Bøker av Matt Hilton

This eerie tale sees a group of men haunted by one traumatic event from their childhood. They thought they'd moved on . . . but someone - or something - won't let them!'Ginny Greenteeth comes for the naughtiest boys and girls . . . and from what I hear you've been very, very bad.' 1988: 13-year-old Andy Miller and his four friends become witnesses in the brutal murder of their classmate Melanie Bishop, and the severe beating of her sister, Poppy, at a decommissioned flooded railway line they call the frog ponds. The boys lead the police to a suspect, a vulnerable older boy who later commits suicide while on remand for the attacks - his guilt never proven. Their guilt ingrained on them forever. Now: Carl Butler's body is found beside the now gentrified frog ponds - and the lives of Andy, Brian, Johnny and Gavin start to unravel. Is the hag-like woman terrorizing their reality the grown-up Poppy set on revenge? Or something else . . . something steeped in childhood nightmares? As the friends try to piece together and understand what's happening to them, they can't stop the spiralling fear that the truth is something altogether scarier than a mere cautionary tale . . . For those who love spooky fairy tales with a twist - this first in a new series will not disappoint!

Danni has seen more in her eight years on this planet than most people see in a lifetime. The sole survivor of a motorway pile-up which took her mother's life, she is now safe and thriving with her adoptive family. Until the day the bad people come knocking. Forcing Danni to face the memories she has done such a good job forgetting . . . Josie's quiet life is dismantled with a knock at the door. When she and her daughter are violently kidnapped, Josie must act fast to survive. Danni has very little memory of the day her mother died, but these people are hell-bent on finding the money her mother stole before her death, and they think Danni knows more than she's letting on. Grace arrives at her big sister's house to find her partner Pete beaten and tied up and her sister and niece taken. Josie has been her protector her entire life - but now she needs to be the strong one. Enlisting the help of a friend with the combat experience and skills she needs, Grace will stop at nothing to get her family back home . . .

Spec-Ops First Sergeant Ellis Kirby leads a JSOC unit into the Tora Ghar cave system seeking WMDs, but finds something much worse. Infected by an ancient power summoned by an evil cleric Kirby and his companions are whisked back to secret military laboratories in the US. The plague of creatures - known as rakes - that is subsequently unleashed threatens to wipe out the entire population of the United States and perhaps the world. Through a country rapidly overwhelmed by the ravenous creatures, Kirby must fight for his life if he's to take the fight back to the monsters and their master. Across the same devastated landscape travel Bree and Jill Adams, sisters at odds, who must face their past to survive the future, and three misfits collectively known as the Ruby gang. Each must endure their travails before they are thrown together with Kirby, in a race to the eastern seaboard where the final conflict between man and beast is about to play out in a battle encompassing modern warfare and ancient magic.

Former Special Forces military operative-turned-problem solver Joe Hunter is enjoying a quiet, new life in Florida when he's approached by a man who wants Hunter to bring his daughter home. Marianne, her father says, is being held by an abusive boyfriend, millionaire Bradley Jorgenson, and her rescue is imperative. But the girl Hunter discovers at Jorgenson's luxurious island residence seems happy, and her beau harmless and loving. the real problem is Dantalion.A brilliant, sadistic psychopath?a merciless contract killer with a terrifying personal agenda?Dantalion has his sights set on the couple when he shows up at Jorgenson's mansion. Suddenly the only choice is to run, as a simple snatch-and-grab becomes a deadly game of cat-and-mouse in the Florida swamplands, a desperate battle for survival against a maniac who'll let nobody live who stands in his way . . . not even Joe Hunter.

Ex-CIA and Special Ops, Joe Hunter made a lot of enemies during his covert career?but none worse than the powerful man he left for dead in South America. Now, seven years later, someone with Hunter's face has embarked on a horrific killing spree in Florida. Suddenly, people closely connected to the former military operative-turned-problem solver are dying?and when two cops who stop him for questioning are taken out by a sniper's bullets, Hunter finds himself on the run from the legitimate author-ities . . . and a killer's vengeance.With nowhere to hide except in the coldblooded mercenary world of wetwork specialists, Hunter knows he faces a blood storm unlike any he's encountered before?one that will force him to confront the damning shadows of his past as he fights, tooth and nail, for survival . . . and payback.

HUMOROUS AND SATIRICAL SUSPENSE AND MYSTERY STORIES"Think Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau with Don Knotts and Tim Conway from the Apple Dumpling Gang mixing with John Travolta as Vincent Vega along with a gang of murderous otters and that's just a portion of what you'll find." asinine [as-i-nine] adjective1: extremely or utterly foolish or silly2: of, relating to, or resembling an ass Synonyms: absurd, balmy, brainless, bubbleheaded, cockeyed, crackpot, crazy, cuckoo, daffy, daft, dippy, dotty, fatuous, feather-headed, fool, foolish, half-baked, half-witted, harebrained, inept, insane, jerky, kooky, loony, lunatic, lunkheaded, mad, nonsensical, nutty, preposterous, sappy, screwball, senseless, silly, simpleminded, stupid, tomfool, unwise, wacky, weak-minded, witlessCRIME FICTION WITH A DIFFERENCEEach of the 24 stories in the Asinine Assassins anthology involves a character (e.g., assassin, contract killer, hitman) with the above synonyms in mind. Asinine Assassins is an anthology of stories about inept, brainless, ridiculous hired guns, assassins, and murderers. Be ready for plenty of humor, action, suspense, and mystery. Black humor. Bizarre incidents, Surreal situations. Some stories are gritty, some grisly, but all are entertaining. The first two books in the 'Assassins' anthology series, Uncommon Assassins and Insidious Assassins were well-received and reviewed. Most readers enjoyed the diversity of genres and styles in these books, and Asinine Assassins continued that diversity with the new anthology. This time, however, the stories focused on incompetent and lunatic characters-with a dash of dark humor flavoring the suspense. This is NOT your typical crime fiction. If you love a wonderful blend of mystery, suspense, noir, humor, and general weirdness, expect to be surprised and entertained!THE STORIESRip Ho, Jaspers -- Ricky SpragueDumbass -- F.J. TalleyThere's One for You, Nineteen for Me -- Carson BuckinghamUpchuck Chuck -- Bruce HarrisDirty Pool -- Chris BauerMr. Benedict's Wild Ride -- Robin Hill-Page GlandenPayback: With Interest -- Matt HiltonShooting Fish -- James DorrJug Handles -- Albert TucherShort-Order Crook -- J. Gregory SmithBlood in the Urine -- Martin ZeiglerJust Call Wally -- Wil A. EmersonAiding and Abetting -- Adrian LudensLizards and Other Varmints -- Shari HeldKiller Fashion -- Maddi DavidsonAngling -- Ben GamblinSmall Claws, Small Guns -- Jezzy WolfeThe Butcher -- Robert PetyoThe Adventure of the Asinine Assassin -- Rick HudsonThe Last Hit -- Eldon LitchfieldKillings 4 Sale -- Blair KeetchThe Third Date Rule -- Jeff MarkowitzOne Good Thing -- Kevin P. ThorntonDeerman -- Weldon Burge

Andrew Clayon's wife has been murdered and, worse, he's a suspect. But when people start vandalising his house, he needs to protect his son. A kind detective says she knows just the man. Joe Hunter can certainly see why the police suspect Clayton, but takes the job anyway. Yet who is he protecting the young boy from? And why?Clayton knows more about his wife's murder, but he isn't saying. And when his silence places everyone, including the boy, in the killer's sights, nowhere is safe... A pulse-pounding thriller, perfect for readers of Lee Child, Mark Dawson and Alan McDermott. Praise for Matt Hilton"Hard-hitting and fast-paced, I was hooked from start to finish' Simon Kernick'Electrifying' Daily Mail'Taut, thrilling, tense - I loved it!' Richard Hammond

Joe Hunter is in the line of fire in his most explosive outing yetIt should be a routine job, providing security for an elite event in Miami. Wear a tux, stay professional, job done. But things go wrong. Hunter is drawn into what appears to be a domestic altercation. But he soon finds something altogether more sinister... Before long this chance encounter has serious repercussions. Good people are getting killed. Hunter is on the run, in grave danger, and with the clock swiftly ticking. A rip-roaring thriller, Marked for Death is perfect for fans of Michael Connelly, David Baldacci and Lee Child.

After tracking down a missing girl, private investigator Tess Grey feels duty bound to protect the girl and her friends when thugs threaten to blackmail them. But what have the girls got themselves caught up in? Tess and her fiance Po Villere have no idea the extent to which the thugs will go to get their money, and how deadly the events will become.

Accepting the task of protecting Billie Womack is a no-brainer for ex-counterterrorist soldier Joe Hunter, but it comes with its own set of complications. Billie's husband, Richard, stole thirty million dollars from some violent people. He apparently died in a car crash with Billie's daughter, Nicola, during a desperate attempt to elude his pursuers. But his enemies don't believe him dead. They think he escaped the plunge into the icy river that killed Nicola and has now decided to come back for the money. If he's alive, they believe he'll contact Billie. It doesn't take long for the bad guys to arrive at her remote farmhouse. Soon she and Joe are fugitives. Dead or alive, Richard's fate means nothing to Hunter, but he promises to do everything in his power to protect the grieving mother. Even if it means taking a bullet for her, it's a price he'll pay. It's a pledge he will come to regret, as he learns that killers are forged on the Devil's anvil.

