Paper Cut

by Rachel Taff

A compelling suspense debut about a woman infamous for escaping a cult as a teenager, whose future is threatened when dangerous secrets come back to haunt her—perfect for fans of Jessica Knoll and The Girls .

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?

Told in a narrative split between the present day and Lucy’s hit memoir about her fated summer in the cult, Paper Cut combines psychological suspense with coming-of-age Californian cult noir and a sharp examination of the true-crime phenomenon. As incisive as it is propulsive, this mesmerizing debut will keep readers hooked until the last page.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Audiobook, Contemporary, Suspense

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 27, 2026

Reviews

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a dark, unsettling, and surprisingly emotional debut. Paper Cut is the kind of thriller that sneaks under your skin and refuses to let go, thanks to the haunting character study at its core: Lucy Golden. Once a teenage cult survivor turned reluctant true-crime celebrity, Lucy has spent two decades trying to control her own narrative. But fame fades, trauma festers, and secrets never stay buried.

I loved how Rachel Taff crafted Lucy with such depth—she isn’t simply a victim or a survivor, but a messy, contradictory human being. She’s both notorious and vulnerable, a woman still shadowed by the violence of her past and the glare of the spotlight. Watching her navigate book events filled with hostile hecklers, public scrutiny, and the threat of violence while still clinging to her carefully curated persona was gripping. The layers of her story—a murdered cult leader, a fractured family, a controlling mother, and a rock-star sister—gave the narrative richness, but it was the personal cracks in Lucy’s armor that made her unforgettable.

The dual timeline structure, weaving between her infamous memoir and her fragile present, worked beautifully for me. It highlighted the tension between the story Lucy has been selling and the truth she’s been hiding all along. Add in the looming presence of a new documentary and the rise of a podcast ready to reshape her legacy, and suddenly Lucy’s quest for relevance becomes a dangerous gamble where every revelation feels like a loaded weapon.

There’s so much I appreciated here: the cult backstory felt chilling and atmospheric; the psychological suspense was taut; and the exploration of true crime’s allure—how trauma can be commodified, twisted, and consumed—felt sharp and timely. While I thought some moments leaned into melodrama, and a few plot beats felt rushed, overall the ride was immersive, clever, and thought-provoking.

Overall: 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 for originality, atmosphere, and character development. Paper Cut is a bold debut with a protagonist I won’t soon forget. Lucy Golden is part survivor, part enigma, part unwilling icon—and following her journey felt like peeling back the layers of a dangerous, glittering mask.

A very huge thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for sharing this promising debut thriller’s digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

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[chantalsbookstuff · Rating 3 out of 5]

A gripping and emotional novel that explores identity, trauma, and the cost of fame. The story is told through dual timelines, moving between past and present, which slowly reveals the truth behind a shocking crime and its lasting impact. This structure kept me engaged while diving into this emotional story.

Lucy Golden, a former true crime sensation whose escape from a California cult and involvement in a murder made her famous decades ago. Now trying to stay out of the spotlight, Lucy faces a stalker, family conflict, and renewed public scrutiny as online attention resurfaces the crime and threatens to unravel the life she has rebuilt.

The cult background adds a chilling, atmospheric feel to the novel, making the past timeline especially haunting. The writing is subtle and make you think, allowing the tension to build without relying on shock alone. The pacing was sometimes slow, but it gave me time to absorb the emotional complexity of Lucy’s story. This is a character driven book about trauma and fame.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this ARC.

[Linzie (suspenseisthrillingme) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slow-burning story of memory and identity set in the haunting world of cults and true crime, Paper Cut had me fully invested from the first lyrical page. You see, from the twisted dysfunctional family dynamics to the thought-provoking themes, there wasn’t a moment in this original debut that didn’t hit hard and with purpose. Mixing together a documentary-based plot with an unsettling feel, I couldn’t put the book down and finished it in one very late night of reading. I mean, how often do you find a novel that not only delivers a constant sense of creepy foreboding but also a moving coming-of-age tale? Ultimately, though, it was a poignant character study of a lost teen who turned into a broken young woman. Flawed, complex, and authentically messy, Lucy was the kind of character that seals the deal on a plot. After all, her arc was both surprising and inevitable in all of the best possible ways.

