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Real Life is the Inspiration
Rough Diamond, Rough Justice follows a former professional photographer turned MI5 surveillance agent who winds up in the diamond trade, where killing is not optional; it is the only way to survive. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Real life experiences was the inspiration. As it says at the beginning of Rough Diamond, Rough Justice: This book is a work of fiction, inspired by several real-life events and real people. Names, characters, incidents, and places are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
There was a lot of time spent crafting the character traits in this novel. What was the most important factor for you to get right in your characters?
Reality was the most important factor. As it says in Rough Diamond, Rough Justice when Cain was talking to his best friend:
‘We will have to write that book when we retire,’ Cain suggested.
‘All those secrets,’ said Detective Sergeant Jerry Davis (a member of The Royal Protection Team). ‘Perhaps we will.’
In real life, my best friend unexpectedly died, so I wrote our book alone.
I felt that the action scenes were expertly crafted. I find that this is an area that can be overdone in novels. How did you approach this subject to make sure it flowed evenly?
In real life action can only go so far. Seeing too much in movies, TV series – and having a karate black belt – plus a couple of personal experiences helped me craft the action.
Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out and what can your fans expect in the next story?
This is my first book. I have written an initial 40,000 words of a sequel about Cain, set in South Africa & England. Will I finish it? Time will tell.
Recovering from injuries sustained protecting the Royal Family, Cain embraces a new life and romance in sun-drenched Australia, leaving his past life behind.
But when tragedy strikes, he is on the move again. This time to a new career in the world of diamond dealings in Florida.
Curiosity takes Cain to the diamond world in South Africa, where his past finally catches up with him, the criminal world allies against him and he becomes a killer again.
In Cain’s action-packed escapades, a spectacular betrayal takes him into the rigours of a Chinese prison where the truth about his past begins to unravel.
Aided by a loyal band of friends from the shadowy world of intelligence, he delivers his own particular brand of rough justice.
However, with enemies closing in on all sides, will Cain prevail?
Rough Diamond Rough Justice
Avien Gray’s Rough Diamond, Rough Justice is a gritty and cinematic thriller that follows Cain, a former professional photographer turned MI5 surveillance agent, as he navigates a world of espionage, betrayal, and violence. Starting in early 1990s Britain, where the digital world had yet to take over, the story opens with a stakeout gone wrong and spirals into a bloody encounter that sees Cain commit his first kill. What follows is his slow, reluctant descent into a covert government agency known as the Bureau, an off-the-books group tasked with eliminating threats to national security. Alongside his best friend Jerry, a member of the Royal Protection Team, Cain undergoes a transformation from observer to executioner, trading in his camera lens for a Beretta.
I enjoyed the writing style. It’s punchy and full of swagger, packed with banter, dry wit, and sharp observations. The dialogue pops. There’s a real rhythm to it, almost like watching a well-rehearsed play where the pauses and timing matter just as much as the lines. The early scenes between Cain and Jerry crackle with believable camaraderie. I felt like I was eavesdropping on two lifelong mates who’d seen far too much and still managed to laugh at life’s mess. And the pacing was great as well. It hits the gas early and never really lets up. Even the quieter moments carry a tension, like something’s about to go sideways. And often, it does.
But it’s not just the action that carries the weight. The book dives deep into moral gray areas like what it means to kill, how one justifies it, and what’s left behind after the blood dries. Cain isn’t a gung-ho hero. He’s thoughtful, even reluctant, but deadly when pushed. His reflections after his first kill, mixed with dark humor and flashes of raw honesty, got under my skin. I found myself rooting for him and questioning him at the same time. That tension between duty and humanity gave the story its real punch. I also appreciated the nostalgic backdrop. The pre-digital details, the analog grit. It grounded everything in a tangible, almost tactile realism.
Rough Diamond, Rough Justice is a fierce and memorable read across the world. In Britain, Australia, the United States, South Africa, and a Chinese prison in 2005. It blends old-school spy grit with a modern sense of psychological depth. I’d recommend it to fans of The Spy Who Came In from the Cold who don’t mind a bit more blood and banter, or anyone who enjoys fast-paced thrillers with brains. If you like your action served with sharp edges and a stiff drink, this one’s for you.
Rough Diamond, Rough Justice is a recipient of the Literary Titan Book Award.
Pages: 516 | ASIN : B0DDW2C1XP
LITERARY TITAN 