Estranged sisters Danielle and Grace must return to their family home located within a wild-game reserve in the South African bush to take care of their deceased mother's final wishes. To ease the pain of their loss--and the tension between them-- each sister invites two friends to come along with them and their guide on the two-day journey.
The trip begins as a safari adventure but turns into a nightmare when one of them is murdered the first morning at the campsite. In their panic, they crash their vehicle, leaving them stranded with no way to call for help.
Danielle must lead them on foot across miles of unforgiving landscape. To make it even worse, not only do they have to be vigilant because of the dangerous wildlife, but they also have to outfox someone whom they realize is trying to sabotage their escape.
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The setting, the wildlife, the dangerous cross-country trek... all of these things enticed me to read Natalie Moss's The Night Hunter. Those parts of the book were excellent. I did feel as though I were with them as they set out on foot for safety. Is there a leopard up in that tree? Are crocodiles hiding in that stream? Did I just hear a lion cough? I wish all these bugs would stop feasting on me. I really enjoyed that part of the book.
Unfortunately, when it came to the characters, The Night Hunter fell flat. I have developed a very low tolerance for characters so filled with angst that they constantly try to second-guess themselves and everyone else. Danielle was so angst-filled that it's a wonder she could move. She and her sister, Grace, had a larger-than-life conservationist mother who was responsible for their emotional instability. Since the woman was dead, she was always seen in Danielle's memories. I think I would have had a better reaction to both Danielle and the story if the book had been structured so readers got a chance to meet this woman for themselves. To see her in action instead of always being told what she was like.
If you like survival-in-the-wild adventure stories, The Night Hunter is a good one. If, like me, you are a character-driven reader, you may have a few problems with it.
The Night Hunter by Natalie Moss
eISBN: 9798217187874
Berkley © 2026
eBook, 345 pages
Thriller
Rating: C
Source: Net Galley
Oh, characters are so vital, aren't they, Cathy? And I know what you mean about angsty characters who can't move past that. That is annoying. The setting really appeals to me, I must say. And I can see how the premise might work. But without characters to care about...
ReplyDeleteExactly.
DeleteExtra participants for an emotional family event in an isolated setting always make me wary of a book to begin with. So even though the South African bush setting is intriguing, the addition of your review means that this one won't get added to my list.
ReplyDeleteAnd I completely understand.
DeleteI agree that the setting sounds very interesting and I can see how the reader would be wondering about every sound, snap, whatever. But...I also am more than a bit tired of the constantly second-guessing angsty characters. They end up being so tiresome as I feel I need to spend more time telling them to 'move along...' - ha! I also can understand how you might prefer having a bit of a 'real time' section with the mother. Ah well. Thanks for sharing with us. Still sounds like a great setting, right?
ReplyDeleteIt is a great setting, but I wish angsty characters would relinquish their moment in the sun and move on!
DeleteI do love wilderness survival stories, but I struggle with angsty characters, so I'm torn on this one.
ReplyDeleteI don't know who's responsible for the angsty characters popularity, but it's time we moved on to the next Big Thing. ;-)
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