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Joe Hunter #1
Dead Men's Dust
The electrifying debut of ex-military officer and all-around tough guy Joe Hunter, who is on the trail of his missing and estranged brother . . . and the madman who may have taken him.
Joe Hunter solves problems. Or, as he likes to put it, he's "the weapon sent in when all the planning is done and all that's left is the ass kicking." And as a former military operative and ex-CIA agent, he's good at what he does. But when he's told that his brother—with whom he hasn't been on the best of terms—has disappeared, he learns that everything he's faced before is child's play compared to what's coming.
Tubal Cain is a killer—smart, stealthy, and arrogant—but he's also sentimental. His most precious possession is the set of knives he uses, and when one of them (his favorite Bowie) is stolen along a deserted stretch of highway, Cain will stop at nothing to get it back.
Unfortunately for Hunter, the thief is his brother, a man who has been on the run from his own mistakes but is now in the cross hairs of a seriously deranged man. To find his brother, Hunter must find Cain, and the chase takes all three men on a hair-raising journey across the country to a barren spot in the American Southwest, where bones have become nothing more than dead men's dust.
With its cinematic pacing, nonstop thrills, and strong, charismatic hero, Dead Men's Dust introduces Matt Hilton as a powerful and irresistible new voice in thriller fiction.
Joe Hunter solves problems. Or, as he likes to put it, he's "the weapon sent in when all the planning is done and all that's left is the ass kicking." And as a former military operative and ex-CIA agent, he's good at what he does. But when he's told that his brother—with whom he hasn't been on the best of terms—has disappeared, he learns that everything he's faced before is child's play compared to what's coming.
Tubal Cain is a killer—smart, stealthy, and arrogant—but he's also sentimental. His most precious possession is the set of knives he uses, and when one of them (his favorite Bowie) is stolen along a deserted stretch of highway, Cain will stop at nothing to get it back.
Unfortunately for Hunter, the thief is his brother, a man who has been on the run from his own mistakes but is now in the cross hairs of a seriously deranged man. To find his brother, Hunter must find Cain, and the chase takes all three men on a hair-raising journey across the country to a barren spot in the American Southwest, where bones have become nothing more than dead men's dust.
With its cinematic pacing, nonstop thrills, and strong, charismatic hero, Dead Men's Dust introduces Matt Hilton as a powerful and irresistible new voice in thriller fiction.
325 pages, Hardcover
First published May 19, 2009
About the author
Matt Hilton
71 books226 followersMatt Hilton worked for twenty-two years in private security and the police force in Cumbria. He is a 4th Dan blackbelt and coach in Ju-Jitsu. He lives in Cumbria with his wife and son.
Matt is the author of the best-selling Joe Hunter thriller series, as well as standalone horror thrillers and short stories that have appeared in a number of collections and anthologies. Matt's first novel - Dead Men's Dust - was a Sunday Times best-seller and was shortlisted for the ITW New Novel Award 2009.
Matt is the author of the best-selling Joe Hunter thriller series, as well as standalone horror thrillers and short stories that have appeared in a number of collections and anthologies. Matt's first novel - Dead Men's Dust - was a Sunday Times best-seller and was shortlisted for the ITW New Novel Award 2009.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
April 5, 2009
Joe Hunter goes right to the top of my list of someone I would want in my corner if things go wrong. Lee Child’s Jack Reacher held that spot for a long time but there is a new man in town and he’s a tough one.
Joe is ex-military and separated from his wife. When Joe learns that his sister-in-law Jennifer is in trouble he rushes to her aid. Jennifer was married to Joe’s half-brother John Telfer. John and Joe had a disagreement and have been out of touch for sometime. Now Jennifer implores Joe to find his brother. Jennifer shows Joe a letter from the woman who had currently been living with John in Arkansas. The letter stated that John had said if anything ever happened to him to get in touch with Joe. Jennifer begs Joe to go the United States and find John.
Although Joe is not sure this task is something he really wants to undertake, he flies to the United States. Joe heads for Florida to hook up with his old friend Jared Rington. The two had been through many battles before and Joe knew he could depend on Rington.
As Joe and Jared try to trace John, they begin to realize that John has become involved with a maniac. Tubal Cain is a serial killer who will stop at nothing to fill his own private bone yard. Tubal seems to have no conscience and his mind is very twisted.
As the chase moves from Florida across the country, the tension and suspense is non-stop. This is a book that you will want to read in one sitting. I am hoping that there will be another Joe Hunter novel soon.
Matt Hilton’s website offers the new reader an introduction to Joe Hunter. Check out
http://www.matthiltonbooks.com/
Joe is ex-military and separated from his wife. When Joe learns that his sister-in-law Jennifer is in trouble he rushes to her aid. Jennifer was married to Joe’s half-brother John Telfer. John and Joe had a disagreement and have been out of touch for sometime. Now Jennifer implores Joe to find his brother. Jennifer shows Joe a letter from the woman who had currently been living with John in Arkansas. The letter stated that John had said if anything ever happened to him to get in touch with Joe. Jennifer begs Joe to go the United States and find John.
Although Joe is not sure this task is something he really wants to undertake, he flies to the United States. Joe heads for Florida to hook up with his old friend Jared Rington. The two had been through many battles before and Joe knew he could depend on Rington.
As Joe and Jared try to trace John, they begin to realize that John has become involved with a maniac. Tubal Cain is a serial killer who will stop at nothing to fill his own private bone yard. Tubal seems to have no conscience and his mind is very twisted.
As the chase moves from Florida across the country, the tension and suspense is non-stop. This is a book that you will want to read in one sitting. I am hoping that there will be another Joe Hunter novel soon.
Matt Hilton’s website offers the new reader an introduction to Joe Hunter. Check out
http://www.matthiltonbooks.com/
August 11, 2012
At first, reading the words 'Special Forces', I thought that this book wasn't my type. Blind patriotism, superhero and drawing a line short of killing are usually associated with this description. However, I persisted and kept on reading, and was glad I did so. Joe Hunter's foes here are initially vicious criminals, but the narrative of Joe's brother's story, running parallel, throws up a character of the type I thrive on, an anti-hero that can chill the blood, that has no concience, no morals, and, to top it all is highly skilled and very, very dangerous. A worthy opponent for any action hero.. Pitch the Camel Club and Jack Reacher against the Joker, make the action violent, bloody and fraught with danger and it really works. If there's anything about the book that threw me it was that a British author with a British hero would set the story in the US, but hey, who am I to argue, half the authors I read and follow have their stories based there and these days most British readers and viewers know the US almost as they do the UK. I've already got the next in the series lined up and Matt is already on my 'signed collections' list. As a 'debut' novel this is one great read. My only crit is that our heroes seem to lose so much blood yet can still walk away.
July 1, 2017
An incredibly engrossing five star thriller! Matt Hilton's first installment in the Joe Hunter series is unequivocally the scariest high-octane novel I have ever read! This series has not gotten the press or praise it so deserves, and the reason for that eludes this reader: the storyline is original and spellbinding, the characters are authentic and bewitching ,and the non-stop action is utterly edge-of-your-seat riveting! Mr. Hilton's well-honed author's craft is outstanding, especially in his use of Joe Hunter's voice, imagery, and characterization. If you like Mitch Rapp, Jack Reacher, Alex Cross, or John Puller, you will absolutely LOVE Joe Hunter! I have recently been introduced to this author and series, and am glad I have ten more Joe Hunter novels to devour before I have to "wait" for the twelfth installment! If my heart can stand it!
November 12, 2019
On the surface, this should've been a thrilling ride. Two Ex-Military experts on the hunt to find a missing person, find themselves entangled with a psychopathic serial killer, stolen money plates that involves a South-American mob, and somehow, the CIA and FBI are involved as well.
But the final result is anything but thrilling, exciting, or even mildly gripping. The fault is the writing style of the author, which for much of the book was just over the place, and has put emphasis on mindless, unbelievable action (I mean, sure- one can suspend disbelief, but seriously- no one is that of an expert marksman- no one can hit another person in the hand while jumping head-on into the water from an exploding boat, while derbies are flying everywhere and visibility is zero), than actually write a story and believable characters. I'm not asking for a character-study, but why should I care for the kidnapped brother, when he's basically an all-round awful person who doesn't even worth saving- and nothing more is actually known about him.
The psychopath serial killer is run of the mill- except the fact he's a complete idiot. All of his decision-making makes no sense whatsoever, and while he sees himself as an intelligent, methodical, neat, calculated person who's better than everyone else, everything he does in the book proves that he is anything but those things. Honestly, how he haven't been caught for four (!!!) years, is mind-boggling.
And the main protagonist... Hunter... The whole book is: "I'm ex-military, i'm an expert, I know how to kick, stab, shoot, kill.. Non one is better than me... I'm the best assassin/killer/spy there ever was and ever will be". And i'm not exaggerating- everytime the action about to start, he has to remind us how much of an expert he is, how good he is- only to be kicked in the nuts the next page. I mean, our hero has to bleed a bit and suffer to actually be a hero.
The biggest affront was the last 26% of the book, which were atrocious. Up to that point, the book was still tolerable, but then there's a confrontation between Hunter and the psycho, but Hunter let's him go! Why? Oh, no particular reason.. Other than the author thought there's needs to be another twist that would explain why the psycho is how he is and why the FBI couldn't catch him for four years. And all that to build up- very slowly, think of a snail pace, only even slower- another confrontation between the two. Problem is, by that point I was so numb, I just waited for the book to just end...
But wait. It doesn't end here. Then came the ending. My word- THAT STUPID, STUPID, ENDING! Pointless, meaningless, lacks any sense of logic. It was just done for shock value and effect, nothing more.
The writing style of this book was annoying, to say the least. Firstly, the author has a problem of getting to the point, and always likes to drag pointless plot-points over many chapters, which slows the pace so much. The action scenes are underwhelming, to say the least, which range from knife-battles, endless shootouts, and unbelievable actions. The dialogues... Well, let me say this: soap-operas have much better dialogues than this book.
If you're expecting a fast-pace, fun, thrilling ride, coherent story and characters, look elsewhere. As I said, on the surface, this seems like a good book, but it's anything but good.
One star out of five.
But the final result is anything but thrilling, exciting, or even mildly gripping. The fault is the writing style of the author, which for much of the book was just over the place, and has put emphasis on mindless, unbelievable action (I mean, sure- one can suspend disbelief, but seriously- no one is that of an expert marksman- no one can hit another person in the hand while jumping head-on into the water from an exploding boat, while derbies are flying everywhere and visibility is zero), than actually write a story and believable characters. I'm not asking for a character-study, but why should I care for the kidnapped brother, when he's basically an all-round awful person who doesn't even worth saving- and nothing more is actually known about him.
The psychopath serial killer is run of the mill- except the fact he's a complete idiot. All of his decision-making makes no sense whatsoever, and while he sees himself as an intelligent, methodical, neat, calculated person who's better than everyone else, everything he does in the book proves that he is anything but those things. Honestly, how he haven't been caught for four (!!!) years, is mind-boggling.
And the main protagonist... Hunter... The whole book is: "I'm ex-military, i'm an expert, I know how to kick, stab, shoot, kill.. Non one is better than me... I'm the best assassin/killer/spy there ever was and ever will be". And i'm not exaggerating- everytime the action about to start, he has to remind us how much of an expert he is, how good he is- only to be kicked in the nuts the next page. I mean, our hero has to bleed a bit and suffer to actually be a hero.
The biggest affront was the last 26% of the book, which were atrocious. Up to that point, the book was still tolerable, but then there's a confrontation between Hunter and the psycho, but Hunter let's him go! Why? Oh, no particular reason.. Other than the author thought there's needs to be another twist that would explain why the psycho is how he is and why the FBI couldn't catch him for four years. And all that to build up- very slowly, think of a snail pace, only even slower- another confrontation between the two. Problem is, by that point I was so numb, I just waited for the book to just end...
But wait. It doesn't end here. Then came the ending. My word- THAT STUPID, STUPID, ENDING! Pointless, meaningless, lacks any sense of logic. It was just done for shock value and effect, nothing more.
The writing style of this book was annoying, to say the least. Firstly, the author has a problem of getting to the point, and always likes to drag pointless plot-points over many chapters, which slows the pace so much. The action scenes are underwhelming, to say the least, which range from knife-battles, endless shootouts, and unbelievable actions. The dialogues... Well, let me say this: soap-operas have much better dialogues than this book.
