The Wolf Hunt

A Novel

By: Ayelet Gundar-Goshen

Narrated by: Gilli Messer

Award-winning author Ayelet Gundar-Goshen returns with a timely exploration of the fault lines in a community, a school, and a family, as a mother begins to suspect her teenage son of committing a terrible crime.

Lilach has it all: a beautiful home in the heart of Silicon Valley, a successful husband and stable marriage, and a teenage son, Adam, with whom she has always felt a particular closeness. Israeli immigrants, the family has now lived in the U.S. long enough that they consider it home. But after a brutal attack on a local synagogue shakes their sense of safety, Adam enrolls in a self-defense class taught by a former Israeli Special Forces officer. There, for the first time, he finds a sense of confidence and belonging.

Then, tragedy strikes again when an African American boy dies at a house party, apparently from a drug overdose. Though he was a high school classmate, Adam claims not to know him. Yet rumors begin to circulate that the death was not accidental, and that Adam and his new friends had a history with Jamal. As more details surface and racial tensions in the community are ignited, Lilach begins to question everything she thought she knew about her son. Could her worst fears be possible? Could her quiet, reclusive child have had something to do with Jamal’s death?

Praised for “instilling emotional depth into a thriller plot” (New York Times Book Review on Waking Lions), Ayelet Gundar-Goshen once again brings together taut suspense, superb writing, and razor-sharp insight into the fault lines of race, identity, and privilege and the dark secrets we hide from those we love most.

©2023 Ayelet Gundar-Goshen (P)2023 Little, Brown & Company

Critic reviews

“Unsettling . . . Gundar-Goshen presents the reader with glimpses into other stories . . . resolving some mysteries but leaving others to reverberate beyond the final page.”—Margaret Quamme, Booklist (starred review)

"Gundar-Goshen navigates the landscape of racial prejudice, particularly the tension between Jews and the Nation of Islam, through the eyes of an Israeli immigrant who is already scarred by experiences of terrorism in Israel. . . Gundar-Goshen solidifies her brand with this ambitious novel, her first set in the United States. Flawed but relatable characters and off-the-charts emotional intensity with a sharply evoked Israeli cultural perspective."—Kirkus Reviews

amazing

so well written, constantly keeps you questioning. the voice and accent was perfect and felt so connected

The relevance and psychological understanding of the characters

This work of fiction nicely touches on the character of Israelis who relocated to the US. It has nicely integrated a story line with some events associated with antisemitism and bullying all very timely. The author’s professional training comes out nicely when describing the protagonists in the story. I must emphasize that the narration by Gili Messer had a huge impact on brining the story line to life. It almost made me feel I have been at Hong the show, amazing work.
S

Enjoyed this book very much

As with her other books she has written, I would strongly recommend it to others

Our complex souls get us into trouble.

Great story and well told. The author knows how to capture the readers interest and build tension. And as an Israeli I could well appreciate the story which felt somehow too near to the bone. The plot is well constructed and filled with twists and surprises. Is it a mystery ? Is it a who done it? Or is it a mirror to the human soul and what it feels like to be Jewish and Israeli in these complex times? I was very emotionally involved in the book.

A page turner!

A beautifully-written, intriguing and intricately crafted story that resonates with any parent. Who really knows what their child is capable of, and is a mother’s intuition to be trusted?

Excellent story & reading!

The reading with the accents & gender voices was outstanding!The story was fantastic & fascinating-so many issues & questions-thanks

A story with so many layers

The book has so many layers and transforms into a story of suspense, adolescence, revenge, teenagers lust that might transform into bullying and relationship between Jews, blacks that brings antisemitism and racism to the surface. Listening to the narrator Gilli Messer was fascinating as she brought the story to life with her perfect Israeli accent and a rhythm that made the story so real .

I almost did not want it to end and wanted to continue following Adam and his family.

Great book. Great story. Fascinating narration.

No cruelty to animals per one reviewer who brought down the overall score for this gripping book

Fascinating story centered around an Israeli American family living in Silicon Valley. Their nerdy, bright son has experienced bullying. He signs up for a survival type class that results in building his confidence and friendships and gets him a mentor he adores, but spirals into issues that envelop the whole family. Beautifully read. I couldn’t wait to find time each day to listen to the story unfold.

A surprise within a surprise

The unlikely twists were themselves twisted. The death of Kellen and its aftermath did not prepare me for the end.

Gut-wrenching

The ending is satisfying for the characters Adam and Uri in terms of where they are going. I have read that the novel addresses the problems of anti-Semitism and racism but when recognizing the extent of Uri’s crimes the importance of the two problems in the novel diminishes. Psychologically Lilach is well drawn. She alone has highly ambiguous views of Uri. The author confirms through Lilach’s conversation with a minor character (the strange girl) that Lilach’s fears are just. It’s a violent story involving deep betrayal. A minor, yet compelling theme is the relative risk for an Israeli business-man between forming a start-up (Uri) or working for another (Mikhael).