Kelly J. Ford delivers a captivating and atmospheric tale of suspense in "The Hunt." Set in the small town of Presley, Arkansas, the annual Hunt for the Golden Egg becomes the backdrop for a dark secret and a series of mysterious deaths. The author skillfully weaves together the town's divided beliefs regarding a serial killer's presence, creating a sense of unease that permeates the narrative.

At the center of the story is Nell Holcomb, haunted by her brother's death, which she believes was the work of the notorious "Hunter." As she cares for her nephew and tries to shield him from the town's dark underbelly, Nell is forced to confront her own past and the dangerous secrets that lie within Presley.

Ford's writing is immersive, drawing readers into the heart of the community and its conflicting perspectives. The characters are deeply human and relatable, each with their own motivations and hidden depths. The slow burn plot steadily builds tension, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as Easter approaches.

"The Hunt" is a masterful blend of mystery, suspense, and emotional depth. Ford's keen attention to detail and evocative prose create a vivid sense of place, allowing readers to experience the town's fear and fascination firsthand. Gripping and thought-provoking, this book is sure to captivate fans of dramatic suspense.

An interesting concept told in an interesting way. The characters were presented well. I could picture them as I was reading. It was told from an unique perspective that I don't think I really grasped until the end.

Suspenseful, intriguing and chock full of normal but intricate characters, The Hunt will twist your brain into a knot as you try to unravel the mystery of what – or who – is behind the multitude of deaths in a small southern town. Kelly J. Ford delivers an engaging thriller that puts a sinister twist on an otherwise benign quest to win a cash prize, keeping you guessing until the very last page.

Presley, Arkansas comes alive every year with the Hunt, an annual search for a golden egg that will earn the finder a large cash prize courtesy of the local radio station and local businesses. However, the Hunt has a dark side. Someone always seems to turn up dead during the event. Is it the result of a serial killer or just horrible accidents that coincidentally occur at this time every year? The townspeople are split on this. But with the Hunt returning after a pause for the pandemic, painful memories will resurface for the families of the victims. Especially Nell Holcomb, the sister of the first person to die and potentially the first victim of the “Hunter.” This time, Nell won’t be able to ignore the events of the past, having to face them head on as those close to her get sucked into the Hunt and face potential danger at every step.

The beauty of The Hunt is it takes a radio station promotional activity that you could see in any town in America and turns it on its head by connecting it to a double-digit body count, but without knowing if a killer is on the loose or if it’s all coincidental. The dead are already buried and if there is someone murdering all these folks, they aren’t featured in the narrative beyond being a rumor. All of which keeps the intrigue high and the focus on the individuals in the story. And the characters are fantastic! Richly developed to have depth as they work through troubled pasts, presently complicated relationships and their emotions surrounding the hunt. Kelly J. Ford does an amazing job getting the reader to invest in these characters' lives, ordinary folks just trying to make a living and do right by those around them but who get sucked into the drama and conspiracy surrounding the town's biggest annual event.

An excellent and intense novel by one of the best voices on the southern thriller scene, The Hunt will capture your attention early and have you on your own hunt for the truth of what’s happening in Presley, Arkansas. Once you pick up this book, you won’t be able to put it down.

I need to read descriptions closer because I am not a fan of crime fiction because of the pacing and I was sad that this book had the pacing of a crime fiction novel and was not interesting enough to keep my attention.

This book was perfect for the season and reminded me a lot of horror and thriller comedy. It was refreshingly good/

