Started out promising but left me behind. The premise and the beginning of this book was intriguing. There were twists and I liked where it looked like it was going. However where it went was not what I was hoping for. This book felt long, meandering, too many characters/references to people to keep track of and ended up feeling like a disappointing comedy caper unfortunately.

I listened to the audiobook recording and it is superb! One of the best I've heard, especially as it's done by one person. Eilidh Beaton's narration, her ability to flip between very different character voices, is truly special. Chris Brookmyre has such a unique and distinct writing style, drawing on minute and almost imperceptible details from what makes us human. This renders his characters instantly relatable and/or recognisable. The plot is unusual, drawing on current affairs and events of decades past. The book is peppered with film references throughout. A must-read for fans of the crime and horror genres, in both literature and film. The cross-generational relationship between Millicent and Jerome, especially the banter between them, is absolutely first class. I loved their bond as I loved this book. Brookmyre has booted it out the park, again.

"Millicent knew what it was to be facing something inescapable. Submitting to someone else's will was all but second nature; a place of comfort and security. It was her own will that presented all the problems."

Millie Spark could kill anyone. A special effects make-up artist, her talent was to create realistic scenes of bloody violence. Then, one day, she woke up to find her lover dead in her bed.

Twenty-five years later, her sentence for murder served, Millicent is ready to give up on her broken life - until she meets troubled film student and reluctant petty thief, Jerry.

Together, they begin to discover that all was not what it seemed on that fateful night . . . and someone doesn't want them to find out why...

I'd never come across Chris Brookmyre's books before and the reason I requested this book on NetGalley was the blurb. Now this was a mystery I wanted to sink my teeth in.

From almost the beginning you notice the dry humour peppering the narrative that makes you laugh out loud. The drama and thrill keep the suspense rolling as the mystery gets deeper, until the author pulls the killer out of a hat.

I heard this book on audio of which I am glad as there are characters of different nationalities - English, Scottish, Italian, French. I wouldn't have been able to imitate half the accents in my head but listening to Eilidh Beaton nail every single one of them with perfection was why I added one more star to my rating.

A wholesome entertainer, cleverly original and determinedly addictive, this thriller is deadly funny. Sharpen your wit and polish your humour as you experience the magic of Brookmyre's writing.

This Audio Review Copy courtesy of Netgalley and W.F. Howes Ltd.

DARK BUT OOH SO GOOD!!!
First book by Chris Brookmyre but definitely not my last.
There was a nice amount of dark and light in this book. Sad and hopefulness.
Loved it

I enjoyed the story, a good plot but the pace seemed to dip around the middle section, I think perhaps had it have been a paperback it would have taken me longer to read and my attention would have wandered. The audio narrator was very skilled at bringing the book alive and definitely helped keep me attentive.

Jerry Kelly is an 18-year-old Glasgow Uni film student and ex-petty thief. Millie Spark is an ex make-up artist in her 70s, who recently got out of prison after serving 25 years for killing her boyfriend. As The Cut progresses, it slowly becomes clear that these two outsiders have much more in common than it first seems.

I’m a huge fan of Chris Brookmyre’s mixture of solid characters, clever storytelling and scathing social commentary, and the Cut didn’t disappoint. Millie and Jerry are believable. The plot’s satisfyingly twisty turny. Ageism, racism and the meritocracy myth are all subject to his penetrating gaze. And, to top it all off, there’s a sprinkling of Brookmyre’s dark and spiky humour.

The Cut was so gripping that I raced through all 14 hours in 4 days and a couple of late nights. This was, in part, down to Eilidh Beaton’s narration. The wide range of characters’ ages isn’t a problem for her. And she switches between Italian, French, English, Scottish and Irish accents with ease. Her animated and crisp reading style makes it easy to become absorbed in the story.

The Cut sounded like a book that would suit me down to the ground. A mystery surrounding a 72 year old woman who spent 28 years in prison for a murder she did not commit and her mission to find out what really happened to her dead lover. Throw in amazing horror movie and special make up effects and well, it sounds brilliant.

I listened to this on audio and I do wonder if I would have preferred reading the physical copy. I found it too long. I'm not a huge fan of overly long audiobooks anyway but there was something about the very languid way in which the story was narrated that made me feel like I was listening to this forever and it interrupted the push of the story.

What I did love was Millicent's character. Her cool, dead pan, reserved domineer was so interesting to read about and watching her find her feet again after so many years in prison was enlightening. I also loved, loved, loved all the nods to classic horror movies and behind the scenes facts that Jerome (the film buff) would throw into conversation. I'm a huge horror movie fan myself so that was a very welcome addition.

The ending did let my overall enjoyment of the book down. It didn't lead to anything particularly explosive and the reveal was disappointing after such a long build up. This is the first Chris Brookmyre book that I have read and I liked his writing style so I'll definitely be looking out for more of his books in the future.

Unfortunately I was not able to listen to this audiobook as the file was corrupted in some way. It felt like it had a layered affect to it. Like it was playing over itself. I couldn't keep listening. It may be that there are still some teething problems with the new audiobook ability of NetGalley. It may be that I was listening to it on x1.25 speed. But that should be OK. I don't like listening at normal speed as they are too slow. Faster speeds feel more like normal speech. Hopefully this is just a glitch and future audiobooks won't have an issue.

Please note, this was not a problem with the book but with the audio file.

A funny and clever mystery. Rich with interesting characters and unlikely friendships this book is definitely something special. I was kept guessing throughout, nothing about this book was predictable.
The narration was easy to follow and seemed to fit the tone of the book very well.
I will be sure to look out for more from this author in the future

This was such a fun and unique mystery that felt really refreshing to listen to!

An unlikely bond is struck between the protagonists, Millie (72 years old) and Jerry (a uni student) as they embark on an adventure together to unlock the truth as to why Millie was imprisoned for 24 years. I really enjoyed the humour in this novel, the different characters met along the way and the backdrop of horror film-making and make-up artistry that enveloped you into the world and made me feel as if I was there, travelling Europe and getting in to trouble.

I want more Brookmyre books to read!

Thanks to NetGalley, W.F. Howes Ltd and Chris Brookmyre for an eAlc copy of this novel for review!

What a ride!

I was intrigued by the premise of this and requested the audio arc from NetGalley so thank you to them and the publisher. I’m so glad I did.

We follow two timelines of our main character Millicent ‘Millie’ - a make up special effects artist working in horror. We follow her in the 90s during her career, and then decades later when she is released from prison, convicted for murder.

This was a pitch perfect mystery thriller, I was shocked and left on the edge of my seat on multiple occasions. It had the right notes of pop culture and it even had a great detective duo (who I would love to see more of)

Thrillers were feeling a bit stale for me but this was a breath of fresh air.

Having just finished a similar book, I wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy this book. How wrong I was. This book was amazing. I loved the realistic characters, very 21st century all wrapped up with some stuck very much in the past. I loved the cover up conspiracy plot twists, but most of all I loved the relationships that developed. The fun film quotes, reminded me of all the past films I’ve enjoyed and made this book really come to life. The banter between characters actually made me laugh out loud, which is rather unusual in a murder mystery type book. I think that’s why enjoyed this book so much, I love the light humour. I listen to this as an audio book and found the accents and narration really helped to bring the characters to life. This is a fabulous read - totally unique not at all what I expected. It keeps you guessing, takes you on a tour of different countries and also links in the current pandemic situation at the end. A very modern and relevant book- pick up a copy and get reading. You won’t regret it!

Thank you to NetGalley, Chris Brookmyre and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

One word.. outstanding!

This is the first book by Chris Brookmyre that I have read and I absolutely loved it. The story line is brilliant. This is a dark and gripping thriller. Nothing is left unanswered. This is a very clever book, everything ties together. I can’t wait to ready more by Chris. I think I’ve found a new favourite author.