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Joe Hunter #4
Cut and Run: The Fourth Joe Hunter Action Thriller for Jack Reacher Fans – A Framed Special Forces Operative
Joe Hunter vs Luke Rickard, a killer who has stolen his identity and committed a vicious double murder. His motive? Revenge. His method? A blade. His mission? Kill anyone Hunter holds dear. It is a deadly duel of wits that takes Hunter from the streets of Miami to the squalid barrios of Colombia to the jungle hideaway of a drug baron. And brings him face to face with his past. Revenge is a dish best served cold and Joe needs a cool head if Rickard is not to cut and run. CUT AND RUN - the fourth high-octane adventure for Joe Hunter, the man whose mission is to rid the world of bad guys.
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 19, 2010
32 people are currently reading
267 people want to read
About the author
Matt Hilton
89 books240 followersMatt Hilton worked for twenty-two years in private security and the police force in Cumbria. He is a 4th Dan blackbelt and coach in Ju-Jitsu. He lives in Cumbria with his wife and son.
Matt is the author of the best-selling Joe Hunter thriller series, as well as standalone horror thrillers and short stories that have appeared in a number of collections and anthologies. Matt's first novel - Dead Men's Dust - was a Sunday Times best-seller and was shortlisted for the ITW New Novel Award 2009.
Matt is the author of the best-selling Joe Hunter thriller series, as well as standalone horror thrillers and short stories that have appeared in a number of collections and anthologies. Matt's first novel - Dead Men's Dust - was a Sunday Times best-seller and was shortlisted for the ITW New Novel Award 2009.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
April 12, 2016
Matt Hilton has been good at coming up with nasty bastards of villains (this is the fourth Joe Hunter book I’ve read, the fifth of Matt Hiltons books in total). However, this one is special. He’s a nasty, vicious bastard. In many ways, a dark mirror to the Hunter character (sometimes irritatingly whiter than white Hunter character). With Cut and Run, Matt Hilton has raised both his and Joe Hunter’s game. This is the book of the series (so far) for me. The best written, planned and completed book. Characters, plot, development, all are a cut above. A real hang on every word, just read another chapter, pages seem to turn themselves thrilling thriller.
There were only a couple of niggles. All this “I don’t make war on women.” Why not? There are no doubt many women out there ready to sand up for their rights to be nasty bastards as well! It’s a modern world we live in. Unfortunately, Hunter doesn’t quite live in it yet. His is an old-fashioned, in a bad way, world view. He doesn’t hate women of course, just that he constantly states views that show where he positions women in his world. They are defenceless, shy creatures, who need to be protected - whether they want protecting or not, because he knows that they do really. Men can be good or evil. Women can’t. It’s not possible. Women need protecting at all costs from the world of men. Yeah, I thought of that religion a few times too. The pivotal scenes from his time with the special forces in Columbia are meant to show what a good guy he is, how - no matter what we might have done - he is on a higher moral plane and this of things a whole lot better than we do. I can’t imagine Mitch Rapp having a conscience attack with his finger on the trigger. It doesn’t make Hunter seem better, makes him seem weak and indecisive. Not to be totally trusted to carry out a mission of that nature, I’d have said.
I know why it’s put in, as you do. To make Hunter’s motives sound honourable and real and him sympathetic, to us. Further hammer home, if we were in doubt, that Hunter is the good guy and why. As there is hardly any of the "oh, by the way incase you can’t remember three pages back where I explained that I only kill really really bad guys who even the most liberal of Swedish Judges would have sent down for life as soon as look at them," stuff. Thankfully. Doubt in the character can be shown in other ways, but constant repetition of how lawful he is, while doing away with the need for judge or jury, is irritating, when you just want him to murder the bastard and get on with the next one!
Putting all that nonsense aside, Cut and Run is an absolute eye-magnet, three days into can’t-put-it-down country, full of nerve-wracking, nail-biting tension from pretty much start to finish. The action is at times shocking, intense and relentless and keeps on coming. Which is why I said relentless. The best so far. Until the next one.
Why not take your life in your hands and see how many more authors I can irritate: Speesh Reads
There were only a couple of niggles. All this “I don’t make war on women.” Why not? There are no doubt many women out there ready to sand up for their rights to be nasty bastards as well! It’s a modern world we live in. Unfortunately, Hunter doesn’t quite live in it yet. His is an old-fashioned, in a bad way, world view. He doesn’t hate women of course, just that he constantly states views that show where he positions women in his world. They are defenceless, shy creatures, who need to be protected - whether they want protecting or not, because he knows that they do really. Men can be good or evil. Women can’t. It’s not possible. Women need protecting at all costs from the world of men. Yeah, I thought of that religion a few times too. The pivotal scenes from his time with the special forces in Columbia are meant to show what a good guy he is, how - no matter what we might have done - he is on a higher moral plane and this of things a whole lot better than we do. I can’t imagine Mitch Rapp having a conscience attack with his finger on the trigger. It doesn’t make Hunter seem better, makes him seem weak and indecisive. Not to be totally trusted to carry out a mission of that nature, I’d have said.
I know why it’s put in, as you do. To make Hunter’s motives sound honourable and real and him sympathetic, to us. Further hammer home, if we were in doubt, that Hunter is the good guy and why. As there is hardly any of the "oh, by the way incase you can’t remember three pages back where I explained that I only kill really really bad guys who even the most liberal of Swedish Judges would have sent down for life as soon as look at them," stuff. Thankfully. Doubt in the character can be shown in other ways, but constant repetition of how lawful he is, while doing away with the need for judge or jury, is irritating, when you just want him to murder the bastard and get on with the next one!
Putting all that nonsense aside, Cut and Run is an absolute eye-magnet, three days into can’t-put-it-down country, full of nerve-wracking, nail-biting tension from pretty much start to finish. The action is at times shocking, intense and relentless and keeps on coming. Which is why I said relentless. The best so far. Until the next one.
Why not take your life in your hands and see how many more authors I can irritate: Speesh Reads
September 30, 2010
Earlier this month I read the first couple of instalments of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series namely “Die Trying” and “The Killing Floor”. Both wonderful fast paced novels they whetted my appetite for all things Reacher, but with a small backlog of reviews waiting to be read I put that thought on hold.
On the 19th August, Matt Hilton’s new novel “Cut and Run” will be published, the fourth instalment of his hero Joe Hunter. Hunter has been compared to Jack Reacher by the media due to the non-stop action and with that in mind I was keen to see what all the fuss was about.
“Cut and Run” begins at a frenetic pace and doesn’t let up until its conclusion, Joe Hunter it appears is more than a match for Child’s Jack Reacher! I couldn’t put the book down; the writing is so fluid that I finished the book in two sittings over one day!
A killer has stolen Joe Hunter’s identity and killed in his name. His aim? To make life as complicated as possible for Hunter and those he holds dear. Hunter, armed with a small arsenal and two close friends, sets about proving his innocence after Rickard’s numerous attempts to frame him. Apart from hunting Rickard, Hunter uses all his experience to track down the mastermind behind the attacks.
I gave up on the body count after the first few chapters; I knew early on this would be no picnic in the park; indeed this book is at times rather violent! The story takes us from Maine to Florida and on to Columbia where the powerful drug cartels rule. Buy Now
The story is written from two perspectives; Joe Hunter in the first person narrative and Luke Rickard, the ruthless killer hell-bent on leaving a trail of bodies behind. I found Hilton’s style engaging and with each chapter came a different vantage. The chapters blended well and when Hunter finished describing a scene, Rickard took over immediately at the beginning of the next.
Full review on my blog - http://www.milorambles.com/2010/08/16...
On the 19th August, Matt Hilton’s new novel “Cut and Run” will be published, the fourth instalment of his hero Joe Hunter. Hunter has been compared to Jack Reacher by the media due to the non-stop action and with that in mind I was keen to see what all the fuss was about.
