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Friends are the family we chose for ourselves.

A man on a mission to save his family. A friend missing and presumed dead.

Max Austin is no stranger to mortal danger and hard decisions. But when the former KGB assassin is confronted by the choice to rescue a friend or save his family, he’ll have to dig deep to keep those he cares about alive.

Haunted by a mysterious shadow that dogs him at every turn, he journeys through the treacherous Turkish desert, the harsh confines of Washington, DC, and the dirty alleyways of Cyprus searching for clues from his past. Along the way, he finds himself a step behind his adversaries who are intent on eliminating Kate Shaw before she can reveal her secrets. This time, failure in Max's quest will mean death for his friends and family alike.

Will he find Kate Shaw, or will this be Max’s last mission?

The Hunt is the gripping fourth installment in Jack Arbor’s Amazon bestselling series, The Russian Assassin, staring his stoic hero Max Austin. With a barreling pace, lovable characters, and unputdownable action, you’ll see why Arbor’s books sell like hotcakes and why readers clamor for more.

Buy The Hunt today to guarantee your ticket on a wild ride. As one reviewer said, “If you like Mitch Rap or Scot Harvath, this series is for you."

354 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 29, 2019

2053 people are currently reading
117 people want to read

About the author

Jack Arbor

12 books143 followers
Jack Arbor is the Amazon bestselling author of six thrillers featuring the wayward KGB assassin Max Austin. The stories follow Max as he comes to terms with his past and tries to extricate himself from a destiny he desperately wants to avoid.

Jack works as a digital technologist during the day and writes at night and on weekends, with much love and support from his lovely wife, Jill.

Jill and Jack live outside Aspen, Colorado, where they enjoy trail running and hiking through the natural beauty of the Roaring Fork Valley. Jack also likes to taste new bourbons and grill meat, usually at the same time. They both miss the coffee on the East Coast.

You can get free books as well as pre-release specials and sign up for Jack’s mailing list at www.jackarbor.com.

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5 stars
849 (52%)
4 stars
546 (33%)
3 stars
175 (10%)
2 stars
35 (2%)
1 star
13 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
Profile Image for Page Turner .
120 reviews
June 24, 2019
Page turner from start to finish. The plot has lots of twists and surprises. A good read.
Profile Image for Abibliofob.
1,587 reviews102 followers
December 3, 2019
This one was full of action and speedy travel all over the world, I love it. Sadly this was the last one in the series until next year when The Abyss is coming. Yeah. I found this author by chance and he is fantastic. I like the story and will continue following Max adventures.

I also learned a vital lesson through the visdom of Max father: "Son, the number one rule when duck hunting is to go where the ducks are."
Profile Image for Freyja Vanadis.
731 reviews6 followers
August 26, 2020
Oh good lord, he's started with the unnecessary apostrophes already. Page 18: "Bullet's sang past...."
Page 76: "American's call them harness boots"
Page 176: "Siren's sounded in the distance"
Page 177: "The American's call this thin ice"
Page 204: "You Asimov's are dying off"
Page 209: "keep up with the American's military". Should be the Americans' military
Page 279: "Kate, who's hands were free"
Page 286: "Who's side is she on?"
Page 289: "How do the American's say it"
Page 45: "summersault"?!? Seriously, Mr. Arbor?
Page 89: German "shepard"
Page 120: silver "pendent"
"Chutzpa" instead of the correct chutzpah.
He wrote Statute when he should have said statue
Page 182: "Allowed his eyes to grow accustom to the..." instead of accustomed
Page 197: "A series of clicks proceeded the feminine voice". Should be preceded, not proceeded.
Also on page 197:"Max, its me". Should be it's, not its.
It's not "the" Ukraine, it's just Ukraine.
Page 221: "All he had done was staunch the wound". It's stanch, not staunch. Two different words with two different meanings.
Page 287: "I try to breath in as much air as I can"
Page 323: a direct descendent; should be descendant

This book was way over the top. Max has powers of superhuman strength and resistance that no mere mortal could ever hope to possess. I basically had to suspend disbelief the entire way through the book. That, coupled with all the amateur errors I listed above, made it hard to even want to finish.
Profile Image for Jamie.
Author 1 book17 followers
December 13, 2020
In the fourth installment of The Russian Assassin series, we learn more about the consortium, and discover it is a sub-group of a larger clandestine structure, the very fabric of the mysterious Iron Curtain. Two parts of this story make it better than the others. First, the climax near the end with Ivanov is unexpected and hits the reader unawares. Second, as Kate reveals part of what the spymaster Andrei Asimov inserted in her mind, we begin to realize how devious and cunning the old-world Soviets were, and believe such cultural traditions and political structures are still in place, hidden to the oblivious majority, who are fed disinformation and propaganda as truth in their daily media gruel. The key parts of the book are reminiscent of the dark, secretive & paranoid atmosphere of the old Soviet world found in Scott Mariani's 'The Moscow Cipher.'

Note: Where reality separates from fictional fantasy: If Max gets any more shots to the head, he is going to be brain damaged and will lose his pretty boy face. Getting thrashed in the face with a metal pistol is treated as 'everyday' kind of scraping in Max's world in which there is a cavalier attitude towards the physical abuse he endures, but in real life, he would not magically recover so quickly and easily.

Four and-a-half stars.
Profile Image for Jeff Benham.
1,710 reviews11 followers
April 30, 2019
The action starts on page 1 and doesn't stop! A simple mission, take out Spartak Polzin, the #5 guy in the consortium. Except it isn't that simple and Max smells a rat. Who should show up but Victor Dedov, who is supposed to be protecting Max's sister and nephew. Well, set-up it is, as the whole purpose was to set a hook for Austin to lead them to Kate Shaw, an ex-CIA agent he has feelings for. This leads him to Corsica so he can get help from Goshawk. The problem is, the CIA also wants the information Kate has and they have her. Oh, and his birth mother, Julia is on the run. Now the race is on to rescue Kate and protect his family. Russians, China and the Brits also want the information that is embedded in Kate’s head. Max has the key. So the bad guys are after Max and he needs the help of other intelligence agencies. Every time he turns around there is someone else he has to deal with. Lots of surprises at the end and I don’t feel bad I didn’t figure it out earlier. Bext Max Austin yet? You decide.
37 reviews4 followers
July 15, 2019
Finding Kate

As the author states we, the readers, ended closure on the Kate thread, thanks Jack. Love the exciting prose, the action and the surprise twists and turns. That said, the Chinese agent working both sides seems like a stretch, like introducing a whole new character to the mix late in the game. Then I learn their will be two more books so am imagining a backstory other than the orphan angle will surface. Each book so far I have finished in one sitting so ‘job well done’ you certainly hooked me!

Profile Image for Thomas Murray.
71 reviews
July 3, 2019
Really Really Good

I'm usually more inclined to give 4 stars because nothing is perfect, but this one was 4.5 and i always round up. JA is really good at infecting detail and plot twists in his stories. This tale is full of them. We learn a great deal about the Consortium and Russian history along the way and are left at the end on a cliff staring at a great big question mark. Can't wait to find out the answer.
Profile Image for Frank Dupree.
322 reviews3 followers
August 30, 2020
Love and Hate

I loved this book! I hated this book! Well, I guess you can I’m conflicted! Ha! Anyway, I loved the writing, the characters, the plot... well... that’s where the Hate comes in! It was so good but it was here and there and back here and over there and... Max moved around a lot this time!
All in all, I’d recommend it to you! I’d hate it if the next book doesn’t do the same thing to me!
48 reviews
September 5, 2019
Five star rating well deserved

The Hunt a Max Austin Thriller by Jack Arbor is well deserving of a five star rating. The characters are well defined and The story line is well established. If you are a fan of VIA thrillers you will enjoy this book. I am !looking forward to the next book in the series
6 reviews
August 30, 2021
The best series I’ve read in a long time.

I’ve been reading in this genre for 50 years. I must say the author kept me guessing in every chapter. I can usually figure out portions of the story ahead of time. Not this time. Great reading. I’m about to begin the last in the series......looking forward to new books.
46 reviews
July 31, 2022
fast paced, quick reading and obsessed to know how this all ends

I’m in love with this new author in my reading. I love how fast paced the stories are. Sometimes there is a little too much gore for my liking so I skip it. I like that this takes place in different parts of the world. Some I e been to and some not.
8 reviews1 follower
May 19, 2023
Excellent Series

I am enjoying this well-written, well-plotted series so much! I’m binge reading the series and already regretting the end is in sight. Great, fully developed characters- which is rare in this genre. Fascinating plots that you never get ahead of….Start at the beginning and read them all!
12 reviews
May 11, 2019
Max Austin

Great read. I have read all the Max Austin books and they get better and better. Many books have sluggish prose, but Jack provides an even flow with his words. This flow allows you to move over the words and focus on the characters and plot. Well done Jack!
Profile Image for Ivan.
160 reviews3 followers
May 14, 2019
Max-4 that became The Hunt.

Interesting& sometimes quite confusing.
Maybe one day you should draw a draw s diagram of who works with whom.
I always enjoy reading max’s stories.
Looking forward to z
max-5.
37 reviews
May 19, 2019
Addictive Series

I have now read the first four books of the series and look forward to the last two books. Non-stop action and tempo. Always keeps you thinking as you try to solve the clues as the character does.
Profile Image for Jim Cerone The Perfect Host DJ MC.
366 reviews6 followers
May 23, 2019
Very well done

Vivid characters, snappy realistic dialogue, exotic locales and loads of action. Looking forward to more of the ongoing saga (don’t retire Max after 6 - prequels, sequels).
Profile Image for Kenn Goslin.
800 reviews7 followers
June 8, 2019
Max Austin may have met his match this time!!!

This story seems to be on steroids with insane world travel, death and destruction at every turn capture and release!!! Is there a big reveal in there somewhere??
13 reviews2 followers
June 11, 2019
Never disappointing.

I stayed enraptured in this story until the very end. It was 3-4 pages from the end that I found that all of my presumptions were wrong. Yes, indeed, a good book.
14 reviews
July 16, 2019
Great relationship read

The action was throughout and my interest never waned. Although the sub Russia information was interesting I couldn’t keep track. Almost too much Russian back stories.
87 reviews
August 16, 2019
Tough read

Too many characters, too many perspectives and a difficult storyline to follow. I’ve enjoyed other books. By JA but this one , I simply lost interest and never really connected with characters.
7 reviews
August 20, 2019
A Great Thriller!

I read a lot of thrillers in the genre of Mitch Rapp, Jack Reacher, Daniel Silva books, Patterson, Baldacci, etc. Jack Arbor's work is among the best. Lots of plot twists and an engaging story line. Excellent stuff IMHO.
100 reviews
October 18, 2019
Great read

This book is very well written, has great characters and tells a good tale. Makes one think about today’s reality as sounds really up to date and current. Truly enjoyable.
Profile Image for Marian Hesse.
3 reviews
January 20, 2020
Fun reading with no dull moments

I like the characters and the scenery of various locations in this book. There is also a great deal of suspense
And I am glad that......oops, don’t want to spoil it
22 reviews
July 1, 2020
Love the series and the characters. Sometimes need to have a smoother transition from one scene to the next. I found myself wondering how we got from one place to another. Just smooth it out a little in the future books because I really enjoy them. They are fun!
14 reviews
March 3, 2021
Another great book!

Another great story!! Yes, I wanted to find out how the three characters actually tied in together with Max's father and the key to finding the information hidden.
Profile Image for Joel Anderson.
167 reviews5 followers
March 17, 2021
Getting Closer


Max is getting closer to the consortium but more mystery remains. Who are the good guys...maybe more accurately are there any. Even when things get tough, he is on the hunt.
6 reviews1 follower
May 25, 2021
The first two books in this series are outstanding. The third starts to decline and this fourth one is a bit hard to follow. It advances the story but it is really tricky to follow, isn’t engaging, and doesn’t give a sense of closure. First three are must reads though.
Profile Image for Beverly.
95 reviews
June 19, 2021
Another good one!

I think I almost died reading this book 'cause I kept holding my breath and forgetting
To breathe, could not put it down, it was sooo good, anyway would recommend to all readers!
Now on to the next book in the series!
59 reviews
February 11, 2022
Loved It

This book was a very satisfying and entertaining read. Thanks for tying up so many loose ends from the last book! Again we’re left with a cliffhanger but this one made me smile. Ready to read #5 now!!
17 reviews
May 6, 2019
Always disappointed when one of Jack’s books end because I want to keep reading! You will not be able to put this one down and will love being a part of a great story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews

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