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this novel, by a writer who continues to surprise me with her depth and relationship processes.
The Hunt tells the story of an annual Easter Egg Hunt in a small Arkansas town, fueled by the whispers of a serial killer and an ever-increasing financial pot yearly. Many lives intersect, their desires, lost hopes and dreams pushing them forward and to each other. Nell’s brother Garrett may have been the first victim of the shadow now called The Hunter , or, he may have been the victim of a terrible accident 18 years ago. Either way, lives changed, and continue to do so, as Nell and her family—both by blood and by choice—deal with the consequences of Garrets death, while also dealing with the upcoming hunt.
Is there a serial killer? The Hunt is heightened by the increasing social media prompts, cell phone cameras and hypotheses everywhere. As we all know, everyone has an opinion, and everyone feels it is their right to state it. Real people live with the consequences. For Nell, it’s guilt, grief, despair and disappointment., while raising Garrets son Elijah and lacking the necessary coping skills of an adult.
Ford is best when handling the emotional spaces between friends, family and lovers. She hits all the right notes. I felt that about half this story was unevenly told, it kept me too off balance. She hits her mark when describing loss and all its colors. I have truly enjoyed reading Ford, her voice is so nuanced and specific to her roots. I felt the story and its telling gained momentum and cohesiveness the last quarter of the book. It all fell into place.
If you haven’t read Kelly J Ford, now is a great time to start!

Absolutely thrilling and kept me turning the page and on the edge of my seat. I loved it and will highly recommend to others.

THE HUNT I found tremendously scary, not in a supernatural or Paranormal sense [although this is definitely Horror] but in the quantity of human evil, both intentional, and also springing from apathy, prejudice, close-mindedness, bigotry. I don't know how some of these folks live with themselves. This novel is highly, but not entirely LGBTQ +, so much of the sorrow and prejudice and heartbreak is viewed through the several LGBTQ+ characters. There's also religious intransigence [believe and act as I do--or proceed straight to Hell]; indifferent, prejudiced, incapable, law enforcement; pure overwhelming greed; narrowmindedness. This Arkansas small town is a microcosm of human frailty. Terrifying. But...I loved the novel. Immensely well-written. Heartwrenching. Put my emotions through a wringer, throughout. Well worth reading.

First, thank you so much for an advance copy.

Unfortunately, I couldn't finish this. The writing was too choppy? Not sure if that's the word. And telling me everyone's race/skin color constantly got super old quick.

This was a tough one. The writing was a bit clumsy, and the storyline was a bit boring. I struggled to finish it.

The format of the book (alternating between storytelling and a google doc being written by an unknown author) was intriguing, but it wasn't well executed and the google doc just became confusing and distracting.

I also didn't understand why the race of literally every character was mentioned every time they were referenced. It was distracting and tiresome.

There was potential here, but it wasn't fully realized.

The premise of this book sounded interesting, and I was really looking forward to reading the advanced copy that I was provided by NetGalley. Unfortunately, it it did not deliver. While the mystery and suspense that I was looking for was there, the writing did not draw me into the story. I put some effort into pushing through the first few chapters, but unfortunately did not end up finishing it.

Dramatic Suspense..
The Presley, Arkansas, Annual Hunt is as much about dead bodies as it is about the elusive Golden Egg. Is the serial killer theory just a jest conjured from the imagination of the locals or is it real? Is there a serial killer on the loose or are previous deaths simply accidental? As Easter nears, the past comes crashing into the present in this small town, character driven, dramatic suspense. A slow burn plot populated with a deftly drawn cast, an emotionally charged narrative and a keenly realised setting make for an engaging read.

One of my favorite things about The Hunt was the structure--the voices of Nell and Ada, the regular selections from the Google doc, the tweets, radio press releases, and so on. The various tensions between the two main characters kept me reading, although I feel like I would have preferred to see these tensions resolved into relationship a bit earlier in the narrative. In addition to Nell and Ada, the novel offers a number of other entertaining and engaging characters. Finally, the contest between small-city factions (political, religious, economic, and otherwise) was a strong element throughout.

The Hunt is a fun read!

I appreciated the opportunity via NetGalley to take a look at this novel!

Poor execution of a fun premise. Had this been a straight-up mystery thriller, it would have been much more entertaining. But it's a small-town drama/soap opera with mystery elements.

I was not a fan of Ford's writing, which awkwardly proclaimed every single character's skin color as soon as they were introduced, or of the structure. There was no difference in voice or style between Nell and Ada, and I would've preferred the POVs of other characters (Elijah and Maggie, mostly).

