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The Tracker
Taylor is being hunted. A sinister shadow trails him playing a game of hide and seek. If Taylor is caught, a cruel death awaits him. There are rules for this game. To break them would mean dire consequences for Taylor and anyone close to him. Taylor must outwit and outlast the fiend for forty-eight hours.
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First published March 1, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
March 27, 2025
I gotta tell you all something….I’m really digging this John Hunt dude. I know that I’ve only read two of his books, but I’m now a big fan. Doll House was a solid story and The Tracker was on par. This book starts out going one direction and leaves all these breadcrumbs that I didn’t even pick up on, until a possible plot twist, which then turned out to not be the case. I loved this manipulation of the reader by the author. It was very risky, but paid off. And while the book wasn’t long, all the swerves just made the pages fly by and kept me riveted throughout. And at no point did I feel confused about what was happening or have any issues differentiating each character. And The Tracker is one heck of an antagonist, too. Just very different and uber-terrifying. Almost gave me Tommy Taffy vibes from Elias Witherow’s The Third Parent. So Mr. Hunt displays his full talent here and through all the blood, psychological torment, and everything that Tracker brings to the table, it prevails as a great horror tale.
March 11, 2018
4.5 stars
After the death of his Mother, Taylor begins hearing strange noises and realizes that the noises are coming from the basement. Could someone be in the house? When the basement door begins to open and strange looking hands and fingers appear, well it is obvious that he is not alone. As a matter of fact, he is invited to play a game. A game he has no choice but to play - grown up Hide and Seek with a horrible twist. Soon Taylor is being hunted by a man/demon/shadow/entity/devil (just what the heck is it) and he must obey the rules. If he does not obey the rules, then horrible things will happen to people close to him. He will be hunted for forty-eight hours, if he survives, then he lives. If he is caught, a terrible death awaits him.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I read it over the course of one day. This book grabbed me from the get-go. I was hooked and there was no looking back! Seriously, I was captivated. The Author blended horror, suspense and mystery beautifully in this book! I loved that Taylor knew that no one would believe him, but he desperately wanted to be believed, no, he needed to be believed. I loved that there were twists and turns that I did not see coming and for me, they enhanced my enjoyment of this book.
This book was also an incredibly fast read. I felt as if I had just sat down to read it and then it was over. I was so captivated by the story that time flew and before I knew it, I had finished the book. I have been itching to read a good horror book for a while now and I can consider this itch scratched with this book!
Thank you to Black Rose Writing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
See all my reviews at www.openbookpost.com
After the death of his Mother, Taylor begins hearing strange noises and realizes that the noises are coming from the basement. Could someone be in the house? When the basement door begins to open and strange looking hands and fingers appear, well it is obvious that he is not alone. As a matter of fact, he is invited to play a game. A game he has no choice but to play - grown up Hide and Seek with a horrible twist. Soon Taylor is being hunted by a man/demon/shadow/entity/devil (just what the heck is it) and he must obey the rules. If he does not obey the rules, then horrible things will happen to people close to him. He will be hunted for forty-eight hours, if he survives, then he lives. If he is caught, a terrible death awaits him.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I read it over the course of one day. This book grabbed me from the get-go. I was hooked and there was no looking back! Seriously, I was captivated. The Author blended horror, suspense and mystery beautifully in this book! I loved that Taylor knew that no one would believe him, but he desperately wanted to be believed, no, he needed to be believed. I loved that there were twists and turns that I did not see coming and for me, they enhanced my enjoyment of this book.
This book was also an incredibly fast read. I felt as if I had just sat down to read it and then it was over. I was so captivated by the story that time flew and before I knew it, I had finished the book. I have been itching to read a good horror book for a while now and I can consider this itch scratched with this book!
Thank you to Black Rose Writing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
See all my reviews at www.openbookpost.com
March 19, 2018
4+++ Stars.
Hehehehehe.......Beware THE TRACKER.
I REALLY like a work of horror that surprises me and turns out to be much more of a thriller than anticipated....and John Hunt's THE TRACKER does just that!
POOR TAYLOR, what a life! When we first meet the lonely 25 year old, clearly a BIG man at 300+ pounds; he is on the run accused of multiple homicides, but what he witnessed at the cemetery....what is watching him....and what is in the basement could explain it all....so he decides to turn himself in.
AND, as he tells his long, bizarre story about the creepy shadowed man in a fedora to Police Investigator Owen, the truth begins to show itself, thus........
THE GAME is on....and do not break the rules!
GREAT READ with my kind of wicked ending, and so much here folks in less than 200 pages! If you love horror, wouldn't miss it!
Many thanks to Black Rose Writing and NetGalley for the complimentary ebook in trade for review.
March 20, 2018
Ok so first things first Mr. Hunt, you and I have to have a conversation. Mostly about location, I mean come on, you are getting just a little too close for comfort. Guelph, Ontario is a short half hours drive from my city, in fact I worked there for many years. My god man you are driving down the Hanlon! Enough said.
Would I classify this as horror. You betcha.
Taylor is a fat man. Tall with generous proportions, certainly, but still fat. His mother makes him look small. They have repurposed the garage to house her. But when his mother dies Taylor sees a shadow of a menacing man wearing a fedora. More like a shadow really, if shadows had teeth. He hears creeping and feels threatened by a possible intruder in his basement. The fear is persistent and invasive, it takes up residence. Then one day he wakes from a long slumber and finds he has lost days. And then, there it is, the shadow, from before.
I remember reading Doll House and thinking this guy’s got something going on. Trust me, he does. That said, John Hunt is decidedly honing his art, courting his muse, if you will. His prose may be a little too rough around the edges, but pay heed, this too shall pass.
I gave Doll House 3.5 stars but only lit up 3. This time another 3.5, but I am letting 4 burn bright.
You are on my radar Mr. Hunt and I am seeking good things. I’ll let you define that.
My thanks to Black Rose Writing, John Hunt and NetGalley for an opportunity to read this novel.
Would I classify this as horror. You betcha.
Taylor is a fat man. Tall with generous proportions, certainly, but still fat. His mother makes him look small. They have repurposed the garage to house her. But when his mother dies Taylor sees a shadow of a menacing man wearing a fedora. More like a shadow really, if shadows had teeth. He hears creeping and feels threatened by a possible intruder in his basement. The fear is persistent and invasive, it takes up residence. Then one day he wakes from a long slumber and finds he has lost days. And then, there it is, the shadow, from before.
I remember reading Doll House and thinking this guy’s got something going on. Trust me, he does. That said, John Hunt is decidedly honing his art, courting his muse, if you will. His prose may be a little too rough around the edges, but pay heed, this too shall pass.
I gave Doll House 3.5 stars but only lit up 3. This time another 3.5, but I am letting 4 burn bright.
You are on my radar Mr. Hunt and I am seeking good things. I’ll let you define that.
My thanks to Black Rose Writing, John Hunt and NetGalley for an opportunity to read this novel.
March 7, 2018
Copy furnished by Net Galley for the price of a review.
Do you want to play a game? Come on, it's a simple variation on the theme of hide and seek, but with higher stakes. It doesn't really matter if you want to play or not, the game has already begun. Can you catch a glimpse of the shadow man? You'll know him by his fedora and his long spidery fingers. Still not sure? Come closer, maybe that rictus-like grin he sports will convince you. Keep an eye on the time.
The fine line that resides between sanity and madness comes into play with this fine tale of horror.
Do you want to play a game? Come on, it's a simple variation on the theme of hide and seek, but with higher stakes. It doesn't really matter if you want to play or not, the game has already begun. Can you catch a glimpse of the shadow man? You'll know him by his fedora and his long spidery fingers. Still not sure? Come closer, maybe that rictus-like grin he sports will convince you. Keep an eye on the time.
The fine line that resides between sanity and madness comes into play with this fine tale of horror.
