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The Hunted
When a group of female friends gather at a beautfiul but isolated Scottish island lodge for a weekend away, they're looking forward to catching up, sharing updates on their lives, reminiscing...
The furthest thing from their minds is death.
But some of the women there that weekend have secrets. Dark secrets that can ruin friendships, ruin marriages – ruin lives.
And sometimes that old friend from the past isn't such a good friend after all... and things you thought you knew turn out to be your biggest nightmares.
The furthest thing from their minds is death.
But some of the women there that weekend have secrets. Dark secrets that can ruin friendships, ruin marriages – ruin lives.
And sometimes that old friend from the past isn't such a good friend after all... and things you thought you knew turn out to be your biggest nightmares.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 4, 2022
12 people are currently reading
182 people want to read
About the author
P.R. Black
8 books35 followersP.R. Black lives in Yorkshire, although he will always belong to Glasgow.
He is the author of the DI Lomond thrillers, starting at Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine back in 2019. The first full-length novel, To Pay The Ferryman, is available now.
The second in the series, Jack-in-the-Box, will be published on February 2026.
Pat is also the author of six psychological thrillers, including the bestsellers The Beach House and The Runner.
He is the author of the DI Lomond thrillers, starting at Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine back in 2019. The first full-length novel, To Pay The Ferryman, is available now.
The second in the series, Jack-in-the-Box, will be published on February 2026.
Pat is also the author of six psychological thrillers, including the bestsellers The Beach House and The Runner.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
October 18, 2022
Five old friends meet for a weekend getaway at Owl Tree Halt Lodge on a remote Scottish Island. I love the description of the scenery, lush and green. You can get to the island by ferry or plane and knowing you can't just leave whenever you want really gives a locked room vibe!
The Hunted is perfect for readers who like a chilling island setting with a slow-burn intro to the characters. A calm before the storm.
As the ladies catch up on their lives, they share secrets over a game that turns out to be quite unpleasant and hurtful. It makes sense why they're spending this weekend together as someone is holding a grudge!
There are about a hundred pages of buildup for this story before we get to the juicy part. I may have DNF this if it weren't for a review copy. It was worthwhile to stay on for the rest of the story because it did pick up. Once the secrets start flowing, it wasn't difficult to guess who the culprit was. Although The Hunted didn't blow me away, it was quick and entertaining. The narrator, Paula Masterson's accent is pleasant to my ears.🥰🎧
Thank you Saga Egmont Audio and Netgalley for this DRC.
Audiobook released on Oct. 18, 2022!
The print edition is out and part of KU.
The Hunted is perfect for readers who like a chilling island setting with a slow-burn intro to the characters. A calm before the storm.
As the ladies catch up on their lives, they share secrets over a game that turns out to be quite unpleasant and hurtful. It makes sense why they're spending this weekend together as someone is holding a grudge!
There are about a hundred pages of buildup for this story before we get to the juicy part. I may have DNF this if it weren't for a review copy. It was worthwhile to stay on for the rest of the story because it did pick up. Once the secrets start flowing, it wasn't difficult to guess who the culprit was. Although The Hunted didn't blow me away, it was quick and entertaining. The narrator, Paula Masterson's accent is pleasant to my ears.🥰🎧
Thank you Saga Egmont Audio and Netgalley for this DRC.
Audiobook released on Oct. 18, 2022!
The print edition is out and part of KU.
July 28, 2022
This book came as a surprise. The premise is one frequently used. A group of people in an isolated location are being killed off one by one and is presented as a mystery to be solved. Here the basic plot is escalated by action and suspense to a blood-curdling, gruesome degree and morphs into a story of horror and terror. The reader knows the perpetrator before the characters figure it out, and the story becomes one of pulse-pounding dread. Who will escape?
The location is a scenic, isolated Scottish island lodge. It is the setting for a reunion of a group of women who were childhood and school friends 20 years ago. They now are at different stages in their lives. The reunion of five women has been planned where they can reminisce, share childhood memories, and catch up on their present lives and activities. No one is quite sure who was responsible for planning the weekend and the venue choice.
Shell, a stay-at-home mother, is on her way to the reunion with four friends. The first chapter startles with an early, shocking, heart-wrenching beginning. Then it suddenly moves on to the story of four women at the isolated lodge. At this point, the story becomes very slow-moving as the characters are introduced and established.
Toni is a competitive, wealthy career woman living a life of luxury, married to an equally successful man. She considers herself better than the others and rubs in her advantages in past sports events, scholastic marks, and present lifestyle. Deb is loud, brash, vulgar, and attention-seeking. She makes demeaning, hurtful remarks with the pretense that she is being funny. There is Mouse, who has now blossomed into an artist and a high-risk seeker of adventure and world traveller. Once considered the quiet one, she has gained mysterious new depths. Leah was the leader of the gang's childhood Owl Society. She has always had the reputation of a leader and a sensible peace-maker. She is resented as bossy and overbearing. There are snide remarks about Shell's absence.
During the weekend, they reminisce about some hurtful actions and regrets. Dangerous secrets from their past are exposed, leading to tension, jealousy, and resentment, with remarks made to shatter their self-images. They mostly come across as highly unlikeable. It seems improbable that they could have been past friends. Now they are together and barely tolerate one another. Adding to this disharmony, the island is taking on a creepy vibe. They feel they are being watched. Two sea-plane pilots brought them to this place and arranged some activities. One is a sleazy, womanizing character whose sexual approach does not go unappreciated by a couple of the married women. He has been warned about this behaviour by his more business-like partner.
It slowly dawns on the women that a dangerous maniac is stalking them. There are no phone connections, and several of the men, sensing problems, come to the island looking for their wives. The story becomes action-packed and riveting and proceeds at a rapid pace with gruesome, brutal murders, chases, and attempts to escape. The story kept me up late at night, dreading the conclusion but unable to put the book aside. Some mind-boggling twists were unexpected.
Highly recommended for readers who enjoy an explosive, intense, and dark story. Thanks to NetGalley, Aires Books and Head of Zeus for an early copy. The publication is set for August 2.
The location is a scenic, isolated Scottish island lodge. It is the setting for a reunion of a group of women who were childhood and school friends 20 years ago. They now are at different stages in their lives. The reunion of five women has been planned where they can reminisce, share childhood memories, and catch up on their present lives and activities. No one is quite sure who was responsible for planning the weekend and the venue choice.
Shell, a stay-at-home mother, is on her way to the reunion with four friends. The first chapter startles with an early, shocking, heart-wrenching beginning. Then it suddenly moves on to the story of four women at the isolated lodge. At this point, the story becomes very slow-moving as the characters are introduced and established.
Toni is a competitive, wealthy career woman living a life of luxury, married to an equally successful man. She considers herself better than the others and rubs in her advantages in past sports events, scholastic marks, and present lifestyle. Deb is loud, brash, vulgar, and attention-seeking. She makes demeaning, hurtful remarks with the pretense that she is being funny. There is Mouse, who has now blossomed into an artist and a high-risk seeker of adventure and world traveller. Once considered the quiet one, she has gained mysterious new depths. Leah was the leader of the gang's childhood Owl Society. She has always had the reputation of a leader and a sensible peace-maker. She is resented as bossy and overbearing. There are snide remarks about Shell's absence.
