‘The First Cut’ by Val Penny is the first book in the D.S Jane Renwick series. A fast-paced gripping crime thriller that’s set in Edinburgh and Glasgow in Scotland.

It’s hard to escape a brutal past…
A vicious serial killer is on the loose. Victims include an academic and notable members of Edinburgh’s high society. 

When Detective Sergeant Jane Renwick learns through DNA that a member of her family could be the killer, she is banished to the sidelines of the case and forced to look on impotently as the hunt for the killer ramps up. 

Frustrated, she decides to conduct her own investigations. Has someone from her estranged birth family returned to haunt her? And where will the killer strike next? 
It’s a race against time…

An excellent first book for Val Penny’s newest main character, the feisty and brave D.S Jane Renwick. A spin-off from the Hunter series, which sees a crossover of characters appearing in this series too. I would say it is fine to be read separately from the Hunter series. We are introduced to the characters and they are a likeable and relatable lot.

A story that is one of them that you start and quickly become engrossed. Told mostly from the investigation side and we see the twists and turns as they unfold from every angle. Then we have some parts narrated by the killer which shows the calculating way he achieves his aims.

I thoroughly enjoyed the unexpected reveals, twists and drama throughout the book and it has definitely whet my appetite for the next book.

Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources and Darkstroke Books for my copy of the book.