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Mrs. Betty Jones: Lady Vigilante

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As WW2 rages, a lone vigilante takes to the streets of New York to wage war against a powerful crime syndicate. She's the antihero the city needs, hidden in plain sight, with the perfect double life. But the past is catching up to her and it's not going to be pretty...

Winner of the Kindle Book Review Reader's Choice Award.
Winner of the Scarlet Stiletto's HQ Fiction Award for Best Thriller.

Betty Jones has a dark past, which she paints away each day with Avon cosmetics and a bright smile. She's created a new life with her picture-perfect family, but old scars are beginning to itch.

When Betty stumbles across a drug trafficking ring with sinister intentions, she recognizes the calling card of her past demons. Blessed with gifts that make her more than human, Betty is unable to live with the continuing existence of the people who once ruined her, so she embarks on a cold-blooded vigilante mission to be rid of them once and for all. But her enemies are closing in, and Betty's perfect life is beginning to crack.

In Mrs. Betty Jones: Lady Vigilante, we meet Betty one year before the main series begins. This is Betty's origin story - her transformation from domestic goddess to vintage vigilante. After a decade of blissful marriage to George, a chance encounter triggers Betty to begin hunting down the evil family she had buried in the past. Begin your journey into the Lady Vigilante Crime Series here.

Mrs. Betty Jones: Lady Vigilante is the PREQUEL episode in the thrilling vigilante crime serial readers describe as "An EXPLOSIVE laugh-out-loud story!" with the indomitable protagonist, Betty Jones, as "a female Jack Reacher", "powered as all hell" and "Sassy, Smart and Deadly!"

47 pages, ebook

Published March 1, 2021

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About the author

Hayley Camille

41 books118 followers
Hayley writes from the beautiful Sunshine Coast in Australia, usually with a cat perched on her keyboard. She has a background in archaeology and has published books in multiple genres before turning her hand at crime to win The Kindle Book Review Reader’s Choice Award and the Scarlet Stiletto's HQ Fiction 'Best Thriller' category.

The 'Lady Vigilante' Crime Series is a fast-paced, action-filled adventure that juxtaposes the quintessential 'Avon Lady' against the chauvinistic underbelly of 1940's New York. This series has been selected as a finalist in numerous international novel and screenplay awards, and a podcast of the series is currently in production.

When she's not writing or spending time with her husband and three children, Hayley enjoys running and collecting vintage teacups. Find her at HayleyCamille.com

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5 stars
26 (33%)
4 stars
24 (31%)
3 stars
18 (23%)
2 stars
4 (5%)
1 star
5 (6%)
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
Profile Image for Jerry Walch.
577 reviews15 followers
February 12, 2023
I, BETA and ARC, read for many authors. I have over one dozen author on my list. Needless-to-say, I get to read many prequels in many series. Some work well. Some don’t work at all. Most are flawed. Hayley Camille with Mrs. Betty Jones, Lady Vigilante, is one of the very few authors I have had the pleasure of reading that got everything right. The one thing that every author strives to accomplish with his or prequel novella is to hook the reader on the series and leave him or her with no choice but to dash off to their favorite bookstore and the entire series. That’s how Hayley left me with Mrs. Betty Jones, Lady Vigilante. I had no choice but to head on over to Amazon and download the entire series. If the prequel by itself hadn’t been enough to get me to grab the entire series at once, which it had been, the sneak peek into book 1 would have pushed me over the edge.

What got me was how well Hayley got the dialogue and description spot-on. She has her characters speaking like she had lived in New York back in the forties, and not like an eighties lady from Downunder. This prequel is a page burner, a rollercoaster thrill ride that will keep you glued to the edge of your seats. Each of the seven books in this series contains three episodes, except for the last book, which contains the final two. There are 20 episodes in the entire series. Perhaps you may pull yourself away and come up for air between episodes, but good luck with that. If Hayley ends each episode the way she ended our sneak peek into book one, that too will be unlikely to happen.

I can count the number of series that I have binged on over seventy some years on one hand, but now with Betty, I’ll have to move on to another hand.
18 reviews
December 14, 2020
This prequel answers some of the questions that may have cropped up if readers have been reading the series out of order or have just come to discover Hayley Camille’s delightful series. Set in New York before the outbreak of WWII and progressing from there, this series is quick, fun and full of surprises.
This delightful read gives just enough to settle the reader into a comfortable place and then turns the whole story upside down! Now, I don’t know your individual preference when searching for a book, but I like to be surprised when I read. The only way to surprise me is simply this: do not reveal the plot! I will not reveal the story; there is a blurb above which should suffice to entice you.
I will tell you the pacing, descriptions, characterizations, and tight writing are done extremely well. I have found the research to be well-rounded, from clothing to slang to music. I enjoy these books from the cover to the end, which always comes too soon.
In the interest of full disclosure, I was given an advanced reader’s copy of this book. I chose, on my own initiative, to review today. I also bought my own copy of the book. If you want a taste of this series treat yourself to this prequel; I believe you will be entertained in a whole different mannet! Honestly, this series is a blast!
Profile Image for KylieAtkinson.
647 reviews4 followers
December 26, 2020
Laying the foundation

Finding out what the catalyst was for Betty to go after Donny fleshes out the story a little more. I love the flashbacks of her time with Jacob. They had such a strong friendship and connection that it would be hard to be around each other as adults and not want that feeling back.

I love how well researched this series is too. Full of little tidbits from that era. Here’s a small section about Victory Red lipstick by Elizabeth Arden:

“Well, how could I resist, darling?” Betty said, in mock indignation. “Commissioned by Elizabeth Arden herself, just like the shade she created for our gals in uniform. You know she gave out thousands of red lipsticks to the suffragettes marching in 1912?”

Revenge is always sweet and even sweeter when you’re underestimated.
875 reviews8 followers
January 4, 2021
Great book and background!
Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2020
Mrs. Betty Jones is so much more than an Avon Lady! This short story gives us the background we always dreamed of having. The story was excellent as usual. This series is a delightful escape and reading these stories is like eating Lays Potato Chips - I betcha can’t read just one! I received an ARC and this is my honest opinion.
Profile Image for Margo James.
454 reviews6 followers
December 25, 2020
Welcome back Susie, err Betty.

A little of the backstory for Betty that is also covered in the first book. Enough to give you a taste of what’s to come. Betty has come to her own and will not let anyone step on her lifestyle or family, especially the mobsters of NYC. Great lead into the “Avon Calling” series.
Profile Image for Tom Welsh.
43 reviews
December 7, 2020
Another episode where our favorite Avon Lady, Betty Jones, dishes out her justice while being this apparently normal housewife and salesperson. I love how she interacts with both her husband and then the “bad guys”, she is a character! Every episode is so interesting
Profile Image for Angie Hackett.
974 reviews5 followers
December 14, 2020
This is another fantastic instalment of this great series. I loved seizing how Betty became the lady she is today. It’s amazing seeing her in action and how she relates to her lovely husband and darling kids. I genuinely can’t wait for more
Profile Image for Amy Judkins.
181 reviews41 followers
December 14, 2020
I absolutely LOVED this book! What a twisty-turny, totally exciting and fun read! The only sad part, this was just the prequel and now I NEED everything by Author Hayley Camille!
I most definitely recommend this book!
250 reviews1 follower
May 1, 2024
be surprised by the a on Lady

Shocking skill in an innocent looking personality makes this story surprising and delightful. Crime doesnt stand a chance with this sweet little innocent lady around!!
1,810 reviews10 followers
February 7, 2022
Quite enjoyable. I'm a sucker for vigilante stories. This series looks good so I'll have to read it. Great heroine with her work cut out for her(pun intended) .
2,615 reviews
January 20, 2023
Well, this was a different but intriguing and entertaining not quite cozy paranormal mystery - and only the prequel to the series!
117 reviews2 followers
February 17, 2023
This is a well written and entertaining prequel that definitely piqued my interest in reading the actual series.

I received a free ARC copy of this story and am under no obligation to review it.
Profile Image for H.S. Skinner.
Author 5 books11 followers
April 30, 2024
Awesome read!

I love this! Great period feel and details! This won’t be the last I read of Mrs. Betty Jones and her adventures!
Profile Image for Gabby.
2,246 reviews25 followers
March 21, 2021
Death with a smile!

As someone who is coming back to the prequel before the rest of the series it is a much nicer introduction to a lot of the characters. I loved this book and it really shows why she got into what she does. I found it a short but information filled look at the chaos that is to come! Makes me look forward to rereading the start of the series.
61 reviews
December 29, 2020
Good story however too much of the main theme is so unbelievable for me to rate highly. To avoid spoilers might be best I not say any more .
Profile Image for Karen Siddall.
Author 1 book79 followers
January 8, 2022
Fun historical action-adventure featuring an Avon Lady in 1940s New York City

Mrs. Betty Jones: Lady Vigilante is an excellent introduction to the characters and plot that evolves in Lady Vigilante Season 1. This prequel foreshadows what is to come as Betty Jones AKA Suzie Poletti, a seemingly average pre-WWII housewife and mother faces the changes the war in Europe is bringing to daily life and the behind-the-scenes machinations of NYC’s criminal organizations.

Betty is far from your average homemaker, mother, and Avon Lady.

I recommend this series to cozy mystery readers that enjoy a touch of the paranormal in their stories.

Profile Image for Bonnie Dale Keck.
4,677 reviews55 followers
January 11, 2021
Kindle unlimited?

Have read and reviewed all her Avon Calling books, individually and sets etc and usually list each book, set, etc, but there are 2 sections of this series so far and I am doing reviews on smartphone so just look up the writer and her books and series for yourself, most if not all are on kindle unlimited, this one should be but can not check on phone to make sure, I got it for free through her fb page bc I am on mailing list, but so far all have been ku though the 3 book sets may or may not still be available.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews

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