Release date: January 27, 2026
Publisher: Harper Audio
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Narrator: Helen Laser
Synopsis:
A compelling suspense debut about a woman infamous for escaping a cult as a teenager, whose future is threatened when dangerous secrets come back to haunt her—perfect for fans of Jessica Knoll and The Girls .
Lucy Golden is a true-crime icon, infamous for the murder she committed while escaping a California cult twenty years ago. But as everyone in Los Angeles knows, fame is fleeting, and Lucy and her story are always just one news cycle away from obscurity. Not to mention, she’s fending off a stalker and moderating an icy feud between her acclaimed photographer mother and her scandalous rock star sister. Worst of all, online trolls are asking increasingly threatening questions about the legendary crime. Questions that could tear her life apart.
So when a hotshot documentarian makes her case the subject of his next film, Lucy sees a chance to silence any doubters once and for all. But as filming begins, she must return to the California desert and come face-to-face with a cast of players from her torrid history. Of course, the past is never what it seems, and long-buried secrets soon collide with present-day threats. Can Lucy stop her doubters from digging up the truth before it’s too late? And how far will she go to protect the story she’s been telling—and selling—all along?
Told in a narrative split between the present day and Lucy’s hit memoir about her fated summer in the cult, Paper Cut combines psychological suspense with coming-of-age Californian cult noir and a sharp examination of the true-crime phenomenon. As incisive as it is propulsive, this mesmerizing debut will keep readers hooked until the last page.
Review:
Paper Cut immediately had my attention with its irresistible mix of cult thriller energy and a book within a book structure. Lucy Golden is infamous for escaping a California cult as a teenager( after committing a murder😮) and decades later she’s still living in the shadow of that story. As the novel toggles between Lucy’s present day life and excerpts from her memoir, Taft explores how truth becomes commodified, reshaped, and weaponized, especially in the age of true crime obsession. The commentary on how toxic and invasive true crime culture can be felt smart, timely, and quietly biting without ever overpowering the story itself.
This is a character driven psychological suspense at its core, and Lucy is a fascinatingly complex protagonist. She’s flawed, messy, guarded, and shaped by deeply complicated family dynamics that add another layer of tension to the narrative. The unraveling is a true slow burn—steady, unsettling, and increasingly ominous—pulling you forward as buried secrets resurface and familiar narratives begin to crack. When the twists arrive, they feel earned rather than flashy, landing with a satisfying sense of inevitability.
The audiobook experience elevates the story even further. Helen Laser’s narration is incredibly engaging and well calibrated, capturing Lucy’s sharp edges, vulnerability, and emotional fatigue with nuance and control. Her performance adds depth to the dual timelines and keeps the tension simmering throughout. Paper Cut is a solid, confident debut, it’s smart, unsettling, and quietly surprising, and a must for readers who love cult stories, psychological suspense, and books that interrogate the stories we choose to tell… and sell.
Overall rating: 4/5
Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.
Novelgossip 