I was attracted by the blurb and i think it is well written, unfortunately the story didn't keep my attention and it fell flat.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Riley Vasher is a documentary filmmaker .. well, that's what she wants to be. She gets her big chance when a woman who was once her best friend is found dead. Riley's boyfriend, Brody, is the one who hears over his police scanner that the well-known TV weather person, Piper Kingsley, was murdered.

When Piper’s boyfriend, Ethan Jakes, is arrested for the crime, a high-profile murder trial is sure to follow – and Riley and Brody sense their chance to make a name for themselves.

(BOOK BLURB) Riley convinces Ethan she can help him if they make a documentary about the trial, and recommends the brilliant but eccentric defense lawyer Nicholas Church. But as the trial nears and Riley becomes personally involved in the case, the lines of truth soon begin to blur and she finds herself becoming part of the story.

This is part mystery/part legal thriller. There's a lot involved in this book. The relationships between the solidly defined characters are varied. Riley is seeing a therapist for her mental health issues. As the cameraman, Brody runs hot and cold when it comes to film-making. That relationship is in trouble. Nicolas Church is the character I love to hate. He's arrogant, he's manipulative. Ethan is likeable ... but is he guilty of murder? He has no motive .. until the medical examiner finds something of interest at the autopsy. It was an interesting read, with a captivating conclusion that was totally unexpected.

Many thanks to the author / Severn House / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction/legal thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

Cleverly Plotted, Taut And Entertaining.....
Welcome to the world of film making...which turns murderous in this well written, fast moving legal suspense. Quirky characters populate the plot and a growing sense of tension keeps the reader fully engaged throughout. Cleverly plotted, taut and entertaining.

If you like true crime documentaries, you might like The Rough Cut. Corleone provides a tantalizing glimpse of the inner world of film making. I felt like I was in this docudrama-in-the-making, watching Riley (and others) manipulate reality to fit their chosen narrative.

The story moves quickly. It seamlessly shifts between the past, as Riley records the trial, and the present, as she edits during the post-production process. Neither process goes well, of course. Troubles arise between Riley and her boyfriend/filmmaking partner Brody. Defense attorney Church is abrasive, brilliant, and troubled. The defendant Ethan isn’t always cooperative. Sometimes–often–okay, most of the time– he makes disastrous decisions.

Corleone is cagey about what the verdict is/will be throughout the book. He cleverly points us to the multiple possibilities (guilty, not guilty, mistrial) through characters’ words and reaction. And, since we all know that a courtroom verdict does not necessarily agree with reality, there’s suspense as to whether Ethan actually killed Piper. The did-he, didn’t-he tension continues in Riley’s mind.

I did my usual read-the-ending-first routine, so I knew the answer to both questions. All the same, Corleone kept me reading. He’s clever at hiding clues in plain sight. If I hadn’t known the answers, I wouldn’t have guessed them.

As narrator, Riley’s voice is catchy. She doesn’t even pretend to have idealistic aspirations about changing the world; she only wants to tell a compelling story. Despite her brash attitude, she’s insecure. She denies being like those she despises (reality TV producers, for example) but there’s the definite sense that she does have distinct similarities and knows it. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story through her (often unreliable) viewpoint.

The characters are quirky. Corleone does a good job making them compelling, though, and he doesn’t allow their various quirks to overwhelm their characters. While the characterization may not have been as deep as it would’ve been in, say, a literary novel, it’s perfectly satisfying and far deeper than it would be in an average thriller. He also scored some points with me with his on-the-nose observations about wannabe writers and their fragile, narcissistic egos.

This was a enjoyable crime thriller that dips into domestic noir territory. I’d recommend The Rough Cut to fans of both genres.

One favorite thing . . .

Nicholas Church has more nicknames for his teammates than a certain president has for his rivals. And clever ones, too. Ethan becomes E-male, Eazy-e, E-mo, E-trade, etc. Riley is Riles, Brody is BQ, and Ethan’s brother Nathan is Nate Dogg. There’s plenty more. As well, there is lots of play on Church’s own last name. It’s fun, inventive, and either lightens the mood or serves as a sardonic reminder that if reality can be manipulated, so can a person’s identity.

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Note #2: This review will appear on my blog on January 11, 2021.

I have read the former US Marshal Simon Fisk and the Kevin Corvelli books by Mr. Corleone and really enjoyed them. I cannot say that about this book. I found the beginning of the book very confusing as I had no idea who the main character was. I stopped and read the summary so that I would know who the story was about. Two people, Riley Vasher & her boyfriend Brody are making a documentary about the murder of the local weather girl. I tried to finish the book. I stopped for a while and went back to it hoping that I just wasn’t in the mood the first time, but finally gave up and realized that I was never going to enjoy this book or the characters. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

A nicely done legal thriller of sorts (half the book is a trial) which illuminates the perils of documentary film making (among other things). Riley's been living quietly in Hawaii, dealing with her mental health issues and humming along but she's a little bored. When a popular tv reporter is murdered, allegedly by her boyfriend Ethan, Riley decides this is going to be her thing. Not so fast- she steps over the line more than once and things do, as the blurb states, get a little murkey. It is, however, a good read which I enjoyed not only for the mystery and the characters but also for the setting (oh how I wish I could go to Oahu right now!). Thanks to Netgalley for the arc. good read.

In The Rough Cut, documentary filmmaker Riley Vasher has been living a low-key life on the Hawaiian island of Oahu with her long-time boyfriend Brody. This all changes when Brody overhears on his police scanner that popular TV weathergirl, and former friend of Riley’s, Piper Kingsley, has been murdered. The police quickly arrest Piper’s boyfriend, Ethan Jakes, for the murder. Riley is not convinced of Jakes’ guilt and sees the trial as the chance for her to make a popular true crime documentary. She manoeuvres her way onto Jakes’ legal defence team, but soon finds her professional objectiveness put to the test when the lines of truth begin to blur and she becomes part of the story.

The Rough Cut is a well structured novel that moves between Riley’s editing of the documentary in the present and the events leading up to and during Jakes’ trial in the recent past. It is a clever device that allows Corleone to shift the perspective, foreshadow surprises and occasionally trick the reader. Also occurring in the present are Riley’s sessions with her psychiatrist, which further illuminate her character and another perspective on what is happening.

The end result is an interesting crime novel with some quirky twists. It takes a little while to gather momentum and engage the reader, but the second half of the book, which mainly covers the trial, is very tense and Corleone delivers a stunning conclusion. The book is also enhanced by the evocative descriptions of Hawaii and the insights that Corleone provides into the local legal system and the mechanics of making a documentary.

The characters are an unusual collection of flawed individuals. They are relatively well crafted, but none are particularly engaging, including the unstable, drug taking Riley.