Local author’s new novel ‘keeps the reader guessing’

Will Bowron said he’s had his debut crime thriller, “Vigilant,” in his head for years. He’s been working on it slowly for a long time.

When it came out this summer, he said he ended up with something of which he is really proud.

“The way I’ve heard a lot of people describing it — basically if you take Batman mixed with Game of Thrones, this is what you get,” Bowron said. “There’s a bunch of points of view of characters, and they’re complex and ambiguous and gray.”

Readers might start one chapter enjoying a protagonist but by the end of the chapter be unsure how they feel about him or her.

“There’s an interesting cast of characters, and there’s always a little bit of extra complexity there,” he said. “It keeps the reader guessing.”

Bowron has always been interested in comic books and the type of comic book hero that has risen in popularity lately. He’s also always loved writing — he earned his bachelor’s degree in creative writing from Rhodes College.

But he said when he realized that his passion wasn’t going to put food on the table, he pursued a master’s degree in business administration from Goizueta Business School at Emory University.

Along the way he also got experience in the food service industry and worked with some consumer packaged goods companies in the Atlanta area before moving back to work for his family’s business — Red Diamond Coffee & Tea. He now serves as the company’s vice president of wholesale distribution.

His writing these days typically happens before sunrise or in the evenings now that he and his wife, Caitlin, have a 2-year-old and another on the way.

“I had a lot more flexibility when I was younger to write for longer periods of time,” Bowron said. “Now it’s finding that balance between family enjoyment and creative enjoyment.”

But he’s finding that he feels the deadline pressure more now that “Vigilant” is out and readers are asking for the sequels.

“Vigilant,” the first book of the Hudson saga, tells the story of Hamington reporter Taylor Gardner as he tracks Hudson, the creator of a masked vigilante justice movement. Gardner has personal reasons for wanting to find him — he blames him for the situation that resulted in the death of one of his loved ones.

Bowron said the book’s plot was born from the core question of “how far does the effect of violence reach?”

“From Gardner’s perspective, readers are immersed in that question as they meet a host of citizens who are just trying to survive — from an exile fleeing justice, a cop owed recompense for her sacrifices, a homeless vigilante intent on making a difference, and a broken hero desperate to leave a legacy,” he said.

Bowron said “Vigilant” is a book for everyone.

“If you want to dive deeper into the literary aspects, it dives into the concept of truth and justice and the people who are responsible for creating a better environment for each other,” he said. “And if you want a beach read, an exciting story about crime, something that itches your brain more than a standard Jack Reacher novel, it’s for you.”

“Vigilant” is available in hardcover, paperback and Kindle editions. For more information, visit willbowron.com.