Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Born Bad | 2017 | Heather Burnside | Buy |
| 2 | Blood Ties | 2020 | Heather Burnside | Buy |
| 3 | Vendetta | 2020 | Heather Burnside | Buy |
The Manchester Trilogy brings Heather Burnside’s gritty crime writing to a three-book arc set in the city’s underworld. Born Bad (2017) establishes the characters and their criminal milieu, while Blood Ties (2020) and Vendetta (2020) raise the stakes as family loyalties and old grudges drive the conflict.
The trilogy captures the particular atmosphere of Manchester’s rougher neighborhoods, where organized crime operates alongside everyday community life. Burnside’s characters are products of their environment — shaped by poverty, family dysfunction, and limited options — making their choices feel grounded even when the violence escalates.