Book Blog Tour: The Cutting by James Hayman

Hello, everyone!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers!  Today we are hosting a book blog tour stop for author James Hayman courtesy of Dorothy at Pump Up Your Book Promotions!  I've had the pleasure of reading several books in conjuction with their team thus far and I must say, a few of the titles are ones I might have missed otherwise (and been very sorry I did!).  So I send my thanks to both author and support team for allowing me the opportunity to present this book for YOUR viewing pleasure.

As I began preparing this post, my day had begun on an uneventful note...and then quickly traveled south, well beyond the borders of making a return trip to "everything is good" land.  Some days it just seems that the odds are stacked against you, you know?  The important thing is that you never give up and that is one lesson that rings true for the action packed book we feature today.  Let's cut to the chase, shall we?  Today's featured book of choice is....

The Cutting

by

James Hayman

Detective Sergeant Michael McCabe is a former big fish in a smaller pond.  While he was not fully disgraced by events from his past nor the involvement of his brother in said events (trust me, it's a bit traumatizing), he still carries the weight of it with him everyday.  In an effort to relief so of the self-imposed guilt, he moved away from his former home and now resides in the peaceful city  of Portland, Maine.  Okay, perhaps peaceful is a bit too blase as they have their share of crimes just like every city, but taking into account the recent events, they were merely a walk in the park. 

We begin with a missing girl.  Young.  Blonde.  Athletic.  Her whole future ahead of her, or at least it was still glimmering there like a shadowy mist until the moment her body was discovered.  She was killed (needless to say) but in a way not imagined by many....her heart was cut out. ~shivers~ (Okay, so as previously mentioned, it's not a book for the kiddies....)  Upon closer examination, the removal almost looks surgical in nature....but really, a surgeon running around the streets after dark, stealing hearts?  As far fetched as that might sound, it only gets worse from here.  McCabe is not one to back down from a case and while he is lead on this one, he begins to connect the dots between other simlar disappearances, leading him down a road paved with well-intentions but sinister in overall design nonetheless.  It is often said that surgeons can develop a "god complex" when they reach the top of their game....can McCabe uncover who is playing the grand puppet master before another victim is claimed? (dun, dun, dunnnn.....)

So, I know, I left you with a bit of a cliffhanger there, but to keep it spoiler-ish free, it was necessary, I assure you.  From the moment I read the brief teaser about this book, I knew I had to read it.  Some of my favorite authors when delving into the Fiction world after high school were Patricia Cornwell, James Patterson and John Sanford.  Their writing was fast-paced, and plot driven...but not solely.  A "real" character was created full of imperfections, hopes, dreams, love found and love lost.  The human qualities given to them allows readers the chance to connect with the story.  You can't help but find yourself imaging the scenes as described and putting the pieces of the puzzle together to see the person behind the crime.  That is what Mr. Hayman has done here.  McCabe feels "real".  His mistakes.  His reactions.  His love for his daughter and sense of duty to his profession.  The girl he once loved and the one he is currently in love with.  All of these feelings are palpable through the pages, a task that some authors find a bit daunting and unattainable.  The character development nor the relationship with them does not end there....

Lucinda Cassidy is the victim currently being held somewhere for a future "procedure".  Knowing this, you wouldn't expect to "hear" from her in the actual story, right?  Wrong!  One thing that first struck me as odd was a sudden change in font.  I had finished one chapter and turned the page only to discover a new font being used.  At first I was thinking....okay, now that's a pretty big editorial error to miss...but then I realized that it was actually occuring on the chapters that dealt with Lucinda and what she was experiencing while being held captive; a nice touch indeed, for it takes away that guessing game of figuring out who is speaking now if you lost track at the close of the chapter before.  The author let's you inside her mind to see what she is doing to fight back (if anything...hey, I can't reveal all the secrets, you have to read it!) and stay sane against the "baddies" that captured her.  Speaking of the actual bad guys, it seemed obvious to me (as well as McCabe) who the person behind the crimes was, but alas.....these novels do tend to twist and turn on you straight through to the end.  You'll have your culprit one moment and then lose them the next.  In the end, you will be surprised how it all pans out...trust me. 

A few random thoughts I feel the need to share....I love Fritz, Lucinda's dog.  He's her running companion and knows when trouble is at hand....even when Lucinda doesn't.  (Note to self:  Trust your dog's instincts....they rarely prove to be wrong.)  The story behind the story was rather unique although it definitely asks you to look to your morals for a distinction between right and wrong...even if wrong seems right it's generally for the wrong reasons.  Lastly, McCabe has a special skill that comes in handy.  He has something akin to a photographic memory, except he doesn't just recall items, or people, etc....he can recall a situation in it's entirety, replaying the images in his mind as they unfold frame by frame; a pretty nifty gift indeed for a detective.

As mentioned previously (twice now...if you're counting), this book is intended for older teen and adult audiences due to the content (there are the murders of course, but also a scene or two that is a bit more than suggestive in nature, if you catch my drift...).  If you love a good Fiction, Crime Fiction, or Thriller novel, this is definitely a book to add to your TBR list or pile.  The writing style and overall story structure reminds me a great deal of the earlier works of authors such as James Patterson, and John Sandford.  They both write (usually) within the same genre, and their books tend to have strong male lead characters in some branch of the police force striving to protect our way of life from a stranger then usual perpetrator.  This similarity is a good thing (in my opinion) as it helps to broaden the appeal of a novel that may have slipped under the radar of some readers (such as myself).  I would be interested to see what Mr. Hayman brings to the table for a follow-up to this exciting book, and eagerly anticipate reading more stories featuring McCabe. 

Review copy received courtesy of Dorothy at Pump Up Your Book Promotions and author James Hayman.  The book blog tour is in full swing and travels on tomorrow with a stop at Joseph's Review Blog, so be sure to check it out.

Until next time....happy reading!