Darkly mesmerising, hard-hitting psychological thriller

When you pick up a Tina Baker book, you know you’re in for one hell of a ride. However, Nasty Little Cuts doesn’t just do that, it furiously grabs yous, tightly ties you up, throws you in the trunk and takes you out to the depths of psychological drama and threatens to leave you there, alone and slightly broken. This isn’t a book for the faint-hearted. It’s brutal, emotional and nauseatingly prescient, but it’s not without Baker’s trademark wit and twisted humour. After finishing this book I feel like I’ve done the rounds with Marc and Debs and am walking away with the scars of a brilliantly topical and relevant read. This book is completely immersive and I felt like I was buried in the lives of its characters. Baker has such a way with words, characterisation and description. Everything is evocative - both the characters and the action leap off the page - and I couldn’t consume this fast enough! I loved the format, which moved around multiple time frames for both Debs and Marc, as it slowly revealed the dark heart of the marriage and brought the narrative to a devastating climax in a nail-bitingly suspenseful way. As the narrative progresses, the current situation becomes gradually clearer, but some of the biggest punches come from the historical revelations. The novel feels like a deep dive into the psyches of its lead characters and Baker delivers this in a gut-wrenchingly plausible way. It’s incredibly accomplished.

What also draws me to Baker’s books are the complexity of social issues that she weaves so eloquently into her plots. Nasty Little Cuts raises a plethora of thought-provoking commentary that gives readers an indulgent feast to ruminate on. At various points in the journey I found myself thinking about toxic relationships, male privilege, class conflict and snobbishness, emotional and physical abuse (and associated PTSD and survivor’s guilt), parental struggles, toxic masculinity and the pressure to provide/be successful in order to be a ‘man’, misogyny (particularly in relation to aggressive sexual preference) and the weight of consumerism. There are literally so many profound themes, I could write a dissertation on this novel! However, despite this, it’s still very much a story about a breakdown of a marriage and the horrifying climax that comes once breaking point finally hits. Whilst this novel is a rich tapestry of 21st century social critique, it’s also a highly readable and totally engaging novel that is hard to put down. Baker writes in such an accessible way that its almost like sitting down and listening to her tell you the story. It’s this combination of perfectly plotted darkness, gritty and timely commentary and a writing style that makes you never want to stop reading that makes Baker an auto-buy author for me!

If you love a psychological thriller that doesn’t hold back, reveals its secrets in a tense and gasp-inducing way and has you constantly questioning where the book is going to go, get Nasty Little Cuts to the top of your TBR immediately!

It's the description of a relationship and two persons going to pieces, a story of a fight to survive, and a hell of a gripping thriller.
I wasn't a fan of Debbie and Marc but I surely rooted for the kids and the dog.
Even if I didn't care for the central characters I was kept hooked and on the edge as the short characters and the detailed story kept developing.
On one side it was a sort of unusual Christmas story, a nightmare before Christmas.
The author is a talented storyteller and the plot/character development are excellent.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I found the premise of Nasty Little Cuts really intriguing – it promises suspense and intensity and it totally delivered. The story follows Debs, a married woman with two young children, who goes downstairs after waking from a nightmare in the early hours of the morning and finds herself in another. Her husband, Marc, is standing in the kitchen holding a knife and Debs knows instantly that she, and her children, are in danger.

Nasty Little Cuts is one of those propulsive books so chock full of intensity that it can easily be read in one sitting – which I pretty much did. The narrative jumps around a lot as Debs and Marc face off. The reader is thrown around in time, taken to key moments in the evolution of this couple and it feels slightly frenetic but somehow completely works for the story. A word of warning, Nasty Little Cuts is brutal. Baker pulls absolutely no punches from start to finish and it is harrowing. It goes to the places most people are afraid to and refuses to let up. It makes for an incredibly intense and powerful reading experience, the dialogue so caustic and vicious that it feels like it could actually cut you. I highly recommend this sharp and explosive thriller about the total evisceration of a marriage – you won’t be able to put it down.

