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Krucifiks-morderen

(Robert Hunter #1)

Chris Carter

4.27 · Rating details · 16,119 ratings · 1,376 reviews

When the body of a young woman is discovered in a derelict cottage in the middle of Los Angeles National Forest, Homicide Detective Robert Hunter finds himself entering a horrific and recurring nightmare. Naked, strung from two parallel wooden posts, the victim was sadistically tortured before meeting an excruciatingly painful death. All the skin has been ripped from her f ...more

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Hardcover, 1, 365 pages

Published 2010 by Jentas (first published August 1st 2009)

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Aug 01, 2009 Erika rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Robert Hunter works for the Robbery & Homicide Department in Los Angeles, California and remembers well the serial murders that started two years ago. The kills seemed random, but gruesome; victims were tortured and left to die with only one clue to tie them all to the same killer: an odd double crucifix symbol carved in the back of their necks. With clean crime scenes and no other identifying trademarks, the media and police nicknamed the murderer “The Crucifix Killer.” Thinking RHD had caught Robert Hunter works for the Robbery & Homicide Department in Los Angeles, California and remembers well the serial murders that started two years ago. The kills seemed random, but gruesome; victims were tortured and left to die with only one clue to tie them all to the same killer: an odd double crucifix symbol carved in the back of their necks. With clean crime scenes and no other identifying trademarks, the media and police nicknamed the murderer “The Crucifix Killer.” Thinking RHD had caught the right man, a trial was set and a man was found guilty and killed. But Hunter and his partner knew better. Unable to prove their misgivings despite a confession, the two were forced to move forward with their guilt. Hunter suffered nightmares, his partner and wife were soon after killed in a boating accident.

With his partner’s death and the crucifix killings still fresh, Hunter receives a new partner and together they investigate a new murder scene with familiar repercussions. On the victim’s neck is the double crucifix mark he remembers well from a couple of years earlier, but is it the same killer or a copycat? A phone call and familiar voice bring back chilling memories and confirm Hunter’s suspicions: the Crucifix Killer is back.

Chris Carter’s The Crucifix Killer opens to a disturbing scene as Hunter receives a phone tip from what we can only then assume is the killer. He rushes to a revealed location and finds his partner, Garcia, tied and hung onto poles and we wonder, will Hunter be able to save him in time? The rest of the book fills in the five weeks prior to this moment, but unfortunately do little else.

Carter’s writing is far from poetic. His narrative is more instructive and devoid of emotion and character development, as if the entire book was an exercise in showing off Carter’s knowledge of criminal psychology. He does a lot of the dreaded “show, don’t tell” with numerous character portraits that give away information that’s less than crucial to our understanding of them as tools in the story. With so much condensed back story for each character, I felt Carter was pushing too hard for the reader to gain any actual insight into their psyche (as if we’ve all graduated with degrees in criminal psychology and like Hunter can pull pertinent information from someone’s hair and eye color, occupation, or childhood). Instead their histories were awkward, placed as if Carter couldn’t imagine leaving this useless information out of the book however misplaced it looked.

The bad dialogue only added to the disappointing caricatures of a cast of characters derived from Hollywood-inspired stereotypes. One character touts the correctness of using the term “Black” over anything else, but in this weak effort to promote some type of politically correct agenda, Carter’s characters nevertheless fall victim to his own preconceived notions of what it means to be “Black” or Puerto Rican. Since I read a proof copy, I’m refraining from using actual quotes, but am particularly confused about the way he portrayed people of color. In one scene Hunter and Garcia dismiss the possibility that Cubans or Puerto Ricans could ever listen to anything other than salsa or meringue music. He also gives a Puerto Rican free use of the very Mexican slang term “ese.” Blacks (Carter’s term) in this book also frequently use the word “nigga”--as if it’s a cultural requirement or makes one appear tougher and so must be used by someone expected to appear so.

None of the characters or relationships have any depth to them. After going on a couple of dates with Isabella, an awkward construction of sexuality and girlish giggling, Hunter quickly loses interest with her as fast as I lost interest in both him and the plot. The writing is choppy and blundering, the men drunkards and the women either prostitutes or wives, and the twist ending was a cliché. While the cover image was disturbing and the premise intriguing, the overuse of quick and easy dialogue, gestures, and scenarios cheapened what could have been a phenomenally scary read (what I was expecting). To make matters worse, the most vital pieces of information aren’t revealed to the reader in any way throughout the narrative and are instead contrived into the final pages of the book as Hunter works within his and Carter’s head to piece together clues the reader would never be able to figure out on their own. The presumed insult to the reader, robbing them of not just the satisfaction of figuring it all out on their own, but the ability to do so, is a huge let down.

Carter uses a lot of odd phrasing to encompass facial expressions and tones of voice that clearly make sense only to him. I’m also left confused as to the type of In & Out restaurant Carter refers to when he mentions waitresses and a dessert menu. I’m from California, I have an In & Out in my city and it’s a fast food joint. The only thing available for dessert are smoothies; employees do not come out from behind the counter to ask how your meal is going, they clean the tables, seats, floors, and bathrooms. They may even bring your bagged or trayed food to your table. That is it. Maybe someone in LA can let me know if these vastly different chains of In & Out actually exist there, leaving the rest of us sorely deprived?

Before this book, I already knew I wasn’t a fan of crime fiction, and I don’t recommend this to people who are unless they want a quick clichéd read filled with cheap thrills and cardboard characters. If you don’t mind being preempted in the thought process and having everything laid out before you, this might be the book for you. I was disappointed. ...more

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Jul 02, 2019 Ken rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This gruesome serial killer thriller is the perfect way to launch the Robert Hunter series.

With the body of a young girl is discovered with the same markings as the infamous ‘Crucifix Killer’.
The problem for Hunter and his newly assigned rookie partner Garcia is that the killer had been caught and executed 2 years ago, are they facing a copycat murder or did they convict the wrong person?

Hunter is first introduced hungover with no recollection of the beautiful woman his woken up with, the fact ...more

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Nov 06, 2018 Ammar rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Brilliant start of a series
A serial killer roaming L.A and trying to right the wrong of society. Clean the filth, wipe the streets clean.

Totally worth the read
Violent
Creepy
Best read this month

Robert Hunter the detective
His nightmare is back
The Crucifix Killer strikes again
But wasn’t he executed a few years ago

Robert got a new partner a rookie
Carlos
His first case
What a case to investigate

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Jun 07, 2015 Brenda rated it it was ok · review of another edition

This book could have been better.

1. I don't think someone killing for revenge would perform such gruesome, torturous, and sadistic acts on their victims.
2. I don't think it was necessary to include the killing theme involving the gangster.
3. I don't understand the reason why a bet had to be placed on a dog race for victim #2.
4. The beginning of Chapter 3 indicates we're going back 5 weeks prior. I would have liked additional reminders of the passage of time along the way.
5. Hunter was initially ...more

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Oct 02, 2013 Matt rated it really liked it · review of another edition

In Carter’s debut novel, the reader meets veteran LAPD Homicide Detective Robert Hunter and his new partner, Carlos Garcia. After being called to a murder scene, Hunter and Garcia discover the Crucifix Killer, thought to have been caught years before, is back and will stop at nothing to continue a gruesome rampage. By marking victims with a double crucifix, Hunter knows that this is no copycat, as he did not release this to the press when investigating years before. The Crucifix Killer is one ca ...more

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Oct 16, 2016 Christine rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I have read Chris Carter’s books in the wrong order. This is something I would really rather not do. However Chris Carter is a genius, in terms of the horror he creates and the way he builds up humanity with the poor murder victims. I had no choice. I started with An Evil Mind and I am Death. I am now back to beginning to the very first story, The Crucifix Killer.

This is very much a debut novel. We are introduced to the great Robert Hunter and his methods. Hunter is an expert in psychology, who ...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Sean Peters rated it really liked it · review of another edition

In a derelict cottage in L.A, a young woman is found savagely murdered. Naked, strung from two wooden posts, the skin has been ripped from her face - while she was still alive. On the nape of her neck is carved a strange double-cross: the signature of a psychopath known as the Crucifix Killer. But that's not possible. Because, two years ago, the Crucifix Killer was caught and executed. Could this be the work of a copycat? Or is Homicide Detective Robert Hunter forced to face the unthinkable? Is ...more

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Oct 12, 2017 Marie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: library-borrowed-read, crime-serial-killer-chris-carter, 2017-read-books

This was an amazing book! I hadn't read this author before and I was pleasantly surprised as I have now found another author to add to my list. The book gripped me from the first page and kept up the tempo all the way to the end. The story revolves around Detective Hunter and his partner trying to track down a serial killer that is not suppose living as the killer was suppose to have been executed years ago. But victims are stacking up with a carved crucifix on their neck and the detective with ...more

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Jan 08, 2014 Maxine (Booklover Catlady) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Crime & Serial Killer Fans

Shelves: crime-books-read, favourite-authors-read

As many of my friends know I am a massive fan of Chris Carter and have kind of read the Robert Hunter series all a bit back to front, which in this case really highlighted for me that this was his first debut novel, it shows. Chris Carter has obviously grown massively as a writer as the books further down this series are a lot stronger and better written than this one. Despite that, this is still a very entertaining read with the usual grotesque killing style of a serial killer that Chris is kno As many of my friends know I am a massive fan of Chris Carter and have kind of read the Robert Hunter series all a bit back to front, which in this case really highlighted for me that this was his first debut novel, it shows. Chris Carter has obviously grown massively as a writer as the books further down this series are a lot stronger and better written than this one. Despite that, this is still a very entertaining read with the usual grotesque killing style of a serial killer that Chris is known for.

When the body of a young woman is discovered in a derelict cottage in the middle of Los Angeles National Forest, Homicide Detective Robert Hunter finds himself entering a horrific and recurring nightmare. Naked, strung from two parallel wooden posts, the victim was sadistically tortured before meeting an excruciatingly painful death.

All the skin has been ripped from her face - while she was still alive. On the nape of her neck has been carved a strange double-cross: the signature of a psychopath known as the Crucifix Killer. But that's impossible. Because two years ago, the Crucifix Killer was caught and executed. Could this therefore be a copycat killer? Or could the unthinkable be true?

A big aspect of Chris's books that I like is he is not scared to get a bit gory and graphic with his torture and kill scenes, you also can't go wrong with Robert Hunter, kind of a psychological profiler genius come tough cop that is a highly likeable character all around. I have absolutely loved him through this series. The weaknesses in this book I believe just come from lack of experience and I would not let it put you off at all, but promise me you will keep reading the rest of the series to grow with the characters and the writing.

Actual rating is 3.5 stars. The beginning point of the journey of Robert Hunter and his never-ending quest to capture the most heinous of killers ever.

For more reviews, books to win and author spotlights: https://www.facebook.com/BookloverCat...

You can follow me on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/promotethatbook

...more

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Oct 20, 2014 Janet rated it it was ok · review of another edition

I don't really know where to start with this one. I had seen Chris Carter's name bandied about and came across a couple of books in a Kindle sale which sounded really intriguing so promptly went off and downloaded book one. A few chapters in and it became clear that this is a debut novel. Many a time I stopped and shook my head in wonder because I couldn't believe what I was reading. A combination of Carter's profile and reading this book highlights that Carter knows profiling, but OMG!! The dia ...more

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Oct 28, 2016 Monnie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

As I've mentioned before, I'm always on the lookout for a good series; these books make great fill-ins when I want a break from tackling my ever-growing list of free-for-review books and standalones from favorite authors that I read just because, well, they're from my favorite authors. Besides that, I'm hoping to find a series that will appeal to my husband, who loves to read the same types of books I do but, for better or worse, is much harder to please.

