Run With the Hunted 5: Insert Coin to Play

Run with the Hunted #5

by Jennifer R. Donohue

In the fast-paced, tech heavy future, all work and no play makes a dull team. Bits scores an invite for the game: a real-world, multi-day puzzle and travel challenge with big prizes for the winners. Dolly and Bristol join the road trip, solve puzzles, take in the scenery, and bicker about snacks. But when Bits does what she does best and takes a look behind the code, all is not what it seems, and now the trio is playing against a different and deadlier clock.

132 pages, Paperback

Published October 30, 2022

About the author

Jennifer R. Donohue grew up at the Jersey Shore and now lives in central New York with her husband and their Doberman. A member of the SFWA, she works at her local public library where she also facilitates a writing workshop. Her work has appeared in Apex Magazine, Escape Pod, Fusion Fragment, and elsewhere. Her debut novel, Exit Ghost is available now. She tweets @AuthorizedMusin and you can subscribe to her Patreon for a new short story every month: https://www.patre-
on.com/JenniferRDonohue

Reviews

[J. Z. Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m writing this review in the backseat of a Jeep, so once again I’m just listing stuff I liked about the book instead of writing a “real” “review”:

- This is the first full-length novella (as opposed to Patreon short) where we really get Bits’ narrative voice, unimpaired. Of all the RWTH narrators, Bits is the funniest and most wry.

- The girls are fully in their found family era.

- Dolly.

- The “heist” is an ARG with Indiana Jones-like trap running elements that really show off Jen’s TTRPG experience.

- Bristol’s very badass in ways that I both hope win over Bristol skeptics and posit show why she is PERFECT for Dolly. (I will get on that fanfic soon.)

- This interaction:

We walk up the street, cut a block over, and then walk through a hotel lobby to the elevator. “Okay, once we get up there, let’s all use our camo so that we can do the ‘knock on the door but the hallway looks empty when somebody looks out the keyhole’ thing, I’ve always wanted to do that.”

“Jesus Christ, Dolly,” I say, but I can’t help laughing. “Sure, yeah, we can do that. Right Bristol?”

“It will be very cinematic,” she says thoughtfully.

- Domestic fluff

- Will suffers A Lot and I love that.

- Dolly!!!

- This interaction:

”Bristol, did they ask you to name the team?”

She smiles, slow and pleased. “They did, darling, and we hadn’t discussed it ahead of time.”

- Bitsy listening to her moms (Bristol and Dolly) bicker from the backseat.

- “Dolly sitting on the hood of the car and smoking.”

- DOLLY!!!!!!!!!!

[Margaret Adelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was looking forward to getting back to Bits' POV, so when the author offered a review copy, I was happy to accept!

I liked the concept of the trio taking on an ARG. Seemed like the best way to focus on Bits, while still having things for the other two to do as it went. Admittedly, it took awhile for the tension to start up. But there were some nice character moments. Bits has a way of studying the other two that tells as much about her character as the others. The writing style felt very voicey, nearly making ME feel spacey and out of it at times.

I did like that the trio is getting a few more bonding moments as things go on. I do wish there were more as time passed. The installments continue to be fairly focused on the action of the heisting and other plot related stuff, but I would love to see a few more slow-paced scenes to really delve into things. Although that may be coming in the future.

The ending felt slightly abrupt in how neatly it wrapped up. But I did like the twist and what it means for the trio moving forward. Can't wait to see how things pan out in the next installment!

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still having fun reading this series.