The Night Stalker (Robert Hunter #3)

The Night Stalker by Chris Carter

Age: Adult
Category: Crime
Rating: 4 stars

Helen Thinks: Unlike the previous two books, The Night Stalker starts with us already at the autopsy of a victim. To the naked eye she is perfectly healthy and bears no visible signs of foul play except for one thing - thick stitches sealing closed her intimate area. During his examination of the area, Medical Examiner Doctor Jonathon Winston notices that something is hidden beyond the stitches and starts the procedure to remove it. What started out as a simple explosion results in an explosive finish as the item inside of the victim detonates - killing the doctor and his intern. Due to the severity of the case, Detective Robert Hunter is called away from a case he is already working and it’s made his main priority because now this killer has also claimed one of their own. It only takes a couple of days before another body arrives in just the same healthy state apart from the thick stitches. It’s not a bomb but it’s just as grotesque and Hunter realises that this serial killer is more of a monster than he could ever being to imagine...

Robert Hunter is back in this third instalment and I hate to be vague but... wow. It’s Carter’s winning style of grisly crime scenes that sells this series of novels to me in the first place but the thought process of this one must have been intense. I don’t want to spoil it too much but from each item placed inside the female victim to the very reason as to why the killer does it was flawlessly written and it was believable. Even more shocking, the killer’s backstory as to why he clicked and went on this psychopathic rage actually has you feeling slightly sorry for him - if he wasn’t a homicidal maniac.

The biggest highlight of this third novel is that finally Carter has finally found his footing with the main characters and they finally start to shine individually while also being able to add in additional minor characters that helps balance out the storyline. Personally, Hunter and Garcia are my new favourite fighting duo and I enjoy reading every instalment as well as re-reading them.
So buckle up and enjoy the ride as Carter takes us back out on the roads of Los Angeles as we chase another twisted mind into the darkness...