When a Goodreads friend made me aware of As I've mentioned before, I'm always on the lookout for a good series; these books make great fill-ins when I want a break from tackling my ever-growing list of free-for-review books and standalones from favorite authors that I read just because, well, they're from my favorite authors. Besides that, I'm hoping to find a series that will appeal to my husband, who loves to read the same types of books I do but, for better or worse, is much harder to please.

When a Goodreads friend made me aware of this series, then, I didn't waste much time grabbing this, the first one. Without question, I enjoyed it. And while the gory serial killer aspect probably won't entice my hubby to try it, I'm sure he'd like the main man, homicide Detective Robert Hunter (as did I, especially since he was a child prodigy who earned a degree in psychology at age 19 and a Ph.D. in criminal behavior analysis and biopsychology four years later). On top of that, any guy who loves single-malt Scotch can't be all bad.

This story begins with the discovery of a young woman's body; she's been gruesomely tortured, mutilated (all the skin was ripped off her face while she was alive, for instance, which gives you a good idea of the tenor of the book) and has a double cross design cut into the back of her neck. The latter is a huge cause for concern for Hunter; it marks the signature of a serial killer he helped capture two years earlier - a man who was executed for his grisly crimes. Hunter had a few misgivings back then, but now he's afraid the wrong person was convicted and the real psychopath is back plying his gruesome trade.

This time around, Hunter - who is dealing with issues of his own including doubts about his former partner's supposedly accidental death - is working with a newbie partner Garcia. The first chapter sets out what Hunter is up against, and from that point on, the action never stops. People are biting the dust right and left and Hunter and his partner are sure something "connects" them all; but how long will it take (and how many more murders) before can they find out what that is and correctly identify the killer this time around?

To be honest, I had a few issues with the book, such as the occasional grammatical error and terms that are more British than American (the author lives in the U.K. but the story is set in Los Angeles, so there shouldn't be any language crossover). Another niggle is that all the characters are exceptionally well spoken, so every time the word "ain't" popped out of their mouths - which was quite often - it elicited a discord reminiscent of fingernails running down a chalkboard. But I also figure some of that goes with the territory for a series debut - and I'm confident the books will get even better as they go along (as of this writing, there are seven in all, I believe). Now, I just have to find time to read them!
...more

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Jul 18, 2017 Petra rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: d-kindle, 2017-audiobook-challenge, thriller, audible, series

3.5 stars. Chris Carter's debut novel first published in 2009 introducing LA homicide detective Robert Hunter who is chasing a brutal serial killer. I liked the characters, in particular Hunter and his rookie partner Garcia. Some issues with pacing and authenticity but quite entertaining and considering this was a debut, not bad. Audiobook released February 2017 with excellent narration by Thomas Judd (not available in the US). ...more

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Dec 01, 2012 Gary rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I love Chris Carter books.
The characters are very strong and the stories are fast paced. Once you start you don't want to put the books down.
An excellent first novel and it left me wanting to read more from this new author. ...more

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Aug 22, 2014 Tracy Fenton rated it really liked it · review of another edition

A cracking start to a highly recommended series. A gruesome and gory serial killer, a tortured detective plus lots of twists and turns. The first in the Robert Hunter series doesn't disappoint. I will definitely be reading the rest of the series now. ...more

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Feb 25, 2018 Michael Britt rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This is by far my favorite book in this genre!! Also one of my new favorite authors, easily! I’ll be continuing this series, without question!!

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Jan 24, 2013 K. rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, crime-thriller

I'm going to be honest, I only finished this book because I wanted to see how the case was resolved. I felt like this novel was just a clumsy vehicle for the author to show off how much he knows about criminal psychology and profiling (which was his former profession, I believe).

I didn't care about the main character (Robert) and none of his emotional reactions felt real to me. He is one of those too good to be true protagonists, great at everything and faux humble to boot ("I read a lot"). Nor ...more

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Mar 12, 2012 Rikke rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012

Not as good as I expected. Actually I was only going to give it 1 star, but the ending had a great twist I don't think anyone could have expected. It really surprised me, - and I liked that, so 2 it is.

Theres nothing new in this book. A lonely cop, with a new partner - as his old partner died, is trying to crack an old case that have annoyed him for years. The killer calls him after each killing, which only ads to poor police man Hunters insomnia...
ZZzzzZZZZ.

I know it’s the writer’s first book, ...more

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Oct 11, 2014 Siobhan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I almost didn’t buy this book: it was in a buy one get one half price and I almost changed it for another, yet I’m glad I didn’t. It is safe to say that I have found myself another series that I am going to be working my way through, keeping my eyes opened for new books.

Having recently rekindled my love for crime books I can honestly say that this is one of my recent favourite reads. I found myself working through the book exceptionally quickly, telling myself to put it down and work on other th ...more

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Feb 12, 2020 J. Lieutenant of Barad Dur rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Not bad..
Fast paced, just like a thriller should be.
Even bad guys can become good guys.

A little bit predictable. 4.5 stars.

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May 20, 2020 Becca rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Chris Carter was a new author to me when I bought this book. I bought it based on the blurb and the cover. I am NEVER ashamed to say that I buy a book based on it's cover, and I generally find that I can't go wrong if I have been drawn in in this way.

I like to read a series from the start, so if I know that I am likely to enjoy a book then I won't read it until I can start from the beginning. Luckily for me, this one was number one, so I was all set to go!

I really enjoyed this one, it was gory Chris Carter was a new author to me when I bought this book. I bought it based on the blurb and the cover. I am NEVER ashamed to say that I buy a book based on it's cover, and I generally find that I can't go wrong if I have been drawn in in this way.

I like to read a series from the start, so if I know that I am likely to enjoy a book then I won't read it until I can start from the beginning. Luckily for me, this one was number one, so I was all set to go!

I really enjoyed this one, it was gory, gruesome, plot heavy and character driven. It had everything, really. A fabulously interesting main character and really well fleshed out secondary people too.

We start off at the end, of course, and find Detective Robert Hunter's new partner, Garcia, strapped to a bomb. Hunter is investigating a string of gruesome murders, and he has apparently pissed off the bad guy so much that he needs to be taught a lesson.

When bodies start turning up with a distinct symbol carved into them, Hunter gets a horrible sense of Deja Vu. He put a killer, behind similar murders, away a long time ago, and that guy was executed for the crimes. Was he wrong? Did they catch the wrong guy? It would seem so, and it is a race against time to catch them before they can do it too many more times.

I loved the newly formed relationship between Hunter and Garcia, they have a strong connection even with Hunter's mental fragility and Garcia's naivety. They work well together, and Carter paints them both well enough that I can envisage them in my mind as though they were real people. All the secondary characters are good and well written, they are necessary for the plot.

The murders are gross. Skinning people? Torturing them? Blowing people up? Why not, hey?

I didn't guess the killer until very late on, in fact it was only a short while before the actual reveal that I cottoned on, and then I was pretty awestruck at how long Carter had kept me guessing, as I'm usually there in an instant!

If you want a gruesome but detailed police procedural, a serial killer thriller, and a binge worthy read then pick this one up. You won't regret it.

www.thebeautifulbookbreak.com ...more

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Aug 31, 2017 DJ rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: series-abandoned, male-author, published-2000-2009, crime-detective

2 months later, I finally finished.

This book didn't really work for me, and I honestly have no real idea why. I just couldn't get into it.

It's a pretty standard action buddy-cop, I-am-very-smart police procedural, on-the-hunt-for-a-serial-killer style novel.

If that's your favourite genre, then go for it. For me it's more of a sometimes, hit and miss genre and this one was sadly a miss - I didn't really enjoy it.

Just not for me.

A year and a half after catching sadistic serial killer The Crucifi ...more

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Sep 04, 2015 Sean Peters added it · review of another edition

Great exciting book

My first book by this author, it will not be my last. A great leading character with Robert Hunter, a well written gripping suspenseful fast paced action thriller.

Great twists, shocks and hints of humour in the two main leads

A great book and highly recommended

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Dec 09, 2019 Sheila rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This was a terrific although plenty gory serial killer story. I was quite eager to read this one since the author did so many episodes of X-Files

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Sep 16, 2020 Peggy rated it liked it · review of another edition

Whoa! Graphic, sadistic violence alert. I’d been warned and I’ve read similar levels in the occasional JD Robb and all of John Sanford, back before his stuff got too much for me(within four books). So if all of these are like this I’ll probably give up fairly quickly. But I like the main character. Along with the usual manly attributes, he has some original aspects to him. So I’ll try another. The plot was standard serial murder stuff and I spotted the prime suspect the moment that character was ...more

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Jun 22, 2012 Best Crime Books & More rated it really liked it · review of another edition

My sister has been raving on about Chris Carter for some time now and I have seen him appear more and more on Amazon. I had two of his books sitting on my Kindle for months and decided it was time to give one of them a go. Chris Carter has released a total of 4 books and they all feature the main character Detective Hunter and his partner Garcia. I picked up the crucifix Killer this morning. It may give you an indication how much I enjoyed it that I am writing the review today!

As many people who My sister has been raving on about Chris Carter for some time now and I have seen him appear more and more on Amazon. I had two of his books sitting on my Kindle for months and decided it was time to give one of them a go. Chris Carter has released a total of 4 books and they all feature the main character Detective Hunter and his partner Garcia. I picked up the crucifix Killer this morning. It may give you an indication how much I enjoyed it that I am writing the review today!

As many people who read my reviews know I’m a sucker for a series and knowing that Carter has produced 4 in this series gives me plenty of time to catch up. When I first started reading I decided early on that I liked Hunter and his ridiculous IQ. Here was a character that new the most random of things, and managed to get his PhD in his early twenties and has now ended up a Detective…what’s not to love? His new partner Garcia is a little green but before long the pair of them are thrown into a case Hunter thought he would never have to deal with again. Two years ago the Crucifix Killer was caught and executed, yet to Hunters horror, it seems the wrong man was put to death.

By around the halfway mark I was baffled, enthralled and occasionally slightly queasy. Chris Carter certainly has a way with words and some of the crime scenes were very descriptive (probably not the best choice of book with my lunch!). I had no clue who was behind it all but found myself totally caught up with the storyline. The writing was absolutely spot on and I felt like I was reading a book written by an author that’s been writing a while, certainly not a debut novel that’s for sure.

When I had finished the book I went back and read Chris Carter’s bio and discovered why some parts of the book seemed so authentic. Carter studied psychology and criminal behaviour and went on to be a part of the Michigan State District Attorney’s Criminal Psychology Team. In English, this means he spent a lot of time interviewing and studying a lot of criminals, some of whom were serial killers. I finished this book in just over a day, and I realised how much I liked it when I went straight onto book 2 in the series (not something I do often!). I am now halfway through book 2 and this is just as good if not better that this one. I should have paid more attention to my sister and started reading these a lot earlier.

For those of you who like authors such as Karin Slaughter and want to try somebody new, Chris Carter fits the bill perfectly. Give this first book a try, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed; although you may want to skip eating while you’re reading:- ).
...more

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Oct 25, 2018 Ali rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: thrillers-crime-mystery, best-of-2018, ebooks, adult

The first installment in the chilling Crime-Detective series by Chris Carter begins with the murder of a young women who is found in a derelict cottage killed in hideously sadistic manner. The brutally tortured body of the woman plays the horrendous scenes in Detective Robert Hunter's mind. With no face on the body to recognize, Hunter's frustration is palpable. But when Hunter witnesses a strange double-cross that has been carved on the nape of the woman's neck, it brings back the horrific imag The first installment in the chilling Crime-Detective series by Chris Carter begins with the murder of a young women who is found in a derelict cottage killed in hideously sadistic manner. The brutally tortured body of the woman plays the horrendous scenes in Detective Robert Hunter's mind. With no face on the body to recognize, Hunter's frustration is palpable. But when Hunter witnesses a strange double-cross that has been carved on the nape of the woman's neck, it brings back the horrific images of The Crucifix Killer's previous victims also branded with the same strange symbol, a killer who was caught and executed last year. With the return of the savage killer, Hunter and his rookie partner are thrown into a wild chase that has no limits.

