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The Rough Cut
Riley Vasher hasn't spoken to her friend Piper Kingsley for years . . . now she's making a documentary about her murder.
Documentary filmmaker Riley Vasher has been living a low-key life on the island of Oahu with her long-time boyfriend Brody. This all changes when Brody overhears on his police scanner that popular TV weathergirl Piper Kingsley has been murdered.
When Piper's boyfriend, Ethan Jakes, is arrested for the crime, a high-profile murder trial is sure to follow - and Riley and Brody sense their chance to make a name for themselves.
Riley convinces Ethan she can help him if they make a documentary about the trial, and recommends the brilliant but eccentric defense lawyer Nicholas Church. But as the trial nears and Riley becomes personally involved in the case, the lines of truth soon begin to blur and she finds herself becoming part of the story.
Documentary filmmaker Riley Vasher has been living a low-key life on the island of Oahu with her long-time boyfriend Brody. This all changes when Brody overhears on his police scanner that popular TV weathergirl Piper Kingsley has been murdered.
When Piper's boyfriend, Ethan Jakes, is arrested for the crime, a high-profile murder trial is sure to follow - and Riley and Brody sense their chance to make a name for themselves.
Riley convinces Ethan she can help him if they make a documentary about the trial, and recommends the brilliant but eccentric defense lawyer Nicholas Church. But as the trial nears and Riley becomes personally involved in the case, the lines of truth soon begin to blur and she finds herself becoming part of the story.
1 pages, Audio CD
Published January 5, 2021
15 people are currently reading
26 people want to read
About the author
Douglas Corleone
32 books115 followersDouglas Corleone is the highly acclaimed and award-winning author of contemporary thrillers. His debut novel, ONE MAN'S PARADISE, introducing hotshot defense attorney Kevin Corvelli was a finalist for the 2010 Shamus Award for Best First Novel and winner of the 2009 Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award. Corleone's other novels in the Kevin Corvelli series include NIGHT ON FIRE and LAST LAWYER STANDING.
Douglas Corleone's highly acclaimed international thriller, GOOD AS GONE, featuring former U.S. Marshal Simon Fisk, was hailed by the Huffington Post as a "heart-wrenching, adrenaline-producing adventure that...leaves the reader gasping for breath." The second book in the series, PAYOFF is due out in August 2014.
Recently Douglas Corleone was selected by the Estate of Robert Ludlum, internationally bestselling author and creator of the Jason Bourne series, to continue Ludlum's series of thrillers featuring ex-Navy SEAL and former covert government agent Paul Janson. ROBERT LUDLUM'S THE JANSON EQUATION will hit stores early in 2015.
A former New York City criminal defense attorney, Douglas Corleone now resides in the Hawaiian Islands with his family, where he is currently at work on his next novel.
Douglas Corleone's highly acclaimed international thriller, GOOD AS GONE, featuring former U.S. Marshal Simon Fisk, was hailed by the Huffington Post as a "heart-wrenching, adrenaline-producing adventure that...leaves the reader gasping for breath." The second book in the series, PAYOFF is due out in August 2014.
Recently Douglas Corleone was selected by the Estate of Robert Ludlum, internationally bestselling author and creator of the Jason Bourne series, to continue Ludlum's series of thrillers featuring ex-Navy SEAL and former covert government agent Paul Janson. ROBERT LUDLUM'S THE JANSON EQUATION will hit stores early in 2015.
A former New York City criminal defense attorney, Douglas Corleone now resides in the Hawaiian Islands with his family, where he is currently at work on his next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 16, 2021
Riley Vasher is a documentary filmmaker .. well, that's what she wants to be. She gets her big chance when a woman who was once her best friend is found dead. Riley's boyfriend, Brody, is the one who hears over his police scanner that the well-known TV weather person, Piper Kingsley, was murdered.
When Piper’s boyfriend, Ethan Jakes, is arrested for the crime, a high-profile murder trial is sure to follow – and Riley and Brody sense their chance to make a name for themselves.
(BOOK BLURB) Riley convinces Ethan she can help him if they make a documentary about the trial, and recommends the brilliant but eccentric defense lawyer Nicholas Church. But as the trial nears and Riley becomes personally involved in the case, the lines of truth soon begin to blur and she finds herself becoming part of the story.
This is part mystery/part legal thriller. There's a lot involved in this book. The relationships between the solidly defined characters are varied. Riley is seeing a therapist for her mental health issues. As the cameraman, Brody runs hot and cold when it comes to film-making. That relationship is in trouble. Nicolas Church is the character I love to hate. He's arrogant, he's manipulative. Ethan is likeable ... but is he guilty of murder? He has no motive .. until the medical examiner finds something of interest at the autopsy. It was an interesting read, with a captivating conclusion that was totally unexpected.
Many thanks to the author / Severn House / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction/legal thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
When Piper’s boyfriend, Ethan Jakes, is arrested for the crime, a high-profile murder trial is sure to follow – and Riley and Brody sense their chance to make a name for themselves.
(BOOK BLURB) Riley convinces Ethan she can help him if they make a documentary about the trial, and recommends the brilliant but eccentric defense lawyer Nicholas Church. But as the trial nears and Riley becomes personally involved in the case, the lines of truth soon begin to blur and she finds herself becoming part of the story.
This is part mystery/part legal thriller. There's a lot involved in this book. The relationships between the solidly defined characters are varied. Riley is seeing a therapist for her mental health issues. As the cameraman, Brody runs hot and cold when it comes to film-making. That relationship is in trouble. Nicolas Church is the character I love to hate. He's arrogant, he's manipulative. Ethan is likeable ... but is he guilty of murder? He has no motive .. until the medical examiner finds something of interest at the autopsy. It was an interesting read, with a captivating conclusion that was totally unexpected.
Many thanks to the author / Severn House / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction/legal thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
December 14, 2025
If you like true crime documentaries, you might like The Rough Cut. Corleone provides a tantalizing glimpse of the inner world of film making. I felt like I was in this docudrama-in-the-making, watching Riley (and others) manipulate reality to fit their chosen narrative.
The story moves quickly. It seamlessly shifts between the past, as Riley records the trial, and the present, as she edits during the post-production process. Neither process goes well, of course. Troubles arise between Riley and her boyfriend/filmmaking partner Brody. Defense attorney Church is abrasive, brilliant, and troubled. The defendant Ethan isn’t always cooperative. Sometimes–often–okay, most of the time– he makes disastrous decisions.
Corleone is cagey about what the verdict is/will be throughout the book. He cleverly points us to the multiple possibilities (guilty, not guilty, mistrial) through characters’ words and reaction. And, since we all know that a courtroom verdict does not necessarily agree with reality, there’s suspense as to whether Ethan actually killed Piper. The did-he, didn’t-he tension continues in Riley’s mind.
I did my usual read-the-ending-first routine, so I knew the answer to both questions. All the same, Corleone kept me reading. He’s clever at hiding clues in plain sight. If I hadn’t known the answers, I wouldn’t have guessed them.
As narrator, Riley’s voice is catchy. She doesn’t even pretend to have idealistic aspirations about changing the world; she only wants to tell a compelling story. Despite her brash attitude, she’s insecure. She denies being like those she despises (reality TV producers, for example) but there’s the definite sense that she does have distinct similarities and knows it. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story through her (often unreliable) viewpoint.
The characters are quirky. Corleone does a good job making them compelling, though, and he doesn’t allow their various quirks to overwhelm their characters. While the characterization may not have been as deep as it would’ve been in, say, a literary novel, it’s perfectly satisfying and far deeper than it would be in an average thriller. He also scored some points with me with his on-the-nose observations about wannabe writers and their fragile, narcissistic egos.
This was a enjoyable crime thriller that dips into domestic noir territory. I’d recommend The Rough Cut to fans of both genres.
One favorite thing . . .
Nicholas Church has more nicknames for his teammates than a certain president has for his rivals. And clever ones, too. Ethan becomes E-male, Eazy-e, E-mo, E-trade, etc. Riley is Riles, Brody is BQ, and Ethan’s brother Nathan is Nate Dogg. There’s plenty more. As well, there is lots of play on Church’s own last name. It’s fun, inventive, and either lightens the mood or serves as a sardonic reminder that if reality can be manipulated, so can a person’s identity.
Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
Note #2: This review will appear on my blog on January 11, 2021.
The story moves quickly. It seamlessly shifts between the past, as Riley records the trial, and the present, as she edits during the post-production process. Neither process goes well, of course. Troubles arise between Riley and her boyfriend/filmmaking partner Brody. Defense attorney Church is abrasive, brilliant, and troubled. The defendant Ethan isn’t always cooperative. Sometimes–often–okay, most of the time– he makes disastrous decisions.
Corleone is cagey about what the verdict is/will be throughout the book. He cleverly points us to the multiple possibilities (guilty, not guilty, mistrial) through characters’ words and reaction. And, since we all know that a courtroom verdict does not necessarily agree with reality, there’s suspense as to whether Ethan actually killed Piper. The did-he, didn’t-he tension continues in Riley’s mind.
I did my usual read-the-ending-first routine, so I knew the answer to both questions. All the same, Corleone kept me reading. He’s clever at hiding clues in plain sight. If I hadn’t known the answers, I wouldn’t have guessed them.
As narrator, Riley’s voice is catchy. She doesn’t even pretend to have idealistic aspirations about changing the world; she only wants to tell a compelling story. Despite her brash attitude, she’s insecure. She denies being like those she despises (reality TV producers, for example) but there’s the definite sense that she does have distinct similarities and knows it. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story through her (often unreliable) viewpoint.
The characters are quirky. Corleone does a good job making them compelling, though, and he doesn’t allow their various quirks to overwhelm their characters. While the characterization may not have been as deep as it would’ve been in, say, a literary novel, it’s perfectly satisfying and far deeper than it would be in an average thriller. He also scored some points with me with his on-the-nose observations about wannabe writers and their fragile, narcissistic egos.
This was a enjoyable crime thriller that dips into domestic noir territory. I’d recommend The Rough Cut to fans of both genres.
One favorite thing . . .
Nicholas Church has more nicknames for his teammates than a certain president has for his rivals. And clever ones, too. Ethan becomes E-male, Eazy-e, E-mo, E-trade, etc. Riley is Riles, Brody is BQ, and Ethan’s brother Nathan is Nate Dogg. There’s plenty more. As well, there is lots of play on Church’s own last name. It’s fun, inventive, and either lightens the mood or serves as a sardonic reminder that if reality can be manipulated, so can a person’s identity.
Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
Note #2: This review will appear on my blog on January 11, 2021.
November 23, 2020
In The Rough Cut, documentary filmmaker Riley Vasher has been living a low-key life on the Hawaiian island of Oahu with her long-time boyfriend Brody. This all changes when Brody overhears on his police scanner that popular TV weathergirl, and former friend of Riley’s, Piper Kingsley, has been murdered. The police quickly arrest Piper’s boyfriend, Ethan Jakes, for the murder. Riley is not convinced of Jakes’ guilt and sees the trial as the chance for her to make a popular true crime documentary. She manoeuvres her way onto Jakes’ legal defence team, but soon finds her professional objectiveness put to the test when the lines of truth begin to blur and she becomes part of the story.
The Rough Cut is a well structured novel that moves between Riley’s editing of the documentary in the present and the events leading up to and during Jakes’ trial in the recent past. It is a clever device that allows Corleone to shift the perspective, foreshadow surprises and occasionally trick the reader. Also occurring in the present are Riley’s sessions with her psychiatrist, which further illuminate her character and another perspective on what is happening.
The end result is an interesting crime novel with some quirky twists. It takes a little while to gather momentum and engage the reader, but the second half of the book, which mainly covers the trial, is very tense and Corleone delivers a stunning conclusion. The book is also enhanced by the evocative descriptions of Hawaii and the insights that Corleone provides into the local legal system and the mechanics of making a documentary.
The characters are an unusual collection of flawed individuals. They are relatively well crafted, but none are particularly engaging, including the unstable, drug taking Riley.
See my full review at: https://murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/t...
The Rough Cut is a well structured novel that moves between Riley’s editing of the documentary in the present and the events leading up to and during Jakes’ trial in the recent past. It is a clever device that allows Corleone to shift the perspective, foreshadow surprises and occasionally trick the reader. Also occurring in the present are Riley’s sessions with her psychiatrist, which further illuminate her character and another perspective on what is happening.
The end result is an interesting crime novel with some quirky twists. It takes a little while to gather momentum and engage the reader, but the second half of the book, which mainly covers the trial, is very tense and Corleone delivers a stunning conclusion. The book is also enhanced by the evocative descriptions of Hawaii and the insights that Corleone provides into the local legal system and the mechanics of making a documentary.
The characters are an unusual collection of flawed individuals. They are relatively well crafted, but none are particularly engaging, including the unstable, drug taking Riley.
See my full review at: https://murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/t...
February 18, 2021
Such smart writing. I've never read a book quite like this before which is saying a lot as someone who reads many a suspense type novel. I really had no idea where this book was headed, in a good way. It's part true crime documentary, part legal novel, part crime mystery, mixed with the story of Riley's inner thoughts/life. It smoothly transitions from past to present in a way that keeps you wondering where the plot is headed. I was also impressed that there were multiple things that made me laugh, however there were also a few slower or wordier moments. But overall, I enjoyed the interesting writing and I appreciated how it wrapped up. There are definitely a lot of unique characters in this story and lots of little details, I was impressed how Corleone kept track of everything.
One of my favorite parts of the book was the setting of Oahu. If you are familiar with the island, it includes lots of places around the island that will increase your ability to picture the story, which I really loved. I could easily picture the house on Tantalus Dr, the drive to Kaena point, and even my parents previous hometown of Mililani was mentioned. This is something that personally elevated the story for me but would not distract you should you not be as familiar with Oahu.
This book bounces around in the 3-4 stars range, worth a round up to 4 stars because it wasn't predictable and because of the setting.
One of my favorite parts of the book was the setting of Oahu. If you are familiar with the island, it includes lots of places around the island that will increase your ability to picture the story, which I really loved. I could easily picture the house on Tantalus Dr, the drive to Kaena point, and even my parents previous hometown of Mililani was mentioned. This is something that personally elevated the story for me but would not distract you should you not be as familiar with Oahu.
This book bounces around in the 3-4 stars range, worth a round up to 4 stars because it wasn't predictable and because of the setting.
February 2, 2022
I enjoy the Simon Fisk novels which is why I read this one but it didn't meet my expectations. Riley wants to be a filmmaker and proposes filming a murder case with her boyfriend Brooks to a defense attorney Nick Church.
The booked plodded on a bit too much and most of the best revelations came at the end. You get to spend time with Riley and her therapist exploring her angst about her parents which just made the story even slower.
The booked plodded on a bit too much and most of the best revelations came at the end. You get to spend time with Riley and her therapist exploring her angst about her parents which just made the story even slower.
August 18, 2022
This book was well written and kept my interest. I enjoyed learning more about the making of documentaries and jury selection from an author who once worked as a lawyer. Part of the book should have been left out, as it had little meaning to book, but I had expected it to be explained at some point. I figured out who the killer was very early in the book, which was disappointing.
June 7, 2023
3 1/2 stars rounded up. Riley and her boyfriend, Brody met in film school. They want to make a documentary about true crime. Brody calls Riley one night to tell her that her friend Piper Kingsley, an up and coming weather girl has been killed. The main suspect is Ethan Jakes, Piper’s boyfriend. Riley tells us the story as she is filming this true crime story.
March 22, 2021
I was attracted by the blurb and i think it is well written, unfortunately the story didn't keep my attention and it fell flat.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
August 7, 2021
V good story. Tons of twists and fast paced. Writing style was a little too frat boy for my liking, but otherwise a great read.
February 5, 2025
Twisty, twisty. I hadn't read a Corleone in some time. I actually wasn't aware of this one.. but very enjoyable!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews