The Tracker

"I never want to hear mention of bolt-cutters, a live rat and a bucket in the same sentence again. EVER."

If you start a novel on Saturday and finish it the following day, in my book, that guarantees a big five HorrorTalk stars. It is totally exhilarating to start a book you know nothing about, never having read the author before, beginning with mixed expectations, but then find it so damned good it was almost impossible to put down. Make no bones about it, John Hunt’s “The Tracker” did exactly that for me. It knocked me out, and that’s very hard to do.

I’m going to deliberately limit the plot details as it is very easy to give unnecessary spoilers. The best way forward is to approach it the way I did, and that’s by going in totally blind. The novel opens with a guy called Taylor walking into a police station to hand himself over to the law, as he knows the police are hunting for him. During his interrogation it is revealed he is the chief suspect for four brutal murders. Much of the first half of the book is told via the interrogation between the detective Owen and Taylor, who of course, claims he did not commit the killings. He does admit he was present when all four occurred and to the police looks guilty as sin. The book then enters flash-back mode and Taylor’s retelling begins right after the death of his mother when sinister shadow begins to stalk him and there begins a horrific game of cat and mouse between this supernatural being and Taylor. Of course, nobody believes him.

To say anything more specific about the plot would ruin the surprises, and there are plenty of those on offer. It really is a book of two halves, both of which are equally great, and I thought I knew where the second stanza was heading, but was completely wrong footed. Although the violence is sporadic some of the kill scenes were particularly brutal, realistic and handled beautifully by the author.

When the massively overweight Taylor, and weight is a key element of the story, is being relentlessly stalked by ‘The Tracker’ of the title the story did remind me a little of the film ‘It Follows’, as the thing always knows where he is. Read the book to find out why. Before long Taylor is running for his life and the balance between flashbacks and the sequences in the police station are well balanced as the body count increases.

“The Tracker” is a very easy and addictive novel to read, and I’m sure in the right hands could be turned into a terrific low budget film. It’s neither deep, long, or over-complicated and in its 182 pages throws the kitchen sink at the bruised reader with plenty of fun twists along the way. You’re not going to have to think too much, but I still enjoyed the ambiguity on offer as it hurtled towards its conclusion, and that’s the beauty of this type of entertainment. In my old age I’ve got squeamish, so I don’t ever want to hear of bolt-cutters, a live rat and a bucket in the same sentence again, that was truly nasty. And I mean NEVER EVER AGAIN. This is brutal pulp horror, with a terrific story thrown into the mix, which I am delighted to award five blood soaked stars. I’m going to have to investigate John Hunt further.

The Tracker is a horror novel that will leave a lasting impression. It gets pretty gruesome and violent. The story begins innocently enough, but soon evil things begin to happen.

Taylor is a 25-year-old man who lives with his mother. Both he and his mother are overweight. She is apparently quite large and moved into the garage at their home because she feared that, if she died, they would need a crane to get her out. One day, Taylor finds that she has died of a heart attack. After her funeral, weird things begin to happen to him. He begins to lose whole days, not remembering what he did or where he went. He begins to see a mysterious, shadowy man stalking him. Eventually, the shadow man reveals himself. He is some sort of demon called a Tracker. This is because he can place some sort of worm inside Taylor’s body that allows him to find Taylor.

Taylor is given 48 hours to evade the Tracker. If he does not get away, the Tracker threatens to eat him. (The Tracker has huge, sharp, shark-like teeth.) So, Taylor goes on the run for a couple days. Over those days, much violence and murder ensues. Taylor eventually turns himself in to the police, but can they protect him?

The pace of the novel is quite fast. Events happen in a flurry and Taylor’s time on the run passes quickly. There is not a lot of time spent on character development of the other people in the story. Taylor is the main focus. We see his story unfolding through the narrative and his inner thoughts and memories. He had a very traumatic thing happen in his past and it is the source of many of his problems.

There was a drastic switch to the tone of the story after Taylor tells Owen, the police detective, his side of the story. Suddenly, the reader is left questioning Taylor’s whole tale. That’s where things begin to ramp up.

If you don’t mind graphic descriptions of extreme, gory and gruesome violence, you will like this novel. It’s a pretty gritty horror story with plenty of gruesome scenes to make you fear things that go bump in the night. If you like being scared, read this one at night, in the dark, while the wind howls outside. That will set the mood quite well and send shivers up your spine.

Good fast paced book. Had read several books by this author and have enjoyed them all. Highly recommend.

