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A review by melindavan
Smash Cut by Sandra Brown
4.0
I selected this book for #2 on my list because it had a movie theme which I thought was highly appropriate given my 50/50 challenge. Plus, I had the privilege of hearing Sandra Brown speak at DFWCon last year. I was so impressed by her that day that I rushed out of the auditorium, bought the book (yes, actual hard copy!) and stood in a really long line to have her autograph it. She is an amazing public speaker, and all around very nice person. If you get the chance, go meet her.
The story starts out with some seemingly non-related events. By the end, the events are not only wound so tightly around each other you can’t stir them with a stick, but the layer upon layer of subplot which comes together increases the tension to the point where I could not put the book down. I also couldn’t turn out the lights for several days, and walking alone to my car in the parking garage has my heart pounding.
First Line: “Creighton Wheeler stormed across the bluestone terrace, whipping off his sun visor and making a swipe at the sweat streaming down his face, then without breaking stride, angrily tossed the damp towel and visor onto a chaise. This better be damn important. I was about to break his serve.” As first lines go, it’s ok. There’s enough action to move me along.
To me, though, the first line of Chapter 3 is better: “It was decided midway into their second Bloody Mary. At least his mind was made up, and gauging from the signals she was sending, hers was, too. The conditions weren’t ideal. It would take some tricky maneuvering, but he happened to be extremely good at tricky maneuvers, and where there was a will…” Now isn’t THAT more intriguing? I found myself wishing the story started with chapter 3. Not just for the great opening line, but for the fact that chapter 1 and 2 confused me. They are in omniscient point of view, and the head hopping drove me insane. I nearly put the book down because of it. In Chapter 3 it stops the head hopping and sticks to a single character POV, and the story is much better for it. I’m not sure why the first two chapters are like that; it’s almost like they were added on as an after thought. If it bothers you, skip ahead to chapter 3. Don’t worry, any details you might miss will be presented again.
From there on out it’s a fast romp through a twisted murder mystery. The antagonist is cunning and beautifully evil. The protagonists are likable and make human mistakes that get them mired deeper into a mess they might not get out of. Just when you think you have the mystery figured out and are simply waiting for the cops to catch on, another shoe drops. Will they solve the crime before someone else dies? Read it, find out!
4 stars for great plot, awesome characters, good pace, and over all thrill factor. Minus 1 for clunky beginning. 4/5 stars!
The story starts out with some seemingly non-related events. By the end, the events are not only wound so tightly around each other you can’t stir them with a stick, but the layer upon layer of subplot which comes together increases the tension to the point where I could not put the book down. I also couldn’t turn out the lights for several days, and walking alone to my car in the parking garage has my heart pounding.
First Line: “Creighton Wheeler stormed across the bluestone terrace, whipping off his sun visor and making a swipe at the sweat streaming down his face, then without breaking stride, angrily tossed the damp towel and visor onto a chaise. This better be damn important. I was about to break his serve.” As first lines go, it’s ok. There’s enough action to move me along.
To me, though, the first line of Chapter 3 is better: “It was decided midway into their second Bloody Mary. At least his mind was made up, and gauging from the signals she was sending, hers was, too. The conditions weren’t ideal. It would take some tricky maneuvering, but he happened to be extremely good at tricky maneuvers, and where there was a will…” Now isn’t THAT more intriguing? I found myself wishing the story started with chapter 3. Not just for the great opening line, but for the fact that chapter 1 and 2 confused me. They are in omniscient point of view, and the head hopping drove me insane. I nearly put the book down because of it. In Chapter 3 it stops the head hopping and sticks to a single character POV, and the story is much better for it. I’m not sure why the first two chapters are like that; it’s almost like they were added on as an after thought. If it bothers you, skip ahead to chapter 3. Don’t worry, any details you might miss will be presented again.
From there on out it’s a fast romp through a twisted murder mystery. The antagonist is cunning and beautifully evil. The protagonists are likable and make human mistakes that get them mired deeper into a mess they might not get out of. Just when you think you have the mystery figured out and are simply waiting for the cops to catch on, another shoe drops. Will they solve the crime before someone else dies? Read it, find out!
4 stars for great plot, awesome characters, good pace, and over all thrill factor. Minus 1 for clunky beginning. 4/5 stars!