‘The Last Track’ by Sam Hilliard

First off, let me just remark, that I love to read, not to write.  I have to force myself to write reviews on books after I read them.  My latest conquest is the first in what I am hoping will be a long and rewarding series for Sam Hilliard.  The main character Mike Brody is well developed and easy to love.  Mike is an ex-military tracker/tour guide who has a knack for finding people.  This ability is slightly supernatural, but mostly instinct and training.  His ex-wife Jessica makes a sassy cohort and energentic sidekick. 

The story takes place on a dude ranch that Mike and ex-wife Jessica just happen to be vacationing at.  There is a murder and a missing, asthmatic teenage witness.  Mike and a local cop are forced to track the teenager through a forest filled with peril.  Jessica stays at the ranch and uses her reporter ties to gather information for Mike.  This is a classic, “I have no idea who done it, everyone seems like a suspect” book.  I honestly had no idea which one did it until the final pages.

For a first book, I thought this was great.  I think that Hilliard has the ability to make a great author.  I am looking forward to reading more.  My only complaint would be to spend a little more time on the story development and less on trying to give you additional options for the potential killer.

3 1/2 out of five stars.  Great start.  I normally hate authors’ first books.

You will like this book if: You like to keep guessing who did it thoughout the book.  This had a John Sandford-like style.

Sam Hilliard’s Twitter page.