If you're expecting a fast-pace, fun, thrilling ride, coherent story and characters, look elsewhere. As I said, on the surface, this seems like a good book, but it's anything but good.
One star out of five.
August 24, 2017
This book/story line reminded me very much like the Jack Reacher books/storylines. I really enjoyed it- looking forward to picking up book number 2 in this series!
September 3, 2012
I enjoyed this novel from the very start. Matt Hilton's fast paced narrative drew me in and hooked me immediately. The banter between the main characters Joe Hunter and Jared Rington was humourous and fun. However, at times it was a little forced but never enough to turn me off.
I believe this was Matt Hilton's debut novel and for a debut it's very accomplished. The action scenes worked very well and anyone who has ever tried to write an action sequence will know that it’s tougher than the reader would believe.
Hilton did an excellent job in getting us into the depraved mind of the character known as the Harvestman. Although the action thriller genre is not known for its strength in chacterisation I felt that Hilton scored points here. I saw great potential in this area. Hilton's descriptive writing, especially in the build up to the final scene, was top notch. Stark imagery that suited the grave situation perfectly.
A book not without it’s flaws but a very enjoyable page turner none the less. I will be following the exploits of Joe Hunter from now on.
I believe this was Matt Hilton's debut novel and for a debut it's very accomplished. The action scenes worked very well and anyone who has ever tried to write an action sequence will know that it’s tougher than the reader would believe.
Hilton did an excellent job in getting us into the depraved mind of the character known as the Harvestman. Although the action thriller genre is not known for its strength in chacterisation I felt that Hilton scored points here. I saw great potential in this area. Hilton's descriptive writing, especially in the build up to the final scene, was top notch. Stark imagery that suited the grave situation perfectly.
A book not without it’s flaws but a very enjoyable page turner none the less. I will be following the exploits of Joe Hunter from now on.
May 25, 2020
Very violent story of an ex-Special Forces assassin trying to find and save his estranged brother. Much of the book written in the first person with an easy style, despite the underlying narrative. Might consider the second book in the series.
August 25, 2009
The running man conspiracy continues! No, not really. I am not going to discuss the cover artwork for Matt Hilton's Dead Men's Dust. The running man has already had a good run (sorry about that) in the blogosphere. I thought it was time to actually delve inside, and I am pleased to report that Dead Men's Dust is a cracking good thriller.
The opening is a ball-tearer, with the character Joe Hunter, from the outset proving that he has the skill set to help the small people of the world. Because that is what Joe Hunter does – he helps people. To put an espionage twist to it, Hunter is a bit like Robert McCall in the Equalizer, or even Michael Westen in Burn Notice. He's a man who has been around the block – so to speak – and learnt a trick or two along the way. Now he has left that world behind and helps out people who aren't able to protect themselves from the bullies of the world. But Hunter's past is a bit vague. As he explains on page 59:
'I hadn't been a secret agent; it wasn't for me to use guile and trickery to root out the bad guys. I was the weapon sent in when all the planning was done with and all that was left was the arse-kicking. Arse-kicking I was good at. It got results.'
Joe Hunter's mission on this occasion, is a personal one. His estranged half-brother, John Tefler has gone missing in the U.S. of A. John has always been a bit of a try-hard schemer – only his schemes and his luck never seem to work out. Joe has to track down his brother, who has not only managed to attract the unwanted attention of the Syndicate, after he disappears with some counterfeit money printing plates, but also the attention of one of America's most brutal serial killers, Tubal Cain.
Dead Men's Dust is written in two styles, alternating chapter by chapter. The first style is first person and the story is viewed from Joe Hunter's point of view. This is effective to a point, but towards the middle of the book it is a bit frustrating because of the other events happening in the book - but let me explain. The other style, every second chapter is written in third person and recounts the gruesome exploits of Tubal Cain. As we move through the story, Tubal Cain moves ahead of Joe Hunter in the story arc, and as such in the middle there is a small portion where Hunter is really playing catch up and planning his next move - while we readers are far ahead of him. Thankfully Hilton keeps these chapters relatively brief. The frustrating thing here is that Hunter is such an enjoyable character, especially when he is 'let loose' that we are left wanting and waiting. But we don't have to wait for too long and the tense, atmospheric ending is well worth it.
Overall, I'd say that Dead Men's Dust is a bloody good read. It does what it aims to do – and that is provide a rollercoaster ride riddled with bullets and broken bones, and it is packaged with a slick sense of style and pace. The publisher, Hodder & Stoughton, certainly did the right thing by Hilton down in Australia. Especially on a 'street level' where bright yellow and magenta Joe Hunter posters covered every wall and building site hording. In store it was backed up with a 'publishers promise' - enjoy the book or your money back. Well, they're are pretty safe. I enjoyed Dead Men's Dust from the knee splintering opening to the gruesome knife wielding last pages, and I am eagerly looking forward to the follow up Judgment and Wrath which is due out later this year.
Just a brief warning – this story does feature a serial killer - a serial killer whose prefered weapon is a scaling knife – so if you're a little bit queasy then this may not be the book for you.
From the back:
'Some may call me a vigilante. I think I've just got problems to fix.'
Right now, Joe Hunter's big problem is a missing little brother, last seen fleeing the site of a gruesome killing. Hunter needs the help of an old army buddy, a whole lot of hardware and a trip to Little Rock, Arkansas, to fix this particular problem.
A brutal encounter with some very nasty criminals leaves Hunter fighting for his life. And that’s before he comes up against America’s most feared serial killer, 'The Harvestman', and his grisly souvenirs of death.
But blood is thicker than water. And a lot of blood will be spilt . . .
DEAD MEN'S DUST introduces Joe Hunter, an all action hero with a strong moral code. Like the gunslingers of the Wild West, Hunter is not afraid to use his weapons and his fists – but only to save the victims from the bad guys.
