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HUNT, THE by Jan Neuharth Paper Chase Farms Publishing Group, June 2003 347 pages $24.95 ISBN: 0972950303 Buy in the UK | Buy in Canada

Doug Cummings is following in his father’s footsteps as a tax lawyer and partner in a prestigious law firm in Washington. He also has a farm out of town in Middleburg and. as a high profile, rich, and attractive bachelor is much in demand in the social scene there, centring on the Hunt. Not everyone loves Doug though, its clear from the outset that someone intends to bring him down and make his life a living hell. Zeb wants revenge for the death in prison of his brother, who Doug unsuccessfully defended in a rare foray into the world of criminal law many years before.

Out hunting one morning, Doug finds the lifeless body of his recently-ex-girlfriend Nancy in a clearing. Realising she is too deep in the woods to be reached by an ambulance or helicopter, he takes her back to the house hosting the Hunt. It’s too late to save her and his friends criticise and suspect him for moving someone with a head injury, against all advice. Deputy Clyde Dickson has met guys like Doug before and, full of resentment for his wealth and lifestyle, he determines to prove his guilt by fair means or foul. But the Middleburg Murders have just begun.

I galloped through The Hunt in a day, it’s a real page-turner with a strong and fast moving plot and I didn’t want to put it down. The hardback is also beautifully produced, with great line drawings under each chapter heading; not something I’d normally comment on, but a definite extra pleasure with this book. Characterisation however could be improved, the good guys and bad guys were a little too obvious, and I didn’t really feel I got to know enough about the main protagonists; more back story on some of them would have been appreciated. But this book is all about the plot and it delivers that very well. A fun ride that would probably appeal to fans of Jilly Cooper and John Grisham alike, this is a promising debut.

Reviewed by Bridget Bolton, August 2003

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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)

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