There’s never a perfect relationship, there are always good and bad situations; black or white doesn’t exist, it only exists grey. But, there are the happy couples that even if they are struggling sometimes they have each other’s backs. And then there’s Debs and Marc, they had a beautiful relationship at the beginning, was it real or simply a mirage? Now it’s your turn to discover it…This is an atmospheric read; full of tension and fear to discover who will survive the night… Because when Debs wakes up one night, she discovers a man holding a knife at her house, but is not an intruder, it’s her husband. Sadly, she doesn’t feel she knows him anymore and maybe this will be the night to face the truth. This is a quick paced story, told between different times to show us the past of Debs and Mark, how everything started so well and ended at the point of no return they are now. I have to say that I didn’t like much Mark, but that’s why he is scary, you don’ trust him and makes you scared of what he is able to do. Hurting her wife and kids? Maybe…Debs is a fighter, she knows that the man she has now in front of her eyes is not the one she has loved. But also knows that is ready to do whatever she can to protect their children. I can’t finish without talking about the cute Lulu, the dog, she is another character more of the story; one of my favourites! It gives the story the sweet part, the one you want to hug and calm. If you are looking for a gripping and twisted read I highly recommend you to start reading! Ready for “Nasty Little Cuts”?

I’ve just finished this book and am trying to process what I’ve just read. This is a really dark and harrowing read of abuse there is no other word for it. Marc and Deborah marry hastily after a short spell of dating after Deborah discovers she is pregnant. Neither have had the best upbringings and both carry trauma as a result. Their relationship is completely toxic. The story starts with Deborah finding Marc standing in their kitchen early hours of Christmas Eve morning with a kitchen knife in his hands. The story that follows is deeply disturbing whilst being punctuated with snippets of the back story of both characters. Whilst I finished the book I did feel quite unsettled by the events unfolding and would say that this most certainly is not a lighthearted read and if you have experienced abuse or ptsd I would recommend avoiding this book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Intriguing characters and storyline, keeping you turning the pages well into the night. Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

This book is beyond original and I cannot recommend it enough.

One night, a nightmare awakens Deb. She goes down to the kitchen to find a man stood there, holding a knife. The man, who she no longer recognises, is her husband

This book is so addictive and I found it so hard to put down. The writing is superb. Despite the name Pat Pat annoying me 😂

The book is told over various timelines, the present day, two years ago and back to 25 years ago with Marc and Debs childhood.

The book is quite a stressful read, leaving the reader on tenterhooks throughout, waiting for something bad to happen.

The book is quite shocking in parts and yet so realistic. It is hard to remember at times that this is a piece of fiction

The book is like no other and this is an author to watch out for in the thriller world

After giving Tina Baker's 'Call Me Mummy' a 5* review and making it one of my 'Best Books of 2021' I couldn't wait to get my hands on her second novel 'Nasty Little Cuts' and when I did I was absolutely not disappointed.

Before I review it I do need to tell you that it is 100% not for the faint-hearted, or for those who are likely to be negatively affected or triggered by reading about abuse. If it's a happy, cozy, little Sunday afternoon read you're after, then this is not the book you're looking for. There are difficult themes running through it, including domestic abuse, child abuse, strong violence and emotional manipulation. It's a traumatic, dark and fiercely real book - you can feel the energy running through you as you read it, so if you want a book that makes you feel like you've been put through a mangle, but actually, weirdly kind of enjoyed it - then grab a copy and settle down for the day. I doubt you'll surface again until you've reached the end.

It's Christmas Eve morning, early hours and Marc has arrived home in a state, bringing Debbie downstairs to see what is going on. She very quickly realises this was a BAD decision. They are at a pivotal point in their marriage - a marriage they probably shouldn't have entered into, but one that has nonetheless borne 2 children, an adorable rescue dog, a whole load of bad feeling, sex play that feels like it's gone too far on occasion and ultimately, abuse and domestic violence. It's a situation you think initially has been created by two pretty awful people, but then the author turns it all on its head and invites you to peek into the background of this broken and traumatised couple and see into their history - how and where it all went wrong, which turns out to be long before they actually met. What she doesn't do, is use this sympathy to make it OK. She makes you sympathise with them and understand why they are the way they are, yet then makes them behave in such a reprehensible way that you are completely torn between sympathy for the 'why', and disgust for the 'what'. It's hard to read because it repeatedly questions your perception of Debbie and Marc as a couple and as individuals and continually challenges how you feel about either, or both of them. What is obvious is that everyone in that house, on the morning before Christmas, is in danger.

It's a sad story of the devastating cycle of abuse and how sometimes, there are just no winners.

Tina is such a talented, and clever author - just when you get comfortable with your feelings and your perceptions, she throws something unexpected in, and pulls the rug out from under you. Her writing is explicit, raw and poignant. She uses bad language like the weapon it can be and knows when to throw a line in that clutches at the heartstrings; the dog watches nervously from her basket during a particularly heated and nasty exchange and you jump from anger at the words being spat to fear for the little dog in a split second. Absolutely brilliant and a big 5 stars from me.

Thanks to both Netgalley and The Pigeonhole for inviting me to read an ARC.

It’s challenging to get a handle on this story as the timeline is jumpy, and the narrative is scattered. What feels straightforward at first quickly becomes complicated and much darker than I could have predicted.

None of these characters is particularly likeable, but they don’t deserve what happens to them. It also doesn’t give them the right to treat others the way they do. The tension gradually builds as we learn more about this disjointed family unit. Petty, vindictive, manipulative, and abusive – no one is innocent in this story. But when one character attempts to take this to the next level, with an action they can’t take back, the intensity reaches another level, and it starts to feel like no one is safe.

With a fly-on-the-wall view of domestic abuse, Nasty Little Cuts demonstrates the cycle of petty escalations and forgiveness in this toxic relationship. While I struggled to connect at first, it was impossible to put down by the end.

This book stayed with me after reading. The focus of the story is Debs a mother of two who is married to Marc. Throw in a grumpy and rude mother-in-law from hell and you have a setting for disaster. Debs is juggling her relationship of being a mother and a wife with the handsome husband who likes control. This story took twists and turns and it even brought tears to my eyes. Tina has written this beautifully. There is a dash of humour and sarcasm thrown in too, which reflects reality of life. If we can’t laugh at situations we cry. I connected with Debs and my heart was pounding desperate to finish it. I went on the journey with the character. Absolutely superb book and I highly recommend this.

Phew, this was an intense read! I loved the way the author builds up the tension and the suspense going back and forth between the timelines, to’ing and fro’ing between the past and the eventful Christmas Eve. I tried to work out what led to the events where we find Debs and Marc having a confrontation in the kitchen on Christmas Eve with the children upstairs asleep. I wanted to understand their minds and what had made them get to the point they found themselves in, and who was at fault. So much history woven into the characters and their headspace, so much to unpick, if you dare.

This is a tense and gripping read – as we flick back and forth between the past and the present, exploring Debs’ and Marc’s own past, their family life and the early stages of their relationship. They are characters who I really couldn’t work out – I liked the way I didn’t know what to expect and I never knew what was coming next. I didn’t know what they were capable of and where they would draw the line.

Debs and Marc completely intrigued me, this is an all-consuming read and I could focus on little else, they led an interesting life, and one which will shock, surprise and probably sadden a reader – it was a hard-hitting book and at times I read it with my eyes open as wide as they would go!

The author builds the intensity up quite dramatically and I certainly couldn’t think about anything else while reading, and as tense as I was finding it I just wanted to get some answers and understand what the characters hid in their past. This isn’t the kind of book you can put down – once you start you can’t stop!

There were some dark, sinister and horrifying moments, as well as some really scary and twisted ones which made me read with my mouth agape!

I’ve seen the author on social media a lot – she’s original, buzzing with energy and creativity and has a truly unique style; I found I was reading this as if she was reading it aloud and it’s captivating just like her.

Parts of this are uncomfortable, and filled me with unease and a real sense of dread but, I enjoy a book which is dramatic, sinister and compelling, and I particularly loved the ending! Recommended reading for those that enjoy a twistier than twisted thriller!

After loving Call Me Mummy, Baker's debut, I couldn't wait to get stuck in to this.
As with her first book, Nasty Little Cuts is very dark, and takes your mind to places you never asked to go to! It makes for very uncomfortable reading and I did have to take breaks throughout to give my mind a rest!
It is a good book, but I have to say I wasn't as gripped or obsessed with the story as much as Mummy, and wasn't racing through it as much, or thinking about it as I went about my day. I'm not even sure why. The storyline in Mummy is much more my kind of book, and I regularly read books involving child abductions so maybe that's it.
All that said, Baker is making a strong name for herself in the thriller genre and I eagerly anticipate her next offering.

Oh my goodness, I thought my heart was going to burst out of my chest when reading Tina Baker's new novel, Nasty Little Cuts. It's so dark, disturbing and completely affecting that it stole my breath away and had my heart pounding.

It's Christmas Eve and a man in her house puts Debs and her children in grave danger; the man isn't Santa Claus, it's Debs' husband Marc. Almost unrecognisable from the man she married, Debs is afraid of Marc but she will fight to the death for her children...and it might just come to that.

This book really affected me, not just reading about the toxic relationship of Debs and Marc but the reasons behind why they are both the way they are. I was surprised how much my heart went out to Marc, as I learned about his upbringing and army life, and whilst it's not an excuse for violence it goes some way to explaining it.

I am completely in awe of Tina Baker's ability to create such original and unique voices in her novels, especially those of children. Debs' and Marc's daughter Dolly is the stand out character for me but I also have to give a mention to Lulu the dog whose voice was also heard. Dolly has the honour of having the first line in the novel and what a first line it is! It had me laughing out loud and ensured that Dolly and her little brother Pat-Pat captured my affection from the start.

Nasty Little Cuts is a deliciously dark and disturbing domestic noir novel, stunningly written and so completely addictive I positively raced through it. I love Tina Baker's writing; it's dark and raw but a sprinkling of humour makes it perfectly balanced - she's an author not to be missed. Highly recommended reading.

I received a digital ARC from the publisher to read and review for the blog tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

The second book i have read by this author and again found this quite a difficult read, not only as a challenging subject matter involving abuse and trauma but in terms of the dialogue heavy style. Powerful and shocking, there was no let up in the misery. I was keen to see how the story resolved but found both lead characters not only unlikeable but also lacking in the complexity they needed to have sympathy with them.

This title did not grab me by 30% in, and as such I had to stop reading. Perhaps this will be a better read for another reader. I was hoping to really like this one.

I've seen so many great reviews for this book, unfortunately I don't share their feelings and I didn't really enjoy it. I found it to be more domestic noir than thriller and I've learnt that even if it's well written, with an original premise (as this is) I still don't particularly enjoy it.

WHEN YOUR MARRIAGE IS THIS BROKEN, YOU MAY NOT MAKE IT OUT ALIVE.
A nightmare jolts Debs awake. She leaves the kids tucked up in their beds and goes downstairs. There's a man in her kitchen, holding a knife. But it's not an intruder. This is her husband Marc, the father of her children. A man she no longer recognises.
Once their differences were what drew them together, what turned them on. Him, the ex-army officer from a good family. Her, the fitness instructor who grew up over a pub. But now these differences grate to the point of drawing blood. Marc screams in his sleep. And Debs hardly knows the person she's become, or why she lets him hurt her.
Neither of them is completely innocent. Neither is totally guilty. Marc is taller, stronger, and more vicious, haunted by a war he can't forget. But he has no idea what Debs is capable of when her children's lives are at stake...

This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.

Dark, disturbing and edge of your seat tense.
Debs and Marc had the perfect family, two beautiful children, successful jobs and a lovely home. But over the years the cracks have begun to form which results in one hell of a showdown.
A story told in the now and in flashbacks, it’s a riveting, if sometimes difficult to read thriller which will have you wondering who is going to survive.

What a dark, disturbing yet compelling read.

The main storyline is set the night before Christmas Eve, when Deb and Marc’s marriage is at crisis point. They were ill matched right from the word go, but were initially attracted by each other’s differences. Opposites attract?
Sadly after years of marriage, two young children, an affair and working late nights resentment for each other has built up until it has overflowed. Marc has reached breaking point and Deb finds him in the middle of the night, in their kitchen, holding a knife. What does he plan to do?

The current timeline is broken up as we are taken back to various times in their lives and we find a little more background on each of them. We find out about their disastrous childhoods and bad experiences which have moulded them into the people they are today. Damaged.
We also find out sufficient about supporting characters who are only a small part of the overall story such as the next door neighbour to feel we know them a little. Sometimes flicking back and forth can get confusing but not in this case as I was glued to the story.

Some of the scenes and descriptions of violence are difficult to read but the story would not be so hard hitting without them.

Excellent descriptive writing and well written characters, and I loved Lucy the dog who was in the main scene for the duration of the book to give a tiny amount of light heartedness to the overall dark subject matter.

📚 BOOK REVIEW 📚
Nasty Little Cuts By Tina Baker. Publication Date 24th Feb 2022

Debs & Marc got Married very quickly into their relationship. They
Now have 2 children and from the outside, have a loving and happy family life.
But things aren’t quite what they seem behind closed doors. Debs and Marc have a very dark side to their relationship, a side they are keen to keep quiet about.!

I did enjoy this book - this is the second book I have read by Tina. Thanks for allowing me to read an ARC in return for a review. It takes some quite dark turns this story and I think a lot of this stems from Marc & Deb’s childhoods.

The story did go back and forward in time a lot, but I didn’t mind that. It helped explain a lot about the characters. My only negative, is sometimes I would get a bit mixed up, who’s story I was reading ( when it was going back in time) but that could just be me lol!

Thanks #netgalley #viperbooks #tinabaker for allowing me to read this advance copy

https://www.instagram.com/Bookstagramshaz

Oh my GOD. Nasty Little Cuts is already a strong contender for my book of the year, and we’re only just ending February! I am in complete shock and absolute awe, and I really don’t think my review even scratches the surface of how brilliant this book is. Dark, chilling and certainly not for the faint of heart.

This book has left me with the biggest book hangover I’ve ever had. Tina’s stunning words and keen eye for detail combined with that dark, gripping hold she somehow has over her readers has created an absolute masterpiece of a book.

It’s horrifying, twisted to it’s core, but it’s also an addictive and unforgettable ride. Her characters are brought to life by killer description and solid dialogue, and that ending? I don’t even think it will ever leave my brain! I loved loved loved this book! Standing ovation for Tina, everyone!

Debs and Marc's marriage is on the rocks. It's very early in the morning on Christmas Eve and Debs, lying awake in bed after waking from a nightmare, uses the bathroom then goes downstairs after hearing a noise. It's her husband... and he is brandishing a knife.

With its very dramatic opening, I knew I was going to be reading something terrifically good here, just as Tina Baker's début, Call Me Mummy was. Nasty Little Cuts is narrated from two different timescales; the present moment and also flashbacks, using alternative viewpoints. As the reader sees how the two grew as a couple, an insight is gained as to why they are at this point now where there can be no return. I totally revelled in the wickedly enthralling story with its palpable sense of doom and unease. Superb, clever and thoroughly engrossing.

A special thank you to Serpent's Tail / Viper, Tina Baker, NetGalley and Pigeonhole for the opportunity to read. This review is my unbiased opinion.

My thanks to the publisher for a proof copy in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely loved Call Me Mummy, Tina Baker's debut. It had a great hook and thrilling plot. Nasty Little Cuts is completely different in style. I felt this slow burn thriller was more character driven than plot driven.

It too has a very dramatic opening, a physical fight between a couple in their kitchen, whilst their two children sleep upstairs. It's told over 2 time points, the present moment (in real time, it feels like a second by second account) and in historical flashbacks.

The flash backs are useful in providing context for the present situation. We slowly learn more about the characters, the dynamic of their marriage and essentially why the husband is violent and why the wife puts up with it. I didn't like either of them, which is not really a problem when there is a compelling plot. I found it difficult to care about their story though. As I learned more about them, I did develop some empathy for both of them (slightly more so for the wife) but it was an effort to finish the story. The story is well written though and the characters very believable, so I'm sure plenty of people will enjoy it and find it compelling, but it just wasn't the novel for me.