<i>"We are going to play an elaborate game of hide and seek. You, of course, are going to hide. I..." he stopped and pointed one of those long fingers into his own chest, "will seek. I have been called the Tracker from time to time. And a devil. A vampire. A demon. The boogeyman. I prefer The Tracker."</i>

Taylor is playing a deadly game of hide and seek. He has 48 hours to outwit and outlast the demon that is hunting him. If caught, a cruel death awaits him. If he breaks any of the rules, there will be consequences. But if he can survive the 48 hours, The Tracker will let him live.

This book did not disappoint. An original plot with great story-telling. It will terrify and entertain you at the same time. This was a fast-paced, suspenseful thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The story flowed well and kept me intrigued from start to finish. It’s one of those books that comes along occasionally that makes you want to read it non-stop until you get to the end. The rat scene will make you cringe and give you nightmares for days.

This is my 2nd read from this author. John Hunt is quickly becoming one of my favorite horror authors. If you’re a fan of this genre, I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Black Rose Writing for supply me a copy of John Hunt's "The Tracker" in exchange for an honest review.

John Hunt knocks this one out of the park. Great read. This is definitely one of the best books that I've read this year. Never a dull moment reading this. The ending just a shocking twist. I highly recommend this one.

Wow! Twists you just won't see coming and a storyline of sheer terror! Very well written with well-developed characters this book will shock you, and keep you turning page after page! This can easily be made into a sequel. I'm off to see it this author has more to offer. I enjoyed his writing!

We begin this tale somewhere in the middle. Taylor has just survived 48 hours of hell. He approaches the police department, knowing they are looking for him as they suspect he is a mass murderer. After cleaning up the blood and putting on a prison jumpsuit, Taylor sits down to tell his improbable story to Detective Owen Graham.

After Taylor's mother's funeral, a "man" starts stalking him. One night he wakes up tied to his bed. He is told that he must run and when (not if) he is caught, the creature will eat him. We aren't sure what it is. The creature says: "I have been called the Tracker from time to time. And a devil. A vampire. A demon. The boogeyman. I prefer the Tracker." And so begins a fast-paced chase around the city with Taylor, a tall obese man, hoping to outsmart the Tracker.

It's hard to describe this book without giving anything away. It moves at a frenetic pace, as we follow Taylor and hope that the hapless loser wins out. The little twist at the end was a great touch. A thoroughly entertaining novel.

This was a Netgalley book.
I'm not sure what the tracker is other than a sadistic game player. He decides to play a "game" of hide and seek with a young over weight man accused of murder. If he can out last or out smart the demonic Tracker for 48 hours without breaking any of the rules, he gets to live. Taylor did NOT do any of the murders he was accused of, but no one will believe him.
The is a real page turner. It will keep you on the edge of your seat for hours. It has a great plot and an exciting twist at the end. Thank you to black rose writing for publishing this one!

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview The Tracker by John Hunt.
This book will have you turning the pages immediately.
A young over-weight man is wanted for a series of gruesome murders - he didn't do it, but no one will believe him will they? He turns himself over to the police and tells his story - horror story that is.
Scary, frightening, and will have you reading well into the night.
RECOMMEND - not for the weak of heart!

“I picked this book after reading the intro to the book and am so glad that I chose to read it. I read this in under 2 days as it was too good to put down and left you feeeling that you wantd to see what happened next.
The main character Taylor is one of societys missfts who was picked on for his size and was targeted by a man/creature called the Tracker as he wouldn't be missed by anyone. He was given a set of rules that he had to obey or else face the consquences and told to run for his life. If he disobeyed any of the rules anyone that he asked for help or involved them faced the most gruesome of deaths.
From start to finish you will be immersed in this book and will feel sorry for Taylor even though he does cause a few people to die the most horrendous death. I will look forward to read more of this authors books

The Tracker by John Hunt was received direct from the publisher. The Tracker starts out moving quickly, kind of letting the reader know what is in store for them. While there have been several movies along the lines of this book in recent times, the similarities are vague and all may not be as it seems. Hunts writing style keeps the reader interested and most importantly, not bored as many “horror” tales seem to do nowadays. I recommend this book wholeheartedly and thus far, in 2018, it is my favorite fiction novel.

5 Stars

I first read Doll House, so I was looking forward to reading this story. John does a great job using his writing skills and uniqueness to deliver another great read which held my interest from start to finish.

I liked this book, there was plenty of action and horror. Started with a sympathetic person and moved to a nightmare with several victims. I liked the characters and cared what happened to them. This is the first book by this author that I have read. I will look for more books by him.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the Publisher and the author for the opportunity to read and early copy of this book for an honest review.

The Tracker by John Hunt is a horror novel.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Black Rose Writing, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My Synopsis:
Taylor is a young man who is alone in the world. His mother has recently died. He has no real friends, and his life is spent working, eating and sleeping. When he starts to lose days, Taylor starts to question his sanity. When he hears noises coming from the basement, he adds locks. But the monster breaks out. A dark shadow of a man with no real face. He calls himself The Tracker, and he wants to play hide and seek. Taylor is given 48 hours to run, and some rules. If he can stay alive that long, the monster will let him live. The rules are simple. He can’t leave the city, he can’t tell anyone about this, and he can’t ask for help. Break the rules, and the result is death for those he approaches, and a worse death for Taylor. Taylor is intent on surviving.

My Views:
I think I may be a little prejudiced because John Hunt writes about a city just down the road from me. I recognize the street names, buildings, etc. It’s really cool, as it doesn’t happen often. On the other hand, I may be a little harder on this author because I want it to be good. And it was. I loved his first book, Doll House, which also included monsters – very depraved individuals. The monster in this book is different. It is pure horror. Hunt’s writing is really clear, really descriptive, and he makes you feel the emotions of the characters. You feel Taylor’s pain, his anger, his bewilderment. You feel the police officer’s puzzlement, anger and urgency. Great ending!

This one may not be for the squeamish….but I enjoyed it!

Taylor is an overweight guy who mostly keeps to himself. He has no real friends to speak of and his time is split between work and taking care of his morbidly obese mother. When she passes away he is totally alone... or maybe not. There's a strange man in a fedora stalking him. A shadowy figure who likes to play games, and the stakes are life or death.
This was a fast paced gruesome tale with a really fun twist that I didn't see coming.
4 out of 5 stars.

Oh geeze, where to start with this book??? First off, I was captivated by this read. It started off really strong. Ghostly, eerie, creepy....I mean seriously, being hunted by the boogie man for 48 hours while having to follow game-like rules...sounds like something out of a Wes Craven horror movie! And it was!! I was creeped right out for the first half of the book. It's been a long time since I've read a horror story that actually frightened me and The Tracker managed this feat!

As the story progresses, it shifts into more of a crime thriller. This part was also quite intriguing and suspenseful. There's an unexpected twist in the middle that was well executed. The ending was not as great as the first two thirds for me. It turns into action thriller - which is not a genre I particularly enjoy much. With that said, the writing was very good and the characters so well developed that I was glued to the pages the whole way through. I just wish the ending had been more horror than action.

Woukd I recommend this book to others? Absolutely! It is a fast paced and engaging read best experienced late at night. If you hear noises downstairs, be careful!. It might be the boogie man....

A gracious thank you to Black Rose Writing, John Hunt and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Copy furnished by Net Galley for the price of a review.

Do you want to play a game?  Come on, it's a simple variation on the theme of hide and seek, but with higher stakes.  It doesn't really matter if you want to play or not, the game has already begun.  Can you catch a glimpse of the shadow man?  You'll know him by his fedora and his long spidery fingers.  Still not sure?  Come closer, maybe that rictus-like grin he sports will convince you.  Keep an eye on the time.

The fine line that resides between sanity and madness comes into play with this fine tale of horror.

There are some squeamish parts, though I didn't mind them, some may find it a bit disturbing. The Tracker was a good book, well written, not too much horror, a good thriller overall. The sheer thrill coursing through your veins as you follow the course of the plot, that was unmistakable in this book. You know that something is going to pop out of somewhere, and you are not disappointed! But the books ends with a bam. Not disappointing at all!

Loved this book. Kept me guessing all the way through

4.5 stars

After the death of his Mother, Taylor begins hearing strange noises and realizes that the noises are coming from the basement. Could someone be in the house? When the basement door begins to open and strange looking hands and fingers appear, well it is obvious that he is not alone. As a matter of fact, he is invited to play a game. A game he has no choice but to play - grown up Hide and Seek with a horrible twist. Soon Taylor is being hunted by a man/demon/shadow/entity/devil (just what the heck is it) and he must obey the rules. If he does not obey the rules, then horrible things will happen to people close to him. He will be hunted for forty-eight hours, if he survives, then he lives. If he is caught, a terrible death awaits him.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I read it over the course of one day. This book grabbed me from the get-go. I was hooked and there was no looking back! Seriously, I was captivated. The Author blended horror, suspense and mystery beautifully in this book! I loved that Taylor knew that no one would believe him, but he desperately wanted to be believed, no, he needed to be believed. I loved that there were twists and turns that I did not see coming and for me, they enhanced my enjoyment of this book.

This book was also an incredibly fast read. I felt as if I had just sat down to read it and then it was over. I was so captivated by the story that time flew and before I knew it, I had finished the book. I have been itching to read a good horror book for a while now and I can consider this itch scratched with this book! This is the first book I have read by this Author. I look forward to reading more of his work!