During the weekend, they reminisce about some hurtful actions and regrets. Dangerous secrets from their past are exposed, leading to tension, jealousy, and resentment, with remarks made to shatter their self-images. They mostly come across as highly unlikeable. It seems improbable that they could have been past friends. Now they are together and barely tolerate one another. Adding to this disharmony, the island is taking on a creepy vibe. They feel they are being watched. Two sea-plane pilots brought them to this place and arranged some activities. One is a sleazy, womanizing character whose sexual approach does not go unappreciated by a couple of the married women. He has been warned about this behaviour by his more business-like partner.
It slowly dawns on the women that a dangerous maniac is stalking them. There are no phone connections, and several of the men, sensing problems, come to the island looking for their wives. The story becomes action-packed and riveting and proceeds at a rapid pace with gruesome, brutal murders, chases, and attempts to escape. The story kept me up late at night, dreading the conclusion but unable to put the book aside. Some mind-boggling twists were unexpected.
Highly recommended for readers who enjoy an explosive, intense, and dark story. Thanks to NetGalley, Aires Books and Head of Zeus for an early copy. The publication is set for August 2.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 26, 2022
A group of friends + an isolated Scottish island = a girl’s weekend gone wrong.
A group of friends get together for a weekend away. It is a chance to reconnect, to kept up on old times and to fill each other in on what has occurred in their lives since they last saw each other. Sounds like a wonderful time to me. Except these friends have secrets!
I immediately was drawn to this book with its trapped feeling of being on an island when things start to go wrong. It sounded right up my alley, and the later part of the book was just that. But the beginning of the book was SLOW. I struggled with getting into this book but kept going based on the glowing reviews I read. The first 50% was too slow for me, but then things began to ramp up and the last half of the book was where the magic, or shall I say, mayhem happens. Things go from bad to worse.
This was my first book by P.R. Black, and I would happily read another book by this author. I just wish the beginning of the book worked more for me. I struggle with getting into slower burn beginnings and this was the case here.
Others enjoyed this book more than I did, so please read their reviews as well. I also listened to the audiobook and always wonder if I would have enjoyed the book more had I read it and not listened to it.
#TheHunted #NetGalley
Thank you to Saga Egmont Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
A group of friends get together for a weekend away. It is a chance to reconnect, to kept up on old times and to fill each other in on what has occurred in their lives since they last saw each other. Sounds like a wonderful time to me. Except these friends have secrets!
I immediately was drawn to this book with its trapped feeling of being on an island when things start to go wrong. It sounded right up my alley, and the later part of the book was just that. But the beginning of the book was SLOW. I struggled with getting into this book but kept going based on the glowing reviews I read. The first 50% was too slow for me, but then things began to ramp up and the last half of the book was where the magic, or shall I say, mayhem happens. Things go from bad to worse.
This was my first book by P.R. Black, and I would happily read another book by this author. I just wish the beginning of the book worked more for me. I struggle with getting into slower burn beginnings and this was the case here.
Others enjoyed this book more than I did, so please read their reviews as well. I also listened to the audiobook and always wonder if I would have enjoyed the book more had I read it and not listened to it.
#TheHunted #NetGalley
Thank you to Saga Egmont Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
July 28, 2022
The Hunted is a compelling journey through the human psyche. A perfect story to see in the Autumn months.
The Hunted follows a very familiar premise – a group of friends have a reunion in a remote location. This follows a very different path, however, a path with treacherous signs, a path with whispers in the wind, creeping shadows edging into the periphery of your vision. What’s it like to be hunted? The fear, the anxiety, the resignation of the inevitable. Many of us will never know these feelings but Black takes us there, balancing on a knife’s edge. The visual imagery takes us there. It takes us to hell and back with the characters – strap in.
Leah and her friends, Toni, Debs, Mouse, and Shell head to the Scottish Highlands for a girl’s weekend away. It’s a reunion of sorts, their childhood group, known as The Owl Society, but all grown up. Leah is the narrator, and we get insight into her struggles, she’s married to Surgeon, John, and is a mother to a little boy, David, who after an accident ended up disabled. She’s a strong and courageous woman. This reunion puts her on edge, the differing personalities of the women clash, reminding each other of their faults and shortcomings, mix that with alcohol and it’s a dangerous mix.
The Hunted has a very real and unstable threat lurking in the murk. It’s watching their movements, their conversations, and the friction building between them. The more they argue, the quicker it will be to wipe them out one by one.
The story threatens to cut your throat from the very first chapter. I love how that initial shockwave remained at the forefront of my mind waiting for the bomb to drop. It didn’t disappoint. We have quite a few morally grey characters and we quickly see the seeds of jealousy, bitterness, and resentment start to spill out into the group like one mouldy piece of fruit in the bowl – it quickly spreads and infects the rest. Leah knows if they were in a more civilized area she would already have left. The author builds his plot around it, around that idea of helplessness. It made it easy not to judge the character’s actions but instead feel.
This is the first novel I have read from P.R. Black, but it will not be the last, I am a fully converted fan now. Not only did I love the bleak atmosphere – I adore the highlands and love exploring our natural environment, but we had a gut-wrenching sense of suspense mixed in to create a toxic potion that threatens to corrupt them all.
The Hunted follows a very familiar premise – a group of friends have a reunion in a remote location. This follows a very different path, however, a path with treacherous signs, a path with whispers in the wind, creeping shadows edging into the periphery of your vision. What’s it like to be hunted? The fear, the anxiety, the resignation of the inevitable. Many of us will never know these feelings but Black takes us there, balancing on a knife’s edge. The visual imagery takes us there. It takes us to hell and back with the characters – strap in.
Leah and her friends, Toni, Debs, Mouse, and Shell head to the Scottish Highlands for a girl’s weekend away. It’s a reunion of sorts, their childhood group, known as The Owl Society, but all grown up. Leah is the narrator, and we get insight into her struggles, she’s married to Surgeon, John, and is a mother to a little boy, David, who after an accident ended up disabled. She’s a strong and courageous woman. This reunion puts her on edge, the differing personalities of the women clash, reminding each other of their faults and shortcomings, mix that with alcohol and it’s a dangerous mix.
The Hunted has a very real and unstable threat lurking in the murk. It’s watching their movements, their conversations, and the friction building between them. The more they argue, the quicker it will be to wipe them out one by one.
The story threatens to cut your throat from the very first chapter. I love how that initial shockwave remained at the forefront of my mind waiting for the bomb to drop. It didn’t disappoint. We have quite a few morally grey characters and we quickly see the seeds of jealousy, bitterness, and resentment start to spill out into the group like one mouldy piece of fruit in the bowl – it quickly spreads and infects the rest. Leah knows if they were in a more civilized area she would already have left. The author builds his plot around it, around that idea of helplessness. It made it easy not to judge the character’s actions but instead feel.
This is the first novel I have read from P.R. Black, but it will not be the last, I am a fully converted fan now. Not only did I love the bleak atmosphere – I adore the highlands and love exploring our natural environment, but we had a gut-wrenching sense of suspense mixed in to create a toxic potion that threatens to corrupt them all.