July 11, 2018
Attention to lovers of all these dark, suspense-driven and gruesome. I’ve found a new gem that will have your heart beating in your throat the whole read through.
I hate being chased. When our group of friends play a horror game together, I’m the first one to give up, screaming and pressing the pause button and passing the game onto the next person as I whimper in defeat. So imagine my sheer delight at finding a book with a good chase. I was still terrified, despite not being in control of the story
What a gut-wrenching, stomach-churning and head-thumping read.
He couldn’t remember being this tired ever in his life. He wiped a hand across his mouth and tasted more blood. He must look a sight. He could feel the blood all over his body, sticky and hardening on his skin and in his hair. He knew the police were looking for him. They had been since the first body had been found…
This book does a fantastic job setting up an adequate balance of suspense, mystery and atmosphere.
The plot: set-up and pay-off
Taylor has been hunted by the police for the murder of four people. However, the police are nothing compared to what has been chasing him for the past 48 hours.
The police thought Taylor had killed those people. Since he had been present for all of them they had every reason to believe that.
Taylor gives himself in at the police station and begins to tell his story to the detective, Owen.
Taylor is a mild-mannered and kind, if overweight, twenty-five-year-old man. Taylor lived an uneventful life with his mother, until one day she was struck dead by a heart attack and Taylor was left alone to fend for himself.
When Taylor’s mother died, it made the news. Not in the obituary way, where a loved one puts it in the paper….That would be almost nice. Taylor’s mom was huge. And when she die, it made the front page.
Every day Taylor misses his mother but begins to accept it as a part of living that people come and people die.
Every day, Taylor despises himself and his weight.
Every day, Taylor becomes more and more lethargic.
Every other day, Taylor experiences lapses in memory that he can’t explain.
And that is when the terror begins.
I love how Mr Hunt introduces characters. He sets up a character in one chapter and already has you either rooting for them or hating their guts:
Stephen became a police officer because he thought the uniform looked sharp and would confer respect on him without actually having to do anything...it never occurred to him that a mass murderer would walk in the door. Weren’t those guys supposed to be running away from cops?
Things that go bump in the night
If you didn’t do it, who did?
I don’t know. A monster? The monster in the basement.” Owen leaned back, a line between his eyebrows and said, “A monster in the basement, huh?
Taylor begins to explain that he had been seeing a man in a fedora in his house.
The man in the fedora stood on the other side of the glass, staring at him.
The man begins to appear more and more frequently.
His eyes popped wide and he turned his head. The basement door was wide open. Hanging on the basement side doorknob was a black fedora…he heard a creak on the stairs from deep in the basement.
And one day, Taylor wakes up, strapped down on his bed. And the man in the fedora stands over him.
If you don’t look at me. I’m going to bite off your pinky. The man said it casually, as though he said “French fry” rather than pinky...triangular, serated fangs jutted from his gums and pointed in every direction. When he spoke lines od drool escaped from the corners and were swiftly absorbed by his skin.
And so the man in the fedora – the Tracker – lets him loose and gives him two days to run. And so, the delightful terror begins.
Comments: writing, characters twists and turns
The characters in this book are realistic and very easy to have sympathy for. I think that Mr Hunt does such a good job at writing characters, especially for a horror where characters are often overshadowed by plot and monster.
I love that the book begins in the middle of a total shitstorm and only manages to make things more chaotic and terrifying. It manages to implement a slow burner and an action-packed thriller in one punch.
The twists and turns in this book are absolutely fantastic. Like any good horror does, there are small clues left to have you hitting your head and saying “how didn’t I see this coming?”. But when it comes, you wish it hadn’t.
The dialogue has the natural and pessimistic bite of a good murder mystery, but the clipped, coarse dialogue of horror when needed.
I won’t spoil any other aspects of the book. All I’d like to say is that the set up ends up in such a satisfying pay off that chilled me bone-deep. The way Taylor’s past, the man in the fedora as well as the killings interplay and come together was a jaw-dropping moment for me.
Conclusion
This is a machine gun shot-paced, page-zipping thriller. It’s not particularly long or complex but it will haunt your head for days, if not weeks, on end. John Hunt will forever be on my list of the best horror authors out there.
I have been called the Tracker from time to time. And a devil. A vampire. A demon. The boogeyman. I prefer the Tracker. It is most apt considering what I do.
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Edit: spelling.
I hate being chased. When our group of friends play a horror game together, I’m the first one to give up, screaming and pressing the pause button and passing the game onto the next person as I whimper in defeat. So imagine my sheer delight at finding a book with a good chase. I was still terrified, despite not being in control of the story
What a gut-wrenching, stomach-churning and head-thumping read.
He couldn’t remember being this tired ever in his life. He wiped a hand across his mouth and tasted more blood. He must look a sight. He could feel the blood all over his body, sticky and hardening on his skin and in his hair. He knew the police were looking for him. They had been since the first body had been found…
This book does a fantastic job setting up an adequate balance of suspense, mystery and atmosphere.
The plot: set-up and pay-off
Taylor has been hunted by the police for the murder of four people. However, the police are nothing compared to what has been chasing him for the past 48 hours.
The police thought Taylor had killed those people. Since he had been present for all of them they had every reason to believe that.
Taylor gives himself in at the police station and begins to tell his story to the detective, Owen.
Taylor is a mild-mannered and kind, if overweight, twenty-five-year-old man. Taylor lived an uneventful life with his mother, until one day she was struck dead by a heart attack and Taylor was left alone to fend for himself.
When Taylor’s mother died, it made the news. Not in the obituary way, where a loved one puts it in the paper….That would be almost nice. Taylor’s mom was huge. And when she die, it made the front page.
Every day Taylor misses his mother but begins to accept it as a part of living that people come and people die.
Every day, Taylor despises himself and his weight.
Every day, Taylor becomes more and more lethargic.
Every other day, Taylor experiences lapses in memory that he can’t explain.
And that is when the terror begins.
I love how Mr Hunt introduces characters. He sets up a character in one chapter and already has you either rooting for them or hating their guts:
Stephen became a police officer because he thought the uniform looked sharp and would confer respect on him without actually having to do anything...it never occurred to him that a mass murderer would walk in the door. Weren’t those guys supposed to be running away from cops?
Things that go bump in the night
If you didn’t do it, who did?
I don’t know. A monster? The monster in the basement.” Owen leaned back, a line between his eyebrows and said, “A monster in the basement, huh?
Taylor begins to explain that he had been seeing a man in a fedora in his house.
The man in the fedora stood on the other side of the glass, staring at him.
The man begins to appear more and more frequently.
His eyes popped wide and he turned his head. The basement door was wide open. Hanging on the basement side doorknob was a black fedora…he heard a creak on the stairs from deep in the basement.
And one day, Taylor wakes up, strapped down on his bed. And the man in the fedora stands over him.
If you don’t look at me. I’m going to bite off your pinky. The man said it casually, as though he said “French fry” rather than pinky...triangular, serated fangs jutted from his gums and pointed in every direction. When he spoke lines od drool escaped from the corners and were swiftly absorbed by his skin.
And so the man in the fedora – the Tracker – lets him loose and gives him two days to run. And so, the delightful terror begins.
Comments: writing, characters twists and turns
The characters in this book are realistic and very easy to have sympathy for. I think that Mr Hunt does such a good job at writing characters, especially for a horror where characters are often overshadowed by plot and monster.
I love that the book begins in the middle of a total shitstorm and only manages to make things more chaotic and terrifying. It manages to implement a slow burner and an action-packed thriller in one punch.
The twists and turns in this book are absolutely fantastic. Like any good horror does, there are small clues left to have you hitting your head and saying “how didn’t I see this coming?”. But when it comes, you wish it hadn’t.
