The Executioner by Chris Carter (Robert Hunter #2)
Imagine your worst fear – and then meet your worst nightmare…
Inside a Los Angeles church, on the altar steps, lies the blood-soaked, decapitated body of a priest. Carefully positioned, legs stretched out, arms crossed over the chest, the most horrifying thing of all is that the priest’s head has been replaced by that of a dog. Later, the forensic team discover that, on the victim’s chest, the figure ‘3’ has been scrawled in blood.
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At first, Detective Robert Hunter believes that this is a ritualistic killing. But as more bodies surface, he is forced to reassess. All the victims died in the way they feared the most. Their worst nightmares have literally come true. But how could the killer have known? And what links these apparently random victims?
Hunter finds himself on the trail of an elusive and sadistic killer, someone who apparently has the power to read his victims’ minds. Someone who can sense what scares his victims the most. Someone who will stop at nothing to achieve his twisted aim.
My Review
Welcome to post number two on this fab #blogathon. I will be reviewing one book per month.
This was some seriously messed up stuff. It makes The Crucifix Killer look like an episode of The Bill. When I read out the blurb about the dog’s head to my son he said something like “you’re kidding right?”
In fact the first killing is probably more horrific for the boy who finds the body and the police officers who attend the crime scene than the victim, who appears to have met a swift end – apart from the poor dog that is. However, in case you are getting complacent, the second is probably the grisliest I’ve ever read about (though *cooking someone in a sauna while his bum is super-glued to the seat takes some beating, as does the deep-fat fryer incident in Spooks). To make it worse, we get the gruesome details over and over again. For me it was the worst (but not the last).
But now we have two unanswered questions – was the murder of the priest the killer’s first murder and will there be more. Because the priest has the number ‘3’ scrawled on him in blood. So were there two victims before him? As expert crime readers, we know it takes three murders for someone to be designated a serial killer, and so far we only have two bodies (minus one head).
With each ‘kill’ the perp becomes more sadistic, the crimes more horrific, so is it confidence or is he ‘descending into madness’ like in a Shakespeare tragedy. Robert and Garcia are struggling to find a motive. And can they discover common ground between the victims?
It’s a great story – I read it in two days – but definitely not for the faint-hearted. If you like your crime fiction a bit different and full of gory bits, then this is for you. Onwards and upwards. Bring on book number three.
Many thanks to @Tr4cyF3nt0n for inviting me to be part of the #CompulsiveReaders #blogathon.
*The Burning Stones by Antti Tuomainen
About the Author
Born in Brazil of Italian origin, Chris Carter studied psychology and criminal behaviour at the University of Michigan. As a member of the Michigan State District Attorney’s Criminal Psychology team, he interviewed and studied many criminals, including serial and multiple homicide offenders with life imprisonment convictions. He now lives in London. Visit his website www.chriscarterbooks.com