The opening is a ball-tearer, with the character Joe Hunter, from the outset proving that he has the skill set to help the small people of the world. Because that is what Joe Hunter does – he helps people. To put an espionage twist to it, Hunter is a bit like Robert McCall in the Equalizer, or even Michael Westen in Burn Notice. He's a man who has been around the block – so to speak – and learnt a trick or two along the way. Now he has left that world behind and helps out people who aren't able to protect themselves from the bullies of the world. But Hunter's past is a bit vague. As he explains on page 59:
'I hadn't been a secret agent; it wasn't for me to use guile and trickery to root out the bad guys. I was the weapon sent in when all the planning was done with and all that was left was the arse-kicking. Arse-kicking I was good at. It got results.'
Joe Hunter's mission on this occasion, is a personal one. His estranged half-brother, John Tefler has gone missing in the U.S. of A. John has always been a bit of a try-hard schemer – only his schemes and his luck never seem to work out. Joe has to track down his brother, who has not only managed to attract the unwanted attention of the Syndicate, after he disappears with some counterfeit money printing plates, but also the attention of one of America's most brutal serial killers, Tubal Cain.
Dead Men's Dust is written in two styles, alternating chapter by chapter. The first style is first person and the story is viewed from Joe Hunter's point of view. This is effective to a point, but towards the middle of the book it is a bit frustrating because of the other events happening in the book - but let me explain. The other style, every second chapter is written in third person and recounts the gruesome exploits of Tubal Cain. As we move through the story, Tubal Cain moves ahead of Joe Hunter in the story arc, and as such in the middle there is a small portion where Hunter is really playing catch up and planning his next move - while we readers are far ahead of him. Thankfully Hilton keeps these chapters relatively brief. The frustrating thing here is that Hunter is such an enjoyable character, especially when he is 'let loose' that we are left wanting and waiting. But we don't have to wait for too long and the tense, atmospheric ending is well worth it.
Overall, I'd say that Dead Men's Dust is a bloody good read. It does what it aims to do – and that is provide a rollercoaster ride riddled with bullets and broken bones, and it is packaged with a slick sense of style and pace. The publisher, Hodder & Stoughton, certainly did the right thing by Hilton down in Australia. Especially on a 'street level' where bright yellow and magenta Joe Hunter posters covered every wall and building site hording. In store it was backed up with a 'publishers promise' - enjoy the book or your money back. Well, they're are pretty safe. I enjoyed Dead Men's Dust from the knee splintering opening to the gruesome knife wielding last pages, and I am eagerly looking forward to the follow up Judgment and Wrath which is due out later this year.
Just a brief warning – this story does feature a serial killer - a serial killer whose prefered weapon is a scaling knife – so if you're a little bit queasy then this may not be the book for you.
From the back:
'Some may call me a vigilante. I think I've just got problems to fix.'
Right now, Joe Hunter's big problem is a missing little brother, last seen fleeing the site of a gruesome killing. Hunter needs the help of an old army buddy, a whole lot of hardware and a trip to Little Rock, Arkansas, to fix this particular problem.
A brutal encounter with some very nasty criminals leaves Hunter fighting for his life. And that’s before he comes up against America’s most feared serial killer, 'The Harvestman', and his grisly souvenirs of death.
But blood is thicker than water. And a lot of blood will be spilt . . .
DEAD MEN'S DUST introduces Joe Hunter, an all action hero with a strong moral code. Like the gunslingers of the Wild West, Hunter is not afraid to use his weapons and his fists – but only to save the victims from the bad guys.
March 12, 2009
Meet Joe Hunter. He’s a new kind of action hero, or maybe anti-hero, depending on your point of view. Joe claims that “some people call me a vigilante. I’d rather think of myself as a problem solver.”
In Matt Hilton’s debut thriller, Dead Men’s Dust, Joe is out to solve all the problems. His half-brother John is missing and it’s up to Joe to find him. John is known to be a bit of a scalawag. His vice is gambling. Joe and John’s estranged wife are sure that his gambling has gotten him into a lot of trouble. Again.
John has left for the States, and Joe leaves England, not too far behind him. Joe has a friend in Florida, Rink, a friend from the old days Joe spent as a Special Forces counterterrorism agent. Together, they follow John’s clues cross country (most notably through Little Rock, Arkansas) on their way to Marina Del Ray, California.
Also traveling cross country is Tubal Cain, one of the most vicious serial killers I have ever read about. Tubal likes to collect souvenir’s from his victims---a finger, a thumb. He’s one scary dude.
The book’s chapters alternate between Joe and Rink and Tubal, keeping me on the edge of my seat. When they three finally start to meet, readers can expect twists, turns, bombs, and bullets for starters.
Two quotes from Joe led me to want to read Dead Men’s Dust. When asked what the most important lesson he’s learned from his experiences, Joe said, “At its most basic level, civilization shares one undeniable truth: the scream of a victim sounds the same the world over.” Scary, huh? The other quote is Joe’s basic philosophy of life: “You don’t hear the bullet that kills you.”
Dead Men’s Dust is the first in the Joe Hunter series. The next one has a tentative title, Judgment and Worth. If it’s half as good as Dead Men’s Dust, I’ll be glued to the couch the minute I get it.
Review originally appeared on www.armchairinterview.com
In Matt Hilton’s debut thriller, Dead Men’s Dust, Joe is out to solve all the problems. His half-brother John is missing and it’s up to Joe to find him. John is known to be a bit of a scalawag. His vice is gambling. Joe and John’s estranged wife are sure that his gambling has gotten him into a lot of trouble. Again.
John has left for the States, and Joe leaves England, not too far behind him. Joe has a friend in Florida, Rink, a friend from the old days Joe spent as a Special Forces counterterrorism agent. Together, they follow John’s clues cross country (most notably through Little Rock, Arkansas) on their way to Marina Del Ray, California.
Also traveling cross country is Tubal Cain, one of the most vicious serial killers I have ever read about. Tubal likes to collect souvenir’s from his victims---a finger, a thumb. He’s one scary dude.
The book’s chapters alternate between Joe and Rink and Tubal, keeping me on the edge of my seat. When they three finally start to meet, readers can expect twists, turns, bombs, and bullets for starters.
Two quotes from Joe led me to want to read Dead Men’s Dust. When asked what the most important lesson he’s learned from his experiences, Joe said, “At its most basic level, civilization shares one undeniable truth: the scream of a victim sounds the same the world over.” Scary, huh? The other quote is Joe’s basic philosophy of life: “You don’t hear the bullet that kills you.”
