Caught in the Crossfire
Updated: 2 days ago
Now on pre-order for November from Amazon
One Mistake Ignites a Vendetta
There can be no greater pleasure for a writer than to complete a book, novel, or story. So, here in The Writer's Angle, I’m thrilled to announce the completion of my American, New York-based novel: 90,000 words taking it to a modest 351 pages.
As a special extra, I’ve included a bonus short story—Triple Contract, from my book Fatal Contracts—to give readers a further taste of what’s to come.
What is Caught in the Crossfire About?
The Short Answer:
Dylan Murphy thought he was starting over—until stepping into a cartel's crosshairs put his life, and the woman he loves, on the line.
Synposis:
Dylan Murphy’s sister, Brianna, has officially had enough of his complete lack of ambition. After a reckless stunt gets him fired from a construction site, she calls in her very last favor to land him a job at Brooklyn’s Blackwood Funeral Home—run by a relative of Roseanna Kennedy, a powerful mob insider.
Roseanna and her grandmother are trying to clean up the syndicate's dirty empire, but her rogue cousin is determined to drag them back into the brutal old ways. Caught right in the middle, Dylan is plunged headfirst into a lethal criminal underworld.
Blackwood is rotting from the inside out: drugs are moving through the accounting books, a mysterious accident occurs at a funeral service, and Melina, the captivating trainee Dylan is falling for, vanishes without a trace after discovering a lethal secret. From a mysterious murder in New Jersey to dangerous ties between a mob heir and a Mexican cartel, every thread leads back to Blackwood—and a shadowy mastermind named Benedetti who is pulling all the strings.
Dylan can’t coast his way out of this one. To survive the turf war, protect his sister, and rescue Melina, he has to step up for once in his life—before Blackwood becomes his own final resting place.
Rewind Three Years...
Three years in the making sounds like a long time, but tightening and refining a story is essential whether you are a seasoned author or a novice.
Crossfire actually started life as a short story called The Crimson Joker, where the protagonist gets caught up with an undertaker as a prank. While it was a fun premise, initial beta reader feedback told a different story: the original protagonist was a total psychopath—so damaged that he lacked heart. The character needed to evolve into someone readers could actually root for, and so Dylan Murphy was born.
There are a number of similar titles, but this fitted well and as they say, no man is an island that we cannot own a title alone. Dylan cannot avoid being caught up in the crossfire!
As Dylan became the target of a vendetta, the funeral home setting took on a much bigger role in the plot. The working title shifted to The Guardian Angel, and through discussions with my principal editor, themes of religion and morality began to emerge naturally against the dark background of the story.
Then, real life provided a bizarre parallel. When BBC News reported on the 2024 scandal involving Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull—where police discovered 35 bodies after a raid—it really drove home just how vulnerable and unregulated the industry could be. It also highlighted a fascinating contrast across the Atlantic:
United States: Strictly regulated by law. Requires mandatory state licensing and an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Mortuary Science.
United Kingdom: Legally unregulated. No mandatory legal qualifications required to practice, relying instead on voluntary body accreditation and on-the-job training.
Realizing how intricately regulated (and deeply complex) US funeral operations are gave me the perfect pressure-cooker environment. It became the backdrop for everything involving my cast: an ex-army sergeant, her cousin (a sharp lawyer), and a young Italian apprentice.
Words Across the Atlantic
A visit to Brooklyn and Manhattan in 2024 helped flesh out local geography—and even provided the setting for Triple Contract, the bonus short story included with the book.
Translating vocabulary between UK and US English is relatively straightforward with common nouns, but capturing natural American speech patterns is a minefield. Enter my US editor, Lisa.
Most of the locations in the book exist in the real world. I just hope the owners of the $15 million property in Westhampton Beach on Long Island don't mind me taking over their residence in my imagination! Lisa fortuitously lives on Long Island herself; having visited that beautiful part of New York back in 1981, I can confirm it's as stunning as ever.
I decided to write this book in American English although generally I would use British English in my writing. The book will be available on Amazon.co.uk but the initial launch is through Amazon's US site.
Genre: Thriller-Crime-Romance!
Between developmental editing, storyboard designs, and multiple rewrites, the book underwent significant polish. Beta readers are invaluable here, provided you choose people who genuinely enjoy the genre you write.
For me, the key ingredients of a great story—especially one aimed purely at entertainment rather than Booker Prize ambition—are fast pace, authenticity, a dash of romance, kick-ass action, and satisfying retribution.
Redesigning Dylan away from his original psychopathic incarnation allowed for much richer character dynamics, especially with his sister Brianna. This introduced two compelling storylines running side-by-side. I’ve also always been drawn to strong female leads who can hold their own. While Roseanna brings the legal intellect, Terry (Theresa) brings raw physical force—she is never far from the action and acts as the ultimate guardian angel.
Twists are vital to reward the reader’s investment of time and money. And while I prefer leaving gratuitous, sordid scenes to other writers, the book features authentic relationships—including an LGBT element integrated naturally—giving it a grounded, real-life edge.
This isn't a cozy Enid Blyton story, but I hope the final resolution brings readers a true sense of restitution.
About the Author
Born in the U.K., British author and former academic clinician Rob C Blyth has been writing fiction since 2014, starting with a storybook for his grandchildren. He wrote the autobiographical novel A Hard Act to Follow after writing the short-story collection Fatal Contracts, available on Amazon Books, and has a strong interest in historical fiction, crime, and espionage. His latest book for 2026 is Caught in the Crossfire.
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