Olivia

by John Hunt

Hiking trails in remote woods are his hunting grounds.

He kills and kills but the police don’t know he exists.

Until one escapes his grasp and finds Olivia, a survivor of horror, a sister-in-arms.

He has met his match.

He just doesn’t know it yet.

Genres: Horror, Thriller, Fiction, Suspense, Mystery, Canada

ebook

Published October 27, 2022

About the author

A busy father of four with a dog and cat, John Hunt lives and works in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. He has had nine short stories published in various anthologies and is a member of the Horror Writers Association. He is the author of Doll House, The Tracker, the apocalyptic novella, Balance, Off The Grid, and short story anthology 4 Shots of Horror. He is also a co-host on the Movies of the Damned!! podcast.

For you authors out there, check out John's YouTube series My Self-Publishing Experiment. The channel name is John Hunt Fiction.

Reviews

[chantalsbookstuff · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you loved the first book for its intense gore and disturbing scenes, get ready for a bit of a surprise with the sequel. It’s got some of those elements, but they're toned down compared to the first one. While it’s still a good read, it took a different path than I expected. Not bad, just not what I was anticipating!

[Peter Topside · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of Doll House. And John Hunt is a tremendous writer. And if there’s one thing I learned from my editors while writing my Preternatural trilogy, it was to act as if the reader needs a fairly in-depth refresher to the previous books. You should never assume that a reader is reading your works one after another, or within a short period of time. And that was my biggest complaint here. While there were a good amount of references to Doll House, it was no where near enough. It’s been months since I read the original story, and I’ve read a ton of books since, so I honestly don’t remember anything beyond the basics. And the way this was written felt like I needed to go back and reread Doll House to fully appreciate Olivia’s continued journey and, to a lesser extent, Bibi. So that affected my entire experience here quite a bit. Beyond that, Hunt demonstrates a good writing prowess, and takes a logical new direction for the series. But I didn’t feel as engaged here, as I did with it’s predecessor. There were a lot of repetitive scenes and the story dragged a bit at times, too. The violence was there, and felt just like it got stuck in a cycle of kidnap, torture, dispose, repeat. I am not a big fan of movies like Hostel and Saw and it did feel very similar to that. Those scenes weren’t written badly, but there just wasn’t anything new introduced that totally won me over. And Olivia continues to be the highlight, however I just wish that she was in this more than she was. So this wasn’t bad at all, but the original still remains as the superior book.

[Tracy P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved, loved, loved. Just wish it were longer because it was that good. RTC.

[Debra - can't post any comments on site today grrr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Violent, dark, upsetting, and tense. This book will not be for everyone. *I added a trigger warning at the end of my review. In the trigger warning this is a slight spoiler so only click on it if you want to see if this book is for you.

The Killer lives off the grid. He has been raised for this. He lies in wait. He knows how to choose his victims. He has never been caught. He has met his match!

In this book, Bibi, a young female hiker, is ambushed by a man while taking photographs. Luckily, she can get away. Unfortunately, the police cannot find her abductor. He is a skilled hunter who knows how to cover his tracks.

Bibi is still traumatized and a police officer puts her in contact with Olivia, the survivor of The Jackal in Doll House. Olivia knows what Bibi has gone through. Bibi feels she finally has someone who understands her, knows her pain, and can help her.

I have read three books by this author and enjoyed them all. This was my fourth and least favorite. Although I enjoyed this book, it did not have the same pull as the other books. As with John Hunt's other books, this one includes graphic violence and is not for the weak at heart.

In this book, Hunt takes readers into the mind of a killer and survivors. He is adept at writing evil depraved characters. While reading this book, I wondered if The Killer or possibly the author was inspired by the SAW movies. Again, not for the faint at heart.

I am hoping that this is a one off for me and look forward to more books by Hunt.


Trigger warnings - graphic violence, murder, abduction and the killing of a dog

Thank you to Black Rose Writing 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

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firstly I would like to thank netgalley, and Black Rose Writing, and the author John hunt for an early copy of his book to read


I enjoyed reading the first book The Dolls house,This is the follow up book.Bibi goes on a hike.she bumps into a killer will she escape from the killer.?The police have trouble catching him.hes killed many victims.for me it was an okay read not as good as the first book.And the cover doesn't do this justice.

