New on Amazon: Unwell
$3.99

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Hunter of the Dead Kindle Edition

4.3 out of 5 stars 54 ratings

Someone has begun targeting vampires.

Vampire leaders of the thirteen Houses attribute the string of recent losses to over-zealous vampire hunters. Only Cicatrice, the most ancient and powerful vampire in the world, suspects that the semi-legendary Hunter of the Dead may be the real culprit.

Carter Price, a vampire hunter who despises the way his profession is becoming centralized and corporatized, begins to suspect the Hunter of the Dead is back, too—and no longer distinguishing between vampires and mortals. Against his better judgment, Price agrees to work with Cicatrice.

The uneasy allies attempt to uncover the truth about the Hunter, while a vampire civil war brews in the background. But perhaps most difficult of all, they must contend with their new apprentices, who seem to be falling in love with each other against every rule of man and monster…
Unwell Hydration from Alex Cooper
Hydrate & focus with every sip Shop now

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...a complex tapestry of blood and violence. No sparkly vampires here, these undead are definitely hardcore."
- Cemetery Dance

"...one of the most grimdark, brutal, and nasty places I've read in fiction. It's easily up there with Mark Lawrence and Richard K. Morgan for a world of interesting but irredeemable characters."
- C.T. Phipps, bestselling author of the SUPERVILLAINY series

"What really makes this book stand out for me has to be the whole new level of gore, I don't think I've ever read anything so shamelessly horrifying before and it was AWESOME."
- Nia Wright, The Most Sublime Book Reviews

#2 on the Amazon U.S. "Horror Comedy Hot New Releases" List - August 15, 2016

#23 on the Amazon U.K. "Horror Comedy" List - August 15, 2016

#75 on the Amazon U.S. "Horror Comedy" List - August 15, 2016

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BM6LST4Y
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crossroad Press (November 11, 2022)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 11, 2022
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.3 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 389 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 54 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Stephen Kozeniewski
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Stephen Kozeniewski (pronounced "causin' ooze key") is a Splatterpunk Award-winning author and two-time World Horror Grossout Contest champion. His published work has also been nominated for the Voice Arts and Indie Horror Book Awards, among other honors. He lives in Pennsylvania with his fiancée and their two cats above a fanciful balloon studio.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
54 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers

Customers say

Customers find the book's pacing engaging, with one review noting it strikes a perfect balance between horror and other elements. The book receives positive feedback for its readability, with one customer describing it as a "bloody good ride."

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

3 customers mention "Pacing"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the pacing of the book, with one noting its perfect balance between horror and suspense, while another describes it as a unique vampire tale.

"...As always, Kozy brings perfect balance to horror, drama and humor. You don't have a chance to be overloaded by any of them...." Read more

"great read! A well thought out and unique vampire tale. I hope we will see more of this world...." Read more

"Brilliant! Unstoppable gore and entertainment. Kozeniewski never fails to take it up a notch. Another satisfying read." Read more

3 customers mention "Readability"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book to be a great read.

"...If you can handle the darker side of vampires, this is a bloody good ride!!" Read more

"great read! A well thought out and unique vampire tale. I hope we will see more of this world...." Read more

"...Kozeniewski never fails to take it up a notch. Another satisfying read." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2016
    I never pass up a chance to read one of Kozy's books. He's one of the few authors that I keep funds set aside for. That way, as soon as a new one is released, I can immediately order it.

    Now, because Kozy is one of my favorite authors, I know for sure that I'll love the book. So, I don't bother reading what it's about. I just pick it up and begin devouring. You can get an idea of what sort of book it is by the book cover. If I had to give you a quick plot summary, I'd say that we have vampires, Inquisitors, and the Hunter of the Dead. He's the real star of the book, even though we rarely see him. He doesn't seem to care who he kills.

    I am not, nor have I ever been, a Twihard. Now, that's not to say that I'm against vampires that have emotion. P. Ambroziak's work is a perfect example of how 'good' or 'moral' vampires can exist in a way that I'm not frustrated and angry. It's believable. It's not simpering idiot vampires who's only job in life is to find someone they can obsess about. There are no sparkles and no bad acting. Anyway! I digress! In THIS book, Kozy brings back the horrific side of vampires. These aren't simpering fools who are out for a good time with their beloved. These are artful, intelligent creatures of destruction. People are food. It's that simple. They give no more thought to dismemberment than a hunter would field-dressing a stag. It's scary! It's what vampires are supposed to be! A master race that only needs us to feed off of!

    Though I've come to expect unusual plot lines from Kozy, I wasn't a bit disappointed with this. I won't say he reinvented the vampire because that would be both silly and untrue. What he has done is undo some of the damage that Twilight and similar silly fodder has done. He's brought vampires back to their respectable place. He's made me stop hating them. #VampireLivesMatter. Yeah....my first hashtag ever and it was caused by reading this book. Now I feel corrupted.

    As always, Kozy brings perfect balance to horror, drama and humor. You don't have a chance to be overloaded by any of them. Instead, you find yourself riding a wave that you don't want to ever stop. Speaking of which, the end of this book leaves it wide open for a sequel...possibly even a series. I am putting in my vote now that that not happen. I would read it, happily. However, I love that everything Kozy writes is unusual and I'd hate for him to stick with one thing and get in a rut. He's far too talented for that. Keep bringing the fresh plots that I adore you for!

