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The First Cut is the Deepest
Not yet published
Expected 12 Jan 27A hilarious, glittering, pop-noir thriller about a rising musician and her new BFF, the secretly psychotic popstar who brought her on tour
Gretchen McMurphy was playing bingo halls and dive bars until a fitness influencer used her breakup anthem to help followers get a better booty, and now she’s landed her dream gig—opening for iconic pop star Fae Deeds.
Suddenly Gretchen has things she’s not used to a sizeable income, screaming fans, bottled water preferences, and a friend who understands the pressures of the music industry, the daily battle of being a woman in the public eye, and what it feels like to have every man you’ve ever loved hurt you.
Fae really gets it. Fae knows. Fae has developed her own tools for dealing with these issues—and it’s not good coping skills or proper meditation. It’s much, much sharper than that. And pretty soon Gretchen must decide what (and who) she’s willing to sacrifice for fame.
Razor-sharp and riotously funny, The First Cut is the Deepest by Mindy McGinnis is a deliciously unhinged thrill ride down the music industry’s darkest alleys.
Gretchen McMurphy was playing bingo halls and dive bars until a fitness influencer used her breakup anthem to help followers get a better booty, and now she’s landed her dream gig—opening for iconic pop star Fae Deeds.
Suddenly Gretchen has things she’s not used to a sizeable income, screaming fans, bottled water preferences, and a friend who understands the pressures of the music industry, the daily battle of being a woman in the public eye, and what it feels like to have every man you’ve ever loved hurt you.
Fae really gets it. Fae knows. Fae has developed her own tools for dealing with these issues—and it’s not good coping skills or proper meditation. It’s much, much sharper than that. And pretty soon Gretchen must decide what (and who) she’s willing to sacrifice for fame.
Razor-sharp and riotously funny, The First Cut is the Deepest by Mindy McGinnis is a deliciously unhinged thrill ride down the music industry’s darkest alleys.
- GenresFiction
384 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication January 12, 2027
About the author
Mindy McGinnis
29 books4,359 followersMindy McGinnis is an Edgar Award-winning novelist who writes across multiple genres, including post-apocalyptic, historical, thriller, contemporary, mystery, and fantasy.
While her settings may change, you can always count on Mindy’s books to deliver grit, truth, and an unflinching look at humanity and the world around us.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
June 17, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of The First Cut Is the Deepest.
This book is an absolute fever dream.
Gretchen is a struggling singer-songwriter who catches her big break when one of her songs goes viral in a workout influencer's video. Suddenly she's opening for Fae Deeds: the biggest pop star in America, a glittering, beloved icon who may or may not be an actual fae creature.
She's also a prolific serial killer.
What follows is Gretchen being dragged—often against her better judgment—into a world of celebrity excess, obscene wealth, manufactured perfection, and post-concert murder sprees.
The prose is hysterically funny. If dark humor is your thing, this book feels like the emotional support Xanax you crush into your morning coffee just to survive another day in late-stage capitalism.
Mindy McGinnis somehow makes you adore every character involved in this trainwreck—including Fae, who absolutely should not be as lovable as she is. You know this story is heading somewhere gruesome, but you can't look away.
A few highlights:
"No, it's just that all my best thoughts come out of my vagina."
"You drank soap, stole my contact, talked about your vagina, burped at me, and made it abundantly clear you've checked out my boyfriend more than once... You're perfect. I love you."
"I've got twenty thousand new followers, a couple hundred texts and DMs, plus a blood alcohol level that might be reaching double digits."
And somehow it only gets more unhinged from there.
This book had me snort-laughing, jump-scared, seething with righteous fury while cheering for female rage, and equipped me with more comebacks than pornhub. It's chaotic, hilarious, vicious, and weirdly heartfelt.
Read it.
This book is an absolute fever dream.
Gretchen is a struggling singer-songwriter who catches her big break when one of her songs goes viral in a workout influencer's video. Suddenly she's opening for Fae Deeds: the biggest pop star in America, a glittering, beloved icon who may or may not be an actual fae creature.
She's also a prolific serial killer.
What follows is Gretchen being dragged—often against her better judgment—into a world of celebrity excess, obscene wealth, manufactured perfection, and post-concert murder sprees.
The prose is hysterically funny. If dark humor is your thing, this book feels like the emotional support Xanax you crush into your morning coffee just to survive another day in late-stage capitalism.
Mindy McGinnis somehow makes you adore every character involved in this trainwreck—including Fae, who absolutely should not be as lovable as she is. You know this story is heading somewhere gruesome, but you can't look away.
A few highlights:
"No, it's just that all my best thoughts come out of my vagina."
"You drank soap, stole my contact, talked about your vagina, burped at me, and made it abundantly clear you've checked out my boyfriend more than once... You're perfect. I love you."
"I've got twenty thousand new followers, a couple hundred texts and DMs, plus a blood alcohol level that might be reaching double digits."
And somehow it only gets more unhinged from there.
This book had me snort-laughing, jump-scared, seething with righteous fury while cheering for female rage, and equipped me with more comebacks than pornhub. It's chaotic, hilarious, vicious, and weirdly heartfelt.
Read it.
May 22, 2026
This book is delightfully and gloriously unhinged and I loved reading every word.
May 4, 2026
Why is this book so funny, witty, and full of twists and turns? The First Cut is the Deepest by Mindy McGinnis is everything all rolled into one. It is simultaneously dark and hilarious. I enjoyed the quirky characters and fast paced story telling.
Gretchen is a rough around the edges, up-and-coming musician that is discovered and finds herself opening for the one and only Fae Deeds, a pop princess icon of the ages. Fae understands everything Gretchen is going through: pressures of the industry, the struggles of being a woman in the public eye, and what it is like for a man to hurt you.
This novel is a reader’s backstage pass to a raucous musical, murderous ride. I loved it. The relationship between Gretchen and Fae, while outrageous, feels so realistic at the same time. In the fore front is female friendship, empowerment, with a side of revenge. But don’t get it twisted, this is not the type of friendship anyone wants!
And the ending… oh my goodness, a real gasp escaped me. I didn’t see it coming and that made me love it even more. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.
Gretchen is a rough around the edges, up-and-coming musician that is discovered and finds herself opening for the one and only Fae Deeds, a pop princess icon of the ages. Fae understands everything Gretchen is going through: pressures of the industry, the struggles of being a woman in the public eye, and what it is like for a man to hurt you.
This novel is a reader’s backstage pass to a raucous musical, murderous ride. I loved it. The relationship between Gretchen and Fae, while outrageous, feels so realistic at the same time. In the fore front is female friendship, empowerment, with a side of revenge. But don’t get it twisted, this is not the type of friendship anyone wants!
And the ending… oh my goodness, a real gasp escaped me. I didn’t see it coming and that made me love it even more. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.
June 9, 2026
Received a copy on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ✨
3.5 rounded up bc why not
This book was like if Daria was R-rated, I could see fans of Rachel Harrison liking this as well. I found it fun overall, it was an easy read, and I liked the touch of the interview inserts at the start of the chapters.
