I love a literally behind-the-scenes look at how movies are made, and since the protagonist of Final Cut is the key costumer for the next likely blockbuster superhero movie, there's the promise of so much of that. Early on, you can tell that Joey's experiences are informed by the author's real movie production background, which makes the book's setting that much more engrossing.

One thing that gets a lot of attention in that regard is the chain of command on a movie set. The director of the film in this story, Marcus Pray, is a big deal moneymaker, and he rules the set of this movie with all the confidence of a man who can do exactly what he wants with few to no consequences. He sexually harasses any woman within sight in one form or another and bases a lot of his directorial decisions on what will put the (standard) hottest women in front of him. We see Joey struggle to protect the young actress who is the lead on a big-budget film for the first time, but she ultimately feels her hands are tied since Marcus's word is law. She'd thought the biggest problem in taking this gig would be seeing her ex prance around with his new girlfriend, but the tension and danger caused by the director/dictator running things is infinitely worse.

Once the murder is revealed, I admire how the book keeps the tension up throughout. Joey's a suspect in this mystery because she found the body, publicly argued with the victim earlier in the day, and had a personal connection with her (see: she was dating her ex). Our protagonist is already feeling stressed about the police investigation after her interrogation, but things only get worse with the involvement of the media and, of course, social media. A death on a major movie set, especially given that everything about the film seems to be going wrong somehow, is fodder for widespread, gleeful speculation. I think the book really captures the way that fast digital information sharing fuses with wild theorizing, gossip, and trolling to form this monster that can hound and even enact violence on a person. The self-propagating claims about Joey's involvement in the crime, which she supposedly committed so she could get back with her ex, not only cause some people at work to turn against her but also energize complete strangers to hate her, too. While she has staunch supporters among her friends, she feels surrounded by the vitriol as paparazzi follow her, strangers send her threats, and police officers spin her request for protection from potential stalkers into a scheme for more attention online. The danger she feels is what inspires her to do her own investigation into what happened, tapping into her personal connections to gather information that she fears the police won't be able to access.

While all that's going on, Joey tries to soldier on at work, afraid that if she quits to try and leave it all behind, it will only fuel the impression of her guilt. Her experiences on set might in part be about movie magic, but they're also about sexual predators and how they get away with what they do, from the big cover-ups to the hundreds of people who become bystanders too afraid or unbothered or self-serving to intervene. Joey has to confront who she will be in this scenario because, ready or not, she's a bystander and worse on this one.

And the thing is that Joey isn't sure how to react. She's professional to the point of trying to downplay or ignore the problems on set at first. She figures that she has a job to do, no matter how evil the director is or how poorly run the production is. She tries to keep her head down and make compromises rather than getting sucked into doomsaying or rabble-rousing. She's reluctant to listen to any testimonials about wrongs he's committed in the past, even when offered as a warning so that she can better keep herself safe. We increasingly see the dark side of her determinedly rosy outlook as things escalate. Whenever Joey notices some little slice of normalcy from Pray, she takes it as a sign that he has some good in him. And it's like... yes. Only cartoon villains (or some superhero ones) could be so one-note in their evil. Being nice to his own dogs, for example, is the bare minimum and doesn't absolve him of the harm he's done to real, actual women, some of which Joey has witnessed firsthand. Joey's mental tightrope means she's quick to point out Pray's faults but just as eager to find reasons that he's not the actual devil, something that would absolve her from refusing to do anything substantive about his behavior. At one point, she suggests it would take a high-powered actor on set to take on Pray-- a knight in shining armor. But there are rarely knights, just brave, normal people who speak up. Though we eventually see Joey come to terms with the situation she finds herself in and take action, the process of getting her there really grinds my gears. I also want to warn readers that a crucial step in Joey's transformation is becoming a victim of assault herself (on the page), which could be a trigger for many, and also shows how people don't appreciate the severity of a situation until they experience it themselves.

I want to make a final note about the way the author brings real-world movie knowledge to the book. I enjoyed the summarized history about the how and why of the rise of superhero movies in Hollywood. I'm also fascinated by costuming as a process and all that goes into it. It shouldn't be surprising how much manpower and attention to detail are required, but I still left feeling amazed. On the less exciting side of things, I didn't enjoy the name-dropping of real actors in the story. I'd prefer everyone fictional, to be honest. It hit especially hard in this one because it felt like a weird platform for the author to say which famous people she likes in an industry tell-all kind of way.

