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The Hunting Wind: An Alex McKnight Mystery (Alex McKnight Mysteries (Hardcover)) (Alex McKnight Novels) | 
| Author: Steve Hamilton
Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur
Category: Book
List Price: $23.95
Buy Used: $0.50
You Save: $23.45 (98%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  32 reviews
Sales Rank: 1016741
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1st
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 320
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.3
Dimensions (in): 9.6 x 6.4 x 1.1
ISBN: 0312268947
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780312268947
ASIN: 0312268947
Publication Date: June 8, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Amazon.com Review
Alex McKnight, the burned-out former cop turned PI of Steve Hamilton's Edgar Award-winning first novel, A Cold Day in Paradise, was a promising catcher who never quite made it to the majors.But his old teammate Randy Wilkins did, for one game with the Detroit Tigers that effectively ended the pitcher's career. What Randy can't forget about that game was the beautiful young woman he met the night before he blew his future in professional sports. Over two decades later, he's come to McKnight to track down the mysterious Maria, whose memory still haunts him. The trail is pretty cold after all these years, but Alex manages to get a line on Maria's relatives, who aren't exactly thrilled to make his acquaintance. In fact, they're downright hostile when Alex finds them in a small Michigan town, and he just barely escapes with his life. But he perseveres, and ultimately makes his way to an even smaller resort town, where the natives are almost as unfriendly. The police chief is so hostile to Alex's efforts that he quickly realizes someone else is on her tail, and that there's a good reason she's been hiding out for so long. Not only that, when someone shoots Randy and almost kills him, Alex is in for another nasty surprise. His old friend isn't who he seems to be, and Alex himself may be the victim of exactly the kind of scam Randy's been running since he left the majors. Hamilton has a well-developed sense of place, and he's good at exploring the complexities of his protagonist. But it's Randy the reader wants more fully realized, even after the mystery is solved and Alex makes a beeline back to Paradise. This is a taut, well-written thriller that fulfills Hamilton's promise as a writer to watch. --Jane Adams
Product Description
In his most stunning mystery yet, Steve Hamilton returns readers to the bitter cold of Paradise, Michigan, and the solitary world of Alex McKnight. McKnight moved to the cabins his father built on the Upper Peninsula when a bullet lodged too close to his heart ended his career as a Detroit policeman. His days are passed taking care of the cabins and stopping in at the Glasgow Inn for his nightly round of Canadian beers.
According to Alex McKnight and anyone else who lives there, "April in Paradise is still cold enough to hurt you." So, on a typical chilly April night, McKnight is sitting in his usual chair at the inn drinking his Canadian beer, unaware that even then someone is traveling 2,000 miles to see him. It is Randy Wilkins, the crazy southpaw pitcher who used to keep McKnight dancing behind the plate in their minor league days. They haven't seen each other in thirty years, but Randy is convinced that McKnight is the right man to help him on his quest. Randy has come back to Michigan to find Maria, the one true love of his life. The only problem? Randy walked away from her in 1971 and hasn't seen or heard from her since. McKnight can't believe what he is hearing. The whole story sounds ridiculous, but McKnight, occasionally known for being a soft touch, agrees to help Randy look for her.
The search takes them to Detroit and as it deepens, McKnight begins to realize that he an unwilling player in a dangerous game.
With gut-wrenching twists and revelations as chilling as a winter night in Paradise, Hamilton unreels another superb mystery that will leave you wondering just how well you know your friends.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 27 more reviews...
 Make this your first November 14, 2007
What's so compelling about this one is that it "shows" rather than tells.
The other books in the series seemed to go deeper into Alex---why he is who he is (and yes, after reading these books, Alex---just like Robert Parker's "Spencer" becomes a very real person) But this book---my favorite so far, just took me off on a wild ride; SHOWING why Alex does what he does---for friends, for the world, for principle----whatever.
The mastery of Hamilton's writing just grabs you and doesn't let go.
Start with this one would be my thought---but a mor important thought would be to just enjoy them ALL!
 A great read October 15, 2005
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Hamilton does a fairly good representation of Upper Michigan and the twin cities of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan/Ontario and area. Clearly he has spent enough time there to cite specific locations and directions, and he captures the atmosphere pretty good, if somewhat cliche. The location lends a different backdrop to basic plotlines, and he works that backdrop into the stories in this series. A refreshing approach to a well used genre.
This is a good weekend read and very enjoyable -perfect for an afternoon by the pool or a rainy weekend at the cottage. It is a little on the 'easy reading' side of things, and not as involved plotwise as something by Ludlum or Clancy, but it is very easy to fall into the story very quickly, or pick it up again after a break. A good style for a tired mind after a busy week. I have recommended this series to others and will continue to do so as I look forward to the next book.
-Start at the beginning, as parts of the stories build on each other.
A Cold Day In Paradise 2000
Winter of the Wolf Moon 2001
The Hunting Wind 2002
North of Nowhere 2003
Blood is the Sky 2004
Ice Run 2005
Low-key thriller that holds your interest. August 10, 2005
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Alex McKnight gets pulled into his latest case when he is visited by old baseball friend Randy Wilkins, who wants Alex to help him find Maria, a woman he spent a week with some thirty years ago. Of course, things wind up being a lot more complicated than they initially appear.
What I liked most about this book were the characterisations. The folks in this book seemed like real people. The dialogue and situations occasionally resulted in some laugh-out-loud moments, which is rare for me. It helped gloss over the fact that this isn't the most twist-laden crime drama you'll read. In fact, if you've seen just one film noir, you'll anticipate just about everything that occurs here. The character revelations didn't exactly have me gasping out loud, and the ending is underwhelming, to say the least.
Nevertheless, I really did enjoy this book. Steve Hamilton is a talented writer and I am looking forward to tracking down more books involving these characters.
 This is by far the worst book in the McKnight series February 11, 2005
I've read all of Hamilton's McKnight novels and this one is the worst. It took me well over 300 pages to get into this novel and by that point I'd spent so much time reading the book I just wanted to be finished and done with. I've thoroughly enjoyed all of his other novels but this one just seemed to have no purpose, couldn't grab my attention, and was just a painful read. If I wasn't such a fan of his earlier books I would have put this book down after the first 40 pages. I still own this book but wouldn't put anyone through the torture of reading it. If you have yet to read the McKnight series read his first novel, A Cold Day in Paradise, it's a classic mystery.
 A Frenetic Search for Lost Love! January 14, 2005
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
There's something about Alex McKnight that resonates with me. Maybe it's his bad attitude. Maybe it's his sarcasm. Or maybe it's that in the end, he's a sucker like me. In this outing, author Steve Hamilton takes on a ride through Alex's past. Through the streets of Detroit, Alex and his old friend, Randy Wilkins, are off on a crazy search for a girl Randy knew when he played for the Tigers. When Randy gets shot, Alex tenaciously searches for answers. The plot falls short because the set-up isn't that believable and the ending is too abrupt. Furthermore, Randy's personality is quite annoying. I'm glad he got shot. An enjoyable read, but not Hamilton's best.
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