This is Deb’s and Marc’s story. A story that tells us about their lives before they met, their time together before children and since having them.

Their marriage has reached crisis point, can they overcome their problems?

This is an extremely difficult story to read. The author has written a powerful book that has domestic violence throughout. Although the book changes from one person to the other, it is still easy to follow. As much as the book disturbed me, I couldn’t put it down.

The author has a talent for writing books that are uncomfortable reading. The story won’t be to everyone’s taste as it is intense with violence and bad language, however, I found it to be an intriguing story and well written.

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

This is well written in a way that perfectly matches the descent into a cycle of violence and into the pit of despond with the destruction of self and the shocking annihilation of a relationship. It’s not an easy read but nor is it meant to be.
With thanks to Serpents Tail/Viper/Profile Books for the much appreciated arc in return for my review.

Firstly, I have to say that Tina’s writing style in this novel is brilliant. I read it in two sittings as I couldn’t wait to discover the outcome.

Words I would choose to describe this novel - dark, disturbing, toxic, violent, chaotic, complex, harrowing……. Need I say more? Some scenes were difficult and upsetting to read about but I think that’s because I know that this kind of abuse does happen in real life. If you are looking for a domestic thriller full of physical and verbal abuse then look no further than this.

Written in short chapters in the current time and the past, not always knowing who you will read about next. This keeps the reader wanting to continue reading and discover more about each character’s past and why they are like they are now. In the flashbacks we get to find out about the couple’s parents and upbringing, again giving an insight into how things can have a knock on affect later in life.

Marc and Debs are married with two children. Their marriage has become extremely toxic and violent and it appears that there is only one way out of it, but it isn’t as simple as just walking away. Debs would do anything to keep her two children safe but will Marc let her leave?

Set on the morning of Christmas Eve, don’t expect a happy family Christmas for this family!

A compelling read.

📢 Definitely for over 18s due to the use of drugs, violent abuse and amount of swearing. You have been warned!

Domestic noir, doesn’t come much darker than Nasty Little Cuts, it’s painfully honest and very disturbing. Tina Baker paints a bleak picture of a couple whose marriage has reached crisis point. The story centres around married couple Deb and Marc. To say their relationship is toxic feels like an understatement! It’s a festering relationship based on years of past misdemeanour’s, gaslighting and abuse, which culminate in a shocking opening scene that will send shivers down your spine.

Tina Baker has an incredible way of writing that makes you feel you have a bird’s-eye view of the couple’s flawed marriage. It’s shocking, brutal and yet you desperately turn the pages to learn more. The way the story can be chaotic as it jumps back and forth between different timelines and characters, but it’s in keeping with the internal chaos and struggles of the main characters. Flashbacks of the couple’s early lives reveal much about the couple's complex relationship with each other, and the reader learns how love can be poisoned by secrets and silence, and a perfect marriage becomes rotten to the core.

Deb and Mark are characters that are perfectly depicted, their complex, and although you appreciate the struggles they have faced growing up, I found it hard to summon up any sympathy for Marc. Deb is feisty, brash, and not without flaws, but she will do anything to protect her two children. Undoubtedly, there are many shades of grey regarding their relationship and, as the tagline suggests, ‘Neither of them is completely innocent. Neither is totally guilty’.

The tension and a harrowing sense of foreboding grow as the couple’s narrative takes a disturbing turn. I enjoyed the fact that everything points to the ending being an unhappy one, but the outcome is never a forgone conclusion as the tale twists as turns.

Tina Baker’s writing is bold. She doesn’t shy away from writing about difficult subjects; she deals with them head on creating a multilayered read, that’s addictive and hard-hitting. Nasty Little Cuts doesn’t make for a ‘feel good cosy read’ because of the very disturbing subjects explored. So some readers may prefer to give this book a wide berth. But if you enjoy a domestic drama, that’s exquisitely dark and interesting, I would definitely recommend you buy yourself a copy.

I’d like to thank Serpent’s Tail, Viper and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Nasty Little Cuts’ written by Tina Baker in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Debs wakes in the early hours of Christmas Eve and finds a man in her kitchen brandishing a knife – her ex-army husband Marc. Marc’s had his problems, Debs isn’t completely innocent either, but he’s become a man she doesn’t recognise and she’ll go to any lengths to protect their children sleeping upstairs.

