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Christopher Brookmyre
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The Cut: A BBC Radio 2 Book Club pick Kindle Edition

by Chris Brookmyre (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 3,628 ratings
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Preorder Chris Brookmy're stunning, unique new novel THE CRACKED MIRROR now



A BBC Radio 2 Book Club pick



'Strikingly original and definitively Brookmyre - there's nothing he can't do'
Mick Herron

'I recommend The Cut SO HIGHLY! A fast-paced thriller, lovely characters, [and] it kept me guessing'
Marian Keyes

The supremely entertaining, moving, and unpredictable new thriller from multi-award-winning bestseller Chris Brookmyre is a wholly original masterpiece and the best crime novel of 2021.

Millie Spark can kill anyone.

A special effects make-up artist, her talent is to create realistic scenes of bloody violence.

Then, one day, she wakes 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.

'A twisty spiralling rabbit hole of a book that draws you deeper with every chapter. Brilliantly original, compulsively readable, right to the final page'
Ruth Ware

'Dark, heartfelt, stylish and thrilling, The Cut is the kind of wonderfully original tale I just adore. Chris Brookmyre is a storytelling mastermind'
Chris Whitaker

'This is a special novel. A brilliant, original, up-to-the-minute tale with all of the dark, edgy, humorous brilliance we've come to expect from one of the finest crime fiction writers in the world. The Cut is simply superb'
Abir Mukherjee

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  1. Print length
    449 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Little, Brown Book Group
  5. Publication date
    March 4, 2021
  6. File size
    2451 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
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Get to know this book

Previous page

  1. What's it about?

    A special effects artist is accused of murdering her lover, but years later, she and a student uncover shocking truths.

  2. Popular highlight

    ‘The reason people don’t value facts is because they belong to everyone,’ she replied. ‘Myths and rumours feel like secret knowledge, and so people prize them more.’
    82 Kindle readers highlighted this
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Chris Brookmyre is a genius, every new book of his is a cause for celebration―Richard Osman

I recommend The Cut SO HIGHLY! A fast-paced thriller set in the glamorous/seedy movie world, it's DIFFERENT. Lovely characters with the sweetest relationship, it kept me guessing―Marian Keyes

A twisty spiralling rabbit hole of a book that draws you deeper with every chapter. Brilliantly original, compulsively readable, right to the final page―Ruth Ware

The Cut is both strikingly original and definitively Brookmyre - proving, yet again, that there's nothing he can't do in the genre―Mick Herron

It works a treat, with jokes never far away even when the odd duo are in peril, sharply drawn supporting characters and evocative 1990s flashbacks―Sunday Times

This is a special novel. A brilliant, original, up-to-the-minute tale with all of the dark, edgy, humorous brilliance we've come to expect from one of the finest crime fiction writers in the world. The Cut is simply superb―Abir Mukherjee

Another twisting, turning thriller that displays Brookmyre's original touch―Scotsman

Dark, heartfelt, stylish and thrilling, The Cut is the kind of wonderfully original tale I just adore. Chris Brookmyre is a storytelling mastermind―Chris Whitaker

A smart, sassy and surprisingly tender crime novel―Irish Times

I could not put this stomach lurching, zig-zagging triumph of a thriller down―Scottish Field

Multi-award-winning Brookmyre once again serve up a delightful cocktail of murder and mayhem with totally engaging central characters―Irish Independent

A riveting, original thriller that also tackles preconceptions about age, class and ability―Sunday Post

About the Author

Chris Brookmyre was a journalist before becoming a full-time novelist with the publication of his award-winning debut Quite Ugly One Morning, which established him as one of Britain's leading crime novelists. His 2016 novel Black Widow won both the McIlvanney Prize and the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year award. Brookmyre's novels novels have sold more than two million copies in the UK alone.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08CV64Q5P
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Little, Brown Book Group (March 4, 2021)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 4, 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2451 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 449 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 3,628 ratings

About the author

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Christopher Brookmyre

Christopher Brookmyre

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
3,628 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book very enjoyable and say the story moves forward at a good pace. They also appreciate the plot and resolution. Readers also say the writing style is good.

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Entertainment valuePacingWriting style
5 customers mention "Entertainment value"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book very enjoyable and highly recommended.

"...All in all, I highly recommend this book. A very enjoyable and satisfying read. Good luck with the Harrogate Crime Novel of the Year 2022 nomination!" Read more

"Not just fun reading, which it is, but interesting in that it talks about/explains things about the film industry that I, at least, did not know...." Read more

"...And an homage to films and filmmaking. Highly recommended." Read more

"Such a great read!..." Read more

3 customers mention "Pacing"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the pacing of the book good. They also say the plot and resolution were well thought out.

