Shafted: The Beginning <— BRITISH MAFIA CRIME THRILLER ALERT!! JUST RECENTLY WENT LIVE & the author is today’s post & newsletter sponsor! He’s sent over fun details about the book and an exclusive excerpt just for us!
Revenge stories always make me stop scrolling… especially when they involve family secrets, the mafia, jewel heists, and characters who’ve spent years waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Today’s featured author introduces the first book in a four-part saga inspired by a real-life violent crime that sparked the entire idea. If you love stories where betrayal lingers, loyalties are tested, and revenge is anything but simple, this one might be worth adding to your TBR…
The synopsis screams:
- revenge
- mafia
- London
- family betrayal
- jewel heists
- murder
- passion
Did You Know?
- This entire four-book saga was inspired by learning about a real-life savage murder.
- The author didn’t know how the series would end when he started writing—it evolved as the characters took on lives of their own.
- Books 1 and 2 explore how revenge shapes three young lives.
- The remaining books expand into courtroom battles, mafia strategy, and one final question:
Was revenge ever worth it?
So what’s it about?
I’m H C Taylor, inspired by a savage crime to write a four-book series linked to the mafia. My book follows three young people on a quest driven by passion and revenge against an arrogant British lawyer.
In “Shafted: The Beginning,” the lives of three young individuals are irrevocably altered by the reckless actions of an arrogant British lawyer. Twin brothers Toni and Luigi Virenti witness their father’s tragic death at the hands of this lawyer, setting them on a path of vengeance orchestrated by their godfather.
Meanwhile, Julia, the lawyer’s adopted daughter, uncovers a shocking secret that shatters her world. As they each bide their time, their destinies converge in a thrilling tale of ambition and retribution. Julia, seeking independence, partners with a Swiss financial expert to launch a sports agency, while Toni, now in the UK, becomes entangled in a high-stakes heist involving a wealthy Arab and priceless jewels.
As Julia and Toni’s paths intertwine, they embark on daring escapades, culminating in a revelation that promises to change everything. This gripping narrative of passion, betrayal, and intrigue marks the end of “The Beginning.”
The author says:
‘Shafted – The Beginning’ is the first story in a tetralogy. The essential read after this is ‘Shafted – A Consequence of Passion’ (ACOP) It tells the story of the savage murder that started me off on this series at the very beginning. This edition is planned to be published in say two to three months time. It’s already written. The two that follow are Pursuit and The Encounter. Hopefully both will be published this year.
“Who do you think achieved their passion for revenge?’
The three main characters in the first two editions seeking revenge against the lawyer are twins Tony and Luigi Verenti. Lawson, the lawyer, mowed down and killed their father when they were young boys and they witnessed the killing. The third person is Julia Lawson, the lawyers adopted daughter. The relationship between the two is strained to say the least.
By pure accident she discovers *SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOLER ALERT* and she vows revenge…
Song! If my memory serves me well I think one was mentioned when Juliet Jones (aka Julia Lawson) was driving her car. P17, Led Zepplin on the radio.
H.C. And 5 facts about the stories
1 – The initial thought that I could write a fictional crime story came after I was to learn of a savage murder.
2 – I needed to bring into the story what is generally perceived as violence and extortion. Hence the mafia.
3 – It then became essential to link the mafia with a violent crime committed in the UK.
4 – Characters came to mind and they grew in numbers as the story progressed
5 – The plot was essential but in the early stages of writing the conclusion was a total unknown. The more I wrote new ideas and characters came to mind and interesting activities took place.
6 – The first two books tell the story of how passion drives three young people seeking revenge.
7 – The third book is an intriguing story of the godfather instructing the mafia’s top lawyer to challenge the British legal system in its wrongful act in jailing an innocent person. While he the godfather
plots an alternative mafia way of releasing him.
8 – The fourth and final book in the tetralogy tells the story of an innocent Italian on a mission in America to find the woman that shafted him to a life imprisonment sentence and deciding if revenge was ever worthwhile.
Shafted: The Beginning
