Customer Reviews

Smash Cut (Thorndike Basic)

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(12)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

Sandra Brown is among the best writers that adds suspense-filled overtones to an underlining romantic plotline. Her newest book, Smash Cut, is just another example of her brilliant pen work. The book begins with the murder of a highly successful, well-recognizable CEO, Paul Wheeler. What at first seems like a simple robbery, however, is proving to be anything but.

The Atlanta businessman had romantic entanglements with one of the most successful art dealers in the Southern US, Julie Rutledge, may be the only viable witness alive.

As this case dominates the headlines, the world renown defense lawyer, Derek Mitchell, is hired by the family to defend, Creighton Wheeler, the nephew of Paul, whom has yet to be charged with the crime.

This is a bold move from the family and it raises all sorts of red flags. But laying in wait is Julie, who is committed to bringing justice to Paul, and is willing to do all she can to see that it happens -- and her first task is to prevent the incredibly handsome, Derek Mitchell, from defending the case.

This latest book by Ms. Brown moves along at a blinding pace. The book starts fast and only gains momentum. The twist and turns are so unpredictable, that you cannot see them coming. For instance: Creighton Wheeler is the primary suspect, yet has an alibi for the night of the crime. But if he is not guilty, then why did the family rush and hire the best defense lawyer in the business? And what role did, Julie Rutledge, truly play in all this? Remember, she is the viable witness?

The characters are brilliantly constructed and mesmerize the reader by inviting them into this world of sordid lust and carnal desires. I highly recommend it. Another book I would highly recommend is GE0 TIN'S masterful novel SIRENS: Sirens (Enchanted Song) it is another incredibly crafted novel the features the dual genre.

Sandra Brown is one of the few authors who is able to guarantee an enviable level of book sales with the presence of her name on the cover. And with SMASH CUT, her latest novel, Brown gives her readers their money's worth by delivering what may be her best work to date, blending characters, plot and memorable vignettes into a rapidly readable mix.

SMASH CUT begins with a murder. A daring robbery carried out on an elevator at the Moultrie Hotel in Atlanta by a ski-masked bandit ends with the murder of Paul Wheeler, the CEO of Wheeler Enterprises. A widower who is a well-regarded pillar of Atlanta society, Paul was also a highly successful businessman. And it had been his practice to meet weekly at the Moultrie with Julie Rutledge, who, despite the disparity in age between herself and Paul, had been his companion for almost two years. Julie, the owner of Atlanta's most successful art gallery, had just concluded her weekly meeting with Paul when he was murdered. The police initially have no significant leads as to the identity of the killer, although Creighton Wheeler, a thoroughly unsympathetic character, has the most to gain from his death, given that he is Paul's nephew and testamentary heir.

Despite the best efforts of Creighton's father, Doug, the 28-year-old waste of skin has absolutely no interest in the family business other than the extent to which it can be a cash cow to feed the maw of his own interests: call girls, fast cars, designer clothes, and --- most of all --- films, which he watches obsessively. When the police investigating Paul's murder begin paying close attention to Creighton's affairs, Doug looks to Derek Mitchell, Atlanta's pre-eminent defense attorney, for representation.

Derek is unaware of what has taken place when he is initially contacted by Doug as he had just returned from a vacation in Paris. And although Derek is intrigued by the case, he ultimately turns it down, telling Doug that Creighton, who has an airtight alibi, is not a viable suspect in the case. But the reader soon learns that the truth goes deeper than that. Although Derek has an extreme distaste for Creighton, the real reason he denies the case is because he is attracted to Julie, which would produce a conflict of interest. When Creighton, who has always harbored a deep dislike of Julie, becomes aware of the attraction, it puts Julie and Derek --- as well as the real killer --- in his crosshairs as Julie slowly and inexorably becomes the primary focus of the police investigation.

This state of affairs occurs as the result of Creighton's machinations. As unlikable as he may be, Creighton is a diabolical genius as well as an uncontrollable narcissist who will do anything to get what he wants. Using scenes from the classic films with which he is obsessed, Creighton blazes a trail of mayhem across Atlanta, with his ultimate target being an innocent who unwittingly holds the key to Paul's murder. As Julie and Derek race to bring down Creighton, even as they themselves are pursued by the police, they get closer and closer to a climax where they must try to stop a seemingly untouchable foe.

Sandra Brown's pacing and characterization make SMASH CUT a one-sit read. She saves her biggest surprises for the final pages of the story but sprinkles nuggets throughout with generous doses of sex and violence along the way. Put this one on your must-read list.

--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

Lately it seems a few of my favorite authors are not writing as well as they used to. I guess after so many novels you either run out of ideas or just get lazy.

This book was OK. I skimmed a lot of it. The dialogue was sort of dumb. Just in the first chapter alone the word "culprit" was used half dozen times to describe the bad guy. In Chapter 18, Sharon Wheeler was referred to as Susan more than once. Where's the editing? The movie references with the nephew were pointless. And if Uncle Paul disliked him so much why would he (Creighton) have been the heir to the fortune?

