The Hunter ( Robert Hunter #0.5 )

A thrilling eBook exclusive short story from Sunday Times bestselling author Chris Carter. Meet Robert Hunter, the youngest Homicide Detective the Los Angeles Police has ever recruited, on his first day. As a rookie, he is given a simple suicide investigation to cut his teeth on. But when he arrives at the scene, he swiftly begins to suspect that something is not quite right. Despite the fact that the door was locked from the inside, and there is no other way out of the apartment, Hunter has a hunch that the victim did not commit suicide. But with a new Captain to impress and the evidence stacked against him, Hunter has a lot to prove if he is to solve the case and keep his place on the team. FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER THE CALLER 'Good job you didn't turn on the lights . . .' A student nurse has the shock of her life when she discovers her patient, prosecutor Derek Nicholson, brutally murdered in his bed. The act seems senseless - Nicholson was terminally ill with only weeks to live. But what most shocks Detective Robert Hunter of the Los Angeles Robbery Homicide Division is the calling card the killer left behind. For Hunter, there is no doubt that the killer is trying to communicate with the police, but the method is unlike anything he's ever seen before. And what could the hidden message be? Just as Hunter and his partner Garcia reckon they've found a lead, a new body is found - and a new calling card. But with no apparent link between the first and second victims, all the progress they've made so far goes out of the window. Pushed into an uncomfortable alliance with confident investigator Alice Beaumont, Hunter must race to put together the pieces of the puzzle . . . before the Death Sculptor puts the final touches to his masterpiece. PRAISE FOR CHRIS CARTER 'A touch of Patricia Cornwell about Chris Carter's plotting' Mail on Sunday 'Gripping . . . not for the squeamish' Heat 'A page-turner' Express A terrifying serial killer thriller staring Detective Robert Hunter - in the bestselling tradition of Jeffery Deaver and Richard Montanari Inside a Los Angeles church, on the altar steps, lies the blood-soaked, decapitated body of a priest. Carefully positioned, legs stretched out, arms crossed over the chest, the most horrifying thing of all is that the priest's head has been replaced by that of a dog. Later, the forensic team discover that, on the victim's chest, the figure 3 has been scrawled in blood. At first, Detective Robert Hunter believes that this is a ritualistic killing. But as more bodies surface, he is forced to reassess. All the victims died in the way they feared the most. Their worst nightmares have literally come true. But how could the killer have known? And what links these apparently random victims? Hunter finds himself on the trail of an elusive and sadistic killer, somone who apparently has the power to read his victims' minds. Someone who can sense what scares his victims the most. Someone who will stop at nothing to achieve his twisted aim. Praise for THE CRUCIFIX KILLER: 'A gripping debut ... Not for the squeamish' Heat 'A page turner' Express FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER THE CALLER When an unidentified female body is discovered laid out on a slab in an abandoned butcher's shop, the cause of death is unclear. Her body bears no marks; except for the fact that her lips have been carefully stitched shut. It is only when the full autopsy gets underway at the Los Angeles County morgue that the pathologist will reveal the true horror of the situation - a discovery so devastating that Detective Robert Hunter of the Los Angeles Homicide Special Section has to be pulled off a different case to take over the investigation But when his inquiry collides with a missing persons' case being investigated by the razor-sharp Whitney Meyers, Hunter suspects the killer might be keeping several women hostage. Soon Robert finds himself on the hunt for a murderer with a warped obsession, a stalker for whom love has become hate. PRAISE FOR CHRIS CARTER 'A touch of Patricia Cornwell about Chris Carter's plotting' Mail on Sunday 'Gripping . . . not for the squeamish' Heat 'A page-turner' Express From The Author Of The Sunday Times Number One Bestseller The Caller. When An Unidentified Female Body Is Discovered Laid Out On A Slab In An Abandoned Butcher's Shop, The Cause Of Death Is Unclear. Her Body Bares No Marks; Except For The Fact That Her Lips Have Been Carefully Stitched Shut. It Is Only When The Full Autopsy Gets Underway At The Los Angeles County Morgue That The Pathologist Will Reveal The True Horror Of The Situation - A Discovery So Devastating That Detective Robert Hunter Of The Los Angeles Homicide Special Section Has To Be Pulled Off A Different Case To Take Over The Investigation But When His Inquiry Collides With A Missing Persons' Case Being Investigated By The Razor-sharp Whitney Meyers, Hunter Suspects The Killer Might Be Keeping Several Women Hostage. Soon Robert Finds Himself On The Hunt For A Murderer With A Warped Obsession, A Stalker For Whom Love Has Become Hate. Praise For Chris Carter: 'a Touch Of Patricia Cornwell About Chris Carter's Plotting' Mail On Sunday 'gripping . . . Not For The Squeamish' Heat 'a Page-turner' Express 'Good job you didn't turn on the lights . . .' A student nurse has the shock of her life when she discovers her patient, prosecutor Derek Nicholson, brutally murdered in his bed. The act seems senseless - Nicholson was terminally ill with only weeks to live. But what most shocks Detective Robert Hunter of the Los Angeles Robbery Homicide Division is the calling card the killer left behind. For Hunter, there is no doubt that the killer is trying to communicate with the police, but the method is unlike anything he's ever seen before. And what could the hidden message be? Just as Hunter and his partner Garcia reckon they've found a lead, a new body is found - and a new calling card. But with no apparent link between the first and second victims, all the progress they've made so far goes out of the window. Pushed into an uncomfortable alliance with the confident Alice Beaumont, Hunter must race to put together the pieces of the investigation . . . before the Death Sculptor puts the final touches to his masterpiece A student nurse has the shock of her life when she discovers her patient, prosecutor Derek Nicholson, brutally murdered in his bed. The act seems senseless - Nicholson was terminally ill with only weeks to live. But what most shocks Detective Robert Hunter of the Los Angeles Robbery Homicide Division is the calling card the killer left behind. For Hunter, there is no doubt that the killer is trying to communicate with the police, but the method is unlike anything he's ever seen before. And what could the hidden message be? Just as Hunter and his partner Garcia reckon they've found a lead, a new body is found - and a new calling card. But with no apparent link between the first and second victims, all the progress they've made so far goes out the window. Pushed into an uncomfortable alliance with the confident investigator Alice Beaumont, Hunter must race to put together the pieces of the puzzle, before the Death Sculptor puts the final touches on his masterpiece FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER THE CALLER. Inside a Los Angeles church, on the altar steps, lies the blood-soaked body of a priest. Later, the forensic team discover that, on the victim's chest, the figure 3 has been scrawled in blood. At first, Detective Robert Hunter believes that this is a ritualistic killing. But as more bodies surface, he is forced to reassess. All the victims died in the way they feared the most. Their worst nightmares have literally come true. But how could the killer have known? And what links these apparently random victims? Hunter finds himself on the trail of an elusive and sadistic killer, somone who apparently has the power to read his victims' minds. Someone who can sense what scares his victims the most. Someone who will stop at nothing to achieve his twisted aim. Praise for THE CRUCIFIX KILLER: 'A gripping debut ... Not for the squeamish' Heat 'A page turner' Express FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER THE CALLER Inside a Los Angeles church, on the altar steps, lies the blood-soaked body of a priest. Later, the forensic team discover that, on the victim's chest, the figure 3 has been scrawled in blood. At first, Detective Robert Hunter believes that this is a ritualistic killing. But as more bodies surface, he is forced to reassess. All the victims died in the way they feared the most. Their worst nightmares have literally come true. But how could the killer have known? And what links these apparently random victims? Hunter finds himself on the trail of an elusive and sadistic killer, someone who apparently has the power to read his victims' minds. Someone who can sense what scares his victims the most. Someone who will stop at nothing to achieve his twisted aim. PRAISE FOR CHRIS CARTER 'Gripping . . . Not for the squeamish' Heat 'A page turner' Express A terrifying serial killer stalks Los Angeles. From the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Executioner and The Crucifix Killer. The terrifying new thriller from the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Night Stalker and The Executioner.