Special thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: November 10, 2022
Sarah and her sister, Gemma, haven’t been in touch for years, since the death of their mother. Now, Sarah is a divorce lawyer and planning her wedding and Gemma is spending time with bad company and living paycheck to paycheck. Just a week before Sarah’s wedding she gets word that Gemma has gone missing, completely disappeared from a small secluded community, and the man she was with has been found dead. When Sarah travels to the remote Pennines, she discovers that Gemma is not the first young girl to go missing from the area and that some of the townspeople believe a creature from a local urban legend might be behind the disappearances.
M.J. Ford’s DS Josie Masters novels (three in all), set Ford’s place as a writer of tantalizing and suspenseful mystery novels. His newest foray, “The Hiker” is an independent feature, with no series attached, and it’s just as gripping and pulse-pounding as his police procedurals, if not more so.
“The Hiker” focuses on the estranged relationship of the sisters, while throwing in some illegal drug growing and dealing, some police corruption, a small-town close-knit town willing to keep each other’s secrets, oh and a case of clinical lycanthropy. There is definitely no shortage of action in this one, and it plays out like a Hollywood movie, with the cliff-hangers and deadly twists and turns.
There are quite a few characters in this novel (beyond the sisters of course, there’s their individual partners, a few of their friends or colleagues, and an entire community) so it can be a struggle to keep them organized. But the characters are all so uniquely eccentric that they go well beyond serving their role as potential suspects adding a little bit of humour and entertainment to the plot.
Ford makes his way toward one possible ending, and then the train goes off the tracks as he veers sharply toward another, and does it so smoothly the reader doesn’t see it coming. I guessed at the ending throughout the novel and, when it came, I was only a little off the mark. Without giving too much away, I appreciated Ford’s creative ‘lycanthropy’ spin, and he managed to add it in such a way without making the plot appear goofy or ludicrous.
“The Hiker” will have you think twice about taking that trip through the countryside, or that lone walk through the woods and Ford has weaved a topsy-turvy tale that will leave you wanting more.

This was just OK ... a story of two estranged sisters, Sarah goes looking for Gemma when she gets a report that Gemma's boyfriend was found dead. She randomly drives to the countryside to solve the mystery herself. The story is told from Sarah's viewpoint as she tries to find Gemma. And Gemma's viewpoint catches you up to the events prior. The mystery was interesting but you kind of lost me at a possible giant cat on the loose and a weird tie in to a missing teenager from 15 years ago?? In addition Sarah has boyfriend troubles! It was just too much and as charming as the characters from the pub were ... it was not enough to make this believable.

MISSING
When Gemma Kline is reported missing after setting off on a solo hike in the remote Pennines, her sister, Sarah, is dumbfounded. How can someone disappear without a trace?
PRESUMED
Travelling to the isolated town where Gemma was last seen, Sarah discovers it’s not the first time a young woman has vanished from the hills in mysterious circumstances. As she digs deeper, it quickly becomes apparent that neither disappearance is what it first seems especially when unwelcoming locals share chilling tales about what’s really lurking on the moors…
MURDERED
Whatever has happened to her sister, one thing is clear: this town has secrets someone would kill to keep. But even on the fells, nothing stays buried forever…
Really enjoyable read totally recommend
Thank You NetGalley and Avon Books Uk
I just reviewed The Hiker by M.J. Ford. #TheHiker #NetGalley

Sisters, Sarah and Gemma, have been estranged since their mother's funeral, but now, days before her wedding, Sarah finds out that her sister is missing, and possibly dead. Sarah, taking matters into her own hands, sets out to try to find out what has happened to her sister.
The story is told through parallel narratives, alternating between the two sisters. Sarah's narrative is told in the first person and relates to the present, whereas Gemma's narrative is told in the third person and records recent past events. The pace starts off slowly but builds up dramatically towards the end.
Unfortunately, the book didn't really work for me. The characters weren't believable and the plot itself, by the end, was very rushed and just became rather absurd. Some of the plot devices were, annoyingly, totally incorrect (postmarks are not specific to a particular post office and haven't been for many years).
There were a number of interesting twists in the story and I'm sure lots of people will find this an enthralling read.
However, for me, it was rather disappointing.

I've read several books with a similar premise recently I had suspected that this would be 'just another one of those stories' but this book far surpassed my expectations.

The Hiker tells the stories of two sisters - Sarah, a successful lawyer who is engaged and happy, and Gemma, a carer who lives paycheque to paycheque. When Sarah receives a postcard from her estranged sister and then can't get in touch with her, she quickly suspects that something is wrong. Sarah travels up to the remote wilderness of Hartsbridge in search of her sister and some answers, but there is more going on in the sleepy town than meets the eye.

The book flits between Gemma's and Sarah's narrations, which I really liked as it gave insights into both sisters and made me want to find out more. The plot gripped me straightaway, and WAY more than I had expected that it would - I had many a late night staying up reading this one!

Overall, I loved pretty much everything about this book. The ending was a little crazy, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for sending me this ARC in return for an honest review.

I received an advanced copy through NetGalley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are truthful and my own.
First, and my only real criticism - I don't believe this title or summary 'matches' the book. It's not quite about a hiker, at best someone pretend to be a hiker briefly but this is NOT a survivalist fiction story, or even a hiker escaping a criminal.
With that out of the way - I Really Really liked this book! I thought it was going to be another kind of predictable thriller, and honestly thought I might skim through the boring parts. And while the first 30% or so is slow, I even found myself reading it at the gym because I had to keep reading. It has something that so many books try and fail to do - build a sense of atmosphere without too many red herrings or ridiculous plot lines.
Is the ending over the top? Yes. Is it believable? No, not likely. Was it exciting and fun and creepy? Absolutely! This book hit a craving for a gothic novel I didn't even know I had,. Remote setting, rainy nights on the moors, a town with a secret, and two sisters traveling two different paths that connect in a place neither one of them suspected. I usually don't like stories where the narrative shifts time periods, but in this case I think it really worked for the story.
My only regret with this book is reading it in July - I wish I'd saved it for a rainy night closer to Halloween.

Sarah is preparing for her wedding when she hears that her mostly estranged sister Gemma is missing. There are more questions than answers, so Sarah decides to visit the remote area Gemma was last seen to perhaps find out more. Against her fiance's wishes she leaves shortly before her wedding to a small remote town with a unique cast of characters! In town, Sarah learns about local lore and the mystery of another woman who was lost in the past. When Gemma's boyfriend's body is found in a burned car, Sarah knows there is more to this story. The question is, how can she find out more and who can she trust? If you like a quick little thriller, estranged family stories and small town mysteries, The Hiker is for you!

#TheHiker #MJFord #NetGalley #NetGalleybooks #Avonbooks

A page turning double story of two sisters told alongside each other which made me keen to see how they interlinked. I really enjoyed the majority of the book and the way it was told, it made me want to keep reading. I was unfortunately a little underwhelmed by the ending but I am sure that others would enjoy.

A engrossing thriller I could not read quick enough, I had to know what would happen next! This atmospheric read was exactly what I want in a thriller, suspense with the perfect amount of absolute shock. This menacing tale will have you at the end of your seat the entire read. Absolutely loved it.

Whilst I am sure that this is an excellent book, it wasn't for me - purely because it is written in the present tense. I have never got on with books written in this style, and this one is no different. I didn't finish the book but I don't want to leave a negative review as the fault is entirely mine, therefore I have given four stars in the hope that I don't reduce the author's overall score.

I wish NetGalley would allow readers to see a preview of a book before requesting (as booksirens do). It genuinely helps readers to make a choice before committing.

Thank you for the opportunity to preview The Hiker. The novel takes place in London where a young lawyer, Sarah lives with her fiancé Doug. Sarah has a good life and she is happy. One day the police come to her asking about her sister Gemma. The sisters have not spoken in years but Sarah still cares. She decides to go look for her and leave her fiancé in search of her sister.
The search for Gemma takes Sarah to solve the mystery of her disappearance with very little help from the police. Strange characters and locale drive Sarah forward and she won’t rest till she finds her sister
Good book and a fast read.

This is a cracking work of fiction . From the first to last page the reader is taken on a rollercoater of twists, turns, secrets and lies. When Gemma Kline goes missing her sister Sarah heads to the small village where Gemma last made contact with her. While Sarah is staying in the local pub she learns about Alice, another girl who went missing fifteen years previously. As threats are made Sarah is more then ever determined to get to the truth of what happened to her sister.
The characters are menacing, believeable and unpredictable. I could not put this book down and the further into it I got the more engrossed I became. I would recommend to anyone who likes a clever psycholoical thriller. Brilliant.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Avon books UK and M J Ford for my ARC of The Hiker in return for my honest review.

I have read M J Ford novels before and they have always been excellent and this is no exception.

Sarah and Gemma Kline are estranged sisters after a heated exchange at their mother’s funeral over money. The sisters lead totally different lifestyles.

Sarah is contacted by the police as Gemma appears to be missing. Sarah is a lawyer and sent Gemma an invitation to her upcoming wedding as a means to bridge the rift. Despite the rift Sarah decides to visit the last place Gemma was seen. It is a remote village in the Pennines, known for the walking and hiking trails.

As Sarah gets to know the locals, she becomes suspicious of about some of them and why there appears to be secrets at every turn.

Clever plotting and brilliant twists and turns.

Highly recommended.

A decent if unspectacular crime thriller set in North of England.
Although a decent enough storyline, I did feel it was just a little but predictable and the plot was too transparent to take it above average. Despite that, glad I read it and if crime thrillers are your genre you could do worse than give this one a go.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for a review.

Could not put this down, stayed up way too late to finish it. Super easy read, full of suspense. Loses stars because the title, synopsis and blurb don’t actually tie into the story much at all. It’s called The Hiker. Sure, there is some hiking involved but that is so far removed from the central storyline. “In the wilderness, it’s kill or be killed.” This evokes survivalist fiction. And again, sure there are moments where it’s kill or be killed, but not because of “in the wilderness.”

The blurb tells us that Sarah’s sister Gemma goes hiking and goes missing. Again, actually inaccurate. It would be more correct to say: A visit from police leaves Sarah confused. They’ve found a burned car with remains of a man they believe to have been her estranged sister’s boyfriend. Her sister, Gemma, is unable to be found. Things just don’t feel right, so Sarah travels to the site of the car accident in the Pennines to try to find any trace of her sister.

Loses stars for this but gains stars because despite my complaints I actually couldn’t go to bed until I read the whole thing. It would make a great airport or beach side read.

It’s not exactly highbrow literature, but it’s very descriptive and I could see the moors and the mist. Would make a great TV miniseries one day.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for my honest review.

It's great to have a book like this set in British countryside. To state that it is a 'wilderness' setting is a bit extreme as in England, at least, we don't really have anywhere that far from civilization. People living in this area may feel rather aggrieved that they are pictured as odd and evasive characters.
However, the Peak District is a great location setting and if you know the area, enables you to add depth to the pictures painted in your mind by the writing. I think this would make a great film or perhaps drama TV series.

The story starts with a mystery that needs to be solved. As you get to know Sarah you are willing her to follow her sister and discover what has happened. The eerie setting echos the mystery and whilst there are some leads you can guess there are plenty of twists that creep up on you so that the ending is still a surprise. A highly enjoyable read.

What a twist of a book! I thoroughly enjoyed following Sarah as she searched for her missing sister, Gemma. Ford does a great job of creating characters that were both relatable and intriguing. Additionally, following the story from their respective towns to the twist of an ending out in the country was quite the wild ride!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an early read!

Wow. Two estranged sisters. One is missing. One goes to find answers. And chaos and mystery ensue. This was not what I was expecting and I loved it. Suspense, betrayal, a touch of supernatural

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy.

Sisters, Sarah and Gemma Kline lead completely different lifestyles. Added to that, they no longer have contact after a very heated argument about money, following the death of their alcoholic mother.

Some years later, Sarah is contacted by the police after Gemma goes missing. Sarah is a successful lawyer and is due to get married in a week’s time, and she’d actually offered Gemma an olive branch in the form of a wedding invitation. However, wedding or not, Sarah decides to travel to the last known place that Gemma was seen - a remote village up in the Pennines in the North of England.

As Sarah familiarises herself with the local characters and the misty, almost eerie moorland and forests surrounding the village, she finds herself becoming suspicious about certain characters, some of whom are openly hostile, and appear to know more than they’re prepared to reveal. There are also chilling tales of a huge cat prowling the forest, adding to the already foreboding atmosphere of the place.

Told from the POV of both sisters, ‘The Hiker’ benefits from a good storyline, aided by some very interesting characters. It also came with a twist that I never saw coming, followed nicely by a heart pounding conclusion. Very enjoyable.