“Cut and Run” begins at a frenetic pace and doesn’t let up until its conclusion, Joe Hunter it appears is more than a match for Child’s Jack Reacher! I couldn’t put the book down; the writing is so fluid that I finished the book in two sittings over one day!
A killer has stolen Joe Hunter’s identity and killed in his name. His aim? To make life as complicated as possible for Hunter and those he holds dear. Hunter, armed with a small arsenal and two close friends, sets about proving his innocence after Rickard’s numerous attempts to frame him. Apart from hunting Rickard, Hunter uses all his experience to track down the mastermind behind the attacks.
I gave up on the body count after the first few chapters; I knew early on this would be no picnic in the park; indeed this book is at times rather violent! The story takes us from Maine to Florida and on to Columbia where the powerful drug cartels rule. Buy Now
The story is written from two perspectives; Joe Hunter in the first person narrative and Luke Rickard, the ruthless killer hell-bent on leaving a trail of bodies behind. I found Hilton’s style engaging and with each chapter came a different vantage. The chapters blended well and when Hunter finished describing a scene, Rickard took over immediately at the beginning of the next.
Full review on my blog - http://www.milorambles.com/2010/08/16...
February 9, 2017
Cut and Run]by Matt Hilton
Joe Hunter series Book #4
4 stars
From The Book:
An assassin with Hunter’s face launches a terrifying murder spree intended to frame his adversary—forcing Hunter to run from the pursuing law and his vengeful adversary alike, with no one to turn to for help and nowhere to hide.
My Thoughts:
The story begins with a nice twist right off the bat...one that I have to admit that I fell for even though it was so "unjoe". Someone has taken a great deal of time and effort to frame Joe for the murders of several cops in Tampa. It seems that Joe has no where to go that this assassin can't find him. With the help of his best friend and a former CIA agent he begins the journey to save the sister of a victim he feels he has failed and to put his life back together.
The only thing that was a little offsetting was that I don't believe that the author has ever visited Tampa or Florida for that matter. Some of the things he used in his scenes just don't exist there. But that was something that didn't really effect the story at all. Cut and Run was a fun, brutal, fast paced thriller. If you like a book full of constant action then this series is for you.
Joe Hunter series Book #4
4 stars
From The Book:
An assassin with Hunter’s face launches a terrifying murder spree intended to frame his adversary—forcing Hunter to run from the pursuing law and his vengeful adversary alike, with no one to turn to for help and nowhere to hide.
My Thoughts:
The story begins with a nice twist right off the bat...one that I have to admit that I fell for even though it was so "unjoe". Someone has taken a great deal of time and effort to frame Joe for the murders of several cops in Tampa. It seems that Joe has no where to go that this assassin can't find him. With the help of his best friend and a former CIA agent he begins the journey to save the sister of a victim he feels he has failed and to put his life back together.
The only thing that was a little offsetting was that I don't believe that the author has ever visited Tampa or Florida for that matter. Some of the things he used in his scenes just don't exist there. But that was something that didn't really effect the story at all. Cut and Run was a fun, brutal, fast paced thriller. If you like a book full of constant action then this series is for you.
September 12, 2010
The word is out that Joe Hunter has tortured and killed a woman. Joe Hunter tracks and kills the bad guys. Joe is not one that would torture a woman and then slash her throat. Two detectives approach Joe regarding the murder but before they can take him in for questioning shots ring out and the detectives are dead.
Joe is being set up by a look-a-like and it is imperative that he find out the reason. With the help of Jared Rington, Joe’s friend and partner he discovers that a person or persons unknown is seeking revenge for an act committed years ago.
When Bryce Lang, a former team member, contacts Joe, he discovers that Joe and Bryce are the only two surviving members of the team sent to take out Jesus Henao Abadia, leader of a drug cartel. The person seeking revenge is not only going after the team members but also their families.