My issues were that the dialogue early on felt
forced/trying too hard to convince us Gretchen is “not like other girls”, to the point of cringe; it lessens in the latter half of the book and is a lot more enjoyable. I DID like the ending, but I personally don’t care for the type of twist this book had.
3.5 rounded up bc why not
This book was like if Daria was R-rated, I could see fans of Rachel Harrison liking this as well. I found it fun overall, it was an easy read, and I liked the touch of the interview inserts at the start of the chapters.
My issues were that the dialogue early on felt
forced/trying too hard to convince us Gretchen is “not like other girls”, to the point of cringe; it lessens in the latter half of the book and is a lot more enjoyable. I DID like the ending, but I personally don’t care for the type of twist this book had.
May 9, 2026
Not what I expected, it was far more wonderful than I could have imagined. Hilariously dark, weirdly empowering, and very fun to read. Felt like a behind the scenes look at fame where pop culture meets messy feminism, with a sexy dose of murder. I don’t want to give anything away but these characters are perfect in every way, I wouldn’t change a thing about them.
Thank you Penguin Random House for providing this advanced reader copy for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Thank you Penguin Random House for providing this advanced reader copy for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
**. THIS IS AN ADVANCED READING COPY FROM NETGALLEY:
PUBLICLY set to be RELEASED ON JANUARY 12, 2027- RUN to your closest bookstore!!! This is the one book of 2027 you absolutely NEED TO READ.
This was a real fast paced, shocking and wildly fun read, that is of course if you have a strong interest in thriller and suspense genre although this was also about a young girl named Gretchen who posted herself singing while playing the guitar and a well known exercise coach and influencer who had thousands of followers on her site, chose to use one of Gretchen’s original songs to do her glute and butt workout. This video managed to thrust Gretchen’s otherwise unknown song into a massive hit in social media stratosphere. Then it was noticed by an outrageously popular and influential singer who’s own following was in the millions and she was in need of an opening act as her previous act was pregnant and no longer able to travel or keep up with the grueling schedule required of her.
As luck would have the unbelievably crazy famous and the very best pop singer of all time, Fae Deeds winner of a handful of Emmys has contacted Gretchen, she wants her and meets up with her to see if she’ll open for her for the rest of concert. To have this opportunity, playing in front of an audience of 50k plus per night is like a fever dream. In fact, Gretchen doubts she’d ever dreamt that big before. It’s an out of body experience and one she will meet with the confidence and professionalism of someone who’s been around for years. It’s impressive and profoundly inspiring particularly considering the weighty external factors that she’s expected to not only endure but to participate in.
They meet and get along so well it feels like fate has been waiting for this exact moment to reveal this once in a lifetime opportunity that most can only fantasize about. With no time to prep and barely any time process, Fae and her enormous entourage slip Gretchen into Faes car and essentially her world as they speed off to the venue she will be performing in mere hours.
While Fae and her crew all head into her dressing rooms, Gretchen finds herself alone on the 2nd floor and what is reminiscent of what she imagines an old bomb shelter would look like. With panic bubbling up, her mind is reeling. She has no clothes, her manager never showed, she doesn’t know where her guitar is and she is on verge of a full blown panic attack. Gasping for air, hyperventilating she is realizing she has never sung before 55k ppl before. She’s only been to dive bars with drunk people and small venues she’s pretty sure no one was even listening to her. Just as Gretchen’s on verge of passing out from lack of oxygen and reality setting in, Marty, Fae’s manager walks in and takes charge as she imagines real managers do, unlike her manager who’s deigned to even show. Marty informs her that he is now her manager, he will connect her with a publicist and to answer the question she’s asked aloud(though she could’ve sworn she was only repeatedly asking silently jn her mind) that her guitar is on its way. He assures her the makeup artists are all en route, as well as her clothing designers and her other people he had titles for but her shock has temporarily paused her brain and its retention. Before she can regroup, she has 3 people poking at her front, a woman holding an arm full of different bras that begin at her wrist and end at her shoulder, two other people whipping out crazy concoctions of clothing at her, all while her face and hair are being assaulted by arms, hands and a bevy of products she’s never seen let alone used in her life. Never has she been so overwhelmed, overstimulated and overjoyed. Yet, this is not how she’s envisioned herself, this just isn’t HER. She takes a look at her plastered made up face and hair that looks obscene and loses herself. She tells them all to get the hell out. She asks Janelle, the bra lady to please stay and hires her on the spot as her assistant. They begin again, this time, the makeup is minimal and while the clothing designer tried to get her into this sexy situation, she refused holding strong to her flannel and old jeans. The only new thing she has on is one of the bras Janelle offered her. She’s the bra whisperer and with a 36DD she needs one. As they are walking towards the stage for Gretchen to perform they get into the elevator where she proceeds to say she’s going to throw up and does. Then is handed a mint by Janelle and she is soon being introduced to the audience. She starts out playing her guitar and bc the lights are so bright she can only see the first few rows but she can feel the bodies pulsating and cheering and it goes right through her. On her last song someone throws something up onto the stage, she sees it hurling high speed out of the corner of her eye and from so much practice in catching her alcoholic Dads empty’s she grabs it with one hand and cracks it open. She slugs it in one go and then smashes the can on her forehead and continues singing about anger and bitterness specifically towards men. The audience went absolutely WILD- first when she caught it then when she finished it and the entire stadium was in chaos and mayhem when she crashed it on her head and decided last minute to BELCH into the microphone and tell the man who threw the full beer at her he needs to be kinder to women and should be ashamed for throwing at her. She got a standing ovation she was on cloud nine and couldn’t believe every dream she dreamt as a kid had just come true. After Fae was finished her set, she demanded that Gretchen join her in her room. They bond over alcohol, drunkenness and shared secrets. Fae is quite possessive and isn’t content unless all attention is on her and is unable to congratulate or compliment her or anyone else. The whole time there women have been touring, Faes serious famous tennis player has been missing, Strangley she doesn’t seem to be a girlfriend in mourning or under duress. In fact she is so tickled with the way the concert is going since Gretchen had joined it’s given Gretchen pause about who exactly is Fae Deeds.
When Gretchen’s ex starts to blackmail her with a sex tape she is so distracted terrified and doesn’t have the excessive amount he seems to think she does, For weeks, Gretchen remains introverted and so worried. Her bass player had even attempted to chat her up and if she’s honest he’s so hot and she adores his perspective on life it is so positive and secure. Though his childhood was stable with both parents while Gretchen spent time caring for a drunk mother, never knowing who her dad was and being neglected and withheld love affection and social life as she couldn’t ever bring friends to their trailer where her mom hoarded and had several cats. It stunk like cat pee and litter box, Her dad had been far away working as a miner in Russia and had not come back to visit them at all and always made an excuse as to why he couldn’t get back home,
When Fae sees the text message blackmailing Gretchen, she tells her to absolutely NOT pay him any money but tell him to meet her in the costume trailer that night once her set is over. She will need to stand up for herself and tell him that she’s giving him nothing and she doesn’t care if he sells the tape. He begins to get aggressive and Gretchen stabs him in the ribs and then with a feral yell Fae comes out from behind the costume racks and slices him up with an ax. Fae proves again and again in each city town and place they play in she is a serial killer and makes Gretchen go with her. She justifies that she only kills wastes of space and men who hurt women or her. Gretchen, having sociopathic tendencies doesn’t seem as wrecked and broken apart had she not had a disconnect within her.
