How do you investigate a murder when you have no victims?
When a routine autopsy on what looked like a straightforward hit-and-run leads the LA Chief Medical Examiner, Dr Carolyn Hove, to discover some puzzling inconsistencies, she calls in Detective Robert Hunter of the LAPD Ultra Violent Crimes Unit. Not only did Dr Hove discover that the death wasn’t caused by a hit-and-run, but she also found indications that the victim had been severely tortured prior to death.
What no one realises is that what Dr Hove has stumbled upon is just the tip of the iceberg and it will lead Hunter and his partner, Carlos Garcia, on the trail of a twisted and clever killer who hides in plain sight. A serial killer no one even knew existed – a killer who has always operated under the radar, expertly disguising every gruesome murder as an accidental death.
But with no leads as to why the victim was targeted, the investigation comes to a standstill, until another body is discovered with an alternative cause of death. What becomes clear is that this serial killer isn’t going to stop – unless Hunter and Garcia can get to him.
How do you catch a killer who leaves behind no crime scene? How do you stop a ghost who no one can prove even exists?
Chris Carter is a top bestselling author in the UK, whose books include An Evil Mind, One by One, The Death Sculptor, The Night Stalker, The Executioner and The Crucifix Killer. He worked as a criminal psychologist for several years before moving to Los Angeles, where he swapped the suits and briefcases for ripped jeans, bandanas and an electric guitar. He is now a full-time writer living in London.
The thirteenth instalment of the Robert Hunter series, The Death Watcher, is a surprising venture that feels fresh and inventive to fans, and is easily accessible to newcomers of Carter’s work.
The novel starts off with an intense rush of detail and mystery similar to cult classics like Seven. Immediately, Hunter and Garcia are plunged into a twisted case where every murder seems to become more and more complex. Carter really does get the reader into the mind of a psychopath!
There are also a lot of innovative concepts throughout the novel. Carter does an excellent job at exploring the City of Angels, the med-students at UCLA, the blue-collar workers who clean Los Angeles’ concrete river channel, and many, many more. Not only do we see the world through Hunter’s elaborate headspace, we also see it through some of the victims, feeling their fear and reliving the moments before The Death Watcher performs acts that only a demon could do.
If you’re seeking a thrilling crime escapade with plenty of plot twists and gruesome detail, you will love Carter’s The Death Watcher!
Leave a Reply