Praise for The Cutting Room

“...the characters feel real to me, and the story they are telling is authentic and compelling. What happened to Maggie on the set of her last blockbuster film? Why is Whittaker such a morose fellow all the time? Will the film get distribution, or languish in obscurity? And for goodness’ sake, are these two crazy kids going to make out, or what? I’m not going to tell you. But you definitely want to find out.” —The Joys of a Slow Read, Alison Larabie Chase (Apt613.ca)

"With humour and insight, Dudley tells the entertaining story of an aging starlet arriving in Ottawa for a film festival and her surprising relationship with her official driver, a former communications expert for the Prime Minister’s Office. The characters are lively and believable, and the author absolutely nails official Ottawa. This delightful novel is a gentle, thoughtful story about trust, friendship and, possibly, love." —Judges panel, 2015 Ottawa Book Awards

“A thoughtful exploration of honor, trust and middle-aged romance.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Some books you enjoy because they tell a great story; others for the elegance of the prose. The best combine the two: a compelling plot with eloquent writing. Stewart Dudley does just that in The Cutting Room; a page-turner for its gripping narrative, thought-provoking dialogue and evocative descriptions. Lots of delightful extras for those of us who know Ottawa’s neighbourhoods, landmarks and politics; while clearly of wider appeal as well. I enjoyed it so much I am already looking forward to the prequel, sequel, movie and play.” —Alex Neve, Former Secretary General, Amnesty International Canada

"I so enjoyed this book. It has lingered with me long after moving on to other reads. The Cutting Room really resonates with that particular stage of life when we are confronted by all the personal and professional choices we made and where they have landed us. Oh right, that's middle age! I like the way you both poke fun at and celebrate our mid-life years.” —J.B.

"… what a great read your book is. I LOVE it. The sustained understatement is a joy. Evokes the same feelings I used to get from the naturalistic novels of the fifties. John Braine and Alan Sillitoe come to mind first. The unstated and lurking realization is that nature is indifferent to human joy and suffering, yet people go on making choices as though there were a higher purpose." —B. Hanington