An unexpected, ruthlessly cruel and uncalled for twist comes from Fae in attempt to toss Gretchen out of her life, the limelight and permanently get rid of her and the person she’s fallen in love with. To Gretchen’s surprise her least expected alibi and ally is someone who has shown no love lost for her previously but there she is enduring Gretchen will rise above the sinister take down Fae has orchestrated and she will be beside her as it transpires. I was shocked- truly shell shocked at the way this ended. Yet, I freaking loved it!!
THANK YOU TO #NetGalley for this #ARC #Advanced Reading Copy by author #MindyMcGinnis and to her generous publishing company #PenguinRandomHouse I am so grateful for this wonderful opportunity to have had the privilege to read this book prior to its public release and encourage everyone to get to their closest local book store for its launch on January 12, 2027 because this book is PHENOMENAL!! I cannot wait to buy the book to add to my own private collection and read it again.
Riveting and so many plot twists as well as pure SHOCKERS!! Made my head spin with the duets these two main characters got into on and off the stage. This was a real fast paced short and fun read, that is of course if you have a strong interest in thriller and suspense genre although this was also about a young girl named Gretchen who posted herself singing while playing the guitar and a well known exercise coach and influencer who had thousands of followers on her site, chose to use one of Gretchen’s original songs to do her glute and butt workout. This video managed to thrust Gretchen’s otherwise unknown song into a massive hit in social media stratosphere. Then it was noticed by an outrageously popular and influential singer who’s own following was in the millions and she was in need of an opening act as her previous act was pregnant and no longer able to travel or keep up with the grueling schedule required of her.
As luck would have the unbelievably crazy famous and the very best pop singer of all time, Fae Deeds winner of a handful of Emmys has contacted Gretchen, she wants her and meets up with her to see if she’ll open for her for the rest of concert. To have this opportunity, playing in front of an audience of 50k plus per night is like a fever dream. In fact, Gretchen doubts she’d ever dreamt that big before. It’s an out of body experience and one she will meet with the confidence and professionalism of someone who’s been around for years. It’s impressive and profoundly inspiring particularly considering the weighty external factors that she’s expected to not only endure but to participate in.
They meet and get along so well it feels like fate has been waiting for this exact moment to reveal this once in a lifetime opportunity that most can only fantasize about. With no time to prep and barely any time process, Fae and her enormous entourage slip Gretchen into Faes car and essentially her world as they speed off to the venue she will be performing in mere hours.
While Fae and her crew all head into her dressing rooms, Gretchen finds herself alone on the 2nd floor and what is reminiscent of what she imagines an old bomb shelter would look like. With panic bubbling up, her mind is reeling. She has no clothes, her manager never showed, she doesn’t know where her guitar is and she is on verge of a full blown panic attack. Gasping for air, hyperventilating she is realizing she has never sung before 55k ppl before. She’s only been to dive bars with drunk people and small venues she’s pretty sure no one was even listening to her. Just as Gretchen’s on verge of passing out from lack of oxygen and reality setting in, Marty, Fae’s manager walks in and takes charge as she imagines real managers do, unlike her manager who’s deigned to even show. Marty informs her that he is now her manager, he will connect her with a publicist and to answer the question she’s asked aloud(though she could’ve sworn she was only repeatedly asking silently jn her mind) that her guitar is on its way. He assures her the makeup artists are all en route, as well as her clothing designers and her other people he had titles for but her shock has temporarily paused her brain and its retention. Before she can regroup, she has 3 people poking at her front, a woman holding an arm full of different bras that begin at her wrist and end at her shoulder, two other people whipping out crazy concoctions of clothing at her, all while her face and hair are being assaulted by arms, hands and a bevy of products she’s never seen let alone used in her life. Never has she been so overwhelmed, overstimulated and overjoyed. Yet, this is not how she’s envisioned herself, this just isn’t HER. She takes a look at her plastered made up face and hair that looks obscene and loses herself. She tells them all to get the hell out. She asks Janelle, the bra lady to please stay and hires her on the spot as her assistant. They begin again, this time, the makeup is minimal and while the clothing designer tried to get her into this sexy situation, she refused holding string to her flannel and old jeans. The only new thing she has on is one of the bras Janelle offered her. She’s the bra whisperer and with a 36DD she needs one. As they are walking towards the stage for Gretchen to perform they get into the elevator where she proceeds to say she’s going to throw up and does. Then is handed a mint by Janelle and she is soon being introduced to the audience. She starts out playing her guitar and bc the lights are so bright she can only see the first few rows but she can feel the bodies pulsating and cheering and it goes right through her. On her last song someone throws something up onto the stage, she sees it hurling high speed out of the corner of her eye and from so much practice in catching her alcoholic Dads empty’s she grabs it with one hand and cracks it open. She slugs it in one go and then smashes the can on her forehead and continues singing about anger and bitterness specifically towards men. The audience went absolutely WILD- first when she caught it then when she finished it and the entire stadium was in chaos and mayhem when she crashed it on her head and decided last minute to BELCH into the microphone and tell the man who threw the full beer at her he needs to be kinder to women and should be ashamed for throwing at her. She got a standing ovation she was on cloud nine and couldn’t believe every dream she dreamt as a kid had just come true. After Fae was finished her set, she demanded that Gretchen join her in her room. They bond over alcohol, drunkenness and shared secrets. Fae is quite possessive and isn’t content unless all attention is on her and is unable to congratulate or compliment her or anyone else. The whole time there women have been touring, Faes serious famous tennis player has been missing, Strangley she doesn’t seem to be a girlfriend in mourning or under duress. In fact she is so tickled with the way the concert is going since Gretchen had joined it’s given Gretchen pause about who exactly is Fae Deeds.
When Gretchen’s ex starts to blackmail her with a sex tape she is so distracted terrified and doesn’t have the excessive amount he seems to think she does, For weeks, Gretchen remains introverted and so worried. Her bass player had even attempted to chat her up and if she’s honest he’s so hot and she adores his perspective on life it is so positive and secure. Though his childhood was stable with both parents while Gretchen spent time caring for a drunk mother, never knowing who her dad was and being neglected and withheld love affection and social life as she couldn’t ever bring friends to their trailer where her mom hoarded and had several cats. It stunk like cat pee and litter box, Her dad had been far away working as a miner in Russia and had not come back to visit them at all and always made an excuse as to why he couldn’t get back home,
When Fae sees the text message blackmailing Gretchen, she tells her to absolutely NOT pay him any money but tell him to meet her in the costume trailer that night once her set is over. She will need to stand up for herself and tell him that she’s giving him nothing and she doesn’t care if he sells the tape. He begins to get aggressive and Gretchen stabs him in the ribs and then with a feral yell Fae comes out from behind the costume racks and slices him up with an ax. Fae proves again and again in each city town and place they play in she is a serial killer and makes Gretchen go with her. She justifies that she only kills wastes of space and men who hurt women or her. Gretchen, having sociopathic tendencies doesn’t seem as wrecked and broken apart had she not had a disconnect within her.