Joe is sure Abadia is dead so who is the person or persons seeking revenge? The first person close to Joe to be attacked is Imogene Ballard, the sister of Kate Piers, a person that Joe became close to prior to Kate’s death. With the help of his friends, Joe begins a chase that will take him back in the past to uncover who is behind the attacks. And his discovery will be mind boggling.
Cut and Run is the fourth book in the Joe Hunter series and each book gets better and better. Cut and Run is action packed with exciting scenes and a surprise ending.
Joe is being set up by a look-a-like and it is imperative that he find out the reason. With the help of Jared Rington, Joe’s friend and partner he discovers that a person or persons unknown is seeking revenge for an act committed years ago.
When Bryce Lang, a former team member, contacts Joe, he discovers that Joe and Bryce are the only two surviving members of the team sent to take out Jesus Henao Abadia, leader of a drug cartel. The person seeking revenge is not only going after the team members but also their families.
Joe is sure Abadia is dead so who is the person or persons seeking revenge? The first person close to Joe to be attacked is Imogene Ballard, the sister of Kate Piers, a person that Joe became close to prior to Kate’s death. With the help of his friends, Joe begins a chase that will take him back in the past to uncover who is behind the attacks. And his discovery will be mind boggling.
Cut and Run is the fourth book in the Joe Hunter series and each book gets better and better. Cut and Run is action packed with exciting scenes and a surprise ending.
December 31, 2016
Another very good outing for Joe Hunter in this book. I do enjoy the series, and the manics keep coming out of the woodwork, Joe certainly seems to attract them. A slight twist in this one as they try to implicate Joe in this one and they are looking to hurt (and kill) him and all those he cares about. As usual this is high octane stuff and keeps you having to draw deep for breath. This is a very enjoyable series and if you enjoy Jack Reacher, Mitch Rapp, John Puller, etc I think you would enjoy this relatively little known series. I look forward to my next adventure with Joe.
February 9, 2022
This is a fast pacing thriller packed with action and adventure Joe Hunter chasing after a psycho who looks like him and also highly skilled I definitely recommend this one
April 9, 2013
A few days ago I was introduced to Joe Hunter, a few hours ago I began the fourth book featuring Mr. Hunter. A few hours later and it is done and dusted. Another fantastic read from Matt Hilton and once again the action does not let up until the final page. This time the story concerns Hunter's identity, and the fact that it has been stolen by a man named Rickard who is killing people associated to Hunter and making it look like him. We learn more about Hunter's past in this book after he is contacted by an old friend.
Once again the story jumps from a chapter in first person (Hunter) to a chapter usually following the villain of the story, in this book it is Rickard. Another fantastically evil character has been created here, Hilton certainly knows how to create the perfect bad guy. And as usual it was like reading a Hollywood script, as I have said in all my reviews of his books however the same is true for this one. These books read like they were made for the big screen.
Matt Hilton continues to improve as a writer and even though the story here was gripping, I felt that the previous book Slash and Burn was just marginally more enjoyable for me than this one. But this was also an excellent read and one that I wholeheartedly reccommend to anybody who enjoys reading this genre of books. Joe Hunter is a fantastic character who has fast become a favourite of mine over the past few days I have spent reading about him.
Once again the story jumps from a chapter in first person (Hunter) to a chapter usually following the villain of the story, in this book it is Rickard. Another fantastically evil character has been created here, Hilton certainly knows how to create the perfect bad guy. And as usual it was like reading a Hollywood script, as I have said in all my reviews of his books however the same is true for this one. These books read like they were made for the big screen.
Matt Hilton continues to improve as a writer and even though the story here was gripping, I felt that the previous book Slash and Burn was just marginally more enjoyable for me than this one. But this was also an excellent read and one that I wholeheartedly reccommend to anybody who enjoys reading this genre of books. Joe Hunter is a fantastic character who has fast become a favourite of mine over the past few days I have spent reading about him.
