Cut To The Bone: Alex Caan 4 Stars
Author: Alex Caan
Bonnier Publishing
Edition: Paperback
ISBN 9781785770494
Pub Date 03 Nov 2016
ebook Pub Date JULY 14 2016
Source: NetGalley/Bonnier Publishing
4 Stars
Publishers Description
Ruby is a vlogger, a rising star of YouTube and a heroine to millions of teenage girls. And she's missing. She's an adult - nothing to worry about, surely? Until the video's uploaded. Ruby, in the dirt and pleading for her life.
Who better to head up the investigation than the Met's rising star, Detective Inspector Kate Riley? She's leading a shiny new team, high-powered, mostly female and with the best resources money can buy. It's time for them to prove what they can do. Alongside her, Detective Superintendent Zain Harris - poster boy for multiracial policing and the team's newest member - has his own unique contribution to make.
But can Kate wholly trust him and when he's around, can she trust herself? Ruby's millions of fans are hysterical about what may have happened to her. The press is having a field day and as the investigation hurtles out of control in the glare of publicity, it becomes clear that the world of YouTube vloggers and social media is much, much darker than anyone could have imagined in their worst nightmares. And the videos keep coming . . .
Review
I was attracted to this book by the publishers description, I thought it would be exciting to read a mystery set in the unfamiliar world of vlogging.
The story is told from two points of view, that of D.I.Kate Riley and her D.S., Zain Harris, both are part of a new department headed by the high flying Justin Hope. Both Kate and Zane have troubled histories, but details of their past lives are eked out to the reader very slowly.
Neither seem at ease with each other. Despite the fact that Zain came to work for her with the best of recommendations she seemed reluctant to let him run with anything. Zain doesn't seem too happy with his job, there are hints that he feels it is all beneath him, that he is above the plod work.
They both were agreed about one thing though, how odd and inappropriate it was to be called out in the early hours to investigate a missing person case. Especially when that person was a woman in her twenties and had only been missing for eight hours. Certainly this was not normal procedure.
However, when the first video arrives there is no doubt that Ruby is in terrible danger
Ruby, is a high profile vlogger who, on the face of it blogs on the innocuous topics of clothes and cosmetics, she also tries to inspire her fans to live life to the full. What reason could anyone have to want to harm her?
Well hold on to your horses because you are in for one heck of a ride to places you would never have expected to be taken!
The plot is clever but complicated, plenty of red herrings, plenty of characters and plenty of "show, don't tell" with an abundance of adjectives and adverbs. Personally it's not my favourite style of writing, but the author does it very well.
For the most part I enjoyed the book, but there was a bit too much going on for my taste, too many other little stories detracting from the main theme.
I didn't really engage with any of the characters, I thought Kate's affair with a married man was a bit tawdry, it certainly didn't add anything to the story other than a superfluous mini sex scene. Why, too would an American think people will like them better if they adopt a British accent? That seemed such an odd premise, after all, many an American actor can't pull off that one.
Still, despite my gripes, I do think we will be hearing a lot more from this author because he does write well and can come up with a cracking good plot
Copy via NetGalley/Bonnier Publishing in return for an unbiased review
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