Customer Reviews

Cut Shot

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Corrigan's first book is a winner. The plot is tightly wound and suspenseful, but the real treat is the interplay among the principal characters. The scenes between protagonist Austin and Lisa, his intended, are particularly well drawn. The dyslexia that Austin terms a blessing is an interesting and integral part of Austin's character. I suspect that golfers will enjoy the inside info on the Tour, but anyone who wants a good, tough guy (sensitive on the inside) mystery will enjoy this one. The book is a great beginning to what promises to be a fine series.

This is a cleverly concieved story about an attempt by The Mob to infiltrate the PGA Tour and how one man's courage (and luck) exposes the effort and brings it down. It is not so much about golf, although there is enough of that and of inside information on the Tour to satisfy most golfers, as it is a mystery. Jack Austin is a 10 year non-winning member of the PGA Tour who is drawn in to a dangerous game by a fellow tour member who is being black mailed to alter his scores for the benefit of some very unsavory gamblers. The effort nearly costs Austin and his finacee, a golf commentator for CBS, their lives. The story is believeable and the plot will hold your attention all the way through this very notable first novel by the author.And there is more on the way we are told.

John Corrigan's debut novel, Cut Shot is simply un-put-down-able. Well paced, every scene is charged with tension and the plotting is masterful. This unique mystery is written in taut, muscular prose, and Corrigan shows a keen eye for the telling detail as well as a great ear for dialogue. His hero, Jack Austin, is a stand-up guy with a devastating dry wit. This is a very good mystery, recommended for the golfer and non-golfer alike.

I am not a golfer, so I didn't gravitate to the book because of its content, but because of its author. I loved it and read it quickly. Without being pedantic, the book informs the reader of some of the intricacies of golf in such a way that s/he doesn't get lost in the game. Corrigan has achieved the ideal balance between game and mystery, and I left the book having painlessly learned a little bit about golf and a lot about the main characters, Jack and Lisa. The mystery is well-crafted, and the characters are immensely likable. The sexual tension between them heightens their appeal as people the reader can recognize and value. The book is well-written, something I cannot say about many of the new, popular mysteries, and I am looking forward to the additional complications promised in the next book. When I like a book and its recurring characters, I want a long book so that it doesn't end too quickly. Corrigan will, no doubt, join the ranks of mystery writers who develop and enhance their craft and acquire a vast number of devotees.

John: You cost me sleep. Last Friday evening I decided to start
"Cut Shot" and read myself to sleep. I did not put it down until I finished it. Great job - it was a very nice blend of mystery, a few putting tips (all of which I could use), and PGA information. I really look forward to your next book! I gather that Lisa and Jack will be characters in future books. Again, thanks much.

I was very impressed with John R. Corrigan's first book, Cut Shot. Being a novice player, I enjoyed the expert golf analysis throughout the book; and think I learned from it! The story line is excellent, honesty v. dishonesty in the PGA; and I love the lead character, Jack Austin. Can't wait for the next Austin mystery to find out what's in Jack's and Lisa's futures.

As the other reviews here have noted, Corrigan does a fine job of blending a mystery with a love of golf; anyone who likes either will enjoy this book. Corrigan is especially gifted in creating suspenseful situations. This is a book that, once begun, is difficult to put down.

I enjoyed reading Cut Shot immensely, and especially the masterful way with which Corrigan develops the character of Jack Austin, the novel's PGA Tour competitor and solver of mysteries. Austin is a talented pro golfer and tenacious sleuth, but he's also a real human being with whom we can't help but empathize. In a brilliant stroke, Corrigan gives us a hero who battles daily with dyslexia, a disability that gives Austin both a peculiar vulnerability as a character and a dogged focus that can help him with both his game and his investigation of the crimes that threaten his beloved PGA Tour. Austin has to work hard for every clue and for every putt throughout the novel, and that makes him a kind of golfing, sleuthing everyman: a guy you might meet in a hotel lobby or practice tee sometime and instantly like.

I read this book cover to cover in one sitting. I've never done that before, even with fast paced athors like Chuck Palahniuk. I think that action speaks louder than anything else I could write here.

If you like a good mystery, whether or not you play golf, you'll like John Corrigan's Cut Shot.Corrigan's hero, Jack Austin, is as likeable as any series hero going. Austin is a decent, idelistic guy who loves the purity of the PGA Tour so much that he's ready to sacrifice everything he loves to make sure the game isn't corrupted by underworld forces. Corrigan's knowledge of golf gives the novel its authenticity, and his knowledge of character and plot give the novel its page-turning intensity. Corrigan is a crime novelist to watch.