Take a photo of a barcode or cover
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Hate crime, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content, Suicide
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
De psychologische thriller ‘Handtekening van het kwaad’ is het eerste deel van de serie rond ‘Robert Hunter’. Het is ook het eerste boek dat ik van Chris Carter heb gelezen, en het beviel me vanaf minuut één. Daarom geef ik dit boek vier sterren.
Het verhaal wordt verteld vanuit het derde persoonsperspectief. We volgen hoofdzakelijk Robert Hunter, een profiler die ook rechercheur is. Daarnaast krijgen we een kijkje in de gedachtegang van de dader, wiens identiteit onbekend is. Deze dader is griezelig intelligent en sadistisch.
Het personage Robert Hunter is goed uitgewerkt. Hij wordt duidelijk neergezet als een slimme man met een sterk analytisch vermogen. Het inkijkje in de gedachtegang van de dader is een sterke toevoeging. Andere personages hadden van mij wat meer diepgang mogen krijgen. Dat is dan ook de reden waarom ik vier sterren geef in plaats van vijf.
De schrijfstijl van Chris Carter is vlot en meeslepend. Hij schrijft zeer visueel en beeldend. De gruwelijkheden worden zo krachtig beschreven dat het voelt alsof je midden in een tv-serie zit. Het is ook goed te merken dat Carter criminoloog is; de gruwelijkheden hebben diepgang en voelen geloofwaardig aan.
Kortom: een psychologische thriller die je niet loslaat — maar wel eentje die niet voor iedereen is weggelegd, vanwege de expliciete details van de moorden.
Trigger warnings: grafisch geweld, marteling, moord, sadisme, psychologisch misbruik, lichamelijke verminking, en beschrijvingen van gruwelijke crime scenes.
Het verhaal wordt verteld vanuit het derde persoonsperspectief. We volgen hoofdzakelijk Robert Hunter, een profiler die ook rechercheur is. Daarnaast krijgen we een kijkje in de gedachtegang van de dader, wiens identiteit onbekend is. Deze dader is griezelig intelligent en sadistisch.
Het personage Robert Hunter is goed uitgewerkt. Hij wordt duidelijk neergezet als een slimme man met een sterk analytisch vermogen. Het inkijkje in de gedachtegang van de dader is een sterke toevoeging. Andere personages hadden van mij wat meer diepgang mogen krijgen. Dat is dan ook de reden waarom ik vier sterren geef in plaats van vijf.
De schrijfstijl van Chris Carter is vlot en meeslepend. Hij schrijft zeer visueel en beeldend. De gruwelijkheden worden zo krachtig beschreven dat het voelt alsof je midden in een tv-serie zit. Het is ook goed te merken dat Carter criminoloog is; de gruwelijkheden hebben diepgang en voelen geloofwaardig aan.
Kortom: een psychologische thriller die je niet loslaat — maar wel eentje die niet voor iedereen is weggelegd, vanwege de expliciete details van de moorden.
Trigger warnings: grafisch geweld, marteling, moord, sadisme, psychologisch misbruik, lichamelijke verminking, en beschrijvingen van gruwelijke crime scenes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Murder
dark
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Alcohol
Minor: Addiction
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Murder
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Alcohol
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Robert Hunter is a top detective with the Robbery Homicide Division of the LAPD, well used to investigating the grizzliest of murders. Called out to a scene with his new partner, he sees the results of a sick and twisted psychopath first hand... and then discovers that it might just be a killer he thought he'd already brought to justice.
Robert Hunter is very much straight out of central casting for cop shows; good looking, intuitive and has that little something 'extra' about him that makes him your main character - in this case, a specialism in profiling and an insane level of intelligence that saw him attend university in his mid teens. However, he's not a cardboard cutout; the author has given him depth and personality, flaws and foibles that really bring him to life. Yes, elements of his character are predictable and you are left wanting more from him, but as an introduction this book serves both him and his partner, Garcia, as a good introduction.
You are thrown straight into the middle of the story, the first chapter being a heart-in-mouth thriller of a scene, which hooks you in immediately, even before you have any idea who the people involved are. It also sets the tone for the type of violence and level of disturbing action you'll be getting from the book and the series. As this is a reread, I did find it less shocking and overall more tame than the first time I picked it up, and certainly subsequent books in the series do become more twisted, but this is definitely not something for the faint-hearted. But, considering I hate gore in films, I was surprisingly OK with this!
The plot is very cleverly drawn and important scenes are meticulously written to try and lead you down a false alley. I can't say for sure whether there are enough clues in the writing to lead you to the identity of the murderer (I don't analyse books in that way) but there are enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. However, despite the gruesome nature of the crimes, this does generally come across as a fairly standard police procedural, so if you like that sort of thing you should feel right at home here.
Overall, the fact that I'm drawn to this series despite my general apathy to crime/thriller novels is a ringing endorsement in itself, and I'm looking forward to rereading the next few in the series, then picking up on the newer ones for the first time.
Robert Hunter is very much straight out of central casting for cop shows; good looking, intuitive and has that little something 'extra' about him that makes him your main character - in this case, a specialism in profiling and an insane level of intelligence that saw him attend university in his mid teens. However, he's not a cardboard cutout; the author has given him depth and personality, flaws and foibles that really bring him to life. Yes, elements of his character are predictable and you are left wanting more from him, but as an introduction this book serves both him and his partner, Garcia, as a good introduction.
You are thrown straight into the middle of the story, the first chapter being a heart-in-mouth thriller of a scene, which hooks you in immediately, even before you have any idea who the people involved are. It also sets the tone for the type of violence and level of disturbing action you'll be getting from the book and the series. As this is a reread, I did find it less shocking and overall more tame than the first time I picked it up, and certainly subsequent books in the series do become more twisted, but this is definitely not something for the faint-hearted. But, considering I hate gore in films, I was surprisingly OK with this!
The plot is very cleverly drawn and important scenes are meticulously written to try and lead you down a false alley. I can't say for sure whether there are enough clues in the writing to lead you to the identity of the murderer (I don't analyse books in that way) but there are enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. However, despite the gruesome nature of the crimes, this does generally come across as a fairly standard police procedural, so if you like that sort of thing you should feel right at home here.
Overall, the fact that I'm drawn to this series despite my general apathy to crime/thriller novels is a ringing endorsement in itself, and I'm looking forward to rereading the next few in the series, then picking up on the newer ones for the first time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Alcohol
Minor: Addiction, Confinement, Pedophilia, Excrement, Vomit, Pregnancy
Se7en x Saw x True Detective S1
The Crucifix Killer is a bingeable crime thriller that is relentless with its pacing. Chris Carter has been on my TBR for years now and I can see why he's so popular. I love a good seasoned and rookie detective pairing as well. Looking forward to seeing how Carter's writing evolves throughout the series as it is a little devoid of emotion.
This book is dark and gory - again see comparisons above. It is graphic and gritty.
The ending did leave me wanting with some under explained threads.
A couple moments/dialogue show their age (published in 2009) for political correctness, racism, homophobia, sexism and fatphobia.
The Crucifix Killer is a bingeable crime thriller that is relentless with its pacing. Chris Carter has been on my TBR for years now and I can see why he's so popular. I love a good seasoned and rookie detective pairing as well. Looking forward to seeing how Carter's writing evolves throughout the series as it is a little devoid of emotion.
This book is dark and gory - again see comparisons above. It is graphic and gritty.
The ending did leave me wanting with some under explained threads.
A couple moments/dialogue show their age (published in 2009) for political correctness, racism, homophobia, sexism and fatphobia.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Murder, Alcohol
Minor: Fatphobia, Homophobia
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
What a ride it was! I wish this was made into a movie
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Addiction
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I learned about Chris Carter's books from friends on Litsy, and glad I did. If you like thrillers, suspense, serial killers, or police procedurals, you should give him a try.
The Crucifix Killer is the first book in the Detective Robert Hunter series. Hunter has a new partner, Carlos Garcia. They are called to a murder scene. Hunter can't believe what he is seeing, he had an eerily close case like this years ago, but it's been closed.
I liked that Carter intertwined the old case with the new one. I was grabbed from the first page and the book got better the more I read. I will say, though, if you have a weak stomach don't read it or skip some parts. It was graphic and a little gory at times, but all in all a good book.
😊 Happy Reading 🙃
#carlislepubliclibrary
The Crucifix Killer is the first book in the Detective Robert Hunter series. Hunter has a new partner, Carlos Garcia. They are called to a murder scene. Hunter can't believe what he is seeing, he had an eerily close case like this years ago, but it's been closed.
I liked that Carter intertwined the old case with the new one. I was grabbed from the first page and the book got better the more I read. I will say, though, if you have a weak stomach don't read it or skip some parts. It was graphic and a little gory at times, but all in all a good book.
😊 Happy Reading 🙃
#carlislepubliclibrary
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use