[Menion · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you thought DOLL HOUSE was good (and it was), you ain't seen nothin' yet. This book is an absolute fucking rage on the page. It takes everything that was good from the first one and turns the volume up full bore to 11. (no going to only 10 for this book, Nigel Tufnel would be proud) Better killer, better plot twists, and Olivia becomes a much more interesting character. Only thing to change: the damn book cover. It doesn't do justice to the book and looks more like the cover of a Harlequin romance novel. Other than that, this book is as close to flawless as you can get, and there better be another one after! You can't leave the readers hanging on what happens between Olivia, Bibi and the cop! (I forget his name)

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this didn't grip me quite like Doll House, it was a brilliant follow on! Great characters, and an intriguing backstory to 'the killer' which I enjoyed.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a bit of a slow burner but definitely worth it

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading the first book The Doll House I could not to get my hands on the sequel Olivia. It is as good as the first book, devoured in one sitting and had me constantly holding my breath. A real page turner and can be read as a stand alone but personally I advice you the reader to read The Doll House first and you will understand why Olivia is like she is. I really hope that this is the not the end for Olivia.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

BB has a hiking blog and she loves taking unpopular trails but when we meet her there’s a killer in her path he dresses like a bush and when he attacks it’s quick and powerful and after knocking her out he Tyser up and wait for it’s to get dark but when she gets away he almost respects her for it. That has never happened before unfortunately his next victim isn’t so lucky. When he takes Ken Vega he thinks he has dotted all his I’s and crossed all his tees but he attacked him in the snow and left something behind. This will not be his last mistake though. Detective Davis worked on the jackal case and he is close friends with Olivia, The one who freed herself and the other ladies from the doll house. When B.B. ask the detective if it’s at all possible to speak to Olivia about the fears and trauma she has been through he says he will ask her. Olivia has built a solitary life since her kidnapping she has three guard dogs who protect her and that she loves with all her heart. She doesn’t allow anyone new into her life but when the detective ask her and she would think about talking to B.B. about their similar experience's she is more than just a little annoyed but eventually gives in. While all this is going on more people have gone missing can detective Davis solve the case oh will this serial killer get away with it? There is so much more I wanted to put this review I wish I could think of something to make you read this book it is so good!!! You do not have to read the first book but I would recommend it. The first book was awesome this book is spellbinding it is a Godsmack of great literature I thoroughly enjoyed this book and cannot say enough about it I wish I could give it 10 stars it is so good! I loved theDoll House, But I think I like this one way more. It is so intense and has such a great plot, dialogue characters ET see I can't think of anything I don’t like about this book it is so good! This is a definite five star read and one I highly recommend. If you love crime dramas you’ll love this book I certainly did! I received this book from NetGalley and Blackrose Writting but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

[Pattyh · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Hunt follows up The Doll House with his newest novel Olivia.
I loved The Doll House. Terrifying characters and a solid plot made it one of my favorite novels. This sequel may be even scarier.
Hunt’s strong female characters, twisted plot, and graphic details bring the sequel together and you won’t put it down till the last page.
Olivia is a survivor. She lives her live now with her companions - German shepherds- her knife and swag. But her scars are deep. She meets a person who has been thru hell and somehow Olivia is able to share her pain.
But…there is a killer on the loose and he won’t stop killing. Police can’t stop him - he’s one step ahead. And Olivia’s new friend had met this killer and she’s in pain so deep it hurts Olivia.
The body count continues in this terrifying tale and no one can stop him. Or can they??? No spoilers from me - read the book!
5 stars. Mystery and thriller lovers - are you looking for a new author? Tired of repeating plots? Try John Hunts books. I guarantee you will read them all. He’s got a flare for scary good books!
Recommend!

[Bronwyn]

I’m throwing this on the back burner for now. No rating because I’m stopping at 39%. I’m finding it hard to follow with all the POVs and the wonky timeline. I thought the second abduction was right after the first, but then it says something about 5 years ago. So, was the second abduction 5 years later? He went 5 years without feeding his appetite? And then he chooses someone in the midst of COVID?

