Allison Parker is on the run from her husband who was just released from prison. Colton Shaw, a reward hunter, is hired by Allison's boss, Marty, to find and protect her. However, all is not as it seems in this complex story.

I think I'm in the minority of folks who did not love this book. I'm a long-time reader of Jeffery Deaver but this was my first in his series with Colton Shaw. While the premise of the story was intriguing I never felt a true connection to Colton or even Allison.

The fourth book in the Colter Shaw series has everything we've come to expect from Jeffrey Dever - great characters, a fast paced plot and enough unexpected twists to keep you guessing. This one grabbed me from the first chapter and I couldn't put it down until I had devoured the entire book in one setting.. Although this could easily be read as a stand alone, I highly recommend this entire series beginning with "The Never Game", as well as Jeffrey Deaver's Lincoln Rhyme series and Kathryn Dance series. Highly recommended

Hunting Time with Colter Shaw is pure Jeffery Deaver! My highest compliment! This is probably the best book I have read this year! If you haven't read a Deaver mystery, this one would be a delicious start. I've never used that adjective before in a book review, but it fits the day and this twisty mystery. Colter Shaw is a very unique person and in Hunting Time, we get to know him much better and truly appreciate Deaver's genius. Shaw is a reward hunter. He seeks out unusual folks with a reward on them. Allison Parker is an inventor, her latest Pocket Suns, is much coveted, possibly corporate raiding involved as well as radiation leaks due management greed. Her ex-cop husband has been released early from jail, where she sent him for attempted murder of her! He has reported vowed to get her. Alli grabs their teenage prodigy daughter and flees. Many are attempting to find them. Then, the multiple hunters from various sources, some legal, some not, begin the race! And, oh, what a race! It is truly a well written mystery with more twists than a box of rotelle! "Life gets by on ninety percent truth and ten percent deception. And not all of those lies are bad"
I highly recommend this outstanding mystery by awesome Jeffery Deaver!!!

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was fast-paced, held my attention and was very interesting. I couldn't put it down. This can be read as a standalone story, though it is book 4 in the Colter Shaw Novels series. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books in this series as well as others by this author. This is a "must read" author for me.

Jeffery Deaver knows how to write thrillers, and while Lincoln Rhyme is still my favorite character of his, Colter Shaw is a close second. These two characters couldn’t be more different. Whereas Lincoln is a man of thought and deliberation, Colter is a man of action. Both are awesome protagonist but the two series have very different feels. And I highly recommend reading both series.

Hunting Time is Deaver’s 4th Colter Shaw novel. (He’s also starred in 3 or 4 short stories as well.) While I think you could read this one without having read the previous books and not be lost, I definitely recommend reading them all. But for those that haven’t read the previous books/short stories, Colter was raised by a survivalist family, he’s an expert tracker, and now makes a living as a ‘reward finder’. What’s that mean? He finds people. So what’s this one about? Well without including any serious spoilers: this time around he’s looking for Allison Parker who is on the run with her daughter, attempting to evade her ex-husband who has only recently been released from prison. Hunting Time features a wildly twisting, fast paced, action packed story that hooked me right from the start. I’d like to thank PENGUIN GROUP Putnam and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Hunting Time.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R1VZQFO7D5WY5P/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

Hunting Time by Jeffrey Deaver is a thriller. It is not a police procedural and Colter Shaw is not a PI. He is a career reward-seeker. He finds things and gets paid for it. Right now he is on the hunt for a portable nuclear power station. The CEO of the company that manufactures it sees it as life-changing for third world countries. One has been stolen and he wants it back. He called Shaw, who got it back but then, opened a door to a far more serious and compelling situation. Shaw grew up as a survivalist. His father had attracted the attention of the wrong people and so moved his family off the grid and taught his children how to survive. Shaw still remembered, and used, all of those lessons. Never as much as when Jon Merritt was released from prison and was determined to find is ex-wife and his daughter, presumably with murder on his mind. Allison Parker had designed the power station, as well as other things. She had been married to Merritt and loved him until something went wrong in his job as a cop and he changed: he began to drink and he as angry, all the time. Now she was frightened and on the run. Hannah, her daughter, just wanted her dad back.

Shaw is the ultimate sensible man. He thinks with his head, not his heart. He has serious skills. He is independent and alone and is happy that way. There are too many people looking for Parker and Hannah and he can’t seem to get and stay ahead of them. He lives in a motor home and carries with him a motorcycle, which is his main mode of transportation. He has fitted the motor home out well, too. Shaw weighs every move; thinks in percentages. He is not a man to be underestimated. Parker is an engineer and thinks like one. She thinks unemotionally, plans ahead, and does things purposefully. She loves her daughter and loves the man her husband had been. This is a good mystery. Much of it is a chase but there are some twists and turns that I did not see coming. It was tough to sort the bad guys from the good guys and then keep them straight. Hannah was sixteen. Enough said. Good book. I didn’t like it in the beginning but it grew on me.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Hunting Time by Putnam Group Penguin, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #PutnamGroupPenguin #JeffreyDeaver #HuntingTime

Another Colter Shaw Non-Stop Action Thriller

The novel starts with Colter Shaw disrupting an insider industrial espionage attempt by using an intricate scheme to switch a sensitive and unique electronic device with a fake. While returning to the CEO’s office, Shaw is approached by person with a Russian-like accent who gives his name as Abe Lincoln. Shaw had just spoiled his effort to obtain that electronic device. Lincoln offers a good price and keeps upping it for the device, but Shaw refuses. The second thread starts in the second chapter that portrays the very early release of Jon Merritt from the local county detention center. He is the husband to the woman, Allison Parker, who designed the electronic device. He was incarcerated for the attempted of his wife.

At a start, there are two major threads describe above. The voices are basically just Shaw and Merritt. There are some supporting threads with different voices, but these just provide what was happening not in the presence of Shaw and Merritt. Both proceed for some time until they merge into a single thread that has two subthreads for the sides of a Merritt/Parker storyline. I was never confused by all these threads as the author did weave them into coherent and enjoyable story. After the main storyline threads merge, the suspense and tension are raised to a high level with the threat to Parker’s life. There are several twists and turns and what I call literary grenades that really changed my perception of who was doing what to whom. This did not confuse me but piqued my interest even more. This novel quickly grabbed and locked my attention all the way to the end of the novel.

The B-storyline was portrayed basically through Shaw’s thoughts and his interactions with the other characters. His principal that he uses to guide his life are shown through his actions and how he portrayed in how he treated others and tried to help them grow. This novel’s aspect increased my enjoyment in reading this novel. There was one aspect that made me think that I had missed something from the previous novel that I have not yet read. Something was different in Shaw in this novel, as his business model and infrastructure was revealed much more extensively and was different than what I remember in the first two novels. I read the second novel in this series more than two years ago, so my detailed memory of Shaw is not that solid. I only noticed this only because I had read the first two novels and didn’t read the third. If you are thinking of reading this novel first, I do not believe that you would recognize this. Feel free to read this one novel first.

For what may be objectionable to some readers, there is a presence of vulgar and rude language. Vulgar was about one-third of the total. There are a few instances of impious language. For me aspect of the novel was not an issue for me and, I suspect, not for most readers. There were not any intimate scenes. There is violence, some implied and some described in the more edgy way as it happens. For the novel overall, I do not believe that these aspects are a reason not to read this novel.

The only aspect that I found questionable the dangers of the safety of the small modular reactor. I will chalk this up to some stretching of the facts required to make the story flow and not a fatal flaw. Otherwise, I enjoyed how Shaw always prepared no matter what happens. Yes, I know that the author wrote it that way, but I still enjoyed Shaw’s ingenuity. I enjoyed how the author kept the tension and suspense at an ever-increasing level. At the end, the author revealed a possible clue to a future novel in an off-hand remark.

I have read the first two novels and the last Lincoln Rhyme novel. I personally like this series over the Lincoln Rhyme novel. This author has earned my Must-Read rating for this series. I recommend reading this novel, and I am looking forward to reading further books in this series and will carefully consider other novels by this author. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel and rate it with five stars.

I received a free prepublication e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from Penguin Group Putnam. My review is based only on my own reading experience of this book. I wish to thank Penguin Group Putnam for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.

Hunting Time is book 4 in the Colter Shaw series from Jeffery Deaver.

"Allison Parker is on the run from her ex-husband, who has just been released early from prison. She packs up her teenage daughter, Hannah, and flees, hoping to elude her ex who also happens to be an ex-cop. Colter is hired by her employer to find and protect her. "

Initially, you think this will be a typical "battere d wife running from abusive spouse" story. But Deaver goes a different way. There's a nuclear power manufacturer, contract hit men, social media and an unexpected conspiracy. Mix all that together and add Deaver's ability to write a fast-paced narrative and you have a great story. There are several of Deaver's signature twists here. You think you know what's going on but JD has something else in mind.- all the way to the end.

I like that Deaver doesn't fall into the "I need to over-explain this" trap in this book - just story here.

This is my first read of the new Colter Shaw character. Deaver gives enough catch-up backstory for readers to know about him but now I need to go back and read the other books in the series.

This is a "chase" book - lots of parties are after the same thing. Great pick if you're looking for some fast-paced action and suspense.

Energy driven.
Action packed.
Lots of drama and intrigue.
It’s part of a series. My favorite scene was the reference to MacGyver, making something out of nothing.
It was an ok read. I’m just more partial to his Lincoln Rhyme series.

This Colter Shaw novel is fast-paced from beginning to end. Shaw earns a living looking for situations that offer a reward if solved. Finding missing persons is something he is very good at. He is hired by entrepreneur Marty Harmon to find a missing employee and her daughter who are on the run. They are running from her ex-husband who wants to kill her. Also on her tail are two hitmen who also want her dead. This book is filled with twists and turns, and you don't know the truth until the end.

Allison Parker is on the run with her teenage daughter, Hannah, and Colter Shaw has been hired by her eccentric boss, entrepreneur Marty Harmon, to find and protect her. As he searches for them, her ex-husband, a former police officer, has just been released from prison and he's looking for them too. A deadly game of cat and mouse this story had many twists and turns to keep the reader wondering who is the one who wants Hannah and her daughter dead and why. A fast, addictive read that will keep you guessing until the very end!

This is following along with Colter Shaw in his continuing to help people he comes across. The characters are really well written and have surprises along the way. This doesn’t turn out like you think it will, which makes it a really great read!

Jeffery Deaver's Colter Shaw is back, and better than ever in Hunting Time. Lots of action and a surprising ending.

Colter Shaw’s “occupation” is finding people for which a reward has been offered-and not necessarily criminals. Shaw’s father, Ashton, had raised him and his siblings as survivalists, with a few basic rules, many of which he will need when he is hired by the head of an up and coming nuclear power company to thwart the theft of its proprietary product as well as to find and protect Allison Parker, a brilliant engineer and her daughter, Hannah. Allison’s husband, Jon Merritt, a former highly decorated cop, has been released from prison having served less than a year of his 3 year sentence for spousal abuse which sends Allison into hiding, or should I say, flight. And there are others looking for her as well. Shaw must use all of his training to evade the pursuers and protect Allison and Hannah. And, of course, all is not what it seems. The story is full of tension with some typical Deaver surprises that will catch you. This is the 4th book in Deaver’s Colter Shaw series, and, in my opinion, the best so far. Deaver has long been one of my favorite authors, primarily due to the Lincoln Rhyme series. Some of his other series and standalone books have been inconsistent, but the Shaw series is developing into a good one given the protagonist and Deaver’s complex story lines. I hope that Deaver will add to it. My thanks to G.P. Putnam’s Sons and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the ARC of this novel

Awesome.

I was very excited to get an advance reader's copy of this book and, as usual, Jeffery Deaver did not disappoint! Hunting Time is being released on November 22--preorder it now.

The main character, and a fabulous reoccurring one, Colter Shaw is the product of a survivalist family and an expert tracker who makes a living as a “reward seeker.” In essence, he travels the country to help police solve crimes and to locate missing people. In this instance, in addition to finding a mother and daughter, he is tasked with keeping them safe from a highly skilled and emotionally charged ex-husband who was just released from prison and along with hired killers is actively stalking them.

This is a high-stakes, life-and-death chess match between multiple individuals, each with the skills and abilities to outwit the others. And, in quintessential Deaver style, full of twists and turns. I also enjoyed the ending, which is the place where many otherwise good books lose me.

Highly recommended--get it, read it. You will thank me.

My Thoughts

As a character Colter Shaw proves to be multi-layered.

The fact this particular 4th book in series points out in a way I enjoyed learning about him.

Our damsels-in-distress mother Allison Parker and her teenage daughter, Hannah, are both easy to sympathize with for me.

Antagonists ex-husband, Jon Merritt and the two hitmen racing to find the mother daughter duo must be beaten to them by Colter so he can rescue the pair.

A psychological mystery thriller that kept switching things up and at times felt a little off to me as I am late to the series and therefore did not fully grasp Shaw’s style as he unraveled the faint winding trail Allison takes to her final destination.

This story surprised me in a few instances and upon finishing immediately went to look for the first three In series to borrow from library so I could read them.

The truth that came out before books end not only came out of nowhere but a major twist I never saw coming, and it worked for me.

I look forward to finding out if first 3 in series manage to do the same.
[EArc from Netgalley]
On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have read Jeffery Deaver’s books before but this is the first Colter Shaw book I read. The story itself was good. I liked the action in the book. I found the character of Colter Shaw was a good one. However, there was too much science talk. I was lost at times and I would zone out. I think it took away from the story too much. I liked the ending and the twist at the end of the book. I think I would read more books in the series.

This was another enjoyable read in this series. It can be read as a stand alone for those who have not read the previous books in this series. The book had an interesting storyline which kept the reader interested along with a few surprising twists towards the end. This is a book which I would recommend to others.

Well, I absolutely adore the Colter Shaw series and this new one is no exception.

While some folks do find it too techy, I loved that about it. It got my mind moving! In addition, it’s simply a fast paced and entertaining read.

Colter is fabulous as always – I still love his job – and Deaver brings us a new round of characters, some extremely dangerous!

Loved this and looking forward to the next book!

• ARC via Publisher

The author continues his Colter Shaw series. This case involves a mother and daughter running from an abusive husband released from jail. The twist is that it isn’t the husband trying to kill them, but her employer. It is a fast paced, fairly quick read novel.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog.