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The Hunt
For seventeen years, a serial murderer has used the Presley, Arkansas, Annual Hunt for the Golden Egg to find prey. Or at least that’s what some people believe. Others, like the town’s devoted “Eggheads,” relish the tradition and think the deaths are just unfortunate accidents. But for Nell Holcomb, the town’s annual Hunt dredges up a particularly painful memory: her brother’s death, long believed to be “the Hunter’s” first kill.
Nell has been caring for her nephew since then, trying to keep him safe and trying to conceal the role she played in his father’s death. Most importantly, she’s been trying to avoid the Hunt—despite the clashes that erupt in town over the event and her best friend’s obsession with winning the big prize.
As Easter draws near and the town’s frenzy escalates, Nell must face her past and the Hunt as the danger once again veers close to home.
Nell has been caring for her nephew since then, trying to keep him safe and trying to conceal the role she played in his father’s death. Most importantly, she’s been trying to avoid the Hunt—despite the clashes that erupt in town over the event and her best friend’s obsession with winning the big prize.
As Easter draws near and the town’s frenzy escalates, Nell must face her past and the Hunt as the danger once again veers close to home.
336 pages, Paperback
First published July 25, 2023
138 people are currently reading
5489 people want to read
About the author
Kelly J. Ford
5 books249 followersKelly J. Ford is the Anthony-nominated author of REAL BAD THINGS; COTTONMOUTHS, a Los Angeles Review Best Book of 2017; and THE HUNT. Kelly writes crime fiction set in the Ozarks and Arkansas River Valley.
https://www.instagram.com/kellyjforda...
I dislike rating systems. If I like a book I give it 5 stars.
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I dislike rating systems. If I like a book I give it 5 stars.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
August 28, 2024
This book would have been over if the characters had Google Maps (and they all had cell phones)……..
The Hunt is a fictionalized story of a local radio station which hosts a contest each year: find a golden egg worth $50,000! However, each year people die mysteriously. Are these deaths accidental or is someone The Hunter?
If someone has a cell phone, wouldn’t you call? Also, wouldn’t you use Google Maps?
The Hunt could have used some better organization. It appeared to be a jumbled mess of thoughts and characters.
The book is supposed to be a mystery/thriller, but we don’t really receive any clues (and don’t feel any closer to solving the main issues). Also, the ending is extremely unsatisfying.
One of the characters thinks that she can buy a new car and start an entirely new life with $50,000. Um $50,000 after taxes isn’t what it used to be with inflation.
The setting for the book is a milk cap factory. Why? It isn’t an interesting setting nor is it spooky. It didn’t add anything to the story.
Some characters seemed to be dropped only to reappear briefly. The book then threw in some lesbian rendezvous (which was honestly the best part) and a very strange rant about abortion access in the middle of a thriller.
Overall, this book felt so ridiculous that it reminded me of when I play games with my family where we start telling a story and then pass it over to someone else.
*Thanks, NetGalley, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased opinion.
2025 Reading Schedule
Jan A Town Like Alice
Feb Birdsong
Mar Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Berniere
Apr War and Peace
May The Woman in White
Jun Atonement
Jul The Shadow of the Wind
Aug Jude the Obscure
Sep Ulysses
Oct Vanity Fair
Nov A Fine Balance
Dec Germinal
Connect With Me!
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The Hunt is a fictionalized story of a local radio station which hosts a contest each year: find a golden egg worth $50,000! However, each year people die mysteriously. Are these deaths accidental or is someone The Hunter?
If someone has a cell phone, wouldn’t you call? Also, wouldn’t you use Google Maps?
The Hunt could have used some better organization. It appeared to be a jumbled mess of thoughts and characters.
The book is supposed to be a mystery/thriller, but we don’t really receive any clues (and don’t feel any closer to solving the main issues). Also, the ending is extremely unsatisfying.
One of the characters thinks that she can buy a new car and start an entirely new life with $50,000. Um $50,000 after taxes isn’t what it used to be with inflation.
The setting for the book is a milk cap factory. Why? It isn’t an interesting setting nor is it spooky. It didn’t add anything to the story.
Some characters seemed to be dropped only to reappear briefly. The book then threw in some lesbian rendezvous (which was honestly the best part) and a very strange rant about abortion access in the middle of a thriller.
Overall, this book felt so ridiculous that it reminded me of when I play games with my family where we start telling a story and then pass it over to someone else.
*Thanks, NetGalley, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased opinion.
2025 Reading Schedule
Jan A Town Like Alice
Feb Birdsong
Mar Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Berniere
Apr War and Peace
May The Woman in White
Jun Atonement
Jul The Shadow of the Wind
Aug Jude the Obscure
Sep Ulysses
Oct Vanity Fair
Nov A Fine Balance
Dec Germinal
Connect With Me!
Blog Twitter BookTube Facebook Insta My Bookstore at Pango
July 18, 2023
First and foremost, I think it bears mentioning that Kelly J Ford states in her Author’s Note (in the beginning of the book) that the story is based on real events, people, and places from and near her hometown, yet the book is a work of fiction. Ok, so based on a real story with
considerable
liberty taken with facts and truth??? Ok, if this is the case, that’s fine, I guess. I am of the opinion that this disclaimer attempts to manage a reader’s expectations, for all those readers out there whose enjoyment of a story depends on the story’s level of believability. Nothing wrong with that. Fortunately for me, a story doesn’t have to be believable for me to enjoy it, which explains my love and fascination with urban-fantasy, paranormal and time travel stories. That being said, it doesn’t make me easy to please when it comes to the stories, I choose to read. Just wanted to throw that out there😊
The book summary lays out the primary storyline of the annual hunt that is orchestrated by a local radio station. The station offers clues and the “Eggheads” search for small prizes and the winner receives the ultimate prize: $50,000 from the radio station. What the book summary doesn’t mention is that most of the story chapters are set up to read like a draft of some research paper. The draft outlines the three groups that the citizens are split into: a) those that think the deaths are accidental and unrelated, b) those that think the Hunt is cursed, and c) those that think there is something more sinister – like a serial killer at work, who the townspeople have dubbed the Hunter. The drafts also outline the number of deaths, modes and methods of the deaths and select details of the victims associated around the time of the Hunt.
Additionally, the book chapters are made up of news reports and radio transcripts along with social media (FB, TT, Twitter, etc) posts. Lastly, there are also chapters on the POV’s from Nell, who is from group C of the residents and her best friend, Ada, who is a big Egghead and who is probably from group B of the residents. The story flips back and forth (every chapter) between either Nell or Ada and either the drafts, news reports, radio transcripts and social media posts. There is also a couple of secondary storylines: one regarding Ada’s feeling (romantic/sexual) for Nell (who is gay) and another regarding Nell and her secret relationship (romantic/sexual) between her and Elijah’s mother, Tessa, who Nell has been in love with for decades. For the record, Elijah, Nell’s nephew, despises his mother for abandoning him when he was five; Nell has been raising him ever since.
Now, I am NOT a fan of true crime stories (that’s a whole other story!!!), which is how a lot of this story reads like because of all of the drafts, news reports, social media posts and radio transcripts. However, from pretty early in the story, I found myself getting oddly intrigued with Ada and Nell’s POV’s of events that have been going on in Presley every year around the Hunt.
