Smash Cut
A Novel
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4.1 • 49 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
From #1 New York Times bestselling author of Blood Moon and “masterful storyteller” (USA TODAY) Sandra Brown comes a classic thriller full of jarring, cinematic twists that will have you on the edge of your seat.
When millionaire Paul Wheeler is brutally murdered in an apparent armed robbery, his family hires high-profile attorney Derek Mitchell to defend the victim’s nephew, Creighton. Though the police haven’t accused Creighton of the crime, Wheeler’s mistress, Julie Rutledge, a prime suspect herself, is convinced Creighton is the killer. Handsome and wealthy, Creighton appears untouchable, backed by a seemingly airtight alibi. But Julie is determined to expose his guilt and willing to risk everything—even Derek’s reputation—to prove her case.
As Derek digs into the evidence, he discovers a chilling pattern: a series of killings that eerily resemble infamous movie murders. With time running out, Derek and Julie must unravel the shocking truth before someone else falls victim to a deadly reenactment of cinema’s goriest scenes. Who will be the killer’s next unwitting costar? They won’t know until the final Smash Cut.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This superlative romantic thriller from bestseller Brown (Smoke Screen) features a particularly memorable villain, sociopath Creighton Wheeler, who's obsessed with re-enacting scenes from films like Strangers on a Train and Frenzy. When Creighton's wealthy uncle, Paul Wheeler, is shot dead in an apparent robbery at an Atlanta hotel, Paul's close friend, gallery owner Julie Rutledge, attempts to persuade the police that Creighton ordered the hit. Creighton's father asks Derek Mitchell, a criminal lawyer, to represent the accused Creighton, but Derek declines because he had a plane tryst en route to Paris with Julie after Paul's murder. Angered by Derek's refusal, Creighton stalks Julie; targets Derek's dog, Maggie; and plots to kill the ex-girlfriend of his henchman, Billy Duke, after Billy has second thoughts about helping Creighton. Brown skillfully charts Julie and Derek's quest to catch the slippery fiend. Multiple smash cuts (abrupt scene shifts) lead to a wonderfully frenzied finish.