July 28, 2022
A group of friends, well past friends ( it seems almost they are enemies now ) meet up for a reunion on a remote Scottish Island, the log cabin is luxurious though, the drink plentiful and it seems, pettiness aside, things will go well and a good time had by all
Until things start to go wrong
Not only have they bought long held grudges and not so secret secrets with them it seems there is someone else who intends to join the party, welcome or not!
I like a book that has good dialogue between all the main players and this does, although lots of characters to learn they are all distinct and I got to know them quickly, this alongside the tense, almost panicky atmosphere that was set after one of the best opening chapters read in a while made this an enjoyable, if shocking at times read, action packed and quick moving ( and scary 😎 )
9/10
5 Stars
Until things start to go wrong
Not only have they bought long held grudges and not so secret secrets with them it seems there is someone else who intends to join the party, welcome or not!
I like a book that has good dialogue between all the main players and this does, although lots of characters to learn they are all distinct and I got to know them quickly, this alongside the tense, almost panicky atmosphere that was set after one of the best opening chapters read in a while made this an enjoyable, if shocking at times read, action packed and quick moving ( and scary 😎 )
9/10
5 Stars
August 3, 2022
When a group of female friends gather at a beautiful but isolated Scottish Island lodge for a weekend away, they're looking forward to catching up, sharing updates on their lives, reminiscing....
But some of the women there that weekend have secrets. Dark secrets that can ruin friendships, ruin marriages - ruin lives. And sometimes that old friend isn't such a good friend after all....
The pace builds throughout this twist filled read. some twists you will see coming, others not so much. This is such an intense read. As the weekend progresses, the eerie creepy atmosphere builds. We learn of the five women's childhoods in flashbacks. the characters are all flawed. I liked the authors writing style. It becomes obvious who is at the back of what's happening, but this doesn't spoil a book for me. I just loved the way the story ended. This is a gripping read that held my attention throughout.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #HeadOfZeus and the author #PRBlack for my ARC of #TheHunted in exchange for an honest review.
But some of the women there that weekend have secrets. Dark secrets that can ruin friendships, ruin marriages - ruin lives. And sometimes that old friend isn't such a good friend after all....
The pace builds throughout this twist filled read. some twists you will see coming, others not so much. This is such an intense read. As the weekend progresses, the eerie creepy atmosphere builds. We learn of the five women's childhoods in flashbacks. the characters are all flawed. I liked the authors writing style. It becomes obvious who is at the back of what's happening, but this doesn't spoil a book for me. I just loved the way the story ended. This is a gripping read that held my attention throughout.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #HeadOfZeus and the author #PRBlack for my ARC of #TheHunted in exchange for an honest review.
September 28, 2022
I will admit that the first fifty percent of the book was a slog. Then in the second half, things took off in a heart stopping moments.
Although,this trope of former friends meeting again on a secluded island has been used a few times, the author did make this much used trope somewhat exciting. The former friends decide to play a game where they had to fess up the worst things they had ever done. From this game issues a recipe for murder as the ladies reminiscence and catch up on life.Unfortunately, it turned into a recipe for death as the friends wonder is it one of their group who is out to get them?
Some twists and of course ladies running for their lives on a deserted island always is a fun experience (at least for us who just read about it.)
I listened to the audio rendition of this story which was delivered with the appropriate amount of suspense and I will admit I loved the voice of the killer.
Thank you to P.R. Black (my first book by this author), Paula Matterson (narrator) and NetGalley for a copy of this story due out October of 2022.
Although,this trope of former friends meeting again on a secluded island has been used a few times, the author did make this much used trope somewhat exciting. The former friends decide to play a game where they had to fess up the worst things they had ever done. From this game issues a recipe for murder as the ladies reminiscence and catch up on life.Unfortunately, it turned into a recipe for death as the friends wonder is it one of their group who is out to get them?
Some twists and of course ladies running for their lives on a deserted island always is a fun experience (at least for us who just read about it.)
I listened to the audio rendition of this story which was delivered with the appropriate amount of suspense and I will admit I loved the voice of the killer.
Thank you to P.R. Black (my first book by this author), Paula Matterson (narrator) and NetGalley for a copy of this story due out October of 2022.
October 26, 2022
This book was just ok. I listened to the audiobook which looking back was probably a mistake. I couldn’t stand the narrator and I felt like I’ve read so many similar stories that were done better. There were a number of characters it got confusing, again the audiobook probably didn’t help. I just finished it and already forgot about it.
A group of friends reunite for the weekend at an isolated lodge in Scotland. They are excited to see each other and share what is going on in their lives. However, some of the women have secrets. The kind of secrets that can end a friendship. The kind of secrets that could end up getting you killed. It’s times like this you find who your true friends really are.
Are you a fan of audiobooks? Do you think that listening to the audiobook vs. reading the physical book changes your opinion of the book?
The Hunted is available now.
Thank you to netgalley and sagaegmontaudio for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
A group of friends reunite for the weekend at an isolated lodge in Scotland. They are excited to see each other and share what is going on in their lives. However, some of the women have secrets. The kind of secrets that can end a friendship. The kind of secrets that could end up getting you killed. It’s times like this you find who your true friends really are.
Are you a fan of audiobooks? Do you think that listening to the audiobook vs. reading the physical book changes your opinion of the book?
The Hunted is available now.
Thank you to netgalley and sagaegmontaudio for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
December 27, 2022
“The Perfect weekend away. A remote lodge, old friends… and murder”
..
Wow! This is a book which must be read during daylight hours! Even leaving the lights on at night to read by, wouldn’t have been enough to take the shivers away, nor to dispel the secrets of those cardboard boxes, so that they didn’t cause nightmares as soon as I closed my eyes.
Ah! I can see you are intrigued now, so here’s a short resume of the storyline, minus all the gory bits…
..
Take a group of five schoolfriends, some of whom have met up as twos or threes in the intervening twenty odd years, but have never got together en masse before. As they don’t keep in touch on a regular basis, non-one is certain which one of them has actually organised the reunion, with each of them assuming it was one of the others. A recipe for disaster when their destination is a lodge on a remote Scottish island, only accessible by sea plane, boasting few dwellings and with no communication to the outside world, save for a patchy landline service and an even more unreliable cell phone connection.
Four of the ladies make it to Owl Tree Halt unscathed, however they receive some very garbled messages from the fifth member of their school day club ‘The Owl Society’, whom they now assume to have been the trip organiser, which become more and more strange, until it becomes clear that she will be unable to join the party after all. If only the others knew what was going on in the woods around them, they might not have been so unconcerned at this turn of events, or what was about to happen next.
As with all distant friends, memories are not always a true reflection of reality, so after a very short time in each other’s company Leah, Toni, Debs and Mouse, quickly conclude there is now more which divides them than which binds them together, although perhaps that was always the case, as long-forgotten snarky personality traits come to the fore and irritating habits cause friction.
Deb is the loudest, most forceful and insistent of the group, so when she declares that they should play ‘truth or dare, reveal the worst thing you have ever done’; followed by ‘first shag, best shag’, events quickly spiral out of control. Alcohol consumption rises as tempers flare and vitriolic but truthful thoughts are shared aloud, which once aired can never be taken back.
After infidelity is added to the long list of things which should never have happened at such an event, the ladies retire for what is left of the night, blissfully and drunkenly unaware that gruesome goings on have crept ever closer and are now happening right under their very noses.
They are woken the following morning by two very irate husbands, who have been trying to contact their wives, after the husband of the missing partygoer sent out the distress signal, although he has yet to arrive. This just adds another interesting dimension to the game being played by a mad person who isn’t interested in taking prisoners.
With anyone who gets in the way being picked off mercilessly, the remaining women have finally woken up to smell the roses and worked out who they think their menacing adversary might be, or at least one half of the team, as the maniac’s unknown silent partner, who to all intents and purposes is an innocent party, is equally deadly and deranged.
Our deadly duo might not have done their homework as thoroughly as they might have though, as they underestimate the ‘riding a bicycle’ syndrome, when desperation and the will to survive, means that skills and attributes which were thought to have been long since left behind, kick in instinctively, alongside the increased adrenalin, which helps to overcome the fear of the situation and the pain of injury.
Did anyone survive this deadly encounter unscathed? – You might just need to read the book for yourself to find out!
..
This story is firmly rooted in the detail surrounding the characters and their journey. The plot was quite simple, though devious, but the getting there was genuine edge-of-the-seat stuff of which nightmares are made. The storyline was well-constructed, multi-layered and textured, which made for compulsive reading that was intense and suspenseful from beginning to end.
Even though I had worked out who the principal perpetrator was quite early in the storyline, the identity of their fellow conspirator and even that there was a second accomplice, was a complete shock and provided one of those jaw-dropping dénouements which was neatly tied up in the final nerve-wracking scenes towards the end of the book.
Whilst the location of this story is fictional, there are a myriad of similar Scottish Islands which, under normal circumstances, might be lauded for their relaxing isolation, peaceful idyll and beautiful landscape. However, the ladies little piece of paradise, is now transformed into a scene of morbidly eerie silence, punctuated by screams of terror and fear. Some close attention to detail and the wonderfully visual descriptive qualities with which author Pat Black painted the scene, made this journey encapsulating and totally immersive. I left this carnage behind me, fully satisfied with my ‘armchair traveller’ experience, although I don’t think I shall be adding any remote Scottish Island retreat to my holiday plans anytime soon!
They do say that ‘hell hath no fury like a woman scorned’ and when you have five of them to contend with – you’d better take cover. Pat really managed to present and define a cast of totally unlikeable, lugubrious and dour characters. Even the ‘good guys’ are manipulative, untrustworthy in their claims of friendship and downright dishonest in their guise as devoted partners, loyal friends and attentive parents. And the ‘bad guys’ – well they are completely off the scale, with their depravity and mental torture, showing no boundaries or remorse. As a reader, for me there was no connection with, or empathy for, any of them, which I suspect was exactly as the author had intended. However, as one of the main drivers, this storyline does raise questions about the broader picture of long-term mental health, which has undoubtedly fuelled this desire for revenge and retribution. Even if a vulnerable young mind hadn’t already been damaged, possibly beyond repair, can there ever be any excuse for bullying by one’s peers, especially when the perpetrators, although technically still children, should have known better. It is of little consequence that the constant taunting by the gang may not have caused that fragile final link with reality to snap, but it certainly never helped and now payment has been exacted in the most final and painful of ways.
This is a storyline which could easily be adapted as a film script – Think ‘Halloween’ meets ‘Chain Saw Massacre’ meets ‘Final Destination’ – and you have a good idea of how addictive it might be!
Revenge is certainly a dish best served cold and that was one hell of a roller-coaster ride!
..
Wow! This is a book which must be read during daylight hours! Even leaving the lights on at night to read by, wouldn’t have been enough to take the shivers away, nor to dispel the secrets of those cardboard boxes, so that they didn’t cause nightmares as soon as I closed my eyes.
Ah! I can see you are intrigued now, so here’s a short resume of the storyline, minus all the gory bits…
..
Take a group of five schoolfriends, some of whom have met up as twos or threes in the intervening twenty odd years, but have never got together en masse before. As they don’t keep in touch on a regular basis, non-one is certain which one of them has actually organised the reunion, with each of them assuming it was one of the others. A recipe for disaster when their destination is a lodge on a remote Scottish island, only accessible by sea plane, boasting few dwellings and with no communication to the outside world, save for a patchy landline service and an even more unreliable cell phone connection.
Four of the ladies make it to Owl Tree Halt unscathed, however they receive some very garbled messages from the fifth member of their school day club ‘The Owl Society’, whom they now assume to have been the trip organiser, which become more and more strange, until it becomes clear that she will be unable to join the party after all. If only the others knew what was going on in the woods around them, they might not have been so unconcerned at this turn of events, or what was about to happen next.
As with all distant friends, memories are not always a true reflection of reality, so after a very short time in each other’s company Leah, Toni, Debs and Mouse, quickly conclude there is now more which divides them than which binds them together, although perhaps that was always the case, as long-forgotten snarky personality traits come to the fore and irritating habits cause friction.
Deb is the loudest, most forceful and insistent of the group, so when she declares that they should play ‘truth or dare, reveal the worst thing you have ever done’; followed by ‘first shag, best shag’, events quickly spiral out of control. Alcohol consumption rises as tempers flare and vitriolic but truthful thoughts are shared aloud, which once aired can never be taken back.
After infidelity is added to the long list of things which should never have happened at such an event, the ladies retire for what is left of the night, blissfully and drunkenly unaware that gruesome goings on have crept ever closer and are now happening right under their very noses.
They are woken the following morning by two very irate husbands, who have been trying to contact their wives, after the husband of the missing partygoer sent out the distress signal, although he has yet to arrive. This just adds another interesting dimension to the game being played by a mad person who isn’t interested in taking prisoners.
With anyone who gets in the way being picked off mercilessly, the remaining women have finally woken up to smell the roses and worked out who they think their menacing adversary might be, or at least one half of the team, as the maniac’s unknown silent partner, who to all intents and purposes is an innocent party, is equally deadly and deranged.
Our deadly duo might not have done their homework as thoroughly as they might have though, as they underestimate the ‘riding a bicycle’ syndrome, when desperation and the will to survive, means that skills and attributes which were thought to have been long since left behind, kick in instinctively, alongside the increased adrenalin, which helps to overcome the fear of the situation and the pain of injury.
Did anyone survive this deadly encounter unscathed? – You might just need to read the book for yourself to find out!
..
This story is firmly rooted in the detail surrounding the characters and their journey. The plot was quite simple, though devious, but the getting there was genuine edge-of-the-seat stuff of which nightmares are made. The storyline was well-constructed, multi-layered and textured, which made for compulsive reading that was intense and suspenseful from beginning to end.
Even though I had worked out who the principal perpetrator was quite early in the storyline, the identity of their fellow conspirator and even that there was a second accomplice, was a complete shock and provided one of those jaw-dropping dénouements which was neatly tied up in the final nerve-wracking scenes towards the end of the book.