Thank you to Black Rose Writing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

OMG,this book is soooo good I read it in one day,once I started reading it I couldn't put it down.

In the early hours of a Monday morning Taylor walks into a Police station,he's covered in blood,dirty and stinks of sweat.After he has been cleaned up and taken to a interview room,he begins to tell Detective Owen his unbelievable story.He says he didn't commit the crimes they suspect him of committing.It was the fiend who did it,the fiend who has been tracking him,the sinister monster who forced Taylor into playing a game.If he was caught he would suffer a horrible death.If he broke any of the rules of the game there would be dire consequences for Taylor and the people around him.All he had to do was avoid being caught and stay alive for forty - eight hours.As Taylor's incredible story unfolds neither Owen or the reader are sure what to believe.He can't be telling the truth,there's no such thing as monsters....right? He's just setting up his plea of innocent due to diminished responsibility.....isn't he?

Taylor and Owen are the main protagonists in this fast paced,twist packed roller coaster ride.This is a gripping part horror,part thriller story that contained some intense chase scenes,some spine chilling gory scenes and a added dash of humour.I would have given this far more than five stars if I could and would love to watch a film adaptation of this book

Extremely overweight Taylor senses and then sees a presence at his mother's funeral and from that moment on his life changes. The Tracker haunts him and tells him if he can evade capture then he can live - the alternative doesn't bear thinking about. What a barnstormer of a story - creepy doesn't do it justice and I couldn't put it down. Definitely not for the squeamish or faint hearted with truly horrible descriptions of violence and torture - it might, no it will, give them nightmares! Can't wait for the next book by this author.

The Tracker
By John Hunt

Hunt has written a dark thriller that draws the reader in, with challenges to reader to question the impact of enacting revenge of bullies and our darker nature.

Taylor, a young over weight man, living alone, has a mysterious visitor, a shadow, the tracker. The Tracker gives him a head start to escape and survive for 24 hours. But there are rules. Taylor can not ask for help.
What follows is a string of murders following Taylor.

Detective Owen is on the chase of Taylor, and upon his capture the real story starts.

The twist keep the reader engaged as the story unfolds, revealing a solid plot. The characters though are weak in places, detracting from the story.

The smaller sides stories did add some light hearted colour to the story.

#TheTracker #NetGalley

The Tracker
This is the first book that I have read from John Hunt or from Black Rose Writing. I am an avid reader and can usually tell within the first page if I will enjoy the story or not. The Tracker starts off with a seemingly innocent main character, Taylor. Mr. Hunt masterfully crafts his story so that the reader quickly feels a wide range of emotions for Taylor. From the beginning, you feel sympathy for the life that Taylor is living while enabling you to admire him for his strength. Shortly into the book, Hunt introduces the horror and I for one, found myself captivated. The character development and the twists and turns of the plot made for a thrilling page turner. The scene with the rat, (I don’t want to spoil anything for future readers), was gruesome!
I read this book in a day’s time. Quite an enthralling read! Horror is my favorite genre so I hold the bar pretty high and I feel like Mr. Hunt definitely hurdled said bar. If you enjoy sinister details and scenes that give you goosebumps as you read, then this book is definitely one that you should add to your library!

This book certainly doesn't mess around; it plunges you neck-deep into the chaotic life of Taylor, a suspected murderer whom swears innocence despite the evidence against him. I found myself instantly drawn in to his situation where I, too, questioned his very sanity, whilst also sympathising with him on some level. Hunt's intention was quite clear from early on - a fast-paced, thrilling concoction, meant to keep you on your toes. The one thing that really impressed me was the twists and turns that genuinely shocked me - all too often I foresee a typical plot direction and it ruins what's supposed to be surprising, but Hunt was able to expertly weave the unexpected and force me to reanalyse what I thought I already knew. I can't give enough credit to tales that make you pause and think; authors can certainly mess with their readers and bring the unpredictable.

At no point did boredom raise its pesky head; too much was happening. What started off as Taylor's recount of his last forty-eight hours of forcibly taking part in a game of hide and seek, turned into a grisly manhunt of murder and mayhem. The aspect of "The Tracker" and how he was able to influence his victim was an interesting one. He didn't seem to have any intention other than to toy with his prey and use their own suppressed hate against them. I really wish more information was offered regarding him, and if he had any other motive than just chaos.

Taylor and Owen, on the other hand, had a brief connection that stood out for me. It might have been highly impersonal for Owen, but for Taylor it was an examination of his life. I felt for him, for the struggle he had endured. Relating to him in a way, I hoped everything would have worked out, but I knew it was ultimately doomed.

Despite my high praise of certain aspects - that being the story itself, I found the writing to be terribly messy at times and it subsequently distracted me more than once. This is more to do with sentence structure and, of course, my own personal taste. I'll however give an example of exactly what I mean:

Owen realizing the paramedic wasn't only mad because he had walked in to find an unconscious man still cuffed to a steel table, he was thinking while flashing his beady accusatory eyes that Owen had something to do with it, had maybe even injured him and Owen tired and grumpy, opened his mouth to say something he'd immediately regret when Earl cut in and said...


I admit, I had to re-read this confusing pile of words about five times, and even then I had a hard time of discerning it. What should have been at least two sentences, were fused together to create something that just didn't work inside my head. Throughout the entire book, the quality reached both highs as well as lows, giving the impression that certain parts were rushed, whilst others more thought through. I believe it could have benefited from more editing to tighten it up, and thus make it overall easier to read.

In conclusion: A good story that kept me guessing, however the format of writing brought its cleverness down. I would consider it unfinished, and in need of further editing.

Notable Scene:

He needed time to process and speak with the other officers monitoring the interview to strategize how best to confront Taylor. Because no matter how much Taylor believed what he had said, it wasn’t true. It couldn’t be. Shadow men do not hunt people through the city. There were no shadow men.

© Red Lace 2018

The Tracker by John Hunt is another one of his amazing terror stories. As I am reading this I feel sort for sorry for Taylor since his mother just died. He is lonely and not a social person. This makes her death so much harder for him to manage.. Soon he meets the monster who he tries to run from. Towards the end of the story he becomes one with the monster
I wonder if there is a moral to the story!

The Tracker reminded me of the movie, "The Terminator" or maybe some kind of cyborg (is that the word) movie. LOL! Therefore, I am going to say it should probably be considered a YA Thriller. I don't know if that is a category but if there is one, this would be in it. I could picture a 12 to 15 year old boy enjoying this book.

I received a copy of this book through netgally in exchange for my honest review. However, I did not request this copy so it is something I would normally not request. I enjoy trying new genres though and would buy this for a nephew or a younger person.

My first thoughts were... "Holy guts and gore Batman!" I have to be honest, at first, I was really digging this. A game of chase with the boogeyman? Yes! Does that make me twisted? Eh... maybe, I like a good thrill. BUT... once we got to the second half of the storyline... I have to be honest and say that I started to lose interest. It wasn't nearly as enjoyable for me. There's no way for me to explain my thoughts on this without providing some spoilers, so I apologize... if you're not interested in the spoilers, you should stop now.

The novel centers around Taylor, a young overweight man, who is struggling with the recent loss of his mother and only friend. Now, all alone with no one to talk to, and struggling to overcome his fatigue and restless nights since his mother's death, he begins to hear strange things coming from the basement. The basement that is stuffed from wall to wall with stuff that his mother hoarded for years. How is it possible that someone could be in the basement? There was no room, no where to go? When Taylor goes to investigate he hears footsteps... again, coming from the basement. When Taylor opens the basement door to inspect it, he feels someone pushing on it from the other side. He slams his body against the door, but it doesn't latch, he easily tops three hundred pounds, why doesn't the door close? He sits on the floor and uses his legs and weight with his back and pushes the door closed and it finally latches. There's pounding coming from the other side of the door, the frame begins to shake, and door knob begins to rattle next to his head. The door slowly begins to move, and Taylor can feel himself sliding on the floor. He sees two long fingered hands emerge, one above and below the door knob. With all his strength and weight, Taylor once again begins pushing on the door, suddenly the hands disappear, and the door slams shut. Taylor hears a chuckle escape from behind the door.

This is Taylor's first encounter with The Tracker... creepy stuff... who isn't afraid of something coming out of the darkness of the basement right? It's not long before the Tracker finally catches up with Taylor and Taylor is forced to play a game of Hide and Seek. Taylor is given 48 hours to evade The Tracker, and if he fails, he will be eaten. There are rules though, he's not allowed to leave the city limits, he cannot tell anyone about The Tracker, as Taylor is the only one that can see him, and most importantly, he cannot go to the police or ask anyone for help. If he does, they will suffer a gruesome fate. Before the chase begins, The Tracker gives Taylor a "gift"... a worm is forced into Taylor's mouth and he's given no choice but to swallow it. This worm will allow the Tracker to feel Taylor's presence just as Taylor can feel the Tracker's presence. An internal beacon if you will.

As the chase begins Taylor soon realizes that following the rules isn't always the best option for survival. People are suffering at the hands of the Tracker for merely being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Taylor has now endangered the lives of others in an attempt to save himself, and the guilt is something he'll have to live with. As the end of the 48 hour comes to an end, Taylor is now a wanted man for murder... remind you... The Tracker cannot be seen unless he wants you to see him, so who else can responsible for the murders? Taylor decides that his best and only option is to turn himself in to the police.

After Taylor explains his horrid tale of "The Tracker" to officer Owen Graham and the tables begin to turn and Owen begins to explain the evidence against him... well... that's when I started to get a bit disappointed with where the storyline was headed. I was thoroughly enjoying the cat and mouse game between Taylor and The Tracker, but once that ended, and suddenly the game shifts, well, I didn't find the transition was smooth enough for me. There were just some things that I found didn't get answered well enough for me. For starters, there wasn't a backstory to The Tracker. I would have liked to have understand the motivation behind "the game" that his victims are put through. Secondly, spoiler alert here, how is it that Taylor becomes possessed by The Tracker? Are we led to believe that this is tied to the worm he ingested, or did something else occur? It's mentioned at one point in the novel after Rosie has been kidnapped "To the place that grew hate in Taylor's heart and allowed me to enter." Is this supposed to mean that because Taylor harbored bad feelings about his past that he could become possessed. Again, how? So to sum it up, I didn't care for Taylor's backstory about his high school days... that driving him to kill... and so on. It simply didn't work for me.

The other issue I had with this novel was the dialogue. I found the dialogue to be too clunky at times. It just didn't seem natural. Every time I read a scene with dialogue I practically cringed. All that aside, there were some great aspects of this novel, the descriptive writing didn't lack, which is always a huge plus for me, especially when writing a horror novel. Sorry to say, but the more descriptive, the better when it comes to gore. Gross, I know, but that's what makes it horrific. The suspense didn't lack either, the thought of someone chasing you, doing whatever you could to survive, nearly escaping with your live... well, if that isn't thrilling, then I don't know what is?

I want to thank NetGalley, Black Rose Writing, and John Hunt for allowing me the chance to read this novel in exchange for my review.

What a page turner! I never thought for one moment that I would spend the entire day reading this book from start to finish, which in itself is saying something.

I don't seem to get around to reading horrors that often, but 'The Tracker' certainly caught my attention. Totally different to what i usually read, so it made a bit of a change. Plenty of twists and turns. I am not going to write what the story is about for fear of spoiling for others. It's the first time that i have read any books by John Hunt and it will not be the last. Recommended.

Reviews can be seen on Goodreads and Amazon.

DNF after 31% The document started skipping pages, repeating pages, or jumping to past pages.

From what I did read, I liked it. I think the suspense of the game and Tayler trying to get away from The Tracker was an interesting concept.

The story jumps between the main character Tayler as he desperately tries to get away from this creepy man that calls himself The Tracker, hence the name of the book, and Taylor being interviewed by the cops after he's linked to a string of murders.

The characters where interesting and I liked the fact that the author used people of size as main characters. Since I didn't get to finish it I don't know how it ends but I have a feeling that The Tracker is all in his head since Tayler just experienced the sudden death of his only friend, his mother.

The only negative I could read think of is the paragraph lengths were too long. Some of them could have easily been split up into smaller and more manageable ones. Other than that it held my interest for the most part.

This book is about a young man called Taylor, Taylor is a lonely, extremely overweight man, his best friend is his mum, a morbidly obese lady who is bed bound and Taylor has to do everything for her, that is until she dies and the Taylor's world unravels, At his Mothers funeral Taylor sees a dark dressed man at his mother's funeral hiding in the shadows, slowly the dark man starts to terrorise Taylor, he becomes known as the Tracker, and after Taylor starts missing days, the Tracker tells him if he can stay away from him for 3 days he can stay alive, the tension doesn't let up until the end haunts him and tells him if he can evade capture then he can live - it is a disturbing read and not for the faint hearted as it is quite descriptive in places, but if you like a thrill this is for you. Thankyou to Netgalley for letting me read this.

What can I say about this book. It was a thrillingly gruesome read. It is a book of two halves and the twist in the first part of the book really turns the plot on its head. Well paced and binge worthy this book took me no time to finish. The characters were well written and 3 dimensional which put it above other books I have read. It's most assuredly worth a read especially if you enjoy the likes of dean koontz or James Herbert and possibly even Stephen king. I would recommend this book to anyone with a penchant for horror. Only don't blame me if it gives you the screaming ab dabs lol.

Hunt’s new novel is a smashing horror thriller that starts at 100mph and doesn’t slow down until the riveting end.