None of the characters seemed to have any motive for anything they did, particularly once the culprits of several major incidents are revealed. And then there were WAY too many endings. Had this been a commentary on the desperation of small towns, how the desire for escape and upwards momentum made people do stupid things or how the herd mentality of small communities bred conspiracy theories where there was just sadness., I would have been fine. But then there are TWO more endings, which just muddle things and make the conclusion completely unsatisfying.

I expected a little more from this book after reading the description. It was a good story a little drawn out at times.

I have been dying to read this book since its cover reveal, and it definitely lived up to my expectations! No one writes female relationships fraught with longing and baggage and expectations like Kelly Ford, and then layers in a murder mystery so exquisitely just to up the stakes. The unmasking of the small town hypocrisies at the end was just the icing on the cake. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

Better than almost anyone writing today, Kelly J. Ford is able to spot the magic in the mundane and craft a compelling story around what others simply look right past. The Hunt is just the latest example of her ability to draw readers into the chaos and craziness of everyday life while exploring themes of shared trauma, family dynamics, and the societal constraints of small town America. Add a serial killer into the mix and you have yourself one hell of a book.

For the past 17 years, participants in the annual ‘Golden Egg Hunt’ in Presley, Arkansas were as likely to find a dead body as they were the prized egg. A serial killer has used the influx of visitors and the remoteness of search areas to hone their skills. While those benefiting from the tourist dollars and others obsessed with the idea of winning the spoils chalk all the deaths up to unfortunate accidents, Nell Holcomb knows better. Every day she is reminded of ‘The Hunter’s’ first victim when she looks into the face of the nephew she is raising and sees her brother staring back at her. The days leading up to Easter are not only a reminder of her brother’s death, but the role she played in it.

While there is a serial killer on the loose, you won’t see a high body count in this one. It is the search and subsequent fallout that drive this story. The interpersonal relationships are authentic and filled with high levels of drama and emotional angst. For me, I was as wrapped up in how the characters would react to the next devastating blow as I was who the killer might be. As a thriller junkie, the misdirection and increasing levels of danger kept me entertained.

The description of this books gave me higher hopes for what I read and this book did not exactly hold up to that. Though it’s only about 280 pages this book feels a bit drawn out and had too much extra “fluff” to fill the pages that wasn’t very interesting. The last quarter of the book made it all fall together, which was nice, but I still would’ve preferred more intrigue and a bit less drama throughout it. I feel like this book had the makings to be a “thriller” but sadly fell short. I don’t regret reading it, but glad I didn’t pay for it

I ran into a tiny problem when reading this one. You see Nell, our MC, felt so much like Jane in the author’s Real Bad Things, that I found myself getting confused. I kept feeing like I was reading a sequel to Jane’s book and I had to take a step back, refamiliarize myself with Jane’s story and then finally I was able to separate them. Still, though, Jane and Nell feel VERY much like the same character.

That being said, the book was very good! I liked Nell, loved her nephew and her friend Ada, and was thoroughly intrigued by the hunt. And the ‘who’ in this took me completely by surprise!

As usual, the author gives us a more layered view of Arkansas than we usually see. I’m still not sure I want to live there, but the author definitely kills a lot of the stereotypes associated with the state and I love that.

I’d really love another book with some of these characters. I think this could be turned into a fantastic series and I would be so here for it!

Another great and nuanced crime read from this author!

• ARC via Publisher

I was really drawn to the premise of this book. Who wouldn't want to participate in an Easter egg hunt for $50k? Unfortunately for the town of Presley, there is one really big drawback. There have been disappearances and lives have ended. They may, or may not be related to the hunt. I liked the mystery elements in this book, however really struggled not coming out the other side knowing all of the pieces. The ending was a little too stretched out as well to not the get the answers. I felt like at times the romantic aspirations really took away from the story, or maybe even just fleshed it out. The balance was a bit odd. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.