There was an early scene with Ada and Elijah where they are out in a field looking for Hunt clues when Ada realizes that she can no longer see or hear Elijah. She is all alone and she starts hearing noises around her. She starts thinking of the Hunt curse and the Hunter and she kind of freaks out and starts running like the proverbial “bat outta #%!!”. Ok, based on scene that Ford created for that passage, I too was a little freaked out. It was late at night and hubby was asleep and I immediately closed the book and went to bed. I have to be honest; it took several minutes to get the scene out of my head. It’s not like it was gory or gruesome (it wasn’t at all), it was just CREEPY!!!
I’m well into the second half of the story when it has become obvious that I really have no idea what this story is supposed to be about or where it’s going. I also find that all the news reports, social media posts and radio transcripts are a bit distracting; their frequency (every other chapter) kind of interrupts the flow of the primary story between Ada and Nell. Furthermore, neither Nell nor Ada are very likeable characters. Nell is a hot mess and Ada isn’t much better. At this point, all I’m really interested in is seeing how Elijah’s story ends. Poor kid!!! He’s a mess too!
The ending was a bit messy for my liking, but we do find out what the research paper was for and where it came from. For me, a good ending can be the difference between a 2star or 3star rating, hence the 2star rating. I guess, if I could, I would give it a 2.5star rating, but I’m not feeling compelled to round up. I want to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #Thomas&Mercer #TheHunt
The book summary lays out the primary storyline of the annual hunt that is orchestrated by a local radio station. The station offers clues and the “Eggheads” search for small prizes and the winner receives the ultimate prize: $50,000 from the radio station. What the book summary doesn’t mention is that most of the story chapters are set up to read like a draft of some research paper. The draft outlines the three groups that the citizens are split into: a) those that think the deaths are accidental and unrelated, b) those that think the Hunt is cursed, and c) those that think there is something more sinister – like a serial killer at work, who the townspeople have dubbed the Hunter. The drafts also outline the number of deaths, modes and methods of the deaths and select details of the victims associated around the time of the Hunt.
Additionally, the book chapters are made up of news reports and radio transcripts along with social media (FB, TT, Twitter, etc) posts. Lastly, there are also chapters on the POV’s from Nell, who is from group C of the residents and her best friend, Ada, who is a big Egghead and who is probably from group B of the residents. The story flips back and forth (every chapter) between either Nell or Ada and either the drafts, news reports, radio transcripts and social media posts. There is also a couple of secondary storylines: one regarding Ada’s feeling (romantic/sexual) for Nell (who is gay) and another regarding Nell and her secret relationship (romantic/sexual) between her and Elijah’s mother, Tessa, who Nell has been in love with for decades. For the record, Elijah, Nell’s nephew, despises his mother for abandoning him when he was five; Nell has been raising him ever since.
Now, I am NOT a fan of true crime stories (that’s a whole other story!!!), which is how a lot of this story reads like because of all of the drafts, news reports, social media posts and radio transcripts. However, from pretty early in the story, I found myself getting oddly intrigued with Ada and Nell’s POV’s of events that have been going on in Presley every year around the Hunt.
There was an early scene with Ada and Elijah where they are out in a field looking for Hunt clues when Ada realizes that she can no longer see or hear Elijah. She is all alone and she starts hearing noises around her. She starts thinking of the Hunt curse and the Hunter and she kind of freaks out and starts running like the proverbial “bat outta #%!!”. Ok, based on scene that Ford created for that passage, I too was a little freaked out. It was late at night and hubby was asleep and I immediately closed the book and went to bed. I have to be honest; it took several minutes to get the scene out of my head. It’s not like it was gory or gruesome (it wasn’t at all), it was just CREEPY!!!
I’m well into the second half of the story when it has become obvious that I really have no idea what this story is supposed to be about or where it’s going. I also find that all the news reports, social media posts and radio transcripts are a bit distracting; their frequency (every other chapter) kind of interrupts the flow of the primary story between Ada and Nell. Furthermore, neither Nell nor Ada are very likeable characters. Nell is a hot mess and Ada isn’t much better. At this point, all I’m really interested in is seeing how Elijah’s story ends. Poor kid!!! He’s a mess too!
The ending was a bit messy for my liking, but we do find out what the research paper was for and where it came from. For me, a good ending can be the difference between a 2star or 3star rating, hence the 2star rating. I guess, if I could, I would give it a 2.5star rating, but I’m not feeling compelled to round up. I want to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #Thomas&Mercer #TheHunt
July 15, 2023
The Hunt is the third novel by award-winning American author, Kelly J Ford. The approach of Easter 2022 sees the town of Presley, Arkansas and surrounds in a fever about the Hunt for the Golden Egg. This lucrative competition (a $50k prize), put on by Rod Halstrom, the owner of radio KCLS 103.9FM, is supported by local business, the city council and the chamber of commerce, as well as the many enthusiastic participants.
But it has its detractors, who are vocal in their protests and want the Hunt stopped. In the seventeen years that it has run, there has been a suspicious or unexplained death or mysterious disappearance each year within a week of Easter, most of them Hunt participants, and, while many believe they can be ruled as accident, murder by a known killer, or suicide, and that association doesn’t equal causation, some maintain that the Hunt is cursed, while family and friends of some of the victims are certain their loved ones are the victim of a serial killer.
Nell Holcomb just wishes it was all over. Back in 2005, she, her best friend Tessa and her older brother Garrett had been hunting for the Golden Egg when Garrett went missing, then was found dead, the first victim. While she still feels guilty about the circumstances, she always accepted that his death was an accident, but this talk of a serial killer has her wondering. Then, after a relapse into self-destructive behaviour, a drunken encounter with a woman at the casino has her convinced she has met his killer.
The annual focus on the Hunt prompts Garrett’s son, Elijah, in Nell’s care since he was five, to ask about his father, a topic she would rather avoid. This year, there’s also the complication of his estranged mother reappearing on the scene, something Nell welcomes, but getting Elijah to share this view will be a challenge.
While trying to keep it under the radar so as not to upset her, Nell’s friend and coworker at the Mayflower Plastics plant, Ada Johnson wants to join in the Hunt, but her eighteen-year-old son no longer wants to help out. Her one foray into the woods alone has freaked her out, she’s afraid to hunt alone, but really wants to find that egg and claim the cash. But her conflicted feelings about Nell are distracting…
The story is told through the dual narratives of Nell and Ada, supplemented by Shared Google Docs describing each victim and the details of their death, Radio Commercial Transcripts, Facebook Posts, News Reports, Twitter News Updates, text messages, group texts, TikTok transcripts, and News Clips.
Kelly’s characters show plenty of depth and her twisty plot has enough intrigue to keep the reader engrossed and the pages turning right up to the dramatic climax. As an Arkansas native, Kelly’s familiarity with her setting gives the tale an undeniable authenticity, supported by her note that this work of fiction is based on real life events in her hometown. Gripping crime fiction.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer.
But it has its detractors, who are vocal in their protests and want the Hunt stopped. In the seventeen years that it has run, there has been a suspicious or unexplained death or mysterious disappearance each year within a week of Easter, most of them Hunt participants, and, while many believe they can be ruled as accident, murder by a known killer, or suicide, and that association doesn’t equal causation, some maintain that the Hunt is cursed, while family and friends of some of the victims are certain their loved ones are the victim of a serial killer.
