Bang Bang, You're Dead by Evan Baldock
Published by Red Dog Press
Publication Date 18th August 2020
Genre: Crime, Mystery & Thriller
Book Description:
WHEN IT COMES TO VENGEANCE, AGE IS JUST A NUMBER.
Gloria Jones has had enough. She’s sixty-five, approaching retirement, and nearing the end of her tether. If she gets abused in the street by another toerag, someone’s going to swing.
When Gloria collects a gun she saw being thrown into her local park, her decision to turn it in is quickly scuppered after she’s attacked on her way to the police station. Using the gun to make her attackers back off, she accidentally pulls the trigger, and ends up killing them both. In that moment, her life changes forever.
As she struggles to come to terms with what she’s done, Gloria begins to realise there is injustice all around and finds herself transforming from a shy, peaceful woman into a confident and ruthless vigilante, determined to help victims of crime unable to defend themselves. And so begins a three-month campaign, taking revenge against violent criminals up and down the country, helping those who can’t help themselves.
After all, who’s going to question a little old lady just going about her business? Turns out, quite a few people, on both sides of the law, and one in particular seems to know exactly what she’s been up to.
Gloria Jones has had enough. She’s sixty-five, approaching retirement, and nearing the end of her tether. If she gets abused in the street by another toerag, someone’s going to swing.
When Gloria collects a gun she saw being thrown into her local park, her decision to turn it in is quickly scuppered after she’s attacked on her way to the police station. Using the gun to make her attackers back off, she accidentally pulls the trigger, and ends up killing them both. In that moment, her life changes forever.
As she struggles to come to terms with what she’s done, Gloria begins to realise there is injustice all around and finds herself transforming from a shy, peaceful woman into a confident and ruthless vigilante, determined to help victims of crime unable to defend themselves. And so begins a three-month campaign, taking revenge against violent criminals up and down the country, helping those who can’t help themselves.
After all, who’s going to question a little old lady just going about her business? Turns out, quite a few people, on both sides of the law, and one in particular seems to know exactly what she’s been up to.
My Thoughts:
I picked this up as a kindle bargain for just 99p, and it's the best money I have spent on a book in ages.
The concept of a little old lady turning vigilante made me smile in the first instance but as I very quickly get drawn into the book I realised that Gloria Jones has very serious opinions about crime in the community.
Despite Gloria kind of 'accidentally' getting drawn into a far worse crime scenario than perhaps those she was fighting against, it didn't take her long to get quite well organised considering she had never broken the law before in her life. But at 65 years of age and not a seasoned criminal it was only a matter of time before the cracks start to appear and it became obvious that someone knew what was going on - some more influential than others. I loved the descriptions of how Gloria went from riding high on adrenalin after each shooting to the stomach churning dread of getting caught kicked in and had her jumping at shadows. Some of the scenes are slightly unbelievable for a pensioner to be getting involved in, but at the end of the day this is a fictional world and I do love a bit of 'artistic licence' - I mean, we have seen worse scenes in the movies for years and not let it spoil our entertainment.
The opinion polls suggested in the book regarding public opinion on Gloria's actions I feel are absolutely representative of how society feels about the issues which prompt her to turn vigilante, and it's spot on that while people don't like to think that they would be supporting a serial killer they can however understand exactly how a person can crack after a long period of witnessing crime and even personal assaults.
I flew through the pages of this book and couldn't wait to return to the story after having to break off to attend to my real life. I can't recommend this book enough; it's a refreshing change from the usual crime novels and even has a kind of light hearted feel to it - I shall never look at my cornflakes box in the same light again!
About the Author:
Evan was born in Pembury, Kent in 1956 and attended grammar school in Tunbridge Wells.
He left the Metropolitan Police after 30 years service in 2011, serving as one of the countries first Football Intelligence Officers until 1996, then transferring to West End Central, where for 15 years he worked in Soho.
For several years Evan helped run the Soho Unit, specialising in combating drug dealing in the West End. During his career he frequently ran test purchase and buy-bust operations against drug dealers, resulting in the seizure of large amounts of drugs, and the successful prosecution of over 200 dealers, many of whom received lengthy prison sentences.
After retiring from the Metropolitan police, Evan opened 'Sweet Expectations' in Rochester, Kent, the UK's first vegetarian sweet shop.
In 2016 he sold the shop business and retired, before taking up writing in January 2019.
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