What do you think?
Rate this book
The First Cut
Two killers. Two victims. But nothing is as it seems…A seventy-year-old man, Lionel Wickes, is murdered outside his own home as he tries to stop a thief stealing his car.A second body is discovered in the centre of Nottingham and again there are suspicious circumstances. The victim, Randall Clements, has died of head injuries.A wealth of forensic evidence found at the scene of the second murder quickly leads DCI Danny Flint and the MCIU to a suspect. Craig Stevens, a man with a long history of violence, is arrested and charged with the murder of Randall Clements.Danny is then free to concentrate all his efforts into finding the killer of Lionel Wickes. Until a possible link between the two murders comes to light which leads him to have serious doubts about the guilt of Craig Stevens.Danny finds himself facing a solitary battle to prevent a horrifying miscarriage of justice which he himself may have caused.But nothing is at it seems as Danny desperately fights to uncover the truth in what may be the most complex and shocking case of his entire career.The First Cut - the twelfth in the gripping detective series featuring DCI Danny Flint.
375 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 28, 2024
94 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
About the author
Trevor Negus
21 books60 followersDuring a varied thirty year police career Trevor spent six years as an authorised firearms officer and sniper, before transferring onto the CID. He spent the last twelve years of his career as a detective, becoming a specialist interviewer involved in the planning and implementation of interviews with murder suspects.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
April 23, 2024
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.
"The First Cut" by Trevor Negus is the twelfth installment in the DCI Danny Flint series, and it is a testament to Negus's mastery of the crime thriller genre. This novel is a complex tapestry of crime, mystery, and the pursuit of justice.
The narrative begins with a seemingly straightforward crime—a seventy-year-old man, Lionel Wickes, is murdered outside his home. But as DCI Danny Flint delves deeper into the investigation, he uncovers layers of deceit that lead to a second, equally suspicious death. The plot thickens when forensic evidence points to Craig Stevens, a man with a violent past, but Flint's instincts tell him there's more to the story.
Negus's writing shines in his ability to create a sense of urgency and doubt within the reader's mind. As Flint battles against the clock and his own conscience, we are taken on a journey through the darker alleys of Nottingham, where every clue seems to blur the lines between victim and perpetrator.
The character development of DCI Flint is particularly noteworthy. Negus has sculpted Flint into a character that is both formidable in his pursuit of truth and profoundly human in his doubts and fears. The supporting cast is equally compelling, each adding depth to the twisting narrative.
"The First Cut" stands out for its intricate plot and the moral quandaries it presents. It's a story that doesn't just ask who did it, but why, and at what cost. The resolution is satisfying yet leaves the reader pondering.
"The First Cut" is a gripping addition to the DCI Danny Flint series. It's a novel that will appeal to fans of the genre and newcomers alike, offering a fresh perspective on the classic detective story. Negus has once again proven his ability to craft a tale that is as thought-provoking as it is thrilling.
"The First Cut" by Trevor Negus is the twelfth installment in the DCI Danny Flint series, and it is a testament to Negus's mastery of the crime thriller genre. This novel is a complex tapestry of crime, mystery, and the pursuit of justice.
The narrative begins with a seemingly straightforward crime—a seventy-year-old man, Lionel Wickes, is murdered outside his home. But as DCI Danny Flint delves deeper into the investigation, he uncovers layers of deceit that lead to a second, equally suspicious death. The plot thickens when forensic evidence points to Craig Stevens, a man with a violent past, but Flint's instincts tell him there's more to the story.
Negus's writing shines in his ability to create a sense of urgency and doubt within the reader's mind. As Flint battles against the clock and his own conscience, we are taken on a journey through the darker alleys of Nottingham, where every clue seems to blur the lines between victim and perpetrator.
The character development of DCI Flint is particularly noteworthy. Negus has sculpted Flint into a character that is both formidable in his pursuit of truth and profoundly human in his doubts and fears. The supporting cast is equally compelling, each adding depth to the twisting narrative.
"The First Cut" stands out for its intricate plot and the moral quandaries it presents. It's a story that doesn't just ask who did it, but why, and at what cost. The resolution is satisfying yet leaves the reader pondering.
"The First Cut" is a gripping addition to the DCI Danny Flint series. It's a novel that will appeal to fans of the genre and newcomers alike, offering a fresh perspective on the classic detective story. Negus has once again proven his ability to craft a tale that is as thought-provoking as it is thrilling.