Dead Men’s Dust is the first in the Joe Hunter series. The next one has a tentative title, Judgment and Worth. If it’s half as good as Dead Men’s Dust, I’ll be glued to the couch the minute I get it.
Review originally appeared on www.armchairinterview.com
August 27, 2011
I have a real soft spot for the men's adventure series books of the 1970s and 1980s. You know, The Destroyer, The Executioner, The Death Merchant, etc. So I do not in any way mean it as an insult when I say that this book belongs in the stack as a better example of the genre. The action is well-written and frequent. The violence is over-the-top. And it's just plain fun as hell.
That said, with the strengths of the genre come the weaknesses, as well. The dialogue can often be repetitive or expository, and often times there are long passages where a character reminds the other character how tough they are or how well they are trained.
I haven't read the Jack Reacher books, so I can't compare them. But I'm a big fan of Stephen Hunter who has taken the genre and raised it far above the usual expectations. This is Hilton's first book, so my guess is that the series and the character will grow as it goes. But you have nothing to lose with this first book in the series. It's fast and fun.
That said, with the strengths of the genre come the weaknesses, as well. The dialogue can often be repetitive or expository, and often times there are long passages where a character reminds the other character how tough they are or how well they are trained.
I haven't read the Jack Reacher books, so I can't compare them. But I'm a big fan of Stephen Hunter who has taken the genre and raised it far above the usual expectations. This is Hilton's first book, so my guess is that the series and the character will grow as it goes. But you have nothing to lose with this first book in the series. It's fast and fun.
October 16, 2010
The first in a new series following the adventures of Joe Hunter, ex British Forces and now working as a vigilante in the US. In this instalment he's on the trail of his wayward brother who's skipped out on his mistress after first leaving his wife and children in England. Throw in a serial killer, some lowlife ganglanders and government agents and you've got a pretty interesting mix. Oh, and naturally there are some cool gunfights and explosions. Good but not great so let's see if the next in the series can pick up the pace.
May 14, 2010
Great book, a real page turner I will read more from this author. He paints fantastic pen pictures and I really felt like I was there watching.
May 23, 2011
I'd say the follow-up book is slightly better, but this was an enjoyable book reminiscent of Lee Child.
April 2, 2013
Great!
July 17, 2019
Джак Ричър за бедни 😂 Става за губене на време.
December 18, 2019
Tiro su con il naso prima di cominciare. Chiedo scusa, ma in questa mirabolante opera letteraria, ogni circa un paio di capitoli qualche personaggio tira su con il naso, non si sa bene perchè, forse l'influenza suina ha colpito il mio libro e ne sono stato contagiato, scusate, tiro su con il naso.
Mi ricordo un'altra opera stratosferica "I libri di Luca" dove i personaggi ogni venti pagine scrocchiavano le dita, insomma sembra che ultimamente negli autori anglosassoni i tic si sprecano, che siano artrite o raffreddori. Tiro su con il naso e mi domando come abbia fatto (se è vero) ad avere questo esordio sfolgorante questo autore nel Regno Unito che addirittura gli ha fatto vendere anche i diritti dei prossimi cinque libri con lo stesso personaggio (se nel frattempo non sia morto per l'influenza); se è vero come il fatto che orde di fan hanno preso d'assedio il suo sito web (ad ora il contatore mi dice 8267 visite in sei mesi) stiamo belli che freschi, il mio blog in meno tempo ne ha quasi il doppio.
Tiro su con il naso per dire che siamo di fronte all'ennesimo autore che cerca di copiare capostipiti del genere di Lee Child o Andy Mcnab e come sempre gli viene accostato dicendo che entra nell'olimpo del genere action-thriller, ovviamente non si avvicina neanche lontanamente alle pendice del monte dimora degli Dei.
Tiro su con il naso, il cattivo è davvero troppo cattivo per essere anche solo lontanamente credibile, il buono è troppo buono, il fratello inguaiato è troppo scemo e l'amico del cuore del protagonista che si getta in questa avventura non si capisce neanche bene perchè lo faccia visto che all'inizio del libro sembrava pure che non si sentivano da decenni.
E poi certo c'è la CIA, l'FBI, l'USSS, il CCCP, il CUS, il DDT, il PRC e insomma ci sta proprio tutto messo dentro un frullatore e lasciato girare all'impazzata per troppo tempo. Prevedibile come non mai anche il finale, tiro su con il naso, che lo si aspetta come una fine alle torture inflittami da questa lettura come una benedizione suprema.
C'è da dire che l'autore non scrive poi malaccio, la lettura in qualche modo scorre non ci si sofferma troppo sull'insulsità della storia e dei personaggi stereotipati.
Bha, cosa devo dire... tiriamo su con il naso e passiamo oltre...
Mi ricordo un'altra opera stratosferica "I libri di Luca" dove i personaggi ogni venti pagine scrocchiavano le dita, insomma sembra che ultimamente negli autori anglosassoni i tic si sprecano, che siano artrite o raffreddori. Tiro su con il naso e mi domando come abbia fatto (se è vero) ad avere questo esordio sfolgorante questo autore nel Regno Unito che addirittura gli ha fatto vendere anche i diritti dei prossimi cinque libri con lo stesso personaggio (se nel frattempo non sia morto per l'influenza); se è vero come il fatto che orde di fan hanno preso d'assedio il suo sito web (ad ora il contatore mi dice 8267 visite in sei mesi) stiamo belli che freschi, il mio blog in meno tempo ne ha quasi il doppio.
Tiro su con il naso per dire che siamo di fronte all'ennesimo autore che cerca di copiare capostipiti del genere di Lee Child o Andy Mcnab e come sempre gli viene accostato dicendo che entra nell'olimpo del genere action-thriller, ovviamente non si avvicina neanche lontanamente alle pendice del monte dimora degli Dei.
Tiro su con il naso, il cattivo è davvero troppo cattivo per essere anche solo lontanamente credibile, il buono è troppo buono, il fratello inguaiato è troppo scemo e l'amico del cuore del protagonista che si getta in questa avventura non si capisce neanche bene perchè lo faccia visto che all'inizio del libro sembrava pure che non si sentivano da decenni.
