I raced through this exciting fast paced novel, I could feel every frustration from Carrie and Sajid as they battled to find their children Greg and Aliyah before the FBI charged them for terrorist activities.
Shreya was a fabulous character too, making some work related decisions that went against her Boss's approval but getting results regardless. My first read from Abir but I'm going to remedy that based on this brilliant novel. It would make a perfect film or TV series.

Abir Mukerjee shifts direction after his stunning historical series set in India and featuring Sam Wyndham and Banerjee, here he writes a compelling, sensitive, and thought provoking conspiracy thriller with its echoes of our contemporary world realities. In this action packed and fast paced story, we begin in the US, it is a heightened period, a week before the presidential elections, a nightmare bombing in a Los Angeles shopping mall takes place, all the horrors of a terrorist attack. In the UK, armed police arrest a father, Sajid Khan, who has had a tough and challenging life, he is employed at Heathrow Airport, Sajid's daughter, Aliyah, it turns out has shockingly gone to the US, accompanied by a suicide bomber.

Aliyah now cannot be located, making her a suspect, raising as it does the threat of another potential attack. An American woman, Carrie, arrives at Sajid's home, telling him that Aliyah is with her son, Greg, and she has ideas of her own, and might know where they could be, but Carrie needs his help. Back in the US, FBI agent Shreya Mistry is determinedly investigating the Californian bombing, desperate to know the who and why of it, as she trawls through CCTV, something does not make sense. but she struggles to make those above her take her seriously, but no obstacle is going to stop her getting to the truth. Carrie and Sajid, the concerned and worried parents go on their own hunt for their children, racing against time to do all they can to save them before another catastrophe takes place.

Mukherjee writes a complex, well plotted story, examining the issues of race and religion when it comes to terrorism, creating authentic and complicated characters, including the normal and ordinary parents, examining the differing perspectives, of the characters but additionally in the different approaches, and the hypocrisy when it comes to terrorism. This is all done through the vehicle of an intense and gripping thriller, packed with twists and turns, that kept my attention attention from start to finish. I can see this appealing to a wide range of readers, from lovers of thrillers and readers likely to be interested in the well handled themes and pertinent issues . Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

I did enjoy some of the book but tbh found parts of it tedious and was waiting for it to get a move on,also I kept getting mixed up with the characters,possibly my fault….
The parts I did enjoy were well written and I would read more from this author

Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for ARC.

Sajid Khan works in a terrible airport job in London. His life has been marred by a number of things, and he's trying to do his best for his family on limited means. When a bomb goes off in California, he is astonished, terrified and bewildered to find that one of his daughters is a suspect in the conspiracy to create the bombing. He is thrown into a nightmare of suspicion, which is only amplified when an American woman turns up, claiming to know where her son and Khan's daughter are. She has a conspiracy theory of her own and she needs his help. Is he brave enough? And what can they do that two governments and who knows how many government agencies are trying to, in time to stop more senseless loss of life?
This beautifully examines our preconceptions about terrorism and government agendas while providing a cracking page turner. Some plot twists are implausible, but the more I read the news the less implausible some of them seem. FBI agent Shreya Mistry is a complex character i would happily learn more about if this doesn't stay a standalone.

Fast paced with the narrative nicely balanced between the different characters. It deals with some really important factors such as the US political landscape, terrorism; both domestic and international, racism and most importantly the lengths that two parents fighting to save their children will go to.
Full of twists and turns, evil does not always wear the face that you've been led to believe. Every time I thought I'd worked out how all the pieces fit, things got slippery. This was really entertaining, and I would definitely recommend.

There is always the worry that when one of your favourite authors decides to step out of their usual genre and go in a totally different direction that it will not be as good, or you won’t enjoy it as much. Having loved the Sam Wyndham series there was no way I was not going to pick up a copy of Hunted and I am happy to say that although I don’t normally read thrillers I absolutely loved it.
When a bomb goes off in a shopping mall FBI agent Shreya Mistry is determined to find out who was responsible and why and she is not going to let the small matter of her being told that she is being transferred back to the San Diego office deter her. As her investigations continue she soon finds herself at odds with her superiors as she is sure that she is right but due to her attitude they are not convinced.
Sajid Khan finds himself being treated as a suspect when it is clear that his daughter Aliyah has links to the people believed to be responsible for the bombing and is surprised when he is contacted by Carrie, whose son Greg is also involved. She is convinced that they have been brainwashed into action and that they can convince them to stop before anything else happens.
The action is told via the voices of Shreya, Sajid and Greg, each one with a totally unique perspective, showing their doubts and insecurities as they all face challenges to act on what they believe and also what is right. There is something about Shreya that you can’t help but like, probably because she fights against stereotypes and refuses to take the easy route. With Sajid there is inner conflict between his religion and the belief that he has let his family down by encouraging his daughter to understand the politics of the world that may have ultimately led her to the danger she is now in.
This is definitely a fast-paced book that never lets up on the action as the race is on to prevent any further attacks and reveal the ultimate end game. Whilst you know that what is happening has something to do with the elections due to take place you are not quite sure which side the group has in its sights. What is more worrying is that with the way everything is heading this book is not outside the realms of possibilities and plays into the insecurities, stereotypes and general unrest we see every day and shows that you just don’t know who you can trust. Hunted may be billed as a stand-alone thriller but I would happily see Shreya Mistry again and has made me a convert of the genre.

was in the mood for a good thriller, and early reviews had put this right to the top of my list. It's my first book by Abir and so was looking forward to reading a new talent (new to me, at least).

It didn't quite hit the heights I wanted, but there were some positive aspects.

I liked the discussion around the unconscious bias we might have regarding terrorist attacks and the ethnicity of the perpetrator. Because as uncomfortable as it might make us feel, it's true - if a white person does something like this, then it's because they have mental heath problems and that's that. But if a person of colour does it, then it's because of their religion and they've been radicalised. And I think Abir has managed to depict that well, without making it too preachy.

It did take me quite a while to get into it. I thought at first it was because I was suffering from a hangover of the previous book I'd read. It's not that it didn't start with a bang (pun very much intended), because it did, but I found my focus wandering a bit.

It didn't flow tremendously for me, it felt a bit stop and start, flitting between characters and settings and back again. I'd say it got more like I was expecting by about 70% through. It wasn't bad before then, just a bit safe.

The reviews promised shocking twists, but to be honest, apart from the odd one near the end, there weren't many. And if I'm honest, one twist I had worked out almost instantly.

I did enjoy it, don't get me wrong, and Abir's writing is very good. But it wasn't the explosive addictive thriller I was expecting. It was slow. I hoped that it was just getting started and would pick up as it went, but even by halfway, whilst it was an okay read, it was still quite safe, rather than the tense heart-in-mouth kind of read.

I was waiting for that big "wow" moment that thrillers give you, and there wasn't one. There were a few "ooh" moments dotted about, but it felt like it was just lacking that thrill I wanted.

Considering how slow I found it, I was actually quite disappointed by the speed in which it ended. We have 300 odd pages of this book that I felt was too slow for a thriller, and then suddenly it was finished, things concluded, dot the i's and cross the t's, done, nice and neatly, and that annoyed me slightly. I was hoping the slowness of the rest of the book would be building up to this big finale, and it just was over too quickly.

I can't tell you that this book is bad, because it isn't. I read it in less than 24 hours. It's well written and all absorbing and I can see why people have absolutely loved it, and it won't put me off reading any of his other books. Looking at other reviews, I can see I'm definitely in the minority. It's good but it's not great. It's fine. And that's where I think it went wrong for me. I don't mind if a book is really bad, because then it makes me feel something. But a "fine" book. I don't like that. Give me one end of the spectrum or the other, make it fantastically good or fantastically book, but don't make it vanilla, which is how I felt this book was.

Hunted is an extremely fast paced stand alone thriller set mainly in the USA in the lead up to a presidential election. I was totally hooked from the first page. Twists and turns and the added scary fact that this might so easily happen make for an explosive read. Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an arc.

A plot to reset American politics will bring a Muslim father, an American Veteran's Mother and a career driving FBI agent together. There are wheels within wheels moving and nothing is as it seems. Well paced thriller, good characterisation. Recommended!

A gripping thriller as we follow Sajid and Carrie from England to America. Two parents racing against time to find their children Aliyah and Greg, who have been radicalised by The Sons of the Caliphate.
As the story picks up pace we find out the intentions of this organisation with Agent Shreya Mistry and the FBI hot on their trail.
So many twists and turns and the ending……I just wasn’t ready for it.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

4⭐️

A quick mention to point out the eye catching striking cover.

A standalone thriller surrounding t*rrorist b*mbings, the agencies trying to identify the culprits and their families. Interesting to see that illustrations are used as chapter headings.

The start feels very realistic to stories in the news, but for a long way in I didn’t feel that it offered anything new to captivate me. Then suddenly things became interesting.

What starts off in the first half as a slow burn becomes a bit of an action thriller. I engaged with the parents and their desperate attempt to save their children. Shreya the FBI agent was plucky and gung ho, but I didn’t gel with her. Although I warmed to Greg one of the antagonists.

I enjoyed it, it ended strongly. I think it will appeal more to people who enjoy modern action thrillers.

Fabulous standalone from a writer who just consistently delivers. Each strand is expertly woven, with a compelling cast of characters and such a great premise that it’s already one of my favourite reads of 2024.

Hunted is a fast-paced thriller set in today’s world of mistrust, fear and division. It opens with Yasmin coming to the slow and terrifying realisation that she’s been set up as a reluctant suicide bomber - but she’s not alone.

We’re introduced to many characters from the UK to the US each with different motivations - but just as you think you understand what’s going on, Mukherjee takes you in a completely different direction. I raced through this!

