Action packed, fast paced thriller, all set on a tiny island on the South Coast of England, sounds brilliant doesn't it? Shadow Hunt, is the first book in the Joe Clayton series by Tom Bale. I love a claustrophobic locked in location. And this setting was magnificent, a beautiful private island where the residents live in luxurious multi million pound homes. All the glitter and glam facade hides a twisty story of greed, revenge and hatred. Joe Clayton used to be a police detective until a undercover operation went seriously wrong. Joe lost everything, his career, his family. Joe is now working as a bodyguard for business tycoon Valentin Nasento and his wife Cassie. They live on a little island called Terror’s Reach, along with just a handful of other residents, some as equally powerful and wealthy as Valentin. In this new role, Joe believes he has found a way to stay under the radar, maybe build his life up again. He quickly finds out he's wrong! We get thrown into the action really quickly. there's no meandering around things. When some suspicious visitors are seen on the island, hackles are raised. We soon discover they are part of a terrifying gang that threatens the island leaving Terror’s Reach cut off, and the residents facing annihilation. Joe is an interesting character. I liked him straight away, even though you know there are layers to peel away to find out what really motivates him and makes him tick. Joe finds himself right at the heart of the terror engulfing the island, and has to rely on all the guile and his experiences as an undercover cop to get to the bottom of the deep seated betrayal and unravel the mysterious circumstances. This is a gritty thriller that combines explosive tactical action with a story of determination, survival and defending innocent people no matter what the cost. Such a great adrenaline filled thriller.

Joe Clayton is a bodyguard to Cassie, the wife of a Ukrainian millionaire. While on a shopping trip someone tries to kidnap Cassie and her children. When Joe goes to speak with Valentin, Cassies husband he gets caught up in explosive events on the peninsula where the family live. I love Tom Bale's writing. It is gripping from start to finish. The characters come to life and jump off the page at you. The description of the feelings and motivations is spot on and I was hooked from the beginning. A fantastic read and I can not wait to hear more about Joe Clayton. With thanks to the author, Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I absolutely loved this book! I literally thought I’ll just read a couple of chapters and then I’ll go to sleep. No chance of that happening as once I started reading this book I was hooked and I couldn’t put it down. I just had to find out what was happening and I couldn’t stop until I found out. I really enjoyed this book so much. I loved all the twists and turns and I just couldn’t believe what was going to happen next. Every time I turned the page there was another twist and I couldn’t wait to read what happened next. I really liked all the different characters as well as finding out that you never know who you can really trust. I throughly enjoyed this book so much that I finished it in one sitting and I’m really looking forward to reading the next book in this series. I would highly recommend reading this book if you love a good thriller that will have you hooked right from the start until the end. I would like to thank Boldwood Books and NetGalley for this Advanced Readers Copy.

Three years ago, after an undercover police operation went disastrously wrong, CID officer, Joe Clayton, lost his career and his family. Forced to adopt a new identity, he lives under the radar, taking whatever jobs he can find. Always looking over his shoulder, always haunted. Now living on the tiny south coast island of Terror's Reach, home to rival business tycoons Robert Felton and Valentin Nasenko. Joe works as a bodyguard to Nasenko's wife, Cassie, and her two children. But when a burning summer's day explodes into violence, a murderous gang targets the ultra-exclusive community, only one man stands the chance of saving the residents from annihilation. Joe must draw upon all his skills and determination to keep them alive. Previously published as Terror's Reach. This story is action-packed. I liked the main character Joe Clayton for several reasons. This is a gripping, tense, well-written and fast-paced read. I could not put this book down. I needed to know if Joe was going to survive and I wanted to know more about him. Published 25th April 2026 I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #TomBale for my ARC of #ShadowHunt in exchange for an honest review.

Tom Bale delivers a triumph of tension with Shadow Hunt, a high-stakes action packed thriller that feels like a cinematic siege. We follow Joe Clayton, a disgraced ex-CID officer hiding from a shattered past, who now serves as a bodyguard on the sun-soaked, ultra-exclusive island of Terror’s Reach. ​ What begins as a quiet life protecting a tycoon’s family quickly spirals into a violent, breathless nightmare. Bale expertly utilises the isolated setting to create a pressure-cooker atmosphere where loyalties shift like sand. If you enjoy the gritty, capable moral complexity of heroes like Jack Reacher, you’ll find Clayton’s desperate fight for survival absolutely addictive. It’s a sharp, heart-pounding series opener that I couldn’t put down. My thanks to Boldwood Books for the ARC. This is my own opinion.