E poi certo c'è la CIA, l'FBI, l'USSS, il CCCP, il CUS, il DDT, il PRC e insomma ci sta proprio tutto messo dentro un frullatore e lasciato girare all'impazzata per troppo tempo. Prevedibile come non mai anche il finale, tiro su con il naso, che lo si aspetta come una fine alle torture inflittami da questa lettura come una benedizione suprema.
C'è da dire che l'autore non scrive poi malaccio, la lettura in qualche modo scorre non ci si sofferma troppo sull'insulsità della storia e dei personaggi stereotipati.
Bha, cosa devo dire... tiriamo su con il naso e passiamo oltre...
April 7, 2013
This book proves why I should learn to just ignore other reviewers and make my own opinion. I read so many not bad but not raving reviews for this book that it put me off wanting to read it, when in actual fact it turned out to be a very enjoyable read that moved at breakneck speed. I thought the book was written very well and it wasn't the usual British author trying to write a book in America and failing, I really felt like I was there when I was reading the book and it felt very authentic.
Anyway, this book has been on my to read list for ages now. I recently read a series of books by Sean Black focusing on a bodyguard Ryan Lock who is a fantastic creation. I haven't read Lee Child's Reacher series and probably have no intention of now that he is played by Tom Cruise as I would just be picturing him throughout. So I couldn't help but compare this to Black's character Ryan Lock. I do think however that Joe Hunter was a great character and one that I really enjoyed reading about. I found him believable, funny and a good person. I also enjoyed the friendship with his partner Rink. Like Ryan Lock, everyone needs a friend to help them out (Ryan's is Ty).
The book moved at breakneck speed and was like a Hollywood blockbuster at times. It amuses me when people talk about books being realistic, I don't really like using that word to describe fiction. Fiction, in books especially is about exploring things you can't explore in real life or in TV shows and movies. In books you have license to write pretty much whatever you want as you have an unlimited budget, your imagination. So the shooting scenes and the big Hollywood explosions and chases cross country were very enjoyable to read about. If this book was realistic it would be boring. Thrillers should try to remain partly realistic but not 100% because that would be rubbish.
Overall though I gave this book four stars because Goodreads says that means I 'really liked it' and I did really like it. I have the rest of the books checked out from the library, in anticipation that I would actually want to read them! And fortunately I liked Joe Hunter as a character enough to want to do so. Especially when I have a to read list that I would need another lifetime to even attempt to get through.
Anyway, this book has been on my to read list for ages now. I recently read a series of books by Sean Black focusing on a bodyguard Ryan Lock who is a fantastic creation. I haven't read Lee Child's Reacher series and probably have no intention of now that he is played by Tom Cruise as I would just be picturing him throughout. So I couldn't help but compare this to Black's character Ryan Lock. I do think however that Joe Hunter was a great character and one that I really enjoyed reading about. I found him believable, funny and a good person. I also enjoyed the friendship with his partner Rink. Like Ryan Lock, everyone needs a friend to help them out (Ryan's is Ty).
The book moved at breakneck speed and was like a Hollywood blockbuster at times. It amuses me when people talk about books being realistic, I don't really like using that word to describe fiction. Fiction, in books especially is about exploring things you can't explore in real life or in TV shows and movies. In books you have license to write pretty much whatever you want as you have an unlimited budget, your imagination. So the shooting scenes and the big Hollywood explosions and chases cross country were very enjoyable to read about. If this book was realistic it would be boring. Thrillers should try to remain partly realistic but not 100% because that would be rubbish.
Overall though I gave this book four stars because Goodreads says that means I 'really liked it' and I did really like it. I have the rest of the books checked out from the library, in anticipation that I would actually want to read them! And fortunately I liked Joe Hunter as a character enough to want to do so. Especially when I have a to read list that I would need another lifetime to even attempt to get through.
April 5, 2015
I hated pretty much everything about this book. It was only sheer stubbornness that kept me going to the end. The characters are unbelievable, the storyline is totally implausible and the descriptions of violence are sickening. It's extremely formulaic and predictable, with no major twists or turns to keep the reader on their toes.
The storyline concerns Joe Hunter, a man who has spent 14 years in counter-terrorism. He's the sort of guy who spouts pearls of wisdom like "the scream of a victim sounds the same the world over" and "you don't hear the bullet that kills you". He's not terribly smart but he can punch through a wall and take on lots of bad guys. His half-brother John has gone missing, so Joe sets out to find him. Somehow he's become tangled up with a serial killer called Tubal Cain who is "the world's most prolific undetected serial killer".
Again and again, people act in ways that make no sense, purely for the purpose of advancing the plot. An example: John's girlfriend asks Joe to find John, but then doesn't disclose what she knows that might help him to do that. Because if she had, then he wouldn't need to go and waste the wrong bad guys.
The book moves along fast enough, but one key problem is that the reader never cares about Joe or his hapless brother so the suspense is minimal. The most interesting character is actually Tubal Cain and the best parts of the book are when he's hunting John. When the inevitable showdown comes between Joe and Cain, it's pretty devoid of tension - Joe tracking down a man who's making no real attempt to hide and with a Joe Hunter sequel planned, three guesses who's going to win.
I'm sure part of the problem is that I approached this book with high expectations, having heard good things about it. I truly feel that I wasted my time reading it and I hope this review can save you from doing the same.
The storyline concerns Joe Hunter, a man who has spent 14 years in counter-terrorism. He's the sort of guy who spouts pearls of wisdom like "the scream of a victim sounds the same the world over" and "you don't hear the bullet that kills you". He's not terribly smart but he can punch through a wall and take on lots of bad guys. His half-brother John has gone missing, so Joe sets out to find him. Somehow he's become tangled up with a serial killer called Tubal Cain who is "the world's most prolific undetected serial killer".
Again and again, people act in ways that make no sense, purely for the purpose of advancing the plot. An example: John's girlfriend asks Joe to find John, but then doesn't disclose what she knows that might help him to do that. Because if she had, then he wouldn't need to go and waste the wrong bad guys.