April 21, 2024
The First Cut, #12 - This is an excellent read, minus the lack of basic editing. Very involved story lines that add intrigue and a bit of humor to the unexpected. Multiple consequences along with the interesting characters make TFC an interesting and immersing read. One of the better books that I have read in this genre by an Indie writer. And a vast improvement in the author's writing style from the previous two books I read by Mr. Negus. Source: Netgalley. 5*
The DCI Flint series:
The Devil's Breath, #8 - Wow, I own two of these beautiful plants and did not know they are toxic if processed. Good story lines, which one, sadly, is true about foreign education in many countries. The characters are interesting and believable. One character thought he had to tell experienced people how to do their jobs, but this may have been the author's way to inform the reader, which I did not care for since their work appeared in their progress reports. It is a sad story but one of desperation and hopelessness. 4*
Tied in Death, #10 - I am glad this wasn't a hardback; the high page count is a killer. Although lengthy, the story kept my interest with the variety of characters and the multiple, intriguing story lines. As in life, there is always multiple crimes to be solved. The story does move at a good pace and never bogs down. No confessions but hard work solved the crimes, and set in 1989, to boot. 4*
The DCI Flint series end.
The DCI Flint series:
The Devil's Breath, #8 - Wow, I own two of these beautiful plants and did not know they are toxic if processed. Good story lines, which one, sadly, is true about foreign education in many countries. The characters are interesting and believable. One character thought he had to tell experienced people how to do their jobs, but this may have been the author's way to inform the reader, which I did not care for since their work appeared in their progress reports. It is a sad story but one of desperation and hopelessness. 4*
Tied in Death, #10 - I am glad this wasn't a hardback; the high page count is a killer. Although lengthy, the story kept my interest with the variety of characters and the multiple, intriguing story lines. As in life, there is always multiple crimes to be solved. The story does move at a good pace and never bogs down. No confessions but hard work solved the crimes, and set in 1989, to boot. 4*
The DCI Flint series end.
May 4, 2024
This is #12 in the DCI Danny Flint series but can easily be read as a standalone.
Danny and his team are dealing with two murders. The first was the death of an elderly man who was trying to stop his car being stolen, and the second was the death of a man who was trying to rob someone at knifepoint. Then a link is discovered between the two cases, so the team has their work cut out to get the right perpetrators.
I have really enjoyed the Danny Flint series, having now read all 12 books, but I was disappointed and surprised to find some of the research seriously lacking. I can’t be too specific due to spoilers, but one very important strand was wrong and wouldn’t have happened in the way the book says, especially due to the time period (early 1990s) in which the book is set. There are laws involved in this subject so it’s really not difficult to research and the issue should certainly have been picked up post-author, by editors or publishers, etc. I have to be honest and say that this spoiled the book for me, and the storyline idea is brilliant, so that was a shame. I will, however, still read further books by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.
Danny and his team are dealing with two murders. The first was the death of an elderly man who was trying to stop his car being stolen, and the second was the death of a man who was trying to rob someone at knifepoint. Then a link is discovered between the two cases, so the team has their work cut out to get the right perpetrators.
I have really enjoyed the Danny Flint series, having now read all 12 books, but I was disappointed and surprised to find some of the research seriously lacking. I can’t be too specific due to spoilers, but one very important strand was wrong and wouldn’t have happened in the way the book says, especially due to the time period (early 1990s) in which the book is set. There are laws involved in this subject so it’s really not difficult to research and the issue should certainly have been picked up post-author, by editors or publishers, etc. I have to be honest and say that this spoiled the book for me, and the storyline idea is brilliant, so that was a shame. I will, however, still read further books by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.
April 26, 2024
The First Cut by Trevor Negus is the 12th installment in the DCI Danny Flint series. This police procedural is quite robust in its use of dialogue, and swiftly drew me into its setting through the interactions between characters. It's the first book in the series I've delved into, and the dialogue captured my interest right from the start.
An intriguing aspect of this novel is its resemblance to an episode from a long-running police procedural series rather than a typical British crime thriller. Negus' thirty years in the police force, including twelve years as a detective, shine through in the book. His reliance on this extensive experience is evident in the meticulous details and the incredibly authentic and believable dialogue.
One aspect that didn't fully meet my expectations was the sentence structure and the lack of atmospheric setting. I believe that some of the writing could benefit from more polish, and Negus could improve the descriptions of the atmosphere to create greater tension and intrigue within the narrative.
Overall, The First Cut was an enjoyable read, and I found the details to be entirely believable. The narrative of this story strongly evokes the experience of watching a long-running weekly police procedural television series— it feels familiar, comforting, and highly entertaining.
Thank you NetGalley and Inkubator Books for allowing me to read this book for review. All opinions are my own.
An intriguing aspect of this novel is its resemblance to an episode from a long-running police procedural series rather than a typical British crime thriller. Negus' thirty years in the police force, including twelve years as a detective, shine through in the book. His reliance on this extensive experience is evident in the meticulous details and the incredibly authentic and believable dialogue.
One aspect that didn't fully meet my expectations was the sentence structure and the lack of atmospheric setting. I believe that some of the writing could benefit from more polish, and Negus could improve the descriptions of the atmosphere to create greater tension and intrigue within the narrative.
Overall, The First Cut was an enjoyable read, and I found the details to be entirely believable. The narrative of this story strongly evokes the experience of watching a long-running weekly police procedural television series— it feels familiar, comforting, and highly entertaining.
Thank you NetGalley and Inkubator Books for allowing me to read this book for review. All opinions are my own.
April 16, 2024
Danny Flint and his team at the MCIU are investigating two murders.
One of an old man who was trying to stop his vehicle being stolen during the night.
The other, the murder of a man known to be a street robber with a knife.
The second murder has been solved, as DNA evidence is irrefutable.
What an absolute twisty police procedural!! Trevor Negus has definitely got a very vivid imagination, and this book floored me to say the least!
The book is fast paced and definitely a page turner. Danny bends the rules, fortunately with a good outcome.
It really is a brilliant police procedural. I highly recommend. 5/5 stars from me.
Thanks to Netgalley and Inkubator Books for the opportunity to read this book.
One of an old man who was trying to stop his vehicle being stolen during the night.
The other, the murder of a man known to be a street robber with a knife.
The second murder has been solved, as DNA evidence is irrefutable.
What an absolute twisty police procedural!! Trevor Negus has definitely got a very vivid imagination, and this book floored me to say the least!
The book is fast paced and definitely a page turner. Danny bends the rules, fortunately with a good outcome.
It really is a brilliant police procedural. I highly recommend. 5/5 stars from me.
Thanks to Netgalley and Inkubator Books for the opportunity to read this book.
May 6, 2024
I would like to thank Netgalley and Inkubator Books for an advance copy of The First Cut, the twelfth novel to feature DCI Danny Flint of Nottinghamshire Police’s MCIU, set in 1991.
I enjoyed The First Cut, which is a strong police procedural with a twist. It is mostly told from the investigative point of view with a few chapters from potential suspects in the two murders. Without giving too much away I would say that the crimes reflect the character and upbringing of the suspects so that aspect offers no surprises. The twist, on the other hand, is clever, if highly unlikely. It relies heavily on serendipity and takes a bit of swallowing.
The First Cut is a good read that I can recommend.
I enjoyed The First Cut, which is a strong police procedural with a twist. It is mostly told from the investigative point of view with a few chapters from potential suspects in the two murders. Without giving too much away I would say that the crimes reflect the character and upbringing of the suspects so that aspect offers no surprises. The twist, on the other hand, is clever, if highly unlikely. It relies heavily on serendipity and takes a bit of swallowing.
The First Cut is a good read that I can recommend.
April 12, 2024
A fast paced police procedural. As with all Trevor Negus's books, there are several investigations taking place, the murder of a man trying to stop someone stealing his car and the murder of a known mugger. There are excellent descriptions of the police investigations that give a real sense of the process.
There are a few personal storylines for some of characters but mostly the focus is on the police work.
The resolution was a bit convenient and too neat for my liking. A bit of a cliche in fact. But an engrossing and very quick read.
I received a free review copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for my honest and unedited review.
There are a few personal storylines for some of characters but mostly the focus is on the police work.
The resolution was a bit convenient and too neat for my liking. A bit of a cliche in fact. But an engrossing and very quick read.
I received a free review copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for my honest and unedited review.
