Julie Mae Cohen is the author of the new novel Bad Men. Her other books include the novel Together. She lives in Berkshire in the UK.
Q: What inspired you to write Bad Men, and how did you create your character Saffy?
A: Bad Men is about a female serial killer who only kills bad men who hurt women—rapists, murderers, domestic abusers.
I think the idea of a feminist vigilante is appealing for all sorts of reasons, not least because of the terrifying real-life statistics about male violence against women.
But also, I am very much not in favour of actual murder, so I created Saffy, who is basically a chick-lit heroine: beautiful, stylish, sassy. When she’s not committing murder, she’s looking for a boyfriend.
I wanted her to be dark, but also relatable and funny. As soon as I started writing her, she emerged fully formed and thirsty for blood and vintage champagne.
Q: A review of the book in the Irish Examiner by Josephine Fenton says, “Julie Mae Cohen may have created a winning format, drawing in fans of Romance, True Crime and thrillers: Bad Men may be a ground-breaking as well as best-selling publication.” What do you think of that description?
A: I love it! I certainly hope it’s true. I describe Bad Men as a serial killer romcom, but there’s a big element of true crime too, because Saffy’s love interest, Jon, is a true crime podcaster, and I used elements of various true crime cases in the story.
I’m a big fan of all of those genres—have been all my life—and I think they all satisfy very specific reading needs, particularly for women. In an uncertain and often frightening world, women readers crave catharsis, safe thrills, and a cautionary tale. We also want the reassurance of a happy ending. I hope this delivers!
Q: How was the book’s title chosen, and what does it signify for you?
A: There’s a popular saying on the internet: “Not All Men, But Always a Man.” I think it’s an important distinction. Male violence against women is endemic in our society. And not all men are violent, of course…but almost all of the people who hurt women are male.
My protagonist Saffy makes a distinction in her murders—she only kills bad men, and not good ones. But in real life, how do you know which men are bad? Most female homicide victims are killed by a man they know. So the title Bad Men is referencing that male violence.
At the same time, the main murderer in this story is Saffy, a woman! So there’s a playful irony.
Q: What do you hope readers take away from the story?
A: Despite the serious issues that inspired the story, Bad Men is a fun rom-com thriller, where none of the violence is real and the murderers are often quite sympathetic.
It’s all meant to be highly ironic—a cathartic way of discussing the dangers that threaten women, with a happy ending. Well, sort of happy. Mostly happy. There are quite a few random body parts.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: My next thriller, Eat, Slay, Love, will be out next year in the USA. It’s the story of three women who find acceptance, friendship, and their best selves—when they abduct and murder a man.
It was inspired by my getting divorced and then obsessively listening to true-crime podcasts about romance scammers. After that, I’m hoping to work on a sequel to Bad Men.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: The book has a dog in it, and the dog is absolutely not injured in any way whatsoever and has a very happy life.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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