Chris Hunter's Publications:

Extreme Risk

In this gripping true story, Hunter takes us to some of the most perilous places on earth as he and his team relentlessly attempt to track down the world's leading terrorists and disrupt their networks. A journey that takes us from the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan to the murky back-streets of Colombia and Israel.

(available on amazon)

Tripwire

Got you. The sight of the bomb hit Felix like a punch in the guts. Just twelve minutes remaining on the clock ...He was going to have to move fast. Following a devastating terrorist bomb attack on Heathrow airport, Felix Smith is determined to avenge his father's death. He successfully becomes a member of the Minos Chapter, a secret service full of gifted under-age recruits. His speciality - Bomb Disposal. Felix and his fellow recruits are now the ultimate spooks - trained to fight terror with terror. The timer is ticking...

(co-written with Steve Cole; available on amazon)

 

The best selling; Eight Lives Down

 

"This is a book that sets its sights high from the off - and boy does it deliver."
(London Lite)

Book Description: Eight Lives Down

It’s a blazing hot day in Iraq. Wearing eighty-five pounds of armour, Major Chris Hunter crosses a barren landscape toward a bomb that has been expertly rigged to kill and maim. Exposed to snipers, prepared for the demonic tricks the enemy plays—like trip wires and secondary devices—Chris knows this mission could be his last. But with his heart hammering in his chest, he also knows one thing above all: he simply cannot afford to fail. In this riveting first-person account, bomb-disposal operative Chris Hunter takes us behind the scenes in an eye-opening, never-before-seen portrait of the most dangerous job in the most dangerous place on earth. . . .

By the time he got to Iraq, Chris Hunter was one of the most experienced bomb-disabling operators in the British armed forces. But Iraq was different. A place where terrorists and soldiers were climbing the same deadly learning curve. Where new devices and new tactics led to countermeasures, and the line between killer and innocent bystander was impossible to draw. As Hunter’s unit became more skilled at disabling bombs, the bombers became more skilled and determined—until Hunter ended up with a price on his head and bombs designed just for him.

From a horrifying ambush in the heart of Shia-dominated Basra to the chilling interrogation of a captured bomber, Hunter guides us through his hellish high-stakes, high-pressure world, where every decision could be your last, and where boredom is interrupted by terror, fury, and raucous humour. A first-of-its-kind account, Eight Lives Down is gritty, immediate, and heart-breaking—the chronicle of a man clinging to his sanity, his marriage, and his duty to his fellow soldiers.

Short-listed for the Military Book of the Year Award 2008.

 

Reviews:

"This isn't a book about the ethics of war ... it's a book about a soldier doing the most dangerous job there is and managing to remain not just sane but also incredibly sympathetic.... [Hunter] writes grippingly, honestly, thoughtfully and above all simply. There's no need for frills with raw material like this." The Guardian, UK

“This is–literally–a ticking bomb of a book; breathtakingly tense, fast-paced and incredibly moving.  The best war memoir I have read in years.” Andy McNab, author of Bravo Two Zero
“One of the best true stories you'll ever read–and better than fiction can ever hope to be. Don't start it tonight if you have to get up for work in the morning!” Conn Iggulden

... packed with such powerful descriptions of coming under fire that at times you begin to imagine you have picked up the script for a Hollywood action movie. London Lite

One of the most important reads of the year. Glasgow Evening Times

This is a frightening story with a difference from the frontline. The Good Book Guide

Will do for Saddam Hussein and George W. Bush what McNab did for Saddam and George Senior Evening Standard

Thoughtful, gripping and engaging...I found myself utterly drawn in by Hunter's clear and straightforward narrative....It should be on every politician's Christmas holiday reading list Kate Mosse The Times

You're left in awe and wondering if we're paying Our Boys enough for going through this kind of hell.
And doubting it. Books Sport

 

More Information: Bantam Press • Biography & autobiography Publication Date: 09/10/2007 • 384 pages • Royal Octavo • ISBN: 0593058607 Territory: UK C/Wealth + Can, EU • EAN: 9780593058602

Q&A with Chris Hunter

What did you do before you joined the army?

I joined the Army when I was sixteen, so pretty much joined straight from
school, although I worked in my parents restaurant after school from the age
of 14.

Why did you decide to train as a bomb disposal expert?

I think people do it for a number of reasons. I know some do it for the ­
adrenalin rush, others to seek atonement for darker episodes in their lives.
But I think most do it out of a good old-fashioned sense of duty - just
because they want to make a difference. For me, I guess it was a bit of all
three.

How long did it take you to train?

The basic ammunition technical officers course (the Army's counter-terrorist
bomb disposal operators) complete 14 months of basic trade training, before
undertaking a minimum of a years on-the-job training; only then can they
attempt the two-month high threat operators course. It has one of the
highest failure rates in the British Army.only 10% pass first time.

How many bombs did you diffuse?

I neutralised scores of IEDs and hundreds of items of other unexploded
ordnance.

Which countries have you worked in?

Northern Ireland, Iraq, Afghanistan, Colombia.and a few slightly more
operationally sensitive ones.

What was the most difficult part of your job?

Being away from my family - it never ever got any easier.

What was the most difficult situation you found yourself in?

Being targeted by insurgents for assassination when I was serving as an
operator in Iraq. Eventually it came to a head when the Shia insurgents
placed a booby-trapped car bomb outside an hospital in the Sunni-dominated
part of Basrah. They expected me to deal with it by hand...but I had other
ideas...and I'm still alive to tell the tale!

What was the best part of your Job?

The teamwork and camaraderie and the immense sense of gratification that
comes with preventing a device that's designed to kill and maim, from doing
so.

How would a typical day pan out for you?

One minute I could be in the UK, going for a run, or shopping for groceries
in Sainsbury's...and the same day I could be parachuting out of an aircraft
or arresting terrorists in Gloucestershire. The variety was a huge part of
the appeal.

How big was your team?

We started with 8 men, but were ambushed and badly shot up during an ambush on my fifth day in Iraq. It was a miracle that we all survived, but from
that day onwards, we never deployed with less than twelve people in the
team.

Would you encourage individuals to choose this career path?

Absolutely, it's got to be about the most fascinating and exciting thing
I've ever done without getting arrested!

If you had to choose another job, what would it be?

Having read Ed Macey's brilliant autobiography 'Apache'...being an Apache
helicopter pilot would win hands-down.

 

 

quick links;
Books: Extreme Risk, Tripwire, Eight Lives Down
Book Reviews
Q&A with Chris Hunter