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The Hunter

A Novel

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A New York Times Bestseller • A New York Times Best Thriller of the Year (So Far) • An NPR Favorite Fiction Read of 2024 • A Parade Best Book of 2024 So Far • A New York Times Best Crime Novel of the Year (So Far) • Named a Best Beach Read of 2024 by Entertainment Tonight and Harper’s Bazaar

“Hailed as the queen of Irish crime fiction, French spins a taut tale of retribution, sacrifice, and family.”—TIME

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Searcher and “one of the greatest crime novelists writing today” (Vox), a spellbinding new novel set in the Irish countryside.


It’s a blazing summer when two men arrive in a small village in the West of Ireland. One of them is coming home. Both of them are coming to get rich. One of them is coming to die.

Cal Hooper took early retirement from Chicago PD and moved to rural Ireland looking for peace. He’s found it, more or less: he’s built a relationship with a local woman, Lena, and he’s gradually turning Trey Reddy from a half-feral teenager into a good kid going good places. But then Trey’s long-absent father reappears, bringing along an English millionaire and a scheme to find gold in the townland, and suddenly everything the three of them have been building is under threat. Cal and Lena are both ready to do whatever it takes to protect Trey, but Trey doesn’t want protecting. What she wants is revenge.

From the writer who is “in a class by herself,” (The New York Times), a nuanced, atmospheric tale that explores what we’ll do for our loved ones, what we’ll do for revenge, and what we sacrifice when the two collide.
An Instant New York Times Bestseller
A New York Times Best Thriller of the Year (So Far)
An NPR Favorite Fiction Read of 2024
A Parade Best Book of 2024 So Far
A New York Times Best Crime Novel of the Year (So Far)
Named a Best Beach Read of 2024 by Entertainment Tonight and Harper’s Bazaar


“Hailed as the queen of Irish crime fiction, French spins a taut tale of retribution, sacrifice, and family.” —Time

“A singularly tense and moody thriller . . . Exceptional . . . By now, any reader who still thinks French should follow the rules doesn't deserve her remarkable novels.” The Washington Post

“The secretive village is a trope as old as mysteries—as old as humanity itself. But French does more than show the banal evil behind a smiling face. She makes it particular as a kicked dog's limp and dying embers in a steel barrel—and reminds us that we underestimate such places at our peril.”The New York Times

“French specializes in books full of psychological acuity, bone-deep empathy and authentic colloquial speech. All of these aspects are on full display in The Hunter, a roughhewn comedy that before long becomes a tale of rough justice.” The Wall Street Journal

“Beautifully written . . . an absorbing, immersive read.”The Guardian

“As ever, French writes like a dream, evoking the natural beauty and peril of the mountain rising between Cal and Trey’s houses, and consistently reminding readers how deft she is at dialogue.” Boston Globe

“A book by a modern master . . . inimitable and thrilling.” Chicago Tribune

“Impressive payoff awaits readers of this quietly deliberate crime novel. … One of Ireland’s most distinctive writers delivers her most cinematic set piece yet.” Irish Times

“A dark and lyrical tale of revenge, friendship, and loyalty in collision... [A]s usual, in a Tana French novel, the characters are well-drawn, the dialogue is superb, the settings are vivid.” —Associated Press

“As French revisits the seemingly bucolic landscape where trouble roils just under the surface, her writing continues to shift from mystery to meditation. … Morally shaded and complex, [The Hunter] will leave you thinking about who’s right—and what’s wrong—long after you turn the last page.” —NPR

“A novel of psychological insight, complexity and the sort of tension that only arises when the characters you’re reading about feel real.” Parade

“Tana French is one of those crime writers who gets it right every time, and her new novel doesn't miss.”Cosmopolitan

“The gorgeous writing here is classic French, even as she leads her fans through a decidedly different sort of detective story.” Elle

“[An] unforgettable new thriller.” Esquire

“As with all of French's books, something is awry—and the fun is in the unraveling.” Vogue

“Tana French stretches the tension—and the mystery genre—like taffy in her return to the ethically murky Irish village of Ardnakelty.”The Christian Science Monitor

“Tana French is a master of novels filled with creeping unease, slow-rolling tension and great atmosphere.”New York Post

“May be French’s best novel yet. . . . The Hunter delivers a taut, intelligent examination of loyalty, instinct, and community. French masterfully excavates the secrets we keep for love or revenge and explores the lengths we go to protect our family, be it blood or chosen.”CrimeReads

“Tana French's immersive, thought-provoking The Hunter revels in the quiet moments, but knows true peace is elusive.” BookPage

“Wonderfully evocative, entertaining, and propulsive all the way through.” Lit Hub

“The quirky characters, subtle snark, and propulsive plot make this an excellent contender for your spring break beach bag.” Real Simple


Praise for The Searcher

"The west of Ireland looked good to Cal Hooper on the internet. But now that he’s living there, the rugged beauty of the region overwhelms him, as it will anyone reading Tana French’s The Searcher, an audacious departure for this immensely talented author… Not to be missed." —Janet Maslin, The New York Times

“Tana French is… like a poet. She writes beautifully…If you haven’t read her yet, I really highly recommend that you do.” —Harlan Coben

“Taut, chiseled and propulsive." —Vogue
© Jessica Ryan
Tana French is the New York Times bestselling author of nine books, including In the Woods, The Likeness, and The Searcher. Her novels have sold over eight million copies worldwide and won numerous awards, including the Edgar, Anthony, Macavity, and Barry awards, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Best Mystery/Thriller, and the Irish Book Award for Crime Fiction. She lives in Dublin with her family. View titles by Tana French

About

A New York Times Bestseller • A New York Times Best Thriller of the Year (So Far) • An NPR Favorite Fiction Read of 2024 • A Parade Best Book of 2024 So Far • A New York Times Best Crime Novel of the Year (So Far) • Named a Best Beach Read of 2024 by Entertainment Tonight and Harper’s Bazaar

“Hailed as the queen of Irish crime fiction, French spins a taut tale of retribution, sacrifice, and family.”—TIME

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Searcher and “one of the greatest crime novelists writing today” (Vox), a spellbinding new novel set in the Irish countryside.


