Publisher: Atria
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
When brilliant TV news producer Virginia Knightly receives a disturbing “MISSING” notice on her desk related to the disappearance of a beautiful young attorney, she can’t seem to shake the image from her head. Despite skepticism from her colleagues, Knightly suspects this ambitious young lawyer may be at the heart of something far more sinister, especially since she was last seen leaving an upscale restaurant after a domestic dispute. Yet, as the only woman of power at her station, Knightly quickly finds herself investigating on her own.
Risking her career, her life, and perhaps even her own sanity, Knightly dives deep into the dark underbelly of Washington, DC business and politics in an investigation that will drag her mercilessly through the inextricable webs of corruption that bind the press, the police, and politics in our nation’s capital.
Harkening to dark thrillers such as Gone Girl, Luckiest Girl Alive, and Big Little Lies, The Cutaway is a striking debut that will haunt you long after you reach the last page.
The Cutaway is the perfect novel for fans of Shonda Rhimes’ Scandal. It features all the political drama, intrigue, and mystery that would make Rhimes proud.
Christina Kovac created a well-rounded reporter that is believable in the way she speaks as well as her actions. This is probably a product of the author’s real like experience seeping into the writing. What also makes Virginia, as a character, stick out is that the focus isn’t solely on the act of reporting the investigation. It jumps between Virginia’s personal life and the investigation. However, there was too much emphasis on her personal life that had little to no bearing on the mystery. This made reading those sections of the book a chore.
The mystery itself is complicated with many layers, twists, and turns. Easily the best aspect of this book is that it will keep the reader guessing until the last reveal. In the end, it’s a smart mystery that engages the reader to think about all the possible suspects and scenarios.
For such an intricate mystery, the writing could have easily fallen into the dense and confusing category. However, Kovac’s writing is accessible. She breaks down political nomenclature into easily digestible information and doesn’t become hung up in the minute details.
Overall, The Cutaway is the perfect novel for fans of Scandal looking for an intricate mystery that will keep you guessing until the last few pages.
*ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
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