Killer Butterfly is divided into three parts (each part symbolising a stage in the life-cycle of a Butterfly).
- Part 1. Chrysalis (Tragedy)... the emergence of the teenage Petra as an individual and her ill-fated experiences.
- Part 2. Imago (Retribution)... the horrific consequences of Petra's dramatic change of persona.
- Part 3. Metamorphosis (Atonement)... the resultant impact of Petra's renaissance on those close to her.
After visiting a fortune teller at a May fair, a teenage rebel sets out to fulfil her destiny of fame and fortune together with its associated materialistic lifestyle. By chance Petra discovers the power of her own femininity whilst striving towards her ultimate goal. Freeing herself from her perceived dysfunctional family, she takes a part-time job where the work 'experience' opens her eyes to her innate potential to manipulate others in satisfying her desires and demands.
Having gained a place at university, she determines to use this controlling influence to reach her goals whilst studying for her degree. As she searches in vain for her prophesised fame she becomes the victim of the evil face of humanity. One of her schemes ends in near tragedy, leaving her dreams in shreds. Following a vicious assault where the police fail in their efforts to apprehend the culprit, she travels abroad where she undergoes intensive surgery. D.I. Massey, having solved a difficult rape and murder case in Cheshire is invited to assist Greater Manchester Police in leading a team to investigate a spate of sadistic serial killings in hotel bedrooms south of the city. D.S. Turner joins him as part of the arrangement. Discovering parallels with the attack on the young student, Petra, their inquiries lead them to a hostelry in Derbyshire which was the scene of the previously unsolved crime. Petra suddenly becomes their star witness but the case reaches an impasse when they discover that further tragedy has struck her down.
In a bizarre twist of fate, the Tsunami in Thailand becomes the catalyst for the problems which the murder team must face. Petra's obsessive desire to atone for the tragic events in Phuket not only causes a dramatic personality change which transforms her outlook on life, but also impacts on those close to her with devastating consequences. Stolen identities and cover-ups continue to frustrate Massey and his team until evidence points the finger in a completely unexpected direction. Despite conflicting forensic evidence from various leads, the police make several arrests. Whilst the suspects are in custody and during the subsequent court case, powerful individuals intervene with unexpected consequences.
Author James R. Vance, originally from north west England, now lives in the Limousin area of south west France. He wrote his first crime fiction novel, The Courier, using his knowledge of London and northern France as an inspiration for the storyline. His second novel, Killer Butterfly, was produced as a prequel to The Courier, linked by featuring the same two detectives in both books. His third novel in the series, Animal Instinct, was completed in 2009.
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