For several years I kept coming across Chris Carter’s books, but I never really felt compelled to open one. I knew they were crime novels and followed the classic pattern with a recurring protagonist who solves cases and so on, yet because I had already read plenty of similar books in the past, I never paid much attention to them. As a result, I had no real opinion about his work, or perhaps I did, in a way, maybe it was just prejudice. You see, the covers of the Greek editions are completely outside my aesthetic taste, so that definitely played a part, although I think it was mainly a sense of saturation. In the end, I realized that everything needs its own time and the right moment.
So I find myself at the house of a good friend, and during our conversation he mentions the second book in Carter’s Robert Hunter series and asks if I have read it. I tell him I haven’t and explain more or less why I have never engaged with them. He says, come on, this guy is good, and most importantly, his books are packed with violence. My friend knows what he is talking about because I have a soft spot for crime fiction, especially for stories that avoid supernatural elements and instead offer extreme situations rather than focusing solely on the procedural aspect. That was how I decided to give this author a chance, and today I own five of his books so far, having read the first three within just three weeks.
Today I will talk about those three, not in great detail so the text does not become excessively long. After all, they share common elements, so generally speaking I can describe them as a whole, even though there are differences in the finer points.
The story begins with The Crucifix Killer, which introduces the protagonist and his partner, Carlos Garcia. We are in Los Angeles, where a series of brutal and terrifying murders take place, committed by a killer who seems to have returned from the past, since Hunter has a history with him.
This particular case relies on a major twist, more than the other two books, although that element is always present to some degree. Fortunately, I should add, because I would not want that to be the most important narrative device every single time. I do not know, of course, how he approaches this in the later books. For me, as a reader, it matters that the entire storyline is not built solely around shocking twists and turning my theories upside down, turning that into an end in itself while neglecting other important aspects such as the characters, their experiences, and their personal interactions. Ideally, there should be a balance, and Carter achieves that along with an impeccable pace, probably his greatest strength, short chapters, dialogue and descriptions that never stray from the main thread, and when necessary, violence that is never softened, since the criminals are always among the worst of their kind. In the second book, The Executioner, I will never forget that murder involving the injections. Unbelievable. Or the one with the fireplace. Not even Thomas Harris has written anything quite like that.
I also greatly appreciate the independence of the books. From what I can tell, you can pick up any of them as your first in the series and start reading without any real problem, although, of course, beginning from the start is always the best option because there are occasional subtle references that reward loyal readers, even if they are not essential to understanding the story. This approach is common in other long series, especially in this genre, since readers cannot be expected to remember everything, and at the same time, each book essentially revolves around a new case that gets solved, so there is a small restart every time, while still offering some information about who the hero is, what he is capable of, and why he has earned the reputation he holds in his field.
One comment I would like to make about the author’s reputation, and specifically about this series, is that it contains a considerable number of brutal scenes. That is indeed true, and I assume the standard of comparison is within its genre, meaning that it stands out for that reason. I can understand why, because when Carter reaches the moment to describe something, he does so without holding back, stating things exactly as they happened, and what happened is often gruesome and disturbing. However, those scenes do not dominate the entire work. They appear as needed, setting the atmosphere and vividly illustrating the condition of the victims, and from that point on, through observation and investigation, Robert and Carlos track down the culprit. Of course, they do not act alone, they receive as much help as someone in their position can get, especially considering the reputation they have built over time, particularly after the events of The Crucifix Killer and The Executioner. In that second book, there is even a slight hint of a supernatural element, but I will not reveal it because it is handled very skillfully. It is worth noting that, in general, the series maintains as realistic an approach as possible to its cases.
The third book, The Night Stalker, takes a small step forward from a literary perspective. Yes, it retains everything we already know, but it gave me the impression that Carter invested a bit more in atmosphere, and I found the opening pages quite unexpected, since what happens is very abrupt and surprising, as is something that occurs near the end, which caught me off guard because I was expecting a different outcome. Twists are always welcome when they are handled properly and not used merely for shock value to cover up weaknesses.
In short, I would say that I have officially become a fan of the series and I want to read more until I find the one that will become my absolute favorite. For now, all three are more or less on the same level, with The Night Stalker standing out slightly because of its structure and the final revelation of who the villain really is. I know that what I am writing may sound somewhat general, but with crime novels you cannot reveal too much without ruining the experience.
I highly recommend them if you are in the mood for a book of this genre that has that rare gift, call it an advantage if you prefer, of not letting you put it down. Almost every chapter ends with a small or big cliffhanger, so you tell yourself you will just read one more, and before you realize it, you have reached page one hundred, then two hundred, already halfway through.
Chris Carter is truly impressive when it comes to pacing. Perhaps it is in the name, I want to believe…
Until next time —
be well, and keep reading.
It’s important!
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