“This may be Hayman’s first novel, but he writes like a pro. Colorful, gritty, and vivid, the story is complex, suspenseful, and full of unexpected yet carefully constructed plot twists… Hayman spins a terrific yarn of action-packed suspense and mayhem.”  Bill Bushnell, Brunswick (ME) Times-Record

“Wow. I picked up this book looking for ‘intense’ and that’s what I got. Way beyond suspenseful – way past great – this is one of those books that has me talking to folks. Love Hayman’s style – including his dead on references to movies and characters. His own characters are fascinating and his story line kept me guessing til the very end. No disappointments – except that I have to wait a bit for book #2. Highly recommend this one!”
Linda Parks, Fireside Books, Forest City, NC

“An extraordinary debut and an exceptional thriller, THE CUTTING is razor-sharp, heartfelt and superbly written. James Hayman is a tremendous new voice in crime fiction.”

-Julia Spencer-Fleming, Edgar finalist and author of I SHALL NOT WANT

“Big-city wicked invades the Pine Tree State in James Hayman’s THE CUTTING. This is a stunning debut that gripped me from first page to last. A thriller of a thriller!”
-Tess Gerritsen, New York Times Best-Selling Author of THE KEEPSAKE

“In “The Cutting,” (Hayman) gives readers a suspenseful police procedural whirling around a character who has the brains, courage and human concern to be the reader’s hero from start to finish. All in all, if that sounds like a rave review, it’s because I intend this to be one. Rarely does a new novelist make a debut, in Maine or anywhere else, as polished, well-paced and plotted as this one. Even less often does a writer create characters as well-drawn and centered as Hayman gives us with his Portland Police Detective Sgt. Mike McCabe, three years into life in his new city.”
-Nancy Grape, Portland Press-Herald

“Hayman’s pacing is perfect. He sends the detective hurtling after the killer but also allows McCabe to stop just often enough for readers to learn how deeply damaged the man is. At his core, the policeman, like the victims for whom he seeks justice, is fragile. It is his stubborn tenacity, his young daughter and his artist girlfriend that keep him going….The Cutting is an unsettling thriller, not because Portland and the state have a history of madmen killing strangers on a rampage. What’s frightening is that Hayman makes it seem possible, even probable.”
-Judy Harrison, Bangor Daily News

“First-novelist Hayman ratchets up the tension in this engrossing account of a deviously motivated psychopathic serial killer. “
-Michele Leber, Booklist.

“Bookstores have been looking for a writer of popular fiction who can reliably produce a bestseller. James Hayman…has invented a cop with sophisticated tastes. If your summer reading includes a psychological thriller, this one’s for you.”
-Mandy Twaddell, Providence Journal

“The Cutting..is a Big Go. A fun read, it’s suspenseful, intelligent and smooth, everything a good thriller should be. Detective Michael McCabe is a likable and intriguing character… once you meet McCabe, you’ll want to read about him again.”
-Amy Canfield, Paging Amy

“A real page-turning read. Readers will never tire of this kind of thriller as long as authors like Hayman keep spinning such gripping tales. I do hope this is the first in a series…McCabe’s backstory leaves plenty of room for more.”
-Becky Lejeune, www.BookBitch.com