Hunted (Detective Mark Heckenburg, Book 5)

One VERY important thing you need to remember to do when reading this book is BREATHE!!! I found myself holding my breath in far too many parts of this book but all in a very good way. I only recently discovered Paul Finch and his first release featuring DS Mark Heckenburg (or Heck as he is better known) was a knockout. The 3 following books in the series were all great but didn’t quite have the same pull for me as the debut to the series Stalkers. Until now…Heck is contacted by his boss and ex-lover Gemma Piper to go and take a look at a strange case which involves a supposed accidental death. It involves going down to leafy Surrey and having to meet a new group of coppers namely one Gail Honeyford. It appears that they already have their suspicions and Gail is already on the case. However, Heck not only has the challenge of a difficult temporary colleague, but of more than one strange and bizarre cases. It seems like no type of crime from the bizarre to the downright shocking is exempt from the cases that keep cropping up.From the outset the pace ratchets up and rarely gives you time to breathe. A few times I realised I was holding my breath for longer than necessary and as usual Heck manages to get himself into some awful positions. I for one will never look at an image of a spider in a glass jar without thinking about a particular scene in this book. Although Gemma Piper has featured in previous books she is not really a main actor in this latest instalment and if I’m honest I think that’s a good thing. It leaves open so many more possibilities, yet leaves her in the series (so to speak, sorry not very well articulated there…but you know what I mean).Overall, this book was a first class one from Mr Finch, and certainly an instalment that will keep me going back for more. Thank goodness there is another book due for release later this year! Highly recommended book AND series.

Heck is back with SCU after his adventures in the Lake District (Dead Man Walking). Hunted starts with him chasing down a serial rapist and murderer in Nottingham whom he quickly apprehends and then moves on to the main course in Surrey. Gemma Piper, his boss, asks him to look into an accidental death because her mum thinks there is something not right about it. She could be right because Harold Lansing is burnt to death in a car accident on his first day back at work after a model aeroplane hit him while he was fishing and he fell into the water, almost drowning. He teams up with local detective DC Gail Honeyford to work the case but sparks fly as while they both agree it's murder they have very different theories on motive.Hunted is another gripping novel from Mr Finch and I was up very late finishing it - I couldn't bear to put it down. To me the name Heck is synonymous with high octane action and Hunted doesn't disappoint as Heck gets tore in at every turn. He is highly intuitive character so his instinct sets him on the right path but that same instinct often makes him react before thinking things through. This is a winning combination of a good detective story and loads of action. Gail isn't far behind him in the action stakes as she rides to his rescue on more than one occasion. She's another great character, gutsy, smart and takes no prisoners but she is also a bit unsure of her abilities and is hiding a secret. I think they make a good team and it would be interesting to see it develop.If you want an entertaining read I highly recommend Hunted.

I have read all the DS Heckenburg series so far and this one was as enjoyable as the others. This one has some fairly far fetched suspicious death scenarios but just let your imagination go.The scenario revolves around a series of unexplained 'unusual' deaths which no one has linked not until our man Heck gets on the case !He goes at it with his usual crash, bang, wallop manner and is very quickly involved in all sorts of adventures some of which see him in his usual scrapes. He is seconded this time to leafy Surrey where he obviously comes in contact (conflict) with the local CID and has to overcome their obstacles as well as trying to catch the 'bad guys'It is a very easy book to read and I found it almost a bit jokey in comparison to say The Killing Club or Stalkers (also Heck books) but having said that it was still an enjoyable read and I look forward to Paul Finchs' next Heck offering.I will not go into too much more detail suffice to say that it is a good paced, action packed, slight far fetched in places, decent story.

Another hit by Paul Finch. I have become one of his biggest fans and eagerly await each new publication. I was a little disappointed with Dead Man Walking as I guessed the perpetrator very quickly but I'm glad to say he's back to his best in this new novel....My poor husband was getting fed up with my oooooo's and eeeeeek's for the duration of my reading this book and I had absolutely no clue as to 'who dunnit' at all, It geniunely had me on the edge of my seat and I was desperate to know what would happen next....Paul's descriptions of each new crime went above and beyond my own imagination. These books would make great films for that very reason... Thank's Paul, can't wait for the next one :)

A little far fetched (at least I hope so) but nevertheless a fast pace, easy to read (if you don't mind a bit of gore) novel. Heck continues to be chasing and catching the bad guys. Already started the next in the series so can't be all bad.

Quite unusual overall story, very intriguing start, then a bit meandering for some time before speeding up again, then really started motoring in Heck’s usual style, leading to an exciting ending.All the Heck books are exciting, but probably not for those readers who don’t enjoy a bit of improbability.

I have yet to read an okay book by Paul Finch. 'Hunted' and other books by this author have all been in the same rated category for me. Excellent and very very enjoyable to read. I will go as far to say that Paul Finch is one of the best authors out there. I believe in life that there is no such thing or person as the best. One of, yes, but not Thee best. However, for me, this author comes very close to dismissing that belief. I love his books.