Nasty Little Cuts ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Debs and Marc’s relationship is undeniably toxic. They were never well suited but 10 years, 2 kids and 1 dog later, along with their traumatic upbringings have led them to a very, very dark place!

The book moves seamlessly between the perspectives of the couple along with a few others (including the dog!) as well as moving through different points in time. You would think this would be confusing but it actually highlights the unsettling and dysfunctional nature of Debs and Marc’s relationship.

I was totally gripped by the writing style which is tense and at times witty, and would definitely recommend this clever, psychological thriller.

Nasty Little Cuts takes the kitchen drama to a whole new level. Dark, disturbing and impossible to put down. Marc and Debs are battling their own demons and each other. This is a masterful exploration of a toxic relationship, one that both protagonists know they should break but are unable to. From totally different backgrounds, they have forged a partnership based on mutual needs and desires, neither of which are healthy for them.

The two main characters are so well developed and you gain a real insight into why they act as they do. The tension is almost unbearable as the action progresses to a dramatic conclusion. This is a violent, intense read and I loved it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Viper Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Jeez - what the hell have I just read?

Marc and Debs have a marriage made in heaven from the outside, but one actually made in hell.

Told on the night before Christmas Eve into the early hours of the next day is a tale of survival for them and their children.

A dark twisted tale where the author has not backed away from difficult topics or situations.

As the timeline flits backwards and forwards (not in a chronological order either) you discover what is driving them towards the climax on 23rd December.

One issue I had with my copy is that the dates were not shown - something to do with the font on my kindle, so it was hard to follow time wise; but this has no repercussions on the author as the book was just what I needed.

Nasty Little Cuts centres on events that take place in the early hours of one Christmas Eve between married couple, Debs and Marc. Debs comes downstairs to find what she initially perceives to be an intruder in her kitchen, but it isn’t, it’s her husband with a knife, and things unfold from there.

The novel takes the form of lots of short chapters, with the minute-by-minute action of Christmas Eve morning interspersed with flashback chapters giving insights into the family history leading up to the Christmas Eve events.

I was left in two minds about this book. There’s no doubting that Tina Baker has a talent for creating suspense as well as realistic, relatable characters – I particularly liked the down to earth humour of Debs, her sister Kelly and their mum, Shirley, and was intrigued by the sparse depictions of Marc’s side of the family.

On the other hand, I just found this all a bit gruelling to read. It was clear from the outset that there was going to be a descent into violence of some sort, and between the flashback chapters showing the gradual disintegration of a marriage and the real-time drama around who would make it out of the story alive/well, I just found it all a bit much. I had quite quickly had enough of the Debs and Marc pairing and just started rooting for their kids and Lulu, the dog, to come out of the whole saga unscathed.

I would like to read more by Tina Baker in the future; she is skilled at breathing life into her characters and not flinching from describing the small, every day details that make us human. This story was just a little heavy-going for me.

"What if the thing she's most afraid of isn't some threat lurking outside the safety of this cosy home, clawing at the doors, peering into her double-glazed windows, its breath frosting the panes?
What if it's right here in the kitchen beside her?"

Debs wakes early Christmas Eve from a nightmare. Quietly, she makes her way downstairs and discovers she has woken up to something even more terrifying than what haunts her dreams; her husband, Marc, standing in the kitchen holding a knife. She no longer recognises the man she married and as fear courses through her, she wonders what he has planned. Over the course of a few hours that cold morning, the couple's problems in their marriage come to a head. But will Debs and her children make it out alive?

Tina Baker has done it again! Nasty Little Cuts jumps straight into the action, taking no prisoners with a twisted opening, heavy with foreshadowing. There’s an unbearable sense of dread as Debs and Marc face off against one another in the kitchen, the story unfolding slowly as it moves between that December morning and flashbacks to the past; small clues about their characters and relationship unveiling as the reader is kept on a knife edge wondering how Debs will escape.

