Don’t let the sweet, humorous, Christmasy start to this one fool you. It ain’t sweet and despite Deb’s terrific dark sense of humour it’s not remotely funny. Deb principally tells her story of the nasty cuts of a broken relationship with Marc, from meeting him Then to Now as Christmas approaches. She thought then that she had found her Prince Charming as she’s definitely a Cinderella but he becomes less charming as time wears on. Absolutely charming are the children Dolly and Pat-Pat and the rescue dog Lulu.

Debs is most certainly a survivor, she’s witty, funny, definitely has a smart mouth and so different from serious high flyer Marc. His input is very illuminating and it’s a build up of damaging events until he snaps. The writing is very smart with dialogue to match some of which is very ouch as it hits you in the gut. It’s written in a very realistic way and some people may find that hard especially as the storyline progresses. It’s a very emotional novel with taut as wire tension which builds exponentially and you are waiting, waiting for the deepest cut and so it’s chock full of foreboding. It’s violent at times and edge of your seat unpredictable and I have to be honest it does get a bit too intense and overwhelming as it’s so hard to take. It feels like Debs is stuck inside one of Marc’s ultra violent Xbox games except this is for real. The characterisation is excellent, all are portrayed well and oh boy, is Marc’s mum ever a grade A harridan, she is especially vivid and it explains a lot, chérie. The non linear format may not be everyone’s cup of tea but I like it as it smacks of reality as Deb’s mind flits from then to now as your own mind would in trying to analyse where it all goes wrong.

Overall, 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.

With thanks to Serpents Tail/Viper/Profile Books for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

This book had me stumped. Sitting smug and thinking I had it all thought out, the author put me in my place. Finally we have a thriller that will keep you your toes. I truly enjoyed myself and will be recommending it to anyone I see for the next few months.
 Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was amazing! Full of twists and turns and it really did keep me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. Wasn’t like a traditional thriller as we went back and forth into the two main characters lives which I personally loved as it gave me more of an insight into their lives before that day we are at currently.
Cannot wait to see what this author comes up with next.

This book was just impossible to stop reading. Very "war of the roses" type vibe with the warring spouses but its so captivating and believable aswell. It's incredibly relatable and dark and eerie and just unsettling. It's definitely one that will have your mind spinning and leave you unsure about what you even hope the outcome will be!!! Its just such an amazing ride, I absolutely loved it

Dark, Edgy Domestic Noir…
Slow creeping menace laced with a constant underlying tension in this dark, edgy domestic noir. Successfully narrated with use of a dual timeline with a credible and realistic cast and an intriguing storyline. Powerfully written and difficult issues dealt with sleight of hand, this is edge of seat gripping, and often unbearably tense, from first to very last page.

This is the second book by Tina and it was just as brilliant as her first book which is called Call me Mummy. I found myself feeling engrossed in the book and what the outcome was going to be that I managed to read it in half a day. I found it a interesting and tense thriller, many times through out the story I was holding my breath and on edge. There is a man in Debs kitchen holding a knife but it is not just any man it is her husband, but what has led him to this? Both have their own secrets that unravel through out the story, it was such a rollercoaster of emotions and the way Tina has written it that make it such a compelling and gripping read. I so look forward to Tina's next book.

I was struggling to get into the book I was reading,so thought the new Tina Baker book would be a bit more my thing.

I sped through it in one sitting.

The different timelines worked perfectly,giving pause from the tension of present day.
Tension that seemed to notch up with every chapter.

The parts going back to the past brilliantly built up pictures of the characters and their relationships with each other.
Amongst the tension and breaking relations,was a heart warming sibling relationship.

Another sure fire winner I think.

A chaotically brilliant book taking the reader to the edge of madness, with troubled minds and a broken marriage.

Debs is a forty-something married mother of two, Marc is her reserved ex-military husband.

The 23rd of December and Debs wakes up to a disturbance downstairs, so begins a chaotic and potentially dangerous scene between husband and wife. This forms the present.

The book flits around in time, revealing past events, memories and thoughts from Debs and Marc and the other main characters' lives. These are sometimes disturbing, but create a richly textured and nuanced portrait of the characters.

Debs was raised by a single mum, living upstairs in a pub. Marc's mum was a glamorous air hostess, his dad a civil servant, leaving Marc to be raised by public schools and the army.

There are dark themes, not least the abuse of consent within marriage and the threat of violence is never far away.

I was reminded a little of Blood Orange or Into The Darkest Corner (Elizabeth Haynes), this is just as dark and violent, and also wonderfully introspective, the characters have great self awareness.

It won't be for everyone, some may find it a little bit chaotic, but personally I loved it. Dark, unpredictable with knife-edge tense, ever present threat and real depth of character.

The author Tina Baker has pledged to donate 10% of her royalties to The Samaritans too.


Thanks to Netgalley and Viper, Serpent's Tail.

#NastyLittleCuts #NetGalley
A must read.
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...
Thanks to NetGalley and Serpents Tail for giving me an advanced copy