Final Cut (Five Star First Edition Mystery) [Hardcover]

Billie Sue Mosiman (Author)

Book Description

Series: Five Star First Edition Mystery | Publication Date: June 2002

Top publicist Karl LaRosa has it all. But a threatening note and finding his office saturated in pig's blood is a sign that things may soon turn deadly.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Tepid is the word for this episodic, Diabolique-like terror tale of a Hollywood agent bedeviled by a mysterious maniac from psychological thriller author and Edgar nominee Mosiman (Wireman). Viewpoints alternate from chapter to chapter until the main character, Karl LaRosa, becomes virtually incidental to the plot. A publicity agent who promotes the careers of young stars, LaRosa has a house in Malibu, a Jaguar and a roster of beautiful girlfriends, one of whom just may be trying to ruin, if not kill, him for some past transgression. Somebody at any rate almost drives his car off the freeway, and later trashes his office and then his home. Clients start to quit because of his increasingly unsavory reputation. Unbeknownst to LaRosa, all the bad stuff that's happening to him is part of the script of a new film, Pure and Uncut, in which his nemesis apparently has a role. Directing Pure and Uncut is two-time Academy Award winner "Cam" Hill, whose obsession with completing the movie overrides all other considerations, including the discovery of a human head. The filmmaking subplot, replete with Hollywood business, dilutes the suspense. The anonymous potential killer (aka "The Body") provides a chilling third point of view, even if the fiend's motives are never clear. In the end, competently drawn characters, realistic film scenes and a brisk pace can't make up for the lack of a strong central focus.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Successful Hollywood publicist Karl LaRosa fears for his life. Someone - apparently a woman he hurt in the past - is stalking him, but the police won't help. His ex-wife, coincidentally, is producing a new movie about a stalker for a manipulative director who insists on signed nondisclosure forms and daily script allowances. It turns out that Karl's vengeful stalker has a role in this film, and what happens during filming happens to Karl. This close mirroring of events breeds a chilling combination of Hollywood sex, glitz, and horror. Strongly recommended for fans of Mosiman's other horror thrillers (e.g., Wireman).
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 300 pages
• Publisher: Five Star (ME) (June 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786241756
• ISBN-13: 978-0786241750
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,457,232 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I am a thriller, suspense, and horror novelist. My books were first published in 1984 and two of them received an Edgar Award Nomination for best novel and a Bram Stoker Award Nomination for most superior novel. I was represented by the William Morris Agency, belonged to many professional writing organizations, and even wrote columns and reviews in magazines. When anthologies were big, I was a regular contributor and have more than 150 short stories published. For a spell I taught writing for Writer's Digest and for AOL online. I was born in Alabama and live now in Texas on a small ranch.

My work has been predominately suspense thrillers, but I also wrote a western historical, a trilogy of vampire novels, a travel memoir, and, of course, many short stories. My latest novel is BANISHED, a dark fantasy horror novel involving fallen angels. Most of my work has been made available at kindle.com for the e-book reader, including my Stoker-nominated novel, WIDOW, and my Edgar-nominated novel, NIGHT CRUISING.

I love to read (especially on my Kindle), paint, take photographs, and travel. I can name two inspiring persons in my life. One was my grandmother, Naomi. And, every day and forever, my husband, who has lived this adventure with me.

Because of a lifelong love of storytelling, I've been able to make a lifelong investment in writing those stories and novels.

News of my e-book publications can be found at: http://peculiarwriter.blogspot.com/

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars strong suspense thriller, August 10, 2002

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Final Cut (Five Star First Edition Mystery) (Hardcover)

Show business publicist Karl LaRosa enjoys his lifestyle that includes many young women to make love with in his Malibu home. However, his perfect life starts to break down when someone tries to run his Jaguar off the road and vandalizes his house and office. Attempts to kill him follow. Karl assumes an ex-girlfriend seeks revenge for some unknown slight, but has no idea whom or why.

Unbeknownst to Karl is that the events in his life follow the script of the filming Pure and Uncut, a movie being directed by Academy Award winning Cambridge Hill. No one involved in the making of the movie breaks the confidence by informing Karl what is happening as everyone is under contract. Karl needs to uncover the truth soon because his unknown assailant is becoming bolder and more dangerous.

The narration alternates between Karl, the culprit, and several of those working on Pure and Uncut. This enables the audience to fully appreciate the strength of the characters, but especially the lead protagonist. The suspense increases as Karl struggles with solving who wants to destroy him even as his anonymous opponent raises the pressure on him. The deep look into Hollywood filmmaking is insightful and entertaining in its own right, but also slows down the pace of a thrilling stalker plot. Billie Sue Mosiman provides her audience with a strong suspense thriller that will keep the audience reading until the FINAL CUT.

Harriet Klausner