The dialogue has the natural and pessimistic bite of a good murder mystery, but the clipped, coarse dialogue of horror when needed.
I won’t spoil any other aspects of the book. All I’d like to say is that the set up ends up in such a satisfying pay off that chilled me bone-deep. The way Taylor’s past, the man in the fedora as well as the killings interplay and come together was a jaw-dropping moment for me.
Conclusion
This is a machine gun shot-paced, page-zipping thriller. It’s not particularly long or complex but it will haunt your head for days, if not weeks, on end. John Hunt will forever be on my list of the best horror authors out there.
I have been called the Tracker from time to time. And a devil. A vampire. A demon. The boogeyman. I prefer the Tracker. It is most apt considering what I do.
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Edit: spelling.
October 28, 2018
Well that was some crazy fucked up shit, excuse my French. I had no idea I had just started a horror novel because, you see, I don't read horror. It's a long story and I won't bore you with it. So it took some time to sink in and by then, alas, it was too late I was on the express train with no hope of getting off. And, I have a bone to pick with whoever writes the official synopses - THERE WAS NO CLUE TO BE HAD! I had even read Hunt's book Doll House, easy, no horror. And then you throw me in at the deep end. Shame.
And now I don't really know how to review this but here goes... After his behemoth of a mother dies, fat and unfit Taylor, everybody's favorite loser, doesn't quite know what to do with himself now that he doesn't have to care for her anymore. So he pretty much does nothing until some creepy basement scenes scare the living shit out of him. And then the Tracker finally fully shows himself to Taylor (I'm not going to tell you what he looks like, read the damn book). Anyway, he's some freaky something and he forces the hapless Taylor to play a deadly game of hide and seek. If he's caught within 48 hours terrible things will happen but he's not allowed to ask for help or involve the police. Those are the rules and if he breaks them, terrible things will happen.
Against all odds Taylor survives the two days, although some terrible things didi happen. Phew, he thinks he's made it and he's off the hook. But eventually he realizes that he's so far on the hook, he IS the hook and nothing will ever be the same again. I'm not sure that I enjoyed it but four stars for getting me to read the whole thing. It was one of those train wreck stories, you know terrible things are going to happen but you just can't look away. Shudder!
And now I don't really know how to review this but here goes... After his behemoth of a mother dies, fat and unfit Taylor, everybody's favorite loser, doesn't quite know what to do with himself now that he doesn't have to care for her anymore. So he pretty much does nothing until some creepy basement scenes scare the living shit out of him. And then the Tracker finally fully shows himself to Taylor (I'm not going to tell you what he looks like, read the damn book). Anyway, he's some freaky something and he forces the hapless Taylor to play a deadly game of hide and seek. If he's caught within 48 hours terrible things will happen but he's not allowed to ask for help or involve the police. Those are the rules and if he breaks them, terrible things will happen.
Against all odds Taylor survives the two days, although some terrible things didi happen. Phew, he thinks he's made it and he's off the hook. But eventually he realizes that he's so far on the hook, he IS the hook and nothing will ever be the same again. I'm not sure that I enjoyed it but four stars for getting me to read the whole thing. It was one of those train wreck stories, you know terrible things are going to happen but you just can't look away. Shudder!
March 20, 2018
OMG,this book is soooo good I read it in one day,once I started reading it I couldn't put it down.
In the early hours of a Monday morning Taylor walks into a Police station,he's covered in blood,dirty and stinks of sweat.After he has been cleaned up and taken to a interview room,he begins to tell Detective Owen his unbelievable story.He says he didn't commit the crimes they suspect him of committing.It was the fiend who did it,the fiend who has been tracking him,the sinister monster who forced Taylor into playing a game.If he was caught he would suffer a horrible death.If he broke any of the rules of the game there would be dire consequences for Taylor and the people around him.All he had to do was avoid being caught and stay alive for forty - eight hours.As Taylor's incredible story unfolds neither Owen or the reader are sure what to believe.He can't be telling the truth,there's no such thing as monsters....right? He's just setting up his plea of innocent due to diminished responsibility.....isn't he?
Taylor and Owen are the main protagonists in this fast paced,twist packed roller coaster ride.This is a gripping part horror,part thriller story that contained some intense chase scenes,some spine chilling gory scenes,vivid characters and a added dash of humour.I would have given this far more than five stars if I could and would love to watch a film adaptation of this book
Many thanks to Black Rose Writing for a arc of this book via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review
In the early hours of a Monday morning Taylor walks into a Police station,he's covered in blood,dirty and stinks of sweat.After he has been cleaned up and taken to a interview room,he begins to tell Detective Owen his unbelievable story.He says he didn't commit the crimes they suspect him of committing.It was the fiend who did it,the fiend who has been tracking him,the sinister monster who forced Taylor into playing a game.If he was caught he would suffer a horrible death.If he broke any of the rules of the game there would be dire consequences for Taylor and the people around him.All he had to do was avoid being caught and stay alive for forty - eight hours.As Taylor's incredible story unfolds neither Owen or the reader are sure what to believe.He can't be telling the truth,there's no such thing as monsters....right? He's just setting up his plea of innocent due to diminished responsibility.....isn't he?
Taylor and Owen are the main protagonists in this fast paced,twist packed roller coaster ride.This is a gripping part horror,part thriller story that contained some intense chase scenes,some spine chilling gory scenes,vivid characters and a added dash of humour.I would have given this far more than five stars if I could and would love to watch a film adaptation of this book
Many thanks to Black Rose Writing for a arc of this book via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review
December 24, 2024
What a ride. RTC.
November 20, 2018
I've read this author's book dolls house which I really enjoyed,this one not so much.taylor mum died and he starts to hear things in the basement the tracker is after him he's got to stay away from him to survive and there's rules to this game.for me abit far fetched.was okay read but didn't fully engage.
June 18, 2018
Wow.... this book sure packed a punch with less then 200 pages! I started this morning and finished this afternoon.
Man.. poor Taylor haha yikes! The book first introduces Taylor to us as a 300 plus pound 25 year old being accused of four homicides. But, Taylor swears that he is innocent.
Taylor turns himself in and tells the police officer of a bizarre story of a shadowed man in a fedora..... hmmmm....
Could Taylor be innocent after all? And who is this shadowed man tracking down Taylor?
This definitely was an interesting piece of work to say the least! I love my thrillers and this in my opinion wasn't too bad. It wasn't the best but I was entertained :).
Overall, 3.5 stars for this one.
Thank you to Netgalley and Black Rose Writing for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest review.
Publication date: 3/8/18
Published to GR: 6/18/18
Man.. poor Taylor haha yikes! The book first introduces Taylor to us as a 300 plus pound 25 year old being accused of four homicides. But, Taylor swears that he is innocent.
Taylor turns himself in and tells the police officer of a bizarre story of a shadowed man in a fedora..... hmmmm....
Could Taylor be innocent after all? And who is this shadowed man tracking down Taylor?
This definitely was an interesting piece of work to say the least! I love my thrillers and this in my opinion wasn't too bad. It wasn't the best but I was entertained :).
Overall, 3.5 stars for this one.
Thank you to Netgalley and Black Rose Writing for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest review.
Publication date: 3/8/18
Published to GR: 6/18/18
November 10, 2021
This review is very late. Um, shit happens. Still, for all the time that passed between me reading and reviewing this book, not a damn thing has changed. If you like weird arsed stuff that has no plausible explanation. The whole darn story was weird, and had me on the edge of my seat. This story was kinda "maybe lottsa" scary. Honestly. This scared the crap outta me. Sometimes it happens that way. This did. That ending? Dude...No way, Jose. That end scared the farcks outta me. So,yep. I tell ya' what. For some good old fashioned scare the cronk out of y'all. Is there such a thing as farcks? John Hunt is someone who I bought the first book after reading this. My thanks to the publishers and Netgelley.
