Written in Blood by Chris Carter

This is my first Chris Carter title and is apparently the eleventh in his series to feature protagonist, Robert Hunter, of the LAPD’s Ultra Violent Crime Unit. It can be read as a standalone though, as indeed I did, and I had no trouble following the narrative as the story is self-contained.

When Angela Wood, a prolific thief and pickpocket, sees a man being rude to an elderly gentleman in a bar, she decides to teach him a lesson and steal his bag. Later, back in her apartment, she discovers that it contains a journal that records the thoughts and deeds of a highly intelligent serial killer, a man who has been operating undetected for many years. 

She posts the journal to the police anonymously and that is when the Hunter, and his partner Carlos Garcia, become involved. They track Angela down, due to a fingerprint she left on the journal, and take her into protective custody. It isn’t long before the killer is on her trail. He’s super intelligent and manages to stay one step ahead of the police and soon Hunter and Garcia are desperately trying to stop him.

This is a rollercoaster read, full of tension and twists and turns. As with other titles in this sub-genre, the serial killer thriller, it’s quite graphic, with the murders brutal and violent. The author is adept at throwing up red herrings and this is a novel that will keep you turning the page and guessing until the very end.

3 out of 5 stars