I loved Before I Go to Sleep so expectations were high for Final Cut. Perhaps too high as I struggled to get into this novel as much. Premise is good but certainly the first third of the book felt confusing and I reread several pages to try and remind myself what had happened. It picked up in the final third where it turned into the page turning thriller I’d been hoping for, but not sure the slog at the start was necessarily worth it. Perhaps other readers will click with it more than I did so I’d still recommend reading it.

I've read this author other book and can honestly say it lives up to it. Really enjoyed from start to finish

Thqnk you Netgalley for providing this book to me. I'm a fan of the author already. I loved the first book and it couldn't be different with this one. Full of twists. I loved the outcome of the story. Very unexpected.

I was so excited to get this, after loving Before I go to Sleep. However, this just fell short for me. I was initially confused by the start and it was very slow at picking the pace up. It just wasn't enough of a page turner for me. The premise was good but I think it lacked the execution. Thank you netgalley and the publisher.

I loved Before I Go To Sleep, however SJ Watson has struggled to write a book that lives up it.
This new offering is a decent thriller, however I started to lose interest mid way through. The ending was strong which made up for it. Overall, it’s a 3.5 star read.

I was so excited to read this book because I've heard so much about the authors other books. Now I've read this I'm a huge fan, and S.J. Watson is now on my favourite author list.
The story starts with Alex, who is a documentary film maker and she soon discovers some disturbing things about herself and the other characters in the book. She's not sure who to trust and rightly so because It's a bit creepy in places and gave me goose bumps. What I loved the most was how the writing pulled you in from the beginning and trust me when I say this, you won't stop reading until the shockingly brilliant ending.
It's a story about facing your demons, confronting them and coming out the other side a much stronger person.
It's a utterly brilliant psychological/mystery/thriller. The ending is phenomenonal and I was completely shocked and in awe of this author. Steve Watson has an amazing talent for writing books which keep you enthralled until the very last page.

S. J. Watson has done it again! This is my favorite book he’s written by far! It was a slow build as we learn about some of the history and acclimate to the characters but about 25% in, I was unable to put it down until I knew every single detail! The human mind is so fascinating with how it works and how it copes with trauma. Watson did a fabulous job of detailing and explaining everything. (I don’t want to give spoilers!)
I found myself guessing, second guessing, rethinking everything, and just desperate to learn the truth!
I absolutely loved the ending. Final Cut does not have an open ending so I was left breathless but satisfied! This book definitely gets 5 stars from me!
Thank you so much to Random House, UK Transworld Publishers and NetGalley for allowing me the privilege of reading this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

An interesting premise which starts well and is intelligently written.
I will admit it didn't grab me from the off but I persevered and I'm really glad I did or I'd have missed a good novel.

Disclaimer: Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy of this book. I have been sent a copy of this book for review purposes. This has not influenced or affected my opinions in this review.

For me, unfortunately, Final Cut, was a bit predictable and didn’t immediately grab my attention. The pace did pick up and it ended up being a page turner but I felt there were a few loose ends and overall, this book just wasn’t for me.

*2 stars*

When a documentary maker, Alex, has her final chance at making a documentary she has her sights set on an old village that she will film and follow the residents. There is a dark history in the place that’s could have repercussions for her.
I enjoyed parts of this and the second half was gripping. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

This story is based on three periods of time for the main character, add to that so many names, some unexplained incidents, and a few loose threads... this book wasn't for me. Despite it being a page-turner.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book.

<i>Before I go to sleep</i> is one of my favourite mysteries of all time, but <i>Final Cut</i> was just okay for me. It was a solid and entertaining book overall, but I think I've read too many similar stories and this one didn't particularly stand out.
We follow the main character, Alex, as she comes back to her hometown to film a documentary, and to find out the truth about some young girls who either died or disappeared.
The setting was well done, a small town where everyone seems to be hiding something, and it's hard to trust anyone. Alex also doesn't remember what happened in her youth that made her run away, but, as I said before, the unreliable narrator has been done so many times I wasn't particularly interested in her. However, I liked how, as the story went on and more informations were revealed, she became more and more unreliable as she confused memories, and the twist about her past made sense. Again, it wasn't particularly surprising, but I liked how it came about.
I was instead disappointed in the solution of the mystery surrounding the girls. It was a little lame to me. I found it hard to believe it had been covered for such a long time.
Overall, an average mystery, but nothing outstanding.

Interesting book. Based around a young woman returning to her place of birth who keeps her true identity secret.

Alex is a journalist who is sent to her hometown to film a documentary, but something has happened in the past and now no-one is able to remember her.

The book deals with the present and the past and builds to a tense climax where everything is revealed.

People who knew Alex when she was younger talk to her and share what happened but she cannot remember them. Is she in danger from them or not ?

A great holiday read.

This psychological thriller just didn’t really do it for me. I loved Before I go to Sleep, but since then not enjoyed his work so much. Maybe it is partly my fault as I mainly read this kind of genre and found Final Cut predictable and the big twist easy to work out.
Alex returns to her home town to make a film for her boss, it’s what she does. Her boss however wants her to also cover the girls who have gone missing over the years from this small seaside town. Alex knows she is somehow linked to the girls and uses her job as a means to find out what has happened to her and these girls.
For me although the book was a page turner it did kinda drag. So many secrets, no one willing to tell. Too many red herrings and false stories.
#netgalley #finalcut

SJ Watson is the master of a fascinating premise, twisty plot and intriguing setting, and Final Cut is no exception. You start the story with many questions, and more pile on as you join Alex to help her solve the mystery that's more entangled in her own story than even she knows. A bit slow in places, but worth persevering.

I have lots of respect for SJ Watson, having thoroughly enjoyed ‘Before I go to Sleep’ but I must confess I found ‘Final Cut’ a far more challenging read.

The story is of Alex, a film maker who has been commissioned to film in her old home town. This is a place where she is not keen to revisit, having run away some 10 years earlier. Her memory of her childhood there is patchy at best, though she knows bad things happened there. Her history unfolds during this story as she discovers young girls experiencing similar disturbing happenings.

While plot and writing are both good, I struggled to engage with this novel, on reflection I feel the character development may have been the reason. The characters all seemed aloof and detached, I didn’t feel I had enough detail to visualise them, and as such I didn’t feel any empathy towards them. This could be amazing as a TV drama. It certainly had twists galore!

My thanks to Netgalley, publisher and author for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC

I was super excited for this book as I have been a fan of SJ Watson's books and was eagerly waiting for the next one.

The story is about Alex, who is doing a documentary about Blackwood Bay, a struggling tourist destination. She is suffering from partial amnesia and something about this place has a link to the missing pieces in her memory.

I found parts of story a bit repetitive and stuck in the same loop. Was rather disappointed by this book. There were times I struggled to move ahead.

I wanted to love this and was so excited about a new novel by Watson but I wasn’t bowled over by this novel. It felt very formulaic and predictable from the get go and it felt like an over told idea. Watson still writes well and builds up tension perfectly but it just wasn’t very exciting or unique for me. Sorry!

Final Cut is told from the perspective of Alex, a film maker who plans on making a new film that will make her career. When she arrives in Blackwood Bay, secrets start to emerge and she soon discovers this place has a really dark history.
I think this was honestly one of the best thrillers I have ever read. I didn’t know what way it was going to turn out. My heart was literally thumping when I reached the end!!
This is definitely one I will be recommending to my customers.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. Good storyline, good characters and basically an enjoyable read. This author never fails to disappoint