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The Hunter
"A riveting atmospheric suspense debut that explores the dark side of a small town and How can we uncover the truth when we are lying to ourselves?"--
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 10, 2023
97 people are currently reading
11817 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Herrera
1 book108 followersJennifer Herrera is a former philosophy grad student turned literary agent, who is fascinated by both the stories we tell ourselves to live and the lies we cling to that sabotage our chances at a good life. She was born and raised in northwest Ohio and now resides in Philadelphia with her husband, daughter, and cat. The Hunter is her first novel.
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January 12, 2023
NYPD Detective Leigh O’Donnell returns to her hometown of Copper Falls, Ohio with her daughter after being suspended from her job with the NYPD, which also puts a strain on her marriage (for reasons that are divulged later in the narrative). She joins her brother Ronan at the local PD investigating the mysterious death of three local men who apparently died from drowning in the Falls- suspected homicides, the cause of death being uncannily familiar to the death of three high school students years ago. As she progresses with the investigation it becomes evident that there are secrets in this small town that more than a few people would like to keep buried.
The Hunter by Jennifer Herrera has an intriguing plot, as far as the mystery element is concerned. I was impressed with the beginning of the novel and the build-up of the mystery, the historical context of the small town and the mysterious occurrences in its past. However, there are multiple threads to the narrative - the events leading to Leigh’s suspension from the NYPD, the troubles in her marriage, her relationship with Copper falls and her family history, the history of the town and its residents and of course, her new assignment investigating the murders in a small- town with a lot of secrets. I felt there was too much going on which distracted me from the actual mystery. I enjoyed how the mystery was developing (including the paranormal element) but with so much focus on the other aspects of her life, the pace slows down considerably after the halfway mark leading up to an ending that is a tad convoluted and not satisfying. The resolution of the mystery left me with a lot of questions and I felt that Leigh’s talents as a strong-willed, intuitive law enforcement officer took a backseat to her personal life. This is an ambitious debut and though I found some parts of the narrative engaging, overall, I wasn’t happy with how the story played out.
My Rating : 2.5⭐ rounded up!
Many thanks to Penguin Group-Putnam and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in the review are my own.
The Hunter by Jennifer Herrera has an intriguing plot, as far as the mystery element is concerned. I was impressed with the beginning of the novel and the build-up of the mystery, the historical context of the small town and the mysterious occurrences in its past. However, there are multiple threads to the narrative - the events leading to Leigh’s suspension from the NYPD, the troubles in her marriage, her relationship with Copper falls and her family history, the history of the town and its residents and of course, her new assignment investigating the murders in a small- town with a lot of secrets. I felt there was too much going on which distracted me from the actual mystery. I enjoyed how the mystery was developing (including the paranormal element) but with so much focus on the other aspects of her life, the pace slows down considerably after the halfway mark leading up to an ending that is a tad convoluted and not satisfying. The resolution of the mystery left me with a lot of questions and I felt that Leigh’s talents as a strong-willed, intuitive law enforcement officer took a backseat to her personal life. This is an ambitious debut and though I found some parts of the narrative engaging, overall, I wasn’t happy with how the story played out.
My Rating : 2.5⭐ rounded up!
Many thanks to Penguin Group-Putnam and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in the review are my own.
January 12, 2023
**Many thanks to NetGalley, Penguin-Putnam, and Jennifer Herrera for an ARC of this book! Now available as of 1.10!**
Just call her Artemis...
Leigh O'Donnell acted on impulse during her time as a NYPD detective...but that impulse ended up costing her the job...and her relationship with her husband at the same time. Attempting to move on, she and her daughter have settled into a new life...until one day Leigh's brother, who is also a police officer, all but begs Leigh to return to their hometown of Copper Falls, Ohio to look into three mysterious drownings. Leigh can't help but feel intrigued, especially when she learns that all of the victims were clean-cut, without enemies...and they all perished at the bottom of a waterfall. While she leaves her daughter in the hands of her three brothers, Leigh dives into the mystery headlong.. But the more she investigates, the more it seems as though something insidious--and possibly mystical--might be at work. Were these drownings at the waterfall truly an odd coincidence...or is there something lurking in the dank and mysterious caves below?
This is Herrera's debut, and I have to admit, for the first 25% or so of this book, I was HOOKED. I kept thinking about the plot when I put it down, and I felt so sad for the very authentic heartbreak Leigh had experienced. both in her broken marriage and the loss of her career. Once she made her way to Copper Falls and met up with her brother, however, things started to take a slow turn. I can appreciate how long it takes to set up a story this complicated, but as Leigh went through interviews with various members of the town and pieced some of the story together, I realized that this was going to end up as a pretty far-fetched story with a BIT too much going on.
Essentially, the story ends up branching into three different tines: one involves Leigh's backstory and the 'incident that ended her career with the NYPD, her strained relationship with her former husband Eric, and the mystery itself (which, without giving TOO much away, gets into mystical territory...if that isn't your cup of tea, STAY clear!). Unfortunately, instead of connecting all of these facets in a clear and concise way, Herrera lost focus and what started as a potential 4.5 star read for me petered down into a solid 3.5 by the end. Although I'm not always the most prescient sleuth, even I felt there were some plot holes in terms of the investigation and there also is one gross animal moment for those who avoid them (it involves a rabbit), so be forewarned. 🚫
I wish I could say I had some buy-in, but honestly, the big 'mystery' reveal fell flat...and having to wait till 70% to find out what had happened in NY was also frustrating. Once the culprit is caught, Herrera then circles back to the other two tines of the plot and 'ends' each of them...but neither of these endings felt satisfying to me. All of the sadness and emotion I felt at the beginning in regard to the strained marriage had dissipated by the end and it seemed like Herrera was trying to just throw the reader off guard at the end rather than write a plausible ending and the novel generally had a scattered, unfinished feel at the end. Perhaps she is hoping this might be book one of a series, but while I liked Leigh to some extent, I liked her less by the end of the book and I don't know that I'd see a path forward for this character.
Though this debut had unlimited potential, I feel that rather than observing it as a beautiful and majestic waterfall, by the end, this book had me wanting to grab the nearest barrel to jump over the ledge. 🌊 🙋♀️
3.5 stars
Just call her Artemis...
Leigh O'Donnell acted on impulse during her time as a NYPD detective...but that impulse ended up costing her the job...and her relationship with her husband at the same time. Attempting to move on, she and her daughter have settled into a new life...until one day Leigh's brother, who is also a police officer, all but begs Leigh to return to their hometown of Copper Falls, Ohio to look into three mysterious drownings. Leigh can't help but feel intrigued, especially when she learns that all of the victims were clean-cut, without enemies...and they all perished at the bottom of a waterfall. While she leaves her daughter in the hands of her three brothers, Leigh dives into the mystery headlong.. But the more she investigates, the more it seems as though something insidious--and possibly mystical--might be at work. Were these drownings at the waterfall truly an odd coincidence...or is there something lurking in the dank and mysterious caves below?
This is Herrera's debut, and I have to admit, for the first 25% or so of this book, I was HOOKED. I kept thinking about the plot when I put it down, and I felt so sad for the very authentic heartbreak Leigh had experienced. both in her broken marriage and the loss of her career. Once she made her way to Copper Falls and met up with her brother, however, things started to take a slow turn. I can appreciate how long it takes to set up a story this complicated, but as Leigh went through interviews with various members of the town and pieced some of the story together, I realized that this was going to end up as a pretty far-fetched story with a BIT too much going on.
Essentially, the story ends up branching into three different tines: one involves Leigh's backstory and the 'incident that ended her career with the NYPD, her strained relationship with her former husband Eric, and the mystery itself (which, without giving TOO much away, gets into mystical territory...if that isn't your cup of tea, STAY clear!). Unfortunately, instead of connecting all of these facets in a clear and concise way, Herrera lost focus and what started as a potential 4.5 star read for me petered down into a solid 3.5 by the end. Although I'm not always the most prescient sleuth, even I felt there were some plot holes in terms of the investigation and there also is one gross animal moment for those who avoid them (it involves a rabbit), so be forewarned. 🚫
I wish I could say I had some buy-in, but honestly, the big 'mystery' reveal fell flat...and having to wait till 70% to find out what had happened in NY was also frustrating. Once the culprit is caught, Herrera then circles back to the other two tines of the plot and 'ends' each of them...but neither of these endings felt satisfying to me. All of the sadness and emotion I felt at the beginning in regard to the strained marriage had dissipated by the end and it seemed like Herrera was trying to just throw the reader off guard at the end rather than write a plausible ending and the novel generally had a scattered, unfinished feel at the end. Perhaps she is hoping this might be book one of a series, but while I liked Leigh to some extent, I liked her less by the end of the book and I don't know that I'd see a path forward for this character.
Though this debut had unlimited potential, I feel that rather than observing it as a beautiful and majestic waterfall, by the end, this book had me wanting to grab the nearest barrel to jump over the ledge. 🌊 🙋♀️
3.5 stars
February 9, 2023
Maude’s voice was far away, the way the chime of a bell can feel distant even if it’s right in front of you. “You’re too late,” she said to me, to no one. “Every last one of them is dead.”--------------------------------------
“Every gift comes at a price.”NYPD detective Leigh O’Donnell is on double-secret suspension. Her prospects of returning to her job are about as real as Dean Wormer ever authorizing the return of Delta Tau Chi. On top of that, she is newly separated from her (boss) husband, the person who suspended her. He could not understand why she would pull her gun on a fellow officer, allowing a caught suspect to escape. Thankfully, her brother, Ronan (Ro), gets in touch. Seems that back home in Copper Falls, Ohio, there had been a very suspicious triple death. And they would love it if an actual NYC detective could pop by for a look-see. Leigh takes the opportunity to skip town for a while, bringing along her four-year-old daughter, Simone.
Jennifer Herrera - image from her site
Who says you can’t go home again? Oh, Thomas Wolfe, in his novel of that name. Ok. Fine, whatever. Well, Leigh gives it a go anyway, taking the opportunity to introduce Simone to Leigh’s uncles, to Ro, and to the town in which she had grown up. It will come as no shock that author Jennifer Herrera spent much of her childhood in a small Ohio town.
For the first five years of my life, I lived in a trailer park, which, while not economically diverse, was diverse in just about every other way. So when my family moved to a small town in rural Ohio, I wasn’t prepared for how alien I would feel there. Everyone was related. They all looked alike. They went to the same church. They held the same beliefs. If you’re not from there, it’s unbelievable. But those places still exist.Herrera comes up with a few possibilities about that, most of them less than complimentary to the residents of her fictionalized version. This is a place with secrets. Pretty tough to make any progress finding out the truth when you are struggling upstream against a torrent of lies.
When I was a kid, all I knew was that I didn’t fit in and wanted to get out. When I got older, I started to wonder what it was about this community that made them so afraid of letting the outside world in. - from The Book Club Kit
The first-person story-telling is mostly linear with some flashbacks. Added to the presenting mystery of what happened to these three young men are Leigh’s personal struggles. She wants to save her endangered marriage. She wants to resurrect her career as a detective. But she also wants to get a better handle on who she really is. For better or worse, this Podunk town is a part of her, even if she had left it years before, intending never to return. She has loving family here, in addition to painful memories. This was once a true home for her. Could it ever be that for her again? It would be great for her daughter to have a larger family tree than the few branches Leigh can offer her in NY. So, Leigh is engaging in a journey of self-discovery. But it is also a quest. You can tick off the Campbellian stages, as our hero does battle with dark forces and descends to the equivalent of hell, fending off monsters in order to reach her goal. One of her uncles even thinks of her as a classic Irish hero of legend, Fionn MacCumhaill - aka Finn McCool. The uncles serve multiple roles, connection to and intel on locals, child care for Simone, a warm, familial homey element, and comic relief.
Imagery abounds. Herrera clearly enjoys playing with archetypal images. Snakes put in appearances. There is an apple orchard that, when paired with the snakes, certainly gives one an image of a corrupted Eden. A house tucked away out of sight makes one wonder if there might be someone inside preparing to cook children. A flock of birds massing to protect one damaged member has got to mean something, right?
Shrines figure large. There are said to be shrines in the caves under the waterfall, likely remnants of indigenous people who were driven out by colonizers. The people of the town seriously want to keep their town the way it is, preserved in amber, a sort of shrine to their past, to themselves. Herrera includes a fun reference to a relevant Twilight Zone episode to bolster the image. The title of the book comes in for some use. Early on a character refers to detective Leigh as a hunter. An archetypal native personage figures large. There is even a sly reference to hunter green.
There are peculiarities that grab our attention and demand exploration. For example, threes abound here. Maud had three brothers who perished together a lifetime ago. There were the multiple deaths seven years back of three young men of eighteen. The latest mortal hat trick included men in their twenties, contemporaries of the prior three. Interestingly, the last two trifectas all turned up in the pool at the bottom of the same waterfall. Curious, no? And Leigh’s mother had three brothers, the uncles of this tale. What’s up with all the treys?
Obviously, poking through all this imagery stuff, looking for connections that may or may not be real, digging down into rabbit holes as they appear (What is that rabbit late for, and where is he going?) is great fun. But, pleasurable as that is, the book would not succeed if we did not feel a connection to the lead. Not to worry. Leigh has her issues, but she is definitely relatable.
On the down side, I found it a bit tough to accept that Leigh would do what she did in NYC for the reason that is offered.
The supporting cast is a mixed crew. Some stand out, like the elderly, mysterious Maud. Onetime bf and now reporter, Mason Vogel, is a confusing foil for Leigh. Her brother, Ronan, is a likeable partner. The uncles are fun. Most stand back, as supporting characters do. Means to an end, whether advancing the plot or offering atmospherics. The notion of history, both the immediate and personal history of individuals, and the larger, longer cultural history of a place, and its hold on the present, for good or ill, is palpable. The procedural elements are well done, and the explanations make a dark sort of sense. The lead is someone we can pull for. The Hunter is a fun read, an engaging mystery that will keep you well-entertained, and keep your gray cells firing for the duration.
…most of the businesses in town—the grocery store, the antiques market, the candy shop—they’re all owned by the same seven families. The Wagners are the majority share, sure, but this town? It’s all one big family business.”
“That’s insane.”
“Not really. I’m sure it’s like that in a lot of places. See, those seven families have never left. Some individuals left, sure, but most of them stayed. People give their houses to their kids or their grandkids. Sometimes nephews and nieces. But it’s rare for them to sell to outsiders. Especially the houses close to the center of town. There are ordinances forbidding new construction. We don’t get many new people here.”
Review posted - 2/3/23
Publication date – 1/10/23
I received an eARE of The Hunter from Putnam in return for a fair review. Thanks, folks, and thanks to NetGalley for facilitating.
This review has been, or soon will be, cross-posted on my site, Coot’s Reviews. Stop by and say Hi!
=============================EXTRA STUFF
Links to the author’s personal, Instagram, and Twitter pages
Interviews
-----Oh! Murder - Interview: Jennifer Herrera, The Hunter
-----The Mystery of Writing - The Hunter: Debut Thriller
Items of Interest from the author
-----Book Club Kit
-----Crimereads - MEN ARE THE MOST LIKELY VICTIMS OF HOMICIDE. WHY DO CRIME WRITERS KILL SO MANY WOMEN?
Items of Interest
-----Wiki on Thomas Wolfe’s novel, You Can’t Go Home Again
“You can't go back home to your family, back home to your childhood ... back home to a young man's dreams of glory and of fame ... back home to places in the country, back home to the old forms and systems of things which once seemed everlasting, but which are changing all the time – back home to the escapes of Time and Memory.”-----Discovering Ireland - Fionn MacCumhaill - aka Finn McCool of Irish legends
-----Twilight Zone Fandom - The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine
-----ProWritingAid - Deep Dive: Joseph Campbell’s "Hero’s Journey"
-----Wiki on Animal House
December 5, 2023
3⭐
Genre ~ psychological thriller
Setting ~ NYC
Publication date ~ January 10, 2023
Est page Count ~ 351 (45 chapters)
Audio length ~ 9 hours 47 minutes
Narrator ~ Rebecca Lowman
POV ~ single 1st
Featuring ~ debut, police procedural, suicide references, animal death , flashbacks
I have mixed feelings about this one, so I'm going to plop it in the middle.