The Crucifix Killer is an intense thriller that begins with a rather surprising scene often witnessed in movies(sometimes in books too) where the story starts with one specific future event and then it goes back to reveal the events that led up to that future event. I'm not a big fan of it when you partly know a specific scene that is about to happen in the later part of the story but here contrary to my previous experiences it adds up to the enjoyment of the story. The main protagonist of the story, Robert Hunter - a Criminal Behavior Psychologist turned Detective for the Homicide Special Section of the Los Angeles Robbery Homicide Division, is a highly intelligent and likeable character. Hunter's rookie partner, Carlos Garcia, who's all muscles and also a brain, is unfortunate enough to have the Crucifix Killer as his first case. The Rookie-Expert duo in the book worked really well for me. The plot was carefully crafted with more than one layers to the story that was a real delight to read about. The story did not lack the thrilling aspect in the middle as it leads to the final show down that was actually satisfying again contrary to my previous experiences. I have read a couple of crime books that were really good since the beginning but fell flat when it came to the end and that is really frustrating. But The Crucifix Killer was satisfying at all times and I immensely enjoyed the story. ...more

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Oct 31, 2016 Brenda H rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Robert Hunter and his new partner are called to a crime scene at a derelict cabin in Griffith Park. What they find there is the stuff of nightmares – a woman brutally tortured and left to die. Worse, a symbol on the body pointing to a serial killer that was captured and executed years ago. Is this the work of a copycat or was the wrong man convicted? Hunter and Garcia are about to find out as the killer’s work has only begun.

I liked this book. I was immediately hooked by the opening and quickly ...more

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Nov 04, 2019 Mike rated it liked it · review of another edition

Likable characters Detectives Hunter and partner Garcia are on the trail of a serial killer in the L.A. area. The main problem - the bad guy was caught and executed 2 years before.

Fast paced procedural with some gruesome deaths.

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Feb 21, 2018 Mark rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018, thriller, serial-killers

I did read a later novel first in this series because I made the assumption that Chris Carter was the same fellow from the X-files, and he most certainly is not even if Mulders skill as profiler would not be wasted in this series.

My biggest gripe is that we start the book with the beginning of the ending of the hunt for a serial killer in which Robert Hunter detective extra-ordinaire has to save his partner from the hands of the killer. I recognize the attempt of giving the opening of the book s ...more

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Jul 30, 2015 Craig "NEEDS MORE DAMN TIME TO READ !!!!" rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Good start to this series. The characters are good and the story was interesting enough to keep me reading. The ending has a surprising reveal too which is always good in books of this nature. The only thing that let it down a little for me was a lack of 'action'. Now, I'll just go and use my hands as whistles haha. ...more

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About Chris Carter

Chris Carter

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Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Biographies can be an absolute drag, so I won’t bore anyone with a long life story.

I was born in Brasilia, Brazil where I spent my childhood and teenage years. After graduating from high school, I moved to the USA where I studied psychology with specialization in criminal b ...more

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Quotes from Krucifiks-morderen

“What makes you think I’d know this woman?’

Hunter knew what he was trying to do. ‘Listen, P-Diddy . . .’

‘D-King . . .’

‘Whatever.” — 7 likes

“He’s my new partner JJ and I don’t think he likes you very much. Last guy he took a dislike to still can’t eat anything more solid than yogurt.’

‘Can’t you keep him on a leash?’

‘Sure I can. The leash is in the car. I’ll go get it. You guys will be OK by yourselves for ten minutes or so, right?” — 5 likes

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