Introducing Col Bury
Author Website – Goodreads – Books on Amazon
Where did the idea for the story come from?
I’d already had a male vigilante book traditionally published (My Kind of Justice) but wanted to tackle a female lead versus a female vigilante and, after invaluable input from a couple of female editors I know, from early feedback, it appears I managed to pull it off!
Give a quote from the books, one that says little but speaks volumes.
Killing them was her fantasy, soon to be her reality…
Give a short summary of what the book is about.
Jess was ‘wronged’ by a group of men and her life completely torn apart. This forced her into martial arts to protect herself but throughout her training she fantasised about revenge. A twist of fate forces her to act… and some! Meanwhile, hungry rookie detective, Liv Mendes (who has her own dark secret) is out to prove herself to her new, somewhat ‘old school’, colleagues in GMP’s Murder Investigation Team. And on a violent and emotional journey of twists and turns, their paths collide…
What genre is it?
Crime fiction thriller.
How many pages is it?
377 pages
Why do you think the readers will want to read it?
Any female reader who has felt threatened or intimidated (or worse) by a man would relate to, and even empathise with, the female anti-hero. From feedback so far, people also like the complex and humble lead detective too, so readers may be torn as to what conclusion they would actually prefer.
Where are you located?
I’m Manchester born and bred but now live at the North outer edge of the Peak District
Book Blurb
Two women. Two pasts they can’t outrun. One violent path that will bring them together.
When a series of brutal murders hits Manchester’s criminal underworld, rookie detective Liv Mendes is determined to prove herself. The victims are dangerous men, but the killer is skilled and leaves almost nothing behind — a level of precision that doesn’t fit gang retaliation, despite what her colleagues insist.
Liv senses something else. Something personal.
Because somewhere in the city, a woman who once survived hell has spent five long years preparing. Training. Waiting. And now the names she feared seeing again have finally resurfaced, forcing her to finally take action.
As Liv digs deeper, the truth behind the killings becomes harder to ignore — and even harder to condemn. The closer she gets to the killer, the closer she gets to her own buried past… and the line between justice and revenge begins to blur.
Gritty. Dark. Relentless. Wronged Woman is a revenge thriller with a conscience.
Excerpt
Jess Lawler discreetly watched and eavesdropped as Craig McEwan chatted to a vaguely familiar and rather attractive detective at the CPS office counter. She sounded Mancunian and had an exotic hint of Mediterranean in her complexion, with glossy raven-black hair in a ponytail. Jess wondered where she’d seen her before.
Apparently, she was the officer in the case regarding the file for which Jess was still trying to locate the witness, Lindsey Turner. Jess had hit a brick wall with that, and she wondered if the detective had fared any better.
When McEwan lowered his suave tones and made the cop chuckle with some inaudible wisecrack, purposely whispered it seemed, her beaming smile made her look even prettier. Jess felt a faint twang of jealousy, which surprised her enough for her to internally castigate herself. Weird when you consider the number of rebuffs she’d given McEwan over the last two years since her first day in the office.
As she continued to strain her ears to listen, Jess also noticed that the smile was perhaps just polite, since the woman’s face became almost instantly stern again.
‘So, are you gonna inform the victim, Liv?’
The officer sighed resignedly. ‘Yeah, and that’s not a conversation I’m looking forward to.’
Jess’s stomach knotted with nervous excitement, now knowing for certain that the fantastical plans she’d put on ice were soon to be thawed. As the severity of the situation dawned, a steely determination engulfed her.
The cop bade farewell to McEwan and just as she turned for the door her eyes met with Jess’s. The look was not quite a stare, but enough to make her heart skip with premature guilt. She realised how intense she may have appeared and consciously relaxed her facial features to break into a courteous smile. The cop nodded and smiled back before leaving. Jess breathed out, instinctively feeling it wouldn’t be the last time their eyes met. A surprising serenity flooded through her, knowing for certain what she must now do.
She knew the mission was mammoth, filled with great danger and possibly both physically and mentally beyond her capabilities. They were big strong men, probably twice her size and body weight, but if cornered she would fight to the death. Of course they would too, being testosterone-fuelled doormen.
Nonetheless, crucially, she would have the element of surprise. Also, apart from the obvious Thai boxing and weapons training, the latter which she’d done secretly, there were two other major factors that she hoped would tip the balance in her favour and that gave her the confidence to finally go for it. Firstly, she had nothing to lose and, more importantly, she didn’t have the distraction of a penis.
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