Leigh is a suspended detective and heads back to her hometown to help her brother investigate some suspicious deaths. Sometimes I liked her and other times I wasn't sure why she was making some of the decisions she did. I guess family is family, but she was just leaving her 4 year old daughter with her uncles that she hadn't seen in 14 years. Yeah they helped raise her when she needed it the most, but still seems crazy.
I liked the mystery behind Welcome to Copper Falls: The idyllic town that no one leaves alive. I'm not going to pick apart every little thing because there's a lot of other things going on.
There were some sad moments in regards to her relationship with her husband, Eric, but the build up of what went wrong took a long time to find out.
Overall, this was fine as a debut, but if this was the authors 4th book or so I'd have more concerns.
Side note ~ I love that her daughter, Simone's, stuffed animal is named Arnie since that's my dogs name.
*Thanks to the author, Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
I was able to listen to a copy as well.
Narration notes:
She did a fine job.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
Genre ~ psychological thriller
Setting ~ NYC
Publication date ~ January 10, 2023
Est page Count ~ 351 (45 chapters)
Audio length ~ 9 hours 47 minutes
Narrator ~ Rebecca Lowman
POV ~ single 1st
Featuring ~ debut, police procedural, suicide references, animal death , flashbacks
I have mixed feelings about this one, so I'm going to plop it in the middle.
Leigh is a suspended detective and heads back to her hometown to help her brother investigate some suspicious deaths. Sometimes I liked her and other times I wasn't sure why she was making some of the decisions she did. I guess family is family, but she was just leaving her 4 year old daughter with her uncles that she hadn't seen in 14 years. Yeah they helped raise her when she needed it the most, but still seems crazy.
I liked the mystery behind Welcome to Copper Falls: The idyllic town that no one leaves alive. I'm not going to pick apart every little thing because there's a lot of other things going on.
There were some sad moments in regards to her relationship with her husband, Eric, but the build up of what went wrong took a long time to find out.
Overall, this was fine as a debut, but if this was the authors 4th book or so I'd have more concerns.
Side note ~ I love that her daughter, Simone's, stuffed animal is named Arnie since that's my dogs name.
*Thanks to the author, Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
I was able to listen to a copy as well.
Narration notes:
She did a fine job.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
April 25, 2022
Wow, such a breathtaking story with a deep meaning. I thought this would be like every suspense thriller I've read, however, it was not. It kept me interested then whole time and I just could not put it down! The ending... when everything was put together, made me gasp in awe that I didn't see that coming. Then the story of her past and present aligning the way it did, got me choked up and teary eyed. Such a beautifully written book!
This ARC was given to me by NetGalley and the publishers to read and review. All comments above are my true opinion after reading this book.
This ARC was given to me by NetGalley and the publishers to read and review. All comments above are my true opinion after reading this book.
May 19, 2022
TW: toxic family relationships, gory murder scenes, loss of siblings, single parent hardships, divorce, cheating, skinning animals, suicide
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:After reckless behavior costs NYPD detective Leigh O’Donnell her job and her marriage, three suspicious drownings in her hometown cause her to return to Copper Falls, Ohio in the hopes that solving a triple homicide just might get her life back on course. Leigh had stayed away from Copper Falls for decades, even though her trio of loving uncles and her brother still call it home. Because Copper Falls may seem idyllic, but something rotten lies at its core.Headstrong and intuitive, Leigh isn’t afraid to face a killer. But she will have to do more than that to learn the truth about Copper Falls; she must unravel a complicated web of insidious secrets going back generations and truly confront what the town keeps hidden—as well as what she is hiding from herself.
Release Date:01.10.2023
Genre:Horror
Pages:352
Rating: ⭐ ⭐
What I Liked:
• The cover is creepy
• I love the trope of; returning home after being gone for years
• The writing style makes the book flow
What I Didn't Like:
• Leigh is just not likeable
• The dialog is cringe
Overall Thoughts: I know that Copper Falls is a fictional place but seriously I have no idea where we are in Ohio. I live in Ohio and she said she drove an hour south from Detroit but then she has people saying Y'all.... In Northern Ohio?? An hour drive from Detroit would be around Toledo? Oh yeah they mentioned Toledo!
So she just leaves her daughter with these relatives she hasn't seen in years like it's nothing and her daughter isn't upset being with strangers...There are seriously moments where Liegh has said she doesn't trust the uncles because of what they did, but leaving your child with make zero sense.
Leigh is one of those women I hate in books. She's smarter than anyone else, can change oil, amazing mom, and knows what EVERY look a person makes means. It's annoying. She skins some rabbits for some details, she doesn't even miss a beat before she's chopping off feet. Then she's jumping in to help Ronnie and Mel change their oil. She doesn't have to play by the rules of other cops. She's gifted a job and treats her brother who got her this job like he's gum on her shoe.
Omg there is a part where Liegh solves a murder via smell and then her captain asks her about what people smell like, including him, and I am cringing so hard at how stupid that section sounds.
Liegh is one of those people that whatever she does it's ALWAYS right and everyone else is wrong. She packs up her daughter and moves to her hometown to work at another police department, leaving her daughter with her uncles that she hasn't talked to in 20 years, doesn't tell the girls father, and she's mad at Eric for being upset that she didn't tell him. She turns it around and deflects that he is seeing another woman, when they are broken up, and he was worried about his daughter.
There is a part where the medical examiner later is looking at Duncan Schott's when he tells Ronan and Leigh "As I'm sure you're aware, things like facial hair continue to grow after one expires". That isn't true at all. Hair appears to look like it's growing because as you decompose the flesh pulls away from the skull giving it that look of growing hair. Disappointed that author didn't know that. Also during that same part the examiner says a woman shot herself between her eyes and had shaved her pubic hair. He makes the comment that it can be quite uncomfortable for women. What? No.... What I want to know is how would he know that she didn't normally shave her pubic hair? Like was that a question he asked her husband over her suicide? How would that even come up for him to think to ask that? Did he pull the sheet down completely and show the husband? Did she kill herself naked? Did she leave pubic hair in the sink? Leigh asks like 2 things to the medical examiner;
1. Does that mean someone shaved their faces after they died?
2. Could the men have taken something to prevent blood clotting, so they wouldn't bruise?
And the medical examinator is saying "What a delight you are I haven't had such a mental workout in ages" She didn't ask anything ground breaking that would make him break a sweat over.
William was looking for money too and that's why him and his dad were peeling apples to make pies to sell, it's mentioned that the dad has carpal tunnel and still peeled apples. Someone should tell them about a peeler that peels and gets rid of the pit. Why would you hand peel them if you could just get one of those. 🤷🏻♀️ I guess plots gotta plot.
Oh and she's the only one that could find an opening to the cave. Mason didn't even know where it was. So of course she's now an expert cave dweller. When she first went there the author makes out like it's the easiest thing to find. I know that she has the map but she finds it so easy. She knew how much rope to bring and everything.
Final Thoughts: In the end I dnfed this one. The writing for some reason made the book flow, but honestly the story was boring and dry. I really really struggled to care with what this book wanted to do. I didn't care about the dead people. I hated Liegh. Very much felt like just a typical thriller.
IG | Blog
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:After reckless behavior costs NYPD detective Leigh O’Donnell her job and her marriage, three suspicious drownings in her hometown cause her to return to Copper Falls, Ohio in the hopes that solving a triple homicide just might get her life back on course. Leigh had stayed away from Copper Falls for decades, even though her trio of loving uncles and her brother still call it home. Because Copper Falls may seem idyllic, but something rotten lies at its core.Headstrong and intuitive, Leigh isn’t afraid to face a killer. But she will have to do more than that to learn the truth about Copper Falls; she must unravel a complicated web of insidious secrets going back generations and truly confront what the town keeps hidden—as well as what she is hiding from herself.
Release Date:01.10.2023
Genre:Horror
Pages:352
Rating: ⭐ ⭐
What I Liked:
• The cover is creepy
• I love the trope of; returning home after being gone for years
• The writing style makes the book flow
What I Didn't Like:
• Leigh is just not likeable
• The dialog is cringe
Overall Thoughts: I know that Copper Falls is a fictional place but seriously I have no idea where we are in Ohio. I live in Ohio and she said she drove an hour south from Detroit but then she has people saying Y'all.... In Northern Ohio?? An hour drive from Detroit would be around Toledo? Oh yeah they mentioned Toledo!
