Hunter's Force : DI Hunter Wilson Series: Book 3

by Val Penny

Val Penny has produced another brilliant, cracking read, and I thoroughly
enjoyed it. She is fully engaged with her characters - and it shows.”

Michael Jecks – best-selling author of unmissable historical mysteries including the 'Jack Blackjack' crime series including 'Rebellion's Message' and the 'Knights Templar' mysteries including 'The Last Templar' and the contemporary spy novel 'Act of Vengeance'


“The Hugely talented Val Penny has delivered yet another pacey, tense read featuring Edinburgh's most famous detective, DI Hunter Wilson.”

Stuart Gibbon – Former Murder Squad DCI & co-author
of 'The Crime Writer's Casebook'


“A gripping novel about power, politics and revenge. Hunter Wilson is
a compelling detective and Val Penny is an author to watch.”

Erin Kelly – best-selling author of psychological thrillers
including ‘Broadchurch’, 'The Poison Tree' and ‘He Said/She Said’


Hunter by name – Hunter by nature.

Can DI Hunter Wilson keep Edinburgh safe when he is the hunted?

Detective Inspector Hunter Wilson is woken in the early hours of the morning by a call from his son. Cameron’s flatmate has been murdered.

Why would anybody want to kill a young woman recently arrived in the city?Hunter must call in the new Major Incident Team (MIT), however his ability to be involved in the case is severely compromised when someone from his past resurfaces with revenge on their mind

When Hunter goes missing, and his team struggle to find the clues they need to locate hm. Who would want to stop Hunter in his tracks?

Meanwhile, Hunter's team must also work closely with the MIT and with or without him, solve the murder in this taut crime thriller.

272 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 25, 2023

About the author

Val Penny is an American author living in SW Scotland. She has two adult daughters of whom she is justly proud and lives with her husband and two cats.
She has a Llb from Edinburgh University and her MSc from Napier University. She has had many jobs including hairdresser, waitress, banker, azalea farmer and lecturer.
However she has not yet achieved either of her childhood dreams of being a ballerina or owning a candy store. Until those dreams come true, she has turned her hand to writing poetry, short stories and novels. Her crime novels,The DI Hunter Wilson and Jane Renwick Thrillers are published by SpellBound Books.

Reviews

[Alyson Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story begins where Hunter’s son Cameron has palled up in a nightclub with Ian Thompson’s nephew (and Frankie’s brother) Harry and his friend Gavin, soldiers who have just returned from Afghanistan. They have picked up two Ukrainian women who are touting for business for a massage parlour. Cameron himself has a flat over a bookies, courtesy of his new employer “Lucky” Lord Lachlan Buchanan whom he met in rehab. When the five arrive at the flat, they discover the woman who had been moved into the flat dead from a head injury, her face beaten and fingertips cut off. Cameron calls his dad who arrives with girlfriend pathologist Dr. Meera Sharma in tow and DC Tim Myerscough isn’t far behind. They soon discover Lucky knew nothing about the woman, also Ukrainian, called Xristina. Based at Fettes Station in Edinburgh, DI Hunter Wilson and his team of DS Colin Reid and DCs Winston Zewedu (Bear), Mel Grant, Tim Myerscough, Rachael Anderson and Nadia Chan know they will need help from the newly formed MIT and are delighted to welcome back DS Jane Renwick as their contact. Before long connections are made to the girl’s father and his brother, Oleksander and Sergei Ponomarenko, Ukrainian gangsters who have done a deal with Arjun Mansoor to launder money from their people trafficking racket through two betting shops behind the back of the new owner Ian Thompson who has just been released from prison. Ian will be furious when he finds out. Once again everyone’s lives are intertwined, especially when Gillian, Tim’s girlfriend, recognises Xristina as one of her students at the university and has to tell her angry father than his girl is dead. A man has been following Hunter and when he is knocked out and kidnapped, he realises just who Big Brian Squires is now working for. With everyone once again set on a collision course and a case of mistaken identity, the very dangerous Oleksander is out to revenge his daughter’s death, so it’s vital Hunter and his team find the killer first.
One of the things I love about this series is the ongoing storylines and the return of many of the characters in each new book. For that reason I would urge readers to read them in order to get as much as possible out of them. The plot is clever and complex with absolutely loads happening right from the start, as all the different characters appear with their own stories to tell which get neatly woven together as the story unfolds. DCI Mackay is a good solid leader and Hunter and his detectives are all great characters who really work well as a team as well as being close and loyal friends. Thoroughly enjoyable and I am looking forward to meeting everyone again in book 4. 5*

[Michelle Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hunter Wilson’s son Cameron is in trouble. After a wild night in the town, he comes home with a gaggle of new-found pals to find his flatmate, Xristina, brutally murdered. Only, according to his landlord and employer, he never even had a flat mate. So who was the big guy who came round one day telling him Xristina was staying with him? Who killed Xristina, and why did they try to conceal her identity?

Better call Dad…

The redoubtable Hunter and his team are on the case, and you can bet there’ll be plenty of twists and thrills along the way.

I admire the way Val Penny unfolds her stories, cleverly revealing the characters’ interconnections, keeping you guessing as to who did what to whom and why, bringing the strands together with perfect timing.

In this, the third in the Edinburgh mysteries series, the edge-of-seat suspense is counterbalanced by the wider arcs of the familiar characters: the lives and loves of Hunter and his associates.

This is a wild ride through the seedy Edinburgh backstreets. All-in-all, a gripping read - buy it!

[Booklover BEV · Rating 5 out of 5]

Detective investigator Hunter Wilson, Edinburgh.
when Cameron Wilson meets up with two soldiers on leave after a tour of Afghanistan in the queue of the night club Why Not along with three women they all pile back to his flat, the door in Frederick street is open and a gruesome find awaits them all Xristina his flat mate is dead and Cameron calls his dad straight away and DC Tim Myerscough Hunter's work mate is also called . What a mess and a strange girl is wandering about the flat too. Hunter wants to know what his son has been up too he though he lived here alone.
This leaves an almighty story to unfold, and wow what a twisty one it is too. Chapter after chapter we learn the ins and outs so who do they trust? Loved these chapters and how can you not love the characters as they all blend in good or bad. Excellent till the very slap bang ending.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

An intense thriller

Val Penny
killfully weaves a narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. The plot takes several unexpected turns, and the relentless pace of the story ensures there's never a dull moment. As Hunter and his team delve deeper into the case, the introduction of the new Major Incident Team adds layers of complexity to the investigation.

[RICHARD WILLIAM PETER HUTTON · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

A really good book, once you start it's difficult to put down. I,ve read First cut wich is another brilliant book by the same author and am looking forward to continuing the Hunter series of books.

[Jayne Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great page turner.

I really like the way that there are twists and turns which keep the tension going and intrigue piqued. Brilliant story telling.