Blazing Obsession

How would you react if your wife, stepson and baby daughter were murdered in an arson attack and the arsonist was tried and acquitted on a technicality? How would you feel if DNA evidence proved the arsonist’s guilt, but the 800-year-old laws of double jeopardy meant that he couldn’t be retried?

This is a story of obsession, revenge and justice. James Hamilton meets and falls in love with Lynne Burrows, whose ex-husband Nick is a violent, drug-dealing control freak who will not accept that their marriage is over and continually harasses her, and questions their eight-year-old son Georgie constantly about Lynne’s relationships. After Lynne falls pregnant again with James’ child, Nick abducts Georgie and flees to Florida. James and Lynne trick him into returning voluntarily and Nick is arrested on landing at Gatwick. He’s charged and sentenced to seven years.

James and Lynne marry and live a life of bliss for two years, until there is an arson attack on James’ holiday cottage. Four months later, the police charge a small-time criminal and drug dealer. Despite overwhelming evidence, he’s acquitted and never reveals who is behind the arson attack. The obvious candidate is Nick, but he’s still incarcerated and the police can find no evidence linking him to the crime. Sickened by the judge’s decision, James becomes obsessed with getting justice for his family when he discovers that Lynne has been concealing secrets about her past. Together with a private eye and Lynne’s best friend, he plans the perfect retribution against the perpetrators...

Blazing Obsession shows how powerful revenge and obsession are, and how they can result in fatal consequences. The novel, which combines police procedural, legal drama and amateur sleuth genres, will appeal primarily to crime fans.

Dai Henley sold his successful business in 2004, after which he retired and joined a Creative Writing class. Writing became his number one passion, and he has attended many workshops and seminars at the Winchester Writers’ annual conference. In 2010, he published his autobiography, B POSITIVE! Dai also received Highly Commended awards for his short stories at the Christchurch Writers annual competition in 2011 and 2012.