So she just leaves her daughter with these relatives she hasn't seen in years like it's nothing and her daughter isn't upset being with strangers...There are seriously moments where Liegh has said she doesn't trust the uncles because of what they did, but leaving your child with make zero sense.
Leigh is one of those women I hate in books. She's smarter than anyone else, can change oil, amazing mom, and knows what EVERY look a person makes means. It's annoying. She skins some rabbits for some details, she doesn't even miss a beat before she's chopping off feet. Then she's jumping in to help Ronnie and Mel change their oil. She doesn't have to play by the rules of other cops. She's gifted a job and treats her brother who got her this job like he's gum on her shoe.
Omg there is a part where Liegh solves a murder via smell and then her captain asks her about what people smell like, including him, and I am cringing so hard at how stupid that section sounds.
Liegh is one of those people that whatever she does it's ALWAYS right and everyone else is wrong. She packs up her daughter and moves to her hometown to work at another police department, leaving her daughter with her uncles that she hasn't talked to in 20 years, doesn't tell the girls father, and she's mad at Eric for being upset that she didn't tell him. She turns it around and deflects that he is seeing another woman, when they are broken up, and he was worried about his daughter.
There is a part where the medical examiner later is looking at Duncan Schott's when he tells Ronan and Leigh "As I'm sure you're aware, things like facial hair continue to grow after one expires". That isn't true at all. Hair appears to look like it's growing because as you decompose the flesh pulls away from the skull giving it that look of growing hair. Disappointed that author didn't know that. Also during that same part the examiner says a woman shot herself between her eyes and had shaved her pubic hair. He makes the comment that it can be quite uncomfortable for women. What? No.... What I want to know is how would he know that she didn't normally shave her pubic hair? Like was that a question he asked her husband over her suicide? How would that even come up for him to think to ask that? Did he pull the sheet down completely and show the husband? Did she kill herself naked? Did she leave pubic hair in the sink? Leigh asks like 2 things to the medical examiner;
1. Does that mean someone shaved their faces after they died?
2. Could the men have taken something to prevent blood clotting, so they wouldn't bruise?
And the medical examinator is saying "What a delight you are I haven't had such a mental workout in ages" She didn't ask anything ground breaking that would make him break a sweat over.
William was looking for money too and that's why him and his dad were peeling apples to make pies to sell, it's mentioned that the dad has carpal tunnel and still peeled apples. Someone should tell them about a peeler that peels and gets rid of the pit. Why would you hand peel them if you could just get one of those. 🤷🏻♀️ I guess plots gotta plot.
Oh and she's the only one that could find an opening to the cave. Mason didn't even know where it was. So of course she's now an expert cave dweller. When she first went there the author makes out like it's the easiest thing to find. I know that she has the map but she finds it so easy. She knew how much rope to bring and everything.
Final Thoughts: In the end I dnfed this one. The writing for some reason made the book flow, but honestly the story was boring and dry. I really really struggled to care with what this book wanted to do. I didn't care about the dead people. I hated Liegh. Very much felt like just a typical thriller.
IG | Blog
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own
December 26, 2022
This was a struggle. It was a slow burn with the main character being a cop, two things I’m not normally a fan of. The paranormal aspect of the book kept me interested but it still dragged for me.
Leigh lost her job at the NYPD after revolution behavior and soon after she lost her marriage. After three suspicious drownings, Leigh heads back to her hometown of Copper Falls. Leigh must unravel the mystery of her tiny town and the secrets they tried desperately to bury.
The Hunter is available January 10,2023.
Thank you @netgalley and @gpputnams for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
Leigh lost her job at the NYPD after revolution behavior and soon after she lost her marriage. After three suspicious drownings, Leigh heads back to her hometown of Copper Falls. Leigh must unravel the mystery of her tiny town and the secrets they tried desperately to bury.
The Hunter is available January 10,2023.
Thank you @netgalley and @gpputnams for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
January 5, 2023
Foolhardy behavior at the scene of a robbery cost NYPD Homicide Detective Leigh O’Donnell her job and her marriage to NYPD Police Captain Eric Walker. After letting a perpetrator escape, she trained her gun toward her partner. While listening to police scanners one evening, Leigh mentally replays what happened that day: “…I watched the same scene that played out a thousand times each day, like the jumbled pieces of a puzzle I was sure would never fit. A hand that was my hand reaching for my sidearm. My Glock aimed at my partner’s head. A thumb that was my thumb cranking back the hammer. My voice, a command: Don’t move. I would not have pulled the trigger. I knew this like I knew my own name. What I didn’t know was why I had done it, why I had blown up my life for the sake of a perp who was caught hours after I helped him get away. This was three, maybe four, minutes of my life. Yet, like an explosion, it had devastated everything.” (Chapter One, page 1) Her brother Ronan calls, and tells Leigh he has secured her a job at the Copper Falls Police Department, because three dead bodies have been found. Copper Falls, her hometown and the place where Ronan and her three loving uncles still live, the small, idyllic town that is hiding something inherently insidious at its core. Leigh has not returned to Copper Falls in a decade for this reason, but hopes by packing up her four-year old daughter Simone and going to investigate, she can get her life back to where it once was. In order to find what happened to the three men found dead in the plunge pool of Copper Falls waterfall, she first has to untangle not only the town’s generations-old secrets, but the hidden anguish she has buried deep within herself.
Jennifer Herrera intricately sets the scene for “The Hunter,” and masterfully draws her characters to set up not only the storyline and plot, but the swift twists that make the reader hungry for more. Leigh had it all, then self-sabotaged, the reasons for which she was not conscious. Why would a person destroy the family and career that meant everything to her? What caused the pain and/or trauma she carried deep inside, which may not have come to light without this pivotal trip? In Copper Falls, she was forced to confront the demons which she had long buried. She discovered what the people she thought she knew or thought she could trust were hiding, and she unearthed the dirty little secrets hidden by generations of Copper Falls residents. She investigated and pieced together the cause of the three men’s death, and dredged up the pain in her very core that allowed her eyes to be opened to what she had done, and why. “The Hunter” is an engrossing, artful thriller which should be on every thrill-seekers “Must Read” list.
I’d like to thank NetGalley, Jennifer Herrera, and G.P. Putnam’s Sons Publishing for the ability to read and review this ARC.
Jennifer Herrera intricately sets the scene for “The Hunter,” and masterfully draws her characters to set up not only the storyline and plot, but the swift twists that make the reader hungry for more. Leigh had it all, then self-sabotaged, the reasons for which she was not conscious. Why would a person destroy the family and career that meant everything to her? What caused the pain and/or trauma she carried deep inside, which may not have come to light without this pivotal trip? In Copper Falls, she was forced to confront the demons which she had long buried. She discovered what the people she thought she knew or thought she could trust were hiding, and she unearthed the dirty little secrets hidden by generations of Copper Falls residents. She investigated and pieced together the cause of the three men’s death, and dredged up the pain in her very core that allowed her eyes to be opened to what she had done, and why. “The Hunter” is an engrossing, artful thriller which should be on every thrill-seekers “Must Read” list.
I’d like to thank NetGalley, Jennifer Herrera, and G.P. Putnam’s Sons Publishing for the ability to read and review this ARC.
September 30, 2022
This was a good thriller that held my interest, despite some tertiary plot lines I could have done without. The story centers on Leigh, an NYC police detective who makes a mistake that costs her both her career and her marriage. She heads home to small town Ohio to help her brother (also a cop) look into the suspicious deaths of 3 young men.
The mystery itself in this book was sound- there were some red herrings, some twists, and some new avenues to explore presented throughout the story. The author wove a complex mystery but made it easy to understand, while also causing the reader to guess what is really happening throughout.
There were a couple things I didn’t love, but may just be personal and not detract others from enjoyment of the book. One was the romance aspect, which I can just do without- I’ve always felt that this storyline detracts from the real story at hand. There was also an undercurrent of distrust in law enforcement throughout, and while I am all about a “cop gone bad” story, it felt like there was almost an expectation that police weren’t to be trusted in this story, which just kind of made me sad. Lastly, not all aspects of the crime were fully wrapped up and I was left wondering if additional villains would also held accountable.
Overall, I really enjoyed the mystery itself but there were undercurrents of other stuff that distracted me a bit from the main (and really good!) story. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The mystery itself in this book was sound- there were some red herrings, some twists, and some new avenues to explore presented throughout the story. The author wove a complex mystery but made it easy to understand, while also causing the reader to guess what is really happening throughout.
There were a couple things I didn’t love, but may just be personal and not detract others from enjoyment of the book. One was the romance aspect, which I can just do without- I’ve always felt that this storyline detracts from the real story at hand. There was also an undercurrent of distrust in law enforcement throughout, and while I am all about a “cop gone bad” story, it felt like there was almost an expectation that police weren’t to be trusted in this story, which just kind of made me sad. Lastly, not all aspects of the crime were fully wrapped up and I was left wondering if additional villains would also held accountable.
Overall, I really enjoyed the mystery itself but there were undercurrents of other stuff that distracted me a bit from the main (and really good!) story. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 8, 2023
3-3.5 stars. I enjoyed this debut mystery from Jennifer Herrera even though it has a few flaws. The premise is intriguing: Homicide Detective Leigh O'Donnell has been suspended indefinitely from NYPD and returns home to Copper Falls, Ohio, to help with an investigation into three drowning deaths at the falls. Her brother Ronan is an officer on their hometown force and has greased the wheels to get her this job.
I found Leigh to be a unique character, one who knows the world through her senses, especially her nose. What exactly she did to get suspended, what exactly she did to break up her marriage, and why exactly she left her family home years before, remain mysteries throughout most of the story. This is sort of a police procedural except that Leigh operates as a rather loose cannon, ignoring office rules and procedures, putting her brother in a tight spot for recommending her. The more she digs, the more something about this 'perfect' little town seems off. It's a quick, entertaining read if you are looking for some pure enjoyable escapism. I would enjoy reading more from this author.
I received an arc of this thriller from the author and publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
I found Leigh to be a unique character, one who knows the world through her senses, especially her nose. What exactly she did to get suspended, what exactly she did to break up her marriage, and why exactly she left her family home years before, remain mysteries throughout most of the story. This is sort of a police procedural except that Leigh operates as a rather loose cannon, ignoring office rules and procedures, putting her brother in a tight spot for recommending her. The more she digs, the more something about this 'perfect' little town seems off. It's a quick, entertaining read if you are looking for some pure enjoyable escapism. I would enjoy reading more from this author.
I received an arc of this thriller from the author and publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
September 10, 2022
The Hunter by Jennifer Herrera.
Once you start this, you won’t be able to put it down. This was such a good mystery, very engaging. My attention was held all the way through. I had to keep reading to find out what would happen next. I was definitely guessing till the end. This book was well thought out and just simply amazing. I went in blind, and so glad I did, was not disappointed at all. I would recommend this book.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Once you start this, you won’t be able to put it down. This was such a good mystery, very engaging. My attention was held all the way through. I had to keep reading to find out what would happen next. I was definitely guessing till the end. This book was well thought out and just simply amazing. I went in blind, and so glad I did, was not disappointed at all. I would recommend this book.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 28, 2022
Procedurals are always hit or miss for me. I love the Unsub series and I love Sharon Bolton's The Craftsman / The Buried and her Lacey Flint series, but I've truly struggled with every other procedural novel that has come my way. Jennifer Herrera's debut novel is unique because it's very procedural but also has some heart and character in it. Ok, I'm retiring the word "procedural" for the rest of this review.
The story is centered around Detective Leigh O'Donnell after she's been suspended from her job at the NYPD. She allowed a criminal to escape after a lapse in judgment was made, so she returns back to her hometown in Ohio where she takes up a position as a detective there after three 20something year old men were found together in the town's waterfalls. While Leigh begins to investigate, she sees similarities with previous cases and suspects a connection. Leigh also is at odds with her estranged husband as well, adding more stress onto her position. She just wants to be the best mom she can be to her little daughter, while also working in a field that she feels fulfilled in. The town of Copper Falls is a character of its own in this story and allows for the reader to get immersed into the town's mystery. There were a lot of additional secondary storylines that didn't add to the mystery, but I'm curious to see what Jennifer Herrera has up her sleeves next. THE HUNTER is very well written and will be fun for those who enjoy slow burn p's (not saying it ;) ).
The story is centered around Detective Leigh O'Donnell after she's been suspended from her job at the NYPD. She allowed a criminal to escape after a lapse in judgment was made, so she returns back to her hometown in Ohio where she takes up a position as a detective there after three 20something year old men were found together in the town's waterfalls. While Leigh begins to investigate, she sees similarities with previous cases and suspects a connection. Leigh also is at odds with her estranged husband as well, adding more stress onto her position. She just wants to be the best mom she can be to her little daughter, while also working in a field that she feels fulfilled in. The town of Copper Falls is a character of its own in this story and allows for the reader to get immersed into the town's mystery. There were a lot of additional secondary storylines that didn't add to the mystery, but I'm curious to see what Jennifer Herrera has up her sleeves next. THE HUNTER is very well written and will be fun for those who enjoy slow burn p's (not saying it ;) ).
April 1, 2022
The Hunter was a fantastic psychological read. I love books that mess with your mind, and I believe this book checks those boxes. There was mystery and ghostly vibes that were tied up in the small town of Copper Falls and it secrets.
Leigh was a cop for the NYPD until she was suspended, (she is an amazing strong female lead) when her brother calls about three dead bodies in her hometown, she immediately goes home to help investigate. There are so many twists and turns you will want to take the whole day to read this book.
Honestly, I did not anticipate what was coming which is my favorite type of story. I don't want to guess what will happen. I love the surprise.
This is a must read for those that love psychological thrillers!
A special thanks to Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Leigh was a cop for the NYPD until she was suspended, (she is an amazing strong female lead) when her brother calls about three dead bodies in her hometown, she immediately goes home to help investigate. There are so many twists and turns you will want to take the whole day to read this book.
Honestly, I did not anticipate what was coming which is my favorite type of story. I don't want to guess what will happen. I love the surprise.
This is a must read for those that love psychological thrillers!
A special thanks to Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 24, 2022
LOVED "THE HUNTER." I especially appreciated:
-SUSPENSE laced with GHOSTLY & PSYCHOLOGICAL underpinnings.
-Strong female lead with honest vulnerability (yin/yang energy).
-Diverse believable characters. My fav is the semi-creepy & hilarious Dr. Aliche.
-Action driven investigation with sharp writing & depth.
-Diane Setterfield-like twists (can't give more than that, 'cause spoilers).
-Suspense that tempts you into skipping ahead, because it's past bedtime and adulting is hard when you have a book hangover.
-Satisfying ending that doesn't rely on a book #2 (but go ahead, Jennifer Herrera, I'm in queue for a series!)
-SUSPENSE laced with GHOSTLY & PSYCHOLOGICAL underpinnings.
-Strong female lead with honest vulnerability (yin/yang energy).
-Diverse believable characters. My fav is the semi-creepy & hilarious Dr. Aliche.
-Action driven investigation with sharp writing & depth.
-Diane Setterfield-like twists (can't give more than that, 'cause spoilers).
-Suspense that tempts you into skipping ahead, because it's past bedtime and adulting is hard when you have a book hangover.
-Satisfying ending that doesn't rely on a book #2 (but go ahead, Jennifer Herrera, I'm in queue for a series!)
March 23, 2022
HOLY GODDESS OF BOOKS! THE HUNTER was a seriously searing pleasure to read. I loved the mystery, the mythology, and the otherworldliness all set within the seemingly innocent (but deeply secretive) small town of Copper Falls. This book has intense, penetrating Scorpio vibes throughout. If you're into that, as I am, you'll love it. ;)
March 23, 2022
The Hunter ticks a lot of boxes for me as a reader: it's astonishingly effective at exploring the darker truths of the human condition while being a genuinely fun, page-turning read. I read it in two days and as a fairly seasoned mystery and thriller-reader, I was left guessing the reveal to the end. And, without spoiling anything, the reveal itself works on quite a few levels, asking us to reflect on what we'd do to protect the things and people we love.
January 11, 2023
Jennifer Herrera's debut THE HUNTER is dark, gritty, disturbing, and ghostly/horror filled —a suspended New York police detective returns with her four-year-old daughter, to solve the murders in her hometown full of secrets.
Detective Leigh O'Donnell has been indefinitely suspended from her job as a New York City police detective after she aimed her Glock at her police partner, enabling a criminal to escape.
She returns to her hometown of Copper Falls, Ohio, regarding the homicide of three young men who have drowned. Three unemployed 25-year-old men drowned together in the town's waterfalls.
She hopes to restore her reputation at the same time.
She uncovers a mystery surrounding these three deaths and three similar deaths seven years earlier. The deaths echo a tragedy from the past; three high school seniors died by suicide there the night before their graduation. Leigh suspects a connection.
Leigh had stayed away from her hometown for more than a decade—even though her brother and loving uncles still call it home—because, while the town may seem idyllic, something rotten lies at its core.
Could they be related?
A serial killer at work?
A copycat?
OR did they drown accidentally?
Were these drownings at the waterfall truly an odd coincidence...or was there something lurking in the dark and mysterious caves below?
There are three different parts:
Leigh's backstory and the incident that ended her career with the NYPD
Her strained relationship with her former husband, Eric
The crime mystery past and present.
There are also some triggers with animals to avoid. Other topics: toxic family drama, gory murder scenes, divorce, cheating, skinning animals, and suicide.
Mixed with bizarre tactics of Leigh, the creepy town and why she pointed her gun at her partner drive the plot.
I was not blown away by the book, nor its characters as some other reviewers. I am not a fan of horror, mystical, ghostly, magical, or supernatural components.
There were some chapters that were not necessary, or they seemed like filler. I was not wild about the Detective nor the other characters, and overall rather depressing and not invested in the characters. I am sure it will appeal to a certain audience.
Thank you to #Penguin #Dutton #NetGalley for a gifted e-ARC.
Blog Review posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Jan 10, 2023
My Rating: 3 stars
Detective Leigh O'Donnell has been indefinitely suspended from her job as a New York City police detective after she aimed her Glock at her police partner, enabling a criminal to escape.
She returns to her hometown of Copper Falls, Ohio, regarding the homicide of three young men who have drowned. Three unemployed 25-year-old men drowned together in the town's waterfalls.
She hopes to restore her reputation at the same time.
She uncovers a mystery surrounding these three deaths and three similar deaths seven years earlier. The deaths echo a tragedy from the past; three high school seniors died by suicide there the night before their graduation. Leigh suspects a connection.
Leigh had stayed away from her hometown for more than a decade—even though her brother and loving uncles still call it home—because, while the town may seem idyllic, something rotten lies at its core.
Could they be related?
A serial killer at work?
A copycat?
OR did they drown accidentally?
Were these drownings at the waterfall truly an odd coincidence...or was there something lurking in the dark and mysterious caves below?
There are three different parts:
Leigh's backstory and the incident that ended her career with the NYPD
Her strained relationship with her former husband, Eric
The crime mystery past and present.
There are also some triggers with animals to avoid. Other topics: toxic family drama, gory murder scenes, divorce, cheating, skinning animals, and suicide.
Mixed with bizarre tactics of Leigh, the creepy town and why she pointed her gun at her partner drive the plot.
I was not blown away by the book, nor its characters as some other reviewers. I am not a fan of horror, mystical, ghostly, magical, or supernatural components.
There were some chapters that were not necessary, or they seemed like filler. I was not wild about the Detective nor the other characters, and overall rather depressing and not invested in the characters. I am sure it will appeal to a certain audience.
Thank you to #Penguin #Dutton #NetGalley for a gifted e-ARC.
Blog Review posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Jan 10, 2023
My Rating: 3 stars
March 23, 2022
You’ll find yourself stealing time away from your busy day to dive into this riveting and suspenseful novel. The character development and intricately weaved plot lines transport the reader to the small town of Copper Falls. I fell in love with the characters, flaws and all. You won’t be able to anticipate the twists and turns of this thrilling tale that touches on family legacies, heartbreak, and folklore.
January 16, 2023
I loved the character of Leigh, the emotionally and psychologically complex detective at the heart of this story. Her return to her hometown and a simpler life should be a respite for her, but this small town is hiding a heart of darkness. This was such a satisfying read, and I was not able to guess the ending. All I can say is that I love a good character with a tortured soul, and this did not disappoint! (Oh! The heart-wrenching end!!)
If you are a fan of Tana French, you will enjoy "The Hunter."
If you are a fan of Tana French, you will enjoy "The Hunter."
March 24, 2022
Great thriller. Never heard of the author but gave the story a try and really enjoyed it, the plot, characters, all of it. Highly recommend! Thank you NetGalley for this ARC
December 2, 2022
Received a complimentary ARC of The Hunter by Jennifer Herrera from PENGUIN GROUP Putnam/NetGalley. Variation from regular Book Report format is that I’m starting with a cut-and-paste of the flyleaf copy, so you’ll know, basically, what I’m reacting to. Easy enough to scroll on past if you want to.
FLYLEAF COPY
A riveting atmospheric suspense debut that explores the dark side of a small town and asks: How can we uncover the truth when we keep lying to ourselves?
“Herrera has a gift for drawing vivid characters and rich settings. A voicey and compelling debut that is not to be missed.”--Karin Slaughter
After reckless behavior costs NYPD detective Leigh O’Donnell her job and her marriage, she returns with her four-year-old daughter to her beautiful hometown of Copper Falls, Ohio. Leigh had stayed away for more than a decade—even though her brother and a trio of loving uncles still call it home—because, while the town may seem idyllic, something rotten lies at its core. Three men in town have drowned in what Leigh suspects to be a triple homicide. She hopes that by finding out who killed them, she just might get her life back on course.
Headstrong and intuitive, Leigh isn’t afraid to face a killer, but she has to do more than that to discover the truth about what happened to those men. She must unravel a web of secrets going back generations, and, in doing so, plumb the darkness within herself.
Perfect for fans of Mare of Easttown, this taut debut is a haunting look at how the search for truth often leads back to the most unlikely of places.
BOOK REPORT
What is it about so many U.S.-based law enforcement procedurals these days with the seriously unlikeable and wildly entitled female main protagonists? I mean, c’mon, y’all, give me _something_ to identify with/like about our lead character.
Sigh.
This debut started out promisingly enough, and the return to the hometown story arc had a lot of potential. But then Ms Herrera went hither and yon with the subplots, then yon and hither, not hesitating to pile trope upon trope upon trope along the way. I won’t say what those particular tropes were, so as to avoid spoilers (sweetie), but just know that they were eyeroll-worthy.
Once again I found myself in the position of reading to the end of a book just to see how in the world the author was possibly going to bring things to a satisfying conclusion. It is not a spoiler to say that in this case, she didn’t.
Won’t be reading anything else by her.
PS ABOUT THE FLYLEAF COPY
Umm, “voicey”?? What the hell does that even mean?
PPS THIS IS A SPOILER
I have a cat named Ethylene. The back story there is that I always wanted a cat named Ethel (after my Great-Aunt Ethel), so when we got two kittens 10 years ago I finally got my chance. (The other one is named Lemmy, after Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead, of course. In retrospect, we probably should’ve named him John Henry, after my late great-uncle who was married to Ethel. They lived “out on the mountain” and I remember being terrified that I was going to fall in the well in their front yard and drown. It was a not unreasonable fear; I think I was about 3 when this memory was formed.)
Anywhoodles….we took Lemmy & Ethel to the vet and were informed that these two precious little littermates were both boys. Not to be denied, I decided we would simply change Ethel to Ethylene and call him Ethyl.
So, when I got to the part in The Hunter about ethylene, all I could think of was my big orange cat!! (Lemmy is black. I just knew you would want to know that.)
Sweet Suffering Jesus, please let the next book I read be good. Amen.
FLYLEAF COPY
A riveting atmospheric suspense debut that explores the dark side of a small town and asks: How can we uncover the truth when we keep lying to ourselves?
“Herrera has a gift for drawing vivid characters and rich settings. A voicey and compelling debut that is not to be missed.”--Karin Slaughter
After reckless behavior costs NYPD detective Leigh O’Donnell her job and her marriage, she returns with her four-year-old daughter to her beautiful hometown of Copper Falls, Ohio. Leigh had stayed away for more than a decade—even though her brother and a trio of loving uncles still call it home—because, while the town may seem idyllic, something rotten lies at its core. Three men in town have drowned in what Leigh suspects to be a triple homicide. She hopes that by finding out who killed them, she just might get her life back on course.
Headstrong and intuitive, Leigh isn’t afraid to face a killer, but she has to do more than that to discover the truth about what happened to those men. She must unravel a web of secrets going back generations, and, in doing so, plumb the darkness within herself.
Perfect for fans of Mare of Easttown, this taut debut is a haunting look at how the search for truth often leads back to the most unlikely of places.
BOOK REPORT
What is it about so many U.S.-based law enforcement procedurals these days with the seriously unlikeable and wildly entitled female main protagonists? I mean, c’mon, y’all, give me _something_ to identify with/like about our lead character.
Sigh.
This debut started out promisingly enough, and the return to the hometown story arc had a lot of potential. But then Ms Herrera went hither and yon with the subplots, then yon and hither, not hesitating to pile trope upon trope upon trope along the way. I won’t say what those particular tropes were, so as to avoid spoilers (sweetie), but just know that they were eyeroll-worthy.
Once again I found myself in the position of reading to the end of a book just to see how in the world the author was possibly going to bring things to a satisfying conclusion. It is not a spoiler to say that in this case, she didn’t.
Won’t be reading anything else by her.
PS ABOUT THE FLYLEAF COPY
Umm, “voicey”?? What the hell does that even mean?
PPS THIS IS A SPOILER
I have a cat named Ethylene. The back story there is that I always wanted a cat named Ethel (after my Great-Aunt Ethel), so when we got two kittens 10 years ago I finally got my chance. (The other one is named Lemmy, after Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead, of course. In retrospect, we probably should’ve named him John Henry, after my late great-uncle who was married to Ethel. They lived “out on the mountain” and I remember being terrified that I was going to fall in the well in their front yard and drown. It was a not unreasonable fear; I think I was about 3 when this memory was formed.)
Anywhoodles….we took Lemmy & Ethel to the vet and were informed that these two precious little littermates were both boys. Not to be denied, I decided we would simply change Ethel to Ethylene and call him Ethyl.
So, when I got to the part in The Hunter about ethylene, all I could think of was my big orange cat!! (Lemmy is black. I just knew you would want to know that.)
Sweet Suffering Jesus, please let the next book I read be good. Amen.
September 5, 2022
✨ARC review ✨
Pub date: January 10, 2023
The Hunter is a must-read for thriller lovers and fans of investigative fiction. An excellent debut by author Jennifer Herrera, the book was easy to read, fast-paced, and intriguing.
I am a thriller junkie and have seen just about every storyline and murder investigation out there- this book was unique, engaging, and very creative. The writing style is mature and the imagery was not forced upon the reader. I thoroughly enjoyed the multi-layered aspects of the plot, where the author seamlessly combined the investigation with undertones of historical mysticism, artifacts, old love, and personal growth.
I genuinely had no idea what twists were coming next, but they were not so outlandish that the book lost credibility. Rather, the author created a genuine and believable tale with just enough strange events to maintain my curiosity.
I could feel the allure and pull towards the caves that Leigh experienced, even as my inner voice yelled at her DON’T GO DOWN THERE.
I would love to see more of Leigh in future books. I can’t wait to see what the author writes next. I enthusiastically recommend reading The Hunter.
Themes/Tropes:
•small town vs outsiders
•coming back home
•childhood love
•murder investigation
•rituals and sacrifice
Triggers:
•cancer
•suicide
•animal sacrifice
Read if you like:
Karin Slaughter
Dean Koontz
James Patterson
Synopsis:
Copper Falls is a town with many secrets. Secrets the founding families would kill to keep. In this investigative thriller, former NYC homicide detective Leigh O’Donnell receives a call from her brother - a triple suicide in their hometown has the locals on edge. Leigh’s brother is convinced there’s more to the story - this is not the town’s first triple suicide near the caves. Even stranger, the bodies were in pristine condition, with new haircuts, freshly shaved faces, and no evidence of trauma.
Leigh’s brother works as a best cop for the local precinct, and Leigh accompanies him on his routine wellness checks of some of the families out in The Sticks. If it’s just a wellness check - why are all the locals looking at the pair with such distrust? Leigh is used to getting the cold shoulder during interrogations, but something about the way the locals behave has her questioning whether something more is going on.
While in Copper Falls, Leigh is forced to confront memories she suppressed for decades as she investigates the suspicious deaths. In so doing, Leigh uncovers the town’s shocking secrets, an underground cave system, and the reason for the locals’ disdain for law enforcement.
Leigh puts her life at risk to find out the truth about the three men. The more she learns, the more she feels the pull to the cave system beneath the falls- the same pull that may have killed the three men.
Will Leigh uncover more than she can handle? And will she ever learn the truth, or will she die trying?
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review ✨
Pub date: January 10, 2023
The Hunter is a must-read for thriller lovers and fans of investigative fiction. An excellent debut by author Jennifer Herrera, the book was easy to read, fast-paced, and intriguing.
I am a thriller junkie and have seen just about every storyline and murder investigation out there- this book was unique, engaging, and very creative. The writing style is mature and the imagery was not forced upon the reader. I thoroughly enjoyed the multi-layered aspects of the plot, where the author seamlessly combined the investigation with undertones of historical mysticism, artifacts, old love, and personal growth.
I genuinely had no idea what twists were coming next, but they were not so outlandish that the book lost credibility. Rather, the author created a genuine and believable tale with just enough strange events to maintain my curiosity.
I could feel the allure and pull towards the caves that Leigh experienced, even as my inner voice yelled at her DON’T GO DOWN THERE.
I would love to see more of Leigh in future books. I can’t wait to see what the author writes next. I enthusiastically recommend reading The Hunter.
Themes/Tropes:
•small town vs outsiders
•coming back home
•childhood love
•murder investigation
•rituals and sacrifice
Triggers:
•cancer
•suicide
•animal sacrifice
Read if you like:
Karin Slaughter
Dean Koontz
James Patterson
Synopsis:
Copper Falls is a town with many secrets. Secrets the founding families would kill to keep. In this investigative thriller, former NYC homicide detective Leigh O’Donnell receives a call from her brother - a triple suicide in their hometown has the locals on edge. Leigh’s brother is convinced there’s more to the story - this is not the town’s first triple suicide near the caves. Even stranger, the bodies were in pristine condition, with new haircuts, freshly shaved faces, and no evidence of trauma.
Leigh’s brother works as a best cop for the local precinct, and Leigh accompanies him on his routine wellness checks of some of the families out in The Sticks. If it’s just a wellness check - why are all the locals looking at the pair with such distrust? Leigh is used to getting the cold shoulder during interrogations, but something about the way the locals behave has her questioning whether something more is going on.
While in Copper Falls, Leigh is forced to confront memories she suppressed for decades as she investigates the suspicious deaths. In so doing, Leigh uncovers the town’s shocking secrets, an underground cave system, and the reason for the locals’ disdain for law enforcement.
Leigh puts her life at risk to find out the truth about the three men. The more she learns, the more she feels the pull to the cave system beneath the falls- the same pull that may have killed the three men.
Will Leigh uncover more than she can handle? And will she ever learn the truth, or will she die trying?
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review ✨
November 14, 2022
I am always on the lookout for new authors and intentionally seek out debut authors in my quest for new authors to follow. I've met with a mixed bag of results along they way, but most of them positive. The Hunter by debut author Jennifer Herrera was just that: a mixed bag.
Leigh O'Donnell has been indefinitely suspended from her job as a New York City police detective for behavior whose motive isn't immediately apparent. Lured back to her hometown of Copper Falls, Ohio by the possibility of solving what may be the homicide of three young men and thus restoring her reputation, Leigh ventures into her unhappy past in this small bucolic town. What she uncovers is not only a mystery surrounding these three deaths but also three similar deaths seven years earlier. Could there be a serial killer at work or did these young men actually drown as their autopsies indicate? As Leigh digs deeper, her investigation threatens not only the very core of the town but possibly her own life.
The writing and pacing of the story is very good and the plot is intriguing: did the young men actually drown or were they murdered and, if so, why? There are also twists and suspense to keep the reader's attention. I did occasionally have to suspend my disbelief at Leigh's motives and the motives of some of the other characters. I felt many of the characters were shallow and stereotypical: the wronged police detective with flaws; the possible love interest with ulterior motives and a possibly corrupt police department. What I had the biggest problem with was Leigh and her motives. It was never clearly explained why she did what she did to merit her suspension. Toward the end of the book there were also plot points that were too convenient and not fully explained. All-in-all, The Hunter is a good first novel and the author promising.
