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The Cutting Edge
My name is Skye Summers. I'm a hairstylist and I can't stop fantasizing about killing my clients. Not all of them, of course. I only want to kill the ones who irritate me, which, if I'm being honest, is most of them. My occasional fantasies have turned into chronic daydreams. They're bloody and vivid, like watching a slice-and-dice movie on IMAX. I also want to kill my husband's ex-girlfriend. She's not a client but she tops my list. Eighteen years ago, she gave birth to his daughter and she has tormented him ever since. I should be troubled by this growing desire to use my surgically sharpened shears for more than a haircut. Instead, I wonder how I can get away with it.
232 pages, Paperback
First published July 2, 2010
16 people are currently reading
519 people want to read
About the author
Darcia Helle
30 books735 followersDusty corners of the mind intrigue me.
I'm an armchair explorer; book in one hand, mug of tea in the other.
Connect on Instagram: http://www.Instagram.com/DarciaHelle
I'm an armchair explorer; book in one hand, mug of tea in the other.
Connect on Instagram: http://www.Instagram.com/DarciaHelle
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
July 20, 2010
A dog-loving, vegetarian hairstylist, Lilly Skye Destiny Summers, starts fantasizing about killing her annoying clients, and that would include most of them. Hairstyling implements are usually involved, as are jugular veins. At the same time, a serial killer is abducting women in her state, Massachusetts, and he has named himself the Mass Avenger. Skye starts imagining that the killer is one of her clients.
This is the first book I've read by this author, and I found it very entertaining for the genre. The murders are gruesome, and there are some details, but they don't overwhelm the story. I loved some of the characters. Really, who hasn't fantasized about killing, or at least mildly torturing, that person who cut you off in traffic or made derogatory comments about your dog? Oh, you haven't? Never mind.
Skye's parents are mellow, vegan, old hippies who probably never want to kill anyone, amazing considering some of their family members, and certainly never want to harm any of the dogs they foster and care for.
I lift the pillow and Shiloh nudges me again. It's hard to stay irritated when a three-legged dog smiles at you.
~~~~~~~
“The girls are afraid of your dogs,” Victoria announces.
“None of them bite,” my mother says.
“Must you allow all of them inside?”
“Well, no, but I don't have to allow you inside, either.”
It is refreshing to read a book where the protagonist is in love with her husband, and he with her, no other entanglements. It is also refreshing to read about vegans who are perhaps a little quirky but not “lunatic fringe” as they are sometimes called. And of course, I'm a sucker for any book that has rescued dogs living happily ever after.
I have a couple of minor quibbles. For me, there was a little too much repetition about wanting to kill clients, although I understand the impulse. The plot could have used a little more complexity, and there were no big surprises at the end. Still, it kept me interested and entertained throughout, and I will read more by this author.
By the way, the last line is terrific, but I can't tell you what it is.
This e-book was given to me by the author.
This is the first book I've read by this author, and I found it very entertaining for the genre. The murders are gruesome, and there are some details, but they don't overwhelm the story. I loved some of the characters. Really, who hasn't fantasized about killing, or at least mildly torturing, that person who cut you off in traffic or made derogatory comments about your dog? Oh, you haven't? Never mind.
Skye's parents are mellow, vegan, old hippies who probably never want to kill anyone, amazing considering some of their family members, and certainly never want to harm any of the dogs they foster and care for.
I lift the pillow and Shiloh nudges me again. It's hard to stay irritated when a three-legged dog smiles at you.
~~~~~~~
“The girls are afraid of your dogs,” Victoria announces.
“None of them bite,” my mother says.
“Must you allow all of them inside?”
“Well, no, but I don't have to allow you inside, either.”
It is refreshing to read a book where the protagonist is in love with her husband, and he with her, no other entanglements. It is also refreshing to read about vegans who are perhaps a little quirky but not “lunatic fringe” as they are sometimes called. And of course, I'm a sucker for any book that has rescued dogs living happily ever after.
I have a couple of minor quibbles. For me, there was a little too much repetition about wanting to kill clients, although I understand the impulse. The plot could have used a little more complexity, and there were no big surprises at the end. Still, it kept me interested and entertained throughout, and I will read more by this author.
By the way, the last line is terrific, but I can't tell you what it is.
This e-book was given to me by the author.
August 15, 2010
I loved this book! Skye was a likable, real character and her honest voice drew me into this novel, a unique blend of dark comedy, suspense, mystery and romance. Skye feels trapped in her job as a hairdresser and fantasizes about “getting rid” of her annoying clients. Anyone who has felt burned out from a job will relate to how Skye’s frustration starts to intrude on an otherwise healthy and happy life.
Meanwhile, in a parallel storyline, a serial killer takes out his own personal frustrations on the unfortunate victims that capture his attention. I was glued to the pages, wondering how these two storylines would connect. This book is a terrific book club read and has lots of opportunities for discussion. It provides a fascinating look at how fate, upbringing, circumstances and personal values can influence the type of people we become. Some people find the strength to rise above their problems while others allow the bitterness to take over their lives. What will Skye’s choice be?
This novel has a great deal of depth, masked by an enjoyable and breezy writing style. It is also unpredictable. The killer’s identity, and how the author will tie up the riveting plotline, will keep readers guessing. It’s interesting how this book will appeal to so many different categories of readers – it has elements of contemporary fiction, chick lit, mystery, suspense, and dark comedy. Anyone who has ever been burned from a job, or dealt with annoying co-workers and clients, will also get a kick out of reading this book.
Luckily for fans, Darcia Helle has several other books available and I’ve enjoyed each one that I’ve read. This is her breakout novel, the one that should bring her the attention she deserves and send readers running to check out her other novels. Buy this book and recommend it to your friends. It won’t disappoint.
Meanwhile, in a parallel storyline, a serial killer takes out his own personal frustrations on the unfortunate victims that capture his attention. I was glued to the pages, wondering how these two storylines would connect. This book is a terrific book club read and has lots of opportunities for discussion. It provides a fascinating look at how fate, upbringing, circumstances and personal values can influence the type of people we become. Some people find the strength to rise above their problems while others allow the bitterness to take over their lives. What will Skye’s choice be?
