Smash Cut: A Novel by Sandra Brown; Unabridged MP3 Audio Book; Narrator Victor Slezak

The latest thriller from "masterful storyteller" (USA Today) Sandra Brown

THE PRINCIPALS: Paul Wheeler: CEO of the Wheeler Enterprises empire, is shot dead during an armed robbery. Julie Rutledge: A savvy, cultured, and attractive Southern woman, was hand-inhand with Paul Wheeler at the time of his death. Derek Mitchell: A defense lawyer of renown, he goes to the mat to make a case for every client—and headlines for himself. Creighton Wheeler: The prodigal nephew of Paul and a playboy with a passion for movies. Even those closest to Creighton can't be sure when he exits reality and enters the fantasy world of films.

STORYBOARD: The murder of Paul Wheeler has all the elements of a blockbuster: family rivalries, incalculable wealth, and a prominent man dying in the arms of his beautiful mistress. It's a case that could earn Derek Mitchell even greater star power. When the Wheeler family approaches him about defending Creighton for his uncle's murder—even before he's charged—he jumps at the chance.

Although Creighton has a rock-solid alibi, Julie is convinced that he is responsible for Paul's murder. Caught in several lies, and keeping secrets from Derek and the police, Julie is suspected of casting blame on Creighton to cover her own crime. Meanwhile, Derek fears he's being duped…yet he burns with jealousy when he thinks of Julie with her late lover. But the more Derek learns about Creighton, the more he doubts the young man's innocence. And hiding in a squalid motel under an assumed name is the one man, a career criminal, a killer, who knows the truth. The clock ticks down toward a shocking ending that can't be known until the final SMASH CUT.

"This superlative romantic thriller from bestseller Brown (Smoke Screen) features a particularly memorable villain, sociopath Creighton Wheeler, who's obsessed with re-enacting scenes from films like Strangers on a Train and Frenzy.... Multiple smash cuts (abrupt scene shifts) lead to a wonderfully frenzied finish." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Brown delivers more than a few thrills and surprises in this taut, satisfying page-turner." -- Booklist

"Packed with surprises and the kind of propulsive plot for which Brown (Smoke Screen, 2008, etc.) is justly famous, this effort will not disappoint her readers." -- Kirkus

"Most crime thrillers come from male authors. But with Smash Cut, Sandra Brown shows that she's right up with the best of the boys.... [Brown's] dialogue snaps, crackles and pops, and her characters rise above cliché. Smash Cut deserves to be this summer's blockbuster thriller." -- St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Sandra Brown is the author of numerous New York Times bestsellers--including most recently Smash Cut, Smoke Screen, Play Dirty, Ricochet, Chill Factor, White Hot, Hello, Darkness, The Crush, and Envy.  She is the recipient of the 2008 Thriller Master Award from International Thriller Writers, Inc. She and her husband live in Arlington, Texas.

Victor Slezak's films include The Siege, Just Cause, The Bridges of Madison County, and Beyond Rangoon. On television, he appeared in PBS's The Ponder Heart (director Martha Coolidge), and HBO's Path to War (director John Frankenheimer). His Broadway performances include Salome, with Al Pacino, Jackie: An American Life, and The Graduate, opposite Kathleen Turner.