Off the Grid

Wow - great book - i literally could not put this book down.
The book starts with a bang - this book is relevant, really scary, and is right off the headlines.
A family is at the mall, Graham, a young father, with his wife and child are enjoying the day until they hear shots fired and they run and hide. Graham shields his famiy, but the shooter finds them and...Days later Graham wakes up and reality sets in - his family is gone. Graham has survived, but he will never be the same again. He was critically injured mentally and physically; his appearance has been altered forever because the killer shot him in the face. His life as he knew it will never be the same again.
Graham lives alone in solitude after he recovers. He lives in the wilderness and rarely interacts with people. But Graham's suffering and pain has taken on a life of it's own.
A young child has been kidnapped from her home and Jodie Reyes, a detective, is called in to find her. Reports come in that a man fitting Graham's description bought items that may be related to this crime, so Jodie meets with him to see if he is involved. Graham strikes Jodie as a man who is in pain but not involved in this case. She is struggling to find the clues to connect where the child is until the child turns up on her own doorstep talking about a man with a strange face who saved her.
Reyes knows Graham saved the child, but can't figure out how he did it. Jodie's wants to get to know this man. And soon she will because a teenager goes missing, and Jodie knows that her only hope in finding her is Graham.
Fast paced with great twists as the plot lines interconnect. Very good - 4 stars

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. Very interesting premise with almost a science fiction overtone. Large segments of the book do not have the main characters in the story. The author could have tightened up his writing with more action and less mental ramblings. Many papragraphs are far too long, even to running over a full page in legnth.

The Good

Plot. Oh man, oh man, horror and thrillers are not my thing but I can definitely see this changing. Although it didn’t seem to be something I liked, I really wanted to get out of my comfort zone so I was like meh, let’s give this a try. Was I wrooooong????!!!! Yes I wassss!! The plot in this book is goalz. It is handled so well and the characters are so true to their identity you would believe this book was based on a true story. The way this plot twisted and turned and how the mystery, horror and thriller combined with some paranormal… it was amazing.

Characters. Like I said before, they stayed so true to their identity and the way they were portrayed was so realistic… Jodie, my favorite character, is a detective, woman, of color, with a position high enough to piss off many men. She however doesn’t build this shell of “nothing can touch this bad ass girl”… she breaks down crying alone in her room when something good happens in her investigation. Graham is not a monster. He didn’t go to the woods and became an animal. He stayed the educated, smart man he was from the beginning. His reasoning for hiding is a very credible one and not at all pushed to the extremes. Even the negative characters in this book, they have weaknesses, they worry about their alibis, some of which even fail tremendously… I should stop before writing a book about a book but yeah, in case you missed it, I liked the characters.

Atmosphere. From the very first page you know you can expect great things from Mr. Hunt. I haven’t read scenes about shootings. Luckily they are not something that happens in my country and I don’t have any special need to read about people getting killed for the most idiotic reasons the human mind can invent. However, the atmosphere and contextualization in this book are tops.

World building. It may seem strange to talk about world building in a book so focused on the plot but the action covers quite a bit of terrain and I loved the switching between outside/ inside, urban/natural context. It was a brave move and it was done real good. It added many more layers to the book and made it go beyond your typical commercial horror story.

Conflict. Although the focus is, as I said, on the plot, it’s not just the exterior conflict that matters. It’s not just a matter of the good guys catching the bad guys. It was also a matter of human conscience and interior conflict.

Paranormal. I didn’t really know how to feel about this. It was a make or break kind of situation. The author however handled it really well and it made the book. It wasn’t ridiculous, it wasn’t overpowering, it was just the right kind in the right amount.

The bad

One thing I have to complain about and that is really small. There were a few typos in this book and they were the kind a non-native speaker noticed. They didn’t deter me from reading this book, as you can see I clearly read and liked it. They were just there, nagging at me.

Off The Grid by John Hunt is a psychological thriller/horror novel.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Black Rose Writing, and of course the author, for offering his book to me in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Graham Richards is a recluse. His wife and son lost their lives during a mall shooting. Graham survived a point-blank shot to the face and one to the chest, leaving major scarring and massive headaches. Between his guilt for not protecting his family, and his own pain, Graham has also developed an anger issue, which he struggles to control. Rather than worry about hurting anyone else, Graham moved to a cabin in the woods and is trying to be totally self-sustaining. His garden, his solar panels, and all the wood he can chop has almost made his visits to town non-existent. The fewer people he sees, the better.

When six-year old Francine is kidnapped, Graham finds himself saving the girl, if only to keep attention away from himself. No matter how much she wants to know, Detective Jodie Reyes stops asking Graham how he found Francine. Jodie becomes Graham's first friend in years.

When a teenager goes missing in Northern Ontario, Jodie finds herself in charge, and wondering if she should have asked Graham for help. Soon she herself is being targeted, and Graham will have to brave the world to try and save her, and himself.

My Opinions:
Another amazing book by John Hunt. The plot of this book could have been pulled from today's news, and that in itself adds to the horror. Hunt's characters are so real, his imagery so vivid, his writing so smooth, he sucks the reader right into the story....and doesn't let go.

The book is fast-paced, action-packed and just a touch gruesome. Be warned, John Hunt writes violence vividly. If you don't actually feel the blood splatter, you definitely see it in your mind...again, and again.
I must admit that living in Ontario definitely draws me to John Hunt's books, as he writes about cities and towns that I know, and if some of them are fiction, the topography is not.

Overall, although some of his descriptions are a little repetitive or long, it is a really good book. It just grabbed me and hung on, much like a dog with a bone (or maybe a thigh).

Highly recommended!

A recluse in the Canadian woods

Graham Richards is living as a recluse in the woods of Ontario, Canada. He and his family had gone shopping at a small when a madman started shooting people. Graham made it out alive after being shot in the face and chest but his family was killed. He is horribly scarred and just wants to be left alone.

But Detective Jodie Reyes goes to question him after a little girl is snatched during the middle of the night and receives help and a friendship she wasn't expecting.

This is not the type of book I was expecting. There's more than one crime featured in this thriller and a paranormal aspect I really didn't expect.

I would love for this to be the first in a series featuring Graham and Jodie. Great characters and twisted story.

Highly recommended.

I received this book from Black Rose Writing Publishing through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.

Graham Richards is a recluse living off the land. He's gone "off the grid" after he was shot, and his family died when a man began shooting inside the mall where they were shopping. He wants nothing more than to be left alone, but then a little girl goes missing from her home....

A local teenager goes missing after a date with her boyfriend. When the police are called in to investigate, they find that some of the people they are interviewing are not behaving as most "typically" should or would in these circumstances. As the police dig deeper, suspicion, lies and secrets are revealed....

This is not a cozy mystery folks. John Hunt does not shy aware from showing the horrors of crime, the brutality of evil or the darkness in people. This is not for the faint of heart. He's descriptive and detailed when describing scenes in the book. He also does a great job showing how one man can change in an instant. Graham goes from being a social family man to a man who just wants to be left alone. But then he is pulled into an investigation and forms a friendship with a police officer and everything changes.

Graham is not the only character in the book, there are many others who help keep the action, intensity, and plot moving. I found this book to be a very fast read, and enjoyed the slight paranormal element, which I felt fit smoothly into the plot.

Riveting, gruesome and compelling - this is another great addiction to horror books to be read when it comes out this Halloween.

Thank you to Black Rose Writing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own

Graham and his family were shopping at a mall when he got shot in the face and his family were killed. Remarkably Graham survived but his facial injuries were too horrific and people would stare at him, so he takes himself to live in a cabin in the woods. Fast forward... A girl has been snatched from her bed in the middle of night, the same day Graham was buying suspicious items from a store.

I absolutely loved this book!!! I have read Doll House and really enjoyed it, but this was much better in every way and had me gripped from the first page. Obviously, if you have never read anything by this author, the details are pretty gruesome, so not for the faint-hearted. Would definitely recommend and will tell all my friends.

Graham, his wife and son decided to head out to the grand opening of the mall. Anything to keep his young son off of the TV playing video games. He didn't know a crazed killer having a bad day would change his life forever.
Jodie an up and coming detective is trying to find a missing child .the little girl, six years old had been taken at night out of her bedroom while she was sleeping. The next day the little girl is back home. She tells a story of the man who rescued her and made sure she got home safely.
What do these two events have in common? You'll have to read this awesome book.

Off the Grid begins like too many people's stories end these days....with an active shooter killing random, innocent people at an outlet mall. Just like that, Graham's life changes forever. Three years later he lives "Off the Grid" in the woods outside of a small town. He can't stand to be around people. They literally make his head hurt. One night a 6 year old girl is kidnapped and Graham meets Jodie, the Detective working on the kidnapping and thus, his life changes yet again when he allows a person into his life as he allows friendship to happen. Some time later and farther away burned bodies are found and a teenage girl is missing and, yet again, Graham's life takes a turn when Jodie asks him to help with the case.
This book grabbed me and did not let me go! I binge read it in two days. It's a real page turner. There's drama, mystery, a really great "oooooh noooo....what?????" moment" involving our missing teenage victim and a member of her immediate family. There's also a bit of psychic mysticism and wonder and the wounded taking back their life and soul. Wonderful book and a very timely subject matter.
#OfftheGrid #Netgalley

After being severely injured in a mall shooting, Graham can no longer handle being a part of society. Instead he retreats to the woods to live a self sufficient life off the grid. However, when a little girl disappears Graham is the main suspect. All because he happened to buy some 'suspicious' items at the hardware store the day before. Jodie, a hardworking detective, isn't about to leave Graham alone and what happens next took me completely by surprise!!

This isn't the book I expected to read when I requested it from Netgalley. In fact it was even better. I expected a sad story about a lonely man trying to make a life for himself after a horrific tragedy instead I got a hard hitting, gripping detective novel. Be prepared, there are some real gruesome moments and you'll be screaming and shouting at the book. I found myself really rooting for some characters but there's not a happy ending for everyone. This is not that kind of book.

Most of the characters were well rounded and 3 dimensional, giving the impression of real people. Which meant that I became emotionally invested in some of them. There are also some great twists that I didn't see coming - one of which I actually gasped out loud at. As the story is so gripping and the the novel is quite short (253 pages) it was an easy and quick read - I flew through it but that was by no means a negative thing. I didn't want to put it down. I will definitely take a look at John Hunt's other novels.

This book just grabbed my attention from the very beginning and didn’t let go. This is no slow burner - it’s a face paced thrill of a ride that will have you unable to tear yourself away from the pages. It’s gruesome and violent but it’s not gratuitous - it fits the story. The author’s attention to detail is just so good -and his writing flows very well. I love the interaction between Detective Jodie Reyes and Graham, a young father who survived a mall shooting in which his family was killed but he was left horribly disfigured. For this reason he has secluded himself in the backwoods where he’s trying to make himself self sufficient. But then a little girl goes missing in the local town and someone mentions the strange monstrous man in the woods and he knows that his life will never be calm again until the girl is found. The whole town, the police force, every able body has been looking for this girl. Miraculously, the next morning she shows up at her home with a note for Jodie. I highly recommend this book. This is my first book by John Hunt. I’ve heard good things about Doll House and The Tracker. I’ll be reading those very soon.
Thanks to NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review

Police Detective Jodie is called in on a missing child case. All the clues point to the town hermit, a disfigured man who lives out in the woods far from town. Jodie doesn't think he's guilty, but he's certainly involved...

The summary of this fascinating book only covers the first about fifteen percent. Although it seems like it's going to be a solid police procedural, it takes a swerve into urban fantasy after a while. None of this is meant as a deterrent; I really enjoyed the read. I just want to make it clear.

The characterization was great, and the pace is perfect, rattling along at just the right speed. I loved all the little interludes from different points of view; it added real depth to the story and let us get to know the characters better.

This is a great adventure read. I really enjoyed it.

Unusual story. Good cast of well developed characters. Graham is an unusual person and has more reasons than are first evident to avoid people. Highly unexpected kidnapping. Well done story.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book, and I am so glad I did. I am constantly looking for horror novels that are truly frightening and this book is a pristine example.

The book is an intermingling of multiple perspectives with meticulously developed characters. I was so deeply immersed I had to put the book down a few times with how realistic the writing is. I don’t want to give anything away, but it is really a unique, unexpected story that will make you question sleeping with the lights off.

This book is the reason I read books.

5 Stars for Off the Grid by John Hunt! I didn't quite finish this one in time for Halloween but it's a great fall read, nonetheless! The first 5 pages were nauseatingly descriptive. So much so that I was hoping the gruesome details were only at the beginning and the rest of the book would be dedicated to resolution and justice. I was immediately hooked.

John Hunt chooses an unlikely hero in this book, a survivor. A lonely recluse who lost it all, lives "off the grid," until he can no longer sit back and pretend he wasn't forever changed the day his family died in a mall shooting. He hates all things human, all things noise, and has carved out a life for himself in the middle of nowhere. Until he steps in and saves a little girl.

Jodi knows there's something special about Graham. People in town turn away, cannot look him in the eye, and are disturbed by his physical scars and appearance. Graham realizes that Jodi is different too. They bond over coffee, wine, and books. When Jodi is called away in an emergency and her life may be in danger, Graham cannot sit by and wait to lose the only thing that has started to matter to him.

Three seemingly ordinary friends (two of them brothers) are caught in a string of lies, crime, and unthinkable pasts. When the truth starts to unfold, one victim at a time, Jodi and Graham get caught in the middle. And, they end up back at the mall, where Graham lost his family.

The last quarter of this book was a race. I flew through the end, ready to see what was going to happen to Graham, Jodi, and the malicious trio. John left me guessing, holding my breath, and begging for justice.

This book was provided to me for free, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you @blackrosewriting and @netgalley. #bookreviews #5stars #johnhunt #offthegrid #needtoread #bookblogger #5stars #suspensefulread #sendmemorebooks #readmorebooks #booknerd @oakcitybooks #oakcitybooks

*This book had more drug use and very descriptive criminal activity, a lot more than I typically like to read. I found parts of it very disturbing. However, I think that's the effect and impact that John was going for.

In the beginning, Graham Richards is just another, typical family man. A trip to a new shopping mall, however, ends all this with the murder of his family and a close-range shot to the face. Damaged and scarred both physically and mentally, Graham becomes a recluse unable to hear much concourse with his fellow human beings.
Detective Jodie Reyes suspects there is more to Graham than meets the eye, when a young girl is returned safely to her family after being abducted.
Then there is a new case in which a teen disappears, after witnessing something she shouldn't have.
There are some very dangerous people living within the vicinity of Jodie's watch. But will Graham agree to help her find the teen's kidnappers in time?
The idea that brain injuries can result in psychic abilities is not a new concept in this kind of fiction and it jarred a little with the gritty realism of what seemed like a hard-boiled detective novel in the beginning. However, there is also some fairly florid horror in terms of the discoveries made in the course of uncovering the mysteries here. There were certainly some less-than predictable twists and turns in the telling. All in all, a good read.

Not exactly the story I was expecting after reading the synopsis. However, it did not disappoint.

Graham is a victim of a mass shooting, that takes the lives of his wife and child. After waking up with them gone and having been shot in the face, Graham wants nothing more than to live Off the Grid, away from people's staring gazes. When a young girl goes missing in the small town he lives in, the stranger with the mysterious past is a suspect. The detective on the case, Jodie, questions Graham and is sure he is not the man they are looking for. Graham doesn't want to be bothered again so he finds the missing girl. He and Jodie develop a friendship.

This all takes place in the first 20% of the book. I was a bit confused because that was all the synopsis talked about, so what happens in the other 80% of the book?

The book cuts to another story of kidnapping and you don't see Graham again until about 80% through the book. He comes back into the story after Jodie needs help with the other kidnapping.

This was an easy read, but the author doesn't shy away from the gory details. The story is shocking and heartbreaking. Aside from the detective, murder story, it also has a psychic ability/paranormal element to it, which was unexpected.

Overall I really enjoyed the book, the story kept you hooked from the beginning to the end. I hope this is not the only story we get about Graham and Jodie. Thank you NetGalley for the free ebook for an honest review.

This book was fast paced. Hard to put down. It flowed well and it was very well written. It caught hold of me and had me hooked from the start . I was literally on the edge of my seat reading this book.

This is a very good book. A man withdraws from society after he is severely injured and his family killed. This first part of the book comes as no surprise, but the writing is excellent. You feel the anxiety and fear as the gunman draws nearer and the stark depression when Graham must face his future. His decision to live "off the grid" lets him go on when his options are few.
Then the world interrupts. When a young child is missing and authorities contact Graham, he must decide whether to protect his solitude or help find the child. The police detective he works with lives a different kind of solitude. She works within a department where she is the only female so must maintain a tough reputation or never be accepted. As another young man goes missing, these two people find themselves working together when it becomes obvious that this criminal is different and will not be stopped.
It's very hard to give a synopsis without giving away the whole book. This is a very good book that will keep you engrossed in the story from start to finish.

I really loved this book. It was a brilliant sorry line with very developed characters which you love during the book. The crime and mystery aspect of the book made me want to keep reading. I would defiantly recommend this to everyone.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Black Rose Writing and the Author John Hunt for a copy of this Novel for my honest review.

I’m not going to give a description of this book Goodreads already does that. I’m just going to tell you what I thought about the book.

John Hunt weaved together everyone of the Characters in this novel to make them all interesting. I found the book to be a very enjoyable suspenseful read. I did not want to put it down. The novel held my interest to the very end. I did find the it take me a few chapters of reading before I did get hooked to the book, so if you decide to read this novel just give it the first couple of chapters and you should be hooked.

Thank you NetGalley and Black Rose Writing for the eARC.
This is one heck of a book, impossible to put down, with two superb protagonists: Graham who lives off the grid after his family is murdered in a mass shooting where he was shot in the face, leaving him horribly disfigured; and Jodie, the detective who slowly becomes Graham's only friend.
There's a slight paranormal feel to the story and some very graphic violence. Usually I don't like descriptions of violence, but John Hunt writes in such a way that it doesn't feel gratuitous in the least.
Terrific read that I recommend highly!

I couldn't stop reading this book until I had finished it and that doesn't happen often. It was fast paced, full of suspense and has everything you want from a horror/thriller/crime.
There is violence, it is gruesome, but at the same time, you get a real feel for the characters. I felt I was really immersed in this story. The writing is so realistic, it could be a true story
There were parts that were quite disturbing but this all adds to the effect and impact the author intends it to have on the reader, very clever.
I highly recommend everyone to read this, they wouldn't be disappointed. It has definitely made me want to read more of Hunts' books asap.

This book was provided to me for free, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you @blackrosewriting and @netgalley

Loved Off the Grid! I am secretly (or not so secretly) hoping for a sequel or even a series! John Hunt has woven a thriller/mystery that keeps you on your toes and wondering what is going to happen next. The main characters are lovable and you are pulling for them. Holding your breathe. Unputdownable!

Graham Richards is living as a recluse in the woods of Ontario, Canada. He and his family had gone shopping at a small when a madman started shooting people. Graham made it out alive after being shot in the face and chest but his family was killed. He is horribly scarred and just wants to be left alone. But Detective Jodie Reyes goes to question him after a little girl is snatched during the middle of the night and receives help and a friendship she wasn't expecting.
This crime thriller got me swept up in it and I couldn’t put it down. The characters and plot were definitely something else and in a good way. It’s emotional and heart pounding and left me thinking after I had read it. I hope there ends up being a second book!

Off the Grid is a fantastic fast paced thriller. This book is well written and the characters are well developed.

Enjoyable and fast paced thriller. Really enjoyed this book! Definitely would read more by this author.

I loved this book. An amazing story of strength and resilience with plenty of suspense and terror thrown in. Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for an exceptional suspenseful thriller. Graham's character becomes a favorite quickly and I found myself rooting for him until the end.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3028054814
3 stars
This story followed Graham who is living off the grid after experiencing a terrible trauma years ago. It also follows a abduction and several other terrible crimes. Honestly, there were times when I was enjoying myself and found it to be engaging. However, the strange way the author introduced new characters out of nowhere, an odd appearance of the supernatural and the mention of someone out of the blue at the very end had me searching the e book for the name trying to figure out who they were taking about and what it had to do with the ending. I’m still confused. Hence, my rating of 3 stars.

WOW! I didn’t know what to think about this going in but I wasn’t expecting what happen to happen and that is a great thing. I really liked this book even though it’s about a two active shooters. The way everything connected and the paranormal element (which I’m glad wasn’t so far fetched) fit perfectly. Definitely will be buying! Thank you Netgalley for this eARC and to the publisher.

I have really, really enjoyed the discovery of this author through Netgalley. He reminds me a lot of Jack Ketchum. While I didn’t enjoy this as much as Doll House, due to a certain element of the story I do not want to spoil, I was still wrapped up in the characters and events right from the beginning.

Thank you Netgalley for my copy of this book. I give this review voluntarily.

This book grabbed my attention from the very beginning, then it got a little too violent for my liking but I'm glad I stuck with it because it really is a good story and I really liked Graham and the officer, Jodie. Highly recommend.

Graham Richards has lost everything. He was shot during a mall shooting in which his family also perished. Now, he lives in the woods in a cabin off the grid, and away from people. He just wants to live quietly and not interact much with people. But, something has happened and it will draw him out of his sheltered life again.

Graham becomes a suspect in the disappearance of a girl from a nearby town, and suddenly his life is not the same. A detective, Jodie Reyes, is working the case. She has to interact with Graham the most, so the two develop a friendship over time. Graham doesn’t trust many people, so Jodie is essentially his only contact other than his parents. Together, they work on the mystery. Graham has frequent headaches, so his dealings with people have to be minimal.

I know this book was described as a horror book, but it really didn’t strike me so much as horror, but more as a mystery/thriller novel. Graham is described as having some sort of supernatural connection, but it’s not overly emphasized. He uses his skill for good purposes, like finding lost or missing kids.

The characters seemed realistic enough. The situations are what you’d expect in a mystery/thriller novel. I thought the pacing of the story was fairly good. The ending was kind of a full-circle sort of ending. I thought that was well-done. Overall, I enjoyed this novel and recommend it to anyone who likes a good, solid story to read.

This was a very suspenseful read, a real page-turner you may say. The plot took a different turn from what I expected, as the main character was not present during the middle part, and from what I saw (cover) and read (summary) I imagined some kind of isolated hunt-through-the-woods story. However, what I got was an intense psychological thriller about a missing girl. Of course, the disfigured stranger living isolated in the woods immediately becomes a prime suspect. But it turns out that he is one of the good guys, and the though female investigator is wise enough to recognize his mysterious gift and ask for his help.

I would really love this story to be made into a series and to read more about this unlike but efficient team, or rather, friendship.

Graham is horribly disfigured and his family murdered during a shopping mall shooting. Shunning society he retreats to the solitude of a cabin in a remote location. One night a little girl is abducted from her bedroom and police consider him a suspect. The shooting leaves him with a special skill which he uses to help police locate the girl and she is found alive and returned home. Jodie is the lead detective in the investigation and during the course of it forms a friendship with Graham. When another child goes missing she thinks his skill may be just what she needs to solve the case. Can she ask him to put his life at risk to save another?
I found myself wanting to know how Graham knew where the child was. I thought this was going to be centered on the recluse in the woods but it evolved into more than that. Interesting twist to the story which could be carried on in a sequel. Be warned some readers may find this a little gruesome in parts.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of the book in return for an honest review..

I wasn't quite sure what I was expecting with this book but I found myself thoroughly enjoying it. It is fast paced and the story keep me interested right through. I would definitely read a second book if this became a series.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advance copy of this title in exchange for an unbiased review.

A spell-binding novel that keeps you entranced right up to the spectacular finish. Beauty and the Beast with a grizzly, murderous backdrop. Fascinating story.