When you hear the word Genesis what comes to mind? The British rock band, the first book of the Bible or the remarkable brand-new novel in the Robert Hunter series by Chris Carter? If your first thought wasn’t about the new book from bestselling author, it certainly will be after you read it.
Over the years I have been a big Chris Carter fan and love his style of writing and his very imaginative serial killers. If you love your crime thrillers to be of the cosy type, then this is definitely not the book for you. If you like your crime thrillers to be of the gory psychological type that excites with horror oozing from the pages, then you are going to love Chris Carter’s Genesis.
Genesis is the twelfth book in the Robert Hunter series. Detective Robert Hunter is a Criminal Behaviour Psychologist turned Detective for the Ultra-Violent Crime Division of the Los Angeles Robbery Homicide Division, hunting down some of the most violent and horrific serial killers in LA – he, along with his partner Detective Carlos Garcia, hunt down the very worst of the worst depraved ultra-violent killers.
FEAR. PAIN. DEATH.
Detective Robert Hunter was seen some of the world’s worst sadist and psychotic killers in his time with the LAPD Ultra Violent Crime Division but in Genesis he is going to come up against a killer like no one before, a killer that is twisted and evil beyond imagination. This is going to be a case that really puts him to the test.
When called out to the most horrific crime scene he has ever seen, Detective Robert Hunter is appalled at the viciousness of the murder. As disturbing as it is, it gets even worse when a line from a poem is discovered inside the victim. With no apparent motive, no clues and nothing to go on it is going to be a very difficult case.
When another murder occurs, albeit in a different manner, with the same level of brutality and hateful viciousness it suggests that the same killer is at work. This is confirmed when another line from a poem is found with the victim.
With two seemingly unconnected murder victims, two lines from an unknown poem and the depravity of the killings, a serial killer is at work – the worst Hunter has even seen. The twisted MO, brutality of the murders and the meticulous planning that leaves no real clues, trying to find the killer before they strike again is going to be almost impossible.
Overall, for me, Genesis is probably the best Robert Hunter novel Chris Carter has produced. The story and writing are excellent, captivating the reader from the very first pages but never losing its momentum. The story twists in just the right places, leaving you trying to work out the killer without success and does an excellent job of keeping it from becoming too predictable.
Featuring a serial killer like no other, some of the murder scenes are brutal, gory, gruesome and really imaginative, written in a way that conveys the hatefulness, torture and viciousness behind them.
Genesis is a story of many layers that are slowly peeled back, just like peeling an onion, until it reveals the truth behind the madness, bringing everything together in a way that works very well.
Chris Carter is an excellent writer of crime thrillers featuring very unique and sadist serial killers and I really had a hard job of putting this one down, it is my favourite of the series so far. It has the wow factor, the intrigue and the well thought-out and put together plot that makes it an excellent dark and interesting read.
Some readers may find the murders quite gruesome, but the scenes are needed to portray the reasoning behind them and to elevate the book above others.
Genesis is an excellent heart-pounding thrilling story from the mind of a great author.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £16.99 (Hardback) £8.99 (Paperback) / £9.99 (Kindle)
For more information, visit www.chriscarterbooks.com. Available to buy from Amazon here.