Nell Holcomb just wishes it was all over. Back in 2005, she, her best friend Tessa and her older brother Garrett had been hunting for the Golden Egg when Garrett went missing, then was found dead, the first victim. While she still feels guilty about the circumstances, she always accepted that his death was an accident, but this talk of a serial killer has her wondering. Then, after a relapse into self-destructive behaviour, a drunken encounter with a woman at the casino has her convinced she has met his killer.
The annual focus on the Hunt prompts Garrett’s son, Elijah, in Nell’s care since he was five, to ask about his father, a topic she would rather avoid. This year, there’s also the complication of his estranged mother reappearing on the scene, something Nell welcomes, but getting Elijah to share this view will be a challenge.
While trying to keep it under the radar so as not to upset her, Nell’s friend and coworker at the Mayflower Plastics plant, Ada Johnson wants to join in the Hunt, but her eighteen-year-old son no longer wants to help out. Her one foray into the woods alone has freaked her out, she’s afraid to hunt alone, but really wants to find that egg and claim the cash. But her conflicted feelings about Nell are distracting…
The story is told through the dual narratives of Nell and Ada, supplemented by Shared Google Docs describing each victim and the details of their death, Radio Commercial Transcripts, Facebook Posts, News Reports, Twitter News Updates, text messages, group texts, TikTok transcripts, and News Clips.
Kelly’s characters show plenty of depth and her twisty plot has enough intrigue to keep the reader engrossed and the pages turning right up to the dramatic climax. As an Arkansas native, Kelly’s familiarity with her setting gives the tale an undeniable authenticity, supported by her note that this work of fiction is based on real life events in her hometown. Gripping crime fiction.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer.
March 11, 2023
Who wouldn’t want to join a community Easter egg hunt if the golden-egg find is worth a whopping fifty thousand dollars? Maybe everyone if each year’s hunt wasn’t accompanied by a strange death, one where the COD is based on guesses or paltry forensic support. Those who withhold are few, but persistent and vocal. Those who attend generally bring company just in case the alleged serial killer dubbed Hunter is real.
The golden egg hunt frames this story, but there isn’t much excitement on that front except as it relates to Hunter. There are no close-call moments with him or her to maintain tension, but it is fun reading about how the possibility of a serial killer plays out with the Eggheads. It falls to the well-developed and interesting characters to give this book its staying power. The thoughtful exploration of relationships and how one character deals with the death of her sibling, which is connected to the first annual hunt, gives this book its heft. If readers are seeking a thriller, the watery tension and pacing might be an issue for them. I didn’t feel the need to put this book down, but I also enjoy character-driven novels. This book’s strength is as a general fiction read, and the author does a wonderful job with characterization.
The Hunt will be available for purchase on 8/8/23.
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer Books and NetGalley for providing this eARC.
The golden egg hunt frames this story, but there isn’t much excitement on that front except as it relates to Hunter. There are no close-call moments with him or her to maintain tension, but it is fun reading about how the possibility of a serial killer plays out with the Eggheads. It falls to the well-developed and interesting characters to give this book its staying power. The thoughtful exploration of relationships and how one character deals with the death of her sibling, which is connected to the first annual hunt, gives this book its heft. If readers are seeking a thriller, the watery tension and pacing might be an issue for them. I didn’t feel the need to put this book down, but I also enjoy character-driven novels. This book’s strength is as a general fiction read, and the author does a wonderful job with characterization.
The Hunt will be available for purchase on 8/8/23.
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer Books and NetGalley for providing this eARC.
April 20, 2023
I received an advanced review copy of this book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was a tough one. The writing was a bit clumsy, and the storyline was a bit boring. I struggled to finish it.
The format of the book (alternating between storytelling and a google doc being written by an unknown author) was intriguing, but it wasn't well executed and the google doc just became confusing and distracting.
I also didn't understand why the race of literally every character was mentioned every time they were referenced. It was distracting and tiresome.
There was potential here, but it wasn't fully realized.
This was a tough one. The writing was a bit clumsy, and the storyline was a bit boring. I struggled to finish it.
The format of the book (alternating between storytelling and a google doc being written by an unknown author) was intriguing, but it wasn't well executed and the google doc just became confusing and distracting.
I also didn't understand why the race of literally every character was mentioned every time they were referenced. It was distracting and tiresome.
There was potential here, but it wasn't fully realized.
June 18, 2023
I'll add this to my list of books where the blurb sells the book, and then the book doesn't deliver. At least not to what I expected from the blurb. I can be forgiven for thinking this story would throw the protagonist, Nell, into the midst of some possibly terrifying cat and mouse type scenario. That Nell would be in the centre of the action, either hunting for the "golden egg" or being tormented by a serial killer who's still on the loose in the town.
If you plan to read this because you expect that to happen, then this is not the book for you. In fact, a lot of the more tense scenes in the book don't involve Nell at all, but other characters. I'm not sure how I feel when support characters feel more engaging than the main character. Ada is the character I needed Nell to be in this book. Ada is badass and she's engaging. But even then, this character doesn't feel focused in the story.
Honestly, this feels more like a coming-of-age love story, even though the two characters involved in that part of the story are adults and not teenagers. And I felt this lacked impact. Even in the big reveal it lacked impact. The biggest reason for that is because the slow sections are too long. There's no atmospheric build up. Sorry, but reading about two characters sitting on their work break and chatting for pages and pages isn't exciting, especially when the discussion has no bearing on the plot.
There are a few good moments in this story that are gripping, and when I read those moments, I was thinking, finally! I thought this was the moment when the worm turned and the story would become the thriller I'd hoped. It really didn't.
And I honestly don't like saying I didn't enjoy this story, because the concept had me hooked. It really sounded right in my wheelhouse. Maybe it's one of those books that just isn't for me. I hope other readers out there find something more in this book than I did.
Thank you to the author, the publisher, and to Netgalley for provided a copy of this book to read for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
If you plan to read this because you expect that to happen, then this is not the book for you. In fact, a lot of the more tense scenes in the book don't involve Nell at all, but other characters. I'm not sure how I feel when support characters feel more engaging than the main character. Ada is the character I needed Nell to be in this book. Ada is badass and she's engaging. But even then, this character doesn't feel focused in the story.
Honestly, this feels more like a coming-of-age love story, even though the two characters involved in that part of the story are adults and not teenagers. And I felt this lacked impact. Even in the big reveal it lacked impact. The biggest reason for that is because the slow sections are too long. There's no atmospheric build up. Sorry, but reading about two characters sitting on their work break and chatting for pages and pages isn't exciting, especially when the discussion has no bearing on the plot.
There are a few good moments in this story that are gripping, and when I read those moments, I was thinking, finally! I thought this was the moment when the worm turned and the story would become the thriller I'd hoped. It really didn't.
And I honestly don't like saying I didn't enjoy this story, because the concept had me hooked. It really sounded right in my wheelhouse. Maybe it's one of those books that just isn't for me. I hope other readers out there find something more in this book than I did.
Thank you to the author, the publisher, and to Netgalley for provided a copy of this book to read for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
July 8, 2023
Set in Arkansas, a small town's annual radio station-sponsored search for a golden Easter egg proves deadly in Kelly J. Ford's THE HUNT. There's nothing predictable about this thriller, which is both an intense page-turner and a deep character study. Rumors of a serial killer fuel the action, but there are other mysteries at play in this chilling and original novel.
