The Huntress: The True Saga of Dottie And Brandi Thorson, Modern-Day Bounty Hunters [Mass Market Paperback]

Christopher Keane (Author), Dottie Thorson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 15, 2000

When famed bounty hunter Ralph "Papa" Thorson is killed by a car bomb, his
widow and daughter take over the family business, tracking down wanted
felons. Initially they meet with strong resistance among the mostly male
denizens of the bail-bond circuit, until they prove themselves more than
capable of capturing even the most dangerous of bail-jumpers.

A gritty look at the underbelly of the justice system, as well as the true
story of two extraordinary women who have prevailed in a world of men, and
who have fought their way to the top of their profession.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In the late 1970s, Keane's biography of L.A. bounty hunter Ralph Thorson became a bestseller and was made into a movie starring Steve McQueen called The Hunter. In 1994, Thorson was killed by a car bomb planted by one of his captures, Q.D. Reese, who then set out to murder Thorson's wife, Dottie, and daughter, Brandi. The two women resolved to carry on Thorson's business, although they faced an enormous obstacle as women in a profession regarded as an all-male preserve and often had to work at cut rates. This is less the saga of their adventures tracking down bail-jumpers than it is the story of how they themselves evaded Reese; they were aided by Robin, a young girl tougher than either of the Thorsons, who had been placed in Dottie's custody by a judge. Also figuring in the drama is their wealthy friend Myrna, an alcoholic and drug addict whom Reese took as a mistress to get closer to his goal. In a confrontation, Reese was shot by Brandi and is now serving a life sentence. Their story would make an exciting, suspenseful sequel to the film, as it does to the earlier book.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Christopher Keane lives in Massachusetts, while The Thorsons live and work in and around Los Angeles.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Forge Books; 1st edition (October 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812589882
• ISBN-13: 978-0812589887
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,544,466 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Story Brought to Justice, January 12, 2001

By 

Kim - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Huntress: The True Saga of Dottie And Brandi Thorson, Modern-Day Bounty Hunters (Mass Market Paperback)

According to the foreword, author Christopher Keane got a call from Dottie Thorson one day. She said she had a story and she wanted him to tell it. Keane was familiar with Thorson, for he had written a book about her husband, legendary bounty hunter Ralph Thorson, back in the 70's ("The Hunter" which was later made into a movie). Keane heard Thorson out and this book is the result.

Being a bounty hunter, Ralph Thorson had a dangerous life with many enemies. But one enemy couldn't let go. And as a result, Ralph Thorson lost his life. Thorson left his wife and daughter with nothing more than a stack of bills and no means to pay them. No means except one: bounty hunting. Though reluctant, Dottie and Brandi Thorson had no choice but to take up the family trade.

After breaking into a business that isn't looking for women, the mother-daughter bounty hunting team makes quite a name for themselves. Along the way they struggle with Myrna Factor, a family friend dying of cancer caused by heroin addiction, and Robin, a bail jumper whom is placed in Dottie's custody. But the real struggle comes in the form of the elusive Q.D. Reese, who killed Ralph Thorson and is starting to kill others. And they know he won't stop until he finishes them off.

"The Huntress" is a fairly gripping book that does justice to a "true story." There is action, suspense, love, friendship, hatred, hurt, and even humor. But some of what the book has, it could go without. Keane's over-dramatic writing of the enemy Q.D. Reese is both silly and unnecessary. And in an attempt to give the character an edge, he resorts to vulgar language which only turns you off as a reader. Despite this, it was still a good book. But it was way too intelligent to be brought down by these silly failings.

Any negative things about the book are often forgotten during key moments. As Brandi and Dottie get closer to catching Ralph's killer, things really heat up. There is a very captivating scene full of suspense near the end. And often times the beautiful relationship of the mother and daughter is illustrated perfectly. However, negativity reappears in those parts where Keane rushes a scene or doesn't let the reader in on the meaning behind cryptic dialogue.

All in all, "The Huntress" was quick, fun read. And the characters are incredibly likable. It is definitely worth a try. In fact, I find myself hoping that the TV series does well enough that they make a series of novels. I would like to read more exploits of the family bounty hunters.