The Hunting Ground

The Night Crew #3

by Brad Ricks, Maarten van Vuuren (Illustrator)

Something is slaughtering people in the Arkansas wilderness—and even the Night Crew may not survive what they're about to find.

When mutilated bodies begin appearing in the Ouachita National Forest, Chief of Police Roy Henderson knows local law enforcement is out of options. His only hope is to call in the Night Crew—a covert team of supernatural operatives led by Michael, a vampire still learning what it means to live with the monster inside him.

What begins as a hunt for a rogue werewolf quickly spirals into something far more dangerous.

As attacks escalate around the town of Mena, Arkansas, Michael finds himself battling on two fronts. In the real world, a growing supernatural threat is pushing the town toward panic. In his mind, mysterious visions connected through blood are pulling him into a terrifying mystery he cannot explain.

Meanwhile, a grieving father forms a vigilante militia, a local police officer struggles to keep supernatural secrets buried, and a park ranger may hold the key to stopping a massacre before it begins.

To survive, Michael must hold his team together, uncover the truth behind the killings, and confront forces more dangerous than anything lurking in the forest.

Perfect for fans of fast-paced supernatural thrillers, vampire fiction, werewolf horror, occult mysteries, and action-packed monster hunting adventures, Night Crew 3 delivers relentless suspense, unforgettable characters, and terrifying creatures lurking just beyond the tree line.

330 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 30, 2026

Reviews

[Don Anelli]

This was a massively enjoyable effort with a lot to like. The majority of that comes from the impressive storyline that manages to bring about the kind of well-rounded setup that it can function as a standalone feature as well as tying into the previous instalments in the series. With the immediate introduction to the action by discussing the strange animal attacks around the forest and how these incidents require the specific group of vampire operatives that are capable of handling the threat while also dealing with their own issues. Since the vampire's influence on the leader and helping him come to terms with the new state he finds himself in, a touch on the other members of the group getting more to do in terms of leadership roles, and even detailing the burgeoning romantic relationship that several members are starting to explore, it gives enough service to what's gone on before so that there's some great catch-up on what they've done.

As well, there's a lot to like with the rather fun setup to their latest mission in the small town as the series of animal attacks and strange disappearances start to hint at the involvement of the supernatural crew needing to come stop the strange creatures that are running wild in the area, making for a great build-up to the reveal about them and leading nicely into the later half. This is where a lot of the action comes from, as the team of hunters shows their skills at taking down these types of creatures as the series of battles and confrontations manages to generate some immensely thrilling and exciting setpieces as a result of the inhuman creatures getting a chance to show off their skillsets. Some of the second-half plot twists are a bit wonky and unnecessary, as if they were trying to cram plenty of different elements into this segment to build up to something else, so it feels a bit overlong, but overall, it's the main drawback here that holds this down.

5/5

[Milt Theo]

After the first two entries in the series, I had very high hopes for this one: I'm a sucker for any werewolves versus vampires story, and this promised to scratch that itch aplenty. Well, Ricks didn't just deliver a solid, immersive, and enjoyable read - the book scratched that itch right to the bone! Fantastic action scenes, awesome vampire vs werewolf battles, and wonderfully complex and twisty plotting!

The story is brutal, with several memorable scenes of carnage, full of action and adventure; not once, however, foregoing the demands of good characterization and balanced pacing. In fact, the tale is exemplary in blending a new story with all that's gone before, deepening the impact of Silas' influence, advancing Mike's own story and his crucial role in what's coming in the future, while allowing for further growth of Josh's role in the team, as well as giving space to Niki and Nate's relationship. And the narrative choice to openly involve a human this time around, to stand against the rogue werewolves on the side of the vampires and the one werewolf ally sent from the pack - that human, being the town's police chief - was brilliant! I loved how it all gelled so perfectly, and am mystified by how talented an author Ricks must be to pull it off without a hitch - consider the large cast, the many fronts the action develops, and the parallel plotlines preparing the ground for the next book in the series!

Forget the glitter and the teen grooming, the monsters in this series are bloodthirsty creatures with an agenda, ready to upset the status quo, and bring down the system. The Night Crew has its work cut out for it, even though each volume makes the task harder and harder! Indeed, no wonder the third volume ends on a cliffhanger: it's time for some serious dive into vampire lore, and I for one can't wait for it! Highly recommended!

