The Hunter's Wife

by Katherine Scholes

Mara, a young Australian, marries a big-game hunter who lives on the spectacular grasslands of East Africa. Three years later, their safari lodge is in trouble - and so, too, is their marriage.

When a Hollywood movie crew descends to film on location, Mara knows this could be the lodge's salvation. She thrives on her sudden responsibility and independence, but she also finds herself dangerously attracted to the film's leading man.

From an internationally bestselling author comes this poignant love story set against the breathtaking backdrop of Tanzania. The Hunter's Wife is a powerful and moving story of a young woman's heartfelt struggle to reconcile duty and desire.

Genres: Fiction, Drama, Romance, Roman, Africa

373 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Katherine Scholes was born in Tanzania, East Africa, the daughter of a missionary doctor and an artist. She has fond memories of travelling with her parents and siblings on long safaris to remote areas where her father operated a clinic from his Land Rover. When she was ten, the family left Tanzania, going first to England and then settling in Tasmania. As an adult, Katherine moved to Melbourne with her film-maker husband. After working there for many years, writing books and making films, they returned with their two sons to live in Tasmania.

Katherine's internationally bestselling novels have been translated into numerous languages. She is especially popular in Germany and France, where she has sold over two million books.

Reviews

[Belinda Vlasbaard · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,25 sterren - Nederlandse hardcover

Wat een sfeervol boek. Heerlijk duidelijk, alsof ik naar een film keek. Misschien is het mijn liefde voor Afrika en zijn mensen. Ik weet het niet.

Het vertelt over het leven van Mara die haar grote liefde, John, achterna reist naar een lodge in Tanzania.

In een mooie setting ontvouwt zich een verhaal over twee mensen die elkaar ontmoeten in de wildernis van Zuid-Afrika.

De roep van de olifant is door Katherine Scholes vol liefde voor de natuur en de wilde dieren geschreven. Het is een ontspannen roman geworden.

[Penny McDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cleaver and beautiful book, set in the amazing landscape of Africa. The characters and events seem so real, I couldn't put the book down. I loved this book, it was a really good and enjoyable read.

[Catherine Braiding · Rating 2 out of 5]

I bounced hard off this book and I'm not sure why. The blurb made it sound great, but the prose and I just did not click. After two chapters I gave up and gave it to the local street library.

[Zeineb SmaOui · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dans les décors époustouflants de la savane africaine, une histoire d'amour bouleversante.
Le portrait d'une femme en quête d'indépendance, un hymne à la nature et à la vie sauvage, dans la lignée d'Out of Africa et de Sur la route de Nairobi.
Un mari follement séduisant, un lodge niché au coeur de la brousse, une vie au plus près de la nature: Mara pensait avoir trouvé le bonheur éternel.

Trois ans plus tard, la réalité est tout autre: John multiplie les absences et Mara se retrouve seule à la tête d'un domaine au bord de la faillite.
C'est alors que débarque une équipe de cinéma. Décidée à profiter de l'aubaine pour sauver le lodge, Mara ne ménage pas ses efforts.

Elle, d'habitude si timide et discrète, s'affirme jour après jour, gagnant le respect de ses employés et l'admiration de l'équipe du film qui n'hésite pas à l'utiliser comme doublure de l'actrice principale.

Où s'arrête la vie et où commence le cinéma?
Mara ne peut résister au charme de Peter Heath, le héros du film. Déchirée entre son attirance pour un homme inaccessible et son sens du devoir, saura-t-elle faire le bon choix?

[Joy Norman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed all the information and wildlife in the 60's It was a little predictable on the romance side however I looked past that to the stories and details of the wildlife and what it would of been like to live in Tanzania at that time. The Hollywood crew making a film just as the lodge is in real trouble a big coincidence. I enjoyed the fact that Mara came into her own and was senn and eventually believed herself that she can do this being in charge and do it gracefully and earns the respect of those around her.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book has around 400 pages. Until page 200 the plot of the love story has not even started. And even though the reader is not involved in any deeper conversation or emotional contact between the two main characters they all of a sudden love each other.

Somehow the author must have realized at the end that she has failed to create a story in depth and adds an end that is not only very unrealistic but also has barely anything to do with the plot itself.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice story of love, loss and tragedy with a happy ending. The author's attention to detail with regards to the lifestyle and landscapes of Africa is superb - I pictured it all in my mind's eye as the story unfolded :)

[Myshelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book Another great book from Katherine Scholes

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 Ce n’est pas le plus beau roman de l’auteure même si on y retrouve le dépaysement cette fois en Tanzanie.
Chronique complète à venir

[Ashutosh Upadhye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the imagery painted by Scholes.

[Marion Aranjo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mills and Boon in Africa. Very ordinary

[Anne_b · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

[Yuana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Il est incroyable. Le mélange des deux vies est juste wow. Ce dire que c'est en partie une histoire vraie est encore plus wow.

