I found this one to be rather fascinating with its gritty look at the underside of Glasgow's vice and corruption. The story is narrated by a gay appraiser, Rilke, for an auction house who finds some shocking photographs of an apparent female "snuff" victim in the property of a deceased owner of a large estate. Rilke is haunted by the photos and sets off to try to determine if they are real. Along the way, he encounters some unsavory facts about the former owner of the estate along with some other unsavory characters. The book includes some rather detailed descriptions of gay sex and the dark aspects of sex trafficking. Overall, I would give this a mild recommendation for delving into some unusual territory and some interesting subject matter including some aspects of the auctioneering trade.

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Dark and gritty mystery. I've recently read both this and Welsh's book The Bullet Trick and found both to be gripping thrillers that I had to race through. They're very similar to each other though - if you're only going to read one, I would recommend The Cutting Room. Neither book is for the squeamish.

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Good story but lots of scottish words I didn't understand

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A book I admired, but felt it was written more with an eye toward the judges who would shower it with awards rather than the ordinary reader.

So much of this is so good -- the milieu of the Glasgow auction house, the local colour of Glasgow itself. Welsh's sharp descriptions, and jagged, rapid-fire dialogue.

I also rather liked the fact that the protagonist, Rilke, doesn't really understand why he carries on with his dodgy, dangerous amateur sleuthing. I like it when authors have the courage of their convictions, and risk antagonizing readers who want answers, NEAT ANSWERS, when we all know that everything in this world can't be parcelled up in a neat epilogue.

What I did not like was where Welsh went too far, for effect. This applies to the two scenes of quite graphic sex. QUITE graphic ... as in, ewwwwww .... As in, ok I get it, the man likes rough sex with strangers. Only two scenes, but scenes that, for the rest of the novel, leave the Gentle Reader a little nervous about what might happen on the next page.

I wonder if Welsh's objective was to hammer home the fact that, in this mystery about voyeurs and sexual exploitation, the reader is a voyeur and sexually exploitative, getting "enjoyment" out of the suffering of others. Fictional others, but ...

But too far also with being unnecessarily poetical, and over the top with descriptions and "precious" character studies that put the plot on hold for quite long pages. Occasionally (and oddly, only very occasionally) going too far playing with graphics and text layout -- stealing a march on "Tristram Shandy," with wonky text, and odd fonts and split screen to suggest state of mind, confusion, pandemonium ...

Ms Welsh is a very talented lady. It was worth reading.( But be warned)

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Rather disturbing book but worth a read.

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I really liked this. I read it back to back with Welsh's Bullet Trick. Both were gritty mysteries centered around Glasgow - if I could only recommend one, it would be Cutting Room. It was more unexpected.

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