If you are looking for a great crime read, then run out and grab a copy of Robert Jeffreys’ ‘The Final Cut’
Set in the 1960s, Detective Robert Cardilini is fighting his own demons. His return to work after a suspension has not been a smooth transition. He is newly partnered with Lorriane Spencer. She’s young, eager, and of course female, so she’s has had to fight hard to be where she is.
Cardilini and Spencer are given Domestic Violence cases to work on. Cases that really are not taken seriously by the courts and really feel like a waste of time. If a husband beats his wife, it’s treated as her fault, and convictions are far and few.
Things change when Cardilini and Spencer are sent to yet another DV case and then discover that all is not as it seems. The woman who is strapped to a chair and in need of medical assistance, doesn’t seem to be the victim that she first appeared to be.
As they dig deeper they discover that this is not really a DV case at all, but that they have stumbled into a world where a sadistic, dangerous, and often deadly game is being played out.
Both Spencer and Cardilini do their own digging for information and both keep information from each other which leads to life altering events for them both.
I really enjoyed reading this book and found it very easy to read. This book would make a wonderful gift for those crime reader fanatics.
Author: Robert Jeffreys
ISBN: 9781760685836
Copy courtesy of Echo Publishing
A selection of our Beauty and Lace Club Members are reading The Final Cut by Robert Jeffreys. You can read their comments below, or add your own review.
Im a Mum of 3 beautiful girls.
An avid reader that loves to travel but lacks the funds to venture far and wide constantly. A perfumeaholic with an addiction to beauty and skincare.
If not found with my head in a book or on a plane I can be found spending hours upon hour in Doctors and Hospital waiting rooms as part of my job as a Carer
I absolutely loved The Final Cut by Robert Jeffreys.
All set in Perth in the 50’s and 60’s, this investigation kept me on the edge of my seat. The death of several women in very similar circumstances, reveals a cover up that goes to the very top. Cardilini, the main investigator is struggling with his own past, but is helped by new comer Spencer. This gets right in to the nitty gritty of some unsettling underworld. You will want to keep reading to find out who is really behind this very dark side of life.
Thanks Beauty and Lace and Echo Publishing.
Thank you so much Beauty and Lace and Echo Publishing for the opportunity to review Robert Jeffreys ‘The final cut’ the second and final novel in the Cardilini series. Debut novel ‘Man at the Window’ was also set in Perth in the early 60’s, where we were first introduced to the main protagonist Detective Sergeant Robert Cardilini.
The Final Cut continues the story of Detective Sergeant Robert Cardilini, now partnered in the newly formed ‘domestics team’ with Lorraine Spencer, who highly intelligent, and way ahead of her time, initially lacking confidence in her role, is highly respectful of Cardilini.
I appreciated the amount of research Robert would have undertaken into Police procedure and the way Police operated in the early 1960’s. I felt Robert’s laconic writing style was very well suited to the central character of Cardilini, I also thought the way the chapters were chronologically dated and timed and the way the two stories intertwined and were linked was unique and pertinent to the evolving story.
I loved the Audrey Hepburn references scattered throughout even down to Audrey’s signature fragrance L’Interdit. The story had a very homely, comfortable feel as the reader travelled along the familiar streets of Perth, and I could almost savour the taste when the humble ole ‘lamington’ gets a mention from the obligatory country bakery visit on Spencer and Cardilini’s trip to the Goldfields.
This book is an enlightening read with ample twists and turns as the sinister plot is slowly revealed, sadly there won’t be a third book in the series as the final edit was cleverly crafted by Robert’s wife Rosalba after his passing.
What a great read this book was. The 50s & 60s in Perth! Murdered women and cover ups,nothing like a new partner to get you going again an intriguing look in to the dark side of life. I couldn’t put this book down waiting to see what was going to be revealed. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book really enjoyed every minute
Thank you Beauty and Lace for the opportunity to review The Final Cut by Robert Jeffreys.
Detective Sargeant Robert Cardillini is back after a suspension and he is eager to put it all behind him and get back to work.When he comes back he is partnered with young detective Lorraine Spencer. They are put on domestic violence cases and Robert is not happy. Robert thinks it is a waste of time as they don’t have the support of the courts.
Their case involves a young woman whose name is Melody Cooper. Melody is found bloodied and tied to a chair, she has cuts to her body both healed and fresh. Her husband Archie is arrested and Melody goes to hospital. Melody does not want to press charges against her husband. Although it looks like a case of domestic violence , when the detectives start investigating it looks like Melody is caught up in a dangerous exploitive game which involves the government. Robert is a good detective but can be arrogant and does not think before he speaks.
This is the second book in the Detective Cardillini series. The final edit was completed by his wife Rosalba after his death in 2019. There are lots of twists and turns that will have you guessing until the end. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to everyone.
Thanks to Beauty and lace for the opportunity to read The Final Cut.
I had not read the first book in this series so I was unsure if I should start it or try and find the first one. My local bookshop didnt have any copies of it so I decided to give it a go anyway.
Happy to say although I didnt read the first book it was quite easy to follow and understand anyway.
I have not read a detective kind of story for quite some time, and reading The final cut I really questioned why because I loved all the suspense thriller, cat and mouse atmosphere that this book held!
Although I found out this book wasn’t written by Robert himself as he had sadly passed, I think his wife done a great job of piecing it together from his notes.
Since reading I have now ordered myself a copy of the first to see what I missed before this one 🙂
Thanks BeautyandLace and Echo Publishing for the opportunity to read and review The Final Cut written by Robert Jeffreys.
The Final Cut is book 2 in the Detective Cardilini series and although I had not read the first book, it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the second book in the series.
The Final Cut was eventually completed by Robert Jeffreys’s wife, Rosalba Jeffreys because Robert sadly passed away before the final draft was completed. I think she did an amazing job as I didn’t not realize until I’d finished reading the book.
The Final Cut is a psychological crime thriller set in Perth in the early 1950’s -60’s.
Detective Sergeant Robert Cardilini is tasked with solving domestic violence cases with his new partner Lorraine Spencer.
But when they find a young woman bound and bleeding in a home, they first assume it is another domestic violence case. But after further investigation it dawns on them that the young woman could be a willing participant in a sinister game.
I found the story moved very quickly and I enjoyed following the detectives in their investigations, to finally reveal the horrifying plot as the story unfolded. It gave me a glimpse of the dark depravity that co-existed in society, it was quite an eye opener.
The Final Cut was a great read that kept me guessing to the very end, with many twists and turns to keep my interest.
Thanks again BeautyandLace for the opportunity to read this face paced thriller!
Reading The Final Cut by Robert Jeffreys I was a reminded why I like suspense novels so much. This is a very good one and even though it is the second in the series I found it didn’t matter.
The novel is set in Perth around the 1950-60’s and follows Detective Sergeant Robert Cardilini and his new partner Lorraine Spencer. As they investigate domestic violence cases they come upon a young woman bound and bleeding in a home, and although initially thinking it was a domestic violence case, upon further investigation it appears the young woman could be a willing participant in a sinister game. Nothing is as simple as first thought.
The story is well paced and engaging from the start. The details of the investigations are pieced together in a deliberate manner that keeps you reading on and draws you into a different world right to the very end in order to find out what is happening.
Thank you Beauty and Lace for a great read.
Thank you for the opportunity to read something that I don’t usually read. I hadn’t read the first book either, this did not effect reading this one at all. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and learning about all the research that the detectives went into to solve the cases. It was fast paced, engaging from the start.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book it was very well written and I could not put it down.