Hunter's Moon [Paperback]

Don Hoesel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2010

After a long absence, novelist CJ Baxter returns to his hometown of Adelia in upstate New York for his grandfather's funeral. Facing a messy divorce and doubting his talent as a writer, CJ is forced to confront secrets that have tormented him since childhood. To complicate matters, his brother Graham is running for a Senate seat, and the family is intent on keeping the most damaging secret--surrounding a murder and its cover-up--in the family, for fear the truth would ruin Graham's chances at winning. But with CJ airing their dirty laundry in his books, the family is forced to deal with him. CJ must find a way to remain safe while coming to terms with the newfound faith that compelled him to return to Adelia in the first place.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

From the author of the archeological thriller Elisha's Bones comes a story closer to home and family. When struggling author CJ Baxter returns to his hometown for his grandfather's funeral, he faces a ruthless brother who's making a bid for the Senate, and must deal with a family bent on getting him elected. The family is not thrilled about CJ's veiled exposition of their lives in his writing, and the secret he tries to expose will either be the death of a political career, or of CJ. Hoesel weaves deep psychological insight into the characters and paints lovely scenes that meander through upstate New York's Adirondack Mountains, creating a great winter read for those who enjoy a slower paced telling of an intricate few days of life in a complex family struggle. Hoesel has substantial writing talent and writes about authentic family issues wrapped in a suspenseful plot. (Feb.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From the Back Cover

Every family has secrets.
Few will go as far as the Baxters to keep them.

Bestselling novelist CJ Baxter has made a career out of writing hard-hitting stories ripped from his own life. Still there's one story from his past he's never told. One secret that's remained buried for decades.

Now, seventeen years after swearing he'd never return, CJ is headed back to Adelia, NY. His life in Tennessee has fallen to pieces, his grandfather is dying, and CJ can no longer run from the past.

With Graham Baxter, CJ's brother, running for Senate, a black sheep digging up old family secrets is the last thing the family and campaign can afford. CJ soon discovers that blood may be thicker than water, but it's no match for power and money.

There are wounds even time cannot heal.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House Publishers; 1st PAPERBACK edition (February 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764205617
• ISBN-13: 978-0764205613
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 7.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,927,761 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Don Hoesel works in the Communications department for a Medicare carrier in Nashville, TN. He has a BA in Mass Communication from Taylor University and has published short fiction in Relief Journal. He lives in Spring Hill, Tennessee, with his wife and two children. He's published two novels: Elisha's Bones, released in March 2009, and Hunter's Moon, coming in February 2010.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Writer Comes Home, September 6, 2010

By 

C. Burleson "C Burleson" (Columbia, SC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hunter's Moon (Paperback)

Hunter's Moon was intriguing to me because of the cover. The cover pulls says that this is a book that you want to read. However, I found one problem. The book started well introducing the characters and the town of Adelia. But it developed slowly. There were a few times that I was tempted to put the book down, review what I'd read and move on. Maybe this is why it took me three months to read it.

But, there was something intriguing about the story. I just had to find out how it would end. The end was somewhat surprising though not totally unasumed taking into account the facts that are sprinkled throughout the book.. Keep

I would have liked to see a little more time given to the christian aspect of the story. It almost seemed that this was an aside that was weaved into the story in only a very few spots. It was almost like an, "oh yeah, this is christian fiction".

Overall, though not one of my favorits, this is a good book and worthy of your time to read it. Just remember that the story will take a little time to develop. Keep with it and you will be rewarded by a good ending.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Cover.. Good Read, February 19, 2010

By 

L. Germany "mom2tnt" (Ridgeland, MS United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hunter's Moon (Paperback)

I admit it. I judge books by their covers. I can't help it. A good book cover is essential to me. The smoking gun on the cover of this book was just -- to use my teenage son's words -- epic. And it was because of my teenage son's need for more quality books that I wanted to read this book. So much of the fiction market today is geared towards women that I am more and more on the lookout for books that I can put on the bookshelf for my boys.

Adelia provided a great background for the story lines that included strained family relationships, marriages in trouble, mysterious friendships and moments of self-discovery. One of the main flaws in this book is addressing major issues, such as domestic abuse, anger, and bitterness, while not always bringing a complete resolution to these problems. Some of the story lines seemed to be left hanging in some parts. I am not opposed to an author leaving parts of books up to a reader's interpretation, but writing so completely throughout the entire plotline and then inadequately wrapping up the ending is unfair to the reader.

While that seems like a negative review, I did enjoy reading this book and it will go on my shelf for my boys to enjoy when they get a little older.


This book provided for review by Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and Bethany House Publishing for free in exchange for an honest review.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Haunting story of greed and betrayal, February 9, 2010

By 

Christina Lockstein "Christy's Book Blog" (Oconto Falls, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Hunter's Moon (Paperback)

Hunter's Moon by Don Hoesel is the powerful sophomore novel by the writer of Elisha's Bones. CJ Baxter, a famed novelist, is summoned home to Adelia, NY after being gone for over seventeen years by the death of his grandfather. The Baxters have long hoped to build a political dynasty like the Kennedy's and those hopes are finally coming to fruition with CJ's brother Graham. But not is all it appears between the brothers. One holds a secret about the other that has shaped the entire family's life and could destroy their future. CJ is a likable character, new in his Christianity, who just keeps seem to let his temper get the best of him; he's on the brink of divorce, facing charges for assaulting a critic, and running from a bench warrant for breaking into his house to steal back his dog. Hoesel carefully builds the drama slowly, ratcheting up the tension so carefully as to be almost imperceptible except for the building tightness in the reader's chest. The dialogue rings incredibly true. A character returning home to face a family crisis and drama is an often used device, but Hoesel avoids the cliches that come with it, making the story brilliantly fresh. The scene of teenaged Graham's threat toward ten-year-old CJ is haunting and CJ's gut-wrenching fear is palpable. This is a story that will stick with the reader long after the final page.