It’s a blazing summer when two men arrive in a small village in the West of Ireland. One of them is coming home. Both of them are coming to get rich. One of them is coming to die.

Cal Hooper took early retirement from Chicago PD and moved to rural Ireland looking for peace. He’s found it, more or less: he’s built a relationship with a local woman, Lena, and he’s gradually turning Trey Reddy from a half-feral teenager into a good kid going good places. But then Trey’s long-absent father reappears, bringing along an English millionaire and a scheme to find gold in the townland, and suddenly everything the three of them have been building is under threat. Cal and Lena are both ready to do whatever it takes to protect Trey, but Trey doesn’t want protecting. What she wants is revenge.

From the writer who is “in a class by herself,” (The New York Times), a nuanced, atmospheric tale that explores what we’ll do for our loved ones, what we’ll do for revenge, and what we sacrifice when the two collide.

Reviews

An Instant New York Times Bestseller
A New York Times Best Thriller of the Year (So Far)
An NPR Favorite Fiction Read of 2024
A Parade Best Book of 2024 So Far
A New York Times Best Crime Novel of the Year (So Far)
Named a Best Beach Read of 2024 by Entertainment Tonight and Harper’s Bazaar


“Hailed as the queen of Irish crime fiction, French spins a taut tale of retribution, sacrifice, and family.” —Time

“A singularly tense and moody thriller . . . Exceptional . . . By now, any reader who still thinks French should follow the rules doesn't deserve her remarkable novels.” The Washington Post

“The secretive village is a trope as old as mysteries—as old as humanity itself. But French does more than show the banal evil behind a smiling face. She makes it particular as a kicked dog's limp and dying embers in a steel barrel—and reminds us that we underestimate such places at our peril.”The New York Times

“French specializes in books full of psychological acuity, bone-deep empathy and authentic colloquial speech. All of these aspects are on full display in The Hunter, a roughhewn comedy that before long becomes a tale of rough justice.” The Wall Street Journal

“Beautifully written . . . an absorbing, immersive read.”The Guardian

“As ever, French writes like a dream, evoking the natural beauty and peril of the mountain rising between Cal and Trey’s houses, and consistently reminding readers how deft she is at dialogue.” Boston Globe

“A book by a modern master . . . inimitable and thrilling.” Chicago Tribune

“Impressive payoff awaits readers of this quietly deliberate crime novel. … One of Ireland’s most distinctive writers delivers her most cinematic set piece yet.” Irish Times

“A dark and lyrical tale of revenge, friendship, and loyalty in collision... [A]s usual, in a Tana French novel, the characters are well-drawn, the dialogue is superb, the settings are vivid.” —Associated Press

“As French revisits the seemingly bucolic landscape where trouble roils just under the surface, her writing continues to shift from mystery to meditation. … Morally shaded and complex, [The Hunter] will leave you thinking about who’s right—and what’s wrong—long after you turn the last page.” —NPR

“A novel of psychological insight, complexity and the sort of tension that only arises when the characters you’re reading about feel real.” Parade

“Tana French is one of those crime writers who gets it right every time, and her new novel doesn't miss.”Cosmopolitan

“The gorgeous writing here is classic French, even as she leads her fans through a decidedly different sort of detective story.” Elle

“[An] unforgettable new thriller.” Esquire

“As with all of French's books, something is awry—and the fun is in the unraveling.” Vogue

“Tana French stretches the tension—and the mystery genre—like taffy in her return to the ethically murky Irish village of Ardnakelty.”The Christian Science Monitor

“Tana French is a master of novels filled with creeping unease, slow-rolling tension and great atmosphere.”New York Post

“May be French’s best novel yet. . . . The Hunter delivers a taut, intelligent examination of loyalty, instinct, and community. French masterfully excavates the secrets we keep for love or revenge and explores the lengths we go to protect our family, be it blood or chosen.”CrimeReads

“Tana French's immersive, thought-provoking The Hunter revels in the quiet moments, but knows true peace is elusive.” BookPage

“Wonderfully evocative, entertaining, and propulsive all the way through.” Lit Hub

“The quirky characters, subtle snark, and propulsive plot make this an excellent contender for your spring break beach bag.” Real Simple


Praise for The Searcher

"The west of Ireland looked good to Cal Hooper on the internet. But now that he’s living there, the rugged beauty of the region overwhelms him, as it will anyone reading Tana French’s The Searcher, an audacious departure for this immensely talented author… Not to be missed." —Janet Maslin, The New York Times

“Tana French is… like a poet. She writes beautifully…If you haven’t read her yet, I really highly recommend that you do.” —Harlan Coben

“Taut, chiseled and propulsive." —Vogue

Author

© Jessica Ryan
Tana French is the New York Times bestselling author of nine books, including In the Woods, The Likeness, and The Searcher. Her novels have sold over eight million copies worldwide and won numerous awards, including the Edgar, Anthony, Macavity, and Barry awards, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Best Mystery/Thriller, and the Irish Book Award for Crime Fiction. She lives in Dublin with her family. View titles by Tana French

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