March 24, 2023
I ran into a tiny problem when reading this one. You see Nell, our MC, felt so much like Jane in the author’s Real Bad Things, that I found myself getting confused. I kept feeing like I was reading a sequel to Jane’s book and I had to take a step back, refamiliarize myself with Jane’s story and then finally I was able to separate them. Still, though, Jane and Nell feel VERY much like the same character.
That being said, the book was very good! I liked Nell, loved her nephew and her friend Ada, and was thoroughly intrigued by the hunt. And the ‘who’ in this took me completely by surprise!
As usual, the author gives us a more layered view of Arkansas than we usually see. I’m still not sure I want to live there, but the author definitely kills a lot of the stereotypes associated with the state and I love that.
I’d really love another book with some of these characters. I think this could be turned into a fantastic series and I would be so here for it!
Another great and nuanced crime read from this author!
• ARC via Publisher
That being said, the book was very good! I liked Nell, loved her nephew and her friend Ada, and was thoroughly intrigued by the hunt. And the ‘who’ in this took me completely by surprise!
As usual, the author gives us a more layered view of Arkansas than we usually see. I’m still not sure I want to live there, but the author definitely kills a lot of the stereotypes associated with the state and I love that.
I’d really love another book with some of these characters. I think this could be turned into a fantastic series and I would be so here for it!
Another great and nuanced crime read from this author!
• ARC via Publisher
April 1, 2024
Quite entertaining! Perfect read for those who enjoy an Easter egg hunt!!! Only this one you might now survive. Is there a serial killer lurking in town killing someone each year when the radio station hosts the Golden Egg hunt? Is it worth your life to find the Golden Egg worth all that money?
May 1, 2023
THE HUNT I found tremendously scary, not in a supernatural or Paranormal sense [although this is definitely Horror] but in the quantity of human evil, both intentional, and also springing from apathy, prejudice, close-mindedness, bigotry. I don't know how some of these folks live with themselves. This novel is highly, but not entirely LGBTQ +, so much of the sorrow and prejudice and heartbreak is viewed through the several LGBTQ+ characters. There's also religious intransigence [believe and act as I do--or proceed straight to Hell]; indifferent, prejudiced, incapable, law enforcement; pure overwhelming greed; narrowmindedness. This Arkansas small town is a microcosm of human frailty. Terrifying. But...I loved the novel. Immensely well-written. Heartwrenching. Put my emotions through a wringer, throughout. Well worth reading.
July 11, 2023
For seventeen years there has been a serial killer lurking in the community of Presley Arkansas. Each year at the annual golden egg hunt, someone ends up being a target and murdered. For Nell, the egg hunt holds a horrible memory, her brother was the first victim. She’s been caring for her nephew ever since trying to keep him safe. But Nell harbors a dark secret, she had a part to play in her brother’s death. As the current egg hunt kicks off, Nell is forced to confront her past and face the danger that is lurking.
Sometimes cross genre books are simply perfection, and other times they leave a lot to be desired. This one was unfortunately the later. I was never quite sure if it was a mystery/thriller or a family drama, and it wasn’t really both. The ending of this one was really a letdown; we spent the entire book building up to the reveal…and it just didn’t land for me. In this case the blub alluded to an entirely different book, and it just wasn’t what I was expecting. The writing was utterly immersive though and it did suck you in. The character study was entertaining, and I loved getting to know the characters. There was just so much potential with this book, it did just fall flat for me.
Thank you to the publisher, Thomas & Mercer, and Netgalley, @netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Sometimes cross genre books are simply perfection, and other times they leave a lot to be desired. This one was unfortunately the later. I was never quite sure if it was a mystery/thriller or a family drama, and it wasn’t really both. The ending of this one was really a letdown; we spent the entire book building up to the reveal…and it just didn’t land for me. In this case the blub alluded to an entirely different book, and it just wasn’t what I was expecting. The writing was utterly immersive though and it did suck you in. The character study was entertaining, and I loved getting to know the characters. There was just so much potential with this book, it did just fall flat for me.
Thank you to the publisher, Thomas & Mercer, and Netgalley, @netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
December 28, 2024
"Peek between the cracks, and you might see some truth. But don’t linger too long, for the Hunter is on the loose."
There is an annual hunt for a golden egg - just before Easter. Tied to it is a large amount of money - and many in the town go after the hunt to win the prize. But there seems to be a strange amount of death around the event as well, and people are starting to wonder if one hunter, out there, isn't hunting the egg but the hunters themselves.
I enjoyed this one as an audiobook. I was drawn in almost immediately - I loved the "shared google doc" updates giving us information about the previous deaths along with the 2 POV. I liked the adventure of the story, the mystery of what was really happening, and trying to figure out who was friend and who I didn't think was. It was a quick read and I enjoyed the mystery!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
There is an annual hunt for a golden egg - just before Easter. Tied to it is a large amount of money - and many in the town go after the hunt to win the prize. But there seems to be a strange amount of death around the event as well, and people are starting to wonder if one hunter, out there, isn't hunting the egg but the hunters themselves.
I enjoyed this one as an audiobook. I was drawn in almost immediately - I loved the "shared google doc" updates giving us information about the previous deaths along with the 2 POV. I liked the adventure of the story, the mystery of what was really happening, and trying to figure out who was friend and who I didn't think was. It was a quick read and I enjoyed the mystery!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
March 26, 2023
The description of this books gave me higher hopes for what I read and this book did not exactly hold up to that. Though it’s only about 280 pages this book feels a bit drawn out and had too much extra “fluff” to fill the pages that wasn’t very interesting. The last quarter of the book made it all fall together, which was nice, but I still would’ve preferred more intrigue and a bit less drama throughout it. I feel like this book had the makings to be a “thriller” but sadly fell short. I don’t regret reading it, but glad I didn’t pay for it. Thanks NetGalley!
July 26, 2023
Special thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the ARC..
This is yet another book where the blurb sells the book but the book doesn't deliver. The book first of all has a message from the author the story is true yet it's fiction. Also I'm all for homosexual or "queer love" I felt the story was more about that than what the book was supposed to be about.
This book was just not for me. 2 stars!
This is yet another book where the blurb sells the book but the book doesn't deliver. The book first of all has a message from the author the story is true yet it's fiction. Also I'm all for homosexual or "queer love" I felt the story was more about that than what the book was supposed to be about.
This book was just not for me. 2 stars!
August 5, 2023
What the hell did I just read? The story was ok at first, full of holes but a little fun, and then the author just gave up at the end. Really none of the ending made any sense, not even when they tried to explain everything away.
March 11, 2023
Just finished this book and it was so good. The pacing was perfect. So much detail and characterization of all of the characters. I found it a very quick read and was flying through the chapters. Loved it and will recommend it to others. And will keep reading the authors books. This was from a NetGalley copy.
September 19, 2023
I got bored and gave up. Sorry, I'm sure it's a great story but not for me.
August 4, 2023
LOVED this twisty thriller rural noir that kept me on the edge of my seat while immersing me so deeply in its characters and setting that I'm still thinking about it long after I reached the unexpected and satisfying ending.