"Each word, a tiny snag, each shallow cut stings. A word, a look, a sigh. One after the other after the other, all in a row, like the teeth on a bread knife. Tiny, tiny serrations. Eventually, they could slice you in half."

My love for Ms. Baker is no secret. I adore her. And I have been waiting with bated breath for this follow up ever since I finished her fantastic debut, Call Me Mummy. Once again she has delivered a knock-out thriller that is complex, layered and nuanced. It is a psychological puzzle that not only examines the characters in uncomfortable detail, but explores topics such as depression, PTSD, infertility and the need for communication in relationships. She breathes pain into the story that will make your heart break in two. I loved the imagery she used to describe depression, anxiety and PTSD; the dark, haunting, overwhelming feelings that you can’t escape and eat you up from the inside. It is so vivid and raw, helping those who might never have experienced these things really understand how it feels. The writing is ebullient, sharp, funny and riveting, much like the lady herself, and she creates a tone that moves between deeply unsettling, heart-wrenchingly emotional and darkly amusing, keeping me hostage as I was unable to tear myself away.

"For a long time now a syrupy blackness has seeped back into this vacuum inside him."

The characters are deeply flawed and achingly real. Richly drawn and compelling, they are superbly written and jump from the pages. Dolly is a vivacious, fun child and I couldn’t get enough of her. I loved little Pat-Pat, who reminded me of my own son when he was young, right down to the ‘Duracell bunny’ comparison. And while there are multiple narrators, Debs feels like the main character. The true heart of the story. And it is her I felt the strongest connection with. Her terror during those hours in the kitchen is palpable, making my heart race as if I was in the room myself. Marc is someone we see as the villain from the start, but I found my heart breaking for him as I learned of his past and the inner turmoil he was trying to keep locked inside. It isn’t easy to make a character someone the reader can both loathe and feel sympathy for, but Ms. Baker shows her talent as an author when she manages to accomplish this with Marc.

"Bruises fade. Another blooms internally."

This is a portrait of a failing marriage and we soon discover the idyllic, happy relationship they try to portray isn’t the truth. Theirs is a marriage filled with misery, misunderstanding, isolation, abuse and fear. A toxic relationship that is slowly killing them both on the inside but neither knows how to fix. They are both adrift and desperately trying to reach out and tell each other what they feel and need. Only they never come out and say it, leading to a minefield of miscommunication and resentment. It is devastating to watch as they destroy not only themselves, but each other, all building up to the morning that Debs finds Marc in the kitchen holding the knife. They have reached their breaking point.

Nasty Little Cuts is a pacy, punchy and gripping thriller. A harrowing, brutal and tortured story that will make your heart pound and leave your nerves on edge. I can’t recommend this book enough. Go and read this as soon as possible.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of Nasty Little Cuts but that has in no way influenced my review.

I have been waiting with baited breath for the release of Nasty Little Cuts since reading Tina Baker's debut, Call Me Mummy, last year. Call Me Mummy left its mark on me thanks to the dastardly Mummy and her pursuit of perfection, no matter what the cost. Baker excels at characterisation (which, for me, is as important as plot in a book) so I was excited to get stuck in to Nasty Little Cuts so I could become acquainted with her latest creations, Debs and Marc. Once again the author forensically examines her characters in beautiful, often deeply uncomfortable detail.

Debs awakens with a start knowing immediately that something is terribly wrong. She creeps downstairs to find a man in her kitchen. In his hand he holds a knife. She blinks again and realises it's not a stranger, it's her husband, Marc. How have they gone from a happy, passionate marriage to the point where they no longer really know or trust each other? Debs knows one thing for sure. She and the children are in great danger. Who will make it through the night...?

Nasty Little Cuts is a powerful, emotive read which grips from the opening lines and doesn't let go until you've closed the final page. A harrowing, brutal story of a marriage gone terribly, terribly wrong. I want to say at this point that I don't think a title has ever fitted a novel as well as this one does. Every time I see the cover I think to myself, 'that is so clever, so completely spot on!'. A bit of an aside and not something I normally comment on but hey, it's pretty darn perfect! Because that's what life with Debs and Marc has become. Over the course of their marriage, things have happened, things have been said, some on purpose, some not so much, which have hurt both parties. But they all add up and the result is catastrophic.

This is not an easy read. It will make you feel uncomfortable but I was completely smitten with the way Baker holds her reader's attention, pulling you in the depths of the disaster. Bit by bit, piece by piece. The story is told in the present day, as Debs and Marc face up to each other across the kitchen and in the shadow of the big, pink fridge, and in the past. The reader gets a detailed insight in the couple's past, peeling away the layers and seeing the traumas they've faced - pre and post marriage. The timeline isn't linear and jumps about, going from 15 years ago to 6 months ago to 2 years ago and beyond, which I was concerned would be a smidge confusing but it wasn't at all. Because the events of the past lead the reader to the here and now. It's done exceptionally well. Each slight doing more damage than the last.

The characters are exquisite. I love them all a little for being so darkly flawed but I also loathe them all a little too. Apart from the children, Dolly and Pat-Pat. Once again Baker has written the children in such a way that it's impossible to not feel affection for these helpless, unwilling victims. Dolly, being the older of the two children, steals the show on several occasions (particularly with her RuPaul catchphrases and sassiness) providing a little light in a very dark and disturbing story.

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. Nasty Little Cuts is a hugely compelling unravelling of a marriage gone wrong. It's pretty bleak and brutal at times. I don't feel the author has held back at all, which I am grateful for, as it's a shocking tale told in glorious, unflinching technicolour. A toxic relationship at breaking point, fuelled by the past and heading towards catastrophe. Will it be for everyone? I'm not sure, but if you're a fan of domestic suspense done INCREDIBLY WELL then yes, you must read this book! A gutsy, brave story from an author who is now on my 'must read' list. Deliciously dark, disturbing and oh so good! Highly recommended.

I chose to read and review a free eARC of Nasty Little Cuts. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

I never thought that a story which takes place primarily in a kitchen could be so gripping, so tense. But when Debs goes downstairs and finds her husband Marc in the kitchen holding a knife everything in her marriage and her life changes forever. They couple have reached a tipping point and through flashbacks you see just how they reached that pivotal moment.

Tina Baker has a very distinctive writing style and that made it very easy for me to become absorbed in the story. The characters aren’t always likeable but they are highly intriguing and unexpected. Characters don’t need to be likeable as long as you’re invested in them and their story and I certainly was. I raced through this book, I literally could not stop reading. I had to know what happened next and by the last page I felt like I’d been on a very unsettling and disturbing ride. The writing is intense and this is domestic noir with a real dark and uncomfortable edge, it’s not for the faint hearted. Thankfully I have no problem with dark or uncomfortable fiction so I really enjoyed this. I’ve read quite a few domestic thrillers over the years and this is hands down one of the best.

I have really been looking forward to reading a book by Tina Baker after joining her on a few Zoom calls recently as she's always a lot of fun to be around. And I instantly loved her unique voice in Nasty Little Cuts. She's blunt, unapologetic, and her East Midlands charm shines through (I love it when an author uses the term "mardy"!).

Nasty Little Cuts is a brilliantly explored domestic noir that feels very dark and genuine. I really enjoyed the concept of going back through a couple's past to reveal the "nasty little cuts" that have added up over the years to accumulate into a tense blowout. Baker's writing feels very raw and sharp as you get a vivid picture of the infected wounds left in this vicious relationship over the years from the build-up of resentment and abuse.

However, it did take me a while to get into as I struggled to understand the direction of the book. The narrative switches between past and present so often that I didn't get a good enough understanding of the present to know what was going on and whose side I wanted to be on.

Slowly, I did start to understand that both Debs and Marc had their faults and reasons so I really enjoyed the way that Baker explored their relationship. But as much as I like stories about toxic characters, it is hard to be compelled by their situation when they are both such difficult characters to get along with.