Starting out as a loner whose best friend is his mother, all is very depressing but when the mother dies and Taylor is alone in the world, things take a drastic turn for the worse. The characterisations and plotting are on point. The action is quick but Hunt never loses the reins of this tense thriller.

This is a quick page turning read that runs at a trot but do to Hunt’s masterfully hand at plot and character development, none of these suffer which under a different author, this could have easily got away from him. There are times that Taylor becomes slightly irritating but this is in keeping with the character and his mother’s boy mentality. This is handled extremely well and if I were to be honest, if Taylor was in the real world, I would probably be highly annoyed with him.

The violence is very descriptive and may not be for all readers. Saying this, it fits perfectly within the structure of the novel and not gratuitous or slotted in for the hard core fans.

Overall, this is a rewarding read from the author of A Doll’s House. The book will keep immersed and haunted long after the final words are uttered in your mind.

I approached this book with the trepidation I always approach horror titles. Will it be the same old? On this occasion I'd say that it lies closer to being a pleasant surprise than a huge disappointment but I can't honestly say I'd go out of my way to recommend it to the young people I work with, many of who are horror fans. On the other hand I wouldn't recommend they avoid it. It starts well and carries on well enough and was an easy and fairly enjoyable read. Just didn't set off any fireworks. I'll look forward to reading more of John Hunt's books though and would say that this one is worth a look at very least.

I received a copy of this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Fast paced book, with lots of twists and turns. Horror with a mix of thrill is my favorite type of book. Second time I have read a book from John Hunt and I will definitely read his next one.

This review is very late. Uh, I've been a wee bit ill lately. Um, shit happens. Still, for all the time that passed between me reading and reviewing this book, not a damn thing has changed. If you like weird arsed stuff that has no plausible explanation. The whole darn story was weird, and had me on the edge of my seat. This story was kinda "maybe lottsa" scary. Honestly. This scared the crap outta me. Sometimes it happens that way. This did. That ending? Dude...No way, Jose. That end scared the farcks outta me. So,yep. I tell ya' what. For some good old fashioned scare the cronk out of y'all. Is there such a thing as farcks? John Hunt is someone who I bought the first book after reading this. My thanks to the publishers and Netgelley.

Attention to lovers of all these dark, suspense-driven and gruesome. I’ve found a new gem that will have your heart beating in your throat the whole read through.

I hate being chased. When our group of friends play a horror game together, I’m the first one to give up, screaming and pressing the pause button and passing the game onto the next person as I whimper in defeat. So imagine my sheer delight at finding a book with a good chase. I was still terrified, despite not being in control of the story

What a gut-wrenching, stomach-churning and head-thumping read.

He couldn’t remember being this tired ever in his life. He wiped a hand across his mouth and tasted more blood. He must look a sight. He could feel the blood all over his body, sticky and hardening on his skin and in his hair. He knew the police were looking for him. They had been since the first body had been found…

This book does a fantastic job setting up an adequate balance of suspense, mystery and atmosphere.

The plot: set-up and pay-off
Taylor has been hunted by the police for the murder of four people. However, the police are nothing compared to what has been chasing him for the past 48 hours.

The police thought Taylor had killed those people. Since he had been present for all of them they had every reason to believe that.

Taylor gives himself in at the police station and begins to tell his story to the detective, Owen.
Taylor is a mild-mannered and kind, if overweight, twenty-five-year-old man. Taylor lived an uneventful life with his mother, until one day she was struck dead by a heart attack and Taylor was left alone to fend for himself.

When Taylor’s mother died, it made the news. Not in the obituary way, where a loved one puts it in the paper….That would be almost nice. Taylor’s mom was huge. And when she die, it made the front page.

Every day Taylor misses his mother but begins to accept it as a part of living that people come and people die.

Every day, Taylor despises himself and his weight.

Every day, Taylor becomes more and more lethargic.

Every other day, Taylor experiences lapses in memory that he can’t explain.

And that is when the terror begins.

I love how Mr Hunt introduces characters. He sets up a character in one chapter and already has you either rooting for them or hating their guts:

Stephen became a police officer because he thought the uniform looked sharp and would confer respect on him without actually having to do anything...it never occurred to him that a mass murderer would walk in the door. Weren’t those guys supposed to be running away from cops?

Things that go bump in the night

If you didn’t do it, who did?
I don’t know. A monster? The monster in the basement.” Owen leaned back, a line between his eyebrows and said, “A monster in the basement, huh?

Taylor begins to explain that he had been seeing a man in a fedora in his house.

The man in the fedora stood on the other side of the glass, staring at him.

The man begins to appear more and more frequently.

His eyes popped wide and he turned his head. The basement door was wide open. Hanging on the basement side doorknob was a black fedora…he heard a creak on the stairs from deep in the basement.

And one day, Taylor wakes up, strapped down on his bed. And the man in the fedora stands over him.

If you don’t look at me. I’m going to bite off your pinky. The man said it casually, as though he said “French fry” rather than pinky...triangular, serated fangs jutted from his gums and pointed in every direction. When he spoke lines od drool escaped from the corners and were swiftly absorbed by his skin.

And so the man in the fedora – the Tracker – lets him loose and gives him two days to run. And so, the delightful terror begins.

Comments: writing, characters twists and turns
The characters in this book are realistic and very easy to have sympathy for. I think that Mr Hunt does such a good job at writing characters, especially for a horror where characters are often overshadowed by plot and monster.

I love that the book begins in the middle of a total shitstorm and only manages to make things more chaotic and terrifying. It manages to implement a slow burner and an action-packed thriller in one punch.

The twists and turns in this book are absolutely fantastic. Like any good horror does, there are small clues left to have you hitting your head and saying “how didn’t I see this coming?”. But when it comes, you wish it hadn’t.

The dialogue has the natural and pessimistic bite of a good murder mystery, but the clipped, coarse dialogue of horror when needed.

I won’t spoil any other aspects of the book. All I’d like to say is that the set up ends up in such a satisfying pay off that chilled me bone-deep. The way Taylor’s past, the man in the fedora as well as the killings interplay and come together was a jaw-dropping moment for me.


Conclusion
This is a machine gun shot-paced, page-zipping thriller. It’s not particularly long or complex but it will haunt your head for days, if not weeks, on end. John Hunt will forever be on my list of the best horror authors out there.

I have been called the Tracker from time to time. And a devil. A vampire. A demon. The boogeyman. I prefer the Tracker. It is most apt considering what I do.

Now here is an original plot that will make you be afraid of falling asleep.

Taylor is a 25 years old man with a series of problems. He’s over 100kg in weight, being diminished by his mother over it until her death. He’s also accused of multiple murder charges that he swears he’s not guilty of. But something wicked in on to him. Taylor is soon pulled into a deadly game of hiding and seek. He has 48 hours to outwit and outlast the demon that is hunting him. If caught, a cruel death awaits him. If he breaks any of the rules, there will be consequences. However, if he can survive the 48 hours, The Tracker will let him live. Can he escape his fate?

John Hunt did it again. After his novel Doll House, I was expecting something more or less inside that universe but this book brought his work to a completely different level. The idea of playing a game with the Boogie Man and having or losing your life in the end game is brilliant. An original and refreshing idea that was very well explored developed and described. The plot has a strong start, shifting from horror to a crime thriller towards the middle of the book.

His style of writing brings the story alive and you’ll feel terror get a hold of you right from the beginning and it doesn’t let go. Hunt has a lyrical way of presenting events and the path of the character in the story while, at the same time, building the suspense and the feeling of dread until the very last page. He builds this dark reality magnificently, capturing your interest in a way that gets you addicted and makes you keep reading even though the most gruesome bits. The end comes with an unexpected twist, beautifully placed and executed. It closes the plot perfectly and leaves you feeling satisfied with the ending. However, I was expecting more horror than action in the end. I’m a fan of thrillers but as the book started very strong on horror, I would have appreciated more of it in the end.

The characters are well developed. Taylor is a man with something to hide and he desperately wants to be believed even though he knows that isn’t about to happen. From the beginning, you’re left wondering if Taylor is innocent or guilty of the crimes he’s accused of, in the end, though all the questions are answered.
I highly recommend this novel to fans of horror and thriller genres that are looking for a book that gets you glued to the pages from beginning to end.

Thank you, NetGalley, the publisher Black Rose Writing and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book.

Overweight Taylor has lost his mother due to a heart attack. Taylor is home alone missing his mother when he first meets the Tracker. He explains to Taylor about a “game” he will be playing with Taylor. He then tells Taylor the rules of the game. Taylor doesn’t want to play because if he can’t evade him for 48 hours, he will die a very unpleasant death. Can Taylor win? As the game plays, there is much violence and death occurring. Finally
Taylor goes to the police to tell them his story of Tracker, the creepy man with a fedora.

It’s a fascinating story. Who is the Tracker? Where did he come from? Those are some of the questions I still have about this novel. I could feel Taylor’s feelings throughout the novel. I wonder what was going to happen next. It’s an exciting and creepy read.

Disturbingly-fantastic and shockingly-twisted! Demented and horrifying! Intense and riveting! Suspenseful and addictive!. Dark and complex! A jaw-dropping, psychological thriller at its best!