Review - The Last Track by Sam Hilliard

This is a tracking, murder mystery with lots of twists and surprises all the way to the end.

 The Last Track: A Mike Brody Novel by Sam Hilliard

• Paperback: 286 pages
• Publisher: Buddhapuss Ink LLC (February 13, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0984203516
• ISBN-13: 978-0984203512

Rating 4.25 of 5.0

Product Description
Imagine if being late meant a child disappeared forever. That is the fear that drives Mike Brody--the man you want, when the one you love is missing. Mike is more than just a master tracker. An ex-Special Forces operative, smoke jumper, and now extreme adventure tour guide, he also possesses a unique ability to tap into the memory and emotional state of those he pursues.

In The Last Track, a police detective recruits Mike to help find an asthmatic boy lost in the dense woods surrounding a dude ranch in Montana. An unwitting murder witness, the boy burrows ever deeper into the rugged terrain, fearful of being found. As Mike and a local officer search for the boy, the killer follows them.

While the investigation expands, Mike's ex-wife, a well-connected journalist, uses her contacts to unravel the truth behind the murder. Her discoveries threaten to snare them all in a treacherous conspiracy . . .

Review: This was an entertaining mystery read with some interesting surprises.

Mike Brody is a skilled tracker with an extra sense to help the process. He is not just dedicated to tracking but he is driven. You learn the details of his motivation near the end of the story. I liked Mike as a well developed character.  Even though he is strong and inclined to do things his way, it is more because he knows what he is doing and not because he is arrogant. He doesn't panic but logically works through the problems. He doesn’t accept help easily but he can accept it.

Mike’s ex-wife Jessica seems almost as driven in her journalism career so it is interesting that she resents Mike’s dedication. It does seem that they both tend to put their careers before their family which is a little sad for their 8 year old son, Andy. This story takes place while they are vacationing and they don't get in much time together. Jessica is able to use lots of  contacts to help the investigation move along.

I enjoyed the details on Mike’s tracking techniques and survival tips. This added extra interest to the story which has plenty of intrigue and suspicious characters. It seems everyone is hiding something so it is hard to tell who can be trusted. The known villain, Crotty, is a pretty nasty piece of work.  The difficult task though is to try to figure out who “The Partner” in crime is.

I liked how breaks were set up in time sequences rather than chapters. This helped the reading to move at a good clip. This is an easy read and the language is appropriate to work well for teens and all ages up. Mystery buffs will especially appreciate the detailed tracking and the unexpected surprises.

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Thank you to the author and Pump Up Your Book Promotion of this book to read and review.  The book is signed by the author and I am pleased to offer it for GIVEAWAY.