S. F. Prescott

A cult thriller with a killer premise!

Rachel Taff is an author and television producer. Most recently, Rachel was the Director of Development at Dynamic Television, known for Ginny and Georgia, where she sold projects to Amazon and Hallmark. Previously, Rachel worked for Emmy-winning director Thomas Schlamme’s Shoe Money Productions, where she developed projects for FX and managed a production slate including Snowfall and The Plot Against America. Additional credits include SMILF, American Dad, and Fresh Off the Boat. Rachel earned a Media Arts & Entertainment degree at Elon University. After a decade in Los Angeles, she now lives in Atlanta with her husband and their Portuguese water dog. Paper Cut is her first novel.

Hi Friends, I’m back! Paper Cut by Rachel Taff was the first book I picked up in January, setting me up for a promising start to the year. When I read the premise to Taff’s novel, I was so excited to dive in. And it didn’t disappoint! Congrats to the author on an awesome debut.

Taff’s voice is sharp—sometimes even brutal—using biting sarcasm to cut through an otherwise dark subject. I loved the vivid descriptions and the California setting (where I live), especially the desert backdrop of the cult. The dual POV and shifting timeline worked well and added clarity to the story overall. I was particularly drawn to the second POV from her hit memoir, Snakebite, which brought a fresh and interesting perspective. The true-crime documentary angle was another highlight. While the pacing felt slow in the first half, it picked up noticeably after the midpoint. The reveal was compelling, even if somewhat predictable. Most gripping was her complicated relationship with her mother, which added real emotional depth and complexity to the story.

For readers who enjoy complicated female protagonists, cult themes, and deep-rooted trauma.

Synopsis:

Lucy Golden is a true-crime icon, infamous for the murder she committed while escaping a California cult twenty years ago. But as everyone in Los Angeles knows, fame is fleeting, and Lucy and her story are always just one news cycle away from obscurity. Not to mention, she’s fending off a stalker and moderating an icy feud between her acclaimed photographer mother and her scandalous rock star sister. Worst of all, online trolls are asking increasingly threatening questions about the legendary crime. Questions that could tear her life apart.

So when a hotshot documentarian makes her case the subject of his next film, Lucy sees a chance to silence any doubters once and for all. But as filming begins, she must return to the California desert and come face-to-face with a cast of players from her torrid history. Of course, the past is never what it seems, and long-buried secrets soon collide with present-day threats. Can Lucy stop her doubters from digging up the truth before it’s too late? And how far will she go to protect the story she’s been telling—and selling—all along?