Nick Cutter: The Master of Modern Horror

A quick look at Cutter's work and why I love it

When I was a kid, I very quickly became obsessed with reading. In school, books made for my age range bored me to tears, and I quickly turned to reading my mum’s Agatha Christie books. Seeing how much I loved escaping into books; my mum took me to the library and got me signed up with my own card. It quickly became clear that my tastes ran to darker reads, and since one of the librarians seemed to have an eye on my habits, she introduced me to James Herbert. That soon led to Stephen King and eventually Clive Barker. While those guys were the staples for the longest time, I always craved that next great horror author. Nick Cutter filled that need very quickly.

My Thoughts on Each Nick Cutter Book

I am going to not try and write these little recaps as reviews. Instead, I want to share my thoughts on each and why they all called to me in different ways. I will do them in the order I read them:

The Deep

If memory serves, I picked up this book either as a sale or on Kindle Unlimited. I went in totally blind and was instantly blown away. The majority of the story takes place in an underwater facility, with only a fleeting mention of the illness affecting humanity above. Almost immediately, I felt claustrophobic and creeped out. It only got worse as the book wore on, making it an almost exhausting read. As soon as I finished The Deep, I wanted more from this author.

The Troop

While The Deep was a slow burn that wormed under the skin, The Troop was an exercise in body horror that left little to the imagination. Of all Cutter’s books, this is the one that I think would be the best on the silver screen, although there are a couple of scenes of animal cruelty that would likely not make the final cut. I loved the use of court documents and newspaper clippings to help build the story, although even without those, the plight of a Boy Scout troop on a deserted island would be horrific enough. This one left a mark on me.

The Queen

By the time I finished The Troop, Cutter’s newest release had hit the shelves. I bought the hardcover copy of The Queen and tore through it rather quickly. Again, this book veers heavily into body horror and a transformation that is nothing short of chilling. The Queen is also home to an absolutely fantastic villain, whose arc of evil began with a horrific event involving ants. There are times, especially at the start, where there is a feeling of confusion, but once all the parts are revealed, you realize just how brilliantly Cutter has built this world.

Little Heaven

If you are looking for a gentle entry into Cutter’s work, Little Heaven is the one I would suggest. The horror here is not on full display, but it is definitely still there. We have a trio of mercenaries bound through deals made with an evil entity. They love separate lives, but they are pulled together to rescue a boy from a cult. When the story focuses on the killers, it feels more like an action tale, but once the cult portions arrive, we quickly find out where the true horror lives. Little Heaven feels like a sweeping epic when compared to Cutter’s other work, to the point of being clearly distinct from the rest.

Books I Still Need to Read

I have yet to read The Handyman Method, which Cutter co-wrote with another author. I also still need to read The Dorians, which was just released this past month. I am sure the new release will be my next read of his, and I cannot wait to dive into that one.

I think it is more than fair to say that Nick Cutter is the best modern horror author out there at the moment, although Adam Nevill is also worthy of a mention. How about you guys? Who would you choose as the best in the biz right now?