August 7, 2023
Very exciting great characters well written. You keep trying to decide who the hunter really is. Then you have to wonder if there really was a hunter or if all the deaths were just accidents.
June 3, 2023
Once again the author gives us an intricate plot and fascinating characters. In this small town there is an annual hunt for the golden egg - the only problem is every year it is accompanied by a mysterious death that looks like an accident.
For Nell it is personal as she believes the serial killer killed her brother - and she feels guilty - now his son might be in danger … a page turner
For Nell it is personal as she believes the serial killer killed her brother - and she feels guilty - now his son might be in danger … a page turner
April 4, 2023
Ford has a supremely awkward way of introducing characters in that she just will write like, "Then there's so-and-so, who's white. And so-and-so who's Asian. And Ada is Black." No joke, the whole introductory chapter of the plant workers is like this. It's a little understandable in the victim profiles, since maybe the assembler of that file was looking for trends in race/age/gender/etc of The Hunter's potential victims, but in the prose, itself? It was jarring.
April 13, 2023
The premise of this book sounded interesting, and I was really looking forward to reading the advanced copy that I was provided by NetGalley. Unfortunately, it it did not deliver. While the mystery and suspense that I was looking for was there, the writing did not draw me into the story. I put some effort into pushing through the first few chapters, but unfortunately did not end up finishing it.
August 27, 2023
THE HUNT [2023] By Kelly J. Ford
My Review 4.5 Stars Out of 5.0
I ordered my copy of Ford’s new release as soon as I read about it on CFL.com. I became a fan of hers when I read her second novel “Real Bad Things,” and was motivated to buy her breakout award-winning debut novel “Cottonmouths” [2017]. It chagrins me to say I have not made the time to read it already. Being a “nighttime reader” is quite limiting and I admit that I envy all those readers out there who have more time to engage in what is my favorite pastime.
So, about Ford’s new release last month “The Hunt,” its premise sounded pretty ambitious to me (not to mention imaginative and original). Fans of Ford know she is a native of Arkansas and her books of crime fiction are set in the Ozarks and Arkansas Valley. This serial killer thriller is set in Presley, Arkansas only a short jaunt from Oklahoma. It is an atmospheric piece that you “feel” as you read. It is the kind of small town that some folk know intimately because it is where they live, work, and love all of their natural born lives. It is small town America and the realism of the experiences faced by our main characters are ones the reader feels in his or her bones, especially if they have experienced trying to dislodge a shopping cart from where they are crammed together like sardines, pulled out a cart with a whacky wheel that annoys you so badly you return for another. Blue collar workers, strenuous labor, long 12-hour days or nights in a stifling work environment. The struggling town of Presley has one event to look forward to every year and that is the Annual Easter Hunt for the Golden Egg, this year prize money of $50,000.
“The Hunt” motivates the hard-working citizens of Presley, its young people, its school kids, and just about everyone in town. They are collectively listening to the radio announcer doling out cryptic clues about the secret location where the “Golden Egg” can be found by the lucky hunter(s). I said hunters because the “Eggheads” determined to win the prize also search in “teams.” All of that enthusiasm and adrenaline that fuels the proponents for what is at this juncture a 17-year-old tradition is tamped down by a contingent of naysayers that proclaim that a serial killer has preyed upon “The Hunt” since its inception. The narrative of the storyline is interspersed with details of the victims, identified by their numerical occurrence, name, age, race, and circumstances of the deemed “accidental” death (or otherwise explained by causes excluding homicide).
The main protagonist of an impressively complex, richly characterized, and emotionally moving plot is Nell Holcomb, a white woman in her 30’s who works as a “grease monkey” for the plant to ensure that all of the equipment is in working order. “The Hunt” is a difficult time for her every year because it opens a fresh wound in her heart and pours in fresh doses of pain and guilt over the death of her brother, the first alleged victim of the serial killer dubbed “The Hunter.” The co-main character is Ada, her best friend at the factory, and a black female worker on the labor-intensive night shift assembly lines.
The author creates these characters with such depth and humanity that they veritably spring to life in your imagination as you read the details of their ordinary and yet hard, sometimes heartbreaking lives. Ada is providing a single-parent home for her son Anthony from a short-lived romance and marriage with a white boy. Conversely, Nell is the Legal Guardian for a teenage Elijah, the son of her brother who died under mysterious circumstances related to “The Hunt” 17 years ago. Their individual stories, desires, struggles, guilt, and shame will both eviscerate and empower the reader emotionally.
The supporting cast of characters in the small town are similarly rendered as three-dimensional walking, talking members of the community. The bars and poor elements in the environment like the casino with its gambling and anonymity provide the kind of underbelly that underscores this southern noir thriller. Ford managed to put together a Rubik’s cube of mystery, suspense, secrets, and quite a few surprise twists and turns. I was initially somewhat disappointed by the answers to some of the long-buried secrets when their rocks were overturned and the truth exposed. The author pulled off a final surprising switchback relative to “The Hunter” which I felt was pitch perfect. Needless to say, as in “Real Bad Things” I loved the ending of the book.
Ford manages to render the passion and heartbreak of one’s “first love” with the deft skill of a master, while she simultaneously demonstrates the capacity to write prose that beautifully illustrates the metamorphosis of feelings of the heart, irrespective of race, sex, religion, class, economic status, or sexual identity. She executed this talent, beauty, and grace in “Real Bad Things.” “The Hunt” simply proves it was no fluke. Ford is the real deal. I love her style, rich characterization, complex plots, perfect pacing, and superlative execution.
TOP-NOTCH FOLLOW-UP TO “REALLY BAD THINGS” LOVE FORD’S SOUTHERN NOIR
My Review 4.5 Stars Out of 5.0
I ordered my copy of Ford’s new release as soon as I read about it on CFL.com. I became a fan of hers when I read her second novel “Real Bad Things,” and was motivated to buy her breakout award-winning debut novel “Cottonmouths” [2017]. It chagrins me to say I have not made the time to read it already. Being a “nighttime reader” is quite limiting and I admit that I envy all those readers out there who have more time to engage in what is my favorite pastime.
So, about Ford’s new release last month “The Hunt,” its premise sounded pretty ambitious to me (not to mention imaginative and original). Fans of Ford know she is a native of Arkansas and her books of crime fiction are set in the Ozarks and Arkansas Valley. This serial killer thriller is set in Presley, Arkansas only a short jaunt from Oklahoma. It is an atmospheric piece that you “feel” as you read. It is the kind of small town that some folk know intimately because it is where they live, work, and love all of their natural born lives. It is small town America and the realism of the experiences faced by our main characters are ones the reader feels in his or her bones, especially if they have experienced trying to dislodge a shopping cart from where they are crammed together like sardines, pulled out a cart with a whacky wheel that annoys you so badly you return for another. Blue collar workers, strenuous labor, long 12-hour days or nights in a stifling work environment. The struggling town of Presley has one event to look forward to every year and that is the Annual Easter Hunt for the Golden Egg, this year prize money of $50,000.
