Bantam, August 2004, 25.00, 352 pp.
ISBN 0553803166
In the past eighteen months, he has kidnapped a dozen victims during a twenty-four hour period, holds them for ransom and when the money is paid, he kills them anyway. The victims have a clock showing how long they have to live. This serial kidnapper and killer leaves no clues and it is only recently that the authorities have detected his pattern.
The circus comes to Golden, South Carolina with one of the attractions being clairvoyant and precognitive fortuneteller Samantha Burke. When her prediction about the kidnapping and death of one of its victims comes true, the sheriff suspects her. Lucas Jordan, a psychic on Noah Bishop's FBI Special Crime Unit, knows that Sam can tell the future because they were once romantically involved. Together they must find the killer before Samantha's vision of the future comes true. Lucas is the only one who can find him due to his special psychic ability but he doesn't know that the killer has specifically picked him for the ultimate cat-and-mouse game.
A unit of psychics in the FBI is made plausible by Kay Hooper's original and unique storytelling abilities. The romance between the two protagonists is also original because she nags and he closes himself off from her, which makes for some very refreshing scenes.
"Lucas Jordan works in a special FBI unit that focuses on psychic abilities. This team works hard to show their special gifts can be of some benefit to society, but they must first prove it to be reliable.
In the small town near the Blue Ridge Mountains, people are being kidnapped for ransom, then killed just after ransom is paid. Lucas tries to use his psychic ability of feeling the victims' fear so he can locate them. He has failed.
A carnival fortune teller from Luke's past is working unofficially with the special FBI unit. Her name is Samantha and she knows a crucial piece of Luke's past that can free his psychic ability. If Luke can unlock his past, he can save this next vitim. "
Tracey Ray, Resident Scholar
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Review Analysis of Hunting Fear
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book descript. of violence and chases - 10% Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40% Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40% How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10%
Tone of story
- suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
How difficult to spot villain?
- Very difficult--no foreshadowing/clues
Time/era of story:
- present (2000-2010)
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 70%
Kind of investigator
- psychic investigator
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
- feelings towards lover
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Is Romance a MAJOR (25%+) part of story?
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Male
- Female
Profession/status:
- police/lawman
- champion of justice
Age:
- 20's-30's
Has special powers?
Yes
Magical/mental powers of main character:
- can read emotions
- mind reading
- clairvoyant
- can see into the future
How much violence does he/she use?
- a little
- a significant amount
Ethnicity/Race
- White/American
- Swiss
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
- Very much smarter than other characters
Physique
- very athletic
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- small businessman
- mastermind
Eccentric:
Yes
- obsessed
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- almost none
- a little/some
Motive of antagonist
- revenge
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
- mean, arrogant
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
- average physique
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Southeast
- Mid-Atlantic states
Style
Part of a series?
Yes
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
- very gorey references to deaths/dead bodies and torture
How many deaths?
- 3-4
Sex
Yes
What kind of sex:
- actual description of sex
Unusual forms of death
- decapitated
Unusual form of death?
Yes
Amount of dialog
- significantly more dialog than descript
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