    Oh yes! Horror! Drama! Humor! I haven't read such terror since Poppy Z. Brite! I was really impressed by the fact that I was almost grossed out! Now, had this been a movie instead of a book, I probably would have only made it through about two minutes! Luckily, my brain loves gore. It's just that my eyes seem to be more tender towards such things. My favorite character is Price. He makes Harry Dresden look like a chump. I'd follow Price into the depths of Hell without blinking. Well that's not true. I'd make sure I had a babysitter first. But after that I'd follow without blinking! He's imperfect and wonderful! I truly believe he's one of the best characters Kozy has created to date.

    This was another great read by Kozy and worth every penny. I'll definitely pull it down and read it again, but not until after the kids all get a chance to read it. Grown-uppish kids. I'd never let a little kid read this. My goodness! We'd have serial killers all over! 'Look at me! I'm the Hunter of the Dead!' *POW* *SPLAT* We don't need that. However, I bet the older kids will get some great Halloween costume ideas from this! If you can handle the darker side of vampires, this is a bloody good ride!!
    2 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2017
    Hunter of the Dead does its best to shed new light into vampire mythology with a story spanning the ages from the early days of vampires and the inquisitors who wage a constant war with them to today, when a strange monster, shrouded in mystery, has come forth, slaying both vampires and inquisitors alike.
    The story passes through multiple time periods, flashing back into the history of characters both significant and petty, while the main story focuses on events occuring in present day Las Vegas. Cicatrice, the strongest immortal in the world and leader of the most powerful house of vampires, is locked in a war with all other rival houses, including house Signari, led by Father Otto, Cicatrice’s greatest rival. Cicatrice has just found his true heir, Idi Han, a freshly turned but incredibly powerful young vampire who shows remarkable skills and control over her powers. We are also introduced to Nico Salazar, night manager of a convenience store who is thrust into the world of night dwellers when his store gets attacked by a strange, vampire-like creature and only by luck and the assistance of an employee does he manage to survive. It turns out that his ragged compatriot is Carter Price, an inquisitor who looks like he’s been run through mill a few too many times to be classified as much of a vampire slayer.
    There is a lot going on in this story, with the authors own unique take on the world of vampires and immortality being shared on its pages. Kozeniewski does bring some fresh takes to the genre, with his own brand of dark humor steeped in heavy doses of gore drenched horror. The main characters are solidly developed-in particular Idi Han-the young vampire whose powers are growing at a far more rapid rate than normal, along with her resentment toward being seen as some sort of savior of her kind. Also intriguing is Carter Price, the washed out, rough and tumble inquisitor that likes to go it alone in a profession that typically requires massive teamwork to survive given how much power immortals wield.
    This story is jam packed with characters and flashbacks that lend a healthy appreciation for the history of the immortal bloodlines and the wars they’ve waged with one another and humankind. The advantage with that is that the story moves at a very fast clip-there is very little downtime in its pages. Unfortunately, this also means that some of the flesh on its bones I would have liked to have seen within the pages is hard to find. This is a tale that could have been further developed with a much larger work, or perhaps sliced into multiple novels about the diverse characters populating its pages. The Hunter, a malignant and yet fascinating monster, could have garnered for more pages and storyline here, but so to could have Idi Han, Cicatrice, and Carter Price. It is clear that there is more to tell with each of them and given that the author has left the door open for a sequel (or a series of books), perhaps we will see a great deal more of each of them in later works.
    Overall, the writing here, as is typically the case with Kozeniewski, is rock solid. He knows how to weave a creative, darkly funny, and diabolical tale. Perhaps it isn’t much of a criticism that his story could have been more fleshed out-after all, leaving the audience wanting more isn’t the worst sin in the world.
    3 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2016
    great read! A well thought out and unique vampire tale. I hope we will see more of this world. This is the first novel I have read by Kozeniewski and it will not be my last!
    3 people found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • chettsgenie
    5.0 out of 5 stars Real Horror
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 10, 2016
    This book is gruesome, entertaining, and as with all of Kozeniewski's novels, it has imprinted into my memory and will not soon be forgotten. The vampires are extremely brutal monsters and it does get very gory, very quickly. I was intrigued by female vampire's story, but she wasn't a character I could root for so I wasn't truly hooked until Price and Nico arrived. Those two were just awesome characters; particularly Price. Everything really took off from there, and the suspense really started to amp up the closer the book got to the end. I got thoroughly immersed in this book. I would highly recommend it to fans of real blood-drenched edge-of-seat horror! And I hope that there will be a sequel.
  • Jason Parlevliet
    4.0 out of 5 stars A great take on vampires and vampire hunters
    Reviewed in Australia on June 1, 2019
    An exciting action filled story with a well fleshed out world and history. Twists and turns, plenty of gore and blood but not a simple horror, a clever well constructed story
  • Mouse
    4.0 out of 5 stars GDAF vampires
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 20, 2017
    This is a gleeful homage to 101 different vampire stories all bound up in a gritty setting. Not a sparkly vampire in sight, except the ones on fire.....
  • jim grogan
    5.0 out of 5 stars first of a new series we hope
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 21, 2016
    excellent new series (hopefully), greatly enjoyed the back stories and set up for the various characters, there are vampires (sans sparkly bits), ghouls, vampire slayers and to come....werewolves

Report an issue


Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?