“The Hunt” motivates the hard-working citizens of Presley, its young people, its school kids, and just about everyone in town. They are collectively listening to the radio announcer doling out cryptic clues about the secret location where the “Golden Egg” can be found by the lucky hunter(s). I said hunters because the “Eggheads” determined to win the prize also search in “teams.” All of that enthusiasm and adrenaline that fuels the proponents for what is at this juncture a 17-year-old tradition is tamped down by a contingent of naysayers that proclaim that a serial killer has preyed upon “The Hunt” since its inception. The narrative of the storyline is interspersed with details of the victims, identified by their numerical occurrence, name, age, race, and circumstances of the deemed “accidental” death (or otherwise explained by causes excluding homicide).
The main protagonist of an impressively complex, richly characterized, and emotionally moving plot is Nell Holcomb, a white woman in her 30’s who works as a “grease monkey” for the plant to ensure that all of the equipment is in working order. “The Hunt” is a difficult time for her every year because it opens a fresh wound in her heart and pours in fresh doses of pain and guilt over the death of her brother, the first alleged victim of the serial killer dubbed “The Hunter.” The co-main character is Ada, her best friend at the factory, and a black female worker on the labor-intensive night shift assembly lines.
The author creates these characters with such depth and humanity that they veritably spring to life in your imagination as you read the details of their ordinary and yet hard, sometimes heartbreaking lives. Ada is providing a single-parent home for her son Anthony from a short-lived romance and marriage with a white boy. Conversely, Nell is the Legal Guardian for a teenage Elijah, the son of her brother who died under mysterious circumstances related to “The Hunt” 17 years ago. Their individual stories, desires, struggles, guilt, and shame will both eviscerate and empower the reader emotionally.
The supporting cast of characters in the small town are similarly rendered as three-dimensional walking, talking members of the community. The bars and poor elements in the environment like the casino with its gambling and anonymity provide the kind of underbelly that underscores this southern noir thriller. Ford managed to put together a Rubik’s cube of mystery, suspense, secrets, and quite a few surprise twists and turns. I was initially somewhat disappointed by the answers to some of the long-buried secrets when their rocks were overturned and the truth exposed. The author pulled off a final surprising switchback relative to “The Hunter” which I felt was pitch perfect. Needless to say, as in “Real Bad Things” I loved the ending of the book.
Ford manages to render the passion and heartbreak of one’s “first love” with the deft skill of a master, while she simultaneously demonstrates the capacity to write prose that beautifully illustrates the metamorphosis of feelings of the heart, irrespective of race, sex, religion, class, economic status, or sexual identity. She executed this talent, beauty, and grace in “Real Bad Things.” “The Hunt” simply proves it was no fluke. Ford is the real deal. I love her style, rich characterization, complex plots, perfect pacing, and superlative execution.
TOP-NOTCH FOLLOW-UP TO “REALLY BAD THINGS” LOVE FORD’S SOUTHERN NOIR
May 27, 2024
Kelly J. Ford’s third novel is infused with such quiet subtlety, I barely recognize it as the thriller I thought it would be and realize its Shirley Jackson proclivity to “conjure the dark aspects of human nature.”
That’s because Ford is genius at revealing so little at one time, you feel as if you too are a resident of the fictional town of Presley, Arkansas, where The Hunt takes place. Real Bad Things, Ford’s second novel, is just as much about place as it is murder. As much about class as it is our place in it. And Ford isn’t the “bard of Ozark crime fiction” for nothing; Cottonmouths, Ford’s debut, was a Los Angeles Review Best Book.
In The Hunt, a serial killer may be on the loose due to a string of deaths and disappearances that take place around the time of Presley’s annual Easter Egg Hunt. There’s a golden egg worth $50,000, that can bring redemption or respite to one lucky local resident. It is however, as with any small town, Presley’s insular quality and blue-collar sensibilities as observed by Ford, that color the paranoia and frenzy, camaraderie, and fractured factions that pit neighbor against neighbor.
Ford’s “moonshine-soaked” voice brings the premise to life creating an atmosphere awash in rural noir.
In 2005, the local radio station launched the Hunt. Immediately following that first event, 19-year-old Garrett Holcomb went missing, only to later be found dead due to an apparent accidental drowning. Since then, 17 Presley residents have either disappeared or died under mysterious yet seemingly plausible circumstances within 7 days of the Hunt.
For Nell Holcomb, Garrett’s sister, the Hunt is a recurring nightmare.
It is through Nell we get what we expect from Ford: the expert layering, the true crime noir (as with Real Bad Things, the interstitials ramp up the tension), and most importantly, the patience to tell a story that doesn’t get mired in the morass of mores and judgment.
To add to Nell’s complement of worries and secrets, she’s also responsible for Garrett’s teenage son Elijah who has his own predilections and suspicions, and perhaps just enough sanity to keep it together for his aunt’s sake.
Or does he?
For some in the small town of Presley, Easter cannot come soon enough.
But for you, you can wait. You just finished your 12-hour shift at the local factory, and you can’t find your keys. The last thing on your mind is The Hunt and some golden egg. No one is going to find it. Especially you.
Easter is near and hunting season has just begun.
That’s because Ford is genius at revealing so little at one time, you feel as if you too are a resident of the fictional town of Presley, Arkansas, where The Hunt takes place. Real Bad Things, Ford’s second novel, is just as much about place as it is murder. As much about class as it is our place in it. And Ford isn’t the “bard of Ozark crime fiction” for nothing; Cottonmouths, Ford’s debut, was a Los Angeles Review Best Book.
In The Hunt, a serial killer may be on the loose due to a string of deaths and disappearances that take place around the time of Presley’s annual Easter Egg Hunt. There’s a golden egg worth $50,000, that can bring redemption or respite to one lucky local resident. It is however, as with any small town, Presley’s insular quality and blue-collar sensibilities as observed by Ford, that color the paranoia and frenzy, camaraderie, and fractured factions that pit neighbor against neighbor.
Ford’s “moonshine-soaked” voice brings the premise to life creating an atmosphere awash in rural noir.
In 2005, the local radio station launched the Hunt. Immediately following that first event, 19-year-old Garrett Holcomb went missing, only to later be found dead due to an apparent accidental drowning. Since then, 17 Presley residents have either disappeared or died under mysterious yet seemingly plausible circumstances within 7 days of the Hunt.
For Nell Holcomb, Garrett’s sister, the Hunt is a recurring nightmare.
It is through Nell we get what we expect from Ford: the expert layering, the true crime noir (as with Real Bad Things, the interstitials ramp up the tension), and most importantly, the patience to tell a story that doesn’t get mired in the morass of mores and judgment.
To add to Nell’s complement of worries and secrets, she’s also responsible for Garrett’s teenage son Elijah who has his own predilections and suspicions, and perhaps just enough sanity to keep it together for his aunt’s sake.
Or does he?
For some in the small town of Presley, Easter cannot come soon enough.
But for you, you can wait. You just finished your 12-hour shift at the local factory, and you can’t find your keys. The last thing on your mind is The Hunt and some golden egg. No one is going to find it. Especially you.
Easter is near and hunting season has just begun.
June 30, 2023
What a surprise this book was! I honestly loved so much about it. I went in completely blind, having picked it as a potential book to read on NetGalley. I would recommend going in blind because I think it made the the book that much more fun.
*Some Spoilers Ahead*
The most unique aspect of this book was the plot: an annual Easter Egg Hunt for a golden egg with prize money that has caused the town to speculate the presence of a serial killer called the “Hunter” due to the suspicious deaths that occur during the hunt. Having Easter as the main topic for a thriller seemed a little odd to me at first, but it felt completely right while reading the book.
