When I began reading the storyline gripped my attention from the first page and never released me. It impressed me that I was able to come into this series at book three and not once felt as though I was missing any pieces to the plot. The entire story was well written and allows the book to stand on its own.

FBI Senior Special Agent Sayer Altair is not the type of neuroscientist with a focus on psychopathy you expect to meet. She is a smart and critically thinking person but also very relatable with her sarcasm, wit, fierce loyalty to her friends and family. As well as her ambition and no-nonsense attitude towards her job. I greatly enjoyed spending my day living in the life of Sayer Altair.

Director Anderson assigns Agent Altair to a potentially high profile case due to the holidays with zero support from the agency. Just another day at the office for someone like Sayer whose boss has been out to get her since day one. What starts as a simple double homicide with ritualistic elements hinting at a serial killer emerging quickly turns out to something vastly disingenuous. In identifying the dead teenager they discover an entire busload of STEM students from various high schools were hijacked en route to a competition. The deeper they dig into the meaning of the murders and kidnappings the more perplexing, and lethal, the investigation becomes.

With changes on the horizon in her home life, a mysterious stalker following her, one of her prior research subjects tinkering into her investigation, a few near-death experiences that are all just part of the job, and more than a few twists to keep you dazed and panting for more. This is by far a great read and my new favorite author.

This was a very interesting book. The plot moved along well and the storyline was good. I was a little lost on a lot of the character's backstory. Some of it was filled in, but not enough for everything to be clear. It was really hard to tell where the plot was going at different points, though the reveal of the bad guy was somewhat predictable. I think it would have had a little more impact if I was more familiar with the previous books.

I should start by saying I did not know this book was part of a series when I read it, however, I think you don't need to read the other books to enjoy this one.

This book was really interesting and grabbed you from the very beginning. It follows agent Sayer Altair hunt for a missing bus full of high school teens. The book takes you on this journey and twists that keep you engaged until the last page.

This book did not disappoint and I will be grabbing the other two in the series. I will definitely recommended it.

I received this ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What do you get if you cross "Silence of the Lambs", "The Blacklist" and "The A-team"? Perhaps this book. And this is not meant as a criticism at all. The reason why such movies and TV programmes are so popular is because they work. Yes, there is a predictability about certain elements - but so what? So long as there are some interesting characters, a solid base story, drama, and the occasional twist, it works. And it works in this book. Although it pushed the limits of believability a few times (time appears to be a very variable construct, for example), I couldn't put it down and wanted to get to the end as soon as possible to see how it all would pan out. I was not disappointed. And although it has set it itself up for a possible series, in some ways I think the ending is so strong it deserves to be left as a stand alone book. Perhaps the ending speaks to the title, but otherwise, I'd say the title is the weakest part of the book as it doesn't really speak to the overall strengths of the book's story.

I love this series and have enjoyed ever book I have read in this year . Great character and plot
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

I usually don't jump into a book in the middle of a series but this one sounded so good I thought id give it a go, and it did not dissappoint I cannot wait to go back and read the rest in this series. This was a fast paced, dynamic thrilling read

Cut to the Bone is my first read from Ellison Cooper! The story is gripping and thrilling throughout.. i kinda could guess some parts, but overall it was worth it! Wonderful “dark secrets revealed” book. I can definitely see myself re-reading this one. This book is 3rd in a series, I dint know it while reading, I could follow the characters and the story flow. But definitely gonna check out other books in the series and other books from Ellison Cooper. I loved her story telling and the language.
Thank you NetGalley, Ellison Cooper and St.Martin’s Press for reader’s copy of this book. The review is my own and is not influenced in any way.

FBI Agent Sayer Altair has a thing for serial killers. She studies them, and she hunts them. She gets called into a case after a young woman is found murdered in what appears to be a ritualistic killing, complete with animal figurines all around the body. As she and her team identify the victim, they stumble into something far worse: an entire school bus filled with teenagers has disappeared.

Cut to the Bone is that rare book that manages to interweave several stories into a cohesive whole: There's the search for the kidnapper / serial killer. There's the mysterious person following Altair around. There's the FBI head who seems to have it out for her. There's her obsession with finding out what happened to her (now-dead) fiance. And there's another psychopath out there, one included in a study she did, who keeps calling her with advice -- a chilling game he's playing with her.

The novel is a terrific story and a breeze to read -- and I highly recommend it.

This was the 3rd book in a series, although I didn’t know that when I requested it - but I didn’t feel lost having not read the first two books. This was a solid mystery even though I guessed some of the conclusion before it happened. I’ll definitely be checking out her previous books!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for a review!

Another great offering from Ellison Cooper. This author should be a first purchase for collections where thrillers are popular.

This is the third book (and more coming) in the Sayer Altair series and it's another absolutely thrilling book in this series! I don't know how this author does it each book has so much suspense and mystery that you can't help but not be captivated. Sayer, Ezra, Holt ,Max and Tino are back and this time with a very different mystery to solve as well as a ghost comes back from the past. I can't say enough good thinks about this series and Cut to the Bone . As a reader of thrillers and mysteries this book has everything I love about thrillers. The heart pounding suspense, great characters and a great mystery to solve. Who stole the bus of teenagers and why? This is not clear cut and simple there are so many layers to this book. I would give 10 stars if I could. Read today you will NOT be disappointed.

Sayer Altair is back in another heart pounding, pulse racing thriller to find a missing bus full of teenagers. The story is fast paced and keeps you guessing. Many of our old favorite characters, Ezra, Holt, Tito and Vesper, Max and Kona, Adi, are back to further enrich the story. The subject of Jake, Sayer's dead fiance, is also always at the forefront. Can't wait for the next book in the series.

I received an ARC courtesy of netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

This is a fairly good suspense novel that is perfectly suited for vacation reading. It’s intriguing enough to keep you going.

There are some good twists and turns right out of the gate. The middle is the weakest part as it seems to not reveal anything of much shock, though it does a good job setting you up for a surprise about the finish.

How’s that for a generic review?

My biggest problem with the book is that it seemed to continually refer to story lines from previous books. I’d like to read the earlier books and am guessing he I read those first, I would’ve like this one better.

#netgalley #cuttothebone

I didn’t realize when I requested this that it was the third in a series (wish NetGalley would mark it somehow on the book page) but thankfully the author did a fantastic job at catching the reader up (there’s not too much actual background needed other than relationships with other characters).

After finishing Cut to the Bone, I’m definitely going to be picking up the other books by this author. I loved the main character and the story was incredibly well paced. There’s a ton packed into this book and it wastes no time drawing you in!

Really excited to read more by Ellison Cooper!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a fascinating story. I have always been a fan of Kathy Reichs' Temperance Brennan series, and Ellison Cooper's series about Sayer Altair seems to be very similar (however it does more with neuroscience and FBI investigations rather than decomposed corpses and FBI investigations - which I have to say I much prefer).

I had a hard time getting into the book initially, because I actually did not know it was part of a series (facepalm) and felt like I was missing some backstory. Once I got past that, though, and the story picked up, I was hooked and finished the book within the course of a few hours.

I loved the DC setting, and the killer's backstory, and even the ties to ancient Egypt (though I had never studied it before). I 100% recommend this book and look forward to reading all of Ellison Cooper's other books!

I loved this book!!! The ending left me with goosebumps and yearning for more in the best way possible. When I requested this book on NetGalley, I didn’t realize it was part of series but I’m so glad it is because I want to keep following the characters’ stories. At the beginning of this story, a bus load of high school students goes missing. When bodies begin to appear in a ritualized manner, FBI agent Sayer Altair takes charge of the case and is assisted by a variety of characters, including an anonymous psychopath from one of her research studies. Multiple mysteries unfold throughout the book and come together in an incredibly satisfying way. This book has everything I love in a mystery/thriller: excellent character development, multiple story lines, interesting plot points, behavior analysis, mythology, and plenty of twists and turns. I look forward to reading the rest of the series!

FBI Senior Special Agent Sayer Altair is a neuroscientist who studies the brain of psychopaths. She also serves on the agency's Critical Incident Response Team. Sometimes, in the course of the three books in which Altair has featured, her two gigs overlap.

In this outing, Altair is called in on a double murder in downtown Washington, D.C. that has ritualistic elements, one of her team's specialties. The case suddenly mushrooms to include a horrific kidnapping of 24 high school students, a bus driver and a chaperone -- with many of the group executed in rural Virginia.

What distinguishes this series is the contrast between the academic and the solid human connections between Sayer, her closest co-workers, and her self-assembled family. Each book is a gathering of people with good minds and good hearts, confronting the worst of human nature.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance readers copy.

Many thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Ellison Cooper once again weaves a thrilling tale of intrigue, action, and mystery. I was at the edge of my seat the entire time with the breakneck pace of this third Sayer Altair installment. This particular book focused heavily on false identities and misdirection, which had my senses spinning and I loved every second of it. Yes, I devoured the whole thing within days, and you will, too. I am a huge fan of ancient mythology, which has been well-represented in the series. If you love Ancient Egypt as I do, you'll be in for a treat. Additionally, I was happy to see the return of recurring characters from the previous 2 books, and the new characters introduced in this book continue to be engaging and well-crafted.

However, I removed a star from my review because of the twists in this book. First, I think a few of the major twists were quite predictable. Once you reach the point of no return, you can see them coming from a mile away. That's unusual, since in the previous books I felt as blindsided as Sayer when they were revealed. There was one exception to this, and that leads me to my second point: the final twist at the end of the book. It took me completely by surprise, and was regarding a particular character (a former favorite of mine). This character had a LOT of potential, and the intrigue around them was a significant subplot. Unfortunately, I felt deflated and disappointed when some aspects about them were revealed. I'm not sure how things will be going forward in regards to this character and their significant influence on the plot. Of course, the author has her own vision for the character, but I can't help feeling like this was a huge missed opportunity.

Overall, though, a strong 4/5 stars! That's me being super picky, because I know how phenomenal a writer Ellison Cooper is. I'm eagerly looking forward to book 4!

This book is SO GOOD. Ellison Cooper is SO GOOD. Sayer Altair is one smart, tough and kick butt character and I think I want to be her in my next life.

Cut to the Bone is the third book in the Sayer Altair series and my favourite one so far. Sayer is a special agent with the FBI and uses her work in neurology to help identify and track down serial killers. This time around bus load of high school students has been kidnapped and the girls are starting to show up dead around Washington DC.

As Sayer and her team search for the girls and the abductor/murderer the are faced with obstacle after obstacle. It's almost like someone is purposely trying to stop them from finding the killer.

And um, the last paragraph.....are you kidding me?!! When is book 4 coming out? Seriously.

If you like smart thrillers and you haven't read this series, you need to get your hands on them. 5 Stars

A huge Thank You to #Netgalley and @StMartinsPress @MinotaurBooks for an advanced copy of #CuttotheBone

Oh my.

I can't believe it's already over. I feel like everything happened so fast, but was so well put together.

Cut to the Bone is the third novel in the Agent Sayer Altair series. It's about a bus full of 24 high school students going missing on a trip to Atlanta for a science contest. A serial killer that no one seems to see. And FBI Agent Altair's frenzy to hunt down these missing children and this serial killer. It's a story that's so convoluted and twisting that it's hard to keep up. Fake identities, new twists and turns that lead to dead ends, misinformation... the whole kit and kaboodle. Ellison Cooper throws you on a the most well-written and intricate loop you may have been in for a while.

I normally have a great disdain for reading a book that's part of a series without starting from the beginning, however when I requested this novel from Netgalley, I seem to have missed that fact. REGARDLESS, it didn't matter. It reads like a standalone. There was not even a split second where I felt like I was missing out on something that was key to a previous instalment. Cooper's writing keeps you on track and in the moment.

This novel was right up the alley of book genre that I ADORE. So what's different about this one, compared to any others I've read recently? Well, conspiracy for one. There's always this allusion to something bigger than the current case, but it's always just hinting in the background, never at the forefront.

Second, ties to mythology and architecture. There's a nice focus on the history of Washington D.C. and how it's architectural specialites came to be with ties to Ancient Egypt. I really enjoyed these aspects of the novel, regardless of whether they are actually true or not. I also enjoyed the ties to Egyptian myths and such that really added to the mystery.

Third, I liked the focus on the FBI Agent's neuroscientist background. Being in health care, I do have quite the interest in this type of information. I liked how research on the minds of psychopaths tied into the story, as well as how it aided in the investigation to a certain extent.

I'm not one for fact checking while reading a novel, while others may be. I'm simply here for a good time, so while not everything may be entirely accurate I enjoyed myself...and I think that's what matters most in a novel.

This is the first piece I've read of Cooper's... but I can't say it will be the last. I really enjoy her way of writing, her plots and characters are all well-written, and very relevant to the story!

<i>I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher of this advanced digital copy for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review!</i>