This is book 4 in the Colter Shaw series and although I’ve read this author before I hadn’t read any of this series and this read well as a stand-alone. Shaw finds himself in Ferrington in the America Midwest in this fast paced full of thrills read. Brilliantly written with a twisty plotline, the author leading you down a road only to find it’s another clever red herring.

Briefly, Shaw, who describes himself as a Reward Seeker and Hired to Find investigator, is hired by a corporate CEO to recover a stolen revolutionary industrial component. Having discovered the thief he is then hired by the same person to locate Allison Parker, his Engineer and her daughter Hannah who have gone missing following the release from prison of her violent ex husband Jon. Despite his skills Shaw is led a merry dance by Allison.

This was such an exciting read with dangers lurking in every corner. Very cleverly written and the relationship between Shaw and teenager Hannah is just brilliant. I was engrossed by the book and watch out for a shocking reveal that came out of the blue near the end. So good I’m off to check out the earlier books.

What can I say? I loved this! Well paced, really well drawn characters and quite a twist along the way. I'm a big fan of Jeffrey Deaver and with every Shaw book I'm becoming a bigger fan. Highly recommend.

Colter Shaw, Jeffery Deaver’s latest and the most exciting protagonist after Lincoln Rhyme, is back on his fourth adventure in Hunting Time, and I am grateful to HarperCollins UK / HarperFiction for the opportunity to read and review its Advance Copy through NetGalley.

Ferrington used to be a thriving industrial town until a few decades ago before deteriorating into a polluted shadow of itself and Jon Merritt’s story is not much different. Only, Jon’s decline from being a decorated police officer, a loving husband and a doting father to an angry alcoholic has been a lot faster. When he goes too far one night and hurts his wife, Allison Parker, grievously, she presses charges to get him imprisoned and terminates all contact with him. But Jon is released after serving only a year of his sentence and his first task as a free man is to procure a gun, and the next is to find where his ex-wife and Hannah, his fifteen-year-old daughter, live.

Allison, a brilliant engineer working for an up-and-coming manufacturer of revolutionary nuclear products in the otherwise gone-to-seed town, is shocked by the news of Jon’s early release and, barely minutes before Jon could catch her, runs away with Hannah who isn’t thrilled to go along on what she feels to be her mom’s paranoid trip. Having missed Allison narrowly, Jon employs both his own considerable detective prowess and his shady connections from the law-enforcement days to track down his quarry. Also wishing to find Allison is Martin Harmon, the owner of Harmon Energy Products that employs her, but with the benign intent of keeping her and Hannah safe until Jon is captured and sent back to prison. Luckily for Harmon, Colter Shaw, the professional reward seeker who can find even those who do not want to be found, is already in Ferrington on another job for the company and is willing to take up the new assignment.

The ensuing chase that pits Jon’s cunning against Shaw’s resourcefulness towards finding Allison and her uncooperative daughter—made deadlier by the couple of nasty, creepy characters hired by Jon—throws up several surprises, making it hard for anybody to trust anybody, and builds up towards an explosive climax.

Deaver has honed Colter Shaw’s character to perfection with the previous books and, knowing Shaw’s skills, the reader is in for plenty of entertainment. Brought up by survivalist parents and shaped by an unconventional life, Shaw is tough, smart and cool under pressure, and is the best ally one could hope for. The new characters—Allison, Jon and the pair of assassins—too are rendered splendidly in Deaver’s precise, crisp prose and are interesting to watch in action. Sonja Nilsson, the head of Harmon Energy security who is as mysterious as she is attractive, looks like a perfect fit for Shaw, but I had also liked Shaw’s pairing with Victoria Lesston in the previous two books and am eager to see what Deaver has in store for the trio. Somewhat disappointing in Hunting Time is the absence of Shaw’s family and Victoria whose company I had come to enjoy a lot.

As expected, Hunting Time has an absorbing plot with nonstop action and unpredictable twists all along that make it almost impossible to put down once started. Deaver’s writing is compelling, with vivid descriptions of places, people and events, and delightful nuggets of information about various things including the art of survival. The ending of Hunting Time promises yet another exhilarating mission for Shaw and I can’t wait to devour it!

Fast paced and compelling this book had me gripped right from the start and engaged the whole way through. I really liked the characters as well - well most of them and I couldn't put it down. Twisty and unpredictable, a great read.

Colter Shaw is one of my favourite characters and I'm so happy to see that the author brought him back for another novel. The story was gripping right from the start when we learn Colter is doing undercover work which then turns into a missing person case.
I highly recommend for anybody who enjoys a good thriller

I think most people already know what they're going to be getting when you start a new Deaver novel and this is everything you'd expect from such a master of his craft. Very clever written woth a lot going on. You do have to focus and these are not light reads lol. The complexity and subplots absolutely captivate you and make you completely escape the real world. The characters are well developed and just so real! Yet again, another must read

The star of this novel is once again Colter Shaw. Here in the longer format, Deaver’s protagonist is allowed to grow and evolve before our eyes in what is the fourth outing of this unique character.

Some have reviewed it and thought it was too technical, as if the science could mask and bog down the action and thrilling adventure. Not a bit of it; engineering is the peg that holds up the story only in so much as it underpins the thinking of Alison Parker’s approach to every aspect of life.

She is the chief designer and developer of a new miniature reactor that offers hope for fuel economy into the future.
Colter Shaw is hired by her boss to initially prevent her proto-type being stolen by a competitor and later to protect her when her violent husband is prematurely released from prison. Jon Merritt was serving a sentence for violence against Parker who testified against him and now fears he will be seeking to silence her for good in a fit of rage based on his alcohol fuelled anger.

This is a wonderfully clever novel based around the survivalist skills of Colter Shaw. Shaw tries to find Parker, who has gone on the run with her daughter, before Merritt can exact his revenge.

Shaw goes from Hunter to the Hunted in a life and death struggle to stay hidden and ultimately alive as others are engaged and used to support the exCop.

A story of great depth. Human interactions and motivations are examined and stripped back. Money seemingly can buy anything and life is cheap. Nothing can stand in the way of the focus to find and eliminate Parker and daughter in what the Police may end badly in a murder-suicide.

A free-style mosaic of a thriller which masks any clear idea in the reader’s mind, preventing the clarity of thought of where the plot is really going. Misdirection and fresh insights interwoven into the basic premise reveal new truths and clear perceptions of the characters and their motives. As the picture clears and comes into focus it is not always the image and preconceived ideas we once anticipated.

Slight of hand and allowing us to assume where the story is going, means the author always stays one step ahead of his readers. The question, ratcheted up through increasing tension - can Shaw preserve life and outthink an enemy who outgun and outnumber him.

Can be read as a standalone but for those who have followed Colter Shaw’s story overtime a book full of delights. Packed with the usual drama and action pieces. But also revealing and insightful, illuminating this reward seeking action hero who is resourceful and has his Father’s teaching and upbringing modelling his own life and motivation.,

In a story where money corrupts, the author has Shaw working for reward but operating for greater values, which makes fora tense but “ feel good “ thriller.

Utterly in love with Colter Shaw and think this is Deaver’s best offering yet in this series. Survivalist Shaw is hired to protect genius engineer Allison Parker and her teenage daughter Hannah. Parker’s husband has been released from prison after domestic assault - and he is coming after them. Will Shaw find them before Parker’s ex and the two hitmen thugs hired to track the mom daughter down? So much to praise about this …. Loved the development of Shaw’s friendship with Hannah, Deaver’s brilliance at making hitmen seem humane. Very clever, cut above the usual thriller. Absolutely did not see the plot twist coming. Bravo .Mr Deaver, an excellent read.

#HuntingTime #NetGalley Book 4 in the Colter Shaw series but perfectly capable of being read as a standalone although it does enhance the experience to know more about the background of Colter Shaw and his family. A well written (as you would expect from Jeffery Deaver), fast paced book with plenty of action. I particularly like the interaction between Colter and Allison's teenage daughter, Hannah. A twist at the end that I didn't see coming! I look forward to the next in this series.