‘Nasty Little Cuts’ describes the characters of both Debs and Marc with a timespan moving from fifteen years ago when Marc was fighting in the army, to ten years when he and Debs first meet, to the present time. Unfortunately I appear to be the only reader who hasn’t enjoyed this novel. As a victim of domestic violence I find it very hard reading about it even if it is fictional, and I didn’t warm to either of the main characters enough to want to read about their lives in any detail. This is the first novel I’ve read by this author so can’t compare with any she’s written previously, and although well-written this book isn’t one I’ve enjoyed.

Oh gosh this a hard one to review. It took a little while to get the hang of it as the timeline jumps around like an electrocuted frog and the narrative is largely stream of consciousness stuff. But OMG it was powerful! You could cut the tension with a knife, it was that tense when Debs and Marc have their showdown in the early hours of Christmas Eve.

This was not a simple case of domestic violence. Marc is a man driven to the edge by circumstances somewhat beyond his control and by a toxic brew of uppers, downers and alcohol as he struggles to live up to his own expectations of what a man should be, never mind that he was emasculated by his harradin of a mother from an early age. Yet you even develop a smidgeon of sympathy for her as you learn what made her so.

Debs herself is not the easiest person to get along with. She is definitely not Marc’s mother’s vision of genteel femininity! Debs dragged herself up with grim determination from her loving but highly dysfunctional upbringing. Debs is a firecracker! She is loud brash, talks dirty and fights dirty when she has to. But she would do anything to protect her two children - 9 year Dolly and 3 year old boy Pat-Pat.

By the time we reach the fateful Christmas, Debs is simply exhausted from the demands of her children, her fitness business, running the household and being everybody’s emotional anchor as Marc withdraws more and more into himself only emerging to demand more and more extreme s*xual acts from his exhausted and increasingly concerned wife.

This book should include trigger warnings for language and abusive acts, it’s not pretty but it is utterly compelling! By the time we got to the guts of the story I was all in, totally invested in these characters. You knew the ending was likely to be ugly but the outcome was never a done deal, it could have gone in a few different directions. As I said, it was a powerful read about toxic family dynamics and I applaud the author for telling it this way. Many thanks to Netgalley and Serpent’s Tail / Viper / Profile Books for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.

Tina has done it again!

I was introduced to Tina through her debut 'Call Me Mummy' which was one of my favourite books of 2021... and now her second novel has made me favourite books of 2o22 list!

This is a book full of suspense, the use of short chapters and the flip between flashbacks and real time really adds to the uncertainty of the book and helps you understand better how the main character is feeling. Also the lack of a chronological timeline gives the book itself a more 'human' feel ... it truly feels like you are in Deb's mind and experiencing every thought as she is experiencing it.

I loved this book completely! Tina is an amazing author and I cant wait to see what she comes up with next! Gripping and full of suspense this was a perfect read. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read it!

Nail-biting and stressful on every page, what a book! Starting with a bang at 5am on Christmas Eve and told in a series of minute by minute revelations accompanied with flashbacks to childhood and adolescence for the two main characters, Nasty Little Cuts pulls no punches. Deb is married to Marc, they've got a seemingly idyllic life with two children, a dog, a nice house in North London and everything they could wish for. But it soon becomes clear that its not all as it seems and that both of them are burying secrets from their past that are now rearing up to threaten everything.
This might not be for everyone - lots of physical and verbal abuse and extreme language - but the story and the dynamic between the two as you see the way in which their relationship has been formed and altered makes for a compelling read.

I’ve never read Tina Baker before but I’ll definitely want to do so from now on. This is well written in a way that perfectly matches the descent into a cycle of violence and into the pit of despond with the destruction of self and the shocking annihilation of a relationship. It’s not an easy read but nor is it meant to be.

Is a person the sum of their life experiences, are they the culmination of what they have done and what has been done to them - the age old question of nature vs nurture…

On the exterior Marc and Debs seem regular middle class people, 2.4 children, big house, nice area, well paid jobs. However, simmering under the surface there is a problem, an impending sense of disaster looms, their lives are about to change for ever.

Marc’s experiences are a roiling soup about to boil over, he projects his feelings and experiences on to his wife, debasing her, forgetting why he loves her and taking her for granted, which, in turn changes the couples living dynamic.

As the tag line of this book suggests there is blame on both sides here; Deb can be brash and insulting in her reactive nature, Marc suffers from PTSD and depression brought about by childhood trauma and has taken root in his adult life through the form of gambling and porn addictions.

I got the feeling right throughout this book that they could have gotten through this if only they had talked to one another or at least to someone; underneath it all they are inherently good people that loved each other once. This in no way condones the behaviours and actions of the central characters but their previous traumas were allowed to shape who they became.

A great read from cover to cover, I couldn’t put it down. It was structured in easily digestible chapters meaning you could get a quick chapter or two in before bed. I loved the way that the central story is essentially based in one room with the couple facing off against each other and we see how they came to this point through a great use of flashbacks to various points in both characters lives. It is relatable and realistic; I ask you to grab a copy now and tell your friends too - excellent book club material.

The book starts with the chilling image of Deb finding the father of her children in the kitchen, unrecognisable, holding a knife. From then, things only turn darker. This book might be set around Christmas, but it’s the least christmassy book you’ll ever read. It is dark, twisty and thrilling. Oh — and did I mention dark!

Tina Baker really builds around the idea that we are all, inescapably, a product of our upbringing. Our lives are formed by thousands of little moments that bring us to where we are today. The narrative jumps around, almost in desperation — trying to search for the answers that brought us to this moment. This book never stops. It keeps the tension running high throughout making it a breathless read.

The jumping around in time and space cleverly leaves you a little disorientated, and you never know where the writer is going to take things next. In reality, you could never predict the inevitable conclusion of this book. Such were the swerves of the storytelling, your expectations are continually upended. When the conclusion finally comes, it makes it all the more shocking.

I’ve not read the author’s other books, Blood Orange and Big Little Lies, but after reading this one they’re certainly going to go on my list.

With multiple perspectives and clever shifting across time, this book will certainly hold your attention. I found myself unsure whose “side” I was on as the author does such an amazing job of presenting each perspective convincingly and empathetically. It’s a dark book for the most part but these are important human themes and the author is sensitive to that.

Sometimes the key to survival is knowing when to call time on a relationship. That is certainly true of the marriage of Marc and Debs, the two central protagonists in Tina Baker's latest book, Nasty Little Cuts. Although the action is centred around the final, fateful, night of their marriage, over the course of the book we are privy to all of the events that from their pasts that slowly ate away at their relationship. The simple but painful little cuts and scars that, if picked at continually, may well become festering wounds. Warning signs that scream at anyone reading get out Debs. But life, is never that simple, and the partnership that the author has constructed and lays bear on these pages is not that simple either.

This is a book that had my emotions, and my opinions, all over the place. I could see the world from both points of view, and even though it is clear that Debs is far more of a victim in this story, Marc's own history is far from blessed. Tina Baker has brilliantly portrayed the broken man behind. this broken marriage in this dark and twisted tale. Because this story really is dark, and the hate a loathing that seeps from the page is deep rooted, and not necessarily seeded from where you might expect.

Debs is an interesting character. There were moments in the book where I struggled to warm to her, where her anger and conviction made her less than sympathetic. And yet, as we learn more about what has driven her to this current state, see how fiercely protective she is of her children and, to a degree, Marc, the more I felt connected to her as a character. Marc is an entirely different case, and throughout much of the story he is portrayed as controlling, violent even, with tendencies and beliefs that almost fit the mould of the classic gaslighting narcissist. But then every character has their own story, and some of the facts that are revealed about Marc, including his relationship with his mother, Jean, are startling and saw my hatred of him waver.

There are some very dark revelations throughout this book, scenes that can shock, brief but no less powerful in their impact. The point of view alternates between Marc and Debs with little warning, but voices are so distinct, so unique, that it is easy to follow. I had an immediate dislike of Jean, of her pretension and clinical distance from her son and her grandchildren, but again, there is hidden sorrow there which takes time to be revealed but goes a long way to explaining why she acts as she does.

This is a tale of the most toxic of relationships. It is highly charged, occasionally shocking, but completely compelling. Both Debs and Marc have a duality of character that evoked sympathy but also, on occasion, hatred, more so the latter for Marc than Deb perhaps. Be prepared for those stark, laid bare moments of emotion that will strike you in the gut, but don't relax. They will soon be followed by moments of real tension and threat that will have the pulse pounding.

