BRUTAL JUSTICE

By William J. Riley

Brutal Justice opens in Hull, where Derek "Hangman" Geohagan, once the howling frontman of cult noise band Brutal Justice , attempts to hit a high note at a local gig and ends up pissing himself mid-scream. The clip goes viral. The internet laughs. But something strange happens -- people remember. The band's old name starts trending. And for Derek, the piss becomes a signal: maybe there's still noise left in him. The novel spirals outward from this humiliation, reuniting Derek with his former bandmates -- all of whom are in various states of post-band decay. Barry, the bassist, lives alone in his dead mum's council house, clinging to demo tapes and faded gig posters. Spartacus, the drummer, is now working the counter at a butcher's, hiding his past as an anarcho-vegan firestarter. Lazlo, the guitarist, has vanished entirely -- last seen in a psychiatric unit quoting lyrics to seagulls. Fleur, a disillusioned music journalist scraping by in a mouldy Leeds flat, sees a comeback story -- and possibly a career-saving one. The novel follows these misfits as they stumble toward a reunion none of them are emotionally prepared for. Each chapter alternates perspective, diving deep into the rot of modern Britain: parole check-ins, warehouse shifts, online abuse, past betrayals, and failed relationships. The past looms large -- lost gigs, burned venues, and the things they did for attention before the world moved on. As Fleur assembles the pieces, her motivations come into question. Is this about telling their story, or using them to claw back relevance? Barry believes again, naïvely so. Spartacus resents everything, especially himself. Derek's stuck between death and defiance. And Lazlo's return is less triumphant and more... unstable. The band gets a rehearsal booked. Old instruments emerge from cupboards. Old wounds do too. There are fights, reconciliations, hospital visits, and the occasional burst of something close to joy. But nothing comes clean. Their first official reunion show ends in chaos -- and a stage collapse. Yet somehow, the band doesn't break. Not quite. Through the noise, they start to remember why it mattered -- not the fame, but the fury. The ability to scream something honest into a world built on silence. Fleur gets her story -- but it isn't the one she planned...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0F59MDFG6
• ISBN13: 9798319412225
• Release Date: April 2025
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 390 Pages
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 1.0" x 6.0"