An unexpected, ruthlessly cruel and uncalled for twist comes from Fae in attempt to toss Gretchen out of her life, the limelight and permanently get rid of her and the person she’s fallen in love with. To Gretchen’s surprise her least expected alibi and ally is someone who has shown no love lost for her previously but there she is enduring Gretchen will rise above the sinister take down Fae has orchestrated and she will be beside her as it transpires. I was shocked- truly shell shocked at the way this ended. Yet, I freaking loved it!!
Thank you to #NetGalley, to the phenomenal #MindyMcGinnis, the generous publisher, #Penguin Random House who approved this #Advanced Reading Copy #ARC for me to review and give my honest feedback of.
PUBLICLY set to be RELEASED ON JANUARY 12, 2027- RUN to your closest bookstore!!! This is the one book of 2027 you absolutely NEED TO READ.
This was a real fast paced, shocking and wildly fun read, that is of course if you have a strong interest in thriller and suspense genre although this was also about a young girl named Gretchen who posted herself singing while playing the guitar and a well known exercise coach and influencer who had thousands of followers on her site, chose to use one of Gretchen’s original songs to do her glute and butt workout. This video managed to thrust Gretchen’s otherwise unknown song into a massive hit in social media stratosphere. Then it was noticed by an outrageously popular and influential singer who’s own following was in the millions and she was in need of an opening act as her previous act was pregnant and no longer able to travel or keep up with the grueling schedule required of her.
As luck would have the unbelievably crazy famous and the very best pop singer of all time, Fae Deeds winner of a handful of Emmys has contacted Gretchen, she wants her and meets up with her to see if she’ll open for her for the rest of concert. To have this opportunity, playing in front of an audience of 50k plus per night is like a fever dream. In fact, Gretchen doubts she’d ever dreamt that big before. It’s an out of body experience and one she will meet with the confidence and professionalism of someone who’s been around for years. It’s impressive and profoundly inspiring particularly considering the weighty external factors that she’s expected to not only endure but to participate in.
They meet and get along so well it feels like fate has been waiting for this exact moment to reveal this once in a lifetime opportunity that most can only fantasize about. With no time to prep and barely any time process, Fae and her enormous entourage slip Gretchen into Faes car and essentially her world as they speed off to the venue she will be performing in mere hours.
While Fae and her crew all head into her dressing rooms, Gretchen finds herself alone on the 2nd floor and what is reminiscent of what she imagines an old bomb shelter would look like. With panic bubbling up, her mind is reeling. She has no clothes, her manager never showed, she doesn’t know where her guitar is and she is on verge of a full blown panic attack. Gasping for air, hyperventilating she is realizing she has never sung before 55k ppl before. She’s only been to dive bars with drunk people and small venues she’s pretty sure no one was even listening to her. Just as Gretchen’s on verge of passing out from lack of oxygen and reality setting in, Marty, Fae’s manager walks in and takes charge as she imagines real managers do, unlike her manager who’s deigned to even show. Marty informs her that he is now her manager, he will connect her with a publicist and to answer the question she’s asked aloud(though she could’ve sworn she was only repeatedly asking silently jn her mind) that her guitar is on its way. He assures her the makeup artists are all en route, as well as her clothing designers and her other people he had titles for but her shock has temporarily paused her brain and its retention. Before she can regroup, she has 3 people poking at her front, a woman holding an arm full of different bras that begin at her wrist and end at her shoulder, two other people whipping out crazy concoctions of clothing at her, all while her face and hair are being assaulted by arms, hands and a bevy of products she’s never seen let alone used in her life. Never has she been so overwhelmed, overstimulated and overjoyed. Yet, this is not how she’s envisioned herself, this just isn’t HER. She takes a look at her plastered made up face and hair that looks obscene and loses herself. She tells them all to get the hell out. She asks Janelle, the bra lady to please stay and hires her on the spot as her assistant. They begin again, this time, the makeup is minimal and while the clothing designer tried to get her into this sexy situation, she refused holding strong to her flannel and old jeans. The only new thing she has on is one of the bras Janelle offered her. She’s the bra whisperer and with a 36DD she needs one. As they are walking towards the stage for Gretchen to perform they get into the elevator where she proceeds to say she’s going to throw up and does. Then is handed a mint by Janelle and she is soon being introduced to the audience. She starts out playing her guitar and bc the lights are so bright she can only see the first few rows but she can feel the bodies pulsating and cheering and it goes right through her. On her last song someone throws something up onto the stage, she sees it hurling high speed out of the corner of her eye and from so much practice in catching her alcoholic Dads empty’s she grabs it with one hand and cracks it open. She slugs it in one go and then smashes the can on her forehead and continues singing about anger and bitterness specifically towards men. The audience went absolutely WILD- first when she caught it then when she finished it and the entire stadium was in chaos and mayhem when she crashed it on her head and decided last minute to BELCH into the microphone and tell the man who threw the full beer at her he needs to be kinder to women and should be ashamed for throwing at her. She got a standing ovation she was on cloud nine and couldn’t believe every dream she dreamt as a kid had just come true. After Fae was finished her set, she demanded that Gretchen join her in her room. They bond over alcohol, drunkenness and shared secrets. Fae is quite possessive and isn’t content unless all attention is on her and is unable to congratulate or compliment her or anyone else. The whole time there women have been touring, Faes serious famous tennis player has been missing, Strangley she doesn’t seem to be a girlfriend in mourning or under duress. In fact she is so tickled with the way the concert is going since Gretchen had joined it’s given Gretchen pause about who exactly is Fae Deeds.
When Gretchen’s ex starts to blackmail her with a sex tape she is so distracted terrified and doesn’t have the excessive amount he seems to think she does, For weeks, Gretchen remains introverted and so worried. Her bass player had even attempted to chat her up and if she’s honest he’s so hot and she adores his perspective on life it is so positive and secure. Though his childhood was stable with both parents while Gretchen spent time caring for a drunk mother, never knowing who her dad was and being neglected and withheld love affection and social life as she couldn’t ever bring friends to their trailer where her mom hoarded and had several cats. It stunk like cat pee and litter box, Her dad had been far away working as a miner in Russia and had not come back to visit them at all and always made an excuse as to why he couldn’t get back home,
When Fae sees the text message blackmailing Gretchen, she tells her to absolutely NOT pay him any money but tell him to meet her in the costume trailer that night once her set is over. She will need to stand up for herself and tell him that she’s giving him nothing and she doesn’t care if he sells the tape. He begins to get aggressive and Gretchen stabs him in the ribs and then with a feral yell Fae comes out from behind the costume racks and slices him up with an ax. Fae proves again and again in each city town and place they play in she is a serial killer and makes Gretchen go with her. She justifies that she only kills wastes of space and men who hurt women or her. Gretchen, having sociopathic tendencies doesn’t seem as wrecked and broken apart had she not had a disconnect within her.