The main character, Nel, is a complete mess, but in a relatable way. If you’ve ever had a loved one pass unexpectedly, the grief that comes with the experience is unlike any other. Nel’s character portrays this grief believably and really tugs at the reader’s heart strings. The other characters in the book are all built up well and I don’t have any critiques for their character arcs.
I loved the suspenseful spooky vibes paired with some lighthearted moments. I feel like one of the biggest strengths of the book are the added sections. These contain text from the document explaining the deaths linked to the hunt, social media posts, text message conversations, and much more. They make sense in the context of the book while also giving it the book some needed humor.
The best thing about this book, in my opinion, is that I didn’t expect the ending. I feel like there weren’t obvious giveaways within the book but the ending was believable. I wasn’t let down and enjoyed the added suspense at the end.
The LGBTQIA representation really worked for me. I was Team Ada + Nel through the entire book. Seeing their relationship grow was one of the biggest highlights for me.
As a whole, I would definitely recommend this book. I had very little to critique about it and enjoyed it as a thriller.
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book for free and give my honest feedback and review.
*Some Spoilers Ahead*
The most unique aspect of this book was the plot: an annual Easter Egg Hunt for a golden egg with prize money that has caused the town to speculate the presence of a serial killer called the “Hunter” due to the suspicious deaths that occur during the hunt. Having Easter as the main topic for a thriller seemed a little odd to me at first, but it felt completely right while reading the book.
The main character, Nel, is a complete mess, but in a relatable way. If you’ve ever had a loved one pass unexpectedly, the grief that comes with the experience is unlike any other. Nel’s character portrays this grief believably and really tugs at the reader’s heart strings. The other characters in the book are all built up well and I don’t have any critiques for their character arcs.
I loved the suspenseful spooky vibes paired with some lighthearted moments. I feel like one of the biggest strengths of the book are the added sections. These contain text from the document explaining the deaths linked to the hunt, social media posts, text message conversations, and much more. They make sense in the context of the book while also giving it the book some needed humor.
The best thing about this book, in my opinion, is that I didn’t expect the ending. I feel like there weren’t obvious giveaways within the book but the ending was believable. I wasn’t let down and enjoyed the added suspense at the end.
The LGBTQIA representation really worked for me. I was Team Ada + Nel through the entire book. Seeing their relationship grow was one of the biggest highlights for me.
As a whole, I would definitely recommend this book. I had very little to critique about it and enjoyed it as a thriller.
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book for free and give my honest feedback and review.
Read
December 18, 2023THE HUNT is a most interesting book, with some intriguing moments and characters who make the book work so well. A radio station KCLS in Presley Arkansas, has been conducting an Easter egg hunt since 2005. It is a challenge to find the golden egg, and the person who locates it gets the goodly sum of $50,000.
The hunt got quite the publicity for the radio station and the town, bringing in tourists and townspeople who would do anything to get their hands on the grand prize. Clues are given and the frenzy for the golden egg has captured the attention of many people. But it has also captured the attention of someone else known as the Hunter. This is a rather psychotic killer, who has used the Easter egg hunt as reason for his own hunt, killing people, but making it look like natural deaths or accidents.
The victims are all noted throughout the book, and what number victim they were, and how they achieved their demise. Whether death by granola bar or just bad luck, one would imagine people would get a bit more suspicious. Perhaps the town is too focused on the golden egg to worry about other’s deaths.
THE HUNT is told through the eyes of several people, including Nell Holcomb who went on the hunt with Tessa and her older brother Garrett. Garrett went missing, then later was found dead, the first apparent victim of the Hunter. Tessa first thought it was an accident, then she thought she saw the killer at a casino. Ada is another fascinating character, good friends with Nell and others in the community, who has her own ideas about the deaths and the urge to find the egg and monetary glory.
There are some in the town, who think the deaths are not murders, but accidents, while there are some who believe a killer walks amongst them. It all makes for a fascinating dive into human emotions and beliefs, creating a riveting and sometime amusing tale unlike any you have read before. So go on your own hunt to the local bookstore, to find yourself a copy of THE HUNT. It will be most rewarding.
The hunt got quite the publicity for the radio station and the town, bringing in tourists and townspeople who would do anything to get their hands on the grand prize. Clues are given and the frenzy for the golden egg has captured the attention of many people. But it has also captured the attention of someone else known as the Hunter. This is a rather psychotic killer, who has used the Easter egg hunt as reason for his own hunt, killing people, but making it look like natural deaths or accidents.
The victims are all noted throughout the book, and what number victim they were, and how they achieved their demise. Whether death by granola bar or just bad luck, one would imagine people would get a bit more suspicious. Perhaps the town is too focused on the golden egg to worry about other’s deaths.
THE HUNT is told through the eyes of several people, including Nell Holcomb who went on the hunt with Tessa and her older brother Garrett. Garrett went missing, then later was found dead, the first apparent victim of the Hunter. Tessa first thought it was an accident, then she thought she saw the killer at a casino. Ada is another fascinating character, good friends with Nell and others in the community, who has her own ideas about the deaths and the urge to find the egg and monetary glory.
There are some in the town, who think the deaths are not murders, but accidents, while there are some who believe a killer walks amongst them. It all makes for a fascinating dive into human emotions and beliefs, creating a riveting and sometime amusing tale unlike any you have read before. So go on your own hunt to the local bookstore, to find yourself a copy of THE HUNT. It will be most rewarding.
May 9, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this novel, by a writer who continues to surprise me with her depth and relationship processes.
The Hunt tells the story of an annual Easter Egg Hunt in a small Arkansas town, fueled by the whispers of a serial killer and an ever-increasing financial pot yearly. Many lives intersect, their desires, lost hopes and dreams pushing them forward and to each other. Nell's brother Garrett may have been the first victim of the shadow known as The Hunter, or, he may be a victim of a horrible accident 18 years ago. Either way, lives changed, and continue to do so, as Nell and her family-both by blood and by choice- deal with the consequences of Garrett's death, while also dealing with the upcoming Hunt.
Is there a serial killer? The Hunt is heightened by the increasing social media prompts, cell phone cameras and hypotheses everywhere. As we all know, everyone has an opinion, and everyone feels its their right to state it. Real people live with the consequences. For Nell, its guilt, grief, despair, and disappointment, while raising Garrett's son Elijah and lacking the necessary coping skills of an adult.
Ford is best when handling the emotional spaces between friends, family and lovers. She hits all the right notes. I felt that about half of this story was unevenly told, and that may be my bias, it's hard to get excited about an Easter Egg hunt, but she always hits her mark when describing loss in all its colors. I have truly enjoyed reading Ford, her voice is so nuanced and specific to her roots. I felt the story and its telling gained momentum and cohesiveness the last quarter of the book. It all fell into place.
If you havent read Kelly J Ford, now is a great time to start!
The Hunt tells the story of an annual Easter Egg Hunt in a small Arkansas town, fueled by the whispers of a serial killer and an ever-increasing financial pot yearly. Many lives intersect, their desires, lost hopes and dreams pushing them forward and to each other. Nell's brother Garrett may have been the first victim of the shadow known as The Hunter, or, he may be a victim of a horrible accident 18 years ago. Either way, lives changed, and continue to do so, as Nell and her family-both by blood and by choice- deal with the consequences of Garrett's death, while also dealing with the upcoming Hunt.
Is there a serial killer? The Hunt is heightened by the increasing social media prompts, cell phone cameras and hypotheses everywhere. As we all know, everyone has an opinion, and everyone feels its their right to state it. Real people live with the consequences. For Nell, its guilt, grief, despair, and disappointment, while raising Garrett's son Elijah and lacking the necessary coping skills of an adult.
Ford is best when handling the emotional spaces between friends, family and lovers. She hits all the right notes. I felt that about half of this story was unevenly told, and that may be my bias, it's hard to get excited about an Easter Egg hunt, but she always hits her mark when describing loss in all its colors. I have truly enjoyed reading Ford, her voice is so nuanced and specific to her roots. I felt the story and its telling gained momentum and cohesiveness the last quarter of the book. It all fell into place.
If you havent read Kelly J Ford, now is a great time to start!
July 26, 2023
Every year, a local Arkansas radio station holds a hunt for the Golden Egg at Eastertime, Despite the fact that people involved with the hunt mysteriously die, one a year. Nell's brother was the first victim, and this year is the hardest yet for Nell, and now she's determined to figure out what happened to Garrett., and if the Hunter really exists.
This book was really interesting--it explores a lot of interfamilial relationships after someone in the family dies at a young age unexpectedly. Nell blames herself for Garrett's death, and feels like everyone around her does, as well, living with the guilt for 17 years. It also talks about loss in relation to the rest of the purported victims, all of whom die either accidentally (falling out of a tree and getting hoodie strings tangled on the way down, choking on a granola bar) or intentionally by their own hands. How easy it is to attribute those deaths to an outside force that may or may not exist. Is there really a serial killer haunting Pressly, Arkansas, or are Eggheads just a supremely unlucky bunch to the tune of one death a year?
It makes you think, is the money worth all of the deaths? Or would most of them happen anyway, so might as well keep having the hunt that is one of the few tourist draws this small town has?
I enjoyed the book a lot. It's fast paced and keeps you turning pages, because you need to know what is going to happen next to Nell, Ada, and Elijah. There are some great twists, and I can't wait to read more from Ford. Both of her books that I've read have been excellent reads.
*I recieved a copy of The Hunt from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This book was really interesting--it explores a lot of interfamilial relationships after someone in the family dies at a young age unexpectedly. Nell blames herself for Garrett's death, and feels like everyone around her does, as well, living with the guilt for 17 years. It also talks about loss in relation to the rest of the purported victims, all of whom die either accidentally (falling out of a tree and getting hoodie strings tangled on the way down, choking on a granola bar) or intentionally by their own hands. How easy it is to attribute those deaths to an outside force that may or may not exist. Is there really a serial killer haunting Pressly, Arkansas, or are Eggheads just a supremely unlucky bunch to the tune of one death a year?
It makes you think, is the money worth all of the deaths? Or would most of them happen anyway, so might as well keep having the hunt that is one of the few tourist draws this small town has?
I enjoyed the book a lot. It's fast paced and keeps you turning pages, because you need to know what is going to happen next to Nell, Ada, and Elijah. There are some great twists, and I can't wait to read more from Ford. Both of her books that I've read have been excellent reads.
*I recieved a copy of The Hunt from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
July 24, 2023
Every year, a local Arkansas radio station holds a hunt for the Golden Egg at Eastertime, Despite the fact that people involved with the hunt mysteriously die, one a year. Nell's brother was the first victim, and this year is the hardest yet for Nell, and now she's determined to figure out what happened to Garrett., and if the Hunter really exists.
This book was really interesting--it explores a lot of interfamilial relationships after someone in the family dies at a young age unexpectedly. Nell blames herself for Garrett's death, and feels like everyone around her does, as well, living with the guilt for 17 years. It also talks about loss in relation to the rest of the purported victims, all of whom die either accidentally (falling out of a tree and getting hoodie strings tangled on the way down, choking on a granola bar) or intentionally by their own hands. How easy it is to attribute those deaths to an outside force that may or may not exist. Is there really a serial killer haunting Pressly, Arkansas, or are Eggheads just a supremely unlucky bunch to the tune of one death a year?
It makes you think, is the money worth all of the deaths? Or would most of them happen anyway, so might as well keep having the hunt that is one of the few tourist draws this small town has?
I enjoyed the book a lot. It's fast paced and keeps you turning pages, because you need to know what is going to happen next to Nell, Ada, and Elijah. There are some great twists, and I can't wait to read more from Ford. Both of her books that I've read have been excellent reads.
This book was really interesting--it explores a lot of interfamilial relationships after someone in the family dies at a young age unexpectedly. Nell blames herself for Garrett's death, and feels like everyone around her does, as well, living with the guilt for 17 years. It also talks about loss in relation to the rest of the purported victims, all of whom die either accidentally (falling out of a tree and getting hoodie strings tangled on the way down, choking on a granola bar) or intentionally by their own hands. How easy it is to attribute those deaths to an outside force that may or may not exist. Is there really a serial killer haunting Pressly, Arkansas, or are Eggheads just a supremely unlucky bunch to the tune of one death a year?
It makes you think, is the money worth all of the deaths? Or would most of them happen anyway, so might as well keep having the hunt that is one of the few tourist draws this small town has?
I enjoyed the book a lot. It's fast paced and keeps you turning pages, because you need to know what is going to happen next to Nell, Ada, and Elijah. There are some great twists, and I can't wait to read more from Ford. Both of her books that I've read have been excellent reads.
July 3, 2025
while not a true death game, the hunt has the spirit of one, so i really thought i would like it, but it's hard to power through the terrible writing and cardboard characters and complete lack of structure/satisfactory ending. i understand what ford was going for with the end, and i was like, okay, fine, but then it just kept going and kind of lost itself and made things even more confusing than they'd been throughout the entire book - because the structure really is so poor that it's difficult to keep up with the timeline/setting even in spite of the "[x] days before easter" counter at the beginning of each chapter.
i just don't really know what the point was. "the hunt" itself doesn't even really feature much; i was really hoping for more of it, but it just never came around. the 'murders' were very passively mentioned to the point i kept forgetting about them. and the characters offer so little re: personality that i just didn't have anyone to even get invested in. that last fact is absolutely not helped by the 'diversity', which feels performative at best, because every character being introduced as "[name], [ethncity]," just became funny after a certain point. there's a million better ways to describe your characters than that. i also just didn't care for the lgbt rep; elijah felt like a caricature of gay men and it was really frustrating.
i don't have much more to say, because this was such a nothing story. just really boring and disappointing
i just don't really know what the point was. "the hunt" itself doesn't even really feature much; i was really hoping for more of it, but it just never came around. the 'murders' were very passively mentioned to the point i kept forgetting about them. and the characters offer so little re: personality that i just didn't have anyone to even get invested in. that last fact is absolutely not helped by the 'diversity', which feels performative at best, because every character being introduced as "[name], [ethncity]," just became funny after a certain point. there's a million better ways to describe your characters than that. i also just didn't care for the lgbt rep; elijah felt like a caricature of gay men and it was really frustrating.
i don't have much more to say, because this was such a nothing story. just really boring and disappointing
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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