Gary Foster is an ordinary guy who is suddenly dealt a cruel and devastating blow when Beth, his pregnant wife, is diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer after she suddenly collapsed and had to be rushed to the hospital for tests.
As reality sets in and the couple begins to process the fact that Beth’s cancer is inoperable, Gary starts looking for other options, no matter how far-reaching they may be. He learns that Beth’s only hope is an experimental treatment done abroad, but their insurance won’t cover it. Co-owners of a small business in River Falls, Michigan, the Fosters don’t have the $200,000 to pursue the treatment themselves.
After unsuccessfully trying to raise the money through various means and resources, things take a jarring turn when a mysterious stranger offers Gary the money, under one condition: he has to kill someone, no questions asked.
Tom Hunt does a fine job showing the torment Gary goes through as he tries to make his decision, and then as he tries to rationalize and justify his choice to do whatever it takes to save his dying wife. Things don’t go the way Gary imagined, but once he’s crossed that moral line, there’s no going back. Instead, he pushes forward, doing things he never imagined doing, while grappling with the fallout and consequences of his actions.
While the story pops with emotion and suspense, things eventually fall into a predictable pattern. The final act lacks the same drama that fuels the plot early on, and the ending itself is one many readers will likely see coming. Still, as a whole, Hunt’s first thriller is exciting, thought-provoking, and just plain fun to read. It’s easy to wonder what you might be capable of in Gary’s shoes, and that’s part of the magic here. . . Gary could be any of us.
Killer Choice features a brilliant concept, and author Tom Hunt excels at translating raw emotions onto the page. There’s a handful of very solid debuts coming out in 2018, and this is definitely one of them.
Book Details
Author: Tom Hunt
Pages: 352 (Hardcover)
ISBN: 0399586407
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: January 30, 2018
Book Spy Rating: 6.0/10
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Praised as “one of today’s finest book reviewers” by New York Times bestselling author Gayle Lynds, Ryan Steck has “quickly established himself as the authority on mysteries and thrillers” (Author A.J. Tata). He currently lives in Southwest Michigan with his wife and their six children.
