View source for Cut Short (DI Geraldine Steel) by Leigh Russell

{{infobox1 
|title= Cut Short (DI Geraldine Steel)
|author= Leigh Russell
|reviewer= Sue Magee
|genre=Crime 
|summary=A debut author to watch for the future gives us a serial killer who's murdering young women and girls along with  DI who has demons of her own to handle.  Recommended.
|rating=4 
|buy= Maybe
|borrow= Yes
|pages=352 
|publisher= No Exit Press
|date= July 2009
|isbn=978-1842432716  
|cover=1842432710
|aznuk=1842432710
|aznus=1842432710
}}

An au pair took her employer's young daughter, the next-door neighbour's son and his friend to the park, but the young girl was petulant about the inclusion of the second boy and with the wilfulness of a child who finds herself less than the centre of attention ran off into the bushes, where she knew that she must not go.  In there she used a stick to stir up some leaves and uncovered the body of a woman.

For DI Geraldine Steel the move to a quiet village near Woolsmarsh was an attempt to sort her life out.  Her addiction to her job had led to the breakdown of a long relationship and now she's lonely, and not yet entirely confident in her new rank.  When a serial killer terrorises Woolsmarsh and she realises that she herself is being stalked she's stretched to the limit.

From the very beginning we know the killer.  We might not know his name, or his background, but we know that he's on a mission to rid the world of young women who are giving him dirty thoughts.  It's obvious that his mental development has not kept up with his chronological age and he's very conscious that all his actions should be of a standard of which ''Miss Elsie'' would approve.  We also know that he's a strong, determined and vicious killer.

It is an excellent story, skilfully built and well told.  The tension builds well and there was a point where I was rushing through the pages just to find out what happened next.  From that point of view Leigh Russell is a considerable find and as this is apparently the first in a series of DI Geraldine Steel books I'm looking forward to reading more from her.

Russell is a debut author and this does show in places.  Some of the conversations appear a little stilted and the characters don't always come off the page fully rounded, although the exception to this is the young people, and strangely enough, the killer.  There were occasions when I could have smacked Geraldine Steel, but I hope that she'll have sorted herself out before the next book!  On balance though, Russell is definitely a writer to watch.

I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag.

If this story appeals to you then we think you might also enjoy [[Missing by Karin Alvtegen]] and [[Hidden by Katy Gardner]].

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