but that can easily be fixed by buying the whole series and reading it from the first word.
All in all: A great read.
Although the jumping around between time-frames can be a bit disconcerting at first it does tend to keep your mind focused.
Since it's the first of her books I've read there was also some references to incidents in previous books or gaps in the plot that apparently a reader that followed the series would be able to explain but that can easily be fixed by buying the whole series and reading it from the first word.
All in all: A great read.
June 5, 2021
It ends the only way it could
A friend got me started on these but the story and the quality of the writing kept me going . Book V really spoke to our times in a way that was almost exactly the way some of us feel. Hopefully there will be a "normal" in our future. One aspect of the story that captured my imagination was that ultimately it would take the combination of the pieces that each person ( both agents and civilians) understood to have all of bits come together to make the final act of justice happen. I don't want to give anything away. This is a wonderful set of books. And it does end the only way that it could with only the one lose thread left for you imagination to follow.
A friend got me started on these but the story and the quality of the writing kept me going . Book V really spoke to our times in a way that was almost exactly the way some of us feel. Hopefully there will be a "normal" in our future. One aspect of the story that captured my imagination was that ultimately it would take the combination of the pieces that each person ( both agents and civilians) understood to have all of bits come together to make the final act of justice happen. I don't want to give anything away. This is a wonderful set of books. And it does end the only way that it could with only the one lose thread left for you imagination to follow.
April 27, 2019
Wonderful
As with the other books in the Huntress series I really liked this book. There has been so much going on you can hardly believe that the seven books only cover about 6 months. This book answers a lot of questions the other six books bring up. With a focus on child sex abuse and trafficking the FBI and a vigilante ( Cara ) the Huntress go about putting a stop to their evil ways. But what makes this book so good is the support characters took center stage while the main characters took a supporting role. I fully recommend this book to everyone but I suggest that you start with the first in the series. You will not be disappointed.
As with the other books in the Huntress series I really liked this book. There has been so much going on you can hardly believe that the seven books only cover about 6 months. This book answers a lot of questions the other six books bring up. With a focus on child sex abuse and trafficking the FBI and a vigilante ( Cara ) the Huntress go about putting a stop to their evil ways. But what makes this book so good is the support characters took center stage while the main characters took a supporting role. I fully recommend this book to everyone but I suggest that you start with the first in the series. You will not be disappointed.
December 17, 2019
I love this series so much but this book was really difficult for me to enjoy. I feel the last couple books based in the past was enough and this one writing about the past and present to solve a case just wasn’t inserting enough. I also find the author trying too hard to create some sort of destiny chain that Matt and Cara have always lived so closed “tied by a red string” theory to be trying way too hard to create the destiny that they are meant to be together. I hope her future books can focus more on the present and not have to create such elaborate past recreations to come up with a new story
June 15, 2020
I read all 6 books in the Huntress Series. I could not put them down. I liked the characters and the stories. I enjoyed the descriptions of the different locations and people. I appreciated the information Sokoloff shared regarding abuse and sexual crimes in our country. I liked how she pulled crimes/loose ends from previous books and tied them neatly in the last book, Shadow Moon. Thank you.Shadow Moon
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