''The Manhattan Hunt Club'' is a thriller horror novel by

John Saul John Saul (born February 25, 1942) is an American author of suspense and horror novels. Most of his books have appeared on the ''New York Times'' Best Seller List. . Biography Born in Pasadena, Saul grew up in Whittier, California, and grad ...

, published by

Ballantine Books Ballantine Books is a major book publisher located in the United States, founded in 1952 by Ian Ballantine with his wife, Betty Ballantine. It was acquired by Random House in 1973, which in turn was acquired by Bertelsmann in 1998 and remains ...

on July 31, 2001. The novel follows the story of Jeff Converse, who is falsely convicted of a brutal crime and finds himself trapped in a secret society called the Manhattan Hunt Club.

Plot

When Jeff Converse is convicted of a brutal crime he did not commit, he sees his bright future slipping away from him. Then, he is suddenly whisked away to a secret underground Manhattan society with mysterious, twisting tunnels and chambers, where darkness lurks around every corner. He sees the eerie underground group of the homeless and the mad, and realizes what he has to do. Jeff must now find a way to escape alive from this living hell, with only his bare hands and his wit.

Critical reception

Booklist ''Booklist'' is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. ''Booklist''s primary audience consists of libraries, educators, and booksellers. The magazine is av ...

'' called ''The Manhattan Hunt Club'' an "enjoyable and clever yarn", praising the book's "plot twists, improbable conspiracies, and lots of two-faced characters". ''

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of B ...

'' wrote that the book "skirts absurdity, as do the villainous members of the club, but Saul scores points about society's treatment of the homeless" and that it was "vintage Saul". ''People'' Magazine stated "Stirring social commentary, this ain't, but it's a hot tome for summer in the city." ''

Kirkus Reviews ''Kirkus Reviews'' (or ''Kirkus Media'') is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus (1893–1980). The magazine is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fic ...

'' criticized ''The Manhattan Hunt Club's'' "barely believable premise" but praised the book's research and "supportive subplots". RT Book Reviews gave ''The Manhattan Hunt Club'' three stars, writing "Although his trademark elements of supernatural horror are missing, fans won't be disappointed".THE MANHATTAN HUNT CLUB by John Saul
RT Book Reviews

References

2001 American novels Novels set in Manhattan American horror novels {{2000s-horror-novel-stub