Col Bury writes hardboiled, sharp, witty and menacing fiction. His first novel is My Kind Of Justice. It is about DI Jack Striker’s investigation into what appears to be a gang slaying until a second murder is committed. Col met me at The Slaughterhouse where we talked about his new release and whether crime fiction sanitises crime.
Tell us about My Kind Of Justice.
Newly-appointed DI Jack Striker, of GMP’s Major Incident Team, has a dark secret, one that would land him in prison.
Striker’s first case seems to be a straight-forward gang-on-gang slaying, until a second notorious youth is found hanged. Before Striker has any chance to investigate, bodies begin stacking-up at an alarming rate.
With the hot breath of the brass burning his neck, Striker knows this case will make or break him as a detective. To make matters worse, hard-faced DCI Maria Cunningham and her faithful side-kick, DI Vinnie Stockley are onto him.
With the killer mixing MO’s and leaving the police virtually no leads, he recognises the work of a highly-skilled vigilante killer on a mission.
Striker’s nephew being put into a coma by the media-dubbed ‘Hoodie Hunter’, makes it personal. When the strain begins to show, Striker is ordered to take leave. Determined to solve the case, he runs an unofficial op’ with his trusty colleagues, stunning DC Lauren Collinge and politically-incorrect DC Eric Bardsley, both placed directly in the line of fire.
The killer’s trail leads Striker into his own shady past, but will he catch the Hoodie Hunter before he or a colleague becomes the next victim?
Do you think too much crime fiction sanitises crime?
Good question. In the wrong mind it could. Then again, the cops I know are rather desensitised to real crime, since they see it every day. So even in the ‘right mind’, if you overdose on anything your view of it will change. I’d say too much crime fiction probably does dilute people’s reactions to it somewhat. Maybe fiction (and movies) glamourising crime makes it more acceptable somehow.
Not sure I answered the question – I’m not a politician, honest!
Do you think revenge is lawless justice?
Another good question. (My brain is starting to hurt a bit.)
It can be, but it depends on the level of revenge. Obviously murder is the extreme example, though there is poetic justice out there, say, when someone intervenes to assist the victim while chastising the bully. However, I reiterate, in reality it’s best to let the justice system dish out revenge. If this fails… then that’s when you may have on your hands someone like the ‘Hoodie Hunter’ from MY KIND OF JUSTICE.
What else is on the cards for you this year?
(Back to my level, thanks.) I am currently writing the second DI Jack Striker novel, with many more to follow. I also have several other projects on the go, including another crime series involving a female anti-hero, plus I’m playing around with a comedy book, which provides a welcome break from the sobriety of crime. Another short crime story collection is inevitable too.
Thanks for having me, Richard.
Thank you Col for an informative interview.
Links:
Col Bury’s debut novel, ‘My Kind Of Justice’ is due out 18 June. Pre-order now, at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk: Kindle and paperback
Or get a £2 discount on the paperback when you pre-order direct from the publisher, Caffeine Nights Publishing.
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