Title: Final Cut

Author: S.J. Watson

Genre: Thriller/Mystery

Publisher: Doubleday

Publication Date: 6th August 2020

Rating: 4/5

Cover:

Summary:

Blackwood Bay. An ordinary place, home to ordinary people.

It used to be a buzzing seaside destination. But now, ravaged by the effects of dwindling tourism and economic downturn, it’s a ghost town – and the perfect place for film-maker Alex to shoot her new documentary.

But the community is deeply suspicious of her intentions. After all, nothing exciting ever happens in Blackwood Bay – or does it?

Blackwood Bay. An ordinary place, home to an extraordinary secret.

Review:

I read Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson years ago and I remember really enjoying it so I was intrigued to see what the author’s latest book would be like! I’m pleased to say that Final Cut was just as interesting and compelling as Before I Go To Sleep. The story follows Alex, a young documentary filmmaker, who decides to shoot her latest film in the small town of Blackwood Bay where things are not quite what they seem. Alex has a connection to this place which has drawn her there and a complicated and dark past which she cannot fully remember. As she investigates the suspicious events that have led her to Blackwood Bay she realises she will have to come to terms with what happened to her as a teenager.

Final Cut has a great sense of atmosphere to it from the beginning which I always enjoy. There is an undercurrent of tension running through the narrative and an ominous feeling of danger that builds slowly but surely. So much of this book is about memory and the objectivity of it. Memory is one of the most complex and mysterious aspects of the human experience. It can be manipulated or simply erase itself to protect from trauma and the nuances of what the brain is capable of drive the journey Alex undertakes to finally work out who she really is. I’m being quite vague because I don’t want to give away too much about the intricacies of the plot. There is clearly something sinister going on in this small town and Alex is met by so many half-truths, stonewalling and outright lies whilst trying to uncover the secrets of Blackwood Bay. This puts the reader in the same position and it makes you want to keep reading to find out what is really happening. We are given just enough little tidbits and pieces of the bigger picture at a time so that it feels like the truth is just out of reach – a tantalising mystery. Overall I found this a consistently intriguing read which kept me hooked from the start. Final Cut delves into some really fascinating and thorny mental conditions which show just how powerful and also deceptive the mind can be. If you are a fan of dark psychological thrillers then I think you’ll enjoy this intense read!

Thank you so much to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for inviting me on this tour and organising it. I kindly received a copy of the book from the publisher. My review is my own honest opinion.