Final Cut: A Charlie Salter Mystery

Andrew Thomson is a Ph.D. candidate in history at the University of
Guelph.

Final Cut is the most recent volume in Wright’s series of detective
novels featuring Inspector Charlie Salter of the Toronto police force.
The book benefits from a genuinely interesting mystery and the strongly
drawn characters that have made the series a landmark in Canadian
detective fiction.

In Final Cut, Salter is asked to investigate mysterious sabotage on the
set of a feature film being shot in Toronto. As with the other books in
this series, the novel blends familiar Toronto landmarks with an unusual
problem requiring an intelligent investigation. The descriptions of the
pitfalls in film-making ring true, and these are woven into a
challenging mystery that holds the reader’s attention even before a
murder threatens the movie. One of Wright’s great strengths is his
ability to present Salter’s family life as an important part of the
books. As his investigation proceeds, Salter’s family responsibilities
and his problems with the bureaucracy of police work combine to add
spice to the traditional detective format.

Final Cut is a strong entry in a fascinating series. Wright has created
a unique and effective protagonist in Charlie Salter, and each novel in
the series further secures his place at the forefront of Canadian
detective fiction.