Ultimately, I enjoyed this mystery, which kept me guessing til the end. That's quite the feat, and I'm always excited to experience it. The minutiae of film-making and costuming were also fascinating. It was the (major) side plot about predation that gave me pause-- not because of the result but because of the pain of watching the journey. While I can see the realism of Joey's missteps, I can't help but be suffused with disappointment about how people feed systems that actively hurt us. Thanks to Crooked Lane for my copy to read and review!

This was an interesting adult mystery, that I would recommend to those who think it sounds good!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher

I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

I wasn't able to read this book because life has been extremely busy, so I will rate this 5 stars to compensate. The blurb looked very promising though, and I will read this when I get the chance and I will edit my review

I wasn't able to read this book because I was busy but I will rate this 5 stars to compensate. The blurb looked very promising, though. I will read this when I get the chance and I will edit my review.

This was a wonderfully fun read and an exceptionally detailed look at the movie industry. In fact - after reading, I had to go look up the author to understand how she'd done her research - which is when I learned that she has worked in the industry for years. I loved the descriptions of the costuming department and the work and effort put into it all; as well as the intricate politics of promotion and success in the field.
So why three stars and not four? The mystery and the interpersonal dynamics outside the Hollywood elements were... fine. McCown did a fantastic job of writing the reality of the movie industry, but the plot itself felt a little under-realized. Still, I look forward to seeing what she writes next!

I wouldn’t say i really liked this book. The whole description evolves around mistery but the book is basically about hollywood. There are a lot of descriptions about hollywood and explanations about the costume design work and that’s it. the mistery is really subtle and it happens really fast so you can’t even engage with it.
maybe i would’ve enjoyed this book of the description was completely different, but i had so many expectations and the book couldn’t meet them.

❓️How do you feel about genre fiction that fits the mold while pushing against the edges ❓️

First of all, if you are remotely a fan of movies and Hollywood, this is the cozy mystery for you. Marjorie McCown is a movie insider and veteran, and that shines through the detailed world she's created surrounding sleuth Joey who is working as a costumer on a movie shoot for a high profile hopeful summer blockbuster.

But be ready for the decidedly un-cozy side of the movies with themes of harassment in Hollywood, drug addiction, and more.

The tension ratchets up as the book goes on, and the scene where the murderer is revealed will make your heart pound.

I highly recommend this debut and hopefully first in a new cozy series.

@rebeccas.reading.rambles was talking about the tension and suspense in Rob Osler's Devil's Chew Toy and I think this could be a good readalike.

I didn’t love this one. I usually really enjoy books where the main characters have an interesting job that I don’t know much about, and you get to enjoy the story and learn at the same time. So this mystery where our main character is a costume designer should have been right up my alley, but it really missed the mark for me. Half the book is like I’m shadowing a costume designer as they go about their day, and the day is very dull. It got bogged down in all the minors details of the job, and the plot took a backseat.

I also didn’t really like the main character. She felt like a goody two-shoes who was only focused on work in the face of being a murder suspect. I appreciate a hard-worker, but she felt a little too naive and self-righteous for my taste. The dialogue felt too formal, and our main character was 34 years old but acted much older (imo).

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the copy in exchange for my honest review.

I loved getting a behind-the-scenes peek into the film industry and costuming! So much care was taken to make this accurate and accessible to people without familiarity. The overall story is enjoyable but I felt like there were a lot of loose ends and too many characters that were left without a real purpose. But if you’re a film buff who likes a whodunnit, it’s likely still worth a read.

Story of the book-

When Hollywood customer Joey Jessop discovers a corpse close to the set of a high-budget film, she must quickly find methods to safeguard both her job and herself. This book is ideal for fans of Elle Cosimano and Nita Prose. Joey Jessop likes to be in the background. Her job is to make other people appear good while avoiding the limelight as a major customer for the next big superhero film. That requires being careful to act professionally around Courtney Lisle, Eli Logan’s most recent love interest and the Second Assistant Director, as well as Eli Logan, her ex and the First Assistant Director. However, Joey seems unconcerned about this—especially because the film is being shot in a stunning Malibu setting.

On the first day of the main filming, Joey discovers Courtney’s body, which causes everything to alter because she quickly becomes the prime suspect. Joey observes how her planned existence behind the scenes becomes front and center for everyone to see as the media seizes on the story and social media starts to run with it. But even worse than that isn’t it? She must deal with the predatory behavior of the film’s predatory director and producer, Marcus Pray, who seems driven to continue his practice of making another blockbuster hit while making sure his crew endures a toxic and potentially fatal working environment, in addition to her newfound and unfortunate stardom. Joey thus finds herself in trouble on both a personal and professional level. Joey decides to clear her name since things are getting tense on set and a murder investigation is threatening her life and future. Will she have time to reveal the truth before the event is over?

My review-

Although the characters were fairly recognizable, the author nevertheless made you wonder who and how much to believe. The slight side-story of the director’s predatory behavior and its effects piqued my curiosity more. The author’s background in the film industry provides the story’s specific perspective and realism. Additionally, entertaining appearances from real-life celebrities add to the feeling of peeping behind the curtain of movie magic. I liked this tale since it provided an intriguing perspective from a key crew member on how films are made.

Many of the facts, explanations, and descriptions could have been significantly cut down without affecting the storyline in any way. The real story/plotline was then pretty middle. Very predictable, but still a good time overall. I didn’t get sucked into this the way a novel can comfort you by encircling you. I had the impression that I was only reading the surface of these individuals. There were many characters in this novel, but none of them accomplished anything. Character Joey did nothing. She didn’t even try to solve the crime or solve it. Only after gathering some information did someone else reveal the complete truth to her.

The storyline can become bogged down by that information at times, but overall the pacing is decent. The plot was alright overall, but it focused too much on the day job and not enough on the mystery. The conclusion was absurd. Overall, the novel is passable, has a few endearing side characters, and has a well-taken moral about how bystander inaction causes sexual harassment and assault to continue. However, certain story gaps are either completely overlooked or only partially addressed.

Final Cut by Marjorie Mccown was not what I expected.

I really liked the premise of the book, but it turned out to be very slow mystery with almost first half of the book detailing the design costume work in general and in Hollywood.
While I was so looking forward to reading about behind the scenes and genuinely wanted to know about costumes and movie making, it still was a bit too detailed for my liking. Although I did find out a lot about that particular part of film industry.

Some of the things going on didn't necessarily make much sense to me. And I felt that there was not much sleuthing done at all. It was more of gathering some information.

I felt that the ending was rushed, there were too many things happening all at once.

DNF at 35%. Though the premise really hooked me, unfortunately the book failed to capitalize on what could have been a fast-paced, twisty murder mystery by getting bogged down in minutiae.
I don't even have to google it to know the author works or has worked in costuming in movies. The level of detail they include makes that abundantly clear - I felt like this was a rookie mistake. By giving in to the temptation to go into HEAVY detail about how a costuming department/wardrobe for a film works, it slowed the pace considerably and took me out of the story.
I also had an issue with the use of current celebs as cameo characters (I did a full body cringe when the FMC runs into Ben Affleck around town and gives him a big hug, has a little chat as they're such good mates from working together), this just feels odd and that along with references to current showbiz gossip will probably date the book going forward.
Though the FMC is sketched out very well, following her as she goes from set to home to her other work to home to set was boring and there's hundreds of small conversations she has with her workmates that are simply superfluous and again bog the reader down in unnecessary plot nothings.
Ultimately DNF'd as I just simply did not care enough about the story to go along for the rest of the ride.

Cozy mysteries can be very hit and miss -- I read this one because it was compared to one of my favorite recent authors of cozies -- Elle Cosimano -- and because the costumer in Hollywood sounded interesting. The problem was that I didn't really care for Joey and her motivations seemed very weird. Maybe this is how it is to be on set but she was so defensive and prickly from the start that it was hard to follow her and want her to persevere. Hope you have better luck!

Final Cut comes out next week on June 6, 2023 and you can purchase HERE.

Joey felt frustrated that she was late getting back to the shoot. By this time, nearly an hour after wrap, most of the movie crew had packed up and gone home after what had been a long, discouraging day. As key costumer, Joey usually started the morning on set, then ended her day at one of the specialty shops that made clothing for the film, or one of a dozen other tasks that went with her job. But tonight was different.

Although this book is well written, I found the plot to drag on quite a bit, and was a very slow build up. The synopsis really caught my attention, but sadly the execution was not quite able to engross me for the novel’s entirety.
Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an ARC of this novel!

This mystery introduces costumer Joey Jessup as she stumbles onto the body of one the Assistant Directors on the beach the first day of filming for the latest superhero blockbuster. She had been trying to contact the AD all day in order to smooth out their working relationship. The AD was currently dating Joey's ex and seemed to think Joey wanted him back.