Whilst the location of this story is fictional, there are a myriad of similar Scottish Islands which, under normal circumstances, might be lauded for their relaxing isolation, peaceful idyll and beautiful landscape. However, the ladies little piece of paradise, is now transformed into a scene of morbidly eerie silence, punctuated by screams of terror and fear. Some close attention to detail and the wonderfully visual descriptive qualities with which author Pat Black painted the scene, made this journey encapsulating and totally immersive. I left this carnage behind me, fully satisfied with my ‘armchair traveller’ experience, although I don’t think I shall be adding any remote Scottish Island retreat to my holiday plans anytime soon!
They do say that ‘hell hath no fury like a woman scorned’ and when you have five of them to contend with – you’d better take cover. Pat really managed to present and define a cast of totally unlikeable, lugubrious and dour characters. Even the ‘good guys’ are manipulative, untrustworthy in their claims of friendship and downright dishonest in their guise as devoted partners, loyal friends and attentive parents. And the ‘bad guys’ – well they are completely off the scale, with their depravity and mental torture, showing no boundaries or remorse. As a reader, for me there was no connection with, or empathy for, any of them, which I suspect was exactly as the author had intended. However, as one of the main drivers, this storyline does raise questions about the broader picture of long-term mental health, which has undoubtedly fuelled this desire for revenge and retribution. Even if a vulnerable young mind hadn’t already been damaged, possibly beyond repair, can there ever be any excuse for bullying by one’s peers, especially when the perpetrators, although technically still children, should have known better. It is of little consequence that the constant taunting by the gang may not have caused that fragile final link with reality to snap, but it certainly never helped and now payment has been exacted in the most final and painful of ways.
This is a storyline which could easily be adapted as a film script – Think ‘Halloween’ meets ‘Chain Saw Massacre’ meets ‘Final Destination’ – and you have a good idea of how addictive it might be!
Revenge is certainly a dish best served cold and that was one hell of a roller-coaster ride!
July 30, 2022
3.75 rounded up An eerie setting, a girls weekend and a killer on the loose. These elements together make for a great weekend read. I enjoyed the atmospheric setting and getting to know the adult women's childhood in flashbacks. The book was a bit of a slow burn with a lot of development and lead up to the thrilling parts. It starts to pick up in the final part and then we are treated to a fast-paced, horror story which will make you want to keep reading. There was a twist which I didn't see coming, but overall I felt the why/motivation to be a little bit of a let down. Overall, this was a great easy to read thriller and I'll be keeping my eye out for other books by this author.
August 8, 2022
Shell is driving to meet a group of female friends for a weekend away. They are all travelling separately to an isolated Scottish island for a catch-up, but Shell is hesitant. It's been a while since they were all together & things have changed for all of them, especially the friendship between Shell & Debs. When she is almost there, she is flagged down by a female motorist whose car has broken down by the side of the road. She gives her fellow traveler a lift, but lives to regret it when they suddenly pull a knife on her.
The rest of the group have now arrived at the lodge where they will be staying; Debs, Mouse, Toni, & Leah are surprised Shell isn't there yet, & even more surprised when they receive a message telling them that she has been held up & won't be joining them until later. Their guide for the activities is Steve, a forty-something who still dresses like a surfer dude & thinks he's a ladies man. As they begin their weekend, their friendships start to crack due to the secrets that they are all hiding from each other & their penchant for trying to get one over on each other. Leah notices that they seem to be being followed by someone but can never catch a glimpse of their stalker, but when one of them is attacked, all hell breaks loose.
This is one of those where nearly all the characters are rather unlikeable, I would say Leah is probably the nicest but even she has a past. It's well plotted but I must admit, it's rather easy to work out who is behind & why. I kept expecting a unseen twist, but things panned out pretty much as I expected. It's definitely fast-paced & keeps the reader's attention well, but I just felt there should have been something more. 3.5 stars (rounded up)
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Head of Zeus/Aries, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
The rest of the group have now arrived at the lodge where they will be staying; Debs, Mouse, Toni, & Leah are surprised Shell isn't there yet, & even more surprised when they receive a message telling them that she has been held up & won't be joining them until later. Their guide for the activities is Steve, a forty-something who still dresses like a surfer dude & thinks he's a ladies man. As they begin their weekend, their friendships start to crack due to the secrets that they are all hiding from each other & their penchant for trying to get one over on each other. Leah notices that they seem to be being followed by someone but can never catch a glimpse of their stalker, but when one of them is attacked, all hell breaks loose.
This is one of those where nearly all the characters are rather unlikeable, I would say Leah is probably the nicest but even she has a past. It's well plotted but I must admit, it's rather easy to work out who is behind & why. I kept expecting a unseen twist, but things panned out pretty much as I expected. It's definitely fast-paced & keeps the reader's attention well, but I just felt there should have been something more. 3.5 stars (rounded up)
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Head of Zeus/Aries, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
October 23, 2022
Narrated by Paula Master son ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Paula Master has a fantastic voice for narrating. I'd definitely like to hear more from her.
Story by P.R. Black ⭐⭐⭐ 3.5
If P. R Blacks goal was for us readers to hate these characters then 5 stars for that because these are horrible humans and while some seem to have learnt some life lessons, others deserved what they got.
Paula Master has a fantastic voice for narrating. I'd definitely like to hear more from her.
Story by P.R. Black ⭐⭐⭐ 3.5
If P. R Blacks goal was for us readers to hate these characters then 5 stars for that because these are horrible humans and while some seem to have learnt some life lessons, others deserved what they got.
September 25, 2022
Thank you Saga Egmont Audio and Netgalley for this audio.
It was a long listening, many names, many things happening. The atmosphere in the reunion was bot really nice between them but was perfect for this season. Sure also scary and a mix of guilt and all bad things in one but done so well.. and going there with real friends would be really wonderful.
It was a long listening, many names, many things happening. The atmosphere in the reunion was bot really nice between them but was perfect for this season. Sure also scary and a mix of guilt and all bad things in one but done so well.. and going there with real friends would be really wonderful.
July 16, 2022
** 3 Stars **
Hunted was an interesting mix of close proximity, childhood friends reuniting story, that turns into a horror story for all on the island when a psychopath starts hunting everyone on the island and more,
The story is around a group of women who were childhood and highschool friends; Toni (the competitive one), Leah (responsible mom figure), Deb (messy), Mouse, and Shell.. They each come with their own baggage and underlying issues. That we learn more about in a truth or dare/spin the bottle game,
In this game, their back stories of the worse thing they have ever done is shared, it was a fun time.However I found majority of the women in the group to be incredibly unlikable, obnoxious characters like Toni and Deb. Mouse and Leah though we're decent. However the entire book I couldn't figure out why they were friends or why they even would reunite. As I'm pretty sure they barely tolerated eachother at best of times.
I was a bit disappointed I didn't really like the characters in this book that much. It made me not really care too much about happened to them later.
The first half of the book was a slow burn with some thriller like moments that caused some unease. However for me it was too slow of burn, but I could see how other readers will enjoy the time that is taken for character development.
The slow pace in the beginning and the women in this book is what makes this book a 3 star for me.
Although the low first half. The last third of the book is fast pace and a fun ride. There are some unexpected twists that I was not expecting, while there were a couple that I personally thought was predictable.
If you enjoy books with the trope of isolation and sisterhood this book might be for you. It's one you have to invest the time in the beginning to get to the pay off of the thrill in the last 1/3rd of the book. I also could see this translating into a film, with how the different scenes played out.
Thank you to Netgalley and Head of Zeus for this advanced ready copy. My review is voluntary.
Hunted was an interesting mix of close proximity, childhood friends reuniting story, that turns into a horror story for all on the island when a psychopath starts hunting everyone on the island and more,
The story is around a group of women who were childhood and highschool friends; Toni (the competitive one), Leah (responsible mom figure), Deb (messy), Mouse, and Shell.. They each come with their own baggage and underlying issues. That we learn more about in a truth or dare/spin the bottle game,
In this game, their back stories of the worse thing they have ever done is shared, it was a fun time.However I found majority of the women in the group to be incredibly unlikable, obnoxious characters like Toni and Deb. Mouse and Leah though we're decent. However the entire book I couldn't figure out why they were friends or why they even would reunite. As I'm pretty sure they barely tolerated eachother at best of times.
I was a bit disappointed I didn't really like the characters in this book that much. It made me not really care too much about happened to them later.
The first half of the book was a slow burn with some thriller like moments that caused some unease. However for me it was too slow of burn, but I could see how other readers will enjoy the time that is taken for character development.
The slow pace in the beginning and the women in this book is what makes this book a 3 star for me.
Although the low first half. The last third of the book is fast pace and a fun ride. There are some unexpected twists that I was not expecting, while there were a couple that I personally thought was predictable.
If you enjoy books with the trope of isolation and sisterhood this book might be for you. It's one you have to invest the time in the beginning to get to the pay off of the thrill in the last 1/3rd of the book. I also could see this translating into a film, with how the different scenes played out.
Thank you to Netgalley and Head of Zeus for this advanced ready copy. My review is voluntary.
December 22, 2022
AUDIOBOOK REVIEW
This was a hoot! 🦉Would make a great movie. The narrator's performance was fantastic. Kept me engaged and thoroughly entertained the entire time.
I loved the dynamic between the group of old friends. Great banter and back and forth with the different personalities. Oh, the drama lol.
I liked the humour interwoven to help light the darkness. There were some really great lines:
Leah: "--maybe it just drops an anchor."
Roy:
Also Leah: 😂
Toni:
But I think the cake goes to Debs:
Debs:
They were imperfect. They all had their assets and their flaws. They were all so human. I loved them.
I cared. I cared about who lived and who died. I actually bloody cared!
Take my stars ✨
*Access to audiobook received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a hoot! 🦉Would make a great movie. The narrator's performance was fantastic. Kept me engaged and thoroughly entertained the entire time.
I loved the dynamic between the group of old friends. Great banter and back and forth with the different personalities. Oh, the drama lol.
I liked the humour interwoven to help light the darkness. There were some really great lines:
Leah: "--maybe it just drops an anchor."
Roy:
Also Leah: 😂
Toni:
But I think the cake goes to Debs:
Debs:
They were imperfect. They all had their assets and their flaws. They were all so human. I loved them.
I cared. I cared about who lived and who died. I actually bloody cared!
Take my stars ✨
*Access to audiobook received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 4, 2022
Like most reviewers this felt slow in the beginning while we get to know the characters (other than that one chapter....). But it felt necessary to get a feel for each of the characters. As the women get into their weekend shenanigans of drinking games we see that there are lots of secrets among this group of old friends. Some secrets that could destroy friendships & marriages. I felt like parts of this were quite scary; Specifically the whole being on a remote island in the woods at night while a madwoman hunts you; and that parts were high-thrill; Specifically the ending; but the book's title on Amazon: "The Hunted: A terrifying psychological thriller with a shocking twist" doesn't feel 100% valid. I spent majority of the last about 40% trying to figure out what this big SHOCKING twist would be... My mind went in twenty different directions, none of which happened. I will admit I found this good; with all the layers of secrets each friend had, who knew other's secrets and who didn't and if they'd find out; it kept me interested in the outcome.
I liked the narrator and thought it was a good reading. I do think it was tough to keep the women straight at first when readers were initially introduced to each one but it got easier when we learned more about each woman. There was good inflection and emotion at the right times too.
Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for the audiobook to read and review.
I liked the narrator and thought it was a good reading. I do think it was tough to keep the women straight at first when readers were initially introduced to each one but it got easier when we learned more about each woman. There was good inflection and emotion at the right times too.
Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for the audiobook to read and review.
August 3, 2022
The Hunted by P.R. Black is a fast, interesting thriller.
"THE PERFECT WEEKEND AWAY. A REMOTE LODGE, OLD FRIENDS... AND MURDER.
It's been twenty years since they were all at school together. So when a group of female friends gather at a beautiful but isolated Scottish island lodge for a weekend away, they're looking forward to relaxing, sharing updates on their lives, and reminiscing." seems like a description of a pretty typical of a certain type of mystery.
But P.R. Black nods to that and then leaves them in the rearview mirror.
With intriguing and flawed characters the story pulls you in and gradually reveals the cast of characters.
I thought I had the culprit figured out fairly early but then as I begin to learn more about the characters I hoped I was wrong.
An intense and thrilling story.
Thank you to #NetGalley, #HeadofZues, and P.R. Black for the ARC of #TheHunted.
"THE PERFECT WEEKEND AWAY. A REMOTE LODGE, OLD FRIENDS... AND MURDER.
It's been twenty years since they were all at school together. So when a group of female friends gather at a beautiful but isolated Scottish island lodge for a weekend away, they're looking forward to relaxing, sharing updates on their lives, and reminiscing." seems like a description of a pretty typical of a certain type of mystery.
But P.R. Black nods to that and then leaves them in the rearview mirror.
With intriguing and flawed characters the story pulls you in and gradually reveals the cast of characters.
I thought I had the culprit figured out fairly early but then as I begin to learn more about the characters I hoped I was wrong.
An intense and thrilling story.
Thank you to #NetGalley, #HeadofZues, and P.R. Black for the ARC of #TheHunted.
October 4, 2022
Audiobook
The Hunted is a creepy story set in a remote area of Scotland. I love a vacation gone wrong, and this has the added Scottish flair! Paula Masterson narrates and her voice is spectacular - she has the fantastic ability to delineate between each character and read real emotion into the narration.
Via Masterson, we learn that a group of friends are gathering at a lodge for a weekend to catch up and reminisce. Some of the old high school rivalries and jealousies crop up rather quickly and the get together is less than relaxing.
It's not long before friends and loved ones are missing and it seems that someone is praying on theg group, separating them out one by one. Can they band together and save themselves? If you like a vacation gone wrong, an lyrical Scottish accent or just want a new murder thriller to hear, The Hunted on audiobook is for you!#SagaEdgemont
The Hunted is a creepy story set in a remote area of Scotland. I love a vacation gone wrong, and this has the added Scottish flair! Paula Masterson narrates and her voice is spectacular - she has the fantastic ability to delineate between each character and read real emotion into the narration.
