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THE HUNT is the second in a rapid-release trilogy (THE PREY, THE HUNT and THE KILL) featuring three interconnected women, all law enforcement or FBI. It's a great marketing idea, one book a month, and the books are a runaway success. Each books focuses on one of the women, with the other two playing secondary roles. The series is bright and inventive -- Brennan is a force to be reckoned with in the thriller genre. THE HUNT features Miranda Moore, an almost FBI agent who is the head of the search and rescue team in the Gallatin Valley of Montana. Twelve years ago, Miranda escaped from a horrific serial killer known as The Butcher. He had kidnapped both Miranda and her friend Sharon. He tortured them, raped them, starved them, then let them go in the wilderness, to be hunted down like animals. Miranda barely escaped with her life; Sharon wasn't so lucky. The Butcher is still an everyday fixture in Miranda's life. Since she escaped, he has killed another seven women, and nine are confirmed missing. He preys on the weak and unwary. Rebecca Douglas, a young college student, is his latest victim. Miranda is the head of the search team to find Rebecca. Nick Thomas, the Sheriff of Bozeman, is on the trail, and Miranda's former lover, Quincy Peterson, is brought into the case to help. Miranda and Quinn haven't seen each other in ten years; the sparks still fly whenever they get near each other. The love triangle is complex, coupled with rage and regret. Nick loves Miranda, who loves Quinn but won't allow herself to be involved with him. Quinn managed to get Miranda kicked out of the FBI Academy, and she's never forgiven him for it. Though she and Nick tried dating, they have settled into a life as best friends. Love triangle aside, the entire community has honed its search skills to a fine point, knowing The Butcher is out there, actively stealing their women, hunting. The searches are well planned and competent, the cops diligent and resolute. Each time another woman goes missing, it gets harder and harder for them emotionally. There's something so immediately sensational about a killer preying on college co-eds that drags you right into the story. Ted Bundy did it, so did Daniel Rolling, the Gainesville Ripper. Take it to a fictional level and you wonder what woman in her right mind would agree to go to school in the affected area, much less let themselves be caught off guard and captured. Brennan handles the question deftly and makes it all seem worthwhile; Bozeman is a big draw in this book. The beauty of the area, the scenery, all are rendered well with Brennan's fine prose. The characters are solid, the plot hurtles forward, twisting and turning in true thriller fashion. I look forward to reading the two other books in the series, and expect we'll be hearing much more about Allison Brennan.
Reviewed by J. T. Ellison, April 2006
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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