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Final Crossing
Rudiger doesn't kill because he wants to. He kills because he needs to.
When the sadistic Preacherman stole the last bit of Rudiger's already troubled childhood soul, Rudiger lost himself forever. As an adult, Rudiger has committed atrocities even he cannot explain and he yearns for the End of Days to release him from his pain. God has told him he must crucify The One to bring about the Final Judgment, but Rudiger is left to his own special abilities to figure out who The One is. Thus sets off Rudiger's horrifying journey across continents in hopes of bringing an end to the world, one nail at a time.
One man remembers what Rudiger is capable of. Jonas Osborne, an Army Ranger and Senatorial Chief of Staff, saw first-hand what Rudiger is capable of during a terrifying firefight in Somalia almost two decades earlier. Now Jonas himself could be a target on Rudiger's quest, and he enlists the help of a beautiful psychic criminologist to understand where Rudiger will erect his next cross. And only on the biggest international stage--a summit for Middle East peace talks--will Jonas and Rudiger meet again for one final confrontation.
When the sadistic Preacherman stole the last bit of Rudiger's already troubled childhood soul, Rudiger lost himself forever. As an adult, Rudiger has committed atrocities even he cannot explain and he yearns for the End of Days to release him from his pain. God has told him he must crucify The One to bring about the Final Judgment, but Rudiger is left to his own special abilities to figure out who The One is. Thus sets off Rudiger's horrifying journey across continents in hopes of bringing an end to the world, one nail at a time.
One man remembers what Rudiger is capable of. Jonas Osborne, an Army Ranger and Senatorial Chief of Staff, saw first-hand what Rudiger is capable of during a terrifying firefight in Somalia almost two decades earlier. Now Jonas himself could be a target on Rudiger's quest, and he enlists the help of a beautiful psychic criminologist to understand where Rudiger will erect his next cross. And only on the biggest international stage--a summit for Middle East peace talks--will Jonas and Rudiger meet again for one final confrontation.
438 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2012
About the author
Carter Wilson
14 books2,106 followersCarter Wilson is the USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of eleven standalone psychological thrillers. His stories focus on ordinary people pushed into situations where survival and morality collide, and every decision has consequences. His 2025 novel Tell Me What You Did was a national monthly pick by Barnes & Noble, and his work has been optioned for film and television.
He is the host of the podcast Making It Up, where he has candid, unscripted conversations with fellow authors about what it actually takes to build a writing life. He is also the founder of Unbound Writer, an international community dedicated to helping writers become better writers and build meaningful writing careers through coaching, immersive retreats in the United States and France, and live workshops.
A sought-after speaker and moderator, Carter is known for conversations that feel honest, engaging, and a little unpredictable. He lives in Erie, Colorado and travels frequently to teach, interview, and speak.
Visit him at www.carterwilson.com and www.unboundwriter.com.
He is the host of the podcast Making It Up, where he has candid, unscripted conversations with fellow authors about what it actually takes to build a writing life. He is also the founder of Unbound Writer, an international community dedicated to helping writers become better writers and build meaningful writing careers through coaching, immersive retreats in the United States and France, and live workshops.
A sought-after speaker and moderator, Carter is known for conversations that feel honest, engaging, and a little unpredictable. He lives in Erie, Colorado and travels frequently to teach, interview, and speak.
Visit him at www.carterwilson.com and www.unboundwriter.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
April 23, 2012
Rudiger is on a twisted mission to bring forth the end of days; he believes murder is the answer. Senatorial Chief of Staff, Jonas Osborne is on a mission to stop him; can Osborne solve the puzzles and prevent these murders? With the help of psychic criminologist, Anne Deneuve this psychological thriller is chilling, disturbing and an edge-of-your-seat read. Final Crossing is a typical cat and mouse game with religious elements featuring heavily in this suspense novel.
This is an interesting and thrilling read but, for me personally, I have some issues with it that really did stop me from enjoying the book as much as I could. For starters the characters; I wanted to like Anne, she had a real attitude towards her but the fact she was a psychic criminologist stopped me. As for the lead protagonist Jonas Osborne, I felt he was a bit too flat and had no real dimension to him, so I never really liked or cared what was happening to him
As for the religious aspects, I really struggled with them. I wasn’t sure what the author, Carter Wilson, was doing with them. In the end, I decided he was just mixing Catholicism with some Judaism and the Westboro church. Nothing seemed to fit right and as this is a debut book from an unknown author, I really didn’t know where to find any background information about him and his knowledge on religion. Then there were the product placements; at one point of the book I thought this whole story was sponsored by RIM with the amount of mentions of BlackBerry. Why not mix it up a little and call it a phone, a cell or something else; unless you were under a sponsorship.