[Bec · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️
I love how Katherine transported me to Africa and could see the wildlife and landscape as I was reading. Love, loss, and happy ending. It's just a very basic read.

[Marie-Hélène Fortier · Rating 3 out of 5]

L’histoire est simple, mais le pouvoir de cette autrice est de nous décrire l’Afrique et de nous y plonger: décors, faunes, flore, cuisine traditionnelle, tout y est.

[Emmagix · Rating 3 out of 5]

Une petite histoire d'amour légère et sans prise de tête, sympathique mais sans plus.
Le début était pourtant prometteur.
Je précise quand même que les descriptions des paysages sont à couper le souffle.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

A classic love story. Cliché, yes and predictable, yes but isn't that what we love about a love story? <3
Katherine Scholes does a wonderful job of taking you through Africa in the 60's and I enjoyed spending part of my summer holidays there. A light, easy read.

[Kate Loveday · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in 1968, The Hunter’s wife offers a rich portrait of the wildlife and village life in Tanzania at that time.
After a whirlwind courtship in Australia, Mara falls in love with John, a hunter from Africa. They marry and return to his recently inherited game lodge, full of plans for their future at Raynor Lodge. However when a large new resort hotel is built nearby it affects their business, and after three years they are experiencing severe financial and emotional problems. While John is away on safari, Mara is approached by a movie company to use the lodge as the setting for a movie. Realising the payment will solve their financial problems she agrees, even though she will need to shoulder the full burden of organization due to John’s absence.
The guests, the production company and cast for the film, including a handsome Australian leading man, Peter, and a glamorous leading lady, turn out to have their own set of problems. Coupled with the native staff at the Lodge and business members of the nearby village, Katherine Scholes has created a colourful group of characters and an interesting story.
Mara is a warm, strong and yet vulnerable character, and totally believable. When she finds herself unwittingly attracted to Peter, she struggles with the opposing emotions of loyalty and desire.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story, although I felt the ending was rather contrived and let down the rest of the book. However, the rest of it was so good I must recommend it.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book fell into romance genre, but with the sweeping landscape of Africa and all of its inherent dangers. I did not enjoy as much as her "River Queen" book, but will go back for more.
She is living in a lodge which is quickly going into disrepair, when a film crew arrive and save the day. Her husband is away making money in other ways, so she is left alone to manage the staff and the film crew for two weeks. Gave some interesting insights into how the movie industry worked before the age of computers. A quick and easy read.

[Roger Scholes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story pulled me into an era when hollywood came to the savanna of east africa. i loved being in this time trying to understand the yearnings of each person, so very different from each other. the sudden arrival of such fabled people from america into our world which, if i think of it, is, a fabled world yet it's our ordinary world. This book amplifies the the difference and yet the same yearning our hearts pull us toward, whether we are gods from hollywood or just us ordinary folk wherever we are, and yet this story takes that idea way , way further. A great, grand book.

[Feodora · Rating 3 out of 5]

A woman came to africa for love, love went and another man came. He couldnt stay because he was married. The husband comes back, dies in an accident. Woman is pregnant from husband. Lives in Africa till son needs higher education. Goes back with him to AUS. After 27 years she meets her love again. book finished. Nice pictured, I could even "smell" Africa, my loved Africa but the stoty was poor.

[Cate Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this a fascinating read. Katherine's themes are not something I would normally pick up, I have also read 'Rain Queen' which is also set in Africa, but my daughter urged me to give it a go & if I couldn't get into it then my money wasn't wasted. I found it very hard to put down at night when my light should of been off. Heartbreaking towards the end but lightened by an unexpected ending.

[Alicia Wilson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read Katherine Scholes Lioness and LOVED it! Although unbelievable in parts I could still like it. This book however just bored me. I love books set in Africa, if this was set anywhere else I would not have kept reading. It was boring, with a disapointing ending having read the whole book. It also had very unbelievable bits where I could not look past!

[Johannes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ein Roman mit Suchtfaktor. Beim lesen fühlt man sich selber in Tansania versetzt.
Auch wenn man noch nie dort war und vielleicht auch jetzt das Bedürfnis gar nicht hat dorthin zu fahren, könnte man auf einmal das Gefühl haben: "vielleicht doch .....?"
Nach dem man das Buch ausgelesen hat, möchte man dann am liebsten gleich das nächste Buch von Frau Scholes anfangen.

[Sandy Bingham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another tale from Africa - gret read!

[Susan Austin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I saw this author speak at a recent writers' festival and wanted to check out her work. This is a light easy read but the story-line was too contrived and cliched for me to really enjoy it.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was very light and readable, just the right amount of fantasy to take you right away from the current world problems - and about Africa too, my favourite read!

[Kelly Munro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Readable but ending was a bit ridiculous

[Barbara Bosher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It is one I didn’t want to put down.

[Maaike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it. Easy read, captured me.