June 30, 2012
Luke Rickard is a killer who has stolen Joe Hunter's identity and
committed a double murder. His mission is to kill anyone Hunter holds
dear. This is a deadly duel of wits that takes Hunter from the streets
of Miami to the barrios of Columbia and to the jungle hideaway of a
drug baron which brings Hunter face to face with his past. This is
the fourth in the Joe Hunter series and it is a page turner.
committed a double murder. His mission is to kill anyone Hunter holds
dear. This is a deadly duel of wits that takes Hunter from the streets
of Miami to the barrios of Columbia and to the jungle hideaway of a
drug baron which brings Hunter face to face with his past. This is
the fourth in the Joe Hunter series and it is a page turner.
June 29, 2014
The only way to sum this book up is non stop ,it kicks of at a blistering pace and doesnt let up ,just as you think you can put it down if you read another three words it hooks you back in.
If all Matt Hilton books are as fast paced as this then he could quite easily become my favourite author.
Dont get me wrong there is nothing new here i have come accross a lot of this stuff before but it is just the way it flows.
If all Matt Hilton books are as fast paced as this then he could quite easily become my favourite author.
Dont get me wrong there is nothing new here i have come accross a lot of this stuff before but it is just the way it flows.
May 9, 2017
Joe Hunter: Batman, Superman, The Hulk, Thor, and Logan all rolled into one....oh, and the proverbial cat with nine lives! One has to REALLY embrace suspension of disbelief in order to embrace Hunter's immortality! However, the plot is interesting, albeit quite convoluted, the action is riveting, and the climax is heart-stopping! I also really liked the author's writing structure, using the POV from the protagonist and antagonist to convey scenes and thought processes! Great escapism!
May 17, 2011
Enjoyed it. Not ecstatic, but pretty good.
February 3, 2012
A few pages in, I cut and run, so I'm afraid I can't really offer a strong opinion. Didn't like it too much, and quietly signed out.
February 22, 2017
Just love these books.
February 5, 2018
Another straight cut action which is good train reading. Finished it this morning and glad I have the next couple ready to go! Will mix it up a bit as these do get over familiar after a few. This one made a nice change on the deranged serial killer-come-hitman dynamic from the first few but has made me realise that the previous book was probably the best read in the series to date. Considering there are about 12 in the series I hope the standard can remain where it is and not take a nose dive a la Alex Cross or Kay Scarpetta, two series that seriously tanked for me (Pop Goes the Weasel was the last half decent effort from Patterson and Cornwell, I want my time back after reading Blowfly - WTF was that about? Ruined the entire series for me at that point).
October 22, 2017
Sorry to say I found this book a bit disappointing. I've enjoyed a couple of others in this series but this tale just didn't grip me or hold my attention fully. Still a reasonable read though. Maybe it would have fared better if I hadn't read it straight after a Jack Reacher, I mean lets face it, no-one comes close to Reacher - well, not in my eyes anyway.....
July 4, 2018
Very easy read if you like the body count - so many killings ! must admit not a fan of the sexual predator in this book, some scenes did not leave the imagination and were over the top in detail so did put me off a little; just too gratuitous for my sensitive soul. I would put the style lower than Vince Flynn, Lee Child and Matt Hilton, more of a pulp fiction.
October 31, 2018
I quit after reading only about a fifth of this book. The writing was great. I was intrigued by the characters. I would have liked to have known how the plot turned out. However, there was so much horrible, *detailed* violence --- including horrendous things to women --- that I stopped as I did not wish to put all those images into my mind.
September 10, 2019
Reacher-like super agent Joe Hunter appears in Matt Hilton's fourth thriller...A super villain with Hunter's face is killing off some of his former paramilitary team...There are also murders seemingly being committed by Hunter himself...The race is on to save his compatriots and those beloved by him while the authorities hunt for him as well...Solid Summer page-turner!
December 17, 2020
Rickard went to a lot of trouble, including plastic surgery, to look like Joe Hunter. Good enough for Hunter to be declared a murderer and his face plastered all over the place. He wants Joe Hunter dead. That didn't work so he goes after Imogen, who is in Maine, a supposedly safe place. That doesn't work either and bodies keep piling up. The race is on for Hunter and Rink to track Rickard down.
