Origin of the pseudonym Nick Cutter
Cutter explains that "Nick" is his son's name, while "Cutter" came from brainstorming short, punchy surnames suited for horror writers, comparable to King or Koontz.
Nick Cutter
Canadian
Craig Davidson is a Canadian author of short stories and novels, who has published work under both his name and the pen names Patrick Lestewka and Nick Cutter.
On LuvemBooks, we've reviewed The Troop.
1
Books ReviewedIn Nick Cutter's own words
Author Craig Davidson discusses writing horror under the pen name Nick Cutter on CBC's Q.
Uploaded by Q with Tom Power, 2015 · Watch on YouTube ·
Rejecting the concept of artistic suffering
Cutter rejects the literary idea that serious art requires misery and weeping into the carpet. He explains that writing horror gives him genuine joy and is fundamentally fun.
A strict daily writing quota
Cutter maintains a disciplined daily target of 1,000 words. He refuses to step out of his writing room until that word count is complete, whether it takes until noon or late evening.
Softening tone in upcoming horror novels
Cutter mentions that while his first two books under the pseudonym were intensely visceral, his third and fourth novels are noticeably less gruesome as he softens with age.
Reaction to praise from Stephen King
Cutter describes feeling completely baffled while sitting on his couch when an email arrived with an endorsement from Stephen King, his lifelong idol.
Nick Cutter books in order
1 books; 1 reviewed on LuvemBooks. Dates and covers from Amazon.
2014Our review →
Ask LuvemBooks about Nick Cutter
Nick Cutter is the horror pen name of Canadian author Craig Davidson, and we've reviewed 1 of their books so far. That book, The Troop, strands five Boy Scouts and their scoutmaster on a remote island against a parasitic threat — a premise that won the inaugural James Herbert Award for Horror Writing and earned a blurb from Stephen King. Readers on Amazon have rated it 4.1/5 across more than 15,000 ratings.
- Where should I start?
- The Troop is the natural starting point — it's the Nick Cutter book we've reviewed, and it was the author's horror debut under this pen name. The premise is self-contained: five Boy Scouts and their scoutmaster face a parasitic nightmare on a remote island. With a 4.1/5 reader rating from over 15,000 Amazon ratings, it's also the book most readers have already vetted.
- What's their writing style?
- Based on The Troop, Nick Cutter leans into visceral, high-concept horror: an isolated setting, a small cast of characters, and a biological threat — in this case a parasite — that closes in on them. The setup puts ordinary people, here a scout troop, under extreme pressure rather than relying on the supernatural. That approach was distinctive enough to earn the inaugural James Herbert Award and a Stephen King endorsement.
- Books we've reviewed
- We've reviewed 1 Nick Cutter book: The Troop, a 2014 horror novel in which five Boy Scouts and their scoutmaster confront a parasitic nightmare on a remote island. It won the inaugural James Herbert Award for Horror Writing and holds a 4.1/5 reader rating from 15,349 Amazon ratings. We'll add more Nick Cutter reviews as we cover their work.
- What genre do they write?
- Nick Cutter writes horror. The Troop, the book we've reviewed, is firmly in that genre: a parasitic threat, a remote island, and a scout troop with nowhere to run. It's the horror wing of Craig Davidson's broader career, which also includes short stories and novels published under their own name.
- What should I read after The Troop?
- The Deep is the most natural next step — it's another notable Nick Cutter work, though we haven't reviewed it yet, so we can't speak to it in detail. Within our own coverage, The Troop is currently the only Nick Cutter title we've reviewed, so check back as we expand. Its 4.1/5 reader rating from over 15,000 Amazon ratings suggests the author's audience is well established.
Who is Nick Cutter?
Where should I start?
What's their writing style?
Books we've reviewed
What genre do they write?
What should I read after The Troop?
Who is Nick Cutter?
Nick Cutter is the pen name of Craig Davidson, a Canadian author of short stories and novels who has also published under the name Patrick Lestewka. As Nick Cutter, they write horror — their reviewed novel The Troop won the inaugural James Herbert Award for Horror Writing and drew praise from Stephen King. The Deep is another of their notable works.
Follow up
Is Nick Cutter a real person?
What awards has Nick Cutter won?
Synthesized from verified book data & published reviews · How we review
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A
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