LET FLOWERS BE FLOWERS

In this thriller, a decidedly unbalanced hunter stalks human prey in Wisconsin forests.

Mason Owens; his little brother, Paul; and their friends load up for their yearly deer hunt. They’ve got acres of the Owens family land to track the animals for as long as “gun season” allows. But tragedy strikes; one of the men dies in an apparent suicide. While they have trouble believing their friend killed himself, the hunt goes on—and only gets worse. Locals are shocked to learn that the friends, it seems, turned their guns on one another. Readers know that a man called The Hunter is the likely culprit. He’s a coldblooded killer living in a remote cabin near the Owenses’ land, and he had eyes on the hunting party since they set up camp. Meanwhile, game warden Ross Parent launches an investigation that ultimately takes him to Minnesota, where his hunt for a proficient killer becomes a fight for survival. Rehm’s novel feels like a collection of three novellas. It first introduces a dispassionate boy who learns to take lives, shifts perspective to Mason’s hunting party, and then zeroes in on Ross’ investigation. The Hunter’s opening origin is effectively disturbing, and his terrifying presence pervades the novel. Mason’s story, however, isn’t as strong; these graceless deer hunters won’t earn much sympathy, ranging from a drunk to a convicted wife abuser. Nevertheless, the forests, where most of the book takes place, practically cover the pages in vibrant scenery. This setting, even if it’s a killer’s playground, truly shines: “The woods grew dark here, buried in the shadow of rock under a canopy of ancient white pine.” The final act provides an unforgettable closing scene.

A dark, uneven character study of a twisted mind.