Praised by Tim Winton as ‘a ripping page-turner about shameful secrets just across the horizon’, the most terrifying aspect of this tenth novel from a master storyteller is the way it draws its inspiration from the real world.
Paul Cutler is a former undercover operative, now working off the books for his handler, Malik Khalil. When Cutler is tasked with investigating the disappearance of an Australian marine scientist on a Taiwanese distant-water fishing vessel, Cutler realises that the apparent murder he’s investigating points to a slew of much darker crimes. Onboard, Cutler discovers that the vessel’s crew members are kept as slaves, subject to brutal punishment and forced to work long hours with little rest. And when he learns of the recent massacre of the crew of an Indonesian fishing vessel in the same waters, he realises his quest for the truth will be meaningless if he cannot escape with his life.
(4/5)
A powerful tale of Cutler, putting his own life at risk to find out the truth of what really happened to two men lost at sea on a fishing boat.
This story draws you into the issues of sustainable fishing and human rights.
As an ocean lover, it evoked disturbing feelings with regard to commercial fishing’s impact on the health of the ocean and all of its creatures.
This book is interesting and in my opinion well worth reading.
(4/5)
Set against the beauty of the ocean and the ruthlessness of commercial plundering of the sea, Cutler boards a fishing boat as an independent observer, to find out what happened to the observer before him. In doing so, Cutler exposes the underbelly of the industry and finds himself in a similar situation to his predecessor, Bevan. But whereas Bevan was armed only with naiveite and idealism, Cutler, we learn, has been in similar situations before.
This is a really gripping story of life and death in international waters where normal rules don’t apply. David Whish-Wilson’s love of the ocean and concern for its wellbeing and its creatures is very evident. It is an excellent, gripping, high adventure novel that might have you thinking differently about that next tuna sandwich or salad.
Thanks very much to Good Reading and Fremantle Press for the opportunity to read and review this great book before its release.
(4/5)
Cutler is an intriguing, fast paced read which will keep you engaged at each chapter and wanting to know what happens next.
You got to know just enough about the main character as he is on an undercover assignment at sea which doesn’t hold the same laws as land this builds great mystery and suspense.
The novel raises a great focus towards environmental issues and social justice matters out at sea. It raised my attention to issues I was not aware of and built some knowledge around this.
Some scenes were a bit harder for me to read, particularly as I have an active imagination, but believed they were necessary to paint the picture of issues such as slavery, and left an impact.
Overall, I enjoyed the novel as it was an interesting read and I could barely put it down once I started!!
(4/5)
Cutler gives us an insight into illegal fishing practices and the associated slavery. A thrilling adventure on the high seas and an exciting read.
(4/5)
Raw, violent, disturbing! A read not for the faint hearted or the happy ever after ending romantics. This is a novel about the activities of some of the fisheries that have no compunction to flout humanitarian and environmental laws, all in the name of profits.
The ever-present impending violence is confronting, unnerving. The writing is so vivid, I lived the fear of the ‘slave crews’ and I was on edge all throughout the book. I was constantly concerned for the main character Cutler.
As confronting as I found it, I learned a lot from the book about the purported mistreatment of the estimated 100,000 slave crew members that are affected in the industry today. The novel’s description of the desecration of fish stock and inhumane treatment of the catches, intended and accidental, is shocking. Like David Whish-Wilson I hope this book creates a greater awareness.
(3/5)
This book seemed to be positioned as a thriller and it was definitely tense. The main character, Cutler is someone who goes undercover with assumed identities in order to infiltrate various groups which is apparently his special talent. I was expecting a spy-type thriller with tense situations as he attempted to hide who he really was and quick thinking lies to preserve his cover. Instead, Cutler seemed to play it pretty straight and answer everyone’s questions honestly. It’s quite impressive how well the tension is made when Cutler takes half the book to get to the fishing vessel where he’s secretly investigating a suspected murder. There was tons of information about the fishing industry in here and these details definitely made the scenes on the boat engaging but the whole way through I was wondering why Cutler was investigating one man’s presumed death at sea. I was always keen to hear more about Cutler’s past and all the very many exciting missions he’d been on and how he used his special skills. On this mission, he seemed to just hang around until the bad guys made a mistake which wasn’t too thrilling. Still, I was very drawn in to the story!
(5/5)
I have never heard of this author before but will be looking for more of his works. Once you get past the first few chapters where he sets up the story it becomes riveting reading. Each time I picked the book up, I would get lost in the story and feel like I was there with him, and forget about my problems. Cutler is about an undercover operative investigating the disappearance of an Australian Scientist on a deep water fishing boat where no laws control what they do in international waters or how they treat the enslaved crew members. This book would be the by far the best book in this genre for a long long time.
My only criticism of the book is he uses abbreviations instead of full names of multi-word organizations/devices and I had to keep referring to the list in front of book.
(4/5)
Cutler. A book that grips you from the start and makes you examine yourself, your knowledge of commercial fishing and human trafficking. Cutler is a complex character, with a questionable background who you can’t help but like. As a person for hire, he is given many complex undercover jobs, and this one is no different. Sent to a deep-sea fishing vessel, posing as a mandatory observer, Cutler aims to find out how the previous observer died. This book had so many twists and turns that kept me guessing. It also had me researching deep-sea fishing. It is rare to come across a book that evokes a strong emotional response, let alone one that motivates me to read further into the subject matter. This is a must read. Whish-Wilson is masterful at weaving an engaging story while addressing complex global issues. A must read.
(5/5)
‘Cutler’ is an enthralling journey into an interesting world I knew little about. I loved reading it. Descriptions in the book are so well imagined that I found myself on the deck viewing the action. The action itself was scary, believable and eye opening. The book is a thriller with Cutler (a man with an interesting back story) hired to find out what happened to a fisheries observer on board a fishing vessel. The story reveals the exploitation of people, illegal mass fishing activities and the cruel fate of the birds and sea creatures that are caught up in the vast fishing lines. One of the poignant moments in the book is when Cutler saves a baby dolphin from death when he is a captive himself. The book is detailed and easy to read. The author has researched well and will be donating some of the proceeds of book sales to independent organisations working to prevent maritime slavery and the indiscriminate destruction of marine life. I highly recommend it for a great read.
(3/5)
This is the tale of two books. One is about the issues of global fishing – exploited crew on the fishing boats, exploited fish stocks and corrupt practices such as catching and killing protected species. The other is a story about criminal behaviour and Cutler’s investigations to find out what happened in the middle of the ocean on one fishing boat. It is a non-fiction and fiction book in one and I’m not sure it really works. I felt that Whish-Wilson should have chosen one theme or the other or probably should have written two books.
However, it was a book I could not put down. I had to read one more page, then one more chapter to find out what happened next. I did feel that the ending all fell a bit too neatly into place.
This is the first book I’ve read by Whish-Wilson and, while I struggled with the mix of themes, I did enjoy reading it and I’d happily read his other books.
(5/5)
David Whish-Wilson’s latest outing drops us into the barbaric world of the deep-sea fishing industry. Most of the action takes place aboard two ships, the Monterey and Shuen Ching 666, and what follows is a series of close, claustrophobic encounters between the eponymous Cutler and the men he meets in the course of his investigation into the death of his predecessor. Whish-Wilson’s prose is as lean and mean as the mind of his protagonist, giving the narrative a surgical precision and realism often lacking in works in this genre. By the time Cutler is ready to strike at his adversaries, primarily the odious, shabu-addicted First Officer Li, we are ready for the sparks to fly. Whish-Wilson manages to tell a ripping tale about a subject matter most readers won’t have much familiarity with while also shining a light on the dark world of modern industrial fishing. Highly recommended.
(3/5)
Cutler, an undercover investigator is called to investigate the disappearance of an Australian marine scientist.
The book is fairly slow moving, but still leaves the reader intrigued.
The prologue describes a severe beating Cutler endures. However, when I started reading Chapter 1, I wasn’t sure whether the prologue was in the past or future. I wondered about the relevance of the prologue to the rest of the story.
As the story is set on a deep-sea fishing boat, various fishing terms are used. The list of acronyms at the start was useful. However, it would have also been helpful having fishing term meanings.
The descriptions of fishing methods and the treatment of the crew were barbaric and left me feeling disgusted that this is still happening. In the author’s note, the author describes his concern for ocean life as being a motivating factor for writing this story and this is certainly conveyed to the reader.
I would read other books by the same author, if they’re on a topic that interests me.
(4/5)
What’s not to like about the maritime thriller “Cutler” by David Whish-Wilson? There’s maritime crime, missing persons, untold secrets and the intrigue of combining all these factors with his quick wit and dazzling writing style. He’s no newbie to this genre; in fact, David is a very accomplished writer and academic. From the prologue onwards, I was totally engaged, tense and in suspense all the way! Three hundred pages were done fast in one long exciting sitting! The prologue told me where it would end, but the particulars of how and why was in the detailed body of work. It was a nail biter. He’s one of the greats of today’s crime writing, and “Cutler” is an interesting change in direction into the endangerments of industrial fishing.
Although the author’s research interests are diverse, he’s said: “…. a lot of my crime novels have had an underlying political purpose – to write into historical silences or to shine a light on the consequences of human behaviour – both on an individual and institutional level.”
We’re immediately introduced to Paul Cutler in the Prologue. It’s only later that we learn that as an undercover agent, his boss has tasked him with investigating the disappearance of an Australian marine scientist on a Taiwanese deep sea fishing vessel. He rapidly realises that the apparent murder he’s to investigate is splintering into a multitude of other crimes on the Shuen.
Western Australians writers Tim Winton and Sara Foster rate it as a ripping page-turner and as sharp and insightful. It’s totally contemporary, the setting looking at some of the nefarious activities of industrial fishing fleets and their effects on the ocean and the people who work there. While the characterisation may seem unrefined, they have all the best qualities of tough uncompromising realism. The protagonist Paul, realises his quest for the truth will be meaningless, if he cannot escape with his life.
David Whish-Wilson has delivered a cracking read of a tall tale – and the truth behind the crimes! Unputdownable! And the good news is he’s working on a follow-up to this Paul Culter crime novel!
(5/5)
Cutler is told from the point of view of Paul Cutler, an undercover private investigator, who is employed to find the truth behind the disappearance of a missing Australian marine scientist. At first Cutler is an outsider, an observer, seeking to find out what happened; however, as he gets pulled deeper into this world of corruption, the race becomes how to save himself and the enslaved fishermen from certain death.
Cutler is based on reality – how the international fishing industry functions today. When I first began reading, I wondered why Whish-Wilson chose to tell this story as fiction rather than non-fiction. At times I struggled with the horror of the events but couldn’t turn away. I had to keep turning the pages, wanting to know ‘what happens next.’ It was only when I reached the end that I really understood why fiction was the better choice.
If you read to be entertained, this is a book for you. But what I liked about it most was that it changed my point of view. Cutler is a story that was waiting to be told, and who better to tell it than master story-teller, David Whish-Wilson.
(4/5)
The cover of Cutler features a descriptive quote from Sara Foster – ‘sharp and insightful’, which is very much the essence of the book.
Cutler is an ACIC operative (think the Australian version of the FBI) which in and of itself gives a refreshing local take on a classic covert intelligence novel. Jason Bourne came to mind as I read, with descriptions of Cutler contacting his handler and referencing dangerous jobs prior to the central one in the book.
Cutler’s current job sees him aboard a fishing trawler, where is he assumes the role of a fisheries inspector. Whish-Wilson’s insights into the local and international fishing industries are startling, and coupled with the dangerous assignment of the fictional lead it, makes for great reading. I admit to being very naive in respect to how my ocean-sourced meals arrive on my plate and was shocked to learn through subsequent fact-checking the kind of practices in-play on our seas.
Beyond the education in that respect, the read is fast-paced and would definitely appeal to those who enjoy an action thriller and who aren’t phased by an unflinching look at the dark side of human nature.
(5/5)
A gripping tale of the high sea crimes in the modern era.
Paul Cutler, an undercover operative, had one job; to investigate the disappearance of young Australian man. Instead, once onboard the Taiwanese ship, the Shuen, Cutler finds himself delving into the dark, lawless world of deep-sea fishing and the secrets it holds. From murder to slavery, to human trafficking, Cutler searches for the truth and to help those in need.
Cutler is a powerful read, highlighting current environmental and social issues that still run rife in the deep-sea industry.
This read is perfect for lovers of great tales, who enjoy a great mystery.
(4/5)
David Whish-Wilson has created a real page-turner of a book that was difficult to put down. The story revolves around an undercover agent (Cutler) investigating a missing person case on a fishing trawler. You were kept guessing until near the end as to what happened to the victim. This was also a very informative novel about the fishing industry in general and how maverick and unregulated it really is. It certainly made you think about the environmental impact and how this is a hidden toll on our wildlife. This book highlights the renegade attitude of the fishing industry in International waters and the rules are that there are no rules. There are some confronting sexual scenes but these add to the imagery of life on the trawlers.
Will definitely be looking at more books from this author as this was my first.
(3/5)
David Whish-Wilson is a clever and deceitful author, luring you in to think that you will be starting a journey on a book that is a true spy thriller. Reading the first few pages that is exactly what I thought I was going to get.
Cutler follows the path of the international fishing industry, leaving no stone unturned. Whish-Wilson gives a true and real picture of slavery and mistreatment of the men that work on the ship Shuen and uncovers illegal fishing, cruelty to humanity and survival instincts.
The writings in this book were descriptive and made me feel that I had entered international waters and was observing from afar. Paul Cutler has gone undercover to discover what happened to Whelan’s son who mysteriously disappeared. What he found instead was much worse. The law of the land does not stand in international fishing waters.
A gripping story that did take a little to get started but kept me wanting to discover what happened next. I really enjoyed that it did not hide the dirty little secrets of the sea but instead revealed all.
(4/5)
This book was somewhat out of my usual genre but I was attracted to the fact that
a) the author was living in Western Australia and
b) the subject matter was based on the state of play with the global fishing industry in our oceans.
The book delivered on many levels – I was intrigued for the most part by the adventure undercover operative story and the authors ability to build suspense. His descriptions of the characters, while pretty typecast, allowed the reader to visualise them very clearly. Some good suspense was built particularly towards the end of the novel.
I really enjoyed the facts woven into the tale, I had no idea about the huge numbers of seabirds killed in the fishing industry. Even the descriptions of the way the lines were set and harvested were fascinating.
Sobering was the authors note at the end, I think it really value added to the experience of the book.
I would be keen to read more by Whish-Wilson
(4/5)
Paul Cutler a former undercover operative, investigating the disappearance of an Australian marine scientist on a Taiwanese distant water fishing vessel. Paul has come to the conclusion the apparent murder has other crimes involved. The entire crew were kept as slaves, working tediously and punished for disobedience. He learns of a massacre of the crew of an Indonesian fishing vessel in the same waters. He needs to solve this mystery and learn the truth, while making sure he does not become the next victim.
(4/5)
Once I started reading this book, I couldn’t stop reading. I had a few very late nights.
The main character Paul Cutler is an Investigator working undercover on a fishing boat. He uncovers a world of cruelty, slavery and murder. He uncovers a corrupt business and the government who turns a blind eye.
This book was an easy and hard book to read.
Easy – from the first page it was written well (if I’m not invested in a book by the first couple of pages, I don’t continue)
Hard – variety of emotions. Anger and contempt. Compassion for the fisherman slaves and their families. Content when the corrupt politicians and fishing industry get their comeuppance.
(4/5)
Captivating book that has a good balance between fiction and non fiction. Enjoyed the insight into a real world problem and was left intriged to learn more after finishing the book. A nice way to enjoy some fiction while being made aware of a topic so important yet so misunderstood.