Extricate by Graham Wynd
Cover Art by Sarah Anne Langton
Love hurts…but that’s the way she likes it.
EXTRICATE is a violent tale of sexual obsession, unfolding on the dark streets of a nowhere town. Peter falls for Judy the instant he lights her cigarette, but she’s his best mate’s girl — and he’s already married. He decides to begin removing obstacles — starting with his wife. How far will he be willing to go? How far does lifelong friendship go when he finally meets the woman of his peculiar dreams?
‘EXTRICATE is a twisty- turny noir tale of dishonor amongst thieves that is skewered with hot lust and cold blooded murder.’
~ Paul D. Brazill, author of Guns Of Brixton and Gumshoe
‘Crime meets erotica in a fevered novella. Graham Wynd has written a fluid and tight story with vivid characters in situations that are inextricably charged with a sexuality from which you will find it hard to extricate yourself.’
~ Richard Godwin, author of One Lost Summer, Apostle Rising and Mr Glamour
‘A fantastic tale of friendship and deceit, interspersed with sex, drink, cards, a loveless marriage, dodgy dealings, but mainly sex as Peter’s obsession and addiction to his best friend’s girl leads him down a dangerous path.’
‘Extricate blends forbidden passion and noir so seamlessly, it’s remarkable. Wynd has a very strong voice, and the prose just floats you through the story. I’m always looking for great stories that come from great writing, and Graham Wynd is someone I’m going to look out for in the future.’
~ Liam Sweeny, author of Dead Man’s Switch
Opening Paragraphs of Extricate
‘Just one kiss.’
‘Just one?’ She paused on the steps, latchkey in hand and turned those big brown eyes on him.
He tipped his hat back, trying to look like it wasn’t much important and he didn’t have a stake in her saying yes or no. ‘I think it’s only fair to get a taste of what my best mate has stolen out from under my nose while I wasn’t looking.’
She smiled. Her teeth gleamed unnaturally white in the dark. The distant rumble of traffic from the motorway provided the only soundtrack to their goodnight on the rundown entry.
That and the hammering in his heart.
‘Stolen,’ she said with a playful air. ‘How could I be stolen you’re already spoken for. You got nothing to kick at about his luck. If that’s what it is.’
He moved up to the next step, closer. Her warmth beckoned to him in the night’s chill. There would be rain later. She had said she slept better with the rain, earlier but after Dud had left.
‘You see my girl gets safe home,’ his best pal had said as he rose to go. ‘The boss needs me just now. I may be late,’ he told Judy as he leaned down to give her a perfunctory kiss on the cheek.
And all he could think was what a waste of a lush pair of lips.
They drew all his attention now. Still parted from her smile, red rouge smudged by the drinks they’d had, the cigarettes she’d sucked eagerly and stubbed out, they none the less looked ripe and ready for a bite and he was damned if he would give up this lucky chance to push his luck and see if he could just get a little taste of what he wasn’t even supposed to touch.
Paperback edition includes two novellas ‘Extricate’ and ‘Throw the Bones’ as well as a dozen ‘Brief Capers’ in a glorious wraparound cover.
*possible triggers
18 Replies to “Extricate”
Comments are closed.