Audio Review: I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

I received this book via Library, Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga
Series: I Hunt Killers #1
Published by Hachette Audio on 2012-04-03
Length: 381 pages
Length: 9 hours and 29 minutes
Reviewing Audiobook, eARC from Library, Netgalley
Rating:

The first book in this thrilling, terrifying series by New York Times bestselling author Barry Lyga is perfect for fans of Dexter.

It was a beautiful day. It was a beautiful field.

Except for the body.

Jazz is a likable teenager. A charmer, some might say.

But he's also the son of the world's most infamous serial killer, and for Dear Old Dad, "Take Your Son to Work Day" was year-round. Jazz has witnessed crime scenes the way cops wish they could--from the criminals' point of view.

And now, even though Dad has been in jail for years, bodies are piling up in the sleepy town of Lobo's Nod. Again.

In an effort to prove murder doesn't run in the family, Jazz joins the police in the hunt for this new serial killer. But Jazz has a secret--could he be more like his father than anyone knows?

From acclaimed author Barry Lyga comes a riveting thriller about a teenager trying to control his own destiny in the face of overwhelming odds.

It’s been a long time since I picked up a thriller to read, and I am so glad it was this one! I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga is the first in a series about the son of a serial killer and his hunt for a murderer who is following in his father’s footsteps. This one has been on my TBR for what feels like forever. I have an arc dating back to when I joined Netgalley (darn those free ones). I attempted a few times to get into it, but something just wasn’t clicking for me so I decided to try the audio, and oh boy! I devoured it. Charlie Thurston brings Jazz to life in a way that reading it simply didn’t do for me.

Jazz is an interesting character. Raised by his dad until he was 13, Jazz is haunted by the things his father taught him. He’s extremely smart to his own detriment, and it’s this cunning that gets him pegged as a suspect in the new string of murders that look an awfully lot like his dad’s victims. Jazz is easy to like, even when he crept me out. His dedication to prove that he isn’t his father sets him apart from the psycho that is in fact dear old dad.

What softened me to Jazz are his relationships with his girlfriend Connie and his best friend Howie. Connie and Howie humanize Jazz, keep him sane, and remind him that he is not his father. Howie is the comic relief, finding himself in trouble time and again, but he is who Jazz relies on the most. I like how the author built this friendship into the story.

The Impressionist who Jazz is working with the police to stop is haunting and creepy. This book takes me back to the 1990s when slasher movies were having their heyday. While this book is classified as YA, there is plenty of gore and violence, mayhem and crime to keep even adults entertained.

Overall, I really enjoyed I Hunt Killers. The suspense, the shocking ending, and Jazz’s struggle with his identity will leave you thinking about the story long after the pages end. If you are a fan of thriller/suspense, I highly recommend it.

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