Director's Cut: A Novel

by Keith McCabe

From Keith McCabe, the author of Rabbit King, comes a terrifying thriller about a film no one was meant to see...

An unfinished film is discovered in the closet of a New York insane asylum. The only clue to its origin is a name written on the label, Maynard Burke, a secretive avant-garde director who has never made a public appearance despite his loyal cult following. But what’s on the film are horrors beyond imagination, more disturbing than any of Burke’s previous violent films, reigniting an old are Burke’s films real or fake?

Amanda Sloan, a retired actress, and Louis Bardon, a notable film editor, are tasked with authenticating the found footage and tracking down Maynard Burke. But what they uncover is a shady history of gonzo filmmaking at the expense of other people’s lives. As they delve deeper into Burke’s twisted world, Amanda and Louis become the target of dangerous forces watching from the shadows.

Their journey becomes a deadly game of cat and mouse as Amanda and Louis navigate the tumultuous waters of Burke’s rabid fanbase. As they close in on the mysterious filmmaker, answers demand sacrifice, and nothing could have prepared them for the horrors laying in wait…

Genres: Horror

601 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 18, 2023

About the author

Keith McCabe is an American indie author of mystery-thrillers. His character-driven stories range from supernatural mysteries, psychological thrillers, and crime fiction. He published his first ten novels in seven years beginning with the first book in his Deb Dawson series, Jersey Graves (formerly known as Deb Dawson Psychic & Spiritualist). He has gone on to write multiple standalone novels and two series (the Jersey series and the Fallen Detective series). Keith lives in Texas where he works as a court reporter.

Reviews

[Shelly]

First off, a word of warning. This book contains some of the most graphic descriptions of violence I have ever read. I skipped the detailed descriptions as much as I could. I skipped several paragraphs in places, so as not to read about gore, etc. However, the mystery portion of the book was excellent. The idea is sterling--people are trying to authenticate movie footage found in storage closet, which leads to many unexpected happenings. I enjoyed the characters and the unravelling of the clues that they found. Creepiness pervaded the most mundane scenes in the book. This story was also quite terrifying in places. If you liked "Night Film" by Marisha Pessl, "Silver Nitrate" by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, or McCabe's other book "Rabbit King", you will enjoy this book, too.

[Emily]

Night Film is my favorite book. This book reminds me of the feel of Night Film. I feel some editing mistakes were made and there are some inconsistencies, but overall I enjoyed the story. This is the second McCabe I have read and I enjoy the grittiness of his novels. Dialogue needs some work in places, but overall it's a fun read. I have zero doubt some folks will read this and tear it apart, but as for the overall "vibe," this worked for me. I look forward to reading from him in the future.

[Oasil J.]

The story was spine-tingling and breath-taking. At first I thought it’s paranormal but it turned out to be a story about a psycho director. Many people were sacrificed for the sake of his art. And in the journey to track down the director the two lead characters fell into a cat mouse game.Over all,the book Director’s Cut by Keith McCabe was really good, well characterized and I really enjoyed it. I couldn’t stop reading until I finish it.

[Darren McGowan]

Immersive

Along the lines of a scary folklore tale ( which I love) this urban legend deals with what's real or myth. Nothing gets out of control to the point of unbelievable, but just a slow and steady creep fest growing in intesity. You really get involved with the characters and the situations that arise. This is my second novel by mr. McCabe and I have to admit that his style of writing is perfect.

[GaP]

A captivating mystery set in the world of filmmaking and distribution. Makes some salient points about violence and degradation being put on film and being considered art. And how much profit can be wrung from it. The film references aren't TOO gatekeeping obscure, thankfully. And there's a thinly disguised version of the CRITERION label in there. A good read.

[Kristopher Fitch]

Keeps you enthralled

I enjoyed this book. Engaging characters and a plot that keeps you engaged while taking twists and turms. Worth the read.