Thank you Rainier Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Holly Sparks, a crime reporter, obsessed with finding her sister’s murderer as it remains unsolved. She is convinced it is the Green River Killer. Five years later her bestselling true crime novel, Holly’s violent ex-husband is let out of prison and the murders start up again. Now she must face a deadly choice be the hunter or the hunted and potentially be the next victim by trying to uncover the truth.

I loved this book. It was a cross between true crime and fiction and it was fantastic. I really liked the timeline jumps and the character switches it wasn’t confusing like some books can get. The twist was pretty interesting I am excited to check out the next 2 books in the series already out. I loved the character development on all characters. It was great to see some of the true crime woven into the story. Definitely a great book.

If you love true crime this is a must read.

Cole is one of my favorite authors and I always jump at the opportunity to review her latest book. I have read every one of hers and I think this may well be the best one yet. The plot was compelling. The character development of Holly was good but I was a little disappointed in some of her dumb choices. Being a true crime author, she should have known better. But, with the twist near the end, it all came together.

A Washington life long resident, I well remember the era of the Green River Killer. Cole has crafted a great thriller woven around the events of that time. The plot development is very good, building tension. One twist half way through gave me chills. And the twists at the end were shocking, so unexpected.

While this is related to The Final Hunt series, it is a stand alone and reads very well on its own. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent review.

Audrey J. Cole’s The First Hunt is a dark and captivating thriller that takes readers deep into the mind of a killer, offering a chilling perspective that sets it apart from the typical whodunit. From the very beginning, the reader knows who the predator is—what makes the story so gripping is experiencing the calculated thoughts and motivations behind each move.

With an atmosphere that echoes the unsettling intensity of Dexter, Cole crafts a story that is equal parts disturbing and addictive. The psychological depth, combined with a sharp narrative pace, keeps the tension high throughout. The First Hunt is a standout for readers who enjoy morally complex characters and a front-row seat to the mind games of a killer. A strong start to what promises to be an intriguing series—I’ll definitely be reaching for the next installment.

I really enjoyed this! I do want to preface this with saying I have not read the other 2 books in this series yet, so my review is going to be based on my experience not knowing anything that happens in the future.

I really loved the way the author wrote this story. It was incredibly compelling right from the start, and at 6% I was already typing my theories in my notes app. A serial killer is on the loose, and everyone is a suspect (mainly the men, but I’ll admit there were times I even wondered if Holly or Laurie could have been behind any of it). Around 60%, I had my own personal suspects narrowed down to 2 people, and one of them was semi-correct. But what I thought made this book so great is that there’s so much going on - the GRK, the potential for there to be a 2nd person piggy backing off the GRK’s murders, there’s everything happening to Holly, etc - that even having semi-guessed one twist, there was still so much I never saw coming. I think the use of the dual POV was genius, and I thought the ending of the main storyline before the wrap-up (last couple of chapters) & epilogues was so unique.

Thanks a million to BooksGoSocial & NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

Seattle, 1985 & Holly Sparks is working as a crime reporter whilst pitching ideas for true crime books to publishers. The Seattle area is currently being stalked by the Green River Killer & Holly wonders whether her sister was one of his early victims. Her sister's unsolved murder looms large in her life & Holly also comes close to being killed when her ex-fiancé, Jared, attacks her in rage for breaking off their engagement.

Five years later & now a successful true crime writer, Holly has continued her search for the truth of what happened to her sister & the evidence pattern suggests to Holly that there were two killers back then: the Green River Killer & another she has dubbed the Bus-Stop Killer. No-one else believes there are two serial killers but there have been rumours that he may have been a cop. Jared was a cop back then working on the GRK case & Holly wonders if he may have been the BSK hiding his victims amongst the other kills. When she finds out her ex-fiancé has been paroled & she realises she is being followed, Holly knows it's Jared back to silence her for good.

The prequel to 'The Final Hunt' & 'The Last Hunt' is set in 1985 & is about the making of a serial killer. Weaving in parts of the story from the real-life Green River Killer, this one has pace & some surprising twists. Like Cameron (the female MC in the main two books), Holly Sparks is a lead character that the reader can't help rooting for & you really want her to find the evidence to uncover her sister's killer. The development of John from an unwilling witness to becoming the Teacher Killer is very well done, but I'm still conflicted on whether the twist concerning Det. Tanner Mulholland was a twist too far or not. If you like fast-paced thrillers with sympathetic main characters & haven't read this short series yet, I recommend you do.

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, BooksGoSocial, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

The First Hunt is a fast-paced prequel that dives into the mind of a boy who discovers his father’s darkest secret. Set against the backdrop of the Green River Killer era, it’s a must-read for psychological thriller fans. Audrey J. Cole has become one of my new go to authors!

