Cut to the Quick

Nan Vining Mysteries #2

by Dianne Emley

The crime scene was like something out of a horror movie. Billboard tycoon Oliver Mercer has been brutally slain in his home in the Pasadena hills, joined in death by his long-legged trophy girlfriend–both of their bodies displayed in a chilling tableau. The murder scene reawakens terrible memories for homicide detective Nan Vining, who survived her own harrowing attack a year earlier. While tracking the taunting gameplayer her daughter Emily dubbed T. B. Mann–The Bad Man–she is now working the Mercer case alongside her ex-flame Jim Kissick, stirring up conflicted feelings in her. From the ritzy estates of L.A.’s Lamborghini-driving set to a rocky desert outpost where rattlesnakes whisper murder, Nan will risk both her badge and her heart on a case that cuts close to the bone.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Suspense, Mystery Thriller, Procedural

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Los Angeles Times bestselling author Dianne Emley is a Los Angeles native, growing up in the multicultural Northeast side, where she attended public schools. She earned a B.A. in Philosophy and an MBA, both from UCLA, and has held a variety of day jobs, mostly in business middle management. For years during the early morning before she headed to the office, she wrote fiction. Her first book, Cold Call, a mystery about Iris Thorne, a sexy, single L.A. investment counselor in the "greed is good" late 1980s, was sold at auction to Pocket Books/Simon and Schuster and published in 1993. It was followed by four more in that series.

Dianne was inspired to take her writing in a new direction and began writing about Nan Vining—a haunted and driven homicide detective and single mom. The first in the series, The First Cut (2006), was a Los Angeles Times bestseller and hit #1 on Amazon. Currently, there are six books in the Nan Vining series.

The Night Visitor, a standalone paranormal mystery, was published in 2014.

Critics around the world have praised Dianne's books, which have been published in 20 countries and translated into six languages: "A gripping page-turner..." (Library Journal); "Expertly plotted... redolent with suspense and action..." (Florida Sun-Sentinel); "A superior piece of storytelling..." (Los Angeles Times); "Relentless suspense..." (Booklist).

Dianne lives in the Central California wine country with her husband where she writes full time and is a pretty good cook, an amateur oenophile, and a terrible golfer.

Reviews

[Jacqui · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this second installment in the Nan Vining series and I’ll definitely keep reading the series. I like all the central characters and Nan’s backstory progressed further meaning we got closer to unmasking the elusive T.B Mann.

Memorable Quotes

"Dough was dough as far as he was concerned. No better cushion from life’s problems than a mountain of cash."

"The only appearance she cared about was maintaining a command presence. Pretty didn’t help her on the Job."

"Vining could sense the karma. It was easy to name: evil. This was something she knew first-hand. She’d been up close and personal with evil. Too close. Too personal."

"Thinking time healed all was a feel-good delusion. A fantasy of those who’d never endured profound tragedy."

"Kaitlyn cradled her breasts in a manner that Vining thought she would never have considered before the enhancement. The inorganic material somehow put them in the public domain, a commercial product to be prodded and admired, like a nicely marbled rib eye."

"Vining wouldn’t say she was cured. She didn’t believe in closure. Hated the feel-good concept. Hated the extra burden it put on victims and families to "get over it" and "move on." Some things in life were so horrible, there was no getting over them. There was only getting used to them. Living with them, like strange bedfellows one would toss out in a second if given the chance. They never got that chance. The twisted turn of events was handed to them. Here, live with it."

"Truth, like evil, follows its own course, like a river."

"My grandmother has a saying. "When a man marries his mistress, he creates a job opening."

"The lake was bathed in that early-morning soft pink desert light that teased out hidden creatures and colors. Later, its ruthlessness would be revealed, like the fanatical gaze of a jealous lover, its white haze devouring all life and shades of variation."

"This was the time before the time."

[Nolan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I experienced the same kind of mixed feelings with this book as I did with book one in the series. There’s just a little too much paranormal silliness here to allow for a full-throated recommendation. But it doesn’t become so ridiculous that I wanted to fling the book to the bitter ignominy of the did-not-finish pile. This has gathered digital dust on my books drive since August of 2009. So, after letting it languish there for 15 years, I knew I’d feel better if I finally read and dealt with it. It’s crucial that you read the first book in the series before tackling this. Otherwise, you’re going to feel lost and a bit disjointed as if you joined the program already in progress.

Somebody murdered Oliver Mercer. While they were at it, they murdered his wife. He and his business partner weren’t getting along well at all when the death happened, and the cops like the business partner for the murder. That man is married to a local morning show TV host on a Los Angeles station, and the marriage, like his business, is dying. Indeed, before the book is half done, you’ll witness the gambling-addicted business partner do the voyeur thing as he watches his TV glam girl wife join the carpet-burn cotillion when she and a motorcycle-riding ex-con turned writer jive and writhe on the rug.

I figured the mystery out early, and my mind wandered a lot through the more slow and less relevant parts of this book. The paranormal nonsense ramps up again in the end, and I’ve made the decision that I’m not going to read the final book in the trilogy. I was slated to do that in October, but no chance. I bet she has a final confrontation with the bad boy who tried to kill her in book one. If there are typos in this, it’s because I’m stifling repeated yawns.

[Patty_pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Secondo libro dedicato alla detective Nan Vining, sopravvissuta a un agguato da parte del “cattivo”, come lo chiamano tra loro, lei e la figlia; migliore del primo. Anche in questo caso, l'unico personaggio che trovo ben descritto e caratterizzato è la protagonista; i comprimari e tutti gli altri mi paiono poco riusciti sia i buoni che i cattivi. In questo libro si indaga su un omicidio efferato. Un uomo e una donna uccisi barbaramente con successiva dissezione dell'uomo. Un bell'intreccio, non originale, che scopriamo solo alla fine del romanzo; il “cattivo” cotinua a giocare con la nostra protagonista, quasi a ricordarle che lui non ha dimenticato che lei è sopravvissuta. Non mi pare che ci siano altri libri tradotti; anche se non sono dei capolavori, la curiosità sul “cattivo” incombe!

[Elaine Nickolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I've got to admit that when I read the first chapter of this 2nd installment of Nan Vining series I thought it was going to be a 5+ star rating. The action in the first chapter was mind blowing and I thought to myself, this is one sicko book, in a good way. Then it slowed down in pace and although, a good story, it certainly did not keep up with my anticipation after chapter 1. Nan and Kissick must try to solve this crime and quickly set their sights on a suspect. But how would he have done it? Meanwhile Nan is still looking for T.B. Mann and a strange occurance brings him back into her sights. Nan now is dealing with the case at hand, and trying to follow up on her own brush with death. Throw in a reformed killer turned author and this is one heck of a mixed story line. I did enjoy the ending and will certainly look at #3 in the series soon.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this but not as much as the first in the series.

I am not enjoying the continued threat of T. B. Mann as much as the actual police job that she does.
Since the T. B. Mann issue is not resolved in this book, I guess that book three will continue this thread.

Her descriptions of the Salton Sea area are wonderful.

The shootout scenes at the end were more easily followed than most similar scenes in other mysteries. I could have done without the snake attack, so be warned if this is also a problem of yours.

I borrowed a copy from the public library.

[Lawanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Third in a trilogy set in So Cal and Pasadena

[Loretta K. Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keeps you reading for sure

A second thriller that is hard to put down!
Unique settings and believable characters with unique character flaws that create the suspense
On to book 3

[La Donna Perkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not know this was part of a series but I’m going to be investing in them! The love story mixed with murders is a perfect balance.

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Synopsis: The crime scene was like something out of a horror movie. Billboard tycoon Oliver Mercer has been brutally slain in his home in the Pasadena hills, joined in death by his long-legged trophy girlfriend-both of their bodies displayed in a chilling tableau. The murder scene reawakens terrible memories for homicide detective Nan Vining, who survived her own harrowing attack a year earlier. While tracking the taunting gameplayer her daughter Emily dubbed T. B. Mann-The Bad Man-she is now working the Mercer case alongside her ex-flame Jim Kissick, stirring up conflicted feelings in her. From the ritzy estates of L.A.'s Lamborghini-driving set to a rocky desert outpost where rattlesnakes whisper murder, Nan will risk both her badge and her heart on a case that cuts close to the bone.

Book 2. Enjoy the characters flaws and all, but I can't attach to Nan.

[jill · Rating 2 out of 5]

The mystery actually solved in the course of the novel was pretty boring -- sort of Strangers on a Train with a cross dresser. This is apparently part of a series in which the female detective is dealing with a serial killer who attempted to murder her. The parts of the book that dealt with that plot were more interesting than the other mystery, but the detective didn't really interest me enough to want to pick up another of these. Mainly because she had a weird, almost sexual focus on her attempted murderer that skeeved me out.

[Jamie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mistakenly purchased this download thinking it was the first book in the Julian Kestrel series. It's not. Rich in detail about the LA area -- too rich. I don't really need to know what highway exit was taken, and whether the character turned left or right. I did enjoy the descriptions of the Salton Sea. The plot just seemed kind of pointless, there's no big mystery, and the main character is still obsessing at the end of this book over the bad man (i.e. T.B. Mann) who attacked her in the first book.

[Sheila Beaumont · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an outstanding thriller, with an unrelenting fast pace, strong characters, a complex, well-told story with plenty of twists and turns, and a likable, intelligent heroine in Pasadena homicide detective Nan Vining. Highly recommended for thriller fans (but watch out for the rattlesnakes!).

[Jennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in a trilogy about Nan Vining. I read these books out of order so I had a good idea what was going to happen. Nan and her partner, Jim solve a murder case while Nan works on T.B. Mann's whereabouts. Very good

[Pbwritr · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty entertaining. But too many things stretch the imagination. Basically, just another murder mystery to pass the time. Excellent writing and descriptions, though.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am now hooked on this series.

[Kristy Trauzzi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the last one I just read. But - I can't wait to see where it goes with T.B. Mann.

[Lois Baron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Writing not as good as the beginning of the first book.

[Tory Wagner]

I read The First Cut first and loved it as well as this one. Very suspenseful and the characters are great. On to the next!

[Bradley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Homicide detective story. This book was fobbed off on me by my wifie. It was actually pretty and decently written. Not a book for my tastes but not too bad. I am giving it back to her to try out. =)

[Mommom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read. Went a little to much out of range of the story at some points.

[Melissa Christenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book!

[Casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting case but it wasn't as exciting as the first one. Hope the 3rd one is better

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure I like how much this author describes things.....ughhh

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Real Good.

[Jen Juenke · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good thriller read

[Nancy]

read

[Tiffani Slome · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!

[Andrew Carter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had trouble finishing

[Diane Waddington · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this one fast read.