The first thing you should know about me is that my name is not Carter Blake. That name no more belongs to me than the hotel room I was occupying when the call came in.
When Caleb Wardell, the infamous "Chicago Sniper," escapes from death row two weeks before his execution, the FBI calls on the services of Carter Blake, a man with certain specialized talents whose skills lie in finding those who don't want to be found--a man to whom Wardell is no stranger.
Along with Elaine Banner, an ambitious special agent juggling life as a single mother with her increasingly high-flying career, Blake must track Wardell down as he cuts a swathe across America, apparently killing at random.
But Blake and Banner soon find themselves sidelined from the case. And as they try desperately to second-guess a man who kills purely for the thrill of it, they uncover a hornet's nest of lies and corruption. Now Blake must break the rules and go head-to-head with the FBI if he is to stop Wardell and expose a deadly conspiracy that will rock the country.
Slick, fast-paced, and assured, The Killing Season is the first novel in the gripping new Carter Blake series.
About the Author :
Mason Cross is the author of the critically acclaimed Carter Blake thriller series. His short crime stories have been published in such magazines as Scribble and First Edition. His story "A Living" was short-listed for the Quick Reads "Get Britain Reading" Award and published in The Sun Book of Short Stories.
Eric Meyers, an Earphones Award-winning audiobook narrator, is a well-known character actor and voice artist. His film credits include Entrapment, Snatch, and 1408. He has created many voices for animation, including Henry the Lizard on the hit television series Amazing Animals. He is often heard narrating documentary films on the Discovery Channel and National Geographic.
Review :
"A freelance soldier of fortune signs on with the FBI to catch an escaped convict, a Marine-trained sniper who's picked up where he left off five years ago, in Cross' slam-bang debut...Cross provides a gratifyingly high body count, ruthlessly efficient action sequences, and all the other thrills you'd expect of the superior popcorn movie you can expect his first novel to spawn, right down to a nifty extra twist in the tail."
-- "Kirkus Reviews (starred review)"
"British author Cross makes a spectacular US debut with this harrowing thriller. The gripping, intense pace and the intriguing characters will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Hope for a sequel!"
-- "Library Journal (starred review)"
"Engrossing...The suspense builds all the way to the breathtaking ending. Readers will look forward to seeing more of Blake."
-- "Publishers Weekly"
"First-novelist Cross has produced a solid thriller that will undoubtedly become a series. He keeps the pace breakneck, the suspense high, and the body count higher. Wardell is a terrific villain: intelligent, disciplined, resourceful, and utterly twisted. Banner is a single parent stretched between her daughter and her career. Blake is an enigma, but readers can trust that Cross will fill in his backstory in future novels."
-- "Booklist"
"Mason Cross has created an enigmatic character in Carter Blake. The writing is taut, intelligent, oozes suspense. A highly impressive debut novel."
-- "Matt Hilton, author of the bestselling Joe Hunter thrillers"
"Pulse-pounding. Mason Cross launches into The Killing Season with no holds barred, as he deftly combines an adrenaline rush plot with one of the best new series characters since Jack Reacher. Prepare to read all night."
-- "Lisa Gardner, New York Times bestselling author"
