I’ve really enjoyed this whole series, and this one might be my favorite—I had such a hard time putting it down to go to work. Even though it’s the most recent release, I honestly think it could be a great place to start if you’re new to the series since it ties together so much from the earlier books.

The pacing was spot on, with just the right amount of tension and perfectly placed clues that let you piece things together before the reveals hit. The characters are relatable, oddly likable in their own ways, and really carry the story. I actually want to go back and reread the first two now—I know I’ll catch details I missed the first time.

I’d definitely recommend this to anyone who loves thrillers, especially readers who enjoy a little nod to true crime. The main character is a true crime author, which makes for a really fun angle even though this isn’t a true crime story itself.

I thoroughly enjoyed this entire series. I am also quite a fan of most anything Audrey J. Cole writes! I love how she writes characters that make you not trust a single person!

The First Hunt is a tension filled and fast paced story. The audiobook was enjoyable with dual narrators and a ton of twists and turns to keep me fully engrossed. The shocks continue to the very end and I was excited to learn that this is the prequel in a series of books. I can’t wait to continue reading this story!

I have posted this review on Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Storygraph

https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/44130f5b-d473-453e-9c99-b357b9ea5510

Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7687884561

And Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/p/DLiKdOORfk9/?igsh=em4xNnV2OTBxeWp4

I received this audiobook from the publisher for a Book Tour with @tlcbooktours

This was a fast-paced, engaging listen that kept my attention from start to finish. Audrey J. Cole delivers a solid story with just the right mix of suspense and intrigue. The narration worked well and added to the experience. Definitely a great pick if you're in the mood for something gripping but not too heavy.

This was quite interesting to me because for years, mentions of the Green River Killer were on the news. Part of this is set in Tacoma, where I grew up and worked. The mystery and investigation became vivid as I pictured the neighborhood (maybe not the same one the author pictured) where events took place. The writing is exciting and I couldn’t wait to see how it ended.

📖 Bookish Thoughts
The First Hunt is a true crime–inspired serial killer thriller with dual timelines set in 1985 and 1990. The story pulled me in early with the mystery and the layered timelines. Unfortunately, the back half didn’t work for me. The pacing started to feel uneven, and by the final stretch, there was just too much happening all at once. Some of those major events would have worked better if they’d been spaced out more.

I also struggled with the main character, Holly Sparks. I’m not a fan of FMCs being written as careless or irrational for the sake of suspense, and Holly’s choices made it hard for me to stay connected. While the premise had potential, the execution fell a bit short for me personally.

📌 What You Can Expect:
• Crime reporter FMC
• Sister’s murder cold case
• Dual timelines
• Serial killer thriller
• True crime fallout

📖 Final Score: 3.5 stars
🎧 Audio Score: 5 stars
🎙️ Narration Style: Dual
📅 Pub Date: June 17, 2025
Thank you to Spotify Audio and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy. All thoughts are my own.

This was an interesting plot. Kinda Dexter-ish. It’s an easy psychological thriller read. Narration was good.

I thoroughly enjoyed this origin story. Audrey J. Cole did a great job of keeping me guessing throughout the story. I had read the second book in this series, so it was interesting to read a prequel.

Looking forward to reading more of this series as it is written and published.

Pete Cross and Adelaide Fernport did a great job narrating this story and I look forward to listening to more of their work in the future.

Did I know I needed a prequel to the Final Hunt? I sure do now! Wow!

Sometimes I worry that going back to the beginning when you already know so much won’t be that thrilling or suspenseful, but that isn’t the case here. Audrey J. Cole has given us the villain’s origin story, and it's chilling.

A blend of police procedure and true crime from the 1980s and ‘90s, this has a nostalgic yet haunting feel. You’ll be flipping pages to find who is the hunter and who is being hunted.

I don’t want to spoil the twists and stunning shockers, but be ready for an intense, fast-paced ride.

Thank you to @suzyapprovedbooktours and @audreyjcole for the #gifted book.

