Two women fight back against the odds in ‘The Red Hunter’

“The Red Hunter” (Touchstone), by Lisa Unger

Two women who experienced trauma in their lives fight back against the odds in Lisa Unger’s latest novel, “The Red Hunter.”

Zoey Drake lost her parents in a home invasion, and she barely survived. She’s grown up tough and is determined to pursue justice — or is it revenge? Drake takes martial arts training and keeps hoping to find answers to what happened that horrific day.

Claudia Bishop had a wonderful marriage, but it fell apart after an attack in their home. Separated from her husband, she and her teenage daughter buy a house with a barn. The place is dilapidated, but fixing it up gives her inner strength.

The house Bishop has bought has its own set of secrets, including it being the same place that Drake’s life changed forever. The people responsible were searching for a lot of hidden money, and it hasn’t been found — yet.

These two women will soon no longer be strangers, and they must trust and rely on each other if they are going to get out alive.

Unger knows how to write gripping suspense while also delving deep into her characters’ minds. The psychological aspects of what ruined Drake and Bishop’s lives will soon come to a head. Unger maintains a balance between violence and redemption while readers root for both of them to succeed. Jeff Ayers, AP