The First Hunt is a gripping blend of true crime and psychological suspense. Set in 1980s Seattle, it follows a reporter chasing answers about her sister’s murder…only to find herself caught in something even darker. With gripping narration by Pete Cross and Ferdelle Capistrano, this audiobook keeps the tension high and the twists coming.

what an incredible audiobook!!! super fast paced and hard to put down. 5/5 stars for sure!!!! highly recommend

In the book The First Hunt, author Audrey J. Cole writes about crime reporter Holly Sparks and her obsession to find the killer of her sister who she believes was one of the infamous Green River Killer’s victims. But is someone copying the Green River Killer or trying to hide their kills in the midst of his? And who can Holly trust? This was a strange story that had a terrible ending. The audio-book narration was very good. I received a copy of this audio-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun audiobook. Fun is a weird word to use for a book about a serial killer (or two), but it sure was engaging and a wild ride to get to the end. I loved the premise, a investigative journalist/author is looking for a serial killer during the times of toxic masculinity, toxic police men, and the time when the social media and surveillance was not much help in catching a killer or dotting the dots together to build a better bigger case.

This one was heavy on the domestic abuse. And I wish I knew this was a prequel to the rest of the series (i know, MY bad). But I will definitely look into the rest of the series to find out more about these particular characters. I'm saddened that certain characters died in this one, as I was definitely not expecting that kind of ending. But surely loved how everything looped back around.

In any case, a good series for serial killer lovers.

Wow just Wow. The author broke the mould when she wrote this book, as nothing is as it seems or turns out how you expect. It is sure to keep you up late into the night. The story is told by two characters, we follow Holly an investigative reporter as she tries to solve her sister's death and John a teenage boy who's fears over what his father has become grows. This leads to a lot of understanding as the story unfolds and fear as the tension builds. All of this helps to keep you hooked until the very last page and asking just how well do you know someone? This author is a master of her craft and one that should be on everybody's to be read list. I can't wait for the next book.

Holly was going to be an author until her sister's death had her changing direction, now she is a crime reporter tracking the man who killed her sister. Piecing together clues that the police don't see, can she find the serial killer responsible for her sister's death? At the same time her relationship with one of the cops turns abusive and her evidence sends him to jail. Will he come looking for revenge of move on? John a teenage boy learns more about his father than any child should know, a knowledge that has him fearing the cops and Holly.
I liked having the two different narrators, it made following along easy as you always knew who perspective you were listening too.
I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review

This was everything I could ever want in a thriller. It was bingeable and delicious. Ate it right up. The red herrings, the plot twists, the likeable and unlikeable characters, the pacing. Just everything was perfect. All the stars.

The First Hunt is the prequel to The Final Hunt & The Last Hunt, honestly I loved reading this one after having those 2. It really gave me more of an understanding of the characters and I grasped so much more. This was by far my favorite of the series. I didn't think it was going to captivate me as much and surprise me this much, but it really did. I just thought the storyline was so intriguing, mysterious and heart pounding to follow. There were many possible scenarios that could happen which I really enjoyed, the author kept me guessing the whole way through.

I loved getting to know John when he was younger and what motivated him to become who he became. It was so chilling, I didn't know what was going to happen next, kept me on my toes. I loved how the storylines connected and everything tied up together.

Overall, I absolutely adored this pulse pounding thriller. It kept me hooked, consumed and flipping those pages. If you haven't read this series, I highly recommend it!

✨️Thank you to @netgalley & @audreyjcole for my gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

the setup…
It’s 1984 Seattle and the city is rocked by what appears to be a serial killer called the Green River Killer because of where the bodies are found. Holly Sparks is a journalist with a personal interest in these cases. Her sister Meg was murdered and suspicions are that she was one of his victims. But she’s got a different theory, one that suggests there are two killers and the one is leveraging the other with notoriety. Then there’s ten-year old John who witnessed his father murder a sex worker. He’s fearful of what he’s become an accomplice to but also terrified his father might get caught and John will end up in the foster care system. Both Holly and John face almost certain danger.

the heart of the story…
Holly is also engaged to a hot head homicide detective that she should have dumped long ago. It’s hers and John’s points of view, transitioning back and forth, keeping my stomach in knots waiting for their paths to intersect. The pace was swift and my nerves never got a break. I’ve not read the series so my starting point is here with a clean slate about things.

the narration…
Adelaide Fernport is new to me and she was quite convincing as Holly. She made me want to yell at her! It’s also my first time with Pete Cross and he managed expertly as a ten-year old through fifteen. He never gave anything away and I bought into his John. Great performances by both.

the bottom line…
Now I want to drop everything and dive into the next two books, especially after the epilogues. This was stunning, twisty and high octane nerve wracking. I finished this in a day and that’s all I’m gonna say. 4.5 stars

This was a thrilling story to listen to. I did have to keep reminding myself that it took place in the 80s and 90s, and so today's technology was obviously not available, from ready access of the internet to cell phones. That did add to the danger thrill suspense factor as Holly raced to find out who murdered her sister and who was continuing to murder women in the area and if she was going to be another victim (boy is Jared a nasty piece of work!). There are a few suspects and I must agree with Holly that she is definitely drawn to bad men. This was a good prequel and it was interesting to get the perspective of not just Holly, but also John as an introduction to the next book and how he became who he was with his father as a role model and if it is nature or nurture to have the proclivities of a serial killer and if could have followed a different path.

The narrators did a great job in bringing Holly and John to life and the area that they lived with all the killing going on. A very fast paced book and there is a lot of darkness, which is not surprising if you have read the first book. I am looking forward to doing that too now and I am very thankful to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to listen to this audiobook!

Thank you to @TLCBookTours and @spotifyaudio for the #ALC and for having me on this tour! I am a HUGE fan of @audreyjcole and of this series, and The First Hunt did not disappoint! This is John’s origin story, a prequel to The Final Hunt, and hoo boy, it is a doozy. It was just as intense as the other two books, and Cole did a fantastic job at seamlessly blending his beginnings with the start of book one. The audio was perfection, and I have really enjoyed listening to these books. You don’t have to have read them in order to enjoy this one as it reads as a standalone just fine. However, the other two books are excellent, so I recommend you do so for the full picture.

While being the third book released in the series, Audrey J. Cole’s The First Hunt is technically book 0 in The Final Hunt series. That’s just a fancy was of letting you know this is actually a prequel to The Final Hunt, which is the first book in the series, which was then followed by The Last Hunt. (And really don’t let the fact that those two title sound synonymous confuse you.) As I said this is a prequel, but in terms of reading order I would suggest you read them in the order which they’ve been released, meaning read First last, though I suppose technically each one could probably stand on their own. (I’m seriously not trying to confuse you, lol.) Enough, I’m starting to confuse myself. Bottomline: what you’re getting here is a fast paced, twisty thriller that is going to explain how John got to be the way he is. I know you are asking who is John, right? That’s why I said to read this one last. This is a fantastic thriller, that kept me listening almost nonstop. I have to be honest, I don’t see how after reading the first chapter, where a 10 year old John witnesses something very disturbing, this book doesn’t hook you. No spoilers, but prepare to go back to the 80s and experience an unforgettable search for a killer. The story is expertly narrated by Pete Cross and Adelaide Fernport. I’d like to thank Spotify Audiobooks and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review an advanced copy of the audiobook version of The First Hunt.

Holly is a true crime writer with a dark and haunted past.
Bodies start to show up and everything points to her cop fiancée who is NOT a good guy.
This book messed with my head!
It disturbs you in so many ways. This is basically the making of a serial killer duo.
And Father-son?? Mercy!
The plot was well structured. I did have some issue with some of the timeline shifts, I found myself a little confused, but it was quickly recovered. The pace was well done.
The characters were well-developed. I was able to stay engaged. I however was just disturbed by the evil taking place.
Had chills in multiple places in this book.
If you are into chilling, creepy, and disturbing, then this is a book for you!
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!
Happy Reading!

I just finished listening to a good audiobook. The First Hunt by Audrey J Cole is available soon. Check it out.

I absolutely loved this one!! Hello, mid-90s nostalgia. It gave me true crime vibes in the best way! The story follows Holly, a crime reporter turned author, investigating her sister’s death, which eerily mirrors the Green River Killer case. Most of the story focuses on Holly, but we also get John’s POV, his childhood, what he witnessed, and how it all shaped who he became. I was hooked from the very beginning, and that twisted ending? So good. I’m honestly tempted to go back and reread the whole series now. The narrators, Pete Cross and Ferdelle Capistrano, were excellent with great range, emotion, and timing. They nailed some of those intense scenes perfectly. Such an addicting listen!

A very special thanks to the author, Spotify Audiobooks + Netgalley for the gifted copy.

4.25⭐
Genre ~ crime thriller
Series ~ The Final Hunt
Others in the series ~ The Final Hunt, The Last Hunt
Setting ~ Seattle
Publication date ~ June 17, 2025
Publisher ~ Spotify
Est Page Count ~ 284 (p+ 47 chapters + 3 e's)
Audio length ~ 7 hours 10 minutes
Narrator ~ Pete Cross, Adelaide Fernport
POV ~ dual 3rd
Featuring ~ 1980's-1990's, serial killer, domestic violence

Holly is a crime reporter who thinks the Green River Killer is responsible for her sister's death, and she's adamant to prove it. She has also just put her fiancé, Jared, behind bars for trying to kill her. As the years go by she becomes a best selling true crime author and is still looking for answers about Meg. She's obsessed, and it might just put her in danger herself.

We meet John when he's just a child and witnesses something horrific his father has done. Thus sets forth his background story and why he does what he does.

I quite enjoy books written with timelines way back in the 1900's. The nostalgia is fun, especially with talk of land lines and party lines (remember those? my grandma had one).

Overall, super fast paced and engaging. Having already read the other books in the series I loved the look back of where it all began.

Series notes:
A prequel that came out after The Final Hunt & The Last Hunt. I think it's fine to read this one after those two.

Narration notes:
No complaints. They both did fine.

The First Hunt reminded me exactly why Audrey Cole is an author to keep firmly on my radar. If you’ve read The Final Hunt and found yourself wondering, “How did John get that way?” then this book delivers that answer with grit, depth, and a dark pulse that beats steadily through every chapter.

The premise: a true crime writer obsessed with solving her own sister’s murder—might sound familiar on the surface. But Cole takes this concept and injects it with a jolt of realism and historical relevance. By weaving in infamous real-life crimes (yes, the Green River Killer makes an unsettling appearance), she grounds the narrative in a chilling authenticity that makes the pages fly by… and your skin crawl just a little.

What sets Cole apart is her ability to blend character psychology with procedural suspense, all while giving a nod to the past without making it feel recycled. The result? A story that doesn’t just entertain, it haunts.

If you like your thrillers smart, sharp, and shadowed by true crime’s eerie echoes, The First Hunt should be next on your list.

Loved the writing of Audrey J. Cole. The narration and story telling were on point and loved twists and turns. Thanks to NetGalley for early audible arc.

This is Audrey Cole’s best writing yet. What an absolutely full circle and stunning end to a thrilling and clever series.

Read them all and read them in order!

Just block off your calendar and buckle up!!

Pete Cross and Adelaide Fernport did an amazing job bringing this story to life.

Thank you to Audrey Cole, Netgalley, and Spotify Audio for the opportunity to experience audiobook production.

Audrey J. Cole is one of my top ten fave thriller authors.

The novel takes place in the 1980’s, told from multiple points of view.

We meet Holly Sparks, a crime journalist following the work of the Green River Serial Killer. Holly’s sister Meg was brutally murdered, and she is determined to identify her killer. But, she’s not convinced that the GRSK has been killing all of the women attributed to him.

Her fiance, a member of the GRSK Task Force, is frustrated that Holly thinks she knows more than the cops. One night, he takes his frustration out on her, sending her to the emergency room.

Holly is forced into hiding when her ex-fiance is released early from prison. Holly is worried that her ex is stalking her, hoping to finish the job he started previously. While she is in hiding- separated from everyone she knows and trusts- Holly starts to lose her grip on reality. While she is able to see some things so clearly about the murders, she is missing some red flags.

The second point of view is John, a boy who has watched his dad murder at least one woman. His mother is dead, and John only has his dad. He must trust that his dad will take care of him even though he has some terrible (!) habits. John is worried that his dad will be caught, and then John will be left alone.

Generally I don’t enjoy novels from the 1980’s…especially when entire plotlines could be solved with one text or phone call. But the author doesn’t put any of her characters in those situations. This was a truly gripping 1980’s thriller.

This is a prequel to The Final Hunt, but can be read as a standalone novel. I have not yet read The Final Hunt I will be reading that book soon.

I really enjoyed the storyline…I did not see the twists coming at all. It kind of freaked me out…I could see myself making some of the same mistakes that Holly made.

Highly recommend. Thank you to Rainier Publishing for this ARC copy!

This book had so many twists and turns! Loved the writing style and the mystery of everything. The characters were all really interesting and their POVs had me hooked. The narration was great too. 😊