March 1, 2018
With only two novels out, John Hunt is the author to watch in the horror and suspense genre. His first novel, The Doll House is a tight mystery thriller that keeps you guessing. His new novel is The Tracker and while The Doll House was a mystery with strong elements of horror, The Tracker is all horror.
Taylor is an young but obese man with a even more obese mother who dies and leaves Taylor alone in their house. Taylor has no real friends and, like many with severe weight problems, grew up with his share of peer persecution and misery. Shortly after his mother dies, he begins to see a strange man in a fedora. That man starts breaking into his home although the police can find no evidence and no signs of entry by anyone but Taylor. The man finally reveals himself to Taylor as "The Tracker" with an ultimatum; Evade me for 2 days and you live. If i catch you I will brutally kill you. Do not reveal who I am or ask for help for there will be consequences. Taylor does ask for help, and the consequence only digs Taylor in deeper and makes him the subject for several murders.
John Hunt has a casual but riveting style. He gets into the meat of the novel rather quickly. In fact maybe too quickly since at first I thought the premise did not have enough grounding for the reader to believe the unbelievable. I was wrong though as the author throws a few curve balls at us and the reader is wondering who the killer really is. A good part of the novel centers around Taylor telling the interrogating detective his story. The detective is a good listener and a good questioner for it is the questions he asks that causes the first half of the book to unravel into something even more creepy. Of course I am not going to tell you what that is.
The Tracker is a book where the thriller lover may protest the strong domination of the horror elements, sort of the exact opposite of The Doll House where after a terrifying beginning it calms to a psychological aftermath story and a whodunnit. The Tracker starts out slower for a few pages then goes full terror fest. The amount of taut plot structuring is quite impressive and rarely allows the reader to take a breath. Hunt's novel is essentially a variation of the innocent man on the run and being terrorized by both villain and police. However once the twists show up in the second half it becomes something else. It will be interesting to see where Hunt goes next. Will he become a suspense writer, a horror writer, or will he dabble in a bit of both. He has the chops to do either or both and it will be intriguing to see what twisted little scenario he will conjure up next.
Taylor is an young but obese man with a even more obese mother who dies and leaves Taylor alone in their house. Taylor has no real friends and, like many with severe weight problems, grew up with his share of peer persecution and misery. Shortly after his mother dies, he begins to see a strange man in a fedora. That man starts breaking into his home although the police can find no evidence and no signs of entry by anyone but Taylor. The man finally reveals himself to Taylor as "The Tracker" with an ultimatum; Evade me for 2 days and you live. If i catch you I will brutally kill you. Do not reveal who I am or ask for help for there will be consequences. Taylor does ask for help, and the consequence only digs Taylor in deeper and makes him the subject for several murders.
John Hunt has a casual but riveting style. He gets into the meat of the novel rather quickly. In fact maybe too quickly since at first I thought the premise did not have enough grounding for the reader to believe the unbelievable. I was wrong though as the author throws a few curve balls at us and the reader is wondering who the killer really is. A good part of the novel centers around Taylor telling the interrogating detective his story. The detective is a good listener and a good questioner for it is the questions he asks that causes the first half of the book to unravel into something even more creepy. Of course I am not going to tell you what that is.
The Tracker is a book where the thriller lover may protest the strong domination of the horror elements, sort of the exact opposite of The Doll House where after a terrifying beginning it calms to a psychological aftermath story and a whodunnit. The Tracker starts out slower for a few pages then goes full terror fest. The amount of taut plot structuring is quite impressive and rarely allows the reader to take a breath. Hunt's novel is essentially a variation of the innocent man on the run and being terrorized by both villain and police. However once the twists show up in the second half it becomes something else. It will be interesting to see where Hunt goes next. Will he become a suspense writer, a horror writer, or will he dabble in a bit of both. He has the chops to do either or both and it will be intriguing to see what twisted little scenario he will conjure up next.
February 28, 2018
"We are going to play an elaborate game of hide and seek. You, of course, are going to hide. I..." he stopped and pointed one of those long fingers into his own chest, "will seek. I have been called the Tracker from time to time. And a devil. A vampire. A demon. The boogeyman. I prefer The Tracker."
Taylor is playing a deadly game of hide and seek. He has 48 hours to outwit and outlast the demon that is hunting him. If caught, a cruel death awaits him. If he breaks any of the rules, there will be consequences. But if he can survive the 48 hours, The Tracker will let him live.
This book did not disappoint. An original plot with great story-telling. It will terrify and entertain you at the same time. This was a fast-paced, suspenseful thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The story flowed well and kept me intrigued from start to finish. It’s one of those books that comes along occasionally that makes you want to read it non-stop until you get to the end. The rat scene will make you cringe and give you nightmares for days.
This is my 2nd read from this author. John Hunt is quickly becoming one of my favorite horror authors. If you’re a fan of this genre, I highly recommend this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Black Rose Writing for supply me a copy of John Hunt's "The Tracker" in exchange for an honest review.
Taylor is playing a deadly game of hide and seek. He has 48 hours to outwit and outlast the demon that is hunting him. If caught, a cruel death awaits him. If he breaks any of the rules, there will be consequences. But if he can survive the 48 hours, The Tracker will let him live.
This book did not disappoint. An original plot with great story-telling. It will terrify and entertain you at the same time. This was a fast-paced, suspenseful thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The story flowed well and kept me intrigued from start to finish. It’s one of those books that comes along occasionally that makes you want to read it non-stop until you get to the end. The rat scene will make you cringe and give you nightmares for days.
This is my 2nd read from this author. John Hunt is quickly becoming one of my favorite horror authors. If you’re a fan of this genre, I highly recommend this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Black Rose Writing for supply me a copy of John Hunt's "The Tracker" in exchange for an honest review.
March 7, 2018
Oh geeze, where to start with this book??? First off, I was captivated by this read. It started off really strong. Ghostly, eerie, creepy....I mean seriously, being hunted by the boogie man for 48 hours while having to follow game-like rules...sounds like something out of a Wes Craven horror movie! And it was!! I was creeped right out for the first half of the book. It's been a long time since I've read a horror story that actually frightened me and The Tracker managed this feat!
As the story progresses, it shifts into more of a crime thriller. This part was also quite intriguing and suspenseful. There's an unexpected twist in the middle that was well executed. The ending was not as great as the first two thirds for me. It turns into action thriller - which is not a genre I particularly enjoy much. With that said, the writing was very good and the characters so well developed that I was glued to the pages the whole way through. I just wish the ending had been more horror than action.
Would I recommend this book to others? Absolutely! It is a fast paced and engaging read best experienced late at night. If you hear noises downstairs, be careful!. It might be the boogie man....
A gracious thank you to Black Rose Writing, John Hunt and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
As the story progresses, it shifts into more of a crime thriller. This part was also quite intriguing and suspenseful. There's an unexpected twist in the middle that was well executed. The ending was not as great as the first two thirds for me. It turns into action thriller - which is not a genre I particularly enjoy much. With that said, the writing was very good and the characters so well developed that I was glued to the pages the whole way through. I just wish the ending had been more horror than action.
Would I recommend this book to others? Absolutely! It is a fast paced and engaging read best experienced late at night. If you hear noises downstairs, be careful!. It might be the boogie man....
A gracious thank you to Black Rose Writing, John Hunt and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 28, 2018
My first thoughts were... "Holy guts and gore Batman!" I have to be honest, at first, I was really digging this. A game of chase with the boogeyman? Yes! Does that make me twisted? Eh... maybe, I like a good thrill. BUT... once we got to the second half of the storyline... I have to be honest and say that I started to lose interest. It wasn't nearly as enjoyable for me. There's no way for me to explain my thoughts on this without providing some spoilers, so I apologize... if you're not interested in the spoilers, you should stop now.
The novel centers around Taylor, a young overweight man, who is struggling with the recent loss of his mother and only friend. Now, all alone with no one to talk to, and struggling to overcome his fatigue and restless nights since his mother's death, he begins to hear strange things coming from the basement. The basement that is stuffed from wall to wall with stuff that his mother hoarded for years. How is it possible that someone could be in the basement? There was no room, no where to go? When Taylor goes to investigate he hears footsteps... again, coming from the basement. When Taylor opens the basement door to inspect it, he feels someone pushing on it from the other side. He slams his body against the door, but it doesn't latch, he easily tops three hundred pounds, why doesn't the door close? He sits on the floor and uses his legs and weight with his back and pushes the door closed and it finally latches. There's pounding coming from the other side of the door, the frame begins to shake, and door knob begins to rattle next to his head. The door slowly begins to move, and Taylor can feel himself sliding on the floor. He sees two long fingered hands emerge, one above and below the door knob. With all his strength and weight, Taylor once again begins pushing on the door, suddenly the hands disappear, and the door slams shut. Taylor hears a chuckle escape from behind the door.
This is Taylor's first encounter with The Tracker... creepy stuff... who isn't afraid of something coming out of the darkness of the basement right? It's not long before the Tracker finally catches up with Taylor and Taylor is forced to play a game of Hide and Seek. Taylor is given 48 hours to evade The Tracker, and if he fails, he will be eaten. There are rules though, he's not allowed to leave the city limits, he cannot tell anyone about The Tracker, as Taylor is the only one that can see him, and most importantly, he cannot go to the police or ask anyone for help. If he does, they will suffer a gruesome fate. Before the chase begins, The Tracker gives Taylor a "gift"... a worm is forced into Taylor's mouth and he's given no choice but to swallow it. This worm will allow the Tracker to feel Taylor's presence just as Taylor can feel the Tracker's presence. An internal beacon if you will.
As the chase begins Taylor soon realizes that following the rules isn't always the best option for survival. People are suffering at the hands of the Tracker for merely being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Taylor has now endangered the lives of others in an attempt to save himself, and the guilt is something he'll have to live with. As the end of the 48 hour comes to an end, Taylor is now a wanted man for murder... remind you... The Tracker cannot be seen unless he wants you to see him, so who else can responsible for the murders? Taylor decides that his best and only option is to turn himself in to the police.
After Taylor explains his horrid tale of "The Tracker" to officer Owen Graham and the tables begin to turn and Owen begins to explain the evidence against him... well... that's when I started to get a bit disappointed with where the storyline was headed. I was thoroughly enjoying the cat and mouse game between Taylor and The Tracker, but once that ended, and suddenly the game shifts, well, I didn't find the transition was smooth enough for me. There were just some things that I found didn't get answered well enough for me. For starters, there wasn't a backstory to The Tracker. I would have liked to have understand the motivation behind "the game" that his victims are put through. Secondly, spoiler alert here, how is it that Taylor becomes possessed by The Tracker? Are we led to believe that this is tied to the worm he ingested, or did something else occur? It's mentioned at one point in the novel after Rosie has been kidnapped "To the place that grew hate in Taylor's heart and allowed me to enter." Is this supposed to mean that because Taylor harbored bad feelings about his past that he could become possessed. Again, how? So to sum it up, I didn't care for Taylor's backstory about his high school days... that driving him to kill... and so on. It simply didn't work for me.
The other issue I had with this novel was the dialogue. I found the dialogue to be too clunky at times. It just didn't seem natural. Every time I read a scene with dialogue I practically cringed. All that aside, there were some great aspects of this novel, the descriptive writing didn't lack, which is always a huge plus for me, especially when writing a horror novel. Sorry to say, but the more descriptive, the better when it comes to gore. Gross, I know, but that's what makes it horrific. The suspense didn't lack either, the thought of someone chasing you, doing whatever you could to survive, nearly escaping with your live... well, if that isn't thrilling, then I don't know what is?
I want to thank NetGalley, Black Rose Writing, and John Hunt for allowing me the chance to read this novel in exchange for my review.
The novel centers around Taylor, a young overweight man, who is struggling with the recent loss of his mother and only friend. Now, all alone with no one to talk to, and struggling to overcome his fatigue and restless nights since his mother's death, he begins to hear strange things coming from the basement. The basement that is stuffed from wall to wall with stuff that his mother hoarded for years. How is it possible that someone could be in the basement? There was no room, no where to go? When Taylor goes to investigate he hears footsteps... again, coming from the basement. When Taylor opens the basement door to inspect it, he feels someone pushing on it from the other side. He slams his body against the door, but it doesn't latch, he easily tops three hundred pounds, why doesn't the door close? He sits on the floor and uses his legs and weight with his back and pushes the door closed and it finally latches. There's pounding coming from the other side of the door, the frame begins to shake, and door knob begins to rattle next to his head. The door slowly begins to move, and Taylor can feel himself sliding on the floor. He sees two long fingered hands emerge, one above and below the door knob. With all his strength and weight, Taylor once again begins pushing on the door, suddenly the hands disappear, and the door slams shut. Taylor hears a chuckle escape from behind the door.
This is Taylor's first encounter with The Tracker... creepy stuff... who isn't afraid of something coming out of the darkness of the basement right? It's not long before the Tracker finally catches up with Taylor and Taylor is forced to play a game of Hide and Seek. Taylor is given 48 hours to evade The Tracker, and if he fails, he will be eaten. There are rules though, he's not allowed to leave the city limits, he cannot tell anyone about The Tracker, as Taylor is the only one that can see him, and most importantly, he cannot go to the police or ask anyone for help. If he does, they will suffer a gruesome fate. Before the chase begins, The Tracker gives Taylor a "gift"... a worm is forced into Taylor's mouth and he's given no choice but to swallow it. This worm will allow the Tracker to feel Taylor's presence just as Taylor can feel the Tracker's presence. An internal beacon if you will.
As the chase begins Taylor soon realizes that following the rules isn't always the best option for survival. People are suffering at the hands of the Tracker for merely being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Taylor has now endangered the lives of others in an attempt to save himself, and the guilt is something he'll have to live with. As the end of the 48 hour comes to an end, Taylor is now a wanted man for murder... remind you... The Tracker cannot be seen unless he wants you to see him, so who else can responsible for the murders? Taylor decides that his best and only option is to turn himself in to the police.
After Taylor explains his horrid tale of "The Tracker" to officer Owen Graham and the tables begin to turn and Owen begins to explain the evidence against him... well... that's when I started to get a bit disappointed with where the storyline was headed. I was thoroughly enjoying the cat and mouse game between Taylor and The Tracker, but once that ended, and suddenly the game shifts, well, I didn't find the transition was smooth enough for me. There were just some things that I found didn't get answered well enough for me. For starters, there wasn't a backstory to The Tracker. I would have liked to have understand the motivation behind "the game" that his victims are put through. Secondly, spoiler alert here, how is it that Taylor becomes possessed by The Tracker? Are we led to believe that this is tied to the worm he ingested, or did something else occur? It's mentioned at one point in the novel after Rosie has been kidnapped "To the place that grew hate in Taylor's heart and allowed me to enter." Is this supposed to mean that because Taylor harbored bad feelings about his past that he could become possessed. Again, how? So to sum it up, I didn't care for Taylor's backstory about his high school days... that driving him to kill... and so on. It simply didn't work for me.
The other issue I had with this novel was the dialogue. I found the dialogue to be too clunky at times. It just didn't seem natural. Every time I read a scene with dialogue I practically cringed. All that aside, there were some great aspects of this novel, the descriptive writing didn't lack, which is always a huge plus for me, especially when writing a horror novel. Sorry to say, but the more descriptive, the better when it comes to gore. Gross, I know, but that's what makes it horrific. The suspense didn't lack either, the thought of someone chasing you, doing whatever you could to survive, nearly escaping with your live... well, if that isn't thrilling, then I don't know what is?
