Read this in one sitting
The plot unfolds in past/present format
Very fast paced, keeps you hooked
Liked the characters

If you like horror this is for you

Thank you netgalley, Gabriel Bergmoser and Faber for allowing me to read and review this book.

The Hunted is a fast, furious and intense slice of horror. Well written and with a great cast of characters, the story slowly unfolds against a backdrop of the heat baked, desolate Australian outback. Decisions balance on a knife-edge as Frank, a troubled loner, fights to protect his granddaughter after a gang of hillbillies show up at his roadside shop looking for a girl; Maggie. Injured, desperate and clearly in danger, Maggie has brought trouble to Frank’s door; bloody, horrifying trouble.

A horror thriller with lots of gory violence and constant action. Phew, I'm exhausted. A great read though.

I loved this book, it was atmospheric, scary and unpredictable and I couldn't read it fast enough.The characters especially the good ones were believable and I could imagine the setting really well from the description.This was quite different to my usual thrillers etc and I thought it was great.Not for anyone of a nervous disposition maybe and it had some descriptions that made me wince.I think from the description you would know they weren't going to be having a picnic so I'm not giving anything away.Good book i would recommend it.

There is a stranger inside Frank's house. His estranged granddaughter is living with him for a brief period and he knows as little about how to care for her as he knows about how to talk to teenage girls in general. He escapes from his ramshackle home every day to make the kilometre walk to the just as ramshackle service station he owns and runs, which provides the only source of meagre rest and nourishment on the largely disused highway road it rests beside. But, one day, familial discontent prove to be the least of his worries when a girl falls from her car, coated in blood and mud and in dire need of his assistance. She only has one direction to give before she succumbs into unconsciousness from her injuries: do not call the cops!

This was one WILD FUCKING RIDE! This entire book was just pure, fast-paced tension and I loved every insane page of it! Events continued to spiral and the barriers were incessantly pushed. This type of bloody horror does not impact me as it may others, and so I found more sick enjoyment than actual terror here, but I enjoyed it just as much for that.

The multiple perspectives and timelines ensured a thrilling mystery was explored and it wasn't until the central point of this back-and-forth narrative that the reader was given the truth of what was occurring. This did not mean the concluding portion was any less thrilling, however, only that it became more blood-soaked.

Hardcore horror fans will be familiar with the subgenre ‘Hillbilly Horror’ pioneered by films such as Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Deliverance and The Hills Have Eyes where unsuspecting tourists or those off the beaten track are menaced by nutters or often inbred locals. This subgenre has also spawned many novels such as Jack Ketchum’s masterpiece Off Season, although they are predominately set in America, once in a while one pops up set elsewhere, and Gabriel Bergmoser’s, Australian set, The Hunted is a truly stellar example. There is another subgenre, discussed much less frequently, called ‘Outback Horror’ in which the violent Australian serial killer film Wolf Creek is probably the best-known modern example. However, we have a new player in town, called The Hunted and I recommend this book very, very highly.

First up, it’s not really genre fiction and for most of the time you might not realise you are reading a horror novel and hats off to Faber for getting behind such a brutal book. It might be a release more likely to end up on an independent press. After setting the scene, The Hunted moves quickly into thriller, with some outstanding action sequences, before moving full throttle into horror.

In Hillbilly Horror we all know what waits for those dumb enough to venture into the backwaters of Louisiana, but Australia does not quite have the same reputation when it comes to horror. This novel scratches that idea and will not be used by the Australian tourism industry anytime soon. But for non-Australians it asks some interesting questions: for backpackers there are very popular (and approved) tourist trails for travelling from town to town, but is there a ‘real’ Australia? Are there tiny backwater places, like in The Hunted, which do carry genuine levels of threat and menace?

Although the novel is nothing like it, it did make me think of the cult 1971 film, Wake in Fright, about a young teacher who finds himself stranded in a violent outback town. This film also explores the idea of masculinity, which is also a major background theme to The Hunted. Do city dwellers have any right to explore the Outback if they do not have the tools to defend themselves? If this book is accurate, like in America, everybody has guns and knows how to use them.

The story is presented as a ‘now’ and ‘then’ narrative of two different narratives which eventually explosively meet and very cleverly takes its time revealing the true direction of the plot. I knew very little about the novel in advance and I would suggest avoiding spoilers; a very big penny dropped at 49% on the Kindle and until then everything was nicely shrouded. The ‘now’ story involves a guy called Frank, probably in his fifties, who has been badgered by his son (who he hardly ever sees) to take his granddaughter Allie for the summer. Frank and Allie have hardly ever met, she has been having problems at school and suspects her parents might be getting a divorce. Frank owns a gas station and fast food eatery, which is the only one for miles, and in the middle of nowhere. He has no friends and struggles to connect with Allie. The book is written in the third person and seen from the point of view from both characters.

The ‘then’ story firstly introduces us to Simon, who is Australian, but is aimlessly driving around the country trying to find the ‘real’ Australia, the problem is he has little cash and is not sure what he is looking for. He has read Jack Kerouac and dreams of exploring the empty landscapes but has been shocked by the vastness and emptiness of the areas he has been driving through. When he is nursing a beer in a remote pub a beautiful young woman walks in and after they hit it off, start to travel together. However, Maggie has her own agenda, her own plans, but for a while she is happy to travel with Simon. This story strand concerns where the two end-up.

Early in the novel a shot and broken woman stops at the gas station which he and other customers decide to help. However, this is just the beginning of an unrelenting thriller which grans by the throat and just does not let go. I do not want to say too much more about the plot to avoid spoilers. Frank, who has a history, is a hard as nails character who would not be out of place in an American hard-boiled thriller and has redemption of his own in mind. It might not be the most original story, but in the end of the day, it’s how you tell it that matters.

I loved it.

Frank, who owns a service station on a highway, is joined by his granddaughter Allie who is sent to stay with him for the summer. Simon, a dreamer, travels the open road in search of something. They are brought together by Maggie, whose past is a mystery. The story is told in both the past and present and what follows is a tense, gory thrilling tale that will keep you captivated until the end. Well developed characters and a satisfying ending also make this a worthwhile read. Thanks to the publisher, author and NetGalley for the advance copy to read.

If you like your novels fast-paced & gory this is the novel for you. I think it's a cut above the usual horror story with an engaging heroine & some beautifully described set pieces. Some of the characters were a little cliche & predictable for my taste but on a whole a tense ride into the dark heart of the outback. Along the lines of Wolf Creek & The Hills Have Eyes if that's your thing.