Review: The Hunt by Amy Meredith

The Hunt by Amy Meredith (August 2010, Red Fox, ISBN: 9781849410526)

First Line:
"Dude, have you decided to give up showering?" Dave Perry called after practice on Monday.

Review: This is the second in the Dark Touch series which began with Shadows and this review contains spoilers for the first book.

The Hunt picks up a few weeks after the events in Shadows. Eve Evergold has discovered that she's the Deepdene Witch and feels she has a duty to protect the town from Demons. She is joined in her fight by Jess, her best friend and new boy Luke, who is both the minister's son and a bit of player with an eye for the girls. They have formed a strong bond and there is the possible beginnings of a romance between Eve and Luke if they would both admit the truth.

Tragedy is striking Deepdene again: a "wild animal" is on the loose and has killed a class-mate of the gang's. The animal story is plausible for a while until it becomes obvious that it's actually a demon behind the killing. Eve, Jess and Luke have to continue their research and find a way to kill this demon and prevent any more demons terrorising their exclusive Hamptons home.

The Hunt is an enjoyable follow-up to Shadows. It ups the violence content, with ripped bodies and blood drainings but despite that it feels like a breezy, light and quick read. The characters aren't much more fleshed-out than last time but there is plenty of action, a mystery and a tentative romance between two of the leads to keep the pages turning at pace. Plus there is plenty of snappy dialogue and humorous banter. The author and the characters appear to be fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and if you liked that series, you'll hopefully enjoy this one.

The third part, Fever, is out now, with a fourth, Betrayal, due in June and I'm looking forward to them.

The age-guidance rating on the back cover suggests that The Hunt is suitable for 12+.