I want to thank NetGalley, Black Rose Writing, and John Hunt for allowing me the chance to read this novel in exchange for my review.
March 1, 2018
We begin this tale somewhere in the middle. Taylor has just survived 48 hours of hell. He approaches the police department, knowing they are looking for him as they suspect he is a mass murderer. After cleaning up the blood and putting on a prison jumpsuit, Taylor sits down to tell his improbable story to Detective Owen Graham.
After Taylor's mother's funeral, a "man" starts stalking him. One night he wakes up tied to his bed. He is told that he must run and when (not if) he is caught, the creature will eat him. We aren't sure what it is. The creature says: "I have been called the Tracker from time to time. And a devil. A vampire. A demon. The boogeyman. I prefer the Tracker." And so begins a fast-paced chase around the city with Taylor, a tall obese man, hoping to outsmart the Tracker.
It's hard to describe this book without giving anything away. It moves at a frenetic pace, as we follow Taylor and hope that the hapless loser wins out. The little twist at the end was a great touch. A thoroughly entertaining novel.
After Taylor's mother's funeral, a "man" starts stalking him. One night he wakes up tied to his bed. He is told that he must run and when (not if) he is caught, the creature will eat him. We aren't sure what it is. The creature says: "I have been called the Tracker from time to time. And a devil. A vampire. A demon. The boogeyman. I prefer the Tracker." And so begins a fast-paced chase around the city with Taylor, a tall obese man, hoping to outsmart the Tracker.
It's hard to describe this book without giving anything away. It moves at a frenetic pace, as we follow Taylor and hope that the hapless loser wins out. The little twist at the end was a great touch. A thoroughly entertaining novel.
March 3, 2018
Taylor is an overweight guy who mostly keeps to himself. He has no real friends to speak of and his time is split between work and taking care of his morbidly obese mother. When she passes away he is totally alone... or maybe not. There's a strange man in a fedora stalking him. A shadowy figure who likes to play games, and the stakes are life or death.
This was a fast paced gruesome tale with a really fun twist that I didn't see coming.
I received an advance copy for review.
This was a fast paced gruesome tale with a really fun twist that I didn't see coming.
I received an advance copy for review.
March 29, 2018
What a page turner! I never thought for one moment that I would spend the entire day reading this book from start to finish, which in itself is saying something.
I don't seem to get around to reading horrors that often, but 'The Tracker' certainly caught my attention. Totally different to what i usually read, so it made a bit of a change. Plenty of twists and turns. I am not going to write what the story is about for fear of spoiling for others. It's the first time that i have read any books by John Hunt and it will not be the last. Recommended.
My thanks to the Netgalley and the Publishers (Black Rose Writing) for providing me with a copy of this book. This is my honest review.
I don't seem to get around to reading horrors that often, but 'The Tracker' certainly caught my attention. Totally different to what i usually read, so it made a bit of a change. Plenty of twists and turns. I am not going to write what the story is about for fear of spoiling for others. It's the first time that i have read any books by John Hunt and it will not be the last. Recommended.
My thanks to the Netgalley and the Publishers (Black Rose Writing) for providing me with a copy of this book. This is my honest review.
March 8, 2018
I want to thank John Hunt, author and Goodreads First Reads Giveaway for the eBook Kindle copy of The Tracker that I won in the Giveaway.
Taylor has always been overweight and growing up he was bullied and made fun of by his peers. As a young man, his only friend was his mother and when she dies he starts to change. He starts missing large periods of time, becomes very tired and is haunted by a supernatural being that calls itself The Tracker.
What Taylor does and what he becomes is a monster making The Tracker a horror story full of death, terror and gore. If you are looking for this type of story it is well written but it isn't my usual pick as I don't like horror; still I couldn't put it down until I read to the end.
Taylor has always been overweight and growing up he was bullied and made fun of by his peers. As a young man, his only friend was his mother and when she dies he starts to change. He starts missing large periods of time, becomes very tired and is haunted by a supernatural being that calls itself The Tracker.
What Taylor does and what he becomes is a monster making The Tracker a horror story full of death, terror and gore. If you are looking for this type of story it is well written but it isn't my usual pick as I don't like horror; still I couldn't put it down until I read to the end.
March 8, 2018
There are some squeamish parts, though I didn't mind them, some may find it a bit disturbing. The Tracker was a good book, well written, not too much horror, a good thriller overall. The sheer thrill coursing through your veins as you follow the course of the plot, that was unmistakable in this book. You know that something is going to pop out of somewhere, and you are not disappointed! But the books ends with a bam. Not disappointing at all!
For the entire review, visit Frost At Midnite
For the entire review, visit Frost At Midnite
June 16, 2018
Taylor's life is in ruins; his face publicly known for crimes so bloody and awful. He does the only thing that could possibly help him in the situation - he walks through the door of a police station and turns himself in. With no resistance and full compliance, Taylor recounts the most horrific time of his life, where a monster haunts his every step - a brutal game, where fear is in full effect.
(WARNING: This review contains minor spoilers.)
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. I thank Black Rose Writing for giving me the opportunity.
This book certainly doesn't mess around; it plunges you neck-deep into the chaotic life of Taylor, a suspected murderer whom swears innocence despite the evidence against him. I found myself instantly drawn in to his situation where I, too, questioned his very sanity, whilst also sympathising with him on some level. Hunt's intention was quite clear from early on - a fast-paced, thrilling concoction, meant to keep you on your toes. The one thing that really impressed me was the twists and turns that genuinely shocked me - all too often I foresee a typical plot direction and it ruins what's supposed to be surprising, but Hunt was able to expertly weave the unexpected and force me to reanalyse what I thought I already knew. I can't give enough credit to tales that make you pause and think; authors can certainly mess with their readers and bring the unpredictable.
At no point did boredom raise its pesky head; too much was happening. What started off as Taylor's recount of his last forty-eight hours of forcibly taking part in a game of hide and seek, turned into a grisly manhunt of murder and mayhem. The aspect of "The Tracker" and how he was able to influence his victim was an interesting one. He didn't seem to have any intention other than to toy with his prey and use their own suppressed hate against them. I really wish more information was offered regarding him, and if he had any other motive than just chaos.
Taylor and Owen, on the other hand, had a brief connection that stood out for me. It might have been highly impersonal for Owen, but for Taylor it was an examination of his life. I felt for him, for the struggle he had endured. Relating to him in a way, I hoped everything would have worked out, but I knew it was ultimately doomed.
Despite my high praise of certain aspects - that being the story itself, I found the writing to be terribly messy at times and it subsequently distracted me more than once. This is more to do with sentence structure and, of course, my own personal taste. I'll however give an example of exactly what I mean:
I admit, I had to re-read this confusing pile of words about five times, and even then I had a hard time of discerning it. What should have been at least two sentences, were fused together to create something that just didn't work inside my head. Throughout the entire book, the quality reached both highs as well as lows, giving the impression that certain parts were rushed, whilst others more thought through. I believe it could have benefited from more editing to tighten it up, and thus make it overall easier to read.
In conclusion: A good story that kept me guessing, however the format of writing brought its cleverness down. I would consider it unfinished, and in need of further editing.
Notable Scene:
He needed time to process and speak with the other officers monitoring the interview to strategize how best to confront Taylor. Because no matter how much Taylor believed what he had said, it wasn’t true. It couldn’t be. Shadow men do not hunt people through the city. There were no shadow men.
© Red Lace 2018
Wordpress ~ Booklikes ~ Twitter
(WARNING: This review contains minor spoilers.)
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. I thank Black Rose Writing for giving me the opportunity.