The First Hunt was a gripping and fast paced read that had me hooked from the very beginning.
Holly’s determination to find her sister’s killer made the story incredibly emotional and easy to connect with. I really felt for her, especially as the twists and reveals started to unravel, some of which truly shocked me!
Audrey J. Cole does a great job mixing real life crime history with compelling fiction.
The atmosphere of 1980s Seattle and the Green River Killer backdrop made the story even more intense. I loved how this book tied into The Final Hunt, but it also works perfectly as a standalone. The ending had a couple of jaw dropping moments that left me wanting more.
If you enjoy true crime vibes, suspense, and strong female leads, this is definitely a book to add to your list. I’m excited to read more in this series!
Very grateful to the publisher for my copy through NetGalley, opinions are my own

I have read the rest of the series so I should have know what the ending of this would be but i was still expecting it to go differently for some reason.I liked the story . and the mystery .

This book was the little story before the real story peek. It set the tone of the books to come, and just wets your appetite for some more thrilling offerings by the author! I enjoyed this one, will read more in future.

WOW AUDREY.

No really, I literally screamed "STOP WHY AUDREY"
She really went there with this story!

If you've read any of the others in this series then you know how good, mysterious and heart-pounding these stories are! It was such a shock for me when the twisty twist came (mostly because I didn't WANT to believe it) even when I figured what direction this would go.

I binged this story because it was so easy to feel for the characters, specifically Holly. It's easy to read because you're drawn into the story. I could not get enough and SO wanted for Holly to succeed in finding her sister's killer.

I guess with knowing this is John's book I should known where this story would go and how it'd end up but I didn't want it (insert crying emoji @ the author). There were two last twists that I found jaw dropping and made me want to reread The Final Hunt immediately!

Great for true crime fans! This is a fast paced and compelling. Living in Washington state gave me a unique interest in this book since we all grew up hearing about the Green River Killer!

This was so good! I've already read the other books so it was exciting to see how it all began.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

What's more terrifying than a serial killer? Living under the same roof as one.

Can you imagine the emotional and psychological turmoil of this harrowing experience?

Audrey J. Cole gives readers a unique window into the mind of a serial killer and what living in the shadow of his terror meant for his son. Readers will see what led The Green River Killer to his victims, how he came to be, if he got caught and how his son grappled with what he knew and what he felt compelled to share.

Do you love playing detective? Like true crime? Live for an adrenaline rush? Love survival stories?
Cole writes compelling fiction. If you haven’t experienced the heart-pounding series yet, check out the three books that chronicle the hunt.

I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.

This was especially thrilling to me because I finished The Final Hunt not long ago and I always enjoy the continuation of a good storyline! Holly is obsessed with finding her sister's killer and gets herself entangled in more trouble than she ever imagined in her search! I'm invested in the main characters and the storyline already, so getting me interested in more adventure wasn't a stretch! I think I've read almost all of Aubrey Cole's books and truly enjoy her writing and it's always satisfying to read a new tale and already know the cast of characters! I would highly recommend this book, even without reading the first in the series because it's a great standalone!

A wonderful prequel to the series. I read the other 2 books last year. Finishing this book made me want to re-read the rest of the series as it seamlessly transitions into the next/first book. I highly recommend picking up all 3 books and reading them one after another, starting with this one when it comes out June 17th.

Thank you NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for this ARC. This review will be shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.

Pub Date Jun 17 2025

I really enjoyed the first 2 books in this series and was excited for the prequel. It is the third but the prequel. I really enjoyed it. The author always has interesting plot ideas and great twists. Definitely a series worth reading.

Loved it! A fast-paced and engaging serial killer novel that adds depth and backstory to the series. The twists and turns kept me guessing until the end. Highly recommend! 4.5 stars. Thanks to Booksgosocial, NetGalley, and Audrey J. Cole for the ARC. Releases June 17th

I haven't read the other book in this series and now I definitely will! The writing and plot was engaging, hard to put down. The mystery was interesting and had some creepy elements. I would recommend this book and writer for sure.

Thank you to NetGalley, BooksGoSocial, and Audrey J. Cole for the advance copy.

It’s 1984 in Seattle, during the reign of the Green River Killer. As John grows up, he is thrown into his father’s secret nightlife. He soon realizes his father is a serial killer, and his inner conflict intensifies. That’s all I can say without revealing too much of the storyline.

I love Audrey J. Cole. She is an auto-read for me, so when I saw this prequel to The First Hunt available on Netgalley, I jumped at the chance to review it. I loved the setting of the story and how it revolves around the real-life Green River Killer. I loved the pace, the plot, and the twists. I highly recommend it to anyone that enjoys serial killer thrillers! I give it 4/5 stars.

THE FIRST HUNT is the prequel to THE FINAL HUNT. This is an engrossing story about the Green River Killer. It was fast paced and will have you quickly flipping through the pages. I really liked the character of Holly, she worked so hard and for so many years to find out what happened to her missing sister. This story kept me on the edge of my seat. I finished this book in one day. That’s how good it was! I highly recommend this series if you enjoy a lot of suspense.

Many thanks to Audrey J. Cole for my gifted copy.

This review will be shared to my Instagram account
(@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.