Cover Image: The Cutaway

The Cutaway

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books, For an advance copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This book wasn’t really exciting for me as I have no interest in the world of news and television production, so I found it a bit dry and boring. Once I stepped away from the sexism and details about news investigations and just sat back to follow the story I found it well written though not very exciting.

Was this review helpful?

It had been so long ago when I read the synopsis that I'd mostly forgotten what this book was about when I decided to finally read it. The female lead, Virginia, is smart, strong and likeable; she doesn't let much get in her way and she doesn't play victim to fear, she does what is necessary for her story no matter what. This does mean that she sometimes puts herself in danger and sometimes she trusts the wrong people, but this doesn't blind her to facts and she is willing to change her mind when the facts prove her wrong. There is a little bit about her past which gives you a sense of how she was shaped as a person, but I don't think it gets too in the weeds about it and doesn't take away from the main plot. The supporting characters are well developed and played their part well in the overall narrative. Some of which I wouldn't mind getting their own book because I'd love to learn more and I'm sure they have more stories to tell and mischief to get into. There were plenty of twists and it did keep me guessing until the reveal, but I wonder if that's because I was focused on the story and not on wearing my detective hat the whole time. I'm sure others had figured it out far ahead of me, it wasn't an earth shattering reveal, but it was well done. I will continue to read this author and I do recommend this book, it was well written and well thought out.

Was this review helpful?

The Cutaway by Christina Kovac: Loved the journalism inclusion and the characters. We’ll-plotted mystery.

Was this review helpful?

I'm sorry it took me so long to read this amazing book.

The characterization is some of the very best I have ever encountered. The main character, Virginia's, feelings just fly off the page, at times full of angst and others determined--a force to be reckoned with. I love that she is also very confidant. and not afraid to dig a bit deeper to get the story.

The settings are also well done. I felt like I was getting a clear picture of what it's like to get a story ready for the news and how all the people work together to make .that happen. I really enjoy when an author tackles the background information as well as this author did.

The mystery had a few surprising twists and turns that I didn't see coming, and the murderer was someone I never would have expected. By the end, everything was neatly wrapped up.

I hope to read more by this author. 5 Stars.

Was this review helpful?

Pretty solid fast paced thriller! I have to say I went into this with high expectations and it was delivered as promised. Executed well and the story weaves beautifully. Must say I will recommend this one to many!

Was this review helpful?

I loved the view into the news business while deep in the middle of a dangerous mystery. The characters were well-developed, and I didn't figure out the "who dunnit" until really far into the book. That's always a good sign.

I listened to the audio version of this book because I'm so far behind on my reading. Even the narrator was good.

Was this review helpful?

Note: clearing old books from before 2019

Did not have time to read this book - still on my TBR. Thank you for the opportunity and my apologies for not getting to it.

Was this review helpful?

This is a mystery thriller told from the perspective of a TV news producer – when Virginia Knightly receives a “missing” notice about the disappearance of a beautiful young attorney, she immediately knows that this case is going to be huge and will need all her effort to crack the case open – the network is also in trouble and there are rumors about lay-offs!
The missing woman was last seen leaving a restaurant after an argument with her husband – police search begins and after what seems like a long check a body is found, there are conspiracy theories floating around about how phones were tapped and messages were listened to – but what exactly is going on? Is there someone from the law enforcement who is responsible for all the events that start to happen? Is there someone trying to mislead Virginia and send her in wrong directions?
This book had a gripping way of taking the reader to a world of corruption and cover-ups, the dark underbelly of Washington, DC business and politics – how some can be really merciless in covering their tracks!

#netgalley #thecutaway

Was this review helpful?

The Cutaway draws you into the tangled world of corruption and cover-up as a young television producer investigates the disappearance of a beautiful Georgetown lawyer in this stunning psychological thriller. Thank you Netgalley for the free preview

Was this review helpful?

An amazing debut that kept me engaged until the very last page. The descriptions of Washington DC and the surrounding areas are so vivid I felt like I was there. Her depiction of a newsroom and how news is broken is incredible and I learned a lot (she has a background in this). I can't say enough good things. If you enjoy a fast paced suspense novel that keeps you constantly guessing, this is the book for you! I absolutely loved THE CUTAWAY.

