What I did love about this book was the characters. I cared about them and what happened to them. There is alot of them to keep you on your toes. What I didnt like was the ending - it ended very abruptly and left me disappointed.

The Cut is a dual timeline crime thriller. Annie and Ben are the power couple at school. Annie is smart, ambitious and beautiful. Ben is Top Dog. However, on the night of the Leaver's dance things go terribly wrong and Annie ends up dead.

Thirty years later her killer, Dave Patel, is being released from prison after finally admitting his guilt. But it coincides with professional problems for a now successful Ben and now his kids have got themselves involved in a movie project that is totally beyond his control. But who is pulling the strings and what will it reveal about the killer of Annie Maddock?

Sounds good right? And it might have been had I a) not worked out the end in about 5 seconds and b) been full of the most preposterous inter-generational and school relationships I've read in quite a while.

The adults seemed utterly insensible as to what the children were doing ALL the time. The kids didn't seem to have one braincell to rub against another. I thought they were supposed to be internet-savvy or, at least, have parental controls. But no, none of that. As for the boy with the cello - did noone remind him that he could easily leave it at the school?

There is a lot of bullying in this book. Apparently noone cares - not teachers, not parents. It's quite unbelievable.

In fact the whole story is utterly ridiculous.

I also listened to the audio version (which is free with Audible), and whilst one narrator - Jacob Dudman - was excellent, surprisingly Richard Armitage got a bit too melodramatic all the way through. His over-acting was awful.

Hence I wouldn't recommend this to anyone. It was a ridiculous plot, easily worked out; none of the characters are likeable; the interplay between characters is laughable.
I've not read Geneva but based on this novel I'd say Mr Armitage needs to stick to acting.

Thanks to Netgalley and Faber &Faber for the advance review copy.

I had read Geneva by this author and enjoyed so was very pleased to have received this ARC of this book. Took me a while to get into it with characters and the past and present chapters, but then everything clicked and I couldn’t stop reading. I really enjoyed the book.

Ben Knott returned to his childhood village, building a spectacular house for himself and his family, but he spends too much time working, ignoring his family and ignoring the fact his firm is going bust.
He is also haunted by the past; the death of his teenage girlfriend Annie and one of his friends went to prison for killing her, and now David Patel is due to be released.
The story cuts between the last year of school, 1994, and the present day, linking what happened in the run up to Annie’s death and mirroring it with Ben’s children Nate and Lily acting it out for a documentary style horror film.
Art mirrors history as it all comes to a climax. A thrilling read and my thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc.

Firstly thank you to Netgalley and Faber and Faber Ltd for this digital advanced copy. Unfortunately this was two slow paced for me and I didn’t enjoy the dual timeline. I also found the characters unlikeable.

This dual timeline story of childhood and tragedy is not one to miss.

Ben Knott, father of two, is a successful architect who continues to live in his hometown. He travels all over the world, working on impressive buildings, though he has disconnected from his two children. But Ben holds a secret, and he doesn't think it is long until it catches up with him. He is also haunted by memories of his past, which a recent film is raising. When he was a teen, his girlfriend was killed, and it was one of his friends who did it. But that guy is getting out of prison soon, which isn't helping his state of mind at all.

Another great novel from Richard Armitage, showing not only the hardships of teenage life, but also of being an adult. Plus all the secrets we keep. A must-read.

An enjoyable psychological thriller that is well written. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

The story is set in dual timeline the chapters were alternating between past and present . I couldn't connect with the characters at a stage I was completely confused by some. Some parts of the story felt dragged. Overall I felt something amiss . I thank netgalley and faber and Faber for eARC copy.

The Cut by Richard Armitage is a bit hit and miss unfortunately.

Its biggest hit is in Armitages writing style. Clearly influenced by Harlan Coben he has an excellent way of ramping up drama and action when needed. The ending was especially exciting i felt as it quickly flicked between past and present.

The biggest miss is probably gaping plot holes. When everything is wrapped up i was left thinking it was so unbelievable that the original murder case ended that way. Ridiculous stuff.

Also. Who was Freckles. That seemed to go nowwhere.

Its definitely worth a read but could have been better with some tighter plotting.

Thanks to Netgalley and Faber & Faber for an ARC copy of this

The cut -

The idea for the plot is really good; a murder from decades ago that was solved, linking into a film being made in the area in modern times. The use of the then and the now is great way to tell a tale. Although I found the multiple timelines confusing at points.


It's a mystery story but is also marketed as a 'thriller'. The crime and mystery element is most certainly there, in this tale of obsession and revenge, more so than the thriller aspects. The first 80.pages really focus on building the characters and atmosphere and at points I found myself desperate for something to happen.


I really wanted to love this one, especially afyer enjoying his novel, Geneva. Whilst there were parts of it that I enjoyed, I would say it was a lot slower than his first book and there was something missing.

The story is told over different times lines - present and the past. In the past, we are introduced to characters who meet in school and soon, one of the number will be dead. Fast forward to the present, Ben Knot is not living his best life, when he finds out the murderer will be free and able to return to live in the village. Ben learns that a film will be made in the village and both his children will be appearing. What Ben doesn't know is that some of the past will be brought into the present day. It was dark, disturbing, gripping, gritty and terrifying to read. It led to a dramatic ending.

The Cut is a tense and gripping thriller that weaves together past tragedy and present danger with chilling effect. Set in the quiet village of Barton Mallet, the story follows Ben Knot, once a teenager caught in a summer of bullying, fractured friendships and devastating loss. Thirty years later, Ben is an award-winning architect who has returned to his childhood home with his family, but the events of 1994 still haunt him. When the murderer from that long-ago summer is about to be released, the past resurfaces in ways Ben could never have imagined.

The book blends mystery, psychological tension and family drama with a creeping sense of dread. Ben’s attempts to hold on to his carefully built life begin to crumble under the pressure of financial ruin, his son’s budding acting career and the eerie arrival of a film crew in the village. The atmosphere is unsettling throughout, and the shadow of Blackstone Mill adds a haunting backdrop to the unfolding events.

Richard Armitage has crafted a story that keeps readers on edge, with layers of secrets, suspicion and betrayal. The narrative moves seamlessly between past and present, showing how choices and consequences never truly fade. The twists are well-paced and the blend of horror elements with a thriller structure makes the book both unpredictable and absorbing.

This is a chilling and compelling read that explores how the wounds of the past can cut deep into the present.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

Geneva by Richard Armitage was one of my favourite reads from last year, so I was excited to get an advance copy of The Cut. This is a very different book. For starters, there are so many characters set across different time periods which for the first half of the book, I found really confusing. Around the midpoint I realised what was going on and the tension ramped up. Although there were no surprises as to who had done what, Armitage writes beautifully; particularly the multiple descriptive paragraphs. The characters were unlikeable, so it was hard to feel empathy. The childhood bullying - and particularly the grooming of the children in the current day - was particularly difficult to read. This is a well-written novel, but for me, it doesn't have the elements of a thriller that I gravitate towards or the breathtaking originality of Geneva.

Thank you to Richard Armitage, Faber & Faber and Netgalley for my advance copy.

I found the jumping back and forth between characters and timelines confusing and the story overly long. It just did not live up to Geneva which is a much better read.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

"The Cut" Richard Armitage ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A complex novel set in rotating past and present segments, Ben Knot is a village golden boy turned almost bankrupt architectural CEO.
The past is set in his final year of high-school, where we get to know Ben and his group of friends. How one action leads to another in a spiralling decent of darkness.
Present time shows how a film crew is piecing together a horror film with his own children as the main cast.
As the novel progresses, Ben finds too many coincidences between the film his children are in and the worst night of his teenage life. Stress is a common friend of his, and it keeps getting closer.

Keeping an eye on the dates in the chapter titles is vital to not get lost, I had to reread the first 50 pages as I forgot where in the timeline I was. The scene setting and descriptions are so vivid. The ending had me so enthralled with the colliding time lines. One of those types of books where you can't put it down in the second half as revelations keep happening.

Thank you to Richard Armitage and Faber and Faber for providing this book for review consideration via @NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This is a story about the consequences of friendships made during teenage years coming back to haunt you in adulthood. A girl died thirty years ago, someone went to prison and just about to be released. A filmmaker wants to showcase the events leading up to the death. Will the film throw up new evidence or confirm the guilt of the imprisoned man? Told in two timelines which merge towards the end, sometimes confusing but a good read!

Ben Knott is an architect whose life was changed by an incident 30 years ago, which is coming back to haunt him. At the same time, his business is failing and he is under tremendous pressure.
And then a film company involve his children in a film concerning the incident.
Told in two time frames the story moves quickly and dramatically to a compelling climax.
I only gave this 3 stars because I was very uncomfortable with the way Ben's children were groomed and exploited into taking part in the film - they were innocent parties to the events 30 years ago - surely these days there must be some safeguarding. I know it’s only a book, but I would be unlikely to recommend it because of this.

Thanks to Netgalley and Faber and Faber Ltd for the opportunity to read this book.

I was so excited to read this second book written by Richard Armitage. He is an excellent actor and portrays many characters who are totally believable in any genre. He has put this ability into this book which spans two timelines 30 years apart. The reader enters into the lives, emotions, fears and hopes of the characters who are sensitively written. The story is dark and the storms and fierce weather add to the atmosphere. I found it both intense and gripping right to its conclusion.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher, Faber and Faber for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
#netgalley #faberandfaber

Really interesting novel to delve into. Dual timelines, complex characters and a brilliant storyline to keep you hooked.

Really impressed with this one.

2/5 ⭐

Thank you to Faber and Faber and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review, so... let's be honest.

I had several issues with this book - it reads as if it's been written for TV (not surprising given the author), however the transition between characters and timelines is clunky. I was 40-50% through the book and still didn't realise who the main characters were - and why new people kept coming in. Usually I'd start my review with a few lines about the narrative - but I can't even describe it. What *actually* went on?

There's also a way to write teenagers in the 90s without being consistently derogatory. It works if you get the story right, otherwise it's just uncomfortable and doesn't add to the plot at all.

I think this would be fine as a series on Netflix that you could lazily watch on a Sunday afternoon. The book doesn't capture - not at first, and definitely not as it goes on. It's impressive that it's slow but also so many things are happening all at once.