An unexpected, ruthlessly cruel and uncalled for twist comes from Fae in attempt to toss Gretchen out of her life, the limelight and permanently get rid of her and the person she’s fallen in love with. To Gretchen’s surprise her least expected alibi and ally is someone who has shown no love lost for her previously but there she is enduring Gretchen will rise above the sinister take down Fae has orchestrated and she will be beside her as it transpires. I was shocked- truly shell shocked at the way this ended. Yet, I freaking loved it!!
THANK YOU TO #NetGalley for this #ARC #Advanced Reading Copy by author #MindyMcGinnis and to her generous publishing company #PenguinRandomHouse I am so grateful for this wonderful opportunity to have had the privilege to read this book prior to its public release and encourage everyone to get to their closest local book store for its launch on January 12, 2027 because this book is PHENOMENAL!! I cannot wait to buy the book to add to my own private collection and read it again.
Riveting and so many plot twists as well as pure SHOCKERS!! Made my head spin with the duets these two main characters got into on and off the stage. This was a real fast paced short and fun read, that is of course if you have a strong interest in thriller and suspense genre although this was also about a young girl named Gretchen who posted herself singing while playing the guitar and a well known exercise coach and influencer who had thousands of followers on her site, chose to use one of Gretchen’s original songs to do her glute and butt workout. This video managed to thrust Gretchen’s otherwise unknown song into a massive hit in social media stratosphere. Then it was noticed by an outrageously popular and influential singer who’s own following was in the millions and she was in need of an opening act as her previous act was pregnant and no longer able to travel or keep up with the grueling schedule required of her.
As luck would have the unbelievably crazy famous and the very best pop singer of all time, Fae Deeds winner of a handful of Emmys has contacted Gretchen, she wants her and meets up with her to see if she’ll open for her for the rest of concert. To have this opportunity, playing in front of an audience of 50k plus per night is like a fever dream. In fact, Gretchen doubts she’d ever dreamt that big before. It’s an out of body experience and one she will meet with the confidence and professionalism of someone who’s been around for years. It’s impressive and profoundly inspiring particularly considering the weighty external factors that she’s expected to not only endure but to participate in.
They meet and get along so well it feels like fate has been waiting for this exact moment to reveal this once in a lifetime opportunity that most can only fantasize about. With no time to prep and barely any time process, Fae and her enormous entourage slip Gretchen into Faes car and essentially her world as they speed off to the venue she will be performing in mere hours.
While Fae and her crew all head into her dressing rooms, Gretchen finds herself alone on the 2nd floor and what is reminiscent of what she imagines an old bomb shelter would look like. With panic bubbling up, her mind is reeling. She has no clothes, her manager never showed, she doesn’t know where her guitar is and she is on verge of a full blown panic attack. Gasping for air, hyperventilating she is realizing she has never sung before 55k ppl before. She’s only been to dive bars with drunk people and small venues she’s pretty sure no one was even listening to her. Just as Gretchen’s on verge of passing out from lack of oxygen and reality setting in, Marty, Fae’s manager walks in and takes charge as she imagines real managers do, unlike her manager who’s deigned to even show. Marty informs her that he is now her manager, he will connect her with a publicist and to answer the question she’s asked aloud(though she could’ve sworn she was only repeatedly asking silently jn her mind) that her guitar is on its way. He assures her the makeup artists are all en route, as well as her clothing designers and her other people he had titles for but her shock has temporarily paused her brain and its retention. Before she can regroup, she has 3 people poking at her front, a woman holding an arm full of different bras that begin at her wrist and end at her shoulder, two other people whipping out crazy concoctions of clothing at her, all while her face and hair are being assaulted by arms, hands and a bevy of products she’s never seen let alone used in her life. Never has she been so overwhelmed, overstimulated and overjoyed. Yet, this is not how she’s envisioned herself, this just isn’t HER. She takes a look at her plastered made up face and hair that looks obscene and loses herself. She tells them all to get the hell out. She asks Janelle, the bra lady to please stay and hires her on the spot as her assistant. They begin again, this time, the makeup is minimal and while the clothing designer tried to get her into this sexy situation, she refused holding string to her flannel and old jeans. The only new thing she has on is one of the bras Janelle offered her. She’s the bra whisperer and with a 36DD she needs one. As they are walking towards the stage for Gretchen to perform they get into the elevator where she proceeds to say she’s going to throw up and does. Then is handed a mint by Janelle and she is soon being introduced to the audience. She starts out playing her guitar and bc the lights are so bright she can only see the first few rows but she can feel the bodies pulsating and cheering and it goes right through her. On her last song someone throws something up onto the stage, she sees it hurling high speed out of the corner of her eye and from so much practice in catching her alcoholic Dads empty’s she grabs it with one hand and cracks it open. She slugs it in one go and then smashes the can on her forehead and continues singing about anger and bitterness specifically towards men. The audience went absolutely WILD- first when she caught it then when she finished it and the entire stadium was in chaos and mayhem when she crashed it on her head and decided last minute to BELCH into the microphone and tell the man who threw the full beer at her he needs to be kinder to women and should be ashamed for throwing at her. She got a standing ovation she was on cloud nine and couldn’t believe every dream she dreamt as a kid had just come true. After Fae was finished her set, she demanded that Gretchen join her in her room. They bond over alcohol, drunkenness and shared secrets. Fae is quite possessive and isn’t content unless all attention is on her and is unable to congratulate or compliment her or anyone else. The whole time there women have been touring, Faes serious famous tennis player has been missing, Strangley she doesn’t seem to be a girlfriend in mourning or under duress. In fact she is so tickled with the way the concert is going since Gretchen had joined it’s given Gretchen pause about who exactly is Fae Deeds.
When Gretchen’s ex starts to blackmail her with a sex tape she is so distracted terrified and doesn’t have the excessive amount he seems to think she does, For weeks, Gretchen remains introverted and so worried. Her bass player had even attempted to chat her up and if she’s honest he’s so hot and she adores his perspective on life it is so positive and secure. Though his childhood was stable with both parents while Gretchen spent time caring for a drunk mother, never knowing who her dad was and being neglected and withheld love affection and social life as she couldn’t ever bring friends to their trailer where her mom hoarded and had several cats. It stunk like cat pee and litter box, Her dad had been far away working as a miner in Russia and had not come back to visit them at all and always made an excuse as to why he couldn’t get back home,
When Fae sees the text message blackmailing Gretchen, she tells her to absolutely NOT pay him any money but tell him to meet her in the costume trailer that night once her set is over. She will need to stand up for herself and tell him that she’s giving him nothing and she doesn’t care if he sells the tape. He begins to get aggressive and Gretchen stabs him in the ribs and then with a feral yell Fae comes out from behind the costume racks and slices him up with an ax. Fae proves again and again in each city town and place they play in she is a serial killer and makes Gretchen go with her. She justifies that she only kills wastes of space and men who hurt women or her. Gretchen, having sociopathic tendencies doesn’t seem as wrecked and broken apart had she not had a disconnect within her.
An unexpected, ruthlessly cruel and uncalled for twist comes from Fae in attempt to toss Gretchen out of her life, the limelight and permanently get rid of her and the person she’s fallen in love with. To Gretchen’s surprise her least expected alibi and ally is someone who has shown no love lost for her previously but there she is enduring Gretchen will rise above the sinister take down Fae has orchestrated and she will be beside her as it transpires. I was shocked- truly shell shocked at the way this ended. Yet, I freaking loved it!!
