Final Cut

By Olivia Worley
** Publication Date 28 October 2025 **
​4 stars




Cajun folklore has some interesting characters. La Bête Verte is the one we meet in Final Cut. The Green Beast is said to live in the swamps near the town of Pine Springs, feeding on children who don’t behave. In this novel, seems like even the ones who do behave might be subject to being eaten.


Haze Lejeune is an aspiring actress. When her first big role, in a teen slasher film, comes along, there is no way to say no. After all, she’s a huge fan of horror movies. Also, nothing better than going ‘home’ to the town where you were born but have almost no memories of.


Only the first day filming, strange things start to happen. A dead rabbit in the hallway of the high school. A light falling from a standard. A secret note in the desk drawer specifically referencing Haze. And then a murder on the set. 


As teens will be teens, these kids start to want to investigate the strange happenings themselves. They’re not only wrapped up in a horror film, but the horrors surrounding the production of this film. It’s definitely all too much. 


This was a very fun read - if you can call slasher horror ‘fun.’ Haze is a tough little cookie who is determined to shed the demons of her own past by taking this role. Cameron is the hot male lead with his own past. Autumn and Wren, the director and AD. And assorted other cast members to fill out the perfect assortment of people. 


I was left wondering which specific person could seriously be committing these crimes. The finger points to several of them throughout the novel, with the exception of Haze, our leading lady and final girl. Worley does a fine job of putting suspicion on a bunch of them. But as the characters get picked off, you’re left wondering. 


Very fun. Quick read.