Trigger warnings for the book: abuse; gory detail to murder; grizzly murder types

Robert Hunter and his partner are on the search for a brutal killer, with strange artistic ideals, who leaves no trace and vanishes just as quickly as he appears.

I don't even know where to start with this book other than just wow.

I picked it up, not really expecting much; it was just another book to read on the way to drop someone off at the airport. I thought it would be just another crime / thriller book, mundane to the genre and with little to no detail into the murders themselves.

But oh wow, was I gladly proven wrong.

Chris Carter has upped the game. Not only is his plot an intricate, beautifully designed butterfly, but it develops on its own, with little help. The pure effort that Carter has put into this book makes my heart sing. The descriptions of the murders were barely detailed, but they didn't need to be. With only a few sentences or a paragraph, Carter creates the entire scene in the reader's head. Carter's keen precision to detail creates the entire book in the mind's eye with hardly any effort needed to imagine it yourself.

And the plot twists; oh my, oh my, the plot twists! I finished this book at just gone midnight this morning and was left with such a headache (the good headache, mind) because I just didn't see it coming. My entire head was twisted and I had to re-read it six or seven times, eyes wide whilst muttering "you can't be serious". It is absolutely genius and I truly never saw it coming. That, I find, is rare to have in crime/thriller books now-a-days, most plot twists much too easy to give away.

I have nothing but praise for this book and I would gladly read it again. A full five stars out of five for me; if you like gore and crime, definitely pick this book up. A little of a long read, but definitely worth it. I am a definite fan of Carter now, and I will definitely be reading the rest of this series, and the other books he has released for sure.

4.5 Stars

Overview: Yes, I know...I've given this book 4 and a half stars and not 5. Don't hate me! I have my reasons, but it's still a fantastic book and I will absolutely recommend CC until I'm blue in the face. The title of this book is possibly my favourite out of them all.

Good points: I am so glad to have Garcia back, although at the start it was touch and go for a moment and I was close to slamming the book shut in protest (IYKYK). But the dynamic duo are back and kicking butt again. Yey! The deaths are as graphic and bloody as ever.

Not so good points: Okay...the reason it's a 4.5 and not a 5... I didn't feel the plot was as unique as his previous books (quickly hides behind a rock while CC fans throw things at me). I saw the twists coming and guessed the ending and that's the first time that's happened with a CC book. Maybe it's because I'm used to his writing style now? I'm not sure.

That aside, these books are the best crime thrillers I've ever read. So start reading a CC today!

This book held me enthralled from start to finish. Who is Death? Why is Death not just arriving but torturing people and taking pride in what they have done.
Detective Robert Hunter is a clever man...intrigued by this case that has landed in his lap, adapting to the profile of the suspect as new clues arrives. In just days there is more than one body, more than modus operandi and not a lot of clues to go on, which in itself is a big clue.
This is a well written thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole way through. It is not for the faint hearted though, with some nasty descriptions of what this despicable killer has done to the victims.

Spannender Fall, aber wieder zu wenig Persönliches von Hunter und Garcia, um mir richtig nahe zu gehen.