This novel has a great deal of depth, masked by an enjoyable and breezy writing style. It is also unpredictable. The killer’s identity, and how the author will tie up the riveting plotline, will keep readers guessing. It’s interesting how this book will appeal to so many different categories of readers – it has elements of contemporary fiction, chick lit, mystery, suspense, and dark comedy. Anyone who has ever been burned from a job, or dealt with annoying co-workers and clients, will also get a kick out of reading this book.
Luckily for fans, Darcia Helle has several other books available and I’ve enjoyed each one that I’ve read. This is her breakout novel, the one that should bring her the attention she deserves and send readers running to check out her other novels. Buy this book and recommend it to your friends. It won’t disappoint.
July 30, 2010
Chick-lit horror.
Helle writes with a really fun, natrual style that makes the book a quick read that appeals to the chick-lit appetites, but the story is smart and violent enough for someone who is actually literate.
Great escapist novel for the woman who'd like to murder everyone.
Helle writes with a really fun, natrual style that makes the book a quick read that appeals to the chick-lit appetites, but the story is smart and violent enough for someone who is actually literate.
Great escapist novel for the woman who'd like to murder everyone.
July 23, 2010
The Cutting Edge (Darcia Helle)
Skye Summers is a hairstylist living in a small town in Massachusetts. She has the perfect husband and her dogs are her babies. Daughter of aging hippies, she grew up in a commune, a vegetarian who would not even consider eating an animal and she would never even consider killing a spider.
So why does she fantasize about killing her clients? These thoughts cross her mind as she cuts their hair. It is beginning to consume her working thoughts. One of the people on her list to kill is her husband ex. The woman is a parasite in her happy life.
Soon women start dying and it appears to be the work of a serial killer. He even names himself the Mass avenger. Soon this becomes the talk of the town. Skye finds herself learning more about this killer, weather she wants to or not. Another hit by Ms. Helle, a page turning all night read.
Skye Summers is a hairstylist living in a small town in Massachusetts. She has the perfect husband and her dogs are her babies. Daughter of aging hippies, she grew up in a commune, a vegetarian who would not even consider eating an animal and she would never even consider killing a spider.
So why does she fantasize about killing her clients? These thoughts cross her mind as she cuts their hair. It is beginning to consume her working thoughts. One of the people on her list to kill is her husband ex. The woman is a parasite in her happy life.
Soon women start dying and it appears to be the work of a serial killer. He even names himself the Mass avenger. Soon this becomes the talk of the town. Skye finds herself learning more about this killer, weather she wants to or not. Another hit by Ms. Helle, a page turning all night read.
July 20, 2010
"The Cutting Edge" is the latest endeavor by Darcia Helle in her vast array of growing novels offered up for her avid fans consumption. I must admit that this is the first of her books which I have read, and for the most part found myself wonderfully entertained. With the focus of "The Cutting Edge" centering on a serial killer and a common hairdresser's obsession with blood, the content falls in line with my book, Duncan's Diary. Maybe all of us crazy people flock to the same party, who knows.
I have to admit I did find it hard to emotionally relate to the characters though. Darcia's writing style, at least in this novel, reminded me of a newspaper article stating the details without giving me the connection I needed to find myself lost in her words. I kept thinking of the old version of "Dragnet" where the main line "Just the facts" rings true over and over again. I think she would be better served tying her readers to the storyline by caging us in, much in the same way her crazy characters fantasize about death. That being said, she is obviously very talented and the book kept me engaged throughout the roller coaster ride of insanity.
Skye Summers is a common hairstylist, working in a local salon in a small town. She knows most of her clientele, and can't even escape to the park without running into people she has some form of connection with through her occupation. She is married to a hunk of a man, who spends an ample amount of time pleasing her, and deals with the ups and downs of a child he had before they became a couple. I can relate to the insanity of ex-wives and had no problems understanding the issues they bring to the table.
All of the stress begins to wear on Skye and she finds herself fantasizing about chopping up her customers as she is cutting their hair. Lopping off an ear lobe, or slicing and dicing their skulls, all while she is meticulously coloring some poor middle aged woman's flowing mop. The ins and outs of the customers gives us an intriguing view of how crazy it is for a hairdresser to keep all of the multiple personalities straight. I have no idea if Darcia Helle was a stylist in a previous life, but she easily paints a realistic picture of what the life might actually be like.
As Skye falls deeper into her fantasy of murder, the reality of death opens up as a real life serial killer begins stalking their small community. Instead of finding herself appalled, Skye on some level commiserates with the murderer as she also harbors feelings of butchering many of the women she deals with every single day. When fantasy and reality come together Skye finds herself confronted with her imagination, and the real life serial killer hits home in her personal life in ways she never imagined. The real question is how Skye will react when given the opportunity to live out her wildest dreams.
I don't want to give away too much of the books climactic ending, but I again have to emphasize how much I enjoyed the parallel of fiction versus fantasy. We all have dark thoughts but when it comes down to the final minute, how many of us are really capable of living out the insanity that flitters through our minds. Most of us will never know the answer to that question, but for better or worse, Skye will have to make her choice.
I have to admit I did find it hard to emotionally relate to the characters though. Darcia's writing style, at least in this novel, reminded me of a newspaper article stating the details without giving me the connection I needed to find myself lost in her words. I kept thinking of the old version of "Dragnet" where the main line "Just the facts" rings true over and over again. I think she would be better served tying her readers to the storyline by caging us in, much in the same way her crazy characters fantasize about death. That being said, she is obviously very talented and the book kept me engaged throughout the roller coaster ride of insanity.
Skye Summers is a common hairstylist, working in a local salon in a small town. She knows most of her clientele, and can't even escape to the park without running into people she has some form of connection with through her occupation. She is married to a hunk of a man, who spends an ample amount of time pleasing her, and deals with the ups and downs of a child he had before they became a couple. I can relate to the insanity of ex-wives and had no problems understanding the issues they bring to the table.
All of the stress begins to wear on Skye and she finds herself fantasizing about chopping up her customers as she is cutting their hair. Lopping off an ear lobe, or slicing and dicing their skulls, all while she is meticulously coloring some poor middle aged woman's flowing mop. The ins and outs of the customers gives us an intriguing view of how crazy it is for a hairdresser to keep all of the multiple personalities straight. I have no idea if Darcia Helle was a stylist in a previous life, but she easily paints a realistic picture of what the life might actually be like.
As Skye falls deeper into her fantasy of murder, the reality of death opens up as a real life serial killer begins stalking their small community. Instead of finding herself appalled, Skye on some level commiserates with the murderer as she also harbors feelings of butchering many of the women she deals with every single day. When fantasy and reality come together Skye finds herself confronted with her imagination, and the real life serial killer hits home in her personal life in ways she never imagined. The real question is how Skye will react when given the opportunity to live out her wildest dreams.
I don't want to give away too much of the books climactic ending, but I again have to emphasize how much I enjoyed the parallel of fiction versus fantasy. We all have dark thoughts but when it comes down to the final minute, how many of us are really capable of living out the insanity that flitters through our minds. Most of us will never know the answer to that question, but for better or worse, Skye will have to make her choice.
February 23, 2011
From page 1, where Darcia Helle's protagonist introduces herself as Lilly Skye Destiny Summers (LSD Summers -- named by her hippie parents), and then goes on to explain that she is known as Skye, and her husband's surname is Skyler, so she kept her maiden name, I knew that I was going to enjoy this book!
Anyone who has worked in a job where they have to deal with the general public on a daily basis will appreciate the humour in this book.
Skye is a hairdresser and begins to have fantasies about killing her clients. She has reached the stage where she no longer enjoys her job and her clients irritate her. On top of that her husband's ex is causing problems. Skye wants her dead.
At the same time as Skye is having these murderous thoughts, there is a serial killer loose in town. He is killing women, seemingly randomly, no one is safe.
The book is written in the first person where Skye is narrating her daily life, and then in the third person where we follow the 'Mass Avenger', the serial killer, as he takes revenge on women for the way his mother treated him. He believes women use their 'power' to break men down. He sees something different in Skye, though. He is one of her clients. He becomes obsessed with her but does not want to kill her. He has other plans.
This is a murder mystery which you will not want to put down. Helle has written an entertaining, psychological thriller. One minute you will be laughing at Skye's wild thoughts, the next you will be on the edge of your seat wondering about the fate of the women abducted by the Mass Avenger. There is some violence in the book, prepare to be shocked. Also, prepare to be amazed by Helle's skill at crafting a book that hooks you from the first page, keeps you captive to the very last, and leaves you feeling awestruck.
This book reminds us how daily toils can turn us into someone we don't like, and that we should be careful what we wish for...
Not to be missed.
Anyone who has worked in a job where they have to deal with the general public on a daily basis will appreciate the humour in this book.
Skye is a hairdresser and begins to have fantasies about killing her clients. She has reached the stage where she no longer enjoys her job and her clients irritate her. On top of that her husband's ex is causing problems. Skye wants her dead.
At the same time as Skye is having these murderous thoughts, there is a serial killer loose in town. He is killing women, seemingly randomly, no one is safe.
The book is written in the first person where Skye is narrating her daily life, and then in the third person where we follow the 'Mass Avenger', the serial killer, as he takes revenge on women for the way his mother treated him. He believes women use their 'power' to break men down. He sees something different in Skye, though. He is one of her clients. He becomes obsessed with her but does not want to kill her. He has other plans.
This is a murder mystery which you will not want to put down. Helle has written an entertaining, psychological thriller. One minute you will be laughing at Skye's wild thoughts, the next you will be on the edge of your seat wondering about the fate of the women abducted by the Mass Avenger. There is some violence in the book, prepare to be shocked. Also, prepare to be amazed by Helle's skill at crafting a book that hooks you from the first page, keeps you captive to the very last, and leaves you feeling awestruck.
This book reminds us how daily toils can turn us into someone we don't like, and that we should be careful what we wish for...
Not to be missed.
February 27, 2016
I will never take my hair stylist for granted again after reading this book! LSD ( Lilly Skye Destiny) Summers is a hairdresser and is known as Skye. Skye is happily married to Scott Skyler (hence her need to keep using her maiden name), loves her dogs and her parents who are hippies. But when it comes to her clients and her husband's ex and her daughter ... they're in different book altogether. They seem to grate on Skye's nerves and drive her crazy. So crazy, that Skye envisions using her hairdressing tools as weapons when her clients are rude, thoughtless, inconsiderate and think her job is easy. Her husband's ex keeps trying to get more money out of Skye and Scott which even if she doesn't get it ...ends up going to the lawyer who helps to keep the ex from getting it. And then there is the Mass Avenger: a serial killer out to punish women who think they are better than the men they deal with. Skye is unaware that as she is dreaming of gouging out the eyes of her clients, stabbing them in the jugular -- the killer has his eye on her; but not as a possible victim.
This is the third Darcia Helle book that I have read and each one has been totally different and equally as exciting. I love that her books are so different. This one has a bit of dark humor to it as the reader can understand Skye's "urge to kill" considering what some of her clients say and do and expect of her. This reader wanted to slap them up the side of the face herself. Skye isn't really a bad character; she just associates with some annoying people! I like to read using immersion reading, listening to the audio version while reading and the audio of this book definitely enhances the reading. The narrator's voice just eeks with the frustration Skye feels. Although she didn't start out that way, will Skye soon become a possible victim for the Mass Avenger?
This is the third Darcia Helle book that I have read and each one has been totally different and equally as exciting. I love that her books are so different. This one has a bit of dark humor to it as the reader can understand Skye's "urge to kill" considering what some of her clients say and do and expect of her. This reader wanted to slap them up the side of the face herself. Skye isn't really a bad character; she just associates with some annoying people! I like to read using immersion reading, listening to the audio version while reading and the audio of this book definitely enhances the reading. The narrator's voice just eeks with the frustration Skye feels. Although she didn't start out that way, will Skye soon become a possible victim for the Mass Avenger?
October 5, 2010
DO YOU WANT IT IN THE NECK OR THE EYEBALL?
"The Cutting Edge" features Lilly Skye Destiny Summers, a hair stylist. L.S.D. (yes, she's the child of hippies), better know as "Skye," tells her story in the first person. She feels like someone you know. It no doubt helped that author Darcia Helle was once a hair stylist herself. The descriptions of the salon and clients are uncanny.
Skye is a vegetarian - but you would not know it from her Dexter-like daydreams. While she calmly cuts hair, her fevered imagination thrusts scissors through necks and eyeballs.
But then we are presented with the disturbing, truly murderous mind of a serial killer. (Ms. Helle cleverly shifts to the 3rd person for these parts). As it happens, he knows Skye. The confrontation is inevitable. But is our hairdresser all bravado and no clout?
I was reminded of David Lynch's "Blue Velvet" in the stark contrast between Skye's everyday world - and truly sick, unregenerate evil.
Ms. Helle is a talented writer with a sure voice and deft descriptions. I particularly enjoyed her razor wit. Just guessing, but I imagine Darcia exorcised a few of her own demons through writing "The Cutting Edge."
http://amzn.to/dwacxr
Kindle:
http://amzn.to/bRcS3a
"The Cutting Edge" features Lilly Skye Destiny Summers, a hair stylist. L.S.D. (yes, she's the child of hippies), better know as "Skye," tells her story in the first person. She feels like someone you know. It no doubt helped that author Darcia Helle was once a hair stylist herself. The descriptions of the salon and clients are uncanny.
Skye is a vegetarian - but you would not know it from her Dexter-like daydreams. While she calmly cuts hair, her fevered imagination thrusts scissors through necks and eyeballs.
But then we are presented with the disturbing, truly murderous mind of a serial killer. (Ms. Helle cleverly shifts to the 3rd person for these parts). As it happens, he knows Skye. The confrontation is inevitable. But is our hairdresser all bravado and no clout?
I was reminded of David Lynch's "Blue Velvet" in the stark contrast between Skye's everyday world - and truly sick, unregenerate evil.
Ms. Helle is a talented writer with a sure voice and deft descriptions. I particularly enjoyed her razor wit. Just guessing, but I imagine Darcia exorcised a few of her own demons through writing "The Cutting Edge."
http://amzn.to/dwacxr
Kindle:
http://amzn.to/bRcS3a
January 16, 2011
This is an unusual thriller--sort of "Dexter"esque. Although Skye, the beautician narrator, fantasizes about killing her clients in the most imaginative and grotesque ways possible--it's the local serial killer the Mass Avenger who's actually doing the crimes. When Skye's imagination and the killer's actual behavior become entangled--the story kicks into high gear. In the mean time, we are entertained with a parade of fascinating local clients at the beauty salon, along with Skye's relatives and pets.
One of the things I really liked about author Helle's writing is how she has her heroine speak in first person, present tense and the serial killer (in the subplot) speak in third person, past tense. It's a very clever device to help the reader keep the two lines separate. I also like how vividly the world of hair styling is painted. I had no idea there was so much to this profession and I couldn't help but wonder if my beautician (not that I visit one all that often) has fantasies about doing me in (I hope not). I know that after reading "The Cutting Edge" I will be a lot more cautious in what I say to my hair stylist the next time I get a trim.
One of the things I really liked about author Helle's writing is how she has her heroine speak in first person, present tense and the serial killer (in the subplot) speak in third person, past tense. It's a very clever device to help the reader keep the two lines separate. I also like how vividly the world of hair styling is painted. I had no idea there was so much to this profession and I couldn't help but wonder if my beautician (not that I visit one all that often) has fantasies about doing me in (I hope not). I know that after reading "The Cutting Edge" I will be a lot more cautious in what I say to my hair stylist the next time I get a trim.
September 26, 2010
“I picture myself cutting Jason’s eyeballs out and making him eat them.” Is one of the lines in of this book. Sounds awful, but honestly, haven’t we all fantasized about killing someone? An ex husband, a stupid co- worker, or someone who has hurt our child, etc.? While in reality we all know everyone has had fantasies like that and most of us would never think to follow through with the thoughts. This book has made me want to check myself into a 72 hour psych ward just for thinking about dropping a cement block on my ex husband’s head. This book is witty, and the thoughts are so honest and true to life it makes the book horrific. The characters are real ordinary people, which allowed me to relate more to the storyline; in turn, making the book more real and frightening to me. A must read for anyone who likes horror and honesty.
August 18, 2014
Wow!! A really great, funny and original tale. Helle's writing had me captivated from the very first page. A hairdresser with murderous thoughts in the midst of a serial killers bout of slaughtering women, it was funny at times and I found myself LOL!! All the characters were likeable especially her new age parents.
I loved hearing about all the different clients that would sit in Skye's salon chair. All different people with different complaints, and how Skye envisaged stabbing them all to death.
One thing is for certain, I will think twice about being rude, or complaining to my hairdresser!!!
Brilliant!!
I loved hearing about all the different clients that would sit in Skye's salon chair. All different people with different complaints, and how Skye envisaged stabbing them all to death.
One thing is for certain, I will think twice about being rude, or complaining to my hairdresser!!!
Brilliant!!
September 20, 2010
Lilly Skye Destiny Summers is the misplaced child of Patrick Bateman (American Psycho) and Catherine Tramell(Basic Instinct).A vegan,hippie hairstylist persistently fantasizing on mutilating her infuriating clients discovers her wild reveries come true when she faces a bona fide serial killer- the Mass Avenger. Sinister, schizophrenic and devilishly wacky; this transgressional narrative is a rhythmic trance crafting hell a perfect haven to reside in. I certainly perceive Chuck Palahniuk beaming all the way.
November 8, 2018
OMG........this book!!! This delves into murderous tendencies that I'm sure we've all had from time to time. How this hairdresser didn't butcher all her clients god knows.
The storyline and writing style is just pure genius. This is one of the BEST books this year. I am so in love with this author's writing style. Cannot wait to read more.
The storyline and writing style is just pure genius. This is one of the BEST books this year. I am so in love with this author's writing style. Cannot wait to read more.
January 19, 2013
The Cutting Edge brings us into the world of hairdresser Skye, a kindly but harassed animal lover who finds her ever increasing frustration with dealing with her public is driving her to ever-more murderous thoughts: she wields scissors that would love to cut carotid arteries and slice away ears. Cleverly, Darcia Helle leads us to think initially that Sky’s homicidal fantasies about her dreadful clients – who variously behave selfishly, abuse her good nature and even have hygiene issues – is going to lead her to actually commit murder.
However, the Mass Avenger is the one who’s really killing women in the small provincial town. And the reader is made aware of his ever-increasing interest in Sky that she has no knowledge of: thus creating an almost like a Hitchcockian build-up of tension that escalates higher and higher until it almost reaches breaking point. We see Skye from the monster’s point of view, and she’s totally unaware of it.
One murder after another is interspersed with lighter moments, with Skye’s nice husband and lovable parents re-homing dogs and seeing the best in people. The book culminates in a thrilling climax, which I won’t reveal – read the book and find out!
The interest in the book for me was the contrast of Skye’s nice normal agreeable family life with that of the vicious lonely sociopath who preys on women: a heroine you can like and a murderer you can hate. Also I enjoyed the insight into a hairdresser’s world, where seemingly balanced, likeable people can behave with such appalling self regard and tactlessness without even realising that their selfishness and cruel words can cause such harm.
You can expect plenty of thrills, lots of warmth and humour and some very scary moments, with an interplay of viewpoints that works well, ratcheting up the tension right up to the end.
You’ll like Sky and her family and you’ll love her dogs, and you’ll enjoy her company until the very end: a really good read. Wish I hadn’t read it so I could read it all over again.
However, the Mass Avenger is the one who’s really killing women in the small provincial town. And the reader is made aware of his ever-increasing interest in Sky that she has no knowledge of: thus creating an almost like a Hitchcockian build-up of tension that escalates higher and higher until it almost reaches breaking point. We see Skye from the monster’s point of view, and she’s totally unaware of it.
One murder after another is interspersed with lighter moments, with Skye’s nice husband and lovable parents re-homing dogs and seeing the best in people. The book culminates in a thrilling climax, which I won’t reveal – read the book and find out!
The interest in the book for me was the contrast of Skye’s nice normal agreeable family life with that of the vicious lonely sociopath who preys on women: a heroine you can like and a murderer you can hate. Also I enjoyed the insight into a hairdresser’s world, where seemingly balanced, likeable people can behave with such appalling self regard and tactlessness without even realising that their selfishness and cruel words can cause such harm.
You can expect plenty of thrills, lots of warmth and humour and some very scary moments, with an interplay of viewpoints that works well, ratcheting up the tension right up to the end.
You’ll like Sky and her family and you’ll love her dogs, and you’ll enjoy her company until the very end: a really good read. Wish I hadn’t read it so I could read it all over again.
February 16, 2011
This could have been great. I was really looking forward to it so I went ahead and bought it on my ereader. Disappointing is not a strong enough word. I feel like I'm missing something since I was the only one who didn't give it at least two stars. *Sigh* Oh well.
The writing was ok, there was nothing special about it. I sort of liked her characters, the hippie parents and the dogs were the best part. I did not really like the main character, though I felt she should have been liked, because who hasn't been in a position of serving annoying customers that you want to kill?
The actual execution of the book was clunky. There was too much repetition about her 'porn star' husband and wanting to open her clients jugular vein with her shears, though I realize that is what it's about. The story needed more flow. It felt like it would have gone better if it had been diary entries, or there was less jumping around. I got so annoyed when reading it that I was skimming paragraphs and then pages at a time to see if it got any better, it didn't, it just gave me a headache.
Also mediocre writing can be forgiven, if the plot or the characters make up for it. I didn't feel this was the case in this book otherwise it would have gotten another star. I didn't like any of the characters that much and I feel the plot could have been much more interesting.
I can't finish this book because it doesn't compel me. I feel like the back cover blurb was misleading. Skye does want to kill people but she doesn't look for ways to get away with it and if she does it came far too late in the book for me to care.
I'll probably go back and try to finish it later, but right now I have other books I'd rather read and I know will not disappoint.
The writing was ok, there was nothing special about it. I sort of liked her characters, the hippie parents and the dogs were the best part. I did not really like the main character, though I felt she should have been liked, because who hasn't been in a position of serving annoying customers that you want to kill?
The actual execution of the book was clunky. There was too much repetition about her 'porn star' husband and wanting to open her clients jugular vein with her shears, though I realize that is what it's about. The story needed more flow. It felt like it would have gone better if it had been diary entries, or there was less jumping around. I got so annoyed when reading it that I was skimming paragraphs and then pages at a time to see if it got any better, it didn't, it just gave me a headache.
Also mediocre writing can be forgiven, if the plot or the characters make up for it. I didn't feel this was the case in this book otherwise it would have gotten another star. I didn't like any of the characters that much and I feel the plot could have been much more interesting.
I can't finish this book because it doesn't compel me. I feel like the back cover blurb was misleading. Skye does want to kill people but she doesn't look for ways to get away with it and if she does it came far too late in the book for me to care.
I'll probably go back and try to finish it later, but right now I have other books I'd rather read and I know will not disappoint.
March 8, 2019
What an entertaining and clever novel. I absolutely loved Skye. I guess after cutting hair for 14 years the clients are bound to get on your nerves. Lately all Skye can think about is killing all her clients that aggravate her to no end (such an assortment). I found it incredible that Skye never lost it on her clients - talk about restraint. Regardless, we are privy to her sarcastic and dark thoughts which at times made me laugh and think "I don't blame you." Meanwhile, as Skye thinks of murdering her clients, a violent seriel killer is living out his fantasies killing women. (Caution: gruesome details mentioned throughout). And he also happens to get his hair cut by Skye.
You would think that Skye would be this awful person but she's not. She's actually a strong, vibrant, loving and caring individual who respects clients that in turn treat her with respect. She has a terrific relationship with her husband, her 4 dogs, her hippie parents, and her friends. She's definitely very happy outside the salon. This could also be due to the fact that she has amazing sex numerous times every single day. Hell, I'd be glowing so much people would need sunglasses around me. :)
Reading this reminded me of all the times I wished I could have done something really nasty to some of the people I worked with. We've all had these dark thoughts one time or another haven't we? Some of us perhaps even more. :)
My only complaint about the novel would be the way it ended so abruptly. It just seemed the author could have done so much more with it.
In the end, a fun and interesting read which I highly recommend it.
PS: I've come to appreciate hair stylists even more who have to deal with such loathesome, rude, and inconsiderate people on a daily basis.
You would think that Skye would be this awful person but she's not. She's actually a strong, vibrant, loving and caring individual who respects clients that in turn treat her with respect. She has a terrific relationship with her husband, her 4 dogs, her hippie parents, and her friends. She's definitely very happy outside the salon. This could also be due to the fact that she has amazing sex numerous times every single day. Hell, I'd be glowing so much people would need sunglasses around me. :)
Reading this reminded me of all the times I wished I could have done something really nasty to some of the people I worked with. We've all had these dark thoughts one time or another haven't we? Some of us perhaps even more. :)
My only complaint about the novel would be the way it ended so abruptly. It just seemed the author could have done so much more with it.
In the end, a fun and interesting read which I highly recommend it.
PS: I've come to appreciate hair stylists even more who have to deal with such loathesome, rude, and inconsiderate people on a daily basis.
February 1, 2011
Who among us hasn’t fanaticized about evening a score or seeking retribution against someone who has hurt or offended us? It’s human nature. Clinical psychologists might argue that the fantasies serve as a pressure relief valve.
The protagonist in The Cutting Edge, Skye Summers, frequently fantasizes about killing her hair salon clients. Their constant gossip and self-centered perspectives have Skye on the verge of burnout. As domestic obstacles add to Skye’s stressors, her fantasies darken.
When a serial killer comes to her suburban section of Massachusetts, Skye’s fantasy world converges with reality. Author Darcia Helle does a masterful job of intertwining the points of view of Skye and the killer, while subtly braiding in the moral conflict that arises when fantasy and reality grow dangerously close to one another.
My only problem with The Cutting Edge involved wanting a book that I could read for an hour or two each night during a work week. Instead, I had to deal with a reading hangover after repeatedly telling myself, “One more chapter,” into the wee hours of the morning. But, for a story as compelling as The Cutting Edge, a little sleep deprivation was a small price to pay.
The protagonist in The Cutting Edge, Skye Summers, frequently fantasizes about killing her hair salon clients. Their constant gossip and self-centered perspectives have Skye on the verge of burnout. As domestic obstacles add to Skye’s stressors, her fantasies darken.
When a serial killer comes to her suburban section of Massachusetts, Skye’s fantasy world converges with reality. Author Darcia Helle does a masterful job of intertwining the points of view of Skye and the killer, while subtly braiding in the moral conflict that arises when fantasy and reality grow dangerously close to one another.
My only problem with The Cutting Edge involved wanting a book that I could read for an hour or two each night during a work week. Instead, I had to deal with a reading hangover after repeatedly telling myself, “One more chapter,” into the wee hours of the morning. But, for a story as compelling as The Cutting Edge, a little sleep deprivation was a small price to pay.
October 14, 2011
I know "Psychological Mystery" doesn't quite sound as sexy as "Psychological Thriller", but marketing labels aside...I enjoyed the strong emphasis on "the inner psyche" in this story. Both that element and the mystery/murder component components went extremely well together.
I've entertained the idea of being a hairstylist in the past (during my late teens), so that aspect of the book piqued my interest easily ;). This is a book/story which starts with the opening line of "My name is...", without sounding contrived or annoying. I thought it was a confident opening, and drew me in to read more about the characters and the story they found themselves in.
I would've enjoyed a bit more on the murderer himself -- maybe something even more intense and one-track-minded (with regards to Skye!)...though I understand how this might have diverted attention from the warmer, realistic, at-times-tender moments of the story, which I greatly enjoyed too. I think what I enjoyed most about the book/story was that it was entertaining, while staying true to a feminine pysche, without being boring and stereotypical. Kudos to Ms. Helle!
I've entertained the idea of being a hairstylist in the past (during my late teens), so that aspect of the book piqued my interest easily ;). This is a book/story which starts with the opening line of "My name is...", without sounding contrived or annoying. I thought it was a confident opening, and drew me in to read more about the characters and the story they found themselves in.
I would've enjoyed a bit more on the murderer himself -- maybe something even more intense and one-track-minded (with regards to Skye!)...though I understand how this might have diverted attention from the warmer, realistic, at-times-tender moments of the story, which I greatly enjoyed too. I think what I enjoyed most about the book/story was that it was entertaining, while staying true to a feminine pysche, without being boring and stereotypical. Kudos to Ms. Helle!
April 23, 2014
This book was freaking awesome!! I love a good murder mystery and "The Cutting Edge" knocks the socks of them all!
Skye Summers is a hairdresser and starts to have murderous thoughts about killing her clients who all seem to do nothing expect whine about their life’s and this starts to wind Skye up no end. As Skye is having these thoughts, there is actually a serial killer on the loose and no women are safe. The serial killer also known as the "Mass Avenger” spots Skye and watches her movements for a while. He notices something in Skye and decides she could actually be more of an ally then his next victim and tries to decide how to bring her in on his horrific mission to kill these women..
Will Skye listen to the Mass Avenger and give in to her murderous thoughts or will she be the one person who can stop the psychotic murderer from claiming his next victim.
I’m a massive fan of Darcia's work and this is no exception. An absolutely MUST read for everyone no matter what genre you like. The murderous thoughts from Skye's POV are hilarious and I will definitely not be whining to my hairdresser again :-)
A very well deserved 5 Stars!!
Skye Summers is a hairdresser and starts to have murderous thoughts about killing her clients who all seem to do nothing expect whine about their life’s and this starts to wind Skye up no end. As Skye is having these thoughts, there is actually a serial killer on the loose and no women are safe. The serial killer also known as the "Mass Avenger” spots Skye and watches her movements for a while. He notices something in Skye and decides she could actually be more of an ally then his next victim and tries to decide how to bring her in on his horrific mission to kill these women..
Will Skye listen to the Mass Avenger and give in to her murderous thoughts or will she be the one person who can stop the psychotic murderer from claiming his next victim.
I’m a massive fan of Darcia's work and this is no exception. An absolutely MUST read for everyone no matter what genre you like. The murderous thoughts from Skye's POV are hilarious and I will definitely not be whining to my hairdresser again :-)
A very well deserved 5 Stars!!
March 25, 2011
Let me begin by saying that this book is totally outside of my normal reading genres. I’m generally not a big fan of suspense stories, whether books or movies. That said, I found The Cutting Edge to be a great read. Darcia Helle has a remarkable ability to breathe life into her characters, whether it’s the endless stream of annoying clients in her hair salon, Skye Summers and her family, or most notably, the serial killer stalking the town. Much of the story is told in the first person through Skye Summers. As I approached the breaks where the story shifts to follow the serial killer, I found my stomach tightening because the thoughts and actions of the killer seemed so authentic, creepy, and disturbing. If you like psychological drama, you will love this story. Ms. Helle is so adept at putting herself into the mind of the serial killer, that if I were her husband, I’d be sleeping with one eye open.
November 29, 2010
CUTTING EDGE by Darcia Helle is an exciting mystery thriller. It is set in modern day America. It is well written with depth,details, twists and turns. It has romance, suspense, dark comedy, sex, and shows how fate, upbringing,circumstances and personal values can effect how we view life. It also has two storyline going that intertwine together nicely. Skye, the main character is funny, smart, likable and imagines killing one of her clients. She is a beautician. The other storyline is a serial killer. You will be surprised who that really is. Do not let the cover fool you! If you enjoy guts,gore,sex, romance and a set on the edge of your seat thriller you will enjoy this one.This book was received for review from the author and Library Thing and details can be found at CreateSpace and My Book Addiction and More.
January 23, 2018
My 3rd Darcia Helle book read and review in just over a week. Her books are fun, and easy.
I loved her main character, Skye, and hated her clients. I think that I've sat with several when getting my hair cut. These wackos are enough to make you want to grow your hair out, or pull it out. Remember when people used to go to salons just to get their hair cut? Yeah, me neither, and this salon is no exception.
Helle keeps you guessing about the murderer, hating the ex and rooting for Skye, just like she should. This won't be my last read of her books.
I loved her main character, Skye, and hated her clients. I think that I've sat with several when getting my hair cut. These wackos are enough to make you want to grow your hair out, or pull it out. Remember when people used to go to salons just to get their hair cut? Yeah, me neither, and this salon is no exception.
Helle keeps you guessing about the murderer, hating the ex and rooting for Skye, just like she should. This won't be my last read of her books.
Read
April 21, 2025I loved the last book I read by this writer but this one not so much. I'd try some more books by her though.
November 20, 2019
Skye Summers works as a hair stylist at The Cutting Edge and she can’t stop fantasizing about killing her husbands ex-girlfriend as well as her clients, the annoying ones anyways, which happen to be most of them. But for all of her killer fantasies, there is a real serial killer on the loose dubbed the “Mass Avenger” who is abducting and killing women. Could he be one of her clients?
This book is part drama/thriller, part dark humour and extremely addictive. All the characters were vivid and relatable, well maybe except the serial killer, and I loved reading about all of them. Skye is the sister or best friend I wish I had, she cracked me up constantly.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and the writing!!!!
This book is part drama/thriller, part dark humour and extremely addictive. All the characters were vivid and relatable, well maybe except the serial killer, and I loved reading about all of them. Skye is the sister or best friend I wish I had, she cracked me up constantly.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and the writing!!!!
January 23, 2019
The paths of a serial killer an a burned out hairdresser with thoughts of killing her annoying clients cross. Skye the hairdresser is a fun character. The book is fast paced and amusing. although I identified the killer early on, it was entertaining to watch the story unwind. The style is breezy and Skye in particular is likable and believable. Fast, fun read.
January 24, 2019
Masterful
When I first started this book, I had to giggle occasionally at Skye's bloody daydreams, because I know how.frustrating it is to work.with the public. However, This book is a masterly woven tail about Skye, her life in a hair salon, and the serial killer who were his sights on her. It was hard to put down. (And has only two errors.)
When I first started this book, I had to giggle occasionally at Skye's bloody daydreams, because I know how.frustrating it is to work.with the public. However, This book is a masterly woven tail about Skye, her life in a hair salon, and the serial killer who were his sights on her. It was hard to put down. (And has only two errors.)
April 10, 2018
OMG!!! Review coming!
January 10, 2021
3.5 stars
February 12, 2011
Are you that client who bores your hair stylist with the mundane details of your personal life? Are you that lady who steals other people's parking spots? Are you that person in the 20-items-or-less-line with 21 items? Do you let your spoiled children run around annoying strangers? Then guess what? Someone is fantasizing about watching you bleed. Despite her out-of-character hippy name, Lilly Skye Destiny Summers is your typical middle-American gal: she gets along with her parents, she adores her pets, and she looks forward to date-night with her husband. Also like the average American, she despises her career path. "Today is Friday and I have been on my feet since 8 a.m. The clock above the desk tells me it is now 2:10. I have not eaten lunch. Have not even gone to the bathroom all day. The woman in my chair is speaking nonstop and I am thinking about killing her." This quote could have come from a mechanic, a WalMart clerk, a dentist or any other customer-service profession that requires the employee to wear an artificial smile all day while putting up with the shallow superficiality that has come to define America. Weekends are our only respite. As the author writes, "Then I'll have two entire days away from clients and my facial muscles can finally relax from the constant phony smile and clenched jaw." But what makes Lilly Skye Destiny Summers more dangerous than all of them is that she is a hair stylist, and in her small hands are a big pair of scissors. Make her angry and, oops! There goes your ear-tip...or worse! "Her tone is snippy; I can't resist a little snippiness in return." Maiming or killing her clients has become a fantasy Lilly Skye Destiny Summers indulges in with disturbing frequency. This should probably concern her, but it doesn't. And herein lies the genius of The Cutting Edge, for no ingredient is more prominent in sociopathy than being pedestrian. It is this sort of every-day bile that so often leads us Americans to snap. Take a look at any mass-murderer's case file for proof that banality leads to bloodshed. They are just like the rest of us: they blend in, shop with us, work with us. And slice us to pieces. Darcia Helle, author of The Cutting Edge, does a superb job of capturing these dangerously repressed, middle-class emotions in words we all think but never would have the audacity to actual admit in writing. "A lady in a Volvo swings around from the opposite lane and zips in front of me. She almost takes off my bumper. I want to take off her head." This book is a startlingly-honest work of transgressive fiction that will leave you either in hysterics or recoiling with guilt at having once thought these same evil fantasies. "Karen drones on, sounding like a buzz saw in my ear. If I slice her lips off, would she still be able to speak? I wonder about the importance of lips and contemplate the razor edge of my scissors." Indeed, Darcia Helle uses her wit like surgically-sharpened shears. Think: American Psycho meets an Ellen Byerrum novel. A subplot involving a serial killer named The Mass Avenger occurs in between Lilly Skye Destiny Summers' violent fantasies. Schizophrenic alter ego, perhaps? An infatuated client carrying out her beckoning? Or is our violent protagonist in danger of becoming his next victim. You'll have to read to find out. If there is any criticism, it is that this book seems to be written for the same homogenous, middle-class consumers whom the protagonist fantasizes about harming, which makes the actual murder scenes that do occur short on the brutal, Bret Easton Ellis-style details I was looking forward to indulging in vicariously. A hasty ending also leaves the reader feeling discarded after having come to relate so closely with the two main characters. Overall, Helle's novel is an amusing, thought-provoking meditation on the disassociated nature of America. Chuck Palahniuk would be proud. It is an entertainingly-quick read that one can ostensibly finish in a beauty-parlor waiting room in the time it takes for your perm to set. But be warned: the uninitiated of transgressional fiction are going to need a side order of Prozac to go with your chamomile after reading The Cutting Edge.
February 15, 2011
Well, it's no wonder Skye wants to kill people. Her name is Skye for one; her parents are hippies; her husband's ex is a monster of a greedy selfish bitch and his daughter has also found fashion in that as well; and all Skye's clients at the hair-salon have rubbed every single nerve in her body raw. If you've ever worked in the service industry, you will be able to relate to Skye's woes, and if you haven't, Skye's darkly humorous way of dealing with the self-absorbed should be taken as lesson learned. Sometimes we forget that the voice across the lunch counter, or the salesman at the shoe store, or the waiter/waitress bringing us our food are actually people with lives and emotions, etc. They are there to do their job, not be subservient to us. That's the first part of the story, the second, the serial killer part, has to do with another sort of person, which we shall call the abusive manipulator. Both stories converge to paint a rather unflattering portrait of the "selfish woman.” Actions speak louder than words, and this story is chock-full of some of the most loathsome people I could ever care not to meet.
However, Skye doesn't have it all bad. Her should-be-a-porn-star husband is a charmer, and her parents are stereotypical peace, love, and understanding, but a day job that drains you and then subsequently fills you up with negative energy can take its toll on even the most make-the-best-of-it people. Skye is no exception. Most of the book is done in a first person, present tense, daily journal styled narrative where Skye complains about her day, worries over her homicidal thoughts, and berates the ignorance and rudeness of her clientele while fantasizing about killing and maiming them in various gruesome ways. This is interwoven with the third person narrative of the serial killer. Some readers will not like the constant head hopping from first to third person narrative styles. It is a bit choppy and disorienting but the author, for effect, might have intended that. Other than that, the book was well proofed. I only found two or three instances of missing words/grammatical issues. The biggest problem with the book was the presentation. The cover image is absolutely striking, but I thought the sideways title in such a plain font with the black bar void under the picture really didn't do justice to the graphic or the story. The other major issues were with the interior formatting. You won't notice these issues as much in eBook format, of course, but I was reviewing from a print copy, so I had to take everything into account.
As for the plotting of the story, it's a quick predictably fun read. Skye's got an uber amount of personality, so if you like sarcastic all up in your face attitude, then you will just love the book because of the connection you'll feel to Skye. The serial killer thriller part is pretty much standard fare: the abused child vicariously seeks revenge against his dead monster of a mother, and eventually he and Skye cross paths using kismet as a plot device. What I really loved was that Skye kept her head about her and didn't become the cliché "damsel in distress turns unto a sobbing begging wet noodle" type of heroine in the end, so the book has a predictable yet strong finish. The last line is a knock out! Readers who are on the sensitive side might have trouble with some of the violence, detailed and implied, so be warned.
Overall, I really just loved Skye, and I loved the story, and those who love sarcastic heroines, pitch-black comedy, and misogynistic serial killer plotlines will too.
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