Who Would Like This Book:
If you’re after a gritty, provocative thriller with a dark heart, In the Cut offers a unique dive into New York’s underbelly through sharp, stylish prose. Susanna Moore is a wordsmith - her lead character, Frannie, a literature teacher with a fascination for street slang and a tendency to drift into dangerous liaisons, is both magnetic and enigmatic. The pace is brisk, the eroticism is full throttle, and the creeping menace never lets up. Fans of psychological suspense, noir, and literary thrillers - especially those who appreciate a raw, unvarnished look into sexuality and peril - will find much to mull over (and likely to discuss!).
Who May Not Like This Book:
This isn’t one for the squeamish or those looking for a traditional whodunit. Some readers found the explicit sex and violence excessive and off-putting, while others struggled with the main character’s seemingly poor decisions and lack of depth. If you dislike ambiguous motivations, relentless bleakness, or feel frustrated by protagonists who don’t act ‘rationally,’ you might lose patience here. There are also critiques around stereotyping and missed opportunities for deeper character exploration.
About:
'In the Cut' by Susanna Moore is a dark and suspenseful tale that follows a woman, an English professor, who gets involved in a dangerous situation as she starts to slip into weird paranoia. The writing style is noted to be different and well-done, focusing on language and the use of certain words. The book captures the tone and rhythm of modern speech and lexicon, particularly in the interactions between young people, rap talk, and cops. The plot revolves around the protagonist mistakenly suspecting a man of murder and the subsequent horrific consequences that unfold.
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Notes:
Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include violence against women, graphic sexual content, and themes of murder and mental distress.
Has Romance?
There is a medium level of romance, primarily through the protagonist's relationships but laden with darker implications.
From The Publisher:
Frannie Thorstin is a divorced English professor, living in a two room New York apartment. She spends much of her time alone, working on a book about dialects and idiomatic language. One evening at a bar, Frannie stumbles upon a man and a woman engaged in a sexual act. A week later a detective shows up at her door. The woman's body has been discovered in the park across the street. What follows is a chilling tale of lust and murder as Frannie finds herself drawn to the detective. In the Cut is a masterpiece of literary suspense and sexual exploration.
Ratings (2)
Loved It (1) | |
Liked It (1) |
Reader Stats (18):
Read It (2) | |
Want To Read (9) | |
Not Interested (7) |
What can you read after
In the Cut?
About the Author:
Susanna Moore is the author of the novels The Life of Objects, The Big Girls, One Last Look, In the Cut, Sleeping Beauties, The Whiteness of Bones, and My Old Sweetheart, and two books of nonfiction, Light Years: A Girlhood in Hawai'i and I Myself Have Seen It:…
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