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for an advance copy for review. The publication date is January 10, 2022.
Leigh O'Donnell has been indefinitely suspended from her job as a New York City police detective for behavior whose motive isn't immediately apparent. Lured back to her hometown of Copper Falls, Ohio by the possibility of solving what may be the homicide of three young men and thus restoring her reputation, Leigh ventures into her unhappy past in this small bucolic town. What she uncovers is not only a mystery surrounding these three deaths but also three similar deaths seven years earlier. Could there be a serial killer at work or did these young men actually drown as their autopsies indicate? As Leigh digs deeper, her investigation threatens not only the very core of the town but possibly her own life.
The writing and pacing of the story is very good and the plot is intriguing: did the young men actually drown or were they murdered and, if so, why? There are also twists and suspense to keep the reader's attention. I did occasionally have to suspend my disbelief at Leigh's motives and the motives of some of the other characters. I felt many of the characters were shallow and stereotypical: the wronged police detective with flaws; the possible love interest with ulterior motives and a possibly corrupt police department. What I had the biggest problem with was Leigh and her motives. It was never clearly explained why she did what she did to merit her suspension. Toward the end of the book there were also plot points that were too convenient and not fully explained. All-in-all, The Hunter is a good first novel and the author promising.
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for an advance copy for review. The publication date is January 10, 2022.
March 18, 2022
There's going to be a lot of people that really enjoy this book. Its got a lot going for it, I however felt it was front heavy. The first chapter was beyond an info dump. The story didn't just play out, I knew every single detail of why everything happened in Leigh's past in detail before I hit the second chapter. It was like, well yeah I guess she would just up and go back to her small town. Her ex is painted as a jerk, but in a haphazard way early on. Overall, I'd say the biggest thing I'd say is that this book could use an even distribution of information for me personally. The mystery was fine. It wasn't bad by any means. It was on par with Law and Order. It felt very ready to be a television series.
March 14, 2023
The Hunter by Jennifer Herrera is a slow burn, but I'm not sure why it is getting the bad rap it is. The Goodreads average is lower than I usually read, but I was intrigued by the premise and couldn't resist picking it up. This is a debut novel and I really liked Herrera's writing style, it was unique without being hard to follow along with, and there were even some surprises along the way. It is part police procedural, part Leigh dealing with her family, and part her relationship with her husband that is falling apart due to a lapse in judgment she experiences on the job. As the reader, you not only get to see her solving a case alongside her brother but delving into her recent decisions as well.
I really liked the complexity of Leigh's character and the fact that she is a cop, and I was also a huge fan of the audiobook. Rebecca Lowman was perfect to be the voice of Leigh and she seemed to really grasp the emotions that the author was trying to portray through the characters. I think the audio would be able to help readers with the pacing and I thought Lowman did an excellent job overall. There was a seemingly supernatural aspect to the story that I enjoyed, and I was really into the mystery and small-town feel. I thought the end was a little abrupt, but I was happy with the way it played out and I could definitely see this being a start to a series if Herrera was interested in exploring this character more.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I really liked the complexity of Leigh's character and the fact that she is a cop, and I was also a huge fan of the audiobook. Rebecca Lowman was perfect to be the voice of Leigh and she seemed to really grasp the emotions that the author was trying to portray through the characters. I think the audio would be able to help readers with the pacing and I thought Lowman did an excellent job overall. There was a seemingly supernatural aspect to the story that I enjoyed, and I was really into the mystery and small-town feel. I thought the end was a little abrupt, but I was happy with the way it played out and I could definitely see this being a start to a series if Herrera was interested in exploring this character more.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
January 17, 2023
The Hunter by Jennifer Herrera
Rating (4/5) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Hunter is a great debut by Jennifer Herrera. Easy to read , fast-paced , an interesting read for sure.
Short synopsis - a suspended New York police detective returns to her hometown with her 4 year old daughter to solve the homicides of 3 young men who were drowned together in the town’s waterfalls.
Once I started this one , it was so hard to put down. Highly recommend this one!
Rating (4/5) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Hunter is a great debut by Jennifer Herrera. Easy to read , fast-paced , an interesting read for sure.
Short synopsis - a suspended New York police detective returns to her hometown with her 4 year old daughter to solve the homicides of 3 young men who were drowned together in the town’s waterfalls.
Once I started this one , it was so hard to put down. Highly recommend this one!
October 6, 2022
If you want to read a Jennifer Herrera book, make sure you are sitting down, if not, you might just get knocked off your feet.....
The Hunter has it in the bag ! This book is relentless when it comes to providing us with a psychological thriller with a pulsating narrative. The plot was cunning and deceitful! I have not been this scared of a killer since Jeffrey Dahmer.
Herrera deftly weaves together the plot, eliciting morbid fascination on the one hand and empathy on the other. It’s a strange and volatile mix of emotions; a tale of the darkest depravity alongside one of closure, hope and reconciliation. I am left speechless at the way Herrera has a natural talent to story tell.. You might need to give yourself a break from the narrative to take a deep breath from the darker passages.
(squealing in delight!!!)
The Hunter is not for the faint of heart but I am sure this book is going to take the internet by storm and have a huge fan base. The Hunter is destined to be a bestseller and I am so honored to have been given the opportunity to read and review this book before the big publication date!
Five Stars
The Hunter has it in the bag ! This book is relentless when it comes to providing us with a psychological thriller with a pulsating narrative. The plot was cunning and deceitful! I have not been this scared of a killer since Jeffrey Dahmer.
Herrera deftly weaves together the plot, eliciting morbid fascination on the one hand and empathy on the other. It’s a strange and volatile mix of emotions; a tale of the darkest depravity alongside one of closure, hope and reconciliation. I am left speechless at the way Herrera has a natural talent to story tell.. You might need to give yourself a break from the narrative to take a deep breath from the darker passages.
(squealing in delight!!!)
The Hunter is not for the faint of heart but I am sure this book is going to take the internet by storm and have a huge fan base. The Hunter is destined to be a bestseller and I am so honored to have been given the opportunity to read and review this book before the big publication date!
Five Stars
April 30, 2022
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for this ARC.
The Hunter is currently being marketed as a suspenseful thriller and while it does sort of check those boxes, it excels most as a literary character portrait.
These characters are so real and imperfect in the best way. I don’t find the main character particularly likable, but I do find her relatable and honest. This author knows how to really portray human emotions on a page.
The element of romance here is also so realistic and raw. Just can’t say enough how well this author does with these character portraits and the dialogue!!!
At times I started questioning if the murder was really a mystery to be solved or if, to quote the book itself, “the simplest answer is often the right one”. I ended up being pleased with how the murders are solved and how that storyline all washes out in the end.
That said, something in the “thriller” piece was still lacking so just 4 stars here. Would still absolutely recommend to anyone next January!
The Hunter is currently being marketed as a suspenseful thriller and while it does sort of check those boxes, it excels most as a literary character portrait.
These characters are so real and imperfect in the best way. I don’t find the main character particularly likable, but I do find her relatable and honest. This author knows how to really portray human emotions on a page.
The element of romance here is also so realistic and raw. Just can’t say enough how well this author does with these character portraits and the dialogue!!!
At times I started questioning if the murder was really a mystery to be solved or if, to quote the book itself, “the simplest answer is often the right one”. I ended up being pleased with how the murders are solved and how that storyline all washes out in the end.
That said, something in the “thriller” piece was still lacking so just 4 stars here. Would still absolutely recommend to anyone next January!
September 1, 2022
WOW! This book was absolutely amazing it’s classified as a thriller but it’s so muchhhhh deeper then that - the magnetic pull this book had and how beautifully it was written I couldn’t wait to find out what happened. It’s so much more then a thriller and is actually heartbreaking. Can’t wait to see to see in the future Jennifer writes and can’t wait to add this book to my collection. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this!
March 19, 2022
Okay I literally had high hopes for this book but it wasn’t anything I expected. My first book I ever DNF’d. I got like 60% way finished and I just couldn’t do it anymore. The beginning I was waiting and waiting for the big reveal but…….nothing. Sad to say I was very disappointed.
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