Hunter’s Revenge – Val Penny
Hunter by name – Hunter by nature: DI Hunter Wilson will not rest until his friend’s death is avenged.
DI Hunter Wilson is called to the scene of a murder. He is shocked to find the victim is his friend and colleague, George Reinbold.
Who would want to harm the quiet, old man? Why was a book worth £23,000 delivered to him that morning? Why is the security in George’s home so intense?
Hunter must investigate his friend’s past as well as the present to identify George’s killer.
When a new supply of cocaine from Peru floods HMP Edinburgh and the city, the courier leads Hunter to a criminal gang, but Hunter requires the help of his nemesis, the former Chief Constable, Sir Peter Myerscough, and local gangster, Ian Thomson, to make his case.
Hunter’s perseverance and patience are put to the test time after time in this taut crime thriller.
My thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for the opportunity to join the blog tour.
Hunter’s Revenge is the second in The Edinburgh Crime Mysteries series and follows on from the events depicted in the first book: Hunter’s Chase. I came to Hunter’s Revenge without having first read Hunter’s Chase and I did feel that I would have benefited from reading the first book before tackling Hunter’s Revenge. While the author does explain the key details that a new reader will need to know to follow the friendships and dynamics, there were a few instances where I felt I had missed something or that I was reading a spoiler from the earlier book.
But that should not detract from the fun to be had with Hunter’s Revenge. A colleague of DI Hunter Wilson has been gunned down in his own home. The killer escaped undetected but the clinical efficiency which they displayed when committing the murder suggests a professional hit.
The background of the dead man is something of a mystery to the police, despite their long association with him and some digging into his past will be required. Readers get a head-start in this regard as the prologue takes us back to Eastern Europe some decades ago and a tragic accident which will define a life and end more than one.
This is a complex multi-layered tale and we get more to ponder than a single murder. Drugs are causing unwelcome problems in Edinburgh prison and the police will need to use all resource available to try to stem the influx of the produce.
The dynamic between the characters was pleasing and there was a good level of dark humour on display – something I find important in my Scottish crime fiction!
Good reading in Hunter’s Revenge and I enjoyed the time I spent with this one.
Hunter’s Revenge is published by Crooked Cat Books and is available in digital and paperback format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hunters-Revenge-Edinburgh-Crime-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B07DY8WHZQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1537120711&sr=1-1