"...Just the right amount of humor and sarcasm. The story moved forward at a good pace. The plot and its resolution was well thought out. Well written...." Read more

"...Great story line, awesome characters, and I definitely didn’t guess the end!" Read more

"Definitely one for Chris Brookmyre fans. Fast paced, humor, taut logic. And an homage to films and filmmaking. Highly recommended." Read more

3 customers mention "Writing style"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the writing style of the book good.

"...The plot and its resolution was well thought out. Well written. All in all, I highly recommend this book. A very enjoyable and satisfying read...." Read more

"...The writing was good, as always." Read more

"Despite a complex timeframe, The Cut is beautifully written and all the intricacies are perfectly clear. A joy." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars A very enjoyable read
Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2022
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I've only read a couple of Chris Brookmyre's books - but those I have (Places in the Darkness, Fallen Angel), I have enjoyed very much. I think this is the best of his books that I've read. The characters, plot, and associated settings are fresh and engaging. I really enjoyed the ongoing references to many movies of the 70's, 80's, and 90's, and got most of the references. Just the right amount of humor and sarcasm. The story moved forward at a good pace. The plot and its resolution was well thought out. Well written. All in all, I highly recommend this book. A very enjoyable and satisfying read. Good luck with the Harrogate Crime Novel of the Year 2022 nomination!
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Simnsays
4.0 out of 5 stars Very Good Story
Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2021
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This was a good story with interesting characters. The build up was a bit slow but it got there eventually. I did miss his signature humor though but the movie references were fun. The writing was good, as always.
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SWalthew
5.0 out of 5 stars Another great Brookmyre opus
Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2023
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Not just fun reading, which it is, but interesting in that it talks about/explains things about the film industry that I, at least, did not know. Well worth your time.
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Mushoobug
5.0 out of 5 stars Such a great read!
Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2022
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I read this for one of my book clubs and absolutely loved it. I wasn’t so sure in the beginning but within a chapter or two I was definitely hooked. Great story line, awesome characters, and I definitely didn’t guess the end!
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Azidas
5.0 out of 5 stars For the fans
Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2021
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Definitely one for Chris Brookmyre fans. Fast paced, humor, taut logic. And an homage to films and filmmaking. Highly recommended.
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Ipad
5.0 out of 5 stars This book is so much fun to read
Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2021
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Despite a complex timeframe, The Cut is beautifully written and all the intricacies are perfectly clear. A joy.
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Kate Vane
4.0 out of 5 stars Video nasties and moral panics
Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2021
Millie Spark has been released after serving a quarter of a century in prison for the murder of her boyfriend. She still protests her innocence, at least to herself. She is in her seventies now, still physically fit but emotionally battered by her experience, struggling to undertake even minor errands. Her former life as a special effects make-up artist in low budget horror films is something she can’t even think about.

Then Jerry, a young student who is struggling with some issues of his own, answers an ad to move in with Millie and the two other older women she lives with. Vivian, the homeowner, wants to do one of those intergenerational shares, where he gets cheap rent in return for helping out with chores and engaging with his housemates. Jerry is studying Film and is obsessed with the last film Millie ever worked on, a film which is alleged to be cursed and which was never released.

A chance event gives Millie a new lead on the events that led to her conviction. When she begins to dig, she puts herself and Jerry in danger. They go on the run, on a journey that takes them across Europe, determined to protect themselves and to solve the mystery of what really happened.

The Cut bears a superficial resemblance to Denise Mina’s Conviction – a woman investigating her own past life among the super-rich, an odd couple on the road in glamorous foreign locations. Both books even have a yacht in them. The Cut, though, is less exuberant, given all that Millie has already lost. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that she and Jerry are both damaged and their hesitant steps towards friendship and trust are beautifully observed.

The story about Millie’s past takes in a political element, recalling the ‘video nasties’ moral panic of the 80s and 90s and featuring a Murdoch-type family, whose story is interwoven with Millie’s both on a cultural and a personal level. It is also chastening to learn that for Jerry, the Leveson Inquiry is a historical event, something he has only learnt about at university, rather than a recent memory!

The novel is steeped in cinematic references. It illustrates the powerful shared experience of fandom, particularly for those who feel isolated in ‘real’ life, and the way niche interests are sustained and shared in the online space, in contrast with the era of video.

The flashbacks to the filming of the lost classic didn’t quite come to life so well for me. The characters and events on the film set felt quite generic (coke, arrogant men, underage girls). The present-day incarnations of those who survived felt more nuanced, offering an insight into what becomes of the people who don’t quite make it, and are on the fringes of a fiercely competitive and profit-driven industry.

In The Cut, nothing is quite as it seems. Even those who create illusions for a living aren’t immune to the power of myth and deception. Millie and Jerry’s journey challenges them to unravel lies and find redemption. And have a few adventures along the way.
*
I received a copy of The Cut from the publisher via Netgalley.
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James B
5.0 out of 5 stars Still the master of suspense.
Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2021
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Chris is one of those authors where I find myself comparing any new work to his earlier work. Other authors don't compare.
The Cut is one of his best.
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Top reviews from other countries

S.M.
5.0 out of 5 stars Great story, great writing
Reviewed in Canada on June 23, 2021
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Brookmyre has a winner in this one. It is more humorous than his latest books. By humorous, I don’t mean laugh-out-loud funny; it has a character-driven whimsical tone.