I really had to force myself to finish this book. I would go into more detail but I don't want to spoil the story. I'm just glad I bought it at Wal-Mart for cheaper price. I should've gone to the library instead.

Sandra Brown is one of the few authors who can combine action, thriller, suspense, murder, crime, and romance, and can do it marvelously. I've developed an insatiable taste for her books, reading them as soon as they come out and impatiently waiting for more. Brown has superb talent in making the readers connect with her characters, making them so real that I mourn their end when I finish each book. Her writing, wording, and style are always beyond five stars.

While "Smash Cut" was somewhat suspenseful with a nice little twist in the end, I felt this was not one of her best. The constant movie references were annoying and, for lack of a better work, corny. Julie's motive for sleeping with Derek in the beginning was incredibly outlandish and immediately made me dislike her. It seems as though Julie was this evil character in the beginning, with her remark to Derek, "You've been had", but then completely does a 180 and is now someone loved and respectable. I found it incredibly hard to sympathize with her and like her. Creighton seemed too fake of a person and rather childish with copying movie scenes and spitting out movie quotes. There was a lack of passion between Derek and Julie, and passion is supposed to be Brown's writing specialty. When I put this book down in the end, it reminded me of the movie "Scream", although I felt "Scream" was actually a little better than this book. Her plot was just lacking the usual sophistication I have come to expect from her novels.

The Last Saint

That Brown still earns millions despite the lack of quality in her writing is astounding to me. Like many other authors who just pump the books out without much thought, thats where this one fits in.

The story is a little weird. As stated in other reviews the movie references were just stupid. Brown tried desperately to tie them into the title.

I wasn't happy about the dog either, but c'mon people, its fiction.

Don't bother buying this one...get it for free at library if there is nothing else to read.

When wealthy CEO Paul Wheeler is murdered in a crowded Atlanta hotel elevator after a visit with the much younger Julia, a woman rumored to be his lover, the police are baffled as to the culprit's identity and reason for the deed. The four witnesses are unable to provide a description due to the killer's disguise. Was it a robbery or a hit? The killer only took nominal jewelry items and left the cash behind. High-powered attorney Derek Mitchell is put on retainer for the man's family, particularly his narcissistic nephew Creighton, who is to inherit the estate. But soon Derek has a conflict of interest when he discovers that the partner in his induction into the mile high club is the victim's lover and she will do anything to see that Creighton is prosecuted for the murder.

Sandra Brown has always been an auto-purchase from me. She creates believable characters and seamlessly blends romance with suspense in books I have a difficult timed putting down. This time out, I have to say that the plot was a bit far-fetched and a little too familiar for fans of Hitchcock movies, and it had a difficult time holding my interest. I liked the reluctant romance between Julia and Derek, but Creighton's constant uttering of lines from movies was mostly inane and inappropriate, and rarely added anything to the story, especially when he quoted from of all movies, "Pretty Woman." As soon as his fascination with Hitchcock was revealed, the suspense was over for me - until the very end when Brown cleverly plops a huge reveal on readers.

I just wish writers would refrain from telling me what people are wearing or eating. If it doesn't matter to the story, I don't need to know.

Since the book's beginning till the end you'll be thrilled by the plot but the best of it is the end. You'll never have any inkling about it.

I'm not too sure how to feel about this book. Yes it did have all the good twists and turns that make a good book but alot of it was a bit predictable. I hate to read a book and feel that I can't wait to finish it because there just wawsn't anything new about. I love Sandra Brown but i find thah er older books are better than newer ones. If you're looking for a book to blow you away then I don't think that this is it.

This was an okay read. Not one of her best. Somewhat predictable,and not very suspenseful. Her earlier books were much more interesting, and were hard to put down.

I have been a fan of Sandra Brown's thrillers for years, and I have to say she has not produced a novel of the quality of my two favorites, "Fat Tuesday" and "Envy" in years. Smash Cut was no exception to a downward trend. I think that when your publisher makes you produce two completed novels a year, the quality is bound to suffer in terms of plot, dialogue and character development. The book starts off with typical Sandra Brown "steam" -- sex between two total strangers on an jet airplane, and then has to make that kind of the anchor for the rest of the book. Just a bit lame, and the cop out explanation at the end as to why Julie would be desperate for sex is just a cheap shot. Also, I really didn't get the chemistry between Julie and Derek -- it wasn't compelling.

The villain, Creighton, was an over-the-top caricature of a real person, an unrelenting sociopathic, sadistic monster and it was unbelievable that no one around him suspected anything, (shades of Noah in "Envy") but it bothered me a lot less in that book because the story in that book was so much more interesting. There really wasn't much suspense leading up to the denouement being nothing but the possible murder of a completely new and unknown character (why, and who cares?!!), and it was so obvious that Creighton was responsible for all the mischief and completely uncredible that the police would suspect Julie.

And yes, there were typos in the paperback edition, including as others have mentioned "Sharon" being called "Susan" in several places, making you go "huh, who's Susan?" Slow down, Sandra, and write another true blockbuster instead of ginning out the pulp fiction.