Rachel Taff — PAPER CUT: A NOVEL - with Brittany Kerfoot
March 17, 2026
58 min
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529 of 672

March 17, 2026
Rachel Taff — PAPER CUT: A NOVEL - with Brittany Kerfoot
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Politics and Prose Episodes Around March 17, 2026
Episode 529 of 672 — walk the feed in the order it was published.
58:23This episodeRachel Taff — PAPER CUT: A NOVEL - with Brittany Kerfoot
Summary
<p>A page-turning suspense debut about a woman infamous for escaping a cult as a teenager, whose future is threatened when dangerous secrets come back to haunt her—perfect for fans of Jessica Knoll and The Girls.</p><p>Lucy Golden is a true-crime icon, infamous for the murder she committed while escaping a California cult twenty years ago. But as everyone in Los Angeles knows, fame is fleeting, and Lucy and her story are always just one news cycle away from obscurity. Not to mention, she’s fending off a stalker and moderating an icy feud between her acclaimed photographer mother and her scandalous rock star sister. Worst of all, online trolls are asking increasingly threatening questions about the legendary crime. Questions that could tear her life apart.</p><p>So when a hotshot documentarian makes her case the subject of his next film, Lucy sees a chance to silence any doubters once and for all. But as filming begins, she must return to the California desert and come face-to-face with a cast of players from her torrid history. Of course, the past is never what it seems, and long-buried secrets soon collide with present-day threats. Can Lucy stop her doubters from digging up the truth before it’s too late? And how far will she go to protect the story she’s been telling—and selling—all along?</p><p>Told in a narrative split between the present day and Lucy’s hit memoir about her fated summer in the cult<strong>, </strong><a href="https://politics-prose.com/book/9780063380394"><strong>Paper Cut</strong></a><strong> </strong>combines psychological suspense with coming-of-age Californian cult noir and a sharp examination of the true-crime phenomenon. As incisive as it is propulsive, this mesmerizing debut will keep readers hooked until the last page.</p><p><strong>Rachel Taff</strong> is an author and television producer. Most recently, Rachel was the Director of Development at Dynamic Television, known for <em>Ginny and Georgia</em>, where she sold projects to Amazon and Hallmark. Previously, Rachel worked for Emmy-winning director Thomas Schlamme’s Shoe Money Productions, where she developed projects for FX and managed a production slate including <em>Snowfall</em> and <em>The Plot Against America</em>. Additional credits include <em>SMILF</em>, <em>American Dad, </em>and <em>Fresh Off the Boat</em>. Rachel earned a Media Arts & Entertainment degree at Elon University. After a decade in Los Angeles, she now lives in Atlanta with her husband and their Portuguese water dog. <a href="https://politics-prose.com/book/9780063380394"><em><strong>Paper Cut</strong></em></a> is her first novel.</p><p>Taff is in conversation with<strong> Brittany Kerfoot</strong>, she received a BA in English and an MFA in Creative Writing from George Mason University. Currently, she manages events for Planned Parenthood, teaches virtual classes for Politics and Prose, and co-produces a storytelling series for women and non-binary people called Generation Women DC. She is also on the advisory board for the Alan Cheuse International Writers Center. She is at work on her first novel.</p><p>PURCHASE:</p><p>https://politics-prose.com/book/9780063380394?ic_referral=2ygdq2-xM8F4pe8_dwbu_dODPZP0YdsfujBeFyM8WQ8wM6Jyg4UM13iozflXqRhUAgO4Fzk-GD09ofWdbPWHGTcDjd7iZMwtw__xDyExiz1kj2D_kV6VXBKS0nTC9XwsV0NzM7s</p>