The book moves along fast enough, but one key problem is that the reader never cares about Joe or his hapless brother so the suspense is minimal. The most interesting character is actually Tubal Cain and the best parts of the book are when he's hunting John. When the inevitable showdown comes between Joe and Cain, it's pretty devoid of tension - Joe tracking down a man who's making no real attempt to hide and with a Joe Hunter sequel planned, three guesses who's going to win.
I'm sure part of the problem is that I approached this book with high expectations, having heard good things about it. I truly feel that I wasted my time reading it and I hope this review can save you from doing the same.
August 10, 2010
Joe Hunter is a problem solver. As the story opens, he arrives in Florida and helps his sister-in-law, Jennifer, who is being threatened by a criminal nicknamed "Shank." Shank was trying to intimidate Jenn into giving him money that he said her former husband owed him.
When Joe removes the threat, Jenn asks him to find his half-brother, John. John had left Jenn for another woman and she doesn't love him anymore but he is the father of her two sons and she doesn't want harm to come to him. She tells Joe that she thinks John is in grave danger.
John had been dependent on Joe to repay his many gambling debts and when Joe attempted to get his half-brother to change his ways, they became estranged.
In the Southwest a cold-blooded, thrill killer is active. Tubal Cain enjoys killing and then cutting off his victim's thumbs. One day when he stops at the scene of a broken down car, Tubal is robbed of his most precious possession, his knives. He vows to repay the thief and sets out to find him. Unfortunately, the thief is John.
The story describes Cain's hunt for John and Joe's search for his half-brother. It's the brave man against the bandit and John is the wild-card.
If the object of a book is to entertain, the author has done his job. He also does a nice job in setting the scene and permits the reader to visualize the action taking place.
I enjoyed the story and following Joe's exploits but I think that he has too high an opinion of himself and doesn't possess the empathy of a Jack Reacher or Elvis Cole and other heroic characters. I do believe that the author can make this happen and look forward to reading more of the author's work.
When Joe removes the threat, Jenn asks him to find his half-brother, John. John had left Jenn for another woman and she doesn't love him anymore but he is the father of her two sons and she doesn't want harm to come to him. She tells Joe that she thinks John is in grave danger.
John had been dependent on Joe to repay his many gambling debts and when Joe attempted to get his half-brother to change his ways, they became estranged.
In the Southwest a cold-blooded, thrill killer is active. Tubal Cain enjoys killing and then cutting off his victim's thumbs. One day when he stops at the scene of a broken down car, Tubal is robbed of his most precious possession, his knives. He vows to repay the thief and sets out to find him. Unfortunately, the thief is John.
The story describes Cain's hunt for John and Joe's search for his half-brother. It's the brave man against the bandit and John is the wild-card.
If the object of a book is to entertain, the author has done his job. He also does a nice job in setting the scene and permits the reader to visualize the action taking place.
I enjoyed the story and following Joe's exploits but I think that he has too high an opinion of himself and doesn't possess the empathy of a Jack Reacher or Elvis Cole and other heroic characters. I do believe that the author can make this happen and look forward to reading more of the author's work.
December 27, 2009
Book 1 in the Joe Hunter series
Take a deep breath before starting; you are in for an exciting ride. From the start you will be plunged into an intense thriller that will grab you attention and hold it till the very end.
In this first installment we follow Joe Hunter on a journey across the USA in search of his missing brother John. John is deep in trouble, he owes money to very dangerous people and has several enemies in hot pursue of his hide... Joe is a former military man, a tough and skilled scrapper, volatile and unpredictable, and his friends are as mean as they come.
In a parallel story we learn of a twisted psycho serial killer Tubal Cain trying to beat Ted Bundy's killing record. Slowly with sharp and smooth writing the author impressively merges the two stories. From start to finish it is a culmination of violent events.
In my view, the pacing and fast action throughout made this novel quite captivating and hard to put aside. The storyline of a killer planning his next killing was riddled with old clichés and predictability but the plot never bogged down and remained exciting. I particularly loved the cat and mouse chase that took place across the States and the climactic showdown in the Mojave Desert. On the other hand I found the main character missing development; Hunter was rather bland and lacked personality compared to the highly eccentric serial killer.
In all, it is a good first novel well worth reading. I am looking forward to its sequel....
Take a deep breath before starting; you are in for an exciting ride. From the start you will be plunged into an intense thriller that will grab you attention and hold it till the very end.
In this first installment we follow Joe Hunter on a journey across the USA in search of his missing brother John. John is deep in trouble, he owes money to very dangerous people and has several enemies in hot pursue of his hide... Joe is a former military man, a tough and skilled scrapper, volatile and unpredictable, and his friends are as mean as they come.
In a parallel story we learn of a twisted psycho serial killer Tubal Cain trying to beat Ted Bundy's killing record. Slowly with sharp and smooth writing the author impressively merges the two stories. From start to finish it is a culmination of violent events.
In my view, the pacing and fast action throughout made this novel quite captivating and hard to put aside. The storyline of a killer planning his next killing was riddled with old clichés and predictability but the plot never bogged down and remained exciting. I particularly loved the cat and mouse chase that took place across the States and the climactic showdown in the Mojave Desert. On the other hand I found the main character missing development; Hunter was rather bland and lacked personality compared to the highly eccentric serial killer.
In all, it is a good first novel well worth reading. I am looking forward to its sequel....
September 30, 2010
A couple of weeks ago, on the anniversary of Elvis’s death as it happens, I reviewed the fourth book in Matt Hilton’s Joe Hunter series “Cut and Run”. Thanks to the publishers at Hodder, not only had they sent me the fourth book they also included books 1, 2 and 3 (Hunter series) with the aim to get to them when time allowed.
With that in mind I made the slightly disjointed decision to read the “Cut and Run: Joe Hunter 4” and then continue the journey with “Dead Men’s Dust:Joe Hunter 1” – I would then be back on track! A rather elongated explanation I grant you but the lure of Hilton’s new book proved too much!
Dead Men’s Dust is a book of two halves – Good v Evil; it’s as simple as that. As with Cut and Run, the book begins at a frenetic pace and despite the odd scene setting chapter the pace doesn’t let up until its conclusion – and what an ending it is!
Written from a first person point of view (Joe Hunter) and third person narrative (The Harvestman) the story flows, the plot is good and characters believable and engaging.