Does the book have a happy ending? Well ... you'll need to read to find out. But for a story which examines the psychology of both aggressor and victim, and. the foten blurring line between the two, it was a satisfying and possibly expected one. If you like a really gritty and dark domestic noir, one that is the complete antithesis of domestic bliss (one I identify with far more easily although not quite this dark) then this book is definitely recommended.

This book starts when Debs finds her husband in their kitchen clutching a knife. What follows is an exploration of the damaged relationship between Marc and Debs with their history gradually revealed through a series of flashbacks as we witness their relationship at a critical point. As the narrative shifts between characters, we gradually learn more about them and what led to that fateful moment in the kitchen.

This book has it all; a dark and twisted tale, full of intrigue. It's a tense read, but also witty with highly developed characters. It is not always a comfortable read but I found it compelling throughout.

This is a very cleverly plotted and written book, and is one of the best examples of multiple narrators and multiple timelines I have read, as the book seamlessly moves between present day and various points in Debs and Marcs' personal histories.

Ultimately a gritty, tense read which had me glued to my kindle. A fabulous book which I thoroughly enjoyed reading and I look forward to reading this authors next book!

How do you review a book which left you speechless?

Debs and Marc has a normal, happy relationship. They’re both had a messy childhood but they’re doing their best to give a normal life to their kids.
Until Debs finds him in the middle of the night in a kitchen, holding a knife 🔪
He’s drunk and probably high and he’s not making any sense…

We’re with them in the chaos that follows.
We learn about their past, the abuse, sexual violence and things that no one should be going through…

The darkness spills from the pages and emotions are real rollercoaster.

At the end I felt relieved, a bit upset but also happy how it all ended.

I enjoyed “Call me mummy” but with “Nasty little cuts” Tina brought us to a new level of writing and I can’t wait to see what she creates next.

This book packs a punch! Told over the space of a few hours on Christmas Eve morning, we see flashbacks to Debs & Marc's relationship, and their lives growing up. This is a little discombobulating, but it's meant to be and feels like it matches the way Marc is acting. This story is dark and well-written - it draws you right into the story, becoming so engrossing, that you can't put it down. It feels like you are in that kitchen with Debs & Marc, and you don't know if either of them will make it out. This had me on the edge of my seat right from the start and kept me there until the very end.

4.25-4.5⭐️
This is a new author to me, it came highly recommended.

Marc and Deb’s relationship was a wild and destructive passion from the outset.

The time frame starts in the present with a disturbing incident between husband and wife in the kitchen. Then flits between time frames with memories filling in the back story.
Most of it is told from the 2 main characters pov.

I found the easy going writing style helped to offset the darkness of the content keeping it very readable. There are scenes of domestic and sexual violence. I felt that it is very well written, with it being descriptive to get a real feel of the emotion and full understanding of the back story while keeping the writing tightly woven.

It keeps a very good pace throughout which is rare.

I quite liked Deb and was invested in her character, I’m not sure why I didn’t like her more.

The tension builds as the threat of violence increases in tandem with the revelations giving a feeling of imminent fear for life. I would have liked a more dynamic ending.

There’s even the tiniest sniff of the supernatural which I liked.

This is a great book, one that I would recommend.

Amazingly gripping reading. swallowed up in a few days around work and life etc, the short chapters packed a punch, a story that will stay with me for a long time. its well worth dipping into this, Tina Baker is an amazing author for creating a toxic atmosphere that you can cut with a knife.

Thank you so much for approving my request to read an early copy of Nasty Little Cuts. I finished the brilliant “Call Me Mummy” and had to make this my next read.
This was my first book of 2022, and what a way to kick it off!

Tina’s writing is so clever, she doesn’t tell you what the characters are planning or necessarily thinking all the time, but drops hints and suddenly you realise what’s about to happen. And BAM! You’re there mouth wide open or shouting at the book in shock.
I can’t wait for more books by Tina Baker!

An absolute emotional rollercoaster and so tense the whole way through.
This book sticks in your mind so you have to get back to it until it’s finished, and like “Call Me Mummy” will probably stay with you long after.
A shocking Domestic psychological thriller

An absolutely heart pounding thriller that I could not put down! Right from the start there are sinister undertones to Marc and it soon becomes clear that everything is far from OK in his relationship with Deb. As each chapter flips between historical aspects to their marriage and separate childhoods, we're left with an underlying feeling of sadness and hopelessness to their situation. The tension builds rapidly towards the end as we wonder just how Debs will come out of the horrific early hours scene. Terrifyingly Superb!