Hunger Moon by Alexandra Sokoloff
Thomas & Mercer (October 2017)
380 pages; $8.50 paperback
Reviewed by Dave Simms
Alexandra Sokoloff has never strayed away from the controversial in her work, whether it be in her Stoker-nominated horror titles or in her Huntress stories. Plenty has been written about this, the fifth in that series, and it will be pretty easy to figure out why once the final page is turned.
The concept of a female serial killer was a unique one when the Huntress series began with Huntress Moon, a stellar novel that introduced something new to the field that left an impact close to the one chewed out by Hannibal Lecter.
Cara Lingstrom is the killer readers crave in stories. Nothing about her is simple, nothing is easy, and her motivations dive deeper than the typical sociopath/family issues/revenge stories. Sokoloff draws her in deft strokes, creating a character both brutal and sympathetic, surgical in mission yet human beneath the murders. Reading the others in the series is not necessary at all but highly recommended. A thriller series this strong doesn’t come around often.
Back to this entry. Cara has disappeared from FBI Special Agent Matthew Roarke’s radar, and for good reason. There’s something evil happening on college campuses nationwide. Rapists are being targeted, and rightfully so, by a mysterious figure who is leaving Santa Muerte (Lady Death) symbols everywhere, further dividing the nation. When the heads of the country show themselves to be no different than the students who’ve drawn the interest of those who wish them dead, a fury erupts, one that readers will unfortunately find too familiar.
Roarke is on a mission to rid society of these monsters, knowing Cara is always just a step away. However, she might be on someone’s hunted list this time, and not for the reasons expected. She’s in hiding but is planning something that will shake up the novel while Roarke is hot on the heels of the same predators she is chasing.
Again, a white-knuckle ride by a talented thriller author, this time tackling a subject that needs to be addressed more, both in fiction and in real life.
The entire series here is recommended.