Joe Hunter’s brother (Telfer) appears to be missing and on the run, his ex-wife and mother to his two children is concerned for his safety despite him running off to America for another woman. A simple letter draws Hunter in on the action.
Full review on my blog - http://www.milorambles.com/2010/08/29...
With that in mind I made the slightly disjointed decision to read the “Cut and Run: Joe Hunter 4” and then continue the journey with “Dead Men’s Dust:Joe Hunter 1” – I would then be back on track! A rather elongated explanation I grant you but the lure of Hilton’s new book proved too much!
Dead Men’s Dust is a book of two halves – Good v Evil; it’s as simple as that. As with Cut and Run, the book begins at a frenetic pace and despite the odd scene setting chapter the pace doesn’t let up until its conclusion – and what an ending it is!
Written from a first person point of view (Joe Hunter) and third person narrative (The Harvestman) the story flows, the plot is good and characters believable and engaging.
Joe Hunter’s brother (Telfer) appears to be missing and on the run, his ex-wife and mother to his two children is concerned for his safety despite him running off to America for another woman. A simple letter draws Hunter in on the action.
Full review on my blog - http://www.milorambles.com/2010/08/29...
October 28, 2013
I didn't hate this book, didn't love it ... but the reason I didn't love I cannot pinpoint with any accuracy. It seemed like it would be right up my literary alley--a Special Forces trained assassin with a penchant for solving problems by pulling the trigger--but while I breezed through the pages in just a few days, I was never really engaged. Yes, Hunter was a cool, badass character in the Jack Reacher/Bob Lee Swagger/Mitch Rapp vein, but all the supporting personnel just seemed weakly-written. Also, the villain was more annoying than a pillow made of nettles, and his penchant for talking to himself seemed like a contrivance just to provide exposition to the reader.
That said, credit where credit is due, the action really cranks up to white-hot intensity in the last 1/3 of the novel and the climax is a doozy. If I was away on a business trip with a few hours to burn in a hotel room, I would be willing to read another Matt Hilton novel ... but I can't say I'm in any rush to do so.
That said, credit where credit is due, the action really cranks up to white-hot intensity in the last 1/3 of the novel and the climax is a doozy. If I was away on a business trip with a few hours to burn in a hotel room, I would be willing to read another Matt Hilton novel ... but I can't say I'm in any rush to do so.
July 26, 2015
Despite being the first book in the series this is the fourth book that I have read in this series and I have to say I have enjoyed them all. If you enjoy reading about Jack Reacher or John Puller I think you will enjoy this series. Joe is actually English, and ex-special forces, but all the books I have read take place in the U.S. He quite often operates alone, or with his ex-forces colleague Jared Rington, and to quote the blurb 'some may call me a vigilante. I think I've just got problems to fix'. Basically he sets out to solve the problems of others and rains down vengeance on them. In this book he is up against a serial killer (The Harvestman) as he searches for his brother. A very grisly and cool headed serial killer I have to say, and the final scenes take place in quite a gruesome location! I recommend this series to others.
November 11, 2011
For Lee Child fans that love to read the Jack Reacher series check out Matt Hilton and his character Joe Hunter. This book is the beginning of a very promising series with a real kick ass type of character. Where Reacher tends to stumble into the most unpredictable situations Hunter charges in with guns blazing. While maybe not all that much of a real world plausible type of book this is a great escape, which is what books are for, into an action packed scenario played out by author Matt Hilton. Sometime in the future it would be great to see what some of these authors could do with a stand alone novel instead of having to write a series.
March 12, 2013
This is the first Joe Hunter book, but the second I've read.
Just "wow". The pace of this novel had me turning pages so quickly, I've still got paper cuts on my fingers. It's interesting to note that Joe Hunter seems a little more flawed in this adventure than he does in later books - it makes him a little more human, too.
On top of that, Hilton gives us a first rate villain who'd give Dexter a run for his money, and a complex supporting character who grounds the book wonderfully.
After reading this book, and I *will* be reading others, I only have one question - when's the movie going to come out??
Just "wow". The pace of this novel had me turning pages so quickly, I've still got paper cuts on my fingers. It's interesting to note that Joe Hunter seems a little more flawed in this adventure than he does in later books - it makes him a little more human, too.
On top of that, Hilton gives us a first rate villain who'd give Dexter a run for his money, and a complex supporting character who grounds the book wonderfully.
After reading this book, and I *will* be reading others, I only have one question - when's the movie going to come out??
October 28, 2012
Okay, I admit it. The reason I liked the book so much was for the awesome serial killer. Did I say awesome I mean...ah...awesome...damn. I love that he's not a one-dimensional Koontz-like character. Sometimes throughout the story I thought that he was the only one that knew what he was doing. Thinking back on this book, I forget that there is supposed to be a protagonist and I was supposed to give a crap about what he did. Because I didn't, and won't read the second book because really I just read this for the insanely awesome antagonist. Yep.
January 19, 2014
This is a really terrific thriller and far from typical. Not for the faint of heart but wow, what a read. The twists and turns in the plot are different from other thrillers I've read, and the writing is so professional and engaging. It's actually unforgettable. A real, real treat to read this and I've already downloaded the next book in the series. Wish I could say more--don't want to be a spoiler. But don't miss this one!! I'm giving it five strong stars.
August 3, 2010
Perhaps Mr. Hilton needs more experience with the US book market, but I did not think this book lived up to the reviews by Christopher Reich or Peter James.
Yes, it is a disturbing tale, but too much of the dialogue and situation Joe Hunter finds himself in does not ring true. Maybe his second book will be better.
Yes, it is a disturbing tale, but too much of the dialogue and situation Joe Hunter finds himself in does not ring true. Maybe his second book will be better.
January 3, 2012
Matt Hilton has written six Joe Hunter books. Hunter is a very tough piece of work and the plots of the novels (this one is the first) are quite serviceable. The chief villain in the first book is fairly scary. What is a weakness is the quality of the writing when compared to Mark Greaney or (especially) Lee Child.
February 25, 2011
Tried to enjoy this book but found it difficult to care about any of the characters. The only one I found interesting was Tubal Cain!
The end scenes, whilst trying to be gripping and action packed, were incredibly dull.
The end scenes, whilst trying to be gripping and action packed, were incredibly dull.
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