Thank you to #NetGalley, to the phenomenal #MindyMcGinnis, the generous publisher, #Penguin Random House who approved this #Advanced Reading Copy #ARC for me to review and give my honest feedback of.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
**5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐**
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
*The First Cut Is the Deepest* by Mandy McGinnis was one of those books that completely blindsided me—in the best possible way. I went in expecting a dark thriller set against the backdrop of fame and music, but what I got was something far more unique: wickedly funny, wildly entertaining, surprisingly sharp, and utterly impossible to put down.
Gretchen McMurphy has spent years grinding through small venues and dive bars, hoping for her big break. When one of her songs suddenly goes viral and lands her an opening spot on tour with pop superstar Fae Deeds, her life changes overnight. Fame, money, endless attention, and opportunities she never imagined are suddenly within reach. But the closer Gretchen gets to Fae's glittering world, the more she realizes that celebrity comes with secrets—and some of those secrets are deadly.
What immediately hooked me was Gretchen's voice. She is funny, blunt, self-aware, and completely unforgettable. Her narration had me laughing out loud one moment and questioning everything the next. Mandy McGinnis has created a protagonist who feels incredibly real despite the increasingly outrageous situations surrounding her.
The dynamic between Gretchen and Fae absolutely carried this novel. Fae is magnetic, chaotic, manipulative, fascinating, and impossible to look away from. Their friendship evolves in ways I never expected, creating a constant tension between loyalty, admiration, fear, and distrust. Every scene they shared crackled with energy.
The music industry setting was another standout. From touring life to the pressures of sudden fame and public perception, the behind-the-scenes look at celebrity culture felt both entertaining and unsettling. Beneath the dark humor and outrageous moments is a surprisingly thoughtful exploration of power, misogyny, trauma, and the ways women are often forced to navigate systems designed against them.
And then there's the thriller element. Without giving anything away, this book gets DARK. The blend of biting humor, celebrity satire, and murder should not work as well as it does, but somehow Mandy McGinnis pulls it off flawlessly. The pacing is relentless, the twists hit hard, and the ending left me completely stunned.
Part dark comedy, part celebrity thriller, part feminist revenge story, *The First Cut Is the Deepest* is one of the most entertaining books I've read this year. Bold, addictive, hilarious, shocking, and completely unforgettable.
I saw another reviewer describe this as *Daisy Jones & The Six* meets *Dexter* with a dash of female rage, and that comparison immediately caught my attention. Having read it now, I'd say that's a pretty perfect description of the chaotic, darkly funny ride that Mandy McGinnis delivers.
I loved every chaotic minute of it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
*The First Cut Is the Deepest* by Mandy McGinnis was one of those books that completely blindsided me—in the best possible way. I went in expecting a dark thriller set against the backdrop of fame and music, but what I got was something far more unique: wickedly funny, wildly entertaining, surprisingly sharp, and utterly impossible to put down.
Gretchen McMurphy has spent years grinding through small venues and dive bars, hoping for her big break. When one of her songs suddenly goes viral and lands her an opening spot on tour with pop superstar Fae Deeds, her life changes overnight. Fame, money, endless attention, and opportunities she never imagined are suddenly within reach. But the closer Gretchen gets to Fae's glittering world, the more she realizes that celebrity comes with secrets—and some of those secrets are deadly.
What immediately hooked me was Gretchen's voice. She is funny, blunt, self-aware, and completely unforgettable. Her narration had me laughing out loud one moment and questioning everything the next. Mandy McGinnis has created a protagonist who feels incredibly real despite the increasingly outrageous situations surrounding her.
The dynamic between Gretchen and Fae absolutely carried this novel. Fae is magnetic, chaotic, manipulative, fascinating, and impossible to look away from. Their friendship evolves in ways I never expected, creating a constant tension between loyalty, admiration, fear, and distrust. Every scene they shared crackled with energy.
The music industry setting was another standout. From touring life to the pressures of sudden fame and public perception, the behind-the-scenes look at celebrity culture felt both entertaining and unsettling. Beneath the dark humor and outrageous moments is a surprisingly thoughtful exploration of power, misogyny, trauma, and the ways women are often forced to navigate systems designed against them.
And then there's the thriller element. Without giving anything away, this book gets DARK. The blend of biting humor, celebrity satire, and murder should not work as well as it does, but somehow Mandy McGinnis pulls it off flawlessly. The pacing is relentless, the twists hit hard, and the ending left me completely stunned.
Part dark comedy, part celebrity thriller, part feminist revenge story, *The First Cut Is the Deepest* is one of the most entertaining books I've read this year. Bold, addictive, hilarious, shocking, and completely unforgettable.
I saw another reviewer describe this as *Daisy Jones & The Six* meets *Dexter* with a dash of female rage, and that comparison immediately caught my attention. Having read it now, I'd say that's a pretty perfect description of the chaotic, darkly funny ride that Mandy McGinnis delivers.
I loved every chaotic minute of it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
🙏 Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House | G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the ARC!
Gretchen has spent years playing dive bars and tiny venues until one of her songs suddenly blows up after being used by an influencer 🎶. Now she’s opening for major pop star and ultimate nepo baby Fae Deeds, which throws her headfirst into fame, chaos, and the complicated world of celebrity friendships. Along the way she has to deal with old relationships resurfacing, the pressures of sudden success, and Fae’s very questionable coping mechanisms 👀.
I absolutely devoured this book. I had a feeling I knew what kind of ride I was getting into, and it delivered everything I wanted and more 😅. I saw the author describe it somewhere as Daisy Jones & The Six meets Dexter, and honestly the Dexter comparison is spot on. The contrast between Gretchen’s grungier vibe and Fae’s polished pop princess persona made their dynamic so entertaining to read. Fae especially was chaotic in the most fascinating way possible.
I also loved following them on tour and watching the friendship between Gretchen and Fae evolve 🎤✨. There’s a little romance woven throughout, but it never overpowers the thriller plotline, which I appreciated. Even though there were a few moments I questioned character-wise, I was so invested in the story that I flew through it without stopping to overanalyze anything.
💭 Overall, I absolutely loved this and immediately bought a physical copy after finishing the ARC 📚. Dark, addictive, chaotic, and so much fun, and I already know this will end up being one of my favorite thrillers of the year ✨.
Gretchen has spent years playing dive bars and tiny venues until one of her songs suddenly blows up after being used by an influencer 🎶. Now she’s opening for major pop star and ultimate nepo baby Fae Deeds, which throws her headfirst into fame, chaos, and the complicated world of celebrity friendships. Along the way she has to deal with old relationships resurfacing, the pressures of sudden success, and Fae’s very questionable coping mechanisms 👀.
I absolutely devoured this book. I had a feeling I knew what kind of ride I was getting into, and it delivered everything I wanted and more 😅. I saw the author describe it somewhere as Daisy Jones & The Six meets Dexter, and honestly the Dexter comparison is spot on. The contrast between Gretchen’s grungier vibe and Fae’s polished pop princess persona made their dynamic so entertaining to read. Fae especially was chaotic in the most fascinating way possible.
I also loved following them on tour and watching the friendship between Gretchen and Fae evolve 🎤✨. There’s a little romance woven throughout, but it never overpowers the thriller plotline, which I appreciated. Even though there were a few moments I questioned character-wise, I was so invested in the story that I flew through it without stopping to overanalyze anything.
💭 Overall, I absolutely loved this and immediately bought a physical copy after finishing the ARC 📚. Dark, addictive, chaotic, and so much fun, and I already know this will end up being one of my favorite thrillers of the year ✨.
July 5, 2026
The First Cut is the Deepest in a few words:
Deranged, hypnotic, brutal, perfection.
Mindy McGinnis’s writing is always a favorite of mine. She sucked me in with The Female of the Species years ago and I’ve been following along ever since. The First Cut is the Deepest is dark and explosive in a different way from her other books. It has an undercurrent of dread and quiet rage that’s uncomfortable.
Gretchen McMurphy has been playing music in dives for ages without getting anywhere until a fitness influencer makes her song viral on tiktok. Fae Deeds is a famous singer who plucks Gretchen up during her viral moment and introduces her to stardom. I spent some time trying to imagine which modern day celebrity could be a stand in for Fae. She’s explosive and blinding and dangerous. Gretchen is a self described heavy drinker who forms intense emotional bonds rather quickly. She’s also hysterically funny in the way your depressive mean inner monologue can sometimes surprise you with gallows humor.
As the story went on and Gretchen continued to spiral down into concrete shoes of a plot, I honestly could not figure out how things would end for her. The story kept me guessing and biting my nails the whole way through.
My only con here is that I can’t tell you the ending. It’s so good that I’m dying a bit that I can’t talk to someone about it!
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC, and thank you to Mindy McGinnis for another amazing book!
Deranged, hypnotic, brutal, perfection.
Mindy McGinnis’s writing is always a favorite of mine. She sucked me in with The Female of the Species years ago and I’ve been following along ever since. The First Cut is the Deepest is dark and explosive in a different way from her other books. It has an undercurrent of dread and quiet rage that’s uncomfortable.
Gretchen McMurphy has been playing music in dives for ages without getting anywhere until a fitness influencer makes her song viral on tiktok. Fae Deeds is a famous singer who plucks Gretchen up during her viral moment and introduces her to stardom. I spent some time trying to imagine which modern day celebrity could be a stand in for Fae. She’s explosive and blinding and dangerous. Gretchen is a self described heavy drinker who forms intense emotional bonds rather quickly. She’s also hysterically funny in the way your depressive mean inner monologue can sometimes surprise you with gallows humor.
As the story went on and Gretchen continued to spiral down into concrete shoes of a plot, I honestly could not figure out how things would end for her. The story kept me guessing and biting my nails the whole way through.
My only con here is that I can’t tell you the ending. It’s so good that I’m dying a bit that I can’t talk to someone about it!
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC, and thank you to Mindy McGinnis for another amazing book!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The First Cut is The Deepest By Mindy McGinnis was gifted to me By Putnam Books through the NetGalley catalog in exchange for my honest review and honestly it was Magnificent!!!
I want to make Gretchen McMurphy my new BFF just to listen to her talk and to have conversations with her in hopes that she might rub off on me and I could be a fraction of the kind of funny that she is!! The HUMOR is the BEST!!
It is an excellent story too with a bad ass twist! I mean what can you ask for when justice prevails
and Fae, the B*#@h gets whats coming to her yet you still appreciate her villainous role and the justice shes serving even if she is batSh@*t crazy!! Gretchen's hysterical dialog elevates every conversation she has through out the entire book making me want to read it again!
This book was pure enjoyment from start to finish! I just feel bad that people will have to wait until 2027 to get their hands on it! Although it's worth the wait too!! 🥳🤩🥰 So excellent and some of the best delivered humor I have ever read!! BRAVO!
Thank you for this ARC!! Truly!! LOVE IT!!!
I want to make Gretchen McMurphy my new BFF just to listen to her talk and to have conversations with her in hopes that she might rub off on me and I could be a fraction of the kind of funny that she is!! The HUMOR is the BEST!!
It is an excellent story too with a bad ass twist! I mean what can you ask for when justice prevails
and Fae, the B*#@h gets whats coming to her yet you still appreciate her villainous role and the justice shes serving even if she is batSh@*t crazy!! Gretchen's hysterical dialog elevates every conversation she has through out the entire book making me want to read it again!
This book was pure enjoyment from start to finish! I just feel bad that people will have to wait until 2027 to get their hands on it! Although it's worth the wait too!! 🥳🤩🥰 So excellent and some of the best delivered humor I have ever read!! BRAVO!
Thank you for this ARC!! Truly!! LOVE IT!!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Gretchen McMurphy is living her dream come true. Plucked from relative obscurity by mega pop star Fae Deeds to be an opening act, her star is rising fast. Money, sponsorships, relationships- everything she wants is just at her fingertips now. Not to mention her burgeoning status as Fae’s bestie and Gretchen’s life has never been better. Whereas Fae is light and bubbles and butterflies, Gretchen is crass rude and unfiltered. Guess opposites attract. But there’s always a catch, isn’t there? Can Fae really be as kind and generous as she seems? Or is there a dark side lurking underneath all that glitter ? Gretchen is in too deep to back out now but maybe she should - before it’s too late.
Cleverly crass and outrageously graphic, this thriller is a fun, fast read about toppling the patriarchy but maybe at too high a cost.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
Cleverly crass and outrageously graphic, this thriller is a fun, fast read about toppling the patriarchy but maybe at too high a cost.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book was wildly irreverent, hilariously inappropriate, and impossible to put down. This book follows Gretchen, who was recently skyrocketed into fame when one of her songs went viral. She is booked as an opener for Fae Deeds, the #1 pop icon in the world. Gretchen has to learn to navigate her newfound fame while also discovering that Fae Deeds quite literally has a closet full of skeletons.
I loved the relationship between Fae and Gretchen. It was so absurd, but felt so real at times. I found myself laughing out loud at the many inappropriate jokes coming from Gretchen's narration. The twists and turns had me gasping out loud, and I have not had this much fun reading a book in a long time.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I cannot wait until I can grab a physical copy and read it again!
I loved the relationship between Fae and Gretchen. It was so absurd, but felt so real at times. I found myself laughing out loud at the many inappropriate jokes coming from Gretchen's narration. The twists and turns had me gasping out loud, and I have not had this much fun reading a book in a long time.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I cannot wait until I can grab a physical copy and read it again!
June 13, 2026
Fae Deeds is a singer super star who has all the money in the world and feel very few consequences for her actions. Gretchen McMurphy is thrust into stardom when a fitness queen uses one of her songs to workout. Fae Deeds has no choice but to notice and meets with Gretchen. They become instant best friends. And share all things...the good, the bad and the sinister. A quick read with a great twist at the end.
This novel is somewhat lighthearted and silly. The twists were a little predictable for me,except the last twist, but I still enjoyed the read.
Fae Deeds is a super star like no other. This gave me a feel of a play on Taylor Swift, maybe it was intentional or not but the feeling was there.
This novel is somewhat lighthearted and silly. The twists were a little predictable for me,except the last twist, but I still enjoyed the read.
Fae Deeds is a super star like no other. This gave me a feel of a play on Taylor Swift, maybe it was intentional or not but the feeling was there.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
While this isn't my usual genre, I had a good time with it. In some places the dialogue felt unrealistic (especially when characters were meant to be drunk, etc) but I found all of the characters to be fun and engaging overall. The suspense and horror elements, when present, were effective, I think, but personally would have been pleased to see said elements more deeply within the novel, but that's just the horror fan in me talking. I had a fun time with this book, which is not something I feel I get to have a lot when I read.
I didn't mind the ending, but some threads weren't wrapped up for me and left me wondering.
I didn't mind the ending, but some threads weren't wrapped up for me and left me wondering.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
You will not want to put this book down! So dark, witty and funny. Gretchen is such a lovable character, that you’ll be rooting for the whole time. Gretchen comes from a broken, very poor home. She is trying to make it as a musician, when one of her songs becomes a breakout hit thanks to an influencer. This catches the eye of mega superstar Fae. The classic narcissistic sociopath, decides to take Gretchen on tour with her, where Gretchen is thrust into fame. Finding out Fae’s dark secret, Gretchen realizes the only solution is to go along with Fae does. Full of super twists, turns, and finished off with a jaw dropping ending! I cannot recommend this book enough
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 ⭐️
Thank you NetGalley and the author for an electronic ARC of The First Cut is The Deepest. I did not see that ending coming while I was riding the vibe that was Gretchen and Fae’s dynamic. You have Gretchen clad in plaid and never been handed anything in life and while Fae is a pretty little butterfly who thinks Denny’s waffles cost $100. I loved Gretchen and her little side quest stories and her idea of neutral being Costco. I went into it expecting twists and turns of a thriller, but was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed it. I was not expecting to laugh as much as I did. I don’t know how to explain this book, but it’s a vibe!
Thank you NetGalley and the author for an electronic ARC of The First Cut is The Deepest. I did not see that ending coming while I was riding the vibe that was Gretchen and Fae’s dynamic. You have Gretchen clad in plaid and never been handed anything in life and while Fae is a pretty little butterfly who thinks Denny’s waffles cost $100. I loved Gretchen and her little side quest stories and her idea of neutral being Costco. I went into it expecting twists and turns of a thriller, but was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed it. I was not expecting to laugh as much as I did. I don’t know how to explain this book, but it’s a vibe!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
"Is it easier to be a man or a woman? What are we talking about here? Lifting heavy things or getting laid? Menstruating or being a fucking jackass? I need parameters, that’s a stupid question. Get better at your job. —Gretchen McMurphy, unprinted portion of Lavalier interview"
This is one of the chapter headers from the book. I felt it so perfectly captured the personality of our main character. If you didn't find this snarky reply humourous then you won't appreciate the dark humor if this book. Mindy has something to be proud of in this adult debut thriller.
This is one of the chapter headers from the book. I felt it so perfectly captured the personality of our main character. If you didn't find this snarky reply humourous then you won't appreciate the dark humor if this book. Mindy has something to be proud of in this adult debut thriller.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 Stars
The First Cut Is The Deepest delivers a captivating and unpredictable narrative, establishing itself as a truly twisty and fun story to read.
The plotting is sharp, constantly keeping the reader guessing about the next turn. What truly elevated this read was the infusion of witty dialogue and genuinely engaging moments throughout the book.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this experience and highly recommend this book.
Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC of this book to review.
The First Cut Is The Deepest delivers a captivating and unpredictable narrative, establishing itself as a truly twisty and fun story to read.
The plotting is sharp, constantly keeping the reader guessing about the next turn. What truly elevated this read was the infusion of witty dialogue and genuinely engaging moments throughout the book.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this experience and highly recommend this book.
Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC of this book to review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you to Penguin Random House for the ARC.
This was another phenomenal book from McGinnis, I might be biased but I love her characters and her plots.
Gretchen McMurphy was hilarious and incredibly relatable, and I appreciated all the ways in which her POV shed light on the world of show business.
The story takes a sharp turn that I sensed about half-way through but still didn't see the end coming, I literally could not put this book down.
This was another phenomenal book from McGinnis, I might be biased but I love her characters and her plots.
Gretchen McMurphy was hilarious and incredibly relatable, and I appreciated all the ways in which her POV shed light on the world of show business.
The story takes a sharp turn that I sensed about half-way through but still didn't see the end coming, I literally could not put this book down.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book was a wild ride from start to finish, but maybe not totally in a good way?
I felt like this book tried too hard to be quirky. I didn't feel like there was a single serious moment in the entire book until the very end. Because of that, the tone shift in the end was very jarring. Gretchen's only personality traits until the very end were being crass and drinking a lot, which made for not a very interesting character.
Overall, I liked the premise, but it just missed the mark for me.
I felt like this book tried too hard to be quirky. I didn't feel like there was a single serious moment in the entire book until the very end. Because of that, the tone shift in the end was very jarring. Gretchen's only personality traits until the very end were being crass and drinking a lot, which made for not a very interesting character.
Overall, I liked the premise, but it just missed the mark for me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book was extremely campy and not at all what i expected - if you go into it with an open mind and with that knowledge then I think it can be enjoyable, there were definitely some times I laughed aloud. But overall I just don't think this is the niche for me.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC though - it's always a pleasure
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC though - it's always a pleasure
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 stars!! What a fun read that was!! Imagine if your favorite pop star (Britney, here) was a serial killer who kills in each town she performs in. This book had me in tears from laughing and ridiculous song lyrics, and even more ridiculous antics. I absolutely loved it!
Thank you to Netgalley for this arc!!
Thank you to Netgalley for this arc!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really did not see the twist coming and the book kept me hooked the whole time. You will never convince me that Jackson is a good guy though. Like he apologized once and that makes him a saint in Gretchen's eyes? Wild.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House | G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the ARC!
At no point did I know what was happening in this story and I loved every minute of it. Its dark, hilarious, twisted, and completely unhinged in every way.
5/5
I implore you to read this.
At no point did I know what was happening in this story and I loved every minute of it. Its dark, hilarious, twisted, and completely unhinged in every way.
5/5
I implore you to read this.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received an ARC from Netgalley. My views are my own.
Unhinged, glorious, balls-to-the-wall thrill ride! It is Taylor Swift meets Lizzie Borden. Unhinged your mind, sit back, and just read this one!
Unhinged, glorious, balls-to-the-wall thrill ride! It is Taylor Swift meets Lizzie Borden. Unhinged your mind, sit back, and just read this one!
June 14, 2026
Unfiltered, unhinged, and hysterical. Mindy didn’t hold back for her first adult novel. I laughed right out loud multiple times.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Wow. This does not disappoint in any way. Funny, dark, profound, surprising...
July 1, 2026
This was a dark, fun read. I was super into it, until I wasn’t though. But I think that’s just a personal thing for me because I hate implausible convenience for the sake of plot. And the dialogue got a bit cringe near the end. Overall, it was ok! And the end was pretty gnarly in a good way. Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
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