The Huntress

The Huntress
Kate Quinn

Shining a light on a shadowy corner of history, The Huntress is an epic, sweeping Second World War novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Alice Network.In the aftermath of war, the hunter becomes the hunted . . .On the icy edge of Soviet Russia, bold and reckless Nina Markova joins the infamous Night Witches – an all-female bomber regiment – wreaking havoc on Hitler’s eastern front. But when she is downed behind enemy lines and thrown across the path of a lethal Nazi murderess known as the Huntress, Nina must use all her wits to survive.British war correspondent Ian Graham has witnessed the horrors of war from Omaha Beach to the Nuremburg Trials. He abandons journalism after the war to become a Nazi hunter, yet one target eludes him: the Huntress. Fierce, disciplined Ian must join forces with reckless, cocksure Nina, the only witness to escape the Huntress alive.In post-war Boston, seventeen-year-old Jordan McBride is delighted when her long-widowed father brings home a fiancée. But Jordan grows increasingly disquieted by the soft-spoken German widow who seems to be hiding something. Delving into her new stepmother’s past, Jordan slowly realizes that a Nazi killer may be hiding in plain sight.

Copyright (#u179fff11-81c1-520b-a9e5-d1b5a9459ac7)

Published by HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd

1 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9GF

www.harpercollins.co.uk (http://www.harpercollins.co.uk)

First published in the United States by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 2019

This edition published by HarperCollinsPublishers 2019

Copyright © Kate Quinn 2019

Cover design by Elsie Lyons © HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2019

Cover photographs © Harry Todd/Getty Images (woman in station); © Shutterstock.com (http://www.Shutterstock.com) (plane and textures)

Kate Quinn asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue copy of this book is available from the British Library.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

Source ISBN: 9780008326173

Ebook Edition © February 2019 ISBN: 9780008326180

Version: 2019-01-21

Praise for The Huntress (#u179fff11-81c1-520b-a9e5-d1b5a9459ac7)

“With magnificently audacious heroines who will haunt you long after the final page, The Huntress is a powerful and groundbreaking story of sisterhood that puts women back into history where they belong. Without a doubt, the best book I’ve read this year.”

—Stephanie Dray, New York Times bestselling author

“Quinn deftly braids the stories of a female Russian bomber pilot, Nazi hunters, and a young Bostonian girl staring down evil in the most unthinkable of places. The result is a searing tale of predator and prey, transgression and redemption, and the immutable power of the truth. An utter triumph!”

—Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Orphan’s Tale

“Prepare to be spellbound! The Huntress masterfully draws you in and doesn’t let you go. Another brilliant work of historical fiction by the incomparable Kate Quinn.”

—Susan Meissner, USA Today bestselling author of As Bright as Heaven

“The Huntress left me breathless with delight … Kate Quinn has created nothing less than a masterpiece of historical fiction.”

—Jennifer Robson, bestselling author of

Goodnight from London

“The Huntress is a triumph of a novel! Nina Markova is a veritable force of nature who would have had the Night Witches themselves cackling with glee at her wild daring in this tale of revenge and justice, truth and secrets during the aftermath of the world’s most devastating war.”

—Stephanie Thornton, author of

American Princess

“A thoroughly immersive page-turner, The Huntress captures readers from the first page, leading them on an explosive journey that shines a spotlight on the horrors of war and the legacy it leaves for those who survive. Impeccably written, richly detailed, tautly paced, and filled with compelling and intricate characters, Quinn’s novel is both poignant and thrilling. This book will take hold of you and stay with you long after you have finished. You don’t just read a Kate Quinn novel, you live it.”

—Chanel Cleeton, author of Next Year in Havana

“An impressive historical novel sure to harness WWII-fiction fans’ attention … Laced with Russian folklore allusions and deliciously witty banter, Quinn’s tale refreshingly avoids contrived situations while portraying three touching, unpredictable love stories; the suspenseful quest for justice; and the courage involved in confronting one’s greatest fears.”

—Booklist (starred review)

“Well-researched and vivid segments are interspersed detailing Nina’s backstory as one of Russia’s sizable force of female combat pilots (dubbed The Night Witches by the Germans), establishing her as a fierce yet vulnerable antecedent to Lisbeth Salander. Quinn’s language is evocative of the period, and her characters are good literary company. With any luck, the Nazi hunting will go on for a sequel or two.”

—Kirkus Reviews

“Quinn delivers a suspenseful WWII tale of murder and revenge. This exciting thriller vividly reveals how people face adversity and sacrifice while chasing justice and retribution.”

—Publishers Weekly

Dedication (#u179fff11-81c1-520b-a9e5-d1b5a9459ac7)

For my father—

How I miss you!

Contents

Cover (#ud48253fb-53b6-518a-ba5f-549b3738bc08)

Title Page (#u57cc1d7a-799a-5056-b18d-82331c8e0b90)

Copyright

Praise for The Huntress

Dedication

Prologue