I’m also frustrated because this is supposed to be a follow up to Doll House, which I loved, but there’s been no mention of Olivia yet. So I’m not making a connection. I’m sure it will happen eventually, but my mind isn’t in it right now. I have faith Mr. Hunt will bring it all together. For now this is going on my “I’ll get back to it” shelf. (Side note: I really wish Mr. Hunt would get a really good proofreader/line editor.)

[Ashley Baugus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely not dollhouse

While I enjoyed Dollhouse and couldn't put it down, this book fell way short. In all honesty, Dollhouse would have been best left alone instead of a sequel. I felt like this book was more for the write to practice descriptive writing. The characters fell kinda flat and honestly, I don't think there was a single character in the book I actually liked. If you read dollhouse, just stop there. If you haven't, only read that one.

[Chris Dobbins · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.35)) Felt compelled to read this sequel to Doll House but after reading it, realized it wasn't really a sequel. There were some really boring and unnecessary passages describing the killer's thought processes, and other characters past experiences that actually took away from any "thrilling" events ( or what was supposed to be thrillers). Not a fan of this book.

[Linda Beilstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right before I finished reading this author's first book, "Doll House", I was given his second book, "Olivia", to read as an advance reader in exchange for an honest review. I can unequivocally state that the second book was every bit as good as the first one. The story in the second book was a whole different story but a couple characters from the first book make appearances in this second one which gives a sense of continuity. It's hard to say I "enjoyed" either book because the subject matter is hard to read. But I will say that this book kept me on the edge of my seat and turning pages quickly to see what happened next.

[Allison Binsfeld · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although the Doll House killers are gone the disappearances continued. Olivia is back to do what she excels at, killing serial killers.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

good read

Did prefer the 1st book but still a good read. Like this author a lot and highly recommend. Roll on next book

[LEIGH DYETT · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent follow up to the very disturbing Doll House

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Doll House by this author so jumped at the chance to read Olivia. This follows on nicely from where Doll House left off. I enjoyed the killers background and perspective, what made him tick. It really added to the story. The murders were very original as well.

[Whitney Czerniak · Rating 2 out of 5]

Considering this book is a sequel to Doll House and it's titled Olivia (a character from the original story), you would think she would have been in it more than she was. I was overall....a little disappointed in this sequel. Some chapters of the killers back story were honestly unneeded because they were very boring. It could have, in my opinion, been condensed some. It seemed repetitive in describing the kind of person he is. I just did not feel the intensity that I felt from the previous novel. This one lacked something, like a missing ingredient to a popular dish. Overall, it was not terrible. It kept me interested until the ending (even though that was uninspired as well). It does not deter me from this authors future works since Doll House was a great thriller, but this definitely was not his best work.

[Dara · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable (if you can call it that) follow up that gives us a little glimpse into Olivia’s life after the conclusion of the events in Doll House. I enjoyed the way Olivia’s part in this story was weaved in to a completely new serial killer story, but it did not end as I was expecting. I really can’t say much without giving it all away but I thought the author was going to take this ending a totally different route!

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this author so much! For me, his stories and his writing style are just 💯 percent perfect.

[Amanda C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though it's a solid story, it didn't hold the same urgency, anxiety, or emotion the 1st book had. The Doll House would've been just fine as a stand alone.

[Kat (Katlovesbooks) Dietrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Olivia by John Hunt is the sequel to Doll House (and a long time coming!)

First, let me thank the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


Series Background:    (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books)
On her first night at university, Olivia is kidnapped by two men in masks.  She is held in a small room, raped and tortured for 5 years by "Gorilla Man" and "The Jackal".  They never remove their masks.  Meanwhile, her father sank into alcoholism. She eventually escapes, and by the end of her ordeal, her attackers are dead.




My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
The murderer has been doing this a long time but not even the police are aware that there's a serial killer out there.  He takes his victims in remote wooded areas and hiking trails miles apart.  Until now, his murders have gone unnoticed.