Ex-counterterrorist soldier Joe Hunter has been called to Mexico to bring an end to a cartel that preys on the people they smuggle across the US border. Once the mission's ended, however, Joe's mission leader and mentor, CIA Black Ops director Walter Hayes Conrad, confesses that the bloody mission is not the real reason Joe has been summoned south of the border. For years, Walter has kept the details of his private life - especially his family - secret from everyone, even his closest friends. But disaster has struck: his great-grandson Benjamin has been abducted, kidnapped by Walter's sworn enemy, the leader of one of Mexico's largest drug cartels. Walter will do whatever it takes to get the boy back. And he know Hunter is the man for the job.But there's one complication -- the drug boss just happens to be Benjamin's father.

When Rink's father is brutally murdered, Joe has to stop his friend rushing headlong for vengeance. Because Rink's mother witnessed the crime and Yukiko isn't telling everything she knows. Her silence is governed by the Japanese tradition of giri, or moral obligation. But when there are more vicious deaths - all of them elderly men known to Yukiko - it becomes a matter of honour to uncover the shameful secret that lies behind the murders. The killer isn't playing by the rules. But some rules are made to be broken and Joe doesn't care what he breaks to ensure Rink gets his revenge.

Brooke Reynolds died in a car crash. Tragic accident, the police say. But her father Don Hoffman knows otherwise. And he wants Joe Hunter to find the men responsible. Joe is not convinced until he is attacked by two troublemakers, and Don's other daughter is also threatened. Looks like more than coincidence. And sure enough, the entire family is soon under siege with only Joe to protect them. The ensuing blood bath is the beginning of a trail of death that leads right to the heart of a racist conspiracy. White supremacists want to hold the government to ransom; and they have got hold of a dirty bomb to add weight to their case. Joe is on countdown: can he stop the plotters before they reduce the free world to ashes?

The Harvestman is back! And determined to wreak revenge on Joe Hunter. When Rink is ambushed by a team of highly skilled killers, Joe is pretty sure his friend is being used as bait. And the intended prey is Hunter himself. Joe has to go 'off radar' to rescue his friend. Their deadly game of cat and mouse reaches its climax on the rusty hulk of The Queen Sofia - a container ship used by human traffickers - moored off the North Carolina coast where Joe's ex-sister-in-law is being held hostage. Against overwhelming odds, and amid a ferocious storm, Joe comes face to face with his old enemy Tubal Cain.

Joe Hunter vs Luke Rickard, a killer who has stolen his identity and committed a vicious double murder. His motive? Revenge. His method? A blade. His mission? Kill anyone Hunter holds dear. It is a deadly duel of wits that takes Hunter from the streets of Miami to the squalid barrios of Colombia to the jungle hideaway of a drug baron. And brings him face to face with his past. Revenge is a dish best served cold and Joe needs a cool head if Rickard is not to cut and run. CUT AND RUN - the fourth high-octane adventure for Joe Hunter, the man whose mission is to rid the world of bad guys.

Jameson Walker approaches Joe Hunter when his daughter Jay and her friend Nicole go missing at a gas station in the Arizona desert while on a cross-country trek across the North American interior. He mentions that a robbery/homicide at the gas station as worrying as the girls were due to be in the vicinity at that time. Joe accepts the job of locating the girls, though not at first convinced there's much to worry about. As Joe picks up the girls' trail he discovers that other young women have also disappeared in the area, and comes across the brutish Logan family.

Joe Hunter is enjoying some much needed r&r when a young woman approaches him to help find her missing sister Imogen. Kate Piers knows about Joe from her dead brother Jake, Hunter's former comrade in arms, and for that reason alone he feels obliged to help. The fact that Kate is very attractive doesn't hurt.Together they go to Imogen's Kentucky home where they are immediately attacked by a bunch of thugs, acting on behalf of local businessman Robert Huffman. Huffman outwardly respectable but the psychotic twins he uses as his enforcers give the game away: he has links to organised crime and a deadly reputation with a blade. Huffman is also looking for Imogen, and kidnaps Kate to act as bait. Looks like Joe is in trouble again . . .

'Some may call me a vigilante. I think I've just got problems to fix.' Right now, Hunter's big problem is a missing little brother, last seen fleeing the site of a gruesome killing. Hunter needs the help of an old army buddy, a whole lot of hardware and a trip to Little Rock, Arkansas, to fix this particular problem. A brutal encounter with some very nasty criminals leaves Hunter fighting for his life. And that's before he comes up against America's most feared serial killer, 'The Harvestman' and his grisly souvenirs of death. But blood is thicker than water. And a lot of blood will be spilt ...