Great story by Katee Robert. Really thrilling read, great characters and an enjoyable story. Highly recommend to others!!

This book was great! A little creepy at times for sure but I love a good suspenseful story. A killer hunting hikers in national parks?! Such a nightmare! Great story line and the characters were so well written. I would definitely recommend this to everyone!

Arc provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
4.5 stars
Whenever I am in a funk, I either need a serial killer romance book or a paranormal mystery romance book, this one was the first and i loved it.
It kept on the edge of my seat and I turned pages just to find out what would happen.
One thing didn't sit with me was that Maggie hasn't been an FBI agent for 8 years, that is a long time, but with this case, she has clearance? I've heard that the FBI is pretty strict with protocols and no matter that she was one of them before, she is <b>not</b> now.
Other than that, I enjoyed reading it.
Super recommended...

I think this might be one of my favorite books ever. We’re big hikers in my family, so anytime I can be outside in nature—or read a great outdoor adventure—I’m hooked. I’m also a fan of leveling the playing field, so I thoroughly enjoyed Maggie Gaines, who’s worked as a forest ranger for the last six years. She spent a year in the FBI in the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) unit, partnered with Vic Southerland, a veteran in the BAU. And in the fallout of her first big case that broke her, she kissed Vic. It was awkward because of the timing, and the fact that he had been married.

Seven years later, though, both Maggie and Vic were different people in different places in their lives. A brutal murder in Glacier National Park requires federal assistance, which means Vic is the man on the scene. He’s been hunting a serial killer and needs Maggie’s outdoor expertise. They’re soon on the run once the killer strikes more than once in her park. I love the pace of this suspense. I love the intimacy of the romance. I love the equal strength and vulnerability in both characters. Did I mention this might be one of my favorite books?

This was a great murder/suspense mystery romance, excellent pacing, great characters, a serial killer on the loose, a mystery that will keep readers on their toes, trying to guess who the killer is and how it's all going to end.
The romance aspect is not that developed fully, it's not insta love since the protagonists do have a pass together but it's probably not enough to establish a great romance. However, it definitely is still a great read for me since the mystery suspense is definitely well plotted out.

Maggie Gaines used to be an FBI agent—top of her class and one of the bright, up-and-coming stars—until she spectacularly fell apart during her first high-profile case. That was eight years ago. Now she’s a ranger at Glacier National Park, and she’s found some measure of peace. But when the body of a murdered woman is discovered, she must finally put the past behind her and work with the one man she thought she’d never see again.

For months, Vic Sutherland has been hunting a killer who’s been targeting unsuspecting hikers in national parks—and now the predator has come to Glacier. Vic knows the case will bring him face-to-face with his former partner, yet nothing can prepare him for seeing Maggie again after all these years, or for the memories of passion it stirs in both of them.

As the investigation brings them closer together—and closer to the killer—Maggie and Vic fear they have only each other to trust. But even that might not be enough to make it out of Glacier alive.



* * * * *



Now I am an indoor person. Never seen any reason to subject myself to all the bugs that call the outdoors home. However after reading all the gorgeous descriptions that Ms. Roberts has put into her book has me rethinking my stance on the great outdoors.



Maggie has been carrying baggage since her time in the BAU including how her and Vic parted. She has found peace working in the Park Service but when dead bodies start showing up, she is going to have to rethink her peace especially when Vic shows up to work the case. There is a definite tension between Maggie and Vic which could effect them working together unless they manage to get all under control.



Along with the drama between the main characters, there is also an unsub who is extremely comfortable out in the wilderness. An unsub who seems to stay one step ahead of everyone hunting him. This fact kept me on the edge of my seat and glued to the pages.



I recommend THE HUNTING GROUNDS to any of my readers who enjoy a well written romantic suspense with taut pacing, good dialogue, great characters and a surprising conclusion. I somehow missed the first book in this series and I plan on going back to catch up.


*** I received this book at no charge from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed within are my own.

I read less romantic suspense stories than I used to. I knew that Katee Robert wrote romance novels, but the cover of THE HUNTING GROUNDS caught my eye. It's a simple cover showing a bleak winter storm, but the red lettering of the title clues you in that there may be something sinister going on in those tree covered mountains. Perhaps, a killer?
The story takes place in Glacier National Park in Montana. Maggie is a ranger there, but she was once an FBI agent. A woman is found murdered and her former partner, Vic Sutherland, is working the case. They haven't seen each other since she quit the agency. And there is no denying that there is some chemistry between them.
The story is fast paced and centers on some young twenty something hikers in the park. They have known each other since they were kids and this is kind of a reunion since a couple of them had gone on to lives outside their little group. Unfortunately, they have become targets for a killer.
The glue to the story is heroine Maggie. She loves the park and is one of the best rangers there. Maggie works twice as hard since she is one of the few female rangers in a male dominated field. More bodies are found and she uses her FBI training to try to find the killer and save the remaining hikers with Vic. And the lady is tough and knows how to kick ass!
All in all, I enjoyed the the story. There were plenty of red herrings, twists and turns. There is a growing romance between Vic and Maggie, but I most enjoyed the strong, brave and intelligent heroine that is Maggie Gaines. I will definitely be looking out for more books by Katee Robert.

Who would have thought that a book about a serial killer in large national park would be so mesmerizing? I was interested in the plot of this story with former FBI agent turned Park Ranger and found it to be a great book! The detail given to the national park and the hiking world in general was great (not too in-depth which would have been off-putting to people like myself who are not avid hikers) but my only wish is that there was more detail as to why the killer killed. I won't spoil the book but I loved the ending but wish we had just a bit more detail about it.

A mystery killer, systematically and tortuously going through a list and killing people off one by one. The final tally of seven is enormous, for this National Park where one death a year is considered too much. The endangerment to the rangers and the bears which inhabit this park are all huge.

The park ranger and the Fed Investigator have a past and this meeting up after years adds a touch of romance to an otherwise gruesome list of murders. Atmospheric and descriptive the detectives are all desperate to find out who is the murderer and though there are clues that it is linked to a young group of hikers, the whys and wherefores are a mystery till the very end. That it is the work of a clever sociopath is a foregone conclusion and whether the detectives are going to be able to solve the case before the whole group is annihilated is the worry.

Strong characterization and suspense throughout the story were the strong features of this story.

Goodreads and Amazon review posted on 22/8/2017. Review on my blog mid December . Also linked to my FB page.

3.5 Stars

I’ve enjoyed hiking, backpacking, and camping over the years, but I must confess on some of those trips I’ve gotten more than a little spooked at night imaging how easy it would be for a madman/killer to sneak up and take us out. Eeeek! The Hunting Grounds seemed to be just the kind of story I’ve envisioned happening at one time or another, so I knew I had to pick it up. Crazy, right? Well, I’m the kind of girl who loves to tell scary stories by the campfire and freak everyone the heck out. I usually manage to scare myself senseless in the process, so the trip back to my tent to sleep is super fun. So there you have it, I’m a little deranged!

Maggie used to be an FBI agent until a particularly gruesome case caused her to quit eight years ago. These days she’s a park ranger at Glacier National Park where the most dangerous situation she faces involves bears or unprepared hikers. That all changes when she discovers a body of a woman, and must call in the FBI. Work with her old partner, Vic, all the old feelings of attraction between them are brought up to the surface again as the work the case. It’s a race against time to find this killer before someone else is murdered.

It seems I read a lot of second chance romances. I guess I just love the thought a couple getting another shot together after screwing up the first time. This wasn’t exactly a second chance romance, more unrequited lust/love situation. Circumstances at the time prevented it from being anything else, but nothing holds Vic and Maggie back now. It was a pleasure watching these two take a chance while trying to stay alive. Life and death situations make it easy to sort out what’s important in life, so there’s no angsty back and forth.

There is a secondary story centering on a group of backpackers. Old high school friends who reunite to hike one of their favorite trails in Glacier. But this isn’t one big happy reunion. There’s trouble brewing between them; flash backs to the past gradually reveal what led to their current situation. It quickly becomes apparent that their group is in danger.

I had fun with The Hunting Grounds even though I suspected the killer’s identity early on, I still didn’t know for sure, and had doubts on my theory up until the end. It was an all-around solid romantic suspense/mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat wondering if our characters were all going to make it!

This is not usually my normal genre but I really enjoyed it! This story of Vic and Maggie will keep you on the edge of your seat. And keep you guessing! To me, this story leans more on the suspense side than the romance side. But that's fine, it's still a good story! It took me a little ways through the story to get the characters straight in my head so I could try to figure out who the unsub was. Still came as a surprise to me! I would recommend this book!

3.5 Stars

I really enjoyed the first book in this series so it was a no brainer to read this one. Both books can be read as standalones as there is very little that interconnects the two.

Let me start off by telling you that if you are hoping for a romantic suspense, don’t expect much from this book. This is definitely more suspense with a tad of romance added in. Her first book was very much the same way, so I was not shocked to find the same with this one. However, I still enjoyed the overall plot.

As you know for the blurb, Maggie is now a park ranger. Vic is still in the BAU and is currently tracking a murder who’s victims are hikers. After a lone hiker is found strung up in Maggie’s park, Vic is called in because it fits the description of his killer. Maggie and Vic have a past, but this part of the story, the romance, is definitely a second thought as it is not well plotted out and honestly, I could care less. LOL

We meet a group of young hikers, who you know will the ones to on the radar for the killer. This is where Katee excels in this story. She does a great job of building the suspense and tension; she leaves us little bread crumbs, and has us guessing who the killer could possibly be. I may have figured out who it was, but it still enticing to read. While I enjoyed how Katee plotted things out, I did wish she delved into more about the killer and the why’s behind it.

Overall, it was ok read for me. I felt that the romance portion fell completely flat and this book should just be considered suspense not romantic suspense. There were some things that were left unknown between the secondary characters and they seemed to be an important part of the book, so I expected more there too. As I said, if you are hoping for a romantic suspense, don’t expect much romance in this one. There’s a ton of suspense with a splash of romance added in. But again, I still enjoyed the plot enough to give the book 3.5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. I did not realize it was a romance when I started reading it. It seems more like a thriller with the serial killer aspect and hunting him in Glacier. I love the story line and how the author kept the reader engaged and wanting to find out what is going to happen next. I did not realize that this was the second book in a series until I started reading it. I have not read the first book but it did feel like I was missing a big part of the main character's beginning of their romance. If I could do it over again, I would have definitely read the first book before this one. I liked this book; especially the setting of Montana.

The Hunting Grounds is a gripping suspense with many twists and turns that kept me guessing. This book is very well written and I anticipate future books in the series. Recommend to those who enjoy a good suspense.

I am a huge fan of Katee Robert books so and when I read the first book in the Hidden Sins series , The Devils Daughter I knew I had to get my hands on the next book in the series as soon as I possible could , I devoured this book so it will be no shock when I say The Hunting Grounds was amazing !. In this book we follow two story lines 1 being Maggie and Vic and the other being a set of people who have been friends from high school who are going on a hike together . There is something about national parks that make them both beautiful and scary at the same time so it was the perfect setting for this story . What I loved about this book was it constantly kept me on my toes , the minute I thought okay .. I know who did this , I can figure this out or its definitely this person , I was wrong , it was as if Katee Roberts was siting besides me and constantly saying think again or .. just wait till you see what I have in store next . The romance in this book was just fantastic , technically there are two romances in this story , but the one we mainly focus on was the one between Maggie and Vic and I just loved these two together , so seeing them fall in love was just fantastic. The Hunting Grounds was another fantastic romantic suspense by Katee Robert and if you are looking for a sexy , thrilling , addicting story that will keep you at the edge of your seat you should definitely pick up The Hunting Ground as soon as you can

This book takes off like a streak of lightning. We meet Vic and Maggie again but under much different circumstances. Maggie a park ranger in Glacier National Park, loves her job and the park. It's what she needed after leaving the BAU/FBI feeling like she couldn't handle the stress. Or Vic and the one kiss they shared. She's happy and content. She likes the backwoods so she doesn't have to deal with the tourists, people aren't her thing.

When a body is discovered in the park, shot with a bow and field dressed strung up between two trees, Vic is called in. He's investigated two other similar killings in other parks. This is the first time they've seen each other in 6 years.
The story weaves back an forth between the present with a short narration of the past by one of the younger characters who is among the hunted. Clearly they quickly discover a pattern to the killings and it seems someone is targeting a group of friends who have grown up in the area, hike the park often and want one last get together hiking into the mountains. They have given the rangers their route. Bodies are turning up, some seem unrelated until they get a break, albeit a small one yet Katee puts so many twists and turns into this story, just when you think you know who the killer is... forget it. You haven't got a clue. And neither do the investigators.
This book is edgy, short on romance but worked well in this book and Katee hit her stride in this one.
I liked this much better than book one. This is a page turner and keeps you on edge. Which is apparent that's where the author wants you.
I had to give this 5 stars simply because it's so well written and the plot line is killer. No pun intended. Backstory is great, so you really get a feel for what's going on, and the setting... stunning.
Glacier is a favorite place of mine.

**arc from NetGalley and publisher in exchange for a fair review** (post release date)

Thrilling, chilling and unbelievable ending are probably the top three thoughts running through my head after finishing The Hunting Grounds! I absolutely loved it. If you read the first book in this series you will have been introduced to Vic as Eden's partner. He is back in this second book as one of the main characters getting a second chance at love in the midst of a pretty nasty case. This book is a complete standalone.

Maggie was a fantastic character she is my favorite type of heroine. She is strong, self assured and definitely no wilting flower. She didn't do what a lot of strong female characters do during the coarse of a book. She didn't come off as too much nor did she contradict herself by becoming the wilting violet before reverting to a badass. I really enjoyed getting to know Vic in this book and I loved learning about his new partner. I hope to find out more of him in a later book because he has certainly sparked interest.

This book sets the hair on the back of my neck up. Living where I do this book could give a girl nightmares! Not giving details away that isn't in the synopsis, so when you are reading this book finish a 'hunting' scene then close your eyes and picture yourself in the woods. It is frightening! The picture in my head as I read this book is like when watching the old scary movies and the build up of fear as the girl runs or drives as fast as she can and every time she turns around the killer is right behind her no matter how fast she goes.

Til the very end the reader is left guessing as to who did it. I absolutely loved it. This amazingly written suspense also has romance. That too is leaves you guessing until the last page... or more? I very highly recommend this book to all who enjoy a thrill and chill while reading their romance.

Reviewed by Tori

Maggie Gaines resigned from the FBI after she fell apart during her first high profile case and she got a little too close to her married partner. Now a park ranger in the Glacier National Park, she has found some semblance of peace, but a series of murders in her park threatens to destroy that peace when she is forced to work with the one man she ran from all those years ago.

FBI agent Vic Sutherland has been hunting the National Park serial killer for months; always one step behind them. While he knows that the latest murder will reunite him with his old partner, he’s still not prepared for the heat of attraction that flares between them when they meet up face to face.

As Maggie and Vic hit the ground running they find their list of suspects growing with only themselves to trust. But unless they can unmask the killer, they may be his next victims.

The Hunting Grounds is the 2nd in Robert’s dark romance suspense series, Hidden Sins. Fans will remember Vic Sutherland from book one; he was Eden’s FBI partner. Though this is part of the series, it is loosely connected and functions as a stand alone.

This book starts off slow as Roberts painstakingly lays the foundation for the story; a serial killer hunting in a national park balances precariously with the second chance romance. We are at Robert’s mercy as she spends a considerable amount of time building up our anticipation of our hero and heroine’s reunion by divulging into their shared background and offering up clues as to their emotional status. There is large information flow which left me a little confused to exactly what is happening; especially when Robert’s introduces another storyline with a completely separate group of characters through a series of flips that tell their story in the present and past.

I had a hard time warming to Maggie. She has a large chip on her shoulder because of her leaving the FBI. She pushes to convince herself and everyone else around her she is neither damaged or a failure while struggling with the guilt of wanting her then married partner. Her need to prove herself had her acting childish in the beginning but luckily she settles. Strong and intelligent, Maggie comes across as a loner who’s more comfortable in the field than in an office.

Vic Sutherland is her exact opposite. A former Navy Seal, he is calm, cool, collected, and a bit of a control freak. He too felt guilt over wanting his former partner and the single kiss they shared rocked him but now that he’s divorced, all bets are off.

Romantic suspense is tricky. It’s not easy to develop a suitable intriguing mystery while drawing out and viable romance. Book one had it down pat perfectly but this one missed the target. I think part of the issue was in book one, the protagonist has a personal connection to the conflict. In here, the connection is between the hero and heroine and it didn’t create the atmosphere I was hoping for. The edgy suspense and intrigue is nonexistent; we have no interaction at all with the killer and the crime scenes come across very blase in the description. I always felt on the outside looking in from the narrative.

I liked Vic and Maggie though I never felt connected to them. They fit each other and Robert builds their romance, heightening the chemistry while allowing them the time to reacquaint themselves with one another. Unfortunately, both protagonists spend entirely too much time in their head trying to find away to move past their issues to find common ground. Also, the mystery itself overpowers the romance, leaving it more as an afterthought than an equal player. Vic and Maggie needed more time and they don’t get it in here.

The mystery was quite convoluted as Robert works it from two angles. After the first murder is discovered in the park, Robert flashes to a group of friends who are hiking the park in an attempt to reconnect. The book then flips between Maggie and Vic ‘s investigation and the hikers, flashing between the past and the present as Robert tosses us clues to the killer and their reasons. It becomes very confusing. Especially when it becomes clear that Maggie and Vic aren’t the only relationship in the story. The hikers, in their early 20s, are a swirling pool of new adult drama that reads awkward and out of place.

Luckily by the 50% mark the pace picks up considerably and we begin to see the forest for the trees. The killer and their motives become clear and we speed towards the conclusion with considerably more action. The ending comes at us fast and Robert leaves us abruptly with no real resolution to the romance beyond an acknowledgment of feelings.

While I enjoyed book one I had issues with this one. I really wish the focus would have continued on the conflict from book one. The new couple, setting, and additional characters with no real connection created a discombobulated feeling that never went away.

Grade: D