Two youths leave London and are then identified as part of a bombing in Portland. How did they get there and why?
Two very different parents join together to try and save their children.
The FBI try to sideline an excellent operative.
Who is hunting who and why?
A real page turner that keeps up the pace and momentum up to the last page.

This was a high stakes , high energy book that is unfortunately all too plausible.
The story line was engaging and well written, it held my attention and interest all the way through.
A GREAT story. Thanks to #netgalley and the publisher for allowing me a pre release copy. I just reviewed Hunted by Abir Mukherjee. #Hunted #NetGalley

Oh wow! This truly is a thriller; fast paced from start to finish and with so many unexpected twists. It starts off literally with a bang; an explosion in a shopping mall. Sadly, such events are so plausible and the panic, destruction and mayhem is well depicted. The story builds with FBI chasing terrorises at the same time as the parents of a couple of youngsters involved, desperate to find their offspring before the FBI.

It’s a superbly well written catch and hold your breath thriller, But it’s written with insight and intelligence which takes it to the next level. In addition to a carefully crafted story with plausible characters, Mukerjhee explores radicalisation. It’s an issue we know about but on the most part, don’t truly understand and it remains a threat to all societies. There’s much food for thought in the story and it’s one which swept me along with a punchy narrative and I was sorry when it finished. Simply superb.

Could not put this one down!! Great read, gripping fast paced thriller.
Story follows a few different characters, FBI agent mystry is chasing a group behind suicide Bombings, Sajid and carrie are parents of 2 suspects and they are desperately trying to find their son and daughter, aliysha and Greg are trying to escape the mind behind the bombings, Miriam.
Twisty turney, you think you've figured it out then discover you were wrong.
Really interesting read about radicalisation
I would definitely recommend!!
Thanks to netgalley for the arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Abir Mukherjee’s “Hunted” is a fast paced thriller. From the opening explosion that rips through a crowded American mall, you’re thrown headfirst into a desperate race against time. The novel is filled with twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very last page.

What elevates “Hunted” is Mukherjee’s exploration of radicalization. He delves into the dark underbelly of extremist groups, showing how they prey on vulnerable young people, particularly Muslims, raising important questions about the factors that lead to terrorism. It adds a layer of depth and weight to the fast-paced action, making “Hunted” more than just a thrilling read.

We follow two desperate parents, Carrie and Sajid, whose seemingly normal lives are shattered when their children disappear, suspected of involvement in the mall bombing. Their frantic search takes them across continents, forced to confront their own biases and the horrifying possibility that their children have been radicalized.

FBI Agent Shreya Mistry, driven and fiercely intelligent, is hot on their trail. As she pieces together the clues, she uncovers a larger conspiracy that threatens to bring the country to its knees. Mukherjee weaves these narratives together, creating a tension that never lets up.

Just when you think you have it all figured out, the story throws you a curve ball with its ending. It’s a satisfying conclusion that leaves you wanting more, but also cleverly sets the stage for a potential sequel.

This is a hard read. A mother and father trying to find and save their children from a radical group who are intent on causing a catastrophic event at the US Presidential Election campaign. A cat and mouse chase to find their children before the unimaginable happens. This is a great story although did not give me that adrenaline rush I was expecting. My only criticism was that the ending left me hanging. I would have liked a few more answers.

Abir Mukherjee is best known for his historical mysteries, featuring Wyndham and Banerjee, and set in India during the time of the Raj. However, with this book he has moved to a contemporary thriller and has done so effortlessly.

The novel opens with a shocking explosion in a shopping mall, but it is obvious to the reader that things are not clear cut. The young girl pulling a bomb in a case in an American shopping centre is a British Muslim and it soon appears the bombing did not go as planned. One of the first on the scene is rogue FBI agent Shreya Mistry, tenacious and obsessive, who enters the damaged mall against advice on her hunt for answers. America, meanwhile, is eight days before an election which, well, we all know what is happening in the US, so you get the picture. The candidates are lightly camouflaged but the out-of-control language and the damaging fissures in society are obvious and so this is an event which can easily become toxic very quickly.

Meanwhile, in London, Sajid Khan is a man quietly going to work at Heathrow Airport. He believes his youngest daughter, Aliyah, is in Japan but when the police arrive, he discovers she is believed to be in America, having travelled there with the girl from the shopping mall. Shocked and horrified, he is then visited by Carrie, an American woman who believes that Aliyah and her son, Greg are together. Together, the two try to find their children and uncover what is going on. Mistry is also desperate to uncover answers before she is pulled completely from the case.

Mukherjee has lots to say about the state of our world, the assumptions we make and has enough twists and turns to make this an exciting and intelligent read. Shreya is an excellent character but the one most readers will be rooting for is Sajid, who is determined to discover the whereabouts of his daughter and save her. I thought this a very interesting read and it would also be excellent for a book club as there is much to discuss.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.