Was this review helpful?

3.5 stars. This was a really good debut from the author that kept me guessing. I enjoyed being brought into the world of a local DC newsroom and what goes in to hunting down a story. I’m not sure why I put this on hold for so long, but I enjoyed it!

Was this review helpful?

I found the mystery to be entertaining and twisty. I did not know how it was all going to turn out. I had a bit of a difficult time connecting with the characters, but that's not uncommon in the world of page-turning thrillers. Would recommend this book!

Was this review helpful?

This was a fast paced read and it kept my attention throughout. There was suspense, And many twists and turns Enough to keep you up at night.
Many thanks to Atria Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Was this review helpful?

Despite being well written, I couldn't really get into The Cutaway. I found it hard to resonate with the characters, they all seemed kind of flat and while the story was interesting, I struggled to finish it. I would be open to trying another Christina Kovac book for sure

Was this review helpful?

The Cutaway is the story of a reporter covering the a woman's murder. The investigation is captivating, and leads the reader to wonder about the motives of the the murdered woman's colleagues, her husband, her lover, and her shady works.

The story was a little too long, and somewhat complicated. It did kept me wondering "whodunnit". The ending was satisfying and I was glad that I hadn't given up on the story.

I recommend this story to all patient readers of crime novels.

Was this review helpful?

I very much enjoyed reading Christina Kovac’s THE CUTAWAY, which is a fast-paced thriller interweaving politics, law enforcement and the free press. It’s a creative, smart and well-written mystery that I highly recommend.

Was this review helpful?

Love thrillers so this one I liked. The author kept the plot flowing although I wish it wasn't typical like every other book that has the same plot. Reporters, police, murder, what is there not to like?

Was this review helpful?

Prior to reading this book, I had never heard about the author, but I must admit I was very pleasantly surprised.
In this story, TV news producer Virginia Knightly receives “MISSING” notice related to the disappearance of a young attorney. As she starts investigating the disappearance, it becomes evident that nothing is straightforward about the situation and there are undercurrents that are not immediately apparent as well as a series of suspects that constantly have you guessing and wondering what is around the corner.
The story is very well-written and had me hooked from cover to cover. Can't wait to read more books from this author.

Was this review helpful?

The Cutaway by Christina Kovac is a 2017 Atria publication.

A solid debut!

This is another book that has been lingering around on my TBR pile for too long. In fact, it’s been hanging around so long the blurb was still comparing books to ‘Gone Girl’. Oy!

I think the newsroom premise is what prompted me to add this book to my list. Personally, investigative journalism is more interesting to me than standard police investigations. They tend to uncover the best scandals and conspiracies!!

In this case, an up and coming young attorney named Evelyn goes missing, catching the attention of TV producer, Virginia Knightly. Hoping that by calling attention to the case, the story might morph into positive ratings, and maybe help her exorcise a few personal demons, Virginia and her team open an investigation. But things take on a much stronger sense of urgency when Evelyn is found murdered.

Meanwhile, Virginia is fighting for her job, and those of her team, when a new station manager takes over, which makes solving this case more important than ever. However, the deeper she digs, the murkier the case becomes, and it looks as if key players may be attempting to cover up pertinent information and are purposely trying to stymie her progress. It soon becomes clear that Virginia can trust no one- and she could be putting herself directly in the line of fire.

For a debut novel, this book is pretty good. At first it was a bit dry and the pacing was anemic, but then several interesting twists upped the ante, and from there the story picked up steam.

There is a dark undertone to the story, and Washington is the perfect setting for this type of thriller. The newsroom atmosphere has a realistic quality to it, and the behind the scenes dramas were a nice touch. There were a few surprise developments on that end of things as well. I never could figure out who to trust, any more than Virginia could, and I don’t think I ever would have guessed how things would eventually turn out.

Overall, the premise and location, is what really sells this story. The author did a great job with construction, but the execution is a little wobbly. Other than that, I enjoyed the story, and I think the author is off to a good start. I hope she will try her hand at writing again someday.

3.5 rounded up

Was this review helpful?

This book was a pretty good read full of suspense, twists and turns. The writing was very good for a debut novel. I look forward too reading more from this author.

Was this review helpful?