I didn't mind so much that the timeline was chaotic as this disorientation really suited the story, but it just didn't allow me to connect with the characters well enough to make me eager to see how the story would end. And because each scene is quite short and there is no real order to it, it did make it difficult for me to put the book down and come back which did stunt the pace a little for me.

Still, I really enjoyed Baker's original voice and I'm sure this is going to be a powerful read for most readers. Sadly, I just really struggled to get into this one properly and sometimes that happens, but I cannot fault Baker's writing as there really is a lot that I loved about her style, and I'm very excited to catch up with Call Me Mummy at some point.

(I'm on the blog tour for this on 24th Feb so my reviews will be live then!)

It’s a hard hitting read but also really really enjoyable. Tina Baker knows how to write. I think that this is better than Call Me Mummy even though they’re two separate beasts.

There’s a very fine line between pain and passion and that’s how I felt when I was reading Tina Baker’s exquisitely written, painful book. It’s traumatic, horrifying to read and yet you can’t tear your eyes away.

Nasty Little Cuts is the anatomy of a marriage forensically dissected with skill and precision by Tina Baker, wielding a razor sharp scalpel.

Debs and Marc were never really well matched. Marc is a city slicker; a man who understands the importance of a good suit, networking and entertaining the right people. His climb up the corporate ladder has been predicated on his study of such things. Debs is a working class girl who has worked hard to develop her PT business. When Marc walked into the gym she admired his physique and she made sure that he saw the best of her attributes as she praised him for his mediocre workout.

In what is a deeply disconcerting and uncomfortable read, Tina Baker takes us through the course of this marriage. We begin in the present, but move back and forth in time and as we learn more about this couple and their relationship, the discomfort only grows, hastened by the situation that is the now of this relationship.

This is spine tingling stuff, reaching back into sad, dysfunctional childhoods, letting us see hear and feel what both Marc and Debs went through in their early years and how their mothers let them down.

It is a sorry story of jealousies, loneliness, resentment and fragility which culminates in one violent, earth-shattering night in which everything goes wrong. Al at once every slight, every barb, every injustice comes back to bite these characters and the result is so raw, so violent, so fucked up that it really hurts.

This is what happens when a toxic relationship goes really bad and it is raw and painful. It is only because it is so well written that I could bear to keep on reading, heart in mouth.

I don’t really want to say more…this is a shocking, beautifully written portrait of a destructive relationship at the peak of meltdown. It burns and scalds with a realistic flame and as you read, you know that, whatever the outcome, nothing good can come from this. The truly awful thing though is that it feels real; the domestic violence is both scary and authentic and I hope to goodness no-one ever has to go through it.

Verdict: Stunning writing elevates this gut-wrenching domestic noir into a well above average thriller.

A book you dedicate yourself to and not one to dip in and out of as it is not a subject for the light hearted and it is a book you have to be in the right Frame of mind for but having said that it is a gripping read. Read it and you will not be disappointed and it will further inspire you love of thrillers.

This is a very dark and disturbing novel. Centred around Debs and Marc, and how their marriage has reached crisis point.

This one won’t be for everybody as it contains domestic violence throughout and was difficult to read at times.

The story goes back and forth in time to before they met, when they were together and the current time. It also switches between Debs and Marc telling their version of things.

It was very well written and I will be bumping the authors first novel up my TBR pile!

Thank you to Netgalley and Viper Books for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. Wow, this is a dark, twisty and disturbing read. Covering the breakdown of a relationship and the toxicity that can develop. It will not be to everyone’s taste but it is certainly well written and executed. I think you need to be in the right frame of mind to read this as it is dark and disturbing but a good read nonetheless.

What a read this is! Honestly speaking it is difficult to describe it and how it made me feel reading it
It is a dark, really dark look at how a marriage can and does start kinda wrong and now 2 kids on it has festered into something shockingly bad, poisoned, diseased and rank 😫
Debs and Marc are in trouble and this comes to a head in the middle of the night on the night before Christmas Eve and it is a battle who will survive till Morning ( including the 2 kids )
The story goes quickly back and forth from character to timeline and sometimes in a book this can, for me anyway, be problematic but not so in this book, it is so alluring, so disturbingly brilliant you cant allow yourself to be distracted and so I followed the characters and time lines perfectly
Talking of characters Marc’s Mother needs a special mention as she is so menacing, evil, nasty and puerile….and wonderful to read about, I loathed her with a passion and loved it when the chapter was devoted to her 😁
It is an intense, emotive, sinister read with exquisite and plum perfect observational writing
You will know you are reading this book and will remember it for a long time
Outstanding

10/10
5 Stars

I have to say that I did not enjoy this book at all. I feel like I might be the only one to have this point of view.

I felt that the narrative was chaotic and took away from the tension of the present day. Some of the flashbacks did not seem relevant and some seemed like they were just there for shock value. The trigger warnings are not made clear enough - sexual assault incl child rape, domestic abuse and animal abuse. I appreciate that you might find this in a thriller but sometimes it felt like they were written more for shock than to engage with the story. For example, the child rape scene of Debs added very little to what already was a turbulent childhood and a strong female adult character. I also felt that some of the characters were not very well established e.g. Kevin, Miro, Dudley, Shirley, Jeanne and so their impact on the current situation was confusing.

I really hoped to enjoy this one and I will be reading Call Me Mummy (physical copy) soon. I love the fact that Tina Baker has opted to donate 10% of her money to charity and really appreciate her as an author for that.

I would be very cautious about recommending this to friends due to some of the triggers and the way in which they are dealt with.

I loved Tina’s first book, Call Me Mummy (if you haven’t read it yet, you need to!) But this one…? Well, let me just say that this is on a whole other level. Man, does Tina know how to write! Christ, I feel that Tina reached into the deepest most warped parts of my soul with this one.

Nasty Little Cuts is a domestic noir which takes you on a disturbingly dark and vicious journey of Debs and Marc’s relationship, and demonstrates how years of little snipes here and nasty wounds and festering resentments there, can build up and result in a downright sh*tstorm of epic proportions!

This is an incredibly realistic and detailed insight into a marriage which has suffered domestic abuse and gaslighting through the years. Due to the rawness of how Tina writes (which is one of the reasons I love her books) this could be quite triggering for some, so tread with caution. However, I love an uncomfortable read, one that strips you right back to your bare bones and sends a chill right up your spine. At one point I absolutely got the fear and thought God, please no… surely she wouldn’t go there….! The toxicity drips off the page, the nastiness palpable, yet she handles such an incredibly sensitive subject with beauty.

The way it is written, with differing timelines and POV, masterfully adds to the disturbingly disorientation within this book. First we are in the present, then the past, then the future, then in the past but not so far back, who is narrating? Is it Debs? Marc? His mother (she’s another kettle of fish). You need your wits about you to keep up and I loved every single minute of it. And her humour…? Needle-sharp, deft. The way she writes her characters’ dialogue has to be applauded.

This story took me by the shoulders and spun me round in a dizzyingly dark and twisted tale of how we can become our worst selves through nurture and upbringing. Even though I would never justify the actions within the book, Tina does a fantastic job exploring how we are all ultimately human, and how we can be impacted and shaped from events outwith our control, resulting in devastating outcomes.

I can say, without a doubt, that Tina Baker’s books are an auto-buy for me from here on in. Oh, and break-out character by a mile is Lulu!!

This one will shake your very core.

I found this book rather difficult to get started with at first I was caught and then I felt the pace slowed down a little bower it did then pick up again.

Nasty little cuts is the second book by Tina Baker and having read her first book I couldn’t wait to get started on this one. Nasty little cuts is a very intense domestic thriller with some very strong characters within it. The 2 main character Marc and Debs in particular are very head strong and over time their marriage has broken down and as a result this is making it hard for either of them to accept any wrong doings.

This book was told from both the current day and previous years chapters and we get to see the problems they are having now and how they have been gradually building up over time.

Thank you to NetGalley the author and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for this review.