≫ Libro Gratis The Cutting Edge Darcia Helle 9781453630730 Books

The Cutting Edge Darcia Helle 9781453630730 Books

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The Cutting Edge Darcia Helle 9781453630730 Books

If you’ve ever had to deal with the general public on a service basis, especially by appointment, you’ll recognize most of the clients who frequent The Cutting Edge. Obnoxious, self absorbed, braggadocious, manipulative, cheap, insistent, unreasonable, demanding, chronically late or infuriatingly early (I could go on but you get the point) – they can make the work life miserable for someone like Skye Summers, a by-appointment hair stylist. Who hasn’t wanted to strangle (or worse) their customers, clients, patients, etc. at times. The scenes bring to mind the oft repeated comment, “The more I get to know people, the better I like my dogs.”

Marcia Helle captures these people brilliantly as she vividly describes Skye’s frequently hilarious reaction to them. We get to know intimately Skye and her husband (this guy’s too good to be true – he could not possibly exist in real life) and their terrific canine family as well as her parents and his ex-girlfriend and unfortunate offspring. It’s a terrific story and an excellent read, albeit somewhat gruesome at times when the suspense of the serial killer becomes active. The relatively abrupt ending was surprisingly satisfying, seemed very appropriate and prompted a “whew! – what a story!!”

Editing and proofreading were excellent.


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The Cutting Edge Darcia Helle 9781453630730 Books Reviews

This is an unusual thriller--sort of "Dexter"esque. Although Skye, the beautician narrator, fantasizes about killing her clients in the most imaginative and grotesque ways possible--it's the local serial killer, The Mass Avenger, who's actually doing the crimes. When Skye's imagination and the killer's actual behavior become entangled--the story kicks into high gear. In the mean time, we are entertained with a parade of fascinating local clients at the beauty salon, along with Skye's relatives and pets.

One of the things I really liked about author Helle's writing is how she has her heroine speak in first person present tense, and the serial killer (in the subplot) speak in third person past tense. It's a very clever device to help the reader keep the two lines separate. I also like how vividly the world of hair styling is painted. I had no idea there was so much to this profession and I couldn't help but wonder if my beautician (not that I visit one all that often) has fantasies about doing me in (I hope not). I know that after reading "The Cutting Edge" I will be a lot more cautious in what I say to my hair stylist the next time I get a trim.

Patricia Rockwell
Author--"Sounds of Murder"
Who among us hasn't fanaticized about evening a score or seeking retribution against someone who has hurt or offended us? It's human nature. Clinical psychologists might argue that the fantasies serve as a pressure relief valve.

The protagonist in The Cutting Edge, Skye Summers, frequently fantasizes about killing her hair salon clients. Their constant gossip and self-centered perspectives have Skye on the verge of burnout. As domestic obstacles add to Skye's stressors, her fantasies darken.

When a serial killer comes to her suburban section of Massachusetts, Skye's fantasy world converges with reality. Author Darcia Helle does a masterful job of intertwining the points of view of Skye and the killer, while subtly braiding in the moral conflict that arises when fantasy and reality grow dangerously close to one another.

My only problem with The Cutting Edge involved wanting a book that I could read for an hour or two each night during a work week. Instead, I had to deal with a reading hangover after repeatedly telling myself, "One more chapter," into the wee hours of the morning. But, for a story as compelling as The Cutting Edge, a little sleep deprivation was a small price to pay.

RJ McDonnell
Rock & Roll Mystery Series
[...]
When I first started this book, I had to giggle occasionally at Skye's bloody daydreams, because I know how.frustrating it is to work.with the public. However, This book is a masterly woven tail about Skye, her life in a hair salon, and the serial killer who were his sights on her. It was hard to put down. (And has only two errors.)
I will never take my hair stylist for granted again after reading this book! LSD ( Lilly Skye Destiny) Summers is a hairdresser and is known as Skye. Skye is happily married to Scott Skyler (hence her need to keep using her maiden name), loves her dogs and her parents who are hippies. But when it comes to her clients and her husband's ex and her daughter ... they're in different book altogether. They seem to grate on Skye's nerves and drive her crazy. So crazy, that Skye envisions using her hairdressing tools as weapons when her clients are rude, thoughtless, inconsiderate and think her job is easy. Her husband's ex keeps trying to get more money out of Skye and Scott which even if she doesn't get it ...ends up going to the lawyer who helps to keep the ex from getting it. And then there is the Mass Avenger a serial killer out to punish women who think they are better than the men they deal with. Skye is unaware that as she is dreaming of gouging out the eyes of her clients, stabbing them in the jugular -- the killer has his eye on her; but not as a possible victim.

This is the third Darcia Helle book that I have read and each one has been totally different and equally as exciting. I love that her books are so different. This one has a bit of dark humor to it as the reader can understand Skye's "urge to kill" considering what some of her clients say and do and expect of her. This reader wanted to slap them up the side of the face herself. Skye isn't really a bad character; she just associates with some annoying people! I like to read using immersion reading, listening to the audio version while reading and the audio of this book definitely enhances the reading. The narrator's voice just eeks with the frustration Skye feels. Although she didn't start out that way, will Skye soon become a possible victim for the Mass Avenger?
If you’ve ever had to deal with the general public on a service basis, especially by appointment, you’ll recognize most of the clients who frequent The Cutting Edge. Obnoxious, self absorbed, braggadocious, manipulative, cheap, insistent, unreasonable, demanding, chronically late or infuriatingly early (I could go on but you get the point) – they can make the work life miserable for someone like Skye Summers, a by-appointment hair stylist. Who hasn’t wanted to strangle (or worse) their customers, clients, patients, etc. at times. The scenes bring to mind the oft repeated comment, “The more I get to know people, the better I like my dogs.”

Marcia Helle captures these people brilliantly as she vividly describes Skye’s frequently hilarious reaction to them. We get to know intimately Skye and her husband (this guy’s too good to be true – he could not possibly exist in real life) and their terrific canine family as well as her parents and his ex-girlfriend and unfortunate offspring. It’s a terrific story and an excellent read, albeit somewhat gruesome at times when the suspense of the serial killer becomes active. The relatively abrupt ending was surprisingly satisfying, seemed very appropriate and prompted a “whew! – what a story!!”

Editing and proofreading were excellent.