March 9, 2022
If you are looking for an award winning book then give this one a miss. However if you want action, excitement, ruthless villains,fearless hero's, and heart in the mouth climaxes then don't miss this book.
November 22, 2017
Another great read in this series. A really nasty piece of work gets his comeuppance from Joe Hunter. The pursuit makes a gripping read.
Read
May 11, 2020great read excitement from start to finish.
December 21, 2021
good book and series
February 28, 2023
This is the 4th book in the series Joe Hunter, out of the 4, this ranks as going at bullet train speed.
May 9, 2023
Maybe I need to read Joe Hunter in order but I had trouble following the wanton violence.
Read
June 9, 2023another great book in the Joe Hunter series.
August 14, 2024
It's only a 'thrill a minute' if it's thrilling, and makes any sense. Even though my usual genre, pointless persisting to finish. Too glib, ridiculously unbelievable, and gratuitous violence.
April 5, 2024
I Enjoy Reacher and lots of others in this genre. This didn't do it for me.
September 18, 2012
Cut and Run is the fourth book in the Joe Hunter series, and a rip roaring read it is too. For a brief second, I thought Hilton may have been repeating himself, with another psychopath chasing a defenceless woman story – but he proves he has a few more tricks up his sleeve by twisting this tale into a jungle adventure, with Hunter and his team making an incursion into Columbia.
The story starts with a nice twist. I must admit it has been about eighteen months since I have read a Joe Hunter story and had I forgot the story structure that Hilton uses. Which is, one chapter written in the first person, which is Hunter’s point of view; and then the next written in the third person which is the villain’s journey through the story. Now I am not going to spoil the beginning, but I forgot Hilton’s technique and he caught me on the back foot – almost so, that I was yelling at the book.
The villain of the piece, is a fellow by the name of Luke Rickard and he is a hired assassin, and his target is Joe Hunter. But Rickard is such a twisted piece of work, and he doesn’t just want to kill Hunter, but also kill those close to him. In this instance, it is Imogen Ballard – a character carried over from the previous book in the series, Slash and Burn – that Rickard goes after.
Once all hell breaks loose, as it inevitably does, Hunter and his friends, Jared ‘Rink’ Rington and Harvey Lucas are seconded into the service of the CIA. It seems Hunter isn’t the only one that that has been targeted by Rickard. Other operatives who were on the same mission as Hunter, in Columbia, many years previous, have also been targeted (and killed), with their families, by Rickard.
Cut and Run is a great deal of fun, in a brutal riddled with bullets kind of way. But that is exactly the way it should be. By the end of the story, Hunter is battered, bruised and bleeding. He is absolutely put through the ringer – so too is the reader.
The story starts with a nice twist. I must admit it has been about eighteen months since I have read a Joe Hunter story and had I forgot the story structure that Hilton uses. Which is, one chapter written in the first person, which is Hunter’s point of view; and then the next written in the third person which is the villain’s journey through the story. Now I am not going to spoil the beginning, but I forgot Hilton’s technique and he caught me on the back foot – almost so, that I was yelling at the book.
The villain of the piece, is a fellow by the name of Luke Rickard and he is a hired assassin, and his target is Joe Hunter. But Rickard is such a twisted piece of work, and he doesn’t just want to kill Hunter, but also kill those close to him. In this instance, it is Imogen Ballard – a character carried over from the previous book in the series, Slash and Burn – that Rickard goes after.
Once all hell breaks loose, as it inevitably does, Hunter and his friends, Jared ‘Rink’ Rington and Harvey Lucas are seconded into the service of the CIA. It seems Hunter isn’t the only one that that has been targeted by Rickard. Other operatives who were on the same mission as Hunter, in Columbia, many years previous, have also been targeted (and killed), with their families, by Rickard.
Cut and Run is a great deal of fun, in a brutal riddled with bullets kind of way. But that is exactly the way it should be. By the end of the story, Hunter is battered, bruised and bleeding. He is absolutely put through the ringer – so too is the reader.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews