The Cutting by Michael J Malone

I have loved all the previous instalments in the eerie, atmospheric Annie Jackson Mysteries by Michael J Malone (search under his name for my previous reviews) so was really looking forward to The Cutting. Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me to take part and to the publisher for my review copy. 

The Blurb

The most dangerous voices are the ones no one else can hear…

Evie Cartwright first speaks to the dead as a child. When she leaves home for university, her gift takes a terrifying turn after she witnesses a brutal murder. By morning, she is haunted by a dead serial killer who refuses to leave her alone, and marked by a cut across her neck that never heals.

For the next ten years, Evie is driven from place to place, searching for a way to rid herself of the voice that torments her day and night. When desperation leaves her with nowhere else to turn, she arrives at the remote Highland home of Annie Jackson, hoping she will finally find answers.

As Annie and her brother Lewis begin to investigate, helped by an old friend with specialist knowledge of the occult, they are drawn into a dark and dangerous search that reaches deep into Scotland’s history. And some ghosts are not content to remain in the shadows…

My Review

Well, this was a creepy one! On her first night in a new city, before her university course has even begun, she witnessed a brutal attack, and sees something lurking in the shadows. That same something takes hold of her and refuses to let her go. Using her ability to speak to the dead,  she earns money across the world as a medium, constantly searching for people who might be able to help with her unique situation, before coming back to Scotland. She ends up near Annie's home and after overhearing people talking about Annie and doing her own research, Evie is convinced Annie is the right person to help her. 

Told from three different viewpoints, that of Evie, Annie and Annie's brother Lewis, and we also have flashbacks to a series of events towards the end of the 1700s. Annie knows she can't help Evie directly herself but the two women seek advice and help from Ina Hetherington, who has appeared in the series before. I love Ina. She's warm, welcoming and wise, and nothing much gets past her. She also has a huge knowledge, and a huge library, of the occult. And it's hard not to feel for Evie, having spent so long living with her own personal torment, not able to find peace, although she does make some dubious decisions. Meanwhile, alongside his work, Lewis is continuing his own investigation following events in The Howling, before everything dovetails together.

I love Annie. On one hand, she just wants to be left alone to live in peace, just a few shifts in the local cafe, but otherwise safe in her wee house. But she's also compassionate, and finds it hard to turn away those people who seek her out, looking for help. Like Evie. But,  goodness me, it leads her, and Lewis, into some difficult situations! And at the heart of the mystery there are often legends, voices and ghosts, and the atmosphere is tense, often eerie. As in previous books, the rugged Scottish countryside, plays such an important role it's a character in itself, and adds to the overall feeling of the book. 

The Cutting is another beautifully written entry in the Annie Jackson Mysteries series, telling of an awful crime centuries ago and its reverberations in the modern day. But also a very current mystery with a violent denouement makes up a huge part of the story. I don't know how Annie has the strength to carry on after all that she's been through, Lewis too, but I am very glad they keep at it because we get excellent books like this one. 

The Author

Michael Malone is a prize-winning poet and author who was born and brought up in the heart of Burns’ country. He has published over 200 poems in literary magazines
throughout the UK, including New Writing Scotland, Poetry Scotland and Markings. Blood Tears, his bestselling debut novel won the Pitlochry Prize from the Scottish Association of Writers. His dark psychological thriller, A Suitable Lie, was a number one bestseller, and is currently in production for the screen, and five powerful standalone thrillers followed suit. The Murmurs, The Torments and The Howling, the first three books in the Annie Jackson Mysteries series, were published to critical acclaim. A former Regional Sales Manager (Faber), he has also worked as an IFA and a bookseller. Michael lives in Ayr, where he also works as a hypnotherapist.