The main character, Mildred is 72-years-old and recently released from prison after serving 25 years for killing her lover. Her one stalwart supporter during those 25 years, her brother, has recently died. She has decided to kill herself. Doesn’t sound amusing, but she is. Whether musing to herself about the behaviours of her latest social worker/parole officer or losing her temper at a pushy man behind her in a queue, she shows a facetiousness that belies her depression. Her background, as told in flashbacks just prior to that crucial period leading up to the murder, shows that she was both an alcoholic and a workaholic — key parts of her personality. Alcoholic because she was (and still is) shy and afraid of many things, a workaholic because her work as a cinema special make-up effects artist was the one place she was in her prime, sure of herself and her skills. She specialized in horror films.

The other main character, Jerome, is a young, mixed race first-year university student, raised by a grandmother who has also recently died. Jerome is also shy in his own way, frightened of not fitting into any world. As a consequence, he has sometimes made bad decisions like joining a small-time robbery gang. After his grandmother’s death, he vowed to change his ways and enrolled in a university program — Film & TV, and Politics.

After Mildred discovers some important information, all thoughts of suicide evaporate. Then, Mildred and Jerome bond in their mutual love of horror films (and the fact that he saves her life). Much of the humour in this story comes from the banter between Mildred and Jerome as they jostle for points re their knowledge of films/TV dialogue. I must admit that though I knew about two-thirds of these films, I didn’t remember hearing any of the dialogue “points” that Mildred and Jerome acquired during this banter, but I did appreciate the contest.

This is a character-driven thriller and some thriller lovers may find the initial parts of the story a bit boring. I didn’t because I love character-driven stories. At any rate, Brookmyre fans can be assured that he starts delivering the thrills at about the 30% mark, while still maintaining the whimsical humour.

I especially loved this book for its portrayal of the senior generation. The secondary characters are not cookie-cutter stereotypes. Even the bad guys are past their retirement age. In terms of secondary characters. I particularly loved Violenta Divine, who plays a small but crucial role in solving the mystery. It’s her survival instinct that’s so attractive to me.
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Graham M.
5.0 out of 5 stars Brookmyre at his best
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 27, 2024
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I have read most of Brookmyre's erlier books. and greatly enjoyed his dry humour in titles such as 'the sacred art of stealing' and 'boiling frog'. I had been slightly disappointed when one or two more recent titles showed a change of style, so I was nervous before starting 'the cut'. I needn't have been. Although the style is less playful than the early books. this may well be my favourite title of his (so far) The dry humour is still present, although as I said, less playful than previously. The style is perhaps more adult. His intricate plot development is remarkable, and the attention to detail seems to indicated tireless research. This is a superb crime book, very uo-to-date, and with some touchingly three-dimensional characters. Strongly recommended for those who enjoy crime fiction. Looking forward to his next novel.
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JohannaC
5.0 out of 5 stars Keeps you thrilled
Reviewed in Germany on May 6, 2023
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Millicent is an expert in special make-up effects and used to be the go-to artist in the Nineties. Then a lot of things happened and she suffered. No spoilers here. If you're interested in horror movies - and even if you aren't - you'll understand the magic of real handiwork as opposed to digitalized effects. Crafty plot, good character-painting, fast moving and well written - keeps you reading until the end and a sort of justice.
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MG Hammer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great story development
Reviewed in Australia on May 3, 2021
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Another great book by Chris Brookmyre. Although not as funny as his earlier works, the realism of the characters and story telling make for a good read. With so many authors releasing material by ebooks, it is refreshing to read an author who continues to know how to construct a sentence while building characters and story.
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Mike Marsbergen
4.0 out of 5 stars Combines all of Brookmyre's different styles
Reviewed in Canada on May 7, 2024
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I love Brookmyre. From the first sentence of his debut novel, I knew he was someone special, with a disgustingly unique voice in the world of fiction.

THE CUT, released in 2021, is something like book twenty-three for Scotland's Chris Brookmyre (still Christopher to me). I genuinely think his last five or six books have been some of his best.

THE CUT does something really interesting: It successfully manages to combine Brookmyre's older, more humourous style, with his newer penchant for twisty, high-concept, character-driven mystery-thrillers. With our two lead characters—the elderly Millicent (former make-up effects artist in the horror biz), and young Jerome (uni student, horror and metal fanatic)—Brookmyre is given a playground to explore both styles. Millicent's chapters, while still having a bit of humour, are far more mature in tone. Jerome is where the Brookmyre of old comes out to play, bringing out the Scottish dialect and the biting satire.

THE CUT tackles horror movies like how DEAD GIRL WALKING tackled the music industry. Highly recommended!

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
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