I received this e-Arc from NetGalley and Atria Books in exchange for an honest review.
Release Date: December 1st, 2015
Synopsis: A freak accident in rural Wyoming leads the sheriff’s department to arrest a man for a possible double homicide, but further investigations suggest a much more horrifying discovery–a serial killer who has been kidnapping, torturing, and mutilating victims all over the United States for at least twenty-five years.
The suspect claims he is a pawn in a huge labyrinth of lies and deceptions–but can he be believed?
The case is immediately handed over to the FBI, but this time they’re forced to ask for outside help. Ex-criminal behavior psychologist and lead detective with the Ultra Violent Crime Unit of the LAPD Robert Hunter is asked to run a series of interviews with the apprehended man.
These interviews begin to reveal terrifying secrets that no one could have foreseen, including the real identity of a killer so elusive that no one, not even the FBI, had any idea he existed–until now.
An Evil Mind is the first book by Chris Carter that I’ve read but it’s not one I’ll soon forget. I think it’s it’s definitely going to be in my top ten list of favorite books for 2015!
This is the 6th book in the Robert Hunter series, but I had absolutely no problem jumping in midway through the series.
I do have to warn you that it’s definitely derivative of stories like Silence of the Lambs, the movie Seven. Actually, the dance between Robert Hunter and Lucien is extremely similar to that of the one between serial killer Joe Carroll and tormented FBI agent Ryan Hardy in the tv series The Following. That said, the story is so well written and mesmerizing that I found myself not minding the similarities.
Hunter is supposed to be going on vacation to Hawaii after chasing a serial killer in the last few books, but when an old friend who is being detained by the FBI after a grisly discovery in the trunk of his car insists he will only speak to speak with him, he reluctantly goes to to Quantico. Even though this is my first exposure to his character, Robert Hunter is obviously someone who is brilliant at what he does, yet has demons in his past that overshadow him. Because of this, Lucien Folter, his former friend and college roomate is able to successfully play him at times throughout the story.
Lucien is the epitome of evil, just as the title suggests. He made my skin crawl and the passages that are written from his pov are especially disturbing. This is a man who is without a doubt a genius and a master manipulator, which has allowed him to fly under the FBI’s radar for more than twenty years. He is proud of the atrocities he has committed, and when his motivation is revealed it literally left me reeling.
To call this a fast-paced story doesn’t quite do it justice. I started this 368 page thriller at about 2:00 pm on 11/15, and finished it by pm 11 pm the same day. This was because I couldn’t tear myself away. I only took a break for supper. There are so many revelations and gotcha moments that I almost felt as though I had been sucker-punched at times. There are also some pretty gory scenes that made me cringe, but they were never gratuitous. Chris Carter is a criminal psychologist and he uses his expertise well. I’ve read that the plot is actually based on real events from his days of practicing, which makes this all the more fascinating.
An Evil Mind is a rollercoaster ride that will leave you breathless. Just when you think you know where the story is heading, it will take an abrupt turn that I promise you won’t see coming. It’s horrifying, yet once you start you won’t be able to tear yourself away. After finishing this I’m adding Chris Carter’s previous books to my Must Reads list.
By Hook Or By Book 
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