This book certainly doesn't mess around; it plunges you neck-deep into the chaotic life of Taylor, a suspected murderer whom swears innocence despite the evidence against him. I found myself instantly drawn in to his situation where I, too, questioned his very sanity, whilst also sympathising with him on some level. Hunt's intention was quite clear from early on - a fast-paced, thrilling concoction, meant to keep you on your toes. The one thing that really impressed me was the twists and turns that genuinely shocked me - all too often I foresee a typical plot direction and it ruins what's supposed to be surprising, but Hunt was able to expertly weave the unexpected and force me to reanalyse what I thought I already knew. I can't give enough credit to tales that make you pause and think; authors can certainly mess with their readers and bring the unpredictable.
At no point did boredom raise its pesky head; too much was happening. What started off as Taylor's recount of his last forty-eight hours of forcibly taking part in a game of hide and seek, turned into a grisly manhunt of murder and mayhem. The aspect of "The Tracker" and how he was able to influence his victim was an interesting one. He didn't seem to have any intention other than to toy with his prey and use their own suppressed hate against them. I really wish more information was offered regarding him, and if he had any other motive than just chaos.
Taylor and Owen, on the other hand, had a brief connection that stood out for me. It might have been highly impersonal for Owen, but for Taylor it was an examination of his life. I felt for him, for the struggle he had endured. Relating to him in a way, I hoped everything would have worked out, but I knew it was ultimately doomed.
Despite my high praise of certain aspects - that being the story itself, I found the writing to be terribly messy at times and it subsequently distracted me more than once. This is more to do with sentence structure and, of course, my own personal taste. I'll however give an example of exactly what I mean:
Owen realizing the paramedic wasn't only mad because he had walked in to find an unconscious man still cuffed to a steel table, he was thinking while flashing his beady accusatory eyes that Owen had something to do with it, had maybe even injured him and Owen tired and grumpy, opened his mouth to say something he'd immediately regret when Earl cut in and said...
I admit, I had to re-read this confusing pile of words about five times, and even then I had a hard time of discerning it. What should have been at least two sentences, were fused together to create something that just didn't work inside my head. Throughout the entire book, the quality reached both highs as well as lows, giving the impression that certain parts were rushed, whilst others more thought through. I believe it could have benefited from more editing to tighten it up, and thus make it overall easier to read.
In conclusion: A good story that kept me guessing, however the format of writing brought its cleverness down. I would consider it unfinished, and in need of further editing.
Notable Scene:
He needed time to process and speak with the other officers monitoring the interview to strategize how best to confront Taylor. Because no matter how much Taylor believed what he had said, it wasn’t true. It couldn’t be. Shadow men do not hunt people through the city. There were no shadow men.
© Red Lace 2018
Wordpress ~ Booklikes ~ Twitter
March 19, 2018
This was a Netgalley book.
I'm not sure what the tracker is other than a sadistic game player. He decides to play a "game" of hide and seek with a young over weight man accused of murder. If he can out last or out smart the demonic Tracker for 48 hours without breaking any of the rules, he gets to live. Taylor did NOT do any of the murders he was accused of, but no one will believe him.
The is a real page turner. It will keep you on the edge of your seat for hours. It has a great plot and an exciting twist at the end. Thank you to black rose writing for publishing this one!
I'm not sure what the tracker is other than a sadistic game player. He decides to play a "game" of hide and seek with a young over weight man accused of murder. If he can out last or out smart the demonic Tracker for 48 hours without breaking any of the rules, he gets to live. Taylor did NOT do any of the murders he was accused of, but no one will believe him.
The is a real page turner. It will keep you on the edge of your seat for hours. It has a great plot and an exciting twist at the end. Thank you to black rose writing for publishing this one!
March 1, 2018
I recently received another great read from @blackrosewriting. I've gotten some very good thrillers from them, but this is my first horror novel. John Hunt brings us the tale of an unfortunate young man, Taylor, who is the suspect in a series of gruesome murders. Taylor turns himself in, and the first half of this novel is his story of a demonic game of hide-and-seek.
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Hunt had done a very good job of bringing us a sympathetic figure in Taylor, an overweight man whose mother recently passed away. Taylor's story will give you all the feels. The pace of this story is frenetic, and the tale overall had me turning pages until the very end. .
My Rating: 4.25/5 stars
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Hunt had done a very good job of bringing us a sympathetic figure in Taylor, an overweight man whose mother recently passed away. Taylor's story will give you all the feels. The pace of this story is frenetic, and the tale overall had me turning pages until the very end. .
My Rating: 4.25/5 stars
March 15, 2021
4.5 stars- There is no denying that I am becoming a John Hunt fan. His first book, Doll House, was great! The Tracker was a lot creepier than Doll House. Once again, Mr. Hunt’s pacing is spot on. Never a dull moment and everything that is told holds meaning to the overall arc of the story. There are no superfluous details. My heart went out to Taylor as he tried to outrun The Tracker and I didn’t see the twist coming at all.
If you’re a fan of horror, do yourself a favor and pick up The Tracker. I definitely recommend it and Mr. Hunt’s Doll House.
On a side note, I noticed that initially the farmer’s name was Joel Briere, but the cops called him Mr. Henderson. That kind of threw me out of the story for a bit so I could go back and check his name.
If you’re a fan of horror, do yourself a favor and pick up The Tracker. I definitely recommend it and Mr. Hunt’s Doll House.
On a side note, I noticed that initially the farmer’s name was Joel Briere, but the cops called him Mr. Henderson. That kind of threw me out of the story for a bit so I could go back and check his name.
February 28, 2018
I received this arc from Netgalley.
John Hunt knocks this one out of the park. Great read. This is definitely one of the best books that I've read this year. Never a dull moment reading this. The ending just a shocking twist. I highly recommend this one.
John Hunt knocks this one out of the park. Great read. This is definitely one of the best books that I've read this year. Never a dull moment reading this. The ending just a shocking twist. I highly recommend this one.
April 20, 2018
Took a bit to full invest but turned out more interesting than I figured. Full review to come.
March 1, 2018
I never want to hear mention of bolt-cutters, a live rat and a bucket in the same sentence again. EVER.
If you start a novel on Saturday and finish it the following day, in my book, that guarantees a big five HorrorTalk stars. It is totally exhilarating taking the plunge on a book you know nothing about, never having read the author before, with mild expectations, but then find it so damned good it is near impossible to put down. Make no bones about it, John Hunt’s “The Tracker” does exactly that. In 182 pages of pure horror pulp, it knocked me out, and that’s very hard to do.
I’m going to deliberately limit details of the plot, as giving unnecessary spoilers is very easy. The best way forward is to approach it the way I did, and that’s by diving in totally blind. The novel opens with a guy called Taylor walking into a police station to hand himself over to the law, as he knows the police are hunting for him big time. During his interrogation it is revealed he is the chief suspect for four brutal murders. Much of the first half of the book is told via the interrogation between lead detective Owen and prime suspect Taylor, who of course claims he did not commit the killings. He does admit he was present when all four occurred, and to the police looks guilty as sin. The book then enters flash-back mode and Taylor’s retelling begins takes us back to the recent death of his mother when a sinister shadow begins to stalk him. Once the shadow takes a human form, a terrifying game of cat and mouse between this supernatural being and Taylor kicks off. Of course, nobody believes him.
To say anything more specific about the plot would ruin the surprises, and there are plenty of those on offer. It really is a book of two halves, both of which are equally great. I thought I knew where the second stanza was heading, but was completely wrong footed. Although the violence is sporadic, some of the kill scenes are particularly brutal, realistic and handled beautifully by the author without any kind of unnecessary glorification of the violence being played out.
When the massively overweight Taylor, and size is a key element of the story, is being relentlessly stalked by ‘The Tracker’ of the title, the story it did remind me a little of the film ‘It Follows’, as the creature always knows where he is. Read the book to find out why. Before long Taylor is running for his life and the balance between flashbacks and the sequences in the police station are well constructed as the body count increases.