This is just one of the bad things that are happening on the movie set. One of the set electricians is almost electrocuted in an accident. And tensions are generally high because the director is a high-maintenance kind of guy who wants to be surrounded by beautiful models and doesn't hesitate to hit on any woman who catches his eye. Everyone knows that he is harassing women, but no one is brave enough to take him on and have their career derailed or be blacklisted as a result of his spite.

Joey is trying to keep her head down but wants to know who murdered the AD since she has fallen under police suspicion. She is also being victimized by text messages that quote bible verses that are unnerving her. She also has some vandalism done to her car which the police think is self-inflicted as a way to gain herself some publicity. This police attitude is why she doesn't go to them as the dangers pile up.

I enjoyed this story which gave an interesting look at the production of movies from the viewpoint of an important member of the crew. The #metoo movement plot provided a good red herring for the story and made the story timely.

A different sort of cozy- and one that's more focused on the heroine's work than on the mystery. Joey is a costumer in Hollywood and she's moving up the ladder. Unfortunately, her next big job is working for a jerk of a director and her ex is also there, along with his new girlfriend. Who Joey finds dead. She, of course, becomes the chief suspect, especially because someone's working very hard to frame her. I liked the behind the scenes aspects of this but thought they swamped the mystery so go into this knowing that and you'll likely enjoy it. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC, A good read.

Final Cut: A Hollywood Mystery
By Marjorie McCown
Crooked Lane Books
June 2023

Review by Cynthia Chow

Despite months of preparation and planning, professional costumer Joey Jessup is anxious before her next job’s first day of a film’s principal photography. Joey is always nervous before the start of a new job, be it for live theater or a big budget film, but this superhero blockbuster has her on edge. While having the base camp near her home in Malibu was tantalizing, the director Marcus Pray has a reputation that lived up to his name. They’ve barely begun shooting before Marcus demands an entourage of Victoria’s Secret models, not to mention bullying the lead actress into wearing a flimsy bikini. His disregard for safety measures results in the resignation of the stunt coordinator, multiple stunt people being sent to the hospital, and much much justifiable bad publicity. At the edge of that is Popvibe journalist Maggie Fuller, who is pressuring Joey for information about Marcus Pray’s horrific predatory behavior and treatment of employees. Having fought her way up through the often-brutal Hollywood system, Joey is leering of giving up any of her hard-earned success, especially with an iron-clad non-disclosure agreement looming over her and threatening dire repercussions.

When the second assistant director is killed on set though, it’s Joey and not Marcus who becomes the rumored primary suspect. Courtney Lisle was dating the first assistant director Eli Logan, who just happened to be Joey’s ex-boyfriend. On the receiving end of mean girl sniping and menacing texts, Joey comes to rely on a few supportive friends and especially an eager production assistant. An amped up production schedule has Joey scrambling to find and complete $100,000 costumes, tasks she must somehow fit in between attempts to convince the police that she’s not a part of an attention-getting scheme.

Anyone who loves to read all of the behind-the-scenes details about their favorite movie and television shows will adore the first of this debut mystery series. Considering the recent Writers’ Strike and upcoming DGA and SAG union negotiations, not to mention the ongoing #MeToo struggles and fatal shooting on the Rust movie set, this novel couldn’t be more timely or relevant. It is at times difficult to observe the blatant abuse Joey and many of the actresses endure, as is the moral dilemma they face about whether to report it or make sacrifices for their careers. The author, who has decades of costume experience working on Oscar-winning and superhero blockbuster movies, shares her vast knowledge and creates the ultimate insiders’ look into the fascinating world of movie-making. Names are dropped and famous cameos pop up throughout, making this a must-read for those fascinated by the entertainment business. Despite Joey’s frequent meetings with those who are known throughout the world and often chased down by paparazzi, she faces very relatable challenges over being a woman in a male-dominated profession. In a business where women are pitted against one another as they compete for jobs, should they be willing to bear the cost of breaking down barriers, or should they continue the cycle in the belief that it makes one stronger and is worth it for success in the end? Readers will become extremely invested in the choices Joey makes and be rooting for her to succeed, while also sympathizing with her anxiety and confusion. Despite the weighty topics this remains an extremely entertaining examination of the movie-making business and kicks off a very compelling and fun new mystery series.

I could not finish enough of this book to be able to leave a comprehensive review, but I hope it finds its audience and I am grateful to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

This is an entertaining and compelling mystery set in the world of cinema. I enjoyed it, liked Joey and the solid mystery that kept me guessing.
I can't wait to read the next story.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine