Eleventh novel and thrilling masterpiece by Chris Carter from the Robert Hunter series will introduce us to a unique way of catching a killer no one even knew existed.
Be careful who you decide to rob, it can be last thing you did. So started Written in Blood about a young girl, that robbed the wrong man in the bar. She took his bag with a diary that should have stayed hidden from the world. This decission will make her a target of a high skilled serial killer, who wants his memories back.
First of all things I have to mention is the discussion between Angela and her younger brother Shawn. It was like a copy from Stephen King´s famous novel, It, where Georgie was talking to his older sibling about going out alone in bad weather and then disappeared without any trace. The idea with the diary, that is stolen by Angela, was an interesting start into the plot. Detailed information and description about victims dying with horrible deaths, victims no one knew were dead, just missing for months was something new in this series. The police are not called to the bodies of victims, in this case it was the other way around. The victim came to the police. By the first victim one question was running through my mind: Can you move or change the position of a dead body after months after their death? If I got all my information right, it should be possible, since rigor mortis lasts just for 2-3 days. That is how our serial killer was able to make the first victim look peaceful in her grave. The second death described in the diary was pure cruelty from the 16th century. Not many bodies have been mentioned in this novel, it was more about Angela and the serial killer playing cat and mouse. After the small disappointment of the previous book, it was welcomed to read about a more thrilling and blood pressure increasing scenes, like when Angela was running for her life from the killer. The dynamic between them was great prepared. Just a hint to the coordinates, based on which the victims have been found. They aren´t real, I checked… I can completely understand the decision of the writer not to use real ones. Some people would visit those mentioned places.
Angela as a character was more than the half time of her screen time getting on my nerve. When you steal something from a serial killer, he finds out that it was you and he tells you to return it, you should probably listen to the police. Stay safe and protected as they recommend. When a serial killer tracks you to your home, you should really start listening to the detective in charge. When they tell you not to use your phone, then you really shouldn´t. But what does she do? Rebelling, doing the opposite and literally proving no point… Too many people died because of her irresponsibility. To be bit fair towards her character, as a person her life was not easy. I can´t imagine what a weight on her soul it must have been to know, that her brother could have lived if she would go with him to the shop or that she wouldn´t let him go outside. Now, to one of the other main characters. After the first story from the diary, I was thinking, that our current serial killer must be some sort of policeman or soldier, because of his description of events, which are brief, clear and to the point without any added feelings. Almost clinical. What also helped to satisfy my theory was Angela´s description of him at her appartement. It was like a description of a soldier from a world war movie. My first idea to the voices he always mentions, which tell him what to do, were inside of his head, some kind of PTSD. After few pages I told myself no, that must be some sort of cyber world, darknet, where people can vote or tell you what to do for money or reward. I saw a similar case in an older TV series Eye Candy with Victoria Justice. Most of the cases of serial killers show origin from unstable families. Father nowhere in sight and mother a lady of man’s pleasure and most of the time also drug addicted. Another fact from criminal psychology where we can tell that statistic does not disappoint.
What I appreciate the most was the return of the fine detective work from Robert Hunter. He was again doing what he can best: trust his instincts, experience and knowledge. He delivered what we are used to and what we like very much about this series. Again, at the final of the story, he gets into a quite complicated situation most people wouldn´t come out alive, but he our hero, finds a way thanks to his brilliant wit. And there are another two books in the series, so he can´t die… Sadly there is not much to his character development, he stays our constant pillar of the series. This book got on top three list from this series, after Crucifix Killer and An evil mind. It was easy to read, the plot was interesting, we have good characters and a great possibility to continue within the series. I can´t wait for the next one.