23 March 2022

A big thank you to Jonathan Ball Publishers for sending me a review copy of this book. This is a horrifying, exquisitely dark thriller that gives you a look into one family’s home. Revealing what happens behind closed doors when no-one is watching. Be warned, Nasty Little Cuts will have you reading late into the night, eagerly flipping pages as you fall deeper and deeper into the nightmare that Debs lives in every day.

This book was my first encounter with Tina Baker. I loved how she mixed up her story jumping between past and present, leaving you deeply engrossed and never a hundred percent sure of what to expect. I loved this horrific look at how much a wife will endure before she decides it is too much. The author keeps you on the edge of your seat while she shares the horrors her characters have endured throughout their lives.

Debs wakes in a cold sweat after a horrible nightmare. Shaken she makes her way downstairs, only to find a man standing at the kitchen door holding a knife. Frozen in place, she struggles to decide if she should head back upstairs to save her children, or down to confront the intruder.

Only it’s not an intruder, it’s Marc, her husband. Heading downstairs she finds something is not right. Looking into Marc’s eyes she is filled with dread. All she sees in those grey eyes are hate. Noticing the half-empty bottle of vodka and the sleeping pills, Debs quickly understands that she is in trouble, and so are her children. Can she protect her children? Will she make it to dawn?

Nasty Little Cuts is a brutal, horrific story that gives you a peek at what happens behind someone else’s closed door. The author exposes every nasty little detail these people have lived through leaving you breathless and angry at the experiences this couple has endured. Reading this book left me thankful for the rather normal family members I am surrounded by.

Both Debs and Marc have a childhood they would rather not speak about. They experienced events at a young age they were not equipped to deal with and both choices to bury these events deep within, never talking about them. Together, they make a disastrous combination. As the story unfolds you realise they never had a chance. Their deepest secrets are eating away at them, leaving them on an inevitable collision course that could not possibly end well. These characters are damaged souls, pretending to be ok. Both hoping the other will save them.

I absolutely loved this book. Had my life allowed it, I would not have put this down. This is a book you can read in one sitting, believe me, it is extremely hard to drag yourself away.

This dark, disturbing story will appeal to thriller fans who love books that do not hold back the punches. When you think it cannot possibly get any worse, keep reading because I promised the author will surprise you with another terrible little detail.

This is a brilliantly creative story that delivers one gut-wrenching punch after the next. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Please note this book contains mild animal cruelty, it is not graphic and really just touched on, but if that is something that will upset you, you need to know it is there.