“The Tracker” is a very easy and addictive novel to read, and I’m sure in the right hands could be turned into a terrific low-budget film. It’s neither deep, long, or over-complicated and in its 182 pages, throws the kitchen sink at the bruised reader with plenty of fun twists along the way. You’re not going to have to think too much, but I still enjoyed the ambiguity on offer as it hurtled towards its conclusion, and that’s the beauty of this type of page-turning entertainment. In my old age I’ve got squeamish when it comes to body violence, so I don’t ever want to hear of bolt-cutters, a live rat and a bucket in the same sentence again, that was truly nasty. And I mean NEVER EVER AGAIN. This is brutal pulp horror, told with a clever plot laid on a plate for hungry readers looking for a fast fix, which I am delighted to award five blood soaked stars. I’m going to have to investigate John Hunt further. I’m already sold and have already bought his debut novel “Doll House”.
5/5
If you start a novel on Saturday and finish it the following day, in my book, that guarantees a big five HorrorTalk stars. It is totally exhilarating taking the plunge on a book you know nothing about, never having read the author before, with mild expectations, but then find it so damned good it is near impossible to put down. Make no bones about it, John Hunt’s “The Tracker” does exactly that. In 182 pages of pure horror pulp, it knocked me out, and that’s very hard to do.
I’m going to deliberately limit details of the plot, as giving unnecessary spoilers is very easy. The best way forward is to approach it the way I did, and that’s by diving in totally blind. The novel opens with a guy called Taylor walking into a police station to hand himself over to the law, as he knows the police are hunting for him big time. During his interrogation it is revealed he is the chief suspect for four brutal murders. Much of the first half of the book is told via the interrogation between lead detective Owen and prime suspect Taylor, who of course claims he did not commit the killings. He does admit he was present when all four occurred, and to the police looks guilty as sin. The book then enters flash-back mode and Taylor’s retelling begins takes us back to the recent death of his mother when a sinister shadow begins to stalk him. Once the shadow takes a human form, a terrifying game of cat and mouse between this supernatural being and Taylor kicks off. Of course, nobody believes him.
To say anything more specific about the plot would ruin the surprises, and there are plenty of those on offer. It really is a book of two halves, both of which are equally great. I thought I knew where the second stanza was heading, but was completely wrong footed. Although the violence is sporadic, some of the kill scenes are particularly brutal, realistic and handled beautifully by the author without any kind of unnecessary glorification of the violence being played out.
When the massively overweight Taylor, and size is a key element of the story, is being relentlessly stalked by ‘The Tracker’ of the title, the story it did remind me a little of the film ‘It Follows’, as the creature always knows where he is. Read the book to find out why. Before long Taylor is running for his life and the balance between flashbacks and the sequences in the police station are well constructed as the body count increases.
“The Tracker” is a very easy and addictive novel to read, and I’m sure in the right hands could be turned into a terrific low-budget film. It’s neither deep, long, or over-complicated and in its 182 pages, throws the kitchen sink at the bruised reader with plenty of fun twists along the way. You’re not going to have to think too much, but I still enjoyed the ambiguity on offer as it hurtled towards its conclusion, and that’s the beauty of this type of page-turning entertainment. In my old age I’ve got squeamish when it comes to body violence, so I don’t ever want to hear of bolt-cutters, a live rat and a bucket in the same sentence again, that was truly nasty. And I mean NEVER EVER AGAIN. This is brutal pulp horror, told with a clever plot laid on a plate for hungry readers looking for a fast fix, which I am delighted to award five blood soaked stars. I’m going to have to investigate John Hunt further. I’m already sold and have already bought his debut novel “Doll House”.
5/5
March 3, 2018
The Tracker by John Hunt is a horror novel.
First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Black Rose Writing, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My Synopsis:
Taylor is a young man who is alone in the world. His mother has recently died. He has no real friends, and his life is spent working, eating and sleeping. When he starts to lose days, Taylor starts to question his sanity. When he hears noises coming from the basement, he adds locks. But the monster breaks out. A dark shadow of a man with no real face. He calls himself The Tracker, and he wants to play hide and seek. Taylor is given 48 hours to run, and some rules. If he can stay alive that long, the monster will let him live. The rules are simple. He can’t leave the city, he can’t tell anyone about this, and he can’t ask for help. Break the rules, and the result is death for those he approaches, and a worse death for Taylor. Taylor is intent on surviving.
My Views:
I think I may be a little prejudiced because John Hunt writes about a city just down the road from me. I recognize the street names, buildings, etc. It’s really cool, as it doesn’t happen often. On the other hand, I may be a little harder on this author because I want it to be good. And it was. I loved his first book, Doll House, which also included monsters – very depraved individuals. The monster in this book is different. It is pure horror. Hunt’s writing is really clear, really descriptive, and he makes you feel the emotions of the characters. You feel Taylor’s pain, his anger, his bewilderment. You feel the police officer’s puzzlement, anger and urgency. Great ending!
This one may not be for the squeamish….but I enjoyed it!
For more of my reviews, please visit my blog:
http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Black Rose Writing, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My Synopsis:
Taylor is a young man who is alone in the world. His mother has recently died. He has no real friends, and his life is spent working, eating and sleeping. When he starts to lose days, Taylor starts to question his sanity. When he hears noises coming from the basement, he adds locks. But the monster breaks out. A dark shadow of a man with no real face. He calls himself The Tracker, and he wants to play hide and seek. Taylor is given 48 hours to run, and some rules. If he can stay alive that long, the monster will let him live. The rules are simple. He can’t leave the city, he can’t tell anyone about this, and he can’t ask for help. Break the rules, and the result is death for those he approaches, and a worse death for Taylor. Taylor is intent on surviving.
My Views:
I think I may be a little prejudiced because John Hunt writes about a city just down the road from me. I recognize the street names, buildings, etc. It’s really cool, as it doesn’t happen often. On the other hand, I may be a little harder on this author because I want it to be good. And it was. I loved his first book, Doll House, which also included monsters – very depraved individuals. The monster in this book is different. It is pure horror. Hunt’s writing is really clear, really descriptive, and he makes you feel the emotions of the characters. You feel Taylor’s pain, his anger, his bewilderment. You feel the police officer’s puzzlement, anger and urgency. Great ending!
This one may not be for the squeamish….but I enjoyed it!
For more of my reviews, please visit my blog:
http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
March 20, 2018
The Tracker
By John Hunt
Hunt has written a dark thriller that draws the reader in, with challenges to reader to question the impact of enacting revenge of bullies and our darker nature.
Taylor, a young over weight man, living alone, has a mysterious visitor, a shadow, the tracker. The Tracker gives him a head start to escape and survive for 24 hours. But there are rules. Taylor can not ask for help.
What follows is a string of murders following Taylor.
Detective Owen is on the chase of Taylor, and upon his capture the real story starts.
The twist keep the reader engaged as the story unfolds, revealing a solid plot. The characters though are weak in places, detracting from the story.
The smaller sides stories did add some light hearted colour to the story.
#TheTracker #NetGalley
By John Hunt
Hunt has written a dark thriller that draws the reader in, with challenges to reader to question the impact of enacting revenge of bullies and our darker nature.
Taylor, a young over weight man, living alone, has a mysterious visitor, a shadow, the tracker. The Tracker gives him a head start to escape and survive for 24 hours. But there are rules. Taylor can not ask for help.
What follows is a string of murders following Taylor.
Detective Owen is on the chase of Taylor, and upon his capture the real story starts.
The twist keep the reader engaged as the story unfolds, revealing a solid plot. The characters though are weak in places, detracting from the story.
The smaller sides stories did add some light hearted colour to the story.
#TheTracker #NetGalley
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