But things have changed with his latest abduction.  Bibi has escaped, and the information she gives police will go into a file and be read across many jurisdictions.  When another is taken, a truck was noticed nearby, which matches that of Bibi's abductor.  It has been a long time, but Bibi has never moved on with her life.

It has been even longer for Olivia, but when she meets Bibi, there is hope for both of them, and perhaps a little revenge is in order.


My Opinions:
First, I have to admit that having the author use towns near me is a hoot! 

This was a great follow-up to Doll House, just as dark, and just as graphic.  I was really looking forward to seeing what had become of Olivia.   However, it took me a little bit to get into the book, because it was a long time until Olivia put in an appearance.  Mind you, the story was really good before that happened.

I liked how the story was told from multiple viewpoints, and in particular the killer.  It was interesting to see how his mind worked, and how he came to the conclusions he did.

I loved the characters.  Both women are strong, but both have real physical and emotional scars.  They both understand fear, and the author really used that to bring them together.  I feel that the relationships before and after was the correct way to go.

If you want graphic horror with a great plot, this is it, but again, if you are squeamish, you'll be looking away every now and then.  The reason for the 1/2 star deduction - the dog (and I'm not sure about the choice of cover).

Bottom line, I absolutely loved it!


For a more complete review of this book and others (including the reason I chose to read/review this book, author information and a favorite quotation or two from the book), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

[Joanne Airey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great writing - just like the first one. The Dollhouse was my first John Hunt book and I will be definitely be reading more by him.

I was a bit confused when I was reading and it said ‘a sequel to The Dollhouse’ and there was only one throwaway line about Olivia’s case until almost halfway through the book. Then when we actually saw Olivia and some other familiar characters they were more side characters than main characters. So I really think this would be better thought of as a companion novel and not as a sequel. It is not necessary reading as the tag ‘a sequel’ might suggest.

The ending really wasn’t my cup of tea and actually undid some character development that happened and squashed some of the hope from the end of The Dollhouse so I wasn’t too happy about that. There were also some stupid decisions made by the characters that I really didn’t like.

I will 100% be rereading The Dollhouse but not this one. I might just forget about this sequel all together and keep TD as a stand-alone in my brain.

[Rainelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Olivia. Magnificent! I was attached to this book to the end of it. The writing was so wickedly awesome. The action was totally amazing. How the writer explained the details of the characters and the killer was so real that I anxiously read faster, so that I could read what would happen next.
The characters were absolutely amazing. I have to give praises to the Creating of Olivia characters. That is a woman not to be messed with if you crossed her. The book is a stay up all night read. The characters and their motivations to the story are definitely in sink.
The story was very clear on both the antagonist and protagonist objectives and or goals. I give this book two snaps and a, you didn’t count on the two loyal protectors did ya?! Until next time my fellow readers… read on!
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Josette Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the sequel to Doll House. What an incredibly awesome book. Serial killers have got to be the worst horror for me. Just knowing they plan, research and utilize various skills to complete their mission is terrifying. What is even worse, is when the police officials cannot do what it takes to catch the killer due to bureaucratic tape. Then it became clear that the victim was going to have to save themself. John Hunt wrote the best revenge scenes ever. I know what Olivia and Bibb did was wrong but was it really?

[LaShonda Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was expecting more. It was just ok but kept having a lot of points being repeated. Wish the author gave us a little more about why Olivia uncle did what he did and I was a little lost on how Sharon (I believe that’s her name) came into the pic because in Dollhouse Davis was attracted to Olivia so I figured they would have something going on more than friends. I really wanted more. It was pretty much predictable.

[Neville Townsend · Rating 4 out of 5]

The follow up novel to The Doll House although not a direct sequel some characters return in this book, and what a follow up. Good characters well plotted. This is as good if not better than the Doll House highly recommend.
I received this book from Black Rose Writing and Netgalley for a review.

[Hannah Misner · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took a hot minute to figure out the connection between Olivia and this storyline which kinda sucked. The ending was definitely not what I had expected at all. Lots of twists and turns! Overall it was a good book and easy read!!