All said and done, despite the exceptionally slow start, I couldn’t put this one down. Exploring belonging, self-worth, control, and trauma, this cult novel made me feel like I was there. I mean, between the oppressive atmosphere and ripped-from-the-headlines vibe, I felt the heat of the desert alongside of the tension of the interview chair. Add in the dual timelines—one of which was Lucy’s very own memoir—and I was utterly glued to this read. That being said, it didn’t quite feel like a thriller by the time I was done. You see, it was very reminiscent of Bright Young Women due to the drama/suspense combo and slight nonfiction feel. Despite this, however, I found myself immersed in Lucy’s story as her dark secrets meant some shockers—even for her. So if you love true crime or cult-centered plots, grab this book now. Sharp, chilling, and twisty, it was a truly great read. Rating of 4 stars.

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 critics 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?

Thank you Rachel Taff and William Morrow Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

PUB DATE: January 27, 2026

Content warning: sex, cult, emotional abuse, drug use, gun violence, animal death, stalking, child birth, murder, miscarriage, inappropriate relationship, mention of: addiction, transphobia, violence

[emilybookedup · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up! if you like cult thrillers, pick this one up—it’s a fun time!

this was not on my 2026 radar but i was looking for an audiobook and saw my fave Helen Laser narrate it and ofc picked it up. i had a lot of fun! cult thrillers are always so fascinating to me and this was no exception. i also love a good unreliable narrator and books with characters that all have secrets/hidden agendas so it’s no surprise i liked this one.

i’m not sure where i expected the ending to go but i found nothing really “wowed” me here which i ofc always want in my thrillers.

im shocked this is a debut novel because it was written ridiculously well! im excited to see what she puts out next—she expertly weaves genres and humor into thriller novels which is no easy feat.

this honestly gave me some WHAT KIND OF PARADISE vibes which was a fave read of 2025 for me!

TLDR: this is a fun debut that should be added to your TBR & has a fab audiobook 🎧

thanks to Libro FM for the gifted ALC. this hits shelves late Jan.

[Nikki Lee (Nikkileethrillseeker) · Rating 3 out of 5]

🎧Audio/ Book Review
🎤 - Helen Laser
🕦 - 9hrs 28min

Lucy Golden is a true-crime icon, infamous for the murder she committed while escaping a California cult twenty years ago.

A hotshot documentarian wants to make her case for his next film, to get the story straight. This is told from the present day and her life in the cult years ago.

I was slightly disappointed with the story in general. When it comes to cult tropes, I need a shocking tale. I found the narrative of her time in the cult to be quite underwhelming. It was tame at best. Sorry, but what I’m really trying to say is I need a pretty messed up story lol.

The narration by Helen Laser was done well. I do wish it could’ve been two narrators. It was pretty easy to follow along and I flew through it pretty fast.

I enjoyed the shocking reveal at the end and never saw that coming. Even though this wasn’t for me, it’s a good story all around. Please check out other reviews as many have enjoyed it.

3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Harper Audio and NetGalley for the ALC

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Update: Happy Release Day!) 3.5 rounded up. This is a difficult book to review while making sure to avoid any spoilers, since the book relies on its slowly-unfolding mysteries to propel the curious reader through to the grand end reveal.


At the outset, what we know is that our antiheroic protagonist Lucy Golden is a late-thirty-something, close-to-has-been, true crime luminary notorious for her memoir Rattlesnake, which tells of her dramatic and apparently somehow murdery escape from a stint in a California desert cult at age sixteen. When we initially meet Lucy, she comes off as anxious, insecure, jaded, and rather unlikable, for a number of reasons: there’s her traumatic past; her experience over the years with parasocial fans, online trolls, stalkers, and numerous enemies and detractors she seems to have attracted; and the fact that she seems to currently spend her days in another type of cultish snakepit, surrounded and overshadowed by self-focused LA types such as predatory agents, content creators, and journalists, her rock star sister, and especially her beautiful, model/groupie-turned-famous-celebrity-photographer mother and her own entourage. Plus, Lucy also offers us hints from the very beginning that maybe things in the cult didn’t go down quite exactly as described in her famous autobiography, and that this has really taken a toll…


The book has an interesting structure, alternating chapters of Rattlesnake to recount Lucy’s “authorized” history of past events with chapters detailing production days of a new documentary currently being made about Lucy by the latest wunderkind filmmaker driven to interrogate her story. I was a little slow getting into this book at first since Lucy was not exactly the most sympathetic of characters — she seems realistically developmentally stunted by the experiences of her youth — but I eventually got drawn in and the momentum picked up. I think this debut author set herself an ambitious project since both cults and true crime media are very popular subjects for fiction these days, and it’s a crowded field with a lot of competition and high reader expectations, but I felt that she ultimately managed to hold her own. I left this book mostly excited to see what the author gives us next, as she can definitely write a novel and has offered us a first one that shows great potential.


Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and William Morrow for providing an eARC for review!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paper Cut immediately had my attention with its irresistible mix of cult thriller energy and a book within a book structure. Lucy Golden is infamous for escaping a California cult as a teenager( after committing a murder😮) and decades later she’s still living in the shadow of that story. As the novel toggles between Lucy’s present day life and excerpts from her memoir, Taft explores how truth becomes commodified, reshaped, and weaponized, especially in the age of true crime obsession. The commentary on how toxic and invasive true crime culture can be felt smart, timely, and quietly biting without ever overpowering the story itself.

This is a character driven psychological suspense at its core, and Lucy is a fascinatingly complex protagonist. She’s flawed, messy, guarded, and shaped by deeply complicated family dynamics that add another layer of tension to the narrative. The unraveling is a true slow burn—steady, unsettling, and increasingly ominous—pulling you forward as buried secrets resurface and familiar narratives begin to crack. When the twists arrive, they feel earned rather than flashy, landing with a satisfying sense of inevitability.

The audiobook experience elevates the story even further. Helen Laser’s narration is incredibly engaging and well calibrated, capturing Lucy’s sharp edges, vulnerability, and emotional fatigue with nuance and control. Her performance adds depth to the dual timelines and keeps the tension simmering throughout. Paper Cut is a solid, confident debut, it’s smart, unsettling, and quietly surprising, and a must for readers who love cult stories, psychological suspense, and books that interrogate the stories we choose to tell… and sell.

[ambersometimesreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book has me spiraling because of how messed up it was. I couldn't put it down and thought it was really interesting BUT overall I'm a little underwhelmed. since this is a thriller, I was expecting more thriller aspects, plot twists, etc and it more so just reads like a non-fiction cult story. if it was non-fiction, I would say it's 5 stars but sense it wasn't really thrilling or twisty, I'm gonna settle on a 3.

if you like stories about cults and don't care that it's not crazily thrilling, you'd probably like this

thank you to netgalley for providing me with this arc

[Michelle Heiser · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book—hooked from page one. My favorite part was being in Lucy Golden’s world in the present-day timeline. The true crime documentary element was another highlight. I also enjoyed how the Rattlesnake excerpts were woven in as another POV. Very immersive and atmospheric. I’d read an entire book just about Lucy Golden and her life in LA.
ARC via NetGalley
4.75

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dark and unsettling thriller following a woman’s life after escaping from a cult as a teenager. The content is not always easy to read, as you would expect from a book about a cult, and this is a really intense environment.

Lucy Golden escaped a cult under horrific circumstances when she was 16 years old. She wrote a bestselling memoir called Rattlesnake and has spent her life talking about what happened to her at Oasis. Now 20 years later, a filmmaker wants to make a documentary about the cult and Lucy, and we learn that she didn’t tell the whole truth in her book. She wants her secrets to stay that way but someone out there wants the truth to come out.

Lucy learns quite a lot about herself and her narcissistic mother who she has a complicated relationship with. While there weren’t really and surprising twists, it was certainly a page turner that kept me invested from the start to the very end.

Thanks so much to Atlantic Books on NetGalley for my early copy of this interesting book to read. Out on February 5th.

[Stephanie Wilen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paper Cut follows Lucy Golden, a woman made infamous after escaping a cult and becoming a true crime legend. When a documentary reopens questions about her past, long buried secrets resurface, forcing Lucy to confront how far she’ll go to protect the story she’s crafted.

My thoughts 💭
Paper Cut held my attention from start to finish. Lucy is such a dynamic character, constantly changing masks depending on who was watching. She's was complex and endlessly compelling. The portrayal of mindwashing was deeply unsettling, capturing just how subtle, slow, and effective grooming can be.

The cult itself was both fascinating and disturbing, forcing me to sit with uncomfortable questions about accountability, victimhood, and when manipulation turns someone from prey into predator. Diana and Arthur were vicious, truly despicable characters, yet written so impeccably that I couldn’t look away. Beyond the suspense, this book has real substance, thoughtfully exploring how women are held to different standards then men and how cultural shifts over decades can completely rewrite a narrative. A strong debut that proves this isn’t just a run of the mill thriller, it’s one that has something to say.

[Dona's Books]

DNF @ p120

Pre-Read Notes:

I love the cover and title combo here. That garish pink and the idea of a practically invisible wound that can be the source of surprisingly severe suffering.

Final Review I couldn't connect to the style, characters, or story. This one just wasn't for me.

A Few Things:

✔️ There is a *lot* of superficiality and performing the self in this book: "I pull out my phone and examine the photos Malin snapped of the event. I select the most flattering one to post, with my chin slanted at the right angle. I craft a caption to summon the right amount of concern, but also to convey that I have everything under control. My fans will like that." p13 The subject is being given some serious space and I'm looking forward to more.

✔️ The form is a combination of scenes describing the making of a documentary about the fmc, who escaped a cult, and sections taken from the fmc's completed (fictional) memoir. I like experimental form usually, but this causes more than one clarity problem.

Content Notes: addiction, alcohol consumption, pills, medication theft, cults, parental neglect,

Thank you to Rachel Taff, William Morrow, and NetGalley for an accessible digital arc of PAPER CUT. All views are mine.

[coty ☆ · Rating 2 out of 5]

The premise of PAPER CUT promises a dark and compulsive journey through the true-crime world through the lens of a woman with secrets, but what exactly are those secrets? It's that mystery that's intended to be the driving factor of the story, but I personally think that it doesn't deliver, though that's the least of the issues I have with this book.

PAPER CUT starts off with a bang. It doesn't quite ease you into the story, which sounds promising, but if you're not really immersed in the same world that Lucy Golden exists in—a world of designer labels and makeup and internalized misogyny—then it's difficult to find your footing. There's clearly a specific tone Taff is aiming for and while I appreciate the attempt even if I don't fully understand it (it seems very much geared towards a more TikTok-inclined readership, if that makes sense), I don't think it ever fully reaches its potential, mainly because of the simple fact that Lucy's internalized misogyny is never fully confronted and it casts a shadow over the entire story. After the cold open there's an endless stream of talk about serums and T-zones and Lucy pointing out a woman's "botched lip-filler", which is a recurring theme: despite the constant allusions to 'feminism', the narrative is relentless to every other woman besides the main character, and it's frustrating.

Lucy isn't supposed to be likeable. That's actually something that's usually a plus for me. I love stories about unbearable and flawed people, but I don't think the narrative here really sells it. I'm not sure if it's because it's first person and so we just don't get a wider glimpse of the world, but it never really feels like Lucy is condemned for her actions and thoughts; there's brief attempts by other characters to call her out, but they feel half-hearted, especially when she immediately begins to disparage them in her internal dialogue, with no deeper self-reflection on why she's being confronted. But I don't think it's just because of the world being solely filtered through her POV; I do think the writing itself just has an issue with gender.

There's a clear binary in the writing: all the men are 'bad', while the women are 'weak'. Not the usual case of 'all the women are good' because it feels too much like the other women are portrayed as 'villainous' while Lucy is a victim, but the fact stands that they are all considered weak. There is a lot of bioessentalism in the presentation of gender, with no room for anything other than a male/female dichotomy, and it's presented in such a shallow manner. This book loves to talk about 'believing women' and using trendy buzzwords but it never feels like it once actually explores any of that. The men are abusive because they're men. The women are victimized because of their femininity. But it also seems to connect the worth of every woman to their looks; Lucy is always calling out hair color and makeup and surgeries and never grows past this surface-level judgement. And I do really think this is intended to show her as 'flawed' but that only works if the narrative actually condemns her for it; but instead, all the women really are against her, Lucy existing in a constant state of 'victimization', never once having to actually repent or apologize for the things she does.

Instead she's just... vindicated. And I don't think it's earned at all. A lot of the 'reveals' and 'twists' are horribly choreographed and don't seem to come to a head naturally, but I think that's just a fault of the writing. The dual-timeline is interesting in theory but the 'excerpts from the memoir' aren't compelling because the writing falls flat and comes across as very forced, which IS intentional because Lucy's entire thing is romanticizing and waxing poetic about her experience, which she does get called out for on-page... But it's hard to suspend my belief that she would be believed with such a poorly-written memoir. We've seen too often in real life how even women are eager to tear into other women who have been through horrible experiences so it's just hard to believe this presentation of 'all of Lucy's detractors are men while women love and believe her story' when the story presented in the memoir is written in a way that I KNOW hardcore true crime junkies of all genders would rip apart. And the complete lack of consequences when the truth unravels is just so disappointing.

I wish I had something positive to say but there's really nothing I liked. The writing lacks the teeth needed for the story and there's never really any sense of actual danger for Lucy. The reveals are lackluster and I'm disappointed by how little the documentary aspect actually plays into the story despite being so front-and-center. The shallow approach to the characters and themes and this idealized form of true crime presented doesn't feel like an accurate glimpse into the darker parts of that world, which is to the narrative's detriment. Ultimately, this was just a very frustrating read.

thanks to netgalley & william morrow for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted more character development, more cults, and more consequences.

[Karly · Rating 1 out of 5]

My Rating: 1⭐️ Unfortunately this was lacklustre at best!!

Everybody knows the story, Nobody knows the truth!!

Lucy Golden is a true crime icon, infamous for killing someone as a teenager while escaping a California cult led by her father.

Twenty years later still coasting on the success of the memoir she wrote after her acquittal, Lucy knows that her story is always just one news cycle away from obscurity.

So when a hot shot documentary filmmaker decides to make her case his next subject, Lucy sees a chance to silence her doubters once and for all.

But, how far will she go to protect the story shes been telling and selling all this time?

All right, sucked in by a cult story, thats all they had to say in the synopsis to hook line and sinker me!! My GR friend Kristy, read this before me and she summed it up well.. especially with the FMC - not all its cracked up to be.

The FMC Lucy is a giant spoilt brat, and I think shes supposed to be 30 something… she is so irritating and annoying you just want to slap her. Her mother… well I can handle a horrible mother figure in a story but then you had the daughter mother duo being irritating, and every other character that had no redeeming features.

The synopsis says that shes a true crime Icon…. Pfft ok I don’t really see why her story was actually really boring. I know shock… I said boring. Yes I get it she had something traumatic happen to her… I don’t deny that.. (this is fiction by the way so I do not feel bad for ripping on her)… however, 8 weeks she was in the cult we already know that right off the jump cause the countdown is backwards and its really short.

Like…come on… if you are in a cult there is time to get you initiated, you love the place, you are willing to throw yourself on a fire for the place, your sisters and your people are your new family … Yadda Yadda and that takes time… not 8 weeks WO to GO. Get real!!

The story is really disjointed as well, I mean i didn’t get lost but it felt like in the under 300 pages the author wanted to do 300 things but didnt have enough time … and I think if you just had one or two things to focus on you could have done that really well… but trying to be a true crime icon, and a victim, and this trauma happened, and then her mother was over there doing something else and this and that … documentary…surprise twist that wasn’t all that shocking…. It was just like really… please just choose a lane for 5mins and stay in it.

So no, I didn’t enjoy this, it felt rushed and boring all at once… I kept reading cause it was a Netgalley review, I desperately wanted to like it but I ended up wanting it to just burst into flames in my hands so I didn’t have to read it anymore. I was glad it was over and it felt like it had no impact…Cults are supposed to leave you breathless… with that feeling of wow … imagine that happening to someone I love. This was just lame and self indulgent.

Overall, well its a no from me, I was originally going to rate it 2 but as I wrote I realised I just didn't like it.

Thank you to Netgalley, Corvus and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review, I am sorry I didn't like this one more.

[Magen • Bone Chilling Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars! Can’t believe this is a debut?! It was so well written!! I’m looking forward to what’s next for Rachel.

I was really hooked from start to finish. I think what I struggled with was how predictable everything was and I kept waiting for that shock factor that didn’t come.

Regardless, though, a fantastic storyteller, great storyline about a cult (think Charles Manson), and I loved the FMC.

[laurakellylitfit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Out January 27th, 2026
Lucy Golden became a true-crime sensation after escaping a California cult as a teenager—an escape that ended in a murder that still haunts her. Now, twenty years later, she’s trying to maintain a fragile grip on her fame in Los Angeles, juggling a stalker, a fractured family, and a growing wave of online trolls who are determined to unravel the truth behind her past. Her life teeters on the edge of obscurity until a rising documentarian offers her a chance to reclaim her narrative by turning her story into a film. But revisiting the past means returning to the desert where it all began—and facing the ghosts she thought she’d left behind.

As filming begins, Lucy is forced to confront not only the people who shaped her trauma, but also the uncomfortable truths buried beneath her own carefully curated legend. The deeper the project digs, the more dangerous the revelations become. Long-buried secrets start to surface, threatening to dismantle the story she’s been selling for years. With her reputation, relationships, and safety on the line, Lucy must decide how far she’s willing to go to protect the version of events that made her famous—and whether she can survive the truth when it finally comes to light.

Told through a dual narrative that weaves present-day tension with excerpts from Lucy’s bestselling memoir, this haunting thriller explores the seductive power of storytelling, the blurred lines between victim and survivor, and the dark allure of true crime as entertainment. It’s a razor-sharp dive into the cult of celebrity and the cost of turning trauma into spectacle—where every revelation comes with a price, and the truth may be the most dangerous story of all.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and William Morrow for this ARC!

[Krissy (books_and_biceps9155) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to @williammorrowbooks for my copy! Anything cult related has me sat! This is told in dual timelines and mostly takes place in Coronado (San Diego, CA) or Los Angeles. So major points on the setting because I have been to all the places mentioned which made it visually real.

I loved the Taff included pieces of the infamous Rattlesnake memoir to help show our MC Lucy’s remembered past and her present. The root of this story is really about betrayal of a parent and the loss of innocence. It was tense, sad and twisted. It gives some thought to victim versus survivor and the trauma that lingers. None of our characters are likeable but that is by design.

My only problem would be the lack of cult info. I wanted more. The story, the psychology behind it…that’s just me being a weirdo. Another wonderful debut can’t wait to see what Taff has for us next.

[Christina C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing an early release of the book for an honest review.

Paper cut by Rachel Taff has a really intriguing premise, following the protagonist as the story shifts between her past life in a cult and her present-day struggle to survive and rebuild afterward. The dual timeline structure adds depth, and I found the chapters set in the past far more compelling than the present-day storyline. The cult dynamics and unfolding tension in those sections kept me engaged and wanting to know more.

While the concept is strong and full of potential, the pacing made this a very slow read. The present-day narrative, in particular, felt drawn out and didn’t hold the same intensity as the flashbacks. I kept hoping the momentum would build, but it never quite reached the level I expected given the powerful setup.
That said, the audiobook narrator did a fantastic job bringing emotion and nuance to the story. Their performance helped maintain my interest even during the slower sections.

Overall, Papercut has a great premise and some compelling moments, but the slow pacing kept it at three stars for me.

[hailey ౨ৎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC!

A strong debut and an harrowing story about a young woman's perspective and life after a traumatic summer spent in a cult as young as sixteen. Lucy Golden, daughter of Diana and Max Golden, had rocky life as a child of a rockstar and famous photographer, feeling like her life didn't compare to her mother's or her rockstar sister Odette. She writes a book about her story and fifteen years later, is going to be adapted into a biopic about her life and what happened. As Lucy recalls her story about her summer in a cult ran by her father and her mother's "lover," secrets about what had really happened the night of her escape start to come to life, and she has to face the truth and what she's been hiding from. What really happened that night, what does her mother really know, what was really going on within the sheltered world Max had them live in, and what happened to the people who were victims of said cult all come to life in this interesting debut.

I can say although the story had a slow start and I wasn't really engaged since it was more focused on the creation of the film with Isaac, her mom, and her going through the motions, I did sort of enjoy this book. It had a slow and sort of uninteresting start since it was breadcrumbed that she was hiding something but it didn't really let up until the very end. Once it started picking up like the last third of the book, I just binged it in like a few hours lol. I did see a few things coming as far as Sloane and Diana's involvement, but it still left me like "damn that's fucked up." I kind of suspected the end as well with Arthur and Sloane, but definitely not to the degree of what had happened.