Via Masterson, we learn that a group of friends are gathering at a lodge for a weekend to catch up and reminisce. Some of the old high school rivalries and jealousies crop up rather quickly and the get together is less than relaxing.
It's not long before friends and loved ones are missing and it seems that someone is praying on theg group, separating them out one by one. Can they band together and save themselves? If you like a vacation gone wrong, an lyrical Scottish accent or just want a new murder thriller to hear, The Hunted on audiobook is for you!#SagaEdgemont
October 18, 2022
Oh my soul! Fiona Half-Penny tops the cake as crazy person of the month, that's for sure.
It seems almost impossible that someone can be so ... vengeful, especially after so long. But then revenge, they say, is a dish best served cold. This is quite blood thirsty, the squeamish might not approve so if that's not your thing, avoid it (I did have a problem with what happened to Mouse, I reckon that could have been left out).
Other than that, it went along at a nice pace. If nothing else, it's a lesson in thinking twice before getting together with old school friends. Oh, and also forming secret societies that put people in boxes with rubber spiders. I loved Paula Masterson as narrator, but then I'm a sucker for a Scottish accent.
Thanks to NetGalley, Saga Egmont and P.R. Black for my ARC.
Three and half stars.
It seems almost impossible that someone can be so ... vengeful, especially after so long. But then revenge, they say, is a dish best served cold. This is quite blood thirsty, the squeamish might not approve so if that's not your thing, avoid it (I did have a problem with what happened to Mouse, I reckon that could have been left out).
Other than that, it went along at a nice pace. If nothing else, it's a lesson in thinking twice before getting together with old school friends. Oh, and also forming secret societies that put people in boxes with rubber spiders. I loved Paula Masterson as narrator, but then I'm a sucker for a Scottish accent.
Thanks to NetGalley, Saga Egmont and P.R. Black for my ARC.
Three and half stars.
September 29, 2022
3.5 stars
Oh my, this book was twisted and I love the borderline horror aspect. I was rooting for this book to keep going dark, but it slowed down on that vibe. I definitely would have loved to see it go that way. It really started ti feel like a Friday the 13th movie.
I’m not sure if the big ah-ha moment was supposed to be a huge surprise, but it was super obvious on who the killer was. I still found the book interesting even though the twists were pretty obvious.
I am still undecided on how I feel when I read a book with no true protagonist. I’m curious if this was the plan for this book or not, but I really didn’t like anyone.
Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
Oh my, this book was twisted and I love the borderline horror aspect. I was rooting for this book to keep going dark, but it slowed down on that vibe. I definitely would have loved to see it go that way. It really started ti feel like a Friday the 13th movie.
I’m not sure if the big ah-ha moment was supposed to be a huge surprise, but it was super obvious on who the killer was. I still found the book interesting even though the twists were pretty obvious.
I am still undecided on how I feel when I read a book with no true protagonist. I’m curious if this was the plan for this book or not, but I really didn’t like anyone.
Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
October 31, 2022
4/5 stars
A group of old friends reunite in a remote Scottish Lodge, only for the trip to suddenly become their nightmare. Death starts to follow them seemingly everywhere and nothing is as it seems. This book had the same vibes as THE HUNTING PARTY (Lucy Foley) and ONE BY ONE (Ruth Ware), and that's really all you need to know.
Talk about a roller-coaster of a book! I truly thought I had it all figured out at like three points throughout and I was sooo wrong. This was a fast-paced, creepy, atmospheric thriller that kept me guessing until the very end. I love a closed-set, winter thriller that causes you to suspect the main characters themselves, and that was exactly how this one was for me.
A group of old friends reunite in a remote Scottish Lodge, only for the trip to suddenly become their nightmare. Death starts to follow them seemingly everywhere and nothing is as it seems. This book had the same vibes as THE HUNTING PARTY (Lucy Foley) and ONE BY ONE (Ruth Ware), and that's really all you need to know.
Talk about a roller-coaster of a book! I truly thought I had it all figured out at like three points throughout and I was sooo wrong. This was a fast-paced, creepy, atmospheric thriller that kept me guessing until the very end. I love a closed-set, winter thriller that causes you to suspect the main characters themselves, and that was exactly how this one was for me.
March 25, 2023
✅️ Loved the island setting and isolation.
✅️ Really enjoyed the twist even if it was expected.
✅️ Started with a bang which was unexpected.
❎️ Fed up of hearing about the Owl Society, quite cringy.
❎️ None of the characters were likeable.
✅️ Really enjoyed the twist even if it was expected.
✅️ Started with a bang which was unexpected.
❎️ Fed up of hearing about the Owl Society, quite cringy.
❎️ None of the characters were likeable.
April 29, 2023
Whew! What a ride! That escalated quickly, and then escalated again, over and over! It was certainly a thriller. Fast paced, action packed, with characters you love to hate, but we all recognise from our own lives. Loved it! Can't wait to read another by P.R. Black
November 1, 2022
The ending was a bit abrupt, and there's one element of the story which I'll never forgive our Mr. Black (can't say which, obviously, because spoiler), but all in all a very good read.
August 7, 2023
Bullied as a child, she returns to get her revenge.
January 30, 2023
A bit slow to start but gripped by the end
October 16, 2022
Five childhood friends plan a girl's weekend in Scotland as a way to catch up and get away from work and family responsibilities for a while. They had formed a group called "The Owl Society" and each took nicknames of animals. Leah is often referred to as "Mummy Owl" as she is the most responsible and organized member of the group. The others really don't revert to their childhood nicknames except for Mouse, who is never called anything but Mouse. Four of the women make it as planned, but the fifth is delayed.
The members of the group have barely reached the isolated lodge when old resentments and hurts begin to surface. They begin to play games which are designed to draw out memories and reveal things that they may have forgotten about each other. As the cracks start to show, some of the husbands appear to check on their wives, but they soon leave again. The women begin to suspect that someone is watching them and may have bad intentions. Once they work out that they are indeed, being hunted, it might be too late to escape -- and escape to where, as they are isolated and (surprise, surprise) have no phone service.
I enjoyed the narrator, Paula Masterson, and the Scottish lilt she gave the characters. The story did have a lot of twists and turns and it was very suspenseful. The backstory went on too long (as did the fact that one of the women, Debs, was outright cruel most of the time, so why anyone would want to spend an isolated weekend in her company is the real mystery!). Once the women realize they are in danger and are trying to formulate ways to escape, there's also an overabundance of squabbling among the group that serves to draw out the story but not add much tension. The story ended somewhat abruptly, but otherwise it was an interesting, twisty thriller.
I received a copy from NetGalley.
The members of the group have barely reached the isolated lodge when old resentments and hurts begin to surface. They begin to play games which are designed to draw out memories and reveal things that they may have forgotten about each other. As the cracks start to show, some of the husbands appear to check on their wives, but they soon leave again. The women begin to suspect that someone is watching them and may have bad intentions. Once they work out that they are indeed, being hunted, it might be too late to escape -- and escape to where, as they are isolated and (surprise, surprise) have no phone service.
I enjoyed the narrator, Paula Masterson, and the Scottish lilt she gave the characters. The story did have a lot of twists and turns and it was very suspenseful. The backstory went on too long (as did the fact that one of the women, Debs, was outright cruel most of the time, so why anyone would want to spend an isolated weekend in her company is the real mystery!). Once the women realize they are in danger and are trying to formulate ways to escape, there's also an overabundance of squabbling among the group that serves to draw out the story but not add much tension. The story ended somewhat abruptly, but otherwise it was an interesting, twisty thriller.
I received a copy from NetGalley.
October 15, 2022
When five old friends - once nicknamed the Owl Society - arrange a reunion at a remote Scottish estate, things start out just like old times: the women naturally fall back into their old roles and the drinks flow freely. But soon old tensions begin to simmer and it becomes apparent that something isn’t right on the small island. Someone is watching the women carefully, and cutting them off from the real world. The only way they’re going to survive the weekend is to stick together and try to outrun their enemy, who still views them as nothing more than the animals they once nicknamed themselves.
This book really starts out with a bang and just grabs your attention. Really after that first chapter, I had to know what was going to happen, it was such an suspenseful treat! And while it quickly becomes apparent who from their past is responsible for things, there’s twists and turns that make it worth really reading to the end to see how it all plays out, trust me. The ending was quite an action-packed episode that was just full of punches pulled left and right.
The characters themselves were interesting because none of them were really likable, but I didn’t quite hate any of them. They were supposed to be unlivable, I think. They were old friends who grew apart and were all just different people with different flaws and different personalities who didn’t fit together anymore for various reasons. None of them were entirely good, and none of them were downright evil, either. They were just people living their imperfect lives.
Overall, this was an action-packed thriller, that was heavy on the chills and gore, rather than the mystery. But it was still a great read!
This book really starts out with a bang and just grabs your attention. Really after that first chapter, I had to know what was going to happen, it was such an suspenseful treat! And while it quickly becomes apparent who from their past is responsible for things, there’s twists and turns that make it worth really reading to the end to see how it all plays out, trust me. The ending was quite an action-packed episode that was just full of punches pulled left and right.
The characters themselves were interesting because none of them were really likable, but I didn’t quite hate any of them. They were supposed to be unlivable, I think. They were old friends who grew apart and were all just different people with different flaws and different personalities who didn’t fit together anymore for various reasons. None of them were entirely good, and none of them were downright evil, either. They were just people living their imperfect lives.
Overall, this was an action-packed thriller, that was heavy on the chills and gore, rather than the mystery. But it was still a great read!
October 18, 2022
*3.5 Stars On My Instagram*
"There's something foreboding here."
"When something rankles it rankles."
The Hunted by P.R. Black is a remote Scottish island, reunions are deadly and high school never leaves us story that was a slow ominous burn until the last few chapters that gave me slasher whiplash with its murderous reveals.
Five, once high school best friends, are reuniting after 20 years to catch up without any outside interference. The lodge they are meeting at has no wifi and is accessible only by Ferry or small plane. The creepiness starts right away when Shell picks up a stranded driver on her way there and doesn't make it to the lodge and no one can reach her.
As the four old friends reminisce we learn that they were pretty awful bullies and very self serving teens. As adults they don't seem to have changed too much. In fact I found them obnoxious at times.
Narrator Paula Masterson really brings the screams and evil cackling to life as the few island habitants are viciously slaughtered as the killer makes their way to the four unsuspecting women.
This is a fun somewhat predictable October audiobook that you can listen to while keeping the lights on and eating popcorn. These Mean Girls get the Mike Meyers Halloween treatment and there's a powerful lesson; if you prey on others you may become The Hunted.
I received a free copy of this audiobook from Saga Egmont via #netgalley for a fair and honest review.
**This Review Is For The Audiobook**
"There's something foreboding here."
"When something rankles it rankles."
The Hunted by P.R. Black is a remote Scottish island, reunions are deadly and high school never leaves us story that was a slow ominous burn until the last few chapters that gave me slasher whiplash with its murderous reveals.
Five, once high school best friends, are reuniting after 20 years to catch up without any outside interference. The lodge they are meeting at has no wifi and is accessible only by Ferry or small plane. The creepiness starts right away when Shell picks up a stranded driver on her way there and doesn't make it to the lodge and no one can reach her.
As the four old friends reminisce we learn that they were pretty awful bullies and very self serving teens. As adults they don't seem to have changed too much. In fact I found them obnoxious at times.
Narrator Paula Masterson really brings the screams and evil cackling to life as the few island habitants are viciously slaughtered as the killer makes their way to the four unsuspecting women.
This is a fun somewhat predictable October audiobook that you can listen to while keeping the lights on and eating popcorn. These Mean Girls get the Mike Meyers Halloween treatment and there's a powerful lesson; if you prey on others you may become The Hunted.
I received a free copy of this audiobook from Saga Egmont via #netgalley for a fair and honest review.
**This Review Is For The Audiobook**
October 2, 2022
3.5⭐️🎧
This is my introduction to this UK author. I had the audiobook version of this psychological thriller narrated by Paula Masterton she dies a good job at distinct voices for the various female characters. She adds a good amount of tension and atmosphere too.
It’s another book about a group of women (Debs,Toni, Leah, Shell, Beatrice/mouse,) who are supposed to be friends but are totally unlikeable and bitchy taking a weekend break on an isolated Scottish Island. Of course there’s the predictable lack of phone signal etc. I can never understand why people who don’t like each other feel the need to have expensive reunions.
We know from the outset that there’s another arrival who doesn’t mean for the weekend break to end well.
Non of the characters are likeable, in-fact they are unpleasant individuals. The revelations and their reactions in spin the bottle were eye opening on their personality traits. Things take a darker turn as the bitchiness ramps up. This section I felt was too drawn out until the action started in the final section. I wasn’t invested in the characters so I didn’t really care who died and who survived. Think Leah was the best of the bunch for me.
The action part was interesting.
It’s an easy enjoyable enough listen. I think the audiobook added to my enjoyment significantly. It’s one for you if you enjoy bitchy squabbling women.
This is my introduction to this UK author. I had the audiobook version of this psychological thriller narrated by Paula Masterton she dies a good job at distinct voices for the various female characters. She adds a good amount of tension and atmosphere too.
It’s another book about a group of women (Debs,Toni, Leah, Shell, Beatrice/mouse,) who are supposed to be friends but are totally unlikeable and bitchy taking a weekend break on an isolated Scottish Island. Of course there’s the predictable lack of phone signal etc. I can never understand why people who don’t like each other feel the need to have expensive reunions.
We know from the outset that there’s another arrival who doesn’t mean for the weekend break to end well.
Non of the characters are likeable, in-fact they are unpleasant individuals. The revelations and their reactions in spin the bottle were eye opening on their personality traits. Things take a darker turn as the bitchiness ramps up. This section I felt was too drawn out until the action started in the final section. I wasn’t invested in the characters so I didn’t really care who died and who survived. Think Leah was the best of the bunch for me.
The action part was interesting.
It’s an easy enjoyable enough listen. I think the audiobook added to my enjoyment significantly. It’s one for you if you enjoy bitchy squabbling women.
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