In the Cut by Susanna MooreMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book was on Ethan Iverson's list of the ten most shocking thrillers and it lives up to its billing as a very satisfying mystery/thriller. The protagonist is a female literature professor at an unnamed New York City college. When she meets one of her students at a bar, and inadvertently sees something she shouldn't, and sets off a chain of events that lead to a shocking conclusion. This was a well written book with nice elements of dark, dry wit, at least in the beginning before things start to get really heavy. It can be seen as quite literary, with the main character being a academic and linguist who "collects" words and slang, but the book remains accessible throughout and her dark introspective nature makes her a very compelling character. Moore writes very well, placing herself at the intersection of literature, police procedural and thriller, and she keeps the action moving along nicely. Just an FYI - there is a lot of very graphic, blush inducing (for me, anyway) sex in the novel and quite a bit of violence, so if that upsets you, you may wish to pass it by. But you'd be missing a finely crafted story that justly deserves the accolades Iverson gives it. In the Cut - amazon.com
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