(Image from Barnes & Noble)


As the police struggle to find the murderer, Caren finds herself and many of the people she works with at the center of the investigation. Caren knows she didn't commit the crime, but who did? Was it someone who knew the woman well, a fellow laborer, perhaps? Or a local, upset with the migrant workers for "stealing" jobs that could belong to him? And then there's Groveland—plenty of people are angry with the corporation's aggressive land-grabbing tactics. Could a fanatic protester have gone too far? Or is the killer something less down-to-Earth? Because, as no one but Caren knows, this isn't the first murder to have happened on the grounds of Belle Vie. Maybe the slaves are finally getting their revenge ...
Although I didn't care much for Attica Locke's debut novel, Black Water Rising, I loved her sophomore attempt. The Cutting Season offers just about everything I look for in a literary thriller—a twisty plot, complex characters, a vivid setting, skilled writing, etc. Atmospheric and haunting, the story kept me mesmerized from beginning to end. I don't give out A's very often, but this one definitely deserves—and receives—high marks from me.
(Readalikes: Reminds me a teensy bit of Those Across the River by Christopher Buehlman)
Grade: A-
If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for strong language (a dozen or so F-bombs, plus milder invectives), violence and mild sexual innuendo/content
To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of The Cutting Season from the generous folks at Harper Collins. Thank you!
Hmmm, this one sounds interesting. Sigh. I'll have to try to get to it.
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