It definitely gives a decent point of view on true crime and cult noir, and how despite being a victim and a child, grace isn't always a given. There will always be naysayers, believers, clout-chasers, and people who will even defend the wrong people, but the truth will make everyone come to a standstill. Questioning everyone's involvement throughout the book definitely threw me for a loop and not wanting to trust anyone AT ALL. Lucy wasn't quite the likeable character though, even if she was a victim not only of her father's actions through the cult but her mother trying to exploit her trauma and what Lucy had been through for her own personal gain and fame. There were parts of the story where it was hard to root for her, especially when it came to Arthur and Sloane, but I can say that this was a decent story.

[Sarah Luna · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing is fine, there’s some talent here, but this plot/story was baffling in tone. This book never seemed to figure out what it wanted to be. Dark and twisted commentary on bad parenting, male narcissism and female insecurity? Wholly unlikeable protagonist that we’re meant to find empathy for due to her horrid excuse of a mother figure? A weak thriller that ends with a cringey, saccharine exposition on lessons learned by “doing the right thing in the end” with such snoozy, formulaic self-awareness that it could be a Lifetime movie? No thank you. This one simply isn’t for me.

[Celine · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 !

I thought this was fun! The writing is lush and easy to follow - no easy feat, considering the dual timelines. I also appreciated that we get all of the answers in the end. Often, when writing a cult book, the answers are hazy and obscure, or the author dances around things. That wasn't the case, here!

I didn't feel as shocked by the end twists as I could have, perhaps because the story itself was on the nose enough that the reader can put everything together themselves. Which isn't a bad thing! I'd recommend this one to anybody hoping for a compulsively readable book!

Thank you to the publisher for an early review copy!

[Stacey Reads It All · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an easy read. I found the story to be more character-driven and focused on emotional growth, complicated relationships, and imperfect people, which I appreciated. The writing felt honest and relatable, and I liked how the story leaned into introspection rather than big dramatic moments.

The pacing slowed a bit in the middle, which kept it from being a five-star read for me, but the character development made those slower parts worthwhile. Helen Laser’s narration was a great match for the story—her performance felt natural and emotionally grounded, and she really brought the characters to life.

Overall, this was a thoughtful and engaging listen that stayed with me after it ended.

Thank you to Harperaudio and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Justine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucy Golden is an icon in the true-crime community for committing murder while trying to flee a cult 20 years ago, but her 15 minutes of fame are almost up. Along comes a documentarian who wants her to be the subject of his latest creation. Is Lucy ready to come face-to-face with her past and has she been telling the truth about what happened that night?

I expect any book about a cult to be dark, but Paper Cut is also very emotional. The reader embarks on a journey into the past with Lucy through recollections and in the present day as she processes new information and deals with the stress that comes from public scrutiny and the fear from being stalked. I am really surprised that this is the author’s debut suspense novel because she did a great job with pacing and building tension, leaving the reader eagerly awaiting the next reveal. I also felt like we really got into Lucy’s head and shared her cynicism and paranoia. This story also touches on the issue of whose stories get to be told and by whom.

You might like this book if:

💜 You enjoy darker suspense stories centred around cults
💜 You like a strong, but potentially unreliable narrator
💜You enjoy some behind the scenes of fame/infamy

I consumed this novel via audio and once again, Helen Laser does a fantastic job with the narration. She has quickly become one of my favourite narrators!


Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult for an advanced lister’s copy in exchange for my honest review. Pub date is January 27!

[Micronova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paper Cut by Rachel Taff
Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 💫
3.5 stars (rounded up.)

Show me a story involving someone escaping the clutches of a cult and I’m in!

Rachel Taff’s debut novel is marketed as a thriller. I’m on the fence in regard to the thriller aspect although the novel does fall in line with the genre with the suspense and twists.

Lucy Golden became famous for committing murder and escaping a cult at the age of 15. She wrote a memoir and for the last 20 years has made a career of telling her carefully curated story over and over again. She’s struggling to stay relevant and looking for a way to stay alive in the business.

She’s approached by a notorious, up and coming documentary filmmaker that is focused on telling Lucy’s story. Lucy is hesitant. She’s always been in full control of how her story is told and which details are made public. She meets with the filmmaker and tries to set some boundaries and lay out some ground rules…

She quickly finds out that the film will be made with or without her. The filmmaker is just extending a courtesy to her by allowing her to participate but he will be doing it his way. It is his process. Lucy is terrified that the documentary will uncover things that Lucy has kept hidden for decades. Attempting to influence the narrative and keep her secrets buried, Lucy agrees to participate even as she realizes she will be forced to revisit people and trauma from her past.

