The Hunter

By: Richard Stark

Narrated by: John Chancer

Length: 5 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

You probably haven't noticed them. But they've noticed you. They notice everything. That's their job. Sitting quietly in a nondescript car outside a bank making note of the tellers' work habits. Lagging a few car lengths behind the Brinks truck on its daily rounds. Surreptitiously jiggling the handle of an unmarked service door at the racetrack. They're heisters. They're pros, and Parker is far and away the best of them. Tough, smart, hardworking, and relentlessly focused on his trade, he is the heister’s heister, the robber’s robber, the heavy’s heavy. You don’t want to cross him, and you don’t want to get in his way, because he’ll stop at nothing to get what he’s after.

In The Hunter, the first volume in the series, Parker roars into New York City, seeking revenge on the woman who betrayed him and on the man who took his money, stealing and scamming his way to redemption.

©1962 Richard Stark (P)2010 AudioGO

Wow! TWO movies made from this book!

How have I never heard of these series before?! This one is great and I’m about to start the second.

Good story with some terrible characters

This book series would more than certainly get an OD rating and rightfully so. It is a good example of a story with characters that just wouldn't make it nowadays.

Thanks Quentin!

Tarantino mentioned this in his “Cinema Speculation” book (a great read, by the way). Awesome, morally ambiguous hard boiled thriller with excellent performance and fun characterizations by the reader.

Dated

What did you like best about The Hunter? What did you like least?

Different twist on your normal book. This is set in the 30s and is from the perspective of a criminal. I think it was somewhat depressing overall. The author style is great and it is definitely not the run of the mill story.

Would you be willing to try another book from Richard Stark? Why or why not?

Yes, I want to see how the series is going to develop

Have you listened to any of John Chancer’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No

Was The Hunter worth the listening time?

Yes

Rare character, solid revenge story.

Wish this book was longer. It's very hard to find books that have main characters with no anxiety. Parker is a machine that moves forward with simple purpose. His introspection is simple yet interesting. The story is a bit dated, which can be good or bad depending on what your personal taste may be.

It was ok

Don’t know if main character was all that likable
But was an interesting story
To hear

Excellent mystery crime novel.

What did you like best about this story?

Richard Stark (alias for Donald E. Westlake) has such a unique voice. Everything is told through the criminal mind. Amazing and doesn't feel dated in the least.

Shockingly Good

This book and it’s subject matter have held up exceptionally well from 1962. The tough guy talk in this book alone is worth the listen - people don’t talk like that anymore. The writing is efficient. Short, declarative sentences. Minimally descriptive and the action within the novel moves realistically. Great book. Well performed.

Ended abruptly

It was a good story, but unfortunately it didn’t end well. Glad this one was free.

Book 1 start of a great series

I have read all of the Parker novels, the stories move quickly as Westlake writes without wasting a word.

I recommend reading in order as they build on each previous book