The Night Hunter, Natalie Moss (Review by Melissa Frye)

The Night Hunter by Natalie Moss is a survival thriller set in the remote South African wilderness, otherwise known as the bush. The story follows two estranged sisters who are finally united after their mother’s death, a wildlife conservationist. Their mission is to return to their old family home to close the book to their childhood and honor their mother’s wishes. Unexpectedly, one of the sister’s discovers a letter where their mother requests a portion of the property to be destroyed. This kicks off what seems to be a safari adventure with a guide, a significant other and a couple of friends. Their story quickly spirals when a member of the group is found murdered and the lines between the hunters and hunted are completely blurred. I was completely blown away by Moss’ debut and literally carried this book everywhere just to get a few more pages in. It has all the right mechanics of a thriller, but the added canvas of the African wildlife was an added bonus that also brought a degree of irony. The true hunters could actually be embodied within humanity along with a degree of deep secrecy. I really appreciated the deeper lens into animal behavior as well. It was just the right amount to focus on this untraditional backdrop but also provide a view into the environment they were battling. There was one particular scene with a standoff with an elephant that I found truly fascinating. All the while, you are infinitely curious as to what was so valuable that it was worth murdering over and who could be the culprit in the reserve where supposedly no one else was. Definitely put this one on your TBR list this summer! I will definitely be eager to see what Moss comes up with next, and I’ll be there for it.