The Red Hunter by Lisa Unger is a 2017 Touchstone publication.

A horrific home invasion, and a certain unresolved element of the crime, still haunts one survivor, who is now bent on seeing justice done- or maybe it’s just good old-fashioned revenge?

Meanwhile, a new family moves into the long empty house- a single mother, with a teenage daughter, who are also recovering from and dealing with the aftereffects of violence. The new owners are unaware of the property’s criminal past- but will find out soon enough...

This book has reached my ‘five-year’ rule date, (a bit overdue, really), which I established a little while back to help me tame my TBR list. Naturally, I am not going to remove a Lisa Unger novel off the pile without reading it. So, here we are…

It is always nice to have a good crime fiction novel stashed back, though, and because Lisa Unger is a favored author, I do have a tendency to stockpile her books so I’ll always have one on hand while I wait for her next release- though now I have a stack of them I need to read.

Back in 2017, I might have held this book to a higher standard because I’d have been comparing it to the quality of other thrillers released during that time- but with the current crop of mystery/thrillers remaining tepid and ‘meh’- this one really stood out by comparison.

I was totally absorbed in the drama, and the various moral conundrums, while the atmosphere was thick with foreboding. The story is gritty at times, and evoked some deep emotions- the characters are well-drawn and the revelations were not just stunning twists, but were gut-punching, too.

Overall, this is very solid, engrossing effort by Unger. Now I need to get started on her other back-listed titles languishing on my Kindle…

4 + stars

*Content warning-Trigger alert- graphic descriptions of sexual assault and other acts of violence. ( )

Excellent book and I love the twists. ( )

I enjoy this one. I always enjoy Lisa Unger's books. I wouldn't say it was one of her best. Not a lot of plot twists. Worth the read though. ( )

Claudia Bishop and her husband Ayers had a perfect life and perfect marriage until one night when she was brutally raped by a stranger who broke into their apartment. Claudia found out she was pregnant soon afterward and chose to believe Ayers was the father. They are now divorced and for some bizarre reason they felt compelled to inform their daughter Raven that her father potentially could have been a rapist. Raven is now fifteen and is contemplating a paternity test to find out who her real biological father is.

In the meantime, Claudia has decided to remodel an old farmhouse that her father once owned and that, unbeknownst to her, has a violent history. The family that lived there were all murdered in a horrific home invasion, with the exception of Zoey Drake, the daughter. Zoey now lives in New York and is hell bent on a plan of revenge. The two women, both who have lived through personal trauma, are now on a path that will connect them to some very violent criminals.

Lisa Unger is a fantastic writer who flawlessly weaves together a fascinating thriller narrated through the eyes of several characters. This novel explores the gray area of revenge or forgiveness. The ending is filled with suspense and all the loose ends are tied up in an engrossing and believable way. I highly recommend anything written by Lisa Unger. ( )

Slow to get going. Some thought-provoking scenes and the contrast between the characters was interesting. Overall though, not as thrilling as was promised. ( )