I wouldn’t say this book kept me on the edge of my seat but it DID hold my attention. It’s hard not to be drawn into Lucy’s backstory and the details of how and why she left her family and ended up in a cult. There are a lot of twists surrounded by secrecy and I seesawed between whether she was a victim and survivor…or not. 😈 I liked how in depth most of the characters are and felt validated when I learned that the people I hated did indeed deserve it 😆 While the end is full of revelations, I DID see most of it coming so it felt lackluster to me.

Overall, a decent read. I’m not mad about reading it 😊

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced digital reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Expected publish date: January 27, 2026.

[Lex Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher William Morrow for giving me and ARC for my honest review!

I found this book such an interesting and amusing read. I had such a great time and truly relished it. I was so emotional while engaged in this novel, especially at the end. It does contain heavy topics like manipulation, complicated relationships, suffering emotionally, mentally and physically, etc. The story was unsettling at times as it discussed types of crime that goes on in the real world. However, it was written skillfully. There was no point while reading where I was bored. I was engrossed throughout the entire novel. I appreciated the past and present point of view as it was easy to follow the story. Also, there were plot twists that we got that I did not expect. I have never read something like this before, it fascinated me and I was not disappointed. I felt deeply for the characters who have suffered, especially the main protagonist. I would love to read more from this author and other stories from this publisher.

If you like emotional gripping stories that deal with heavier topics, this may be for you. I highly recommend checking out this book when it is published if the story is something you’re intrigued with.

[Coffee And Tales · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an emotional read...I really felt for Lucy, especially her childhood and the impact of having such a toxic mother. I truly hated her mother, which shows how well that dynamic was written. However, since this is a thriller, I was hoping for more suspense. The cult element had potential, but I wanted more twists and a stronger thrill factor. Overall, it’s more emotional and character-driven than truly thrilling.
That said, if you enjoy thrillers that lean more toward a realistic, almost nonfiction feel and focus on emotional depth rather than intensity -especially with a cult angle- this will be a great fit.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 A slow burn mystery involving a 16-year-old escapee from a cult in California’s desert. We know there are missing bodies. We know Lucy is keeping secrets. A new documentary about Lucy’s escape might reveal all. This was set up with great tension. I really wanted to find out what Lucy wasn’t telling. We definitely see her desire to stay relevant even 20 years after her escape, and how true crime fascinates a nation.

I wanted the cult flashbacks to more fully demonstrate the cult’s coercion and manipulation techniques, and I wanted to hear the private sessions with the leader. Make me feel the cult’s sway all the way.

Happy to read this eARC from NetGalley and William Morrow Books! Pub date January 27, 2026.

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sharp, atmospheric thriller that digs into memory, trauma, and the danger of buried truth!

"Paper Cut" by Rachel Taff is a haunting and addictive modern suspense novel that pulls you in from the opening chapter and never lets go.

Lucy Golden escaped a California desert cult twenty years ago and turned her trauma into a bestselling memoir. But the public has moved on to the next true crime obsession, and Lucy is desperate to reclaim the spotlight. So when a documentary filmmaker approaches her to tell her story on screen, she signs on... but what about that summer has Lucy been hiding for the past two decades?

This book is beautifully written, with an intense, atmospheric quality that kept me turning pages long into the night. The chapters bounce between excerpts from Lucy's memoir and the present day, which worked so wonderfully to build suspense. Rachel Taff expertly balances psychological tension with emotional depth, exploring the messy aftermath of trauma and the seductive nature of fame. Lucy is a flawed, fascinating protagonist—sharp but aware she is spiraling in a way that feels painfully real. The cult storyline is chilling without being sensationalized, and the twists hit exactly when they should.

Who doesn’t love cults and family trauma that won’t stay buried?

Highly recommended for fans of Lisa Jewell, Ruth Ware, and Shari Lapena.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

All the good things in a good thriller/mystery! A cult, an unreliable narrator, multiple timelines! I never really knew where this was going (which feels rare in mysteries of late). 4.25 stars! Definitely add to your TBR for its January release.