I have to say after my little rant about what I didn’t like about this book, that for a debut author it really wasn’t a bad read. I think Carter Wilson has a future in suspense thrillers and I know it is hard to get published so I won’t hold my issues with the book against him. I’m hoping when he does release another novel he will research it a little more and that I’ll get a chance to read it. While at times I felt this novel was predictable, there were also times that I didn’t see a twist coming and these twists seemed to offset the formulaic style that started to come through in the plot. Final Crossing is a disturbing psychological thriller that will keep you turning the page and at times send chills down your spine.
This is an interesting and thrilling read but, for me personally, I have some issues with it that really did stop me from enjoying the book as much as I could. For starters the characters; I wanted to like Anne, she had a real attitude towards her but the fact she was a psychic criminologist stopped me. As for the lead protagonist Jonas Osborne, I felt he was a bit too flat and had no real dimension to him, so I never really liked or cared what was happening to him
As for the religious aspects, I really struggled with them. I wasn’t sure what the author, Carter Wilson, was doing with them. In the end, I decided he was just mixing Catholicism with some Judaism and the Westboro church. Nothing seemed to fit right and as this is a debut book from an unknown author, I really didn’t know where to find any background information about him and his knowledge on religion. Then there were the product placements; at one point of the book I thought this whole story was sponsored by RIM with the amount of mentions of BlackBerry. Why not mix it up a little and call it a phone, a cell or something else; unless you were under a sponsorship.
I have to say after my little rant about what I didn’t like about this book, that for a debut author it really wasn’t a bad read. I think Carter Wilson has a future in suspense thrillers and I know it is hard to get published so I won’t hold my issues with the book against him. I’m hoping when he does release another novel he will research it a little more and that I’ll get a chance to read it. While at times I felt this novel was predictable, there were also times that I didn’t see a twist coming and these twists seemed to offset the formulaic style that started to come through in the plot. Final Crossing is a disturbing psychological thriller that will keep you turning the page and at times send chills down your spine.
April 21, 2012
This book grabs you from the opening pages, and doesn’t let you go until the final page is turned!
When Jonas Osbourne, Chief of Staff, was asked by his boss Senator Robert Sidam to go to the funeral of his good friend, Michael Calloway, who had just been murdered in a horrifying and grisly way, Jonas was recovering from an accident where he was hit by a car on the freeway, while trying to help a stranded motorist. The FBI were at the service, quietly observing, and while doing the eulogy, Jonas could feel the eyes of a very attractive woman on him. Anne Deneuve introduced herself to Jonas after the funeral, explaining that she was working for the FBI as their psychic criminologist, and she had a feeling Jonas was connected to Michael Calloway, even though he’d only met him once. Perhaps even connected to Michael’s killer.
Since the accident, Jonas had been experiencing flashbacks to an episode in Somalia, when he was a Ranger in the Army. A terrible time, a time when he almost died, and a soldier in his platoon went rogue, killing an entire family. This occurred in Mogadishu, the Mog, and Jonas hadn’t thought of it in at least a decade. But after being hypnotised by Anne, everything came back to him, the horror, the grief, the disgust...it was all there again. Jonas went to see an old friend, Major General Charles (Chuck) Ogilvy, the Vice Director of Joint Staff, whom he hadn’t seen in at least a year, and asked him about Rudy Sonman, the rogue soldier who had never been found...did they have anything on file about him? And they did.......
This story moves between Jonas and his connection to Rudiger, the killer, whom we know from the very beginning. We hear about the horror of a 12year old’s abuse, and the subsequent effects it had on him. The fact that he thinks he is doing God’s work, and won’t stop until it’s done. He is a twisted and psychologically twisted serial killer, but thinks everyone else is crazy, not him!
But as the horrors escalate, and more bodies appear, Jonas is getting desperate...is he going to be able to stop him before it’s too late? He has avoided death before, but can he stop the killer before he murders his friends, and himself?
I highly recommend this book, a psychological thriller with an ability to suck you in until the end...well done Carter Wilson!
When Jonas Osbourne, Chief of Staff, was asked by his boss Senator Robert Sidam to go to the funeral of his good friend, Michael Calloway, who had just been murdered in a horrifying and grisly way, Jonas was recovering from an accident where he was hit by a car on the freeway, while trying to help a stranded motorist. The FBI were at the service, quietly observing, and while doing the eulogy, Jonas could feel the eyes of a very attractive woman on him. Anne Deneuve introduced herself to Jonas after the funeral, explaining that she was working for the FBI as their psychic criminologist, and she had a feeling Jonas was connected to Michael Calloway, even though he’d only met him once. Perhaps even connected to Michael’s killer.
Since the accident, Jonas had been experiencing flashbacks to an episode in Somalia, when he was a Ranger in the Army. A terrible time, a time when he almost died, and a soldier in his platoon went rogue, killing an entire family. This occurred in Mogadishu, the Mog, and Jonas hadn’t thought of it in at least a decade. But after being hypnotised by Anne, everything came back to him, the horror, the grief, the disgust...it was all there again. Jonas went to see an old friend, Major General Charles (Chuck) Ogilvy, the Vice Director of Joint Staff, whom he hadn’t seen in at least a year, and asked him about Rudy Sonman, the rogue soldier who had never been found...did they have anything on file about him? And they did.......
This story moves between Jonas and his connection to Rudiger, the killer, whom we know from the very beginning. We hear about the horror of a 12year old’s abuse, and the subsequent effects it had on him. The fact that he thinks he is doing God’s work, and won’t stop until it’s done. He is a twisted and psychologically twisted serial killer, but thinks everyone else is crazy, not him!
But as the horrors escalate, and more bodies appear, Jonas is getting desperate...is he going to be able to stop him before it’s too late? He has avoided death before, but can he stop the killer before he murders his friends, and himself?
I highly recommend this book, a psychological thriller with an ability to suck you in until the end...well done Carter Wilson!
April 20, 2012
Book Info: Genre: Suspense Reading Level: Adult
Disclosure: I received a free ebook eGalley from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: He wasn’t always called Rudiger; once he was a normal, quiet boy. But when the sadistic Preacherman stole the last bit of Rudiger's childhood soul, Rudiger lost himself forever. As an adult, Rudiger has committed atrocities even he cannot explain and he yearns for the End of Days. God has told him he must crucify The One to bring about the Final Judgment, but Rudiger is left to his own to figure out who The One is. Thus sets off Rudiger's horrifying journey across continents in hopes bringing an end to the world, one crucifixion after another.
One man remembers what Rudiger is capable of. Jonas Osborne, a Senatorial Chief of Staff, saw first-hand what Rudiger is capable of during a terrifying battle in Somalia fifteen years earlier. Now Jonas himself could be a target on Rudiger's quest, and he enlists the help of beautiful psychic criminologist to understand where Rudiger will erect his next cross, and stop him before another innocent person is nailed to it. And only on the biggest national stage—a conference on Middle Eastern peace talk—will Jonas and Rudiger meet again for one last confrontation.
My Thoughts: Wow, this is quite a story. Very powerful, it goes back and forth between Jonas and Rudiger – whose story is told in present tense. Characters are given depth and clarity, and the plot moves smoothly and swiftly, action and exposition carefully balanced to provide a terrific reading experience. It is very intense – not an easy read, in any way, but if you enjoy suspense/thrillers and the like, you should enjoy this book. There are graphic scenes, but mostly we see the build-up and aftermath – it’s all handled very carefully.
I can definitely recommend this book. Check it out.
Disclosure: I received a free ebook eGalley from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: He wasn’t always called Rudiger; once he was a normal, quiet boy. But when the sadistic Preacherman stole the last bit of Rudiger's childhood soul, Rudiger lost himself forever. As an adult, Rudiger has committed atrocities even he cannot explain and he yearns for the End of Days. God has told him he must crucify The One to bring about the Final Judgment, but Rudiger is left to his own to figure out who The One is. Thus sets off Rudiger's horrifying journey across continents in hopes bringing an end to the world, one crucifixion after another.
One man remembers what Rudiger is capable of. Jonas Osborne, a Senatorial Chief of Staff, saw first-hand what Rudiger is capable of during a terrifying battle in Somalia fifteen years earlier. Now Jonas himself could be a target on Rudiger's quest, and he enlists the help of beautiful psychic criminologist to understand where Rudiger will erect his next cross, and stop him before another innocent person is nailed to it. And only on the biggest national stage—a conference on Middle Eastern peace talk—will Jonas and Rudiger meet again for one last confrontation.
My Thoughts: Wow, this is quite a story. Very powerful, it goes back and forth between Jonas and Rudiger – whose story is told in present tense. Characters are given depth and clarity, and the plot moves smoothly and swiftly, action and exposition carefully balanced to provide a terrific reading experience. It is very intense – not an easy read, in any way, but if you enjoy suspense/thrillers and the like, you should enjoy this book. There are graphic scenes, but mostly we see the build-up and aftermath – it’s all handled very carefully.
I can definitely recommend this book. Check it out.
June 4, 2014
I read this book solely based on the impression the author made with his sophomore effort, Boy in the Woods. Which is a good thing because I probably wouldn't have picked up Boy In the Woods based on this book, had I read them in chronological order of publishing. This isn't to say Final Crossing isn't good, it's quite decent, it's a solid action thriller about a serial killer. As with his other book, Carter makes no mysteries here, all the players are on the board, their motivations are obvious, the reader is just along for the ride. The thing with this book is that it very much reads like a debut novel, it's clichéd, you know the one where the women are all gorgeous and the men are all handsome, tough and stoic and there is more action than character development and it's all fairly predictable. The killer is Wilson's most interesting creation, autistic kidnaping survivor with a deadly religious intent. He should have been more of a centerpiece here, not the tough as nails yet open to love ex ranger with a political career in the works and traumatic army past. Anyway, this was a very fast paced read and plenty entertaining and, if Boy in the Woods an example to go by, Carter Wilson has made dramatic improvements as an author, which is always good. Progress and all that. Fans of stereotypical by the numbers thrillers would like this one. Despite the book's bulk, very quick read.
April 24, 2012
I loved this book! “Final Crossing” has everything a reader of thrillers could ask: a skewed, psychologically bizarre serial killer who sees clues that no one else ever could; violent death; mysteries unbound; the horrors of war, still present even though far in the past; a Capitol Hill Chief of Staff who still has the skills of his special forces training; and the perverted childhood tortures that combined to make that serial killer the juggernaut he is today. A fascinating mystery/thriller/psychological study, “Final Crossing” is a compelling novel not to be missed except by the very faintest of hearts.
A serial killer with one purpose-molded by a perversion of religion tortured into him at the hands of an earlier madman, a creature he encountered only by accident one fated afternoon; a former Army Ranger who now lives for the political machinations of America’s capital; a psychic criminologist on contract to the Federal Bureau of Investigation: a fated trio, each with one foot in a world other than our own consensus reality.
Readers will literally find themselves perched on the edges of their chairs, astonished, driven, heart-wrenched, and horrified, turning the pages so fast they might almost ignite. The term “thriller” might have been conceived to describe “Final Crossing.” Please don’t miss out.
A serial killer with one purpose-molded by a perversion of religion tortured into him at the hands of an earlier madman, a creature he encountered only by accident one fated afternoon; a former Army Ranger who now lives for the political machinations of America’s capital; a psychic criminologist on contract to the Federal Bureau of Investigation: a fated trio, each with one foot in a world other than our own consensus reality.
Readers will literally find themselves perched on the edges of their chairs, astonished, driven, heart-wrenched, and horrified, turning the pages so fast they might almost ignite. The term “thriller” might have been conceived to describe “Final Crossing.” Please don’t miss out.
December 12, 2012
Let me start by saying I thoroughly enjoyed Final Crossing. It culminated everything that makes a suspense thriller novel a good novel. It of course had suspense, intrigue, death, mystery, and an interesting antagonist. Rudigar is an insane, sadistic nut who is able to decipher clues from words he sees. These clues help him to choose who his next victim will be. This guy could really be a case study on what goes horribly bad when and already fragile mind endures irreparable damage.
The other great element to a good suspense novel is the hero. He's gotta be worth caring about and badass. Although he's not written as a Rambo type character, his heart is good and genuine. He's a well-written character. Actually, both Rudiger and Jonas Osborne are well written characters. The backgrounds of both men are given with great detail. I especially enjoyed learning Rudiger's background.
In conclusion, I really did enjoy this book although most of the killing was done off stage until the end. I was actually shocked by the ending although there were other aspects I wasn't so shocked about. There would be no surprise if this is the beginning of a series for this author since I felt there were a couple of things left wide open for it to be. I think fans of dark suspense or Ted Dekker would really enjoy this book. I'm happy I was able to be taken on this journey by the author. I look forward to what's next
The other great element to a good suspense novel is the hero. He's gotta be worth caring about and badass. Although he's not written as a Rambo type character, his heart is good and genuine. He's a well-written character. Actually, both Rudiger and Jonas Osborne are well written characters. The backgrounds of both men are given with great detail. I especially enjoyed learning Rudiger's background.
In conclusion, I really did enjoy this book although most of the killing was done off stage until the end. I was actually shocked by the ending although there were other aspects I wasn't so shocked about. There would be no surprise if this is the beginning of a series for this author since I felt there were a couple of things left wide open for it to be. I think fans of dark suspense or Ted Dekker would really enjoy this book. I'm happy I was able to be taken on this journey by the author. I look forward to what's next
July 1, 2012
A great page-turning thriller that will keep you reading well into the night. Final Crossing is a solid suspense novel in the genre of Steve Berry and Dan Brown with a hint of Edgar Allan Poe that adds thoughtful, dark subtext. Very well-written as the author meshes perspectives from both the protagonist's and the antagonist's points of view. The two main characters are interwoven well with their respective backgrounds to give the reader ample understanding of their pasts from which each evolves throughout the story. The protagonist is realistically portrayed as his doubts, skepticism and emotions are easy to empathize with. Moreover, the author's unique take on a rare psychological condition provides an understandable motive that drives the serial killer whose intelligence appears to keep him one step ahead of everyone.
June 17, 2022
Absolutely terrifying. Loved it. Love this local author.
April 24, 2012
This book is a thriller, which is not my usual reading material, but for whatever reason it caught my eye on NetGalley, and I decided to give it a shot. I'm glad I did! Final Crossing tells the story of a killer named Rudiger, who believes that he's being instructed on who to kill by God. It's also the story of an ex-army guy named Jonas who now works for a senator, and gets caught up in the case when he discovers that he has a connection to Rudiger (oh, and he's told about this by a psychic criminologist).
It's really disturbing. People get crucified. Also, I find murderers who believe their killing is the will of God to be particularly terrifying. Rudiger is totally convinced that what he's doing is right. He has a gift for finding anagrams of words, so he reads signs, newspaper headlines, etc., and sees the letters mixed up to spell messages from God about who he should kill. Creepy.
I really enjoyed this story. I definitely felt the suspense! (Actually, I felt it a bit too much: My NetGalley file expired in the middle of the climax so my Kobo locked me out! Luckily, the book was still up on NetGalley, so I was able to download it again to finish it. Thank goodness!) I never felt like I knew what was going to happen, and it was hard to put down through most of the book!
5 stars, for leaving me pleasantly surprised, and also for freaking me out.
Full disclosure: Free e-book copy received from the publisher through NetGalley.
This review is copied from my blog, The Towering Pile. It was originally published here.
It's really disturbing. People get crucified. Also, I find murderers who believe their killing is the will of God to be particularly terrifying. Rudiger is totally convinced that what he's doing is right. He has a gift for finding anagrams of words, so he reads signs, newspaper headlines, etc., and sees the letters mixed up to spell messages from God about who he should kill. Creepy.
I really enjoyed this story. I definitely felt the suspense! (Actually, I felt it a bit too much: My NetGalley file expired in the middle of the climax so my Kobo locked me out! Luckily, the book was still up on NetGalley, so I was able to download it again to finish it. Thank goodness!) I never felt like I knew what was going to happen, and it was hard to put down through most of the book!
5 stars, for leaving me pleasantly surprised, and also for freaking me out.
Full disclosure: Free e-book copy received from the publisher through NetGalley.
This review is copied from my blog, The Towering Pile. It was originally published here.
July 10, 2012
Disclaimer: I won a copy of this book through a FirstReads giveaway.
I really enjoyed the story found in this novel, and it definitely kept my interest throughout. Religion coupled with politics is certainly something that is at the forefront of our society right now, and the ways in which they were used and interacted together in the plot was very intriguing. I also liked how it bounced back and forth between the points of view of Jonas and Rudiger so the reader could gain perspective on the story from both sides.
However, there were quite a lot of proofreading errors in my copy, which was not labeled as a proof or anything other than an off-the-shelf edition. While I am not one to avidly search for such things, read with a red pen in hand, or anything of that nature, there were just too many to ignore. There were even a few in back-to-back sentences. That is the reason I dropped a star from my rating.
All-in-all, "Final Crossing" is a great suspense thriller where religion is used to bolster the thoughts of a serial killer into believing he's doing the work of God, eventually crossing paths with a Senator's Chief of Staff. However, if you're the type to rip your eyes out when you see a typographical or grammatical error, you might want to step away from this one, or at least take a couple deep breaths first.
4 stars
I really enjoyed the story found in this novel, and it definitely kept my interest throughout. Religion coupled with politics is certainly something that is at the forefront of our society right now, and the ways in which they were used and interacted together in the plot was very intriguing. I also liked how it bounced back and forth between the points of view of Jonas and Rudiger so the reader could gain perspective on the story from both sides.
However, there were quite a lot of proofreading errors in my copy, which was not labeled as a proof or anything other than an off-the-shelf edition. While I am not one to avidly search for such things, read with a red pen in hand, or anything of that nature, there were just too many to ignore. There were even a few in back-to-back sentences. That is the reason I dropped a star from my rating.
All-in-all, "Final Crossing" is a great suspense thriller where religion is used to bolster the thoughts of a serial killer into believing he's doing the work of God, eventually crossing paths with a Senator's Chief of Staff. However, if you're the type to rip your eyes out when you see a typographical or grammatical error, you might want to step away from this one, or at least take a couple deep breaths first.
4 stars
April 26, 2012
There are few things more horrendous than deadly crimes committed by those who insanely believe they are doing God's bidding. The crimes of Rudiger Mortisin are certainly horrifying. Jonas Osborne, Chief of Staff to Senator Robert Sidams, is a veteran who encountered some extremely difficult situations in Somalia during the war but one situation in particular has suddenly begun to populate his dreams. It involves the killing of a Somalian family that Jonas witnessed in what became a near death situation. Jonas survived but wonders why the scene he has worked so hard to forget is now coming back into his life. Soon it is revealed that a series of bizarre crimes may be linked to Jonas's memories and the person who will help bring it into focus is psychic criminologist, Anne Deneuve. What ensues is a cat and mouse race to see whether FBI officials can put it all together before the next death occurs. While I found the book to be mostly predictable, there were some great twists that I could have slapped myself for missing and I found myself unwilling to stop reading once I reached the halfway point. A good thriller.
July 9, 2012
I received this book from a First Reads giveaway. The blurb caught my attention immediately, but I was a bit hesitant on reading it. I felt that I had too high of hopes for this book, and that by reading it, I would just disappoint myself. I was not disappointed.
This book was amazing. I had to use all of my willpower to space my reading out over the course of a few days to relish and enjoy this book. It was gripping from the first chapter!
The characters were very well developed and easy to relate to. I enjoyed the idea of there being a love interest in the book, which was unexpected to me. The love element added a little bit extra to the story, and made it that much easier to relate to Jonas.
The ONLY thing I didn't like was not knowing where Rudiger went. I can definitely see the point on why it was done that way, and it did very well at building up even more suspense as well as opened the book up for a sequel, but I really wanted to know, so it was a bit irritating that it wasn't addressed.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a suspenseful story.
This book was amazing. I had to use all of my willpower to space my reading out over the course of a few days to relish and enjoy this book. It was gripping from the first chapter!
The characters were very well developed and easy to relate to. I enjoyed the idea of there being a love interest in the book, which was unexpected to me. The love element added a little bit extra to the story, and made it that much easier to relate to Jonas.
The ONLY thing I didn't like was not knowing where Rudiger went. I can definitely see the point on why it was done that way, and it did very well at building up even more suspense as well as opened the book up for a sequel, but I really wanted to know, so it was a bit irritating that it wasn't addressed.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a suspenseful story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 6, 2012
WOW!!! This thriller grabs your attention from the very first page! The intense, intriguingly creepy plot contains multiple storylines that merge together through terrifying twists and turns. The characters are given the perfect amount of depth so that the reader can easily identify why each character acts in the manner he/she does – this is especially crucial for the antagonist, Rudiger. The author explores the depths of human wickedness and successfully conveys why one human with a rare psychological disorder feels justified performing such horrifying acts on another human. I found myself in a page turning frenzy, but forced myself to slow down to better appreciate the author’s impressive writing style as well as the storyline. This book is filled with imaginative analogies and quick witted dialogue – every sentence is well written and not to be missed! FINAL CROSSING is a page-turning thriller and you should definitely NOT pass this one up!!! Carter Wilson’s debut novel does not disappoint and I am anxiously awaiting his next thriller!
April 26, 2012
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my review. This was a defiinite "don't put me down" read. It was well-written and keeps your attention thoughout. It gives you a look into the mind of a serial killer and why he is the way he is. The hero is a likeable guy who gets drawn into the search for the killer because of their past connection and ultimately becomes the target. Hold onto your seat as you get drawn into this fascinating read.
March 17, 2013
This book kept me on the edge of my seat. I was able to predict a few things early on but that did not distract from the great storytelling. More than a bit gruesome but added to the story rather than being overdone.
June 29, 2012
I found this a fast, entertaining read with religious, psychological twists. I want to read more by Carter Wilson.
July 4, 2012
Great, fast-paced, down right creepy book that will keep you turning the page.
July 14, 2012
I read this book in one day, once I started I could not put it down. Although its written quite simply, it still has a lasting impact, and it's not one of the stories that you forget easily.
July 26, 2012
I thought this was an excellent book, well paced and lots of twists and turns..and some definite surprises. Definitely will look for more from this author!!
I received this book from Goodreads.com.
I received this book from Goodreads.com.
August 1, 2012
If you like suspense this book will not disappoint! It hooks you from the first chapter and you won't want to put it down. Gruesome, grotesque, and delicious!
August 21, 2012
This book is a page turner! Loved the twisted theme with a backstory set amongst the Somalia civil war. Very solid character building. Will have you on the edge of your seat till the last page!
January 1, 2013
Wow - held my attention from start to finish.
April 25, 2013
Thrilling, heart-pounding, gripping suspense. At times, even terrifying. A story you will be glued to from page one through to the final sentence. Absolutely not to be missed!
May 18, 2025
3 1/2 stars. Rudiger, the killer, believes he must crucify The One to bring about the final judgment. So he’s looking for The One. Several people must lose their lives in the process. He was abused as a child from another sadistic killer. Now Jonas Osborne, an army ranger had seen firsthand with this man was capable of during a firefight and Somalia two decades earlier key and a criminologist try to understand Where his next crucifixion might be. Gruesome and page turning and a good read but not outstanding.
September 25, 2025
I love this author, his books almost always cure my slumpy slumps. I was all in for this DARK serial killer story…..until part 2. There was some kind of time jump and a whole chapter was dedicated to COUCH SHOPPING. C’mon, I don’t even want to hear my best friend talk about couch shopping, let alone fictional characters! This would be a great book but needs a fresh edit. I gave it 3 stars because I finished it and the first 250 pages were good.
November 13, 2017
This debut novel is my first exposure to Carter Wilson. The book contains intense action and is a thrill of a ride. Not wanting to get into any spoilers, I felt that the action in the last quarter of the book was not plausible. I enjoy a fast paced book and will check other books by Wilson because I hold out hope that later works will align better with believability.
May 17, 2024
A real page turner
This was the third book I have read by this author. I am sucked in now and look forward to reading the rest of his work. Suspenseful, interesting and original. I usually read books with repeat main characters, but so far, the three that I have read are stand alone stories and can be be read in any order. I look forward to reading more from this author.
This was the third book I have read by this author. I am sucked in now and look forward to reading the rest of his work. Suspenseful, interesting and original. I usually read books with repeat main characters, but so far, the three that I have read are stand alone stories and can be be read in any order. I look forward to reading more from this author.
January 26, 2018
Swell story. Politics, religion, serial killer, falling in love, and a dad suffering from Alzheimer's. An exciting modern story that you don't get bored with and at it's ending leaves you wanting more.
July 23, 2019
Captured my attention quickly and didn’t let it go until the last page.
February 23, 2023
Suspense, intrigue throughout!!!!!!
Incredible book, well written. Pretty gory but so suspenseful you cannot put it down. I look forward to reading another Carter Wilson book.
Incredible book, well written. Pretty gory but so suspenseful you cannot put it down. I look forward to reading another Carter Wilson book.
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