Carver is still taking things slowly as he was nearly killed by the murderer from SPLINTER IN THE BLOOD. The odd thing is that, even though he is still weakened physically, the near-death experience left him with an odd trait --- the ability to read people’s emotions in colors. It doesn't seem like much, but knowing what a subject is thinking is a major asset with the many interrogations involved in the Ferryman case. He relies heavily on Lake to shoulder the burden of handling the groundwork, and she always seems to be one step behind this crafty killer. Their team shares notes with the SCD1, or Serious Crime Directorate One, but it doesn't really lead to anything worthwhile. This is a case that is going to require a good amount of legwork and following up on the right leads. I also really enjoyed the auction house aspects of this story, which were not that dissimilar from my own experiences in the book biz. I was hoping that Louise Welsh had written more stories about this unusual detective, but alas, that does not seem to be the case.

It's very capable literary fiction that happens to be set in the context of a criminal enterprise that is brought or almost brought undone by the narrator. The Cutting Room" is a very in-the-moment crime thriller that uses social media as the perfect framework for the pathological attention-seeking all narcissists thrive on. The story is generally well-written with good character development and pacing. The identity of the antagonist is skillfully camouflaged and not revealed until the climax. The reader won't get the feeling of being duped or led down too many blind alleys, as is the case with more clumsily-constructed books. Short intro in the 2 mc's then they are lured to the remains of the next victim of a serial killer. The Sunday Times described The Cutting Room as: "one of the most intriguing, assured and unputdownable debuts to come out of Scotland in recent years". [3] The List was particularly impressed by Welsh's portrayal of Glasgow: "...the city becomes a character in its own right; Gothic, dismal, decaying and frightening in equal measure". [4]When Ashley Dyer --- the pseudonym for the UK writing duo of Margaret Murphy and Helen Pepper --- released their first book together in 2018, SPLINTER IN THE BLOOD, they delivered a fresh take on the standard serial killer novel. In fact, it was as expertly crafted and chilling as Thomas Harris at his finest during his run with the Hannibal Lecter series. It appeared on my Top 10 list from last year, making my expectations for the follow-up sky high.

The second feature that fascinated me was the fact that Rilke is single, white, 43 years old and gay. Lured to a “crime scene” by a mysterious digital invitation, Ruth Lake is horrified by what she finds: a bizarre and gruesome tableau surrounded by a crowd of gawkers. The deadly work is the latest “art installation” designed by a diabolical criminal dubbed the Ferryman. Not only is this criminal cold-blooded; he’s a narcissistic exhibitionist desperate for an audience. He’s also clever at promoting his deadly handiwork. Exploiting England’s current true-crime craze, he uses social media to titillate and terrorize the public. The Cutting Room is noir fiction at its finest. The characters are beautifully drawn, complex and interesting. The pace of the novel is fast, with a well thought out plot. I enjoyed every moment of this book, although I am relieved not to have met any of its shady characters in real life. Are you still searching for the perfect Christmas gift? Look no further! Treat your loved ones to a luxurious salon experience at The Cutting Room by purchasing our exclusive Christmas gift vouchers. A Present that Pampers and Delights Right from the start, I wanted to get out my red pen and start correcting The Cutting Room. It’s not the typos that bother me – although they’re there – it’s the way that the novel’s mystery (about ‘snuff’ pornography) fails to mesh with its milieu and cast of characters. Welsh seems far more interested in writing about her hard-drinking, grizzled protagonist, Rilke, and his motley assortment of friends and colleagues, than she does in developing the mystery.As I am an interested observer who likes Giger, I know some of the images which are in that style described in The Cutting Room - see the linked book Biomechanics. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I love when authors tie social media into these crime fiction novels. The topic of social media and an online presence is so relevant and relatable in today’s world. Who hasn’t been obsessed with watching their follower numbers grow at one point or another? I’ll admit, it’s always fun to hit that next milestone number. Well, The Ferryman brings this obsession to a whole new level. I mean, who doesn’t love a narcissistic killer?

Detectives Ruth Lake and Greg Carver, introduced in the electrifying Splinter in the Blood, must stop a serial killer whose victims are the centerpiece of his macabre works of art. This was such a well done crime thriller! I loved all the investigative and forensic details. I particularly liked all the time that Lake and Carver spent with the medical examiner. The characters were all so well developed, so real. I particularly was fascinated by Carver and the auras he would see as a side effect of his head injury. Oras that allowed him to read peoples moods and emotions, that really helped him in his role as a detective. We also got a glimpse into Ruth Lake’s past and private life. Glimpses that I am sure will be expanded on in future books. I also got to spend some time in the mind of this serial killer. This book was told from multiple perspectives including that of this sadistic deranged killer. If you’re like me and like spending some time with crazy you will love how off the chains this character was! I’ve really been trying to avoid starting any new crime series, but I am certainly glad I gave this one a shot! Going to try to read the first book before the next one comes out. What a wild and crazy ride that I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of!🎧🎧🎧 Peter Noble masterfully narrated this dark tale. I thought he had the perfect English accent to draw me into this atmospheric story. When you read a book set in England there is nothing better than having it read to you by someone with an accent, it really gives you a true sense of the story. THE CUTTING ROOM is about an auctioneer named Rilke, a man of gray morals who solicits sex by night and often frequents gay bars, when he's not dabbling in objects of dubious provenance. Rilke is a great character because he fits right into the noir novels of the 50s, and yet his character is much more modern (and gay!), while also slotting neatly into the tone and the mood of his gumshoe predecessors.This is an excellent police procedural/ thriller that is completely engrossing. The quality of the writing is outstanding. Dyer (a pen name of former CWA chair Margaret Murphy and forensic expert Helen Pepper writing together) creates a complex plot, an intricate investigation, and well developed characters. There are twists and false leads. The forensics details are fascinating. The killer's focus on social media followers is a timely, subtle social commentary. This is the second book in the Carver and Lake series; the first is Splinter in the Blood. A cunning serial killer, who was likened to the mythological Ferryman, had Liverpool churning, and his clever use of social media had his popularity soaring and his followers swarming each fresh crime scene for his artistic yet gruesome exhibits featuring the mutilated organs of his victims or graphics/videos of their demise. This was a complex and compelling thriller and I couldn’t seem to gain traction on the mystery, as it was slippery, confounding, multi-textured, and complicated by unreliable and deceitful characters with closets full of their own dark secrets. This last characteristic allows Welsh to further circumvent the conventions of the crime genre. However, she does it without detracting from the intrinsic appeal of the genre itself. As a result, her success asks the question, why can't there be more gay narrators and protagonists in the crime genre?