[Calvin]

Meh

First off, automatic points deducted for calling a gun magazine a clip. How someone living in Texas managed to mess that up is astounding. On top of that, the author messes up late in the novel by having a gun go from a pistol with a "clip", to a revolver. Fire your editor. The book has two antagonists, but never bothers to tell you their names. They're just bad guys and they want to be evil and eat everyone, unless the plot needs them to come up with Bond villian levels of convoluted planning. I will give the author credit for making some bold decisions in the beginning with some shocking deaths. The overall story is okay, fairly simple. The secondary plot line about the missing Council members is just a big mystery box. More questions and less answers. The book ends on a cliffhanger. Unfortunately I doubt we'll get a satisfactory ending to all of this. If the author is relying on mystery box storytelling already, it feels like he is just making it up as he goes along and doesn't have the full thing planned out

[Ian Gielen]

The Night Crew series went straight to the top of my favourite series to read after the first book and stayed there with book 2. Hunting Ground only further solidifies its position with a captivating story, addictive writing and continued world building and lore that makes me eager to read more, more, more!

This time, the Night Crew are sent on a mission to stop rogue werewolf attacks in a small town bordering the Ouachita National Forest but as is often the case, things don't exactly go to plan. There are manipulations and schemes in play that have been in place since Book 1 and they make their ugly appearance in the events of this book.

There is plenty of action and gore in this one, making the werewolf problem a nastier prospect to deal with. These things are wild, brutal and unapologetic about it, making rooting for the Night Crew easy.

While dealing with this new threat is the main focus, there is still the bigger mystery to solve which runs through the thread of all the books and the continuing struggle for Michael, the relatively new vampire and Night Crew leader as he continues to battle to control his vampirism. The book ends on a cliff hanger and makes me hungry for the next installment in the series.

If you haven't read the Night Crew series, there's never been a better time to start.

[Andrea]

This was another excellent story in this very good series. I really love seeing the development of characters and of the team as we come through the series and this was not a disappointment. The characters were just as good in this book as in the other two, and I liked the new ones introduced this time around. The plot was a good one, bringing in new problems that need to be dealt with, and the whole story was created and timed very well. If you haven’t read this series, you’re definitely missing out! Five stars.

[Justin David]

Third entry going strong

Really pleased with the third entry to this series. I especially enjoyed the introduction of werewolves into the pantheon of monsters. The author didn't hold back on brutality while keeping most of the attributes that make horror fiction so enjoyable. However, he also maintained a storyline that I expect to continue well into part 4 and beyond, setting the table.

[Amber Adams]

I absolutely LOVED The Night Crew 1 & 2 so of course I had high hopes for 3. Believe me when I tell you I was not disappointed. Brad has crafted a wonderful collection of characters that I adore. Just like the first 2, this book was packed with non-stop action. Every time I finish a book in the series I cannot wait for the next one to come out! I also know that this is a series I will definitely be reading again in the future.

[Nicola]

Must read

Another fantastic supernatural book in the series. Excellent plot line and very well written. Each book builds in the character and keeps you wanting to read. Can't wait to read book 4 I hope.tgere will.be one

[Galactus]

Another great read!

This turned out to be a really great series. I wasn’t sure at first, but the characters are great and the chemistry of the night crew is awesome. Great Monsters and such, what fun. I can’t wait for the next installment of this series.

[Michelle Grimison]

4.5⭐️
Another action packed adventure with the night crew, but this time we are hunting rogue werewolves!

Loved the twilight jokes!

How dare you end the book like that Brad!!! Fucking rude! And book 4 isn’t out yet! Ugh!

[Stephen Craft]

Great Book

As always, Brad delivers with the newest Night Crew book. As a 52 year old who grew up on King and Koontz, I have to say that Brad is one of my favorite authors.

[Christy]

Amazing!!!

I love this series, I just wish there wasn't so much bad language. But it is a great read and story line!

[VintageVamp]

This was a more simple story than the first two books in the series but the writing was better.

[Amanda Brewer]

Best character cast

This author can create characters and build suspense! I have loved all three of the stories in this series. I look forward to the next one.