Jaye Marie and Anita Dawes

A nightmare jolts Debs awake. She leaves the kids tucked up in their beds and goes downstairs. There’s a man in her kitchen, holding a knife. But it’s not an intruder. This is her husband Marc, the father of her children.
Once, their differences were what drew them together. Him, the ex-army officer from a good family. Her, the fitness instructor who grew up over a pub. But now they grate to the point of drawing blood. Marc screams in his sleep. And Debs hardly knows the person she’s become, or why she lets him hurt her.
Neither of them is completely innocent. Neither is totally guilty. Marc is taller, stronger, and more vicious, haunted by a war he can’t forget. But he has no idea what Debs is capable of when her children’s lives are at stake…

This gripping read about a relationship built on passion, poisoned by secrets and violence will keep you turning the pages all night. Perfect for readers of Blood Orange and Big Little Lies.

‘A slow-burn thriller, both horrifying and touching’ – CATHERINE COOPER

Meet Tina Baker, crime queen and social media superstar

Tina Baker, the daughter of a window cleaner and fairground traveller, worked as a journalist and broadcaster for thirty years and is probably best known as a television critic for the BBC and GMTV. After so many hours watching soaps gave her a widescreen bum, she got off it and won Celebrity Fit Club. She now avoids writing-induced DVT by working as a Fitness Instructor.

Follow Tina on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok: @tinabakerbooks

Our Review

The opening chapter of Nasty Little Cuts hit me like a sledgehammer, starting at the very end and travelling back to the beginning of their disastrous relationship.

I know how bad it can get when a relationship goes horribly wrong, and this was one of the worst husband and wife stories I have ever read. It was brilliantly written, although it must have been painful to write. I would like to add that I have never experienced anything quite as brutal myself, and my married life was pretty bad. 

The author holds our emotions in her hands, but I couldn’t put the book down, even though I desperately needed a break from the tension.

One of the other book reviews described a fine line between pain and passion in this story and I couldn’t agree more. Most of the scenes caused me physical pain and had me in tears.

Previous Reviews

Review

A slow-burn thriller… horrifying and touching but also manages touches of humour. Compelling — Catherine Cooper, author of The Chalet

Exquisitely dark… Gripped my throat and didn’t let go until the final, searing sentence — Caroline England, author of My Husband’s Lies

What I love most is the prodigious humanity Tina Baker heaps into her characters. She dares you to make judgements… Every sentence is splinter-sharp — Kate Simants, author of A Ruined Girl

A pacy, heart-stopping, brutal yet humorous roller coaster — J.M Hewitt, author of The Life She Wants

I couldn’t put it down from the first page to the last… a whirlwind of emotions. Compulsive and tense — Louise Mullins, author of I Know You —