Thank you @spotify for the gifted audiobook via #netgalley narrated by Pete Cross and Adelaide Fernport.

The First Hunt is a dark, sucks you in coming-of-age thriller that explores what happens when the line between boy and beast starts to blur. Blood, fear, trust—a complex and nuanced story. And the question lingers: can you escape a legacy that seems to be thrust upon you?

📚 For fans of Mindhunter and We Need to Talk About Kevin—this one’s a psychological stunner.

Thank you Spotify and TLC bookstours for the review copy!

The First Hunt is a gripping psychological thriller that keeps you guessing until the very end. This is a prequel to the series, and I am so glad I read this one first, so I didn't expect the ending.

Thank you, Netgalley, the author, Spotify Audio, and TLC Book tours for the gifted audiobook! ❤️ #gifted. My review is comprised of my honest thoughts.

Read this book if you like: prequels, dual POVs, origin stories

I liked this. I will admit it's a prequel, and I read it first, so the others should be very interesting. I highly recommend this!

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

This book was so well done. I couldn’t put it down and how it all played out totally knocked my socks off.

I loved the use of multiple narrators and multiple timelines. It kept it twisty and kept me guessing. Holly was a great protagonist and her backstory with the abusive cop fiancé and her murdered sister added so much to the overall depth of the story. Her tenacity was well written and I liked how Cole helped the reader work through Holly’s theories with her. So often in novels these major leaps happen that lose the reader but I didn’t feel that with The First Hunt.

The Green River Killer was another great storyline potentially tying everything together. John’s story was complex and it was powerful learning about his father’s sadistic habits alongside him.

Parts of the story were slightly predictable just with the basic knowledge that this is a prequel, but ultimately, there is a major part of the conclusion that totally surprised me.

I listened to this novel on audio and absolutely loved it. Holly and John were played by different narrators which I always prefer and they both did a good job. It added an element of theater without being overly done.

I haven’t read any of the other novels in this series (yet), but I totally want to now! Thank you to TLC Book Tours for including me in this great tour!

I truly enjoyed this! Kept me guessing til the end and I didn’t see that final twist until it came which is rare!

Thanks to #NetGalley and #SpotifyAudiobooks for the book #TheFirstHunt by #AudreyJCole. HollySparks is a crime reporter/author who lost her sister years ago. She is convinced the Green River Killer is responsible so she starts her own investigation. She is convinced there are two killers and her ex fiancé may be one of them. Can she expose the two killers or will she become the next victim? This story is heartbreaking but a great book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the early copy of this book! I really enjoyed this one! I haven’t read the others in the series but I don’t feel like I was missing any key information. It was a fast paced and easy to read book.
I’ve read other books from this author and was looking forward to this one. It was fabulous as usual! The characters were developed well and the twists and turns were well written. I loved how everything came together leaving no unanswered questions. Can’t wait to read the other two in the series!

The First Hunt is @audreyjcole’s newest novel in The Final Hunt series. While it is third book in the series, the story is a prequel to the first book, The Final Hunt. I have read this series in order that the books were published; however, your could easily start with this one if you are new to the series.

Set in Seattle 1985, during the height of the Green River Killer’s activity, this story follows crime reporter Holly Sparks as she investigates the murder of her sister, along with other murdered girls. She soon discovers that there may be two active serial killers terrorizing Seattle’s women.

I loved this book, although I’m not surprised since I have loved every book that I have read by Audrey. The audiobook version is narrated well and held my attention. I highly recommend this audiobook, along with the rest of the series. They are perfect for listening to on a weekend trip, by the pool, or just avoiding the heat this summer!

The First Hunt
by Audrey J. Cole
Narrated by Pete Cross, Adelaide Fernport

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The story is told in dual point of view ; Crime reporter Holly Sparks who is determined to find her sister’s killer and a teenage boy named John who’s afraid what his fathers become. This story captivating and so thrilling! I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series


The narrators really brought this story to life .

This was a very interesting view of the Green River killer. It had me guessing what was going to happen next from the start.