August 7, 2024
DCI Danny Flint is a man on a mission, with two murders to investigate his team can be stretched thin but that doesn't stop them from doing everything in their power to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice.
When DCI Flint begins to doubt the prime suspect, he must stand by his principles to ensure a miscarriage of justice doesn't occur.
I enjoyed this book, which could be read as a standalone, but reading as part of the series does give you a greater insight into the characters. There are plenty of twists but that's what makes it such a good read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
When DCI Flint begins to doubt the prime suspect, he must stand by his principles to ensure a miscarriage of justice doesn't occur.
I enjoyed this book, which could be read as a standalone, but reading as part of the series does give you a greater insight into the characters. There are plenty of twists but that's what makes it such a good read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 14, 2024
This is another page-turner in what is one of my favourite series. This time Danny and the team investigating the death of an old man in what seems to be part of a car theft. At the same time, the death of a career criminal seems to be an open and shut case when DNA evidence leads them to the killer...or does it?
As usual, nothing is straightforward and the involvement of the DNA evidence and further complications was both brilliant and fascinating, not to mention eye-opening. Highly recommended.
As usual, nothing is straightforward and the involvement of the DNA evidence and further complications was both brilliant and fascinating, not to mention eye-opening. Highly recommended.
April 30, 2024
This was an amazing book. I highly recommend it to everyone. Great characters and a great plot. I will be looking for more books by this author. The book is superbly written. Lots of twists, turns and shocking turns of events. Quickly becoming a go to author for me!!!! If you love to read a book and be shocked by the ending then check out this author for sure. You will love this book and this author. Go get everything he has done and read it now and you will be binging his stuff also
May 10, 2024
Never fails to take you to a different dimension
This series of books always leaves you wanting more, set in Nottinghamshire, my home city, I am still amazed and astounded by what is happening around me. I understand that this is fiction but the stories are so true to life that I am sure things like this happen in cities all over Britain. Thank goodness for the Police force we need to support them in their often dangerous roles.
This series of books always leaves you wanting more, set in Nottinghamshire, my home city, I am still amazed and astounded by what is happening around me. I understand that this is fiction but the stories are so true to life that I am sure things like this happen in cities all over Britain. Thank goodness for the Police force we need to support them in their often dangerous roles.
May 30, 2024
A good police procedural set in the 1990s in Mansfield/Nottingham . Fast paced, there is plenty going on in this book and the plot is fairly twisty . The evidence is well put together, though the coincidence is perhaps a little too farfetched. The conversations are a little stilted at times though and some of the characters could be rounded out more. Nevertheless an entertaining read
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
April 13, 2024
This is another excellent read in the Danny Flint series. The characterisation is very good and the team dynamics are well thought out and a little bit of personal insight into their lives. It's fast paced with a few investigations going on at the same time but I thoroughly enjoyed the read. The ending came just too quick for me but I highly recommend the series. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.
April 15, 2024
Es muy difícil dejar de leer este libro, te atrapa desde el primer momento y en ciertos capítulos te da unos twist que no esperabas.
Es una lectura muy entretenida, recomendada si te gustan este tipo de libros.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Es una lectura muy entretenida, recomendada si te gustan este tipo de libros.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 1, 2024
Edge of your seat reading that keeps you guessing until the end. There are so many twists and turns in this story. Interesting characters that you follow along as they unravel the clues to figuring out the mystery. Good read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 6, 2024
Another great novel from the inner mind of Trevor Negus, thoroughly enjoy this author and his works. A lot of twists and turns culminating in a fantastic thrilling story just makes it unstoppable to read! Thanks to Booksproit for the advanced copy.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 11, 2024
There is so much going on here in this book and it is all good, this story had so many different twists to it and kept you reading all through out. So good to the very end and will be checking out the others in the series.
April 21, 2024
Dive into the madness and the mind of a killer and see how they justify what they've done. The twists are unexpected the suspense is edge of your seat thrilling and the finish surprises even DCI Danny Flint a seasoned Detective.
April 21, 2024
This is a great crime thriller I very much enjoyed this book it is a very well written page turner I really enjoyed reading this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 21, 2024
This has been a really good series, one I started thinking I might not enjoy. The characterisation and team development is good and problems don’t overshadow the storyline. Not sure if there’s more to come but I’ll look out for them.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews