Anthologies

She had an ass like a heart turned upside down and cut in half--and that's what we call foreshadowing, friend. Gruesome and glam, vicious and violent, this collection of the best new neo-noir fiction will hit you like a biker boot to the skull. Unleashed from the net's most hardcore award-winning site, these down, dirty, and deeply depraved tales don't just cut the edge . . . they pour gasoline on it and toss it in a meth lab full of C-4 . . . "Just because I killed my best friend with my bare hands doesn't make me all that bad. . . Christ, I loved the guy like a brother." Throw down a shot with the last word in badass--a scheming stripper playing one fool too far; the rage-haunted lesbian who's the last word in nightmare revenge; a mercenary sheriff doomed by ruthless payback; avenging street angels unleashing holy hell --and just try and stagger away intact. . . "This country's got a motto. It's pura vida, and it means when life gets you down, put your feet up, sister. But I lift my legs for no man." So settle back with your favorite rot-gut, keep your brass knuckles handy, and hang where the odds are never good, darkness is a permanent state of mind, and the house always takes all . . . Blood, Guts, And Whiskey "Lean, mean stories. . .today's brightest writers provide some of the darkest tales you've ever read." –Max Allan Collins Big Daddy Thug/Todd Robinson's writing has appeared in Plots With Guns, Danger City, Demolition, Out Of The Gutter, Pulp Pusher, Crimespree and Writers Digest's The Year's Best Writing 2003. He was nominated for a 2006 Derringer Award from the Short Mystery Fiction Society, and is the creator and chief editor of Thuglit.com. The stories he's edited for Thuglit.com have been nominated for several awards, including The Derringer and The Million Writer's Award, and been have been selected for The Best American Mystery Stories and Best Noir 2006. He lives and works in New York with his wife (Lady Detroit), a ferret named Matilda, and three freakin' cats.

PULP INK is the bizarre, chaotic side of crime fiction. From an ass-kicking surfer on acid to an idiot savant hitboy, these tales are dark, funny, action-packed and told with all the gleeful insanity of a Tarantino flick. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll roll into the fetal position and beg for mercy. So sit back. Pour yourself a cup of joe, crack a beer, tie off – whatever you need to get comfortable – and get ready for a dose after dose of pulp action. With stories by: Allan Guthrie Reed Farrel Coleman Gary Phillips Hilary Davidson Matthew C. Funk Paul D. Brazill AJ Hayes Michael J. Solender Richard Godwin Naomi Johnson Jimmy Callaway Sandra Seamans Patti Abbott Jodi MacArthur David Cranmer Chris F. Holm Jason Duke Eric Beetner Ian Ayris Kate Horsley Matt Lavin Jim Harrington Nigel Bird Chris Rhatigan “Pulp Ink may explore familiar territory: revenge, lust, greed, murder, betrayal and downright stupidity, but it does so unflinchingly and in its own indomitable style… This is one of the best collections of short fiction you will ever see. Grab it now: Pulp Ink is ready to thrill, chill and entertain in ways you never thought possible.” -- Julie Morrigan, author of the short story collection GONE BAD and the novel CONVICTIONS "The writers of PULP INK were raised on Tarantino, but then went and rebelled on him like all good children do at some point. Here's the future of pulp fiction, a slice of the good stuff from those surviving the brutal sandbox of modern crime fiction and emerging, scraped and bruised, to turn around and spit in its eye." -- Anthony Neil Smith, author of HOGDOGGIN’ and YELLOW MEDICINE "Tongue-piercings. Foot-fetishists. Murderous cinephiles. This gritty, grimy, giddy collection is as pulpy as they come, transcending the Tarantino reference material and stepping into its own. All because of a stable of home-run crime writers who know just what the hell they're doing." -- Chuck Wendig, author of DOUBLE DEAD and BLACKBIRDS

A delicious selection of short fiction cooked up to benefit the Lupus Foundation of America. It started online when a group of writers and editors learned that a friend, writer and book blogger Sabrina Ogden, needed expensive jaw surgery. So they did what writers and editors are best at doing—they put together a book of killer fiction to benefit Sabrina. After a successful fundraising publication through an indiegogo project, they, along with Sabrina, decided to make FEEDING KATE available to everyone, and keep the fundraising going to benefit The Lupus Foundation of America. From the Foreword: “Our guidelines [for FEEDING KATE]? The stories had to involve food or involve a character named Kate. The result is a broad selection of story genres—from pulp to horror to comedy to crime to young adult—by writers with just as wide a range of voices and publishing experience. Like Sabrina, each piece is unique. One of the surest proofs of her specialness is that nearly three-fourths of the stories in the collection were written especially for her and this project.” FIRST COURSE: REVENGE IS SERVED Wax Fruit by Dan O’Shea Rivka’s Place by Linda Rodriguez The Hollow Woman by Laura Benedict Dolores is Dead by Daryl Wood Gerber Crush by Chad Rohrbacher SECOND COURSE: CRAVINGS The Well by Chris Holm Gavage by Chuck Wendig Anniversary by Hilary Davidson THIRD COURSE: CRIMINALLY DELICIOUS The Jaws of Life by Laura K. Curtis Down Cumberland Ferry by Ron Earl Phillips Addictions by Neliza Drew Reunion by Joelle Charbonneau Cakewalk by Chad Eagleton A Hungry Soul by Ellie Anderson The Rewards by Steve Weddle FOURTH COURSE: HARD CORE FOODIES Kamikaze Death Burgers at the Ghost Town Café by Thomas Pluck Roach Coach by Stephen Blackmoore Young Americans by Josh Stallings Pizza Face and the Cheeseburger Deathgrip by Kent Gowran FIFTH COURSE: JUST DESSERTS That’s a Sweet Invasion, Craig by Clare Toohey There’s No Place Like Home by Jenny Gardiner Simon Sez in The Snickerdoodle Kerfuffle by Johnny Shaw Just Part of the Job by Holly West “Disgusting and delicious.” –Scott Phillips, Author of The Adjustment and The Ice Harvest

Tender-hearted, tough-minded (and occasionally foul-mouthed) girls take center stage in suspenseful tales that are also touching, haunting, and darkly funny. From modern cities and the middle of nowhere--even a place that never existed--come stories about female entrepreneurs, housewives, mothers, daughters, addicts, strivers, wanderers, conquerors, runaways, and women in collision. Whatever you think upon hearing the phrase Girl Trouble, this spectacularly varied e-collection of short crime fiction from CriminalElement.com delivers. Contains the award-winning story "The Wentworth Letter" by Jeff Soloway (Robert L. Fish Memorial Award for Best First American Short Story, Mystery Writers of America), as well as the shortlisted stories "The Third Echo" by Sam Wiebe (Arthur Award nominee for Best Short Story, Crime Writers of Canada) and "Incident on the 405" by Travis Richardson (Anthony Award nominee for Best Short Story, Bouchercon; Macavity Award nominee for Best Mystery Short Story, Mystery Readers International).

"All that we see or seem, is but a dream within a dream."-- Edgar Allan Poe The Lizard's Ardent Uniform and Other Stories (Veridical Dreams Vol. I) takes you on several voyages into every day nightmares, bizarre detours, and hellish worlds. Enlisting the talents of authors Chris F. Holm ( Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine ), Terrie Farley Moran ( Well Read, Then Dead ), Patti Abbott ( Home Invasion ), Evan V. Corder, Steve Weddle ( Needle: A Magazine of Noir ), Hilary Davidson ( The Damage Done ), and Garnett Elliott ( Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine ), thought-provoking fragments from the dream journals of Kyle J. Knapp (writer and poet of Pluvial Gardens and Celebrations in the Ossuary , who passed away in 2013 at the age of twenty-three) are fleshed out into seven stirring tales of crime, science fiction, literary, and fantasy. Edited and with an introduction by BEAT to a PULP's David Cranmer. Stories: The Lizard's Ardent Uniform -- Chris F. Holm Dust to Dust -- Terrie Farley Moran Twin Talk -- Patti Abbott The Malignant Reality -- Evan V. Corder (including "The Needles" poem by Kyle J. Knapp) Ghosts in the Fog -- Steve Weddle The Debt -- Hilary Davidson The Zygma Gambit -- Garnett Elliott A portion of the proceeds from this collection will go to higher education.

Like some born killers, this pairing of crime stories and the songs of Bruce Springsteen is a natural one. Each of the accomplished authors in this unique anthology chose a Springsteen title as a starting point, and in the criminally inclined spirit of the Boss, drove headlong to wherever that inspiration called. The destinations are as wildly diverse and far-reaching as the songs that influenced them. Some arrive at hope and redemption; others end up smoking in a ditch. One thing's for sure: you sign up for this ride, and Trouble in the Heartland will transport you somewhere unforgettable. Lynne Barrett (Dancing in the Dark) Eric Beetner (Up All Night) Richard Brewer (Last to Die) Jamez Chang (This Little Light of Mine) Jen Conley (Hard to Be a Saint in the City) Mike Creeden (Something in the Night) Lincoln Crisler (Born to Run) Hilary Davidson (Hungry Heart) Chris DeWildt (Glory Days) Les Edgerton (The Iceman) Peter Farris (What Love Can Do) Paul J. Garth (Nebraska) Jordan Harper (Prove It All Night) Chris F Holm (Mansion on the Hill) Chris Irvin (Death to My Hometown) David James Keaton (The Ghost of Tom Joad) Isaac Kirkman (Streets of Fire) Chris Leek (Candy's Room) Dennis Lehane (State Trooper) Benoit LeLievre (Atlantic City) Ezra Letra (Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street) John McFetridge (Spare Parts) Lela Scott Macneil (Darkness on the Edge of Town) Court Merrigan (The Promised Land) Brian Panowich (Wreck on the Highway) Rob Pierce (Rosalita) Tom Pitts (Local Hero) Keith Rawson (My Best Was Never Good Enough) Chuck Regan (Radio Nowhere) Chris Rhatigan (Wrecking Ball) Todd Robinson (We Take Care Of Our Own) Ryan Sayles (Highway Patrolman) Gareth Spark (Straight Time) Richard Thomas (Because the Night) James Tuck (I'm on Fire) Steve Weddle (Meeting Across the River) Chuck Wendig (Queens of the Supermarket) Dyer Wilk (Dry Lightning)

The loose-cannons of crime fiction over at Thuglit Magazine bring you CRUEL YULE! Featuring: THE SANTA CON by Rob Hart CHRISTMAS MORNING COMING DOWN by Jordan Harper MISTLETOE by Hilary Davidson LETTERS TO SANTA by Thomas Pluck OKEECHOBEE by Ed Kurtz FELIZ NAVIDEAD by Brace Godfrey (as discovered by Johnny Shaw) THE BRASS COIN by Justin Porter A VERY BLACKY CHRISTMAS by Angel Luis Colón FORK by Jen Conley UNHOLY NIGHT by Terrence McCauley ‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE… by Todd Robinson Eleven stories of crime fiction to get you in the holiday spirit—as long as your holiday spirit is kindled by copious amounts of illicit drug use, murder, robbery, hand grenades, hand-removals and holiday handjobs… BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL IN THERE! EDITOR'S NOTE: Consider yourself warned. So when you stuff this collection in Granny's stocking, don't come complaining to us when you find her keeled over by New Years, her copy of CRUEL YULE clutched between her cold fingers, a horrified expression locked onto her mug for all eternity. Capiche?

Nominated for the 2017 Anthony Award for Best Anthology/Collection *** Proceeds from the sales of Unloaded will benefit the nonprofit States United To Prevent Gun Violence (CeaseFireUSA.org) *** For the first time, more than two dozen crime and mystery authors have joined together to use the strongest weapon at their disposal—words—in a call for reasonable gun control in the U.S.A. In this collection you get all the thrills and excitement you come to expect from a great crime story, but without any guns. From best sellers and writing legends to the brightest stars of the next generation of crime writers, the twenty-five authors here have taken pen in hand to say enough is enough. Gun violence has got to stop and this is our way of speaking out—by showing that gun violence can be removed from the narrative, and maybe from our lives. It's not anti-gun, it's pro-sanity. And above anything else, these are thrilling crime stories that will surprise and shock, thrill and chill—all without a gun in sight. The writers are from both sides of the political aisle and many of the authors are gun owners themselves. But everyone felt it was time to speak out. Featuring the talents of J.L. Abramo , Patricia Abbott, Trey R. Barker, Eric Beetner, Alec Cizak, Joe Clifford, Reed Farrel Coleman, Angel Luis Colón, Hilary Davidson, Paul J. Garth, Alison Gaylin, Kent Gowran, Rob Hart, Jeffery Hess, Grant Jerkins, Joe R. Lansdale, S.W. Lauden, Tim O’Mara, Joyce Carol Oates, Tom Pitts, Thomas Pluck, Keith Rawson, Kelli Stanley, Ryan Sayles, and Holly West. Praise for UNLOADED… “The 25 short stories in this thought-provoking theme anthology prove that clever crime writers can generate just as much mayhem, weirdness, and chills without the use of firearms.” — Publishers Weekly

Never before has killing someone benefitted such a good cause… In 2014, Crimespree Magazine held an internet-based flash fiction contest. The rules were simple: somewhere in the story you had to “Kill Dan Malmon.” That was it. The story had to be brief, inventive, and somewhere, Malmon had to die. Now, thanks to Down & Out Books, those original stories, plus a few more, are being collected into one volume with all proceeds going to the MS Society. If you hate MS as much as we do, and if your feelings towards Dan Malmon are rather ambivalent anyway, then this is the volume for you. Featuring stories by Hector Acosta, Eric Beetner, Dana Cameron, Sarah M. Chen, Matthew Clemens, Angel Luis Colón, Hilary Davidson, Cory Funk, Danny Gardner, Paul J. Garth, Rob Hart, Ed Kurtz, S.W. Lauden, Russel D. McLean, Jeff Macfee, Erin Mitchell, Erica Ruth Neubauer, Brad Parks, Thomas Pluck, Bryon Quertermous, Todd Robinson, Alex Segura, Jeff Shelby, Nathan Singer, Josh Stallings, Jay Stringer, R.D. Sullivan, Bryan VanMeter, Holly West and Dave White. Praise for KILLING MALMON: “I’ve never quite understood why people keep killing off Malmon. But they make a good case. Several cases. Many, many cases—for a good cause! Killing Malmon for fun and non-profit!” —Lori Rader-Day, Mary Higgins Clark Award-winning author of The Day I Died “You can’t spell marvelously grisly and a funky good time without K-I-L-L-I-N-G M-A-L-M-O-N. Do yourself a favor and dive in.” —Shaun Harris, author of The Hemingway Thief “Look, I like Dan Malmon, so I feel kinda guilty enjoying the hell out of his many untimely demises. But this collection, which features some of the best crime writers on the planet, is a gonzo pulp confection that hits your system like a sugar high and leaves you smiling the whole way through.” —Chris Holm, Anthony Award-winning author of The Killing Kind and Red Right Hand “Your mom is going to hate this.” —Kristi Belcamino, author of the Gabriella Giovanni thriller series “Killing Malmon is an incredibly satisfying crime fiction sampler. Read it. I guarantee you’ll leave with at least three new writers to check out (plus an inexplicable desire to protect and nurture Dan Malmon).” —Jess Lourey, TEDx presenter and Anthony- and Lefty-nominated author of the Witch Hunt thrillers and the Murder by Month mysteries “Come for the death of Dan Malmon, stay for the super-group of authors letting it all hang out, dropping tasty cut after tasty cut of pure noir.” —Matthew FitzSimmons, author of the Gibson Vaughn series “Killing Malmon is like Murder on the Orient Express except (spoilers!) it’s not by Agatha Christie, or on a train, or on its way to the Orient. Still, there’s something wonderful and sweet watching thirty talented mystery writers line up to shoot, strangle, poison, dismember, and otherwise spell the demise of the one of the genuinely nicest guys in the business. If you’re into that kind of thing like I am, read Killing Malmon.” —Matthew Iden, author of the Marty Singer mystery series and The Winter Over “Life sure is hard for you.” —Judy Malmon, Dan’s mom “I love these stories!” —Diane Hackbarth, Kate’s mom

“[A] rich and varied anthology…” — Publishers Weekly , Starred Review Janet Hutchings, Chris Grabenstein, Gary Phillips, and Hilary Davidson headline a new world tour anthology of 22 stories from the heartland of America to Italy, Japan, Mexico, Cuba, England, and more. Passport to Murder is published in conjunction with Bouchercon, the World Mystery Convention, held in 2017 in Toronto, Ontario. As with the convention itself, the anthology spreads a broad canopy across a wide variety of crime writers from across the country and around the world—including both veteran writers and the brightest up-and-coming talents in the field. All of the stories include some kind of travel ranging from a cross-America ride-sharing trip to tourists in Italy and Japan to a woman on the run in Mexico to murder in Cuba. And even a haunted hotel in Toronto. All participants contributed their efforts to support our charity—Frontier College, winner of the UNESCO Literacy Prize in 1977—and by extension readers and writers everywhere. ALL PROFITS GO TO FRONTIER COLLEGE . Edited by John McFetridge. Stories by Eric Beckstrom, Michael Bracken, Craig Faustus Buck, Susan Calder, Hilary Davidson, Michael Dymmoch, John Floyd, Chris Grabenstein, Marie Hannan-Mandel, Janet Hutchings, Marilyn Kay, Su Kopil, Rosemary McCracken, Tanis Mallow, LD Masterson, Gary Phillips, Karen Pullen, KM Rockwood, Scott Loring Sanders, Shawn Reilly Simmons, John Stickney, and Victoria Weisfeld.

When it comes to Florida, no crime is too unusual and no criminal too peculiar to be impossible. Florida is the one state where fiction has to catch up to the headlines, and the contributors to FLORIDA HAPPENS: Tales of Murder, Mayhem, and Suspense from The Sunshine State do not hold back! Edited by award-winning author/editor Greg Herren, with an introduction by New York Times bestselling author Tim Dorsey, FLORIDA HAPPENS is a riveting anthology featuring some of the brightest stars of mystery writing. Published in conjunction with Bouchercon, the world's biggest mystery convention, this new anthology offers stories of pristine white sands and palm trees, snowbirds and theme parks, mangroves and manatees, pirates and policemen—from the redneck Riviera to the southernmost point of the United States. Jam-packed with stories from top authors, FLORIDA HAPPENS promises to surprise and thrill lovers of mystery and suspense. Included are classic tales from the legendary John D. MacDonald and Lawrence Block , plus fresh new fiction from bestselling mystery authors Susanna Calkins , Alex Segura , Hilary Davidson , Reed Farrel Coleman , and Craig Pittman . The collection also includes thrilling new stories by top mystery writers Holly West , Paul D. Marks , Greg Herren , Debra Lattanzi Shutika , Jack Bates , Barb Goffman , Angel Luis Colon , J. D. Allan , Eleanor Cawood Jones , Neil Plakcy , Michael Wiley , John M. Floyd , and Patricia Abbott . A portion of the proceeds from the anthology will go to support Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a program that provides free books to children from birth to school age regardless of family income. A personal mission of Dolly Parton’s, the Imagination Library fosters literacy, a love of reading, and is meant to inspire children to succeed.

The second anniversary issue of a mystery magazine which Bestselling author Reed Farrel Coleman has called “a cut above” and mystery grand masters Lawrence Block and Max Allan Collins have praised for its “solid fiction” and “the most elegant design”. Our Issue Nº8: Winter 2019 features A curated collection of short fiction including stories by Hester Young, Edgar Award Winner SJ Rozan, Hilary Davidson, Ryan David Jahn, Edgar Award Winner Gary Earl Ross, Jonathan Ferrini, Kevin R. Roller, and William R. Soldan. Interviews and Reviews by Charlaine Harris, Charles Perry and Nick Kolakowski. Art and Photography by Brittany Markert, Anka Zhuravleva and more. This issue also features a preview of the new The Wrath Of Fantomas graphic novel by Olivier Bocquet and Julie Rocheleau. An elegantly crafted quarterly issue, printed on uncoated paper and with a beautiful layout designed for optimal reading experience, our Winter 2019 issue will make a perfect companion or gift for avid mystery readers and fans of literary crime fiction.

The Go-Go’s made music on their own terms and gave voice to a generation caught between the bra-burning irreverence of the seventies and the me-first decadence of the eighties. Anthems like “We Got the Beat,” “Our Lips Are Sealed,” and “Vacation” are an indelible part of our collective soundtrack, but more than that, they speak to the power and possibility of youth. Inspired by punk but not yoked to it, the Go-Go’s broke important musical ground by combining cheeky lyrics, clever hooks, and catchy melodies, perfectly capturing what it feels like to be young and female in the process. But beyond the Go-Go’s effervescent sound and cheerful pop stylings, a darkness underlies many of their lyrics and melodies, hinting at the heartache and frustration inherent in growing up. In other words, plenty to inspire murder and mayhem. Net proceeds from Murder-a-Go-Go’s benefit Planned Parenthood, a crucial provider of women’s affordable reproductive healthcare. With a foreword by Go-Go’s co-founder Jane Wiedlin and original stories by 25 kick-ass authors, editor Holly West has put together an all-star crime fiction anthology inspired by one of the most iconic bands of the eighties and beyond. Praise for MURDER-A-GO-GO’S: “I always suspected that twinkle in the Go-Gos’ eyes was a coded invitation to a darker world. In the hands of these 25 stellar crime fiction writers, ‘We Got the Beat’ and ‘Our Lips Are Sealed’ become evil little gems. A totally rad read.” —Alan Hunter, Original MTV VJ, SiriusXM Host “Shock and awe, that sums up my reaction to Murder-A-Go-Go’s . Shock to live in times when ‘The Whole World Lost Its Head’ and awe at the response of these gifted writers. Buckle up for a ride that will leave ‘Skidmarks on Your Heart.’” —Sara Paretsky, bestselling author of the V.I. Warshawski crime series “Who knew those happy songs by one of all-time favorite bands, the Go-Go’s could inspire such dark , noir, spine-tingling stories?!! It’s a collection of tales of distinctly female rage —the murderous kind and otherwise—to keep you up at night!” —Alison Arngrim, TV’s Nellie Oleson and author of Confessions of a Prairie Bitch “This is the music-driven anthology you didn’t know you needed, but after you read it, you’ll realize your bookshelf was lacking without it. This is a killer line-up of writers, and they don’t play a single false note. Murder-A-Go-Go’s has got the beat.” —Rob Hart, author of The Warehouse “Like the songs these writers used for muses, each story contains the energy of a pop group and the rawness of a punk band, with some of the darkness and vulnerability that underscores the Go-Go’s themselves thrown in for good measure.” —Steph Post, author of Miraculum “The Go-Go’s spun some of the brightest, catchiest all-girl pop back in the day. But they always carried more weight than your average pop band: the burden of trailblazing and pioneering; the bad kids in the back of the class breaking all the rules and looking damn cool doing it. This collection commandingly captures that sweet subversion.” —Joe Clifford, author of The One That Got Away “Beneath the pop stylings and sensibilities of the Go-Go’s pulsed the heart of a punk band. In this eye-opening anthology, some of the sharpest voices of contemporary short crime fiction tease out the aches and anxieties echoing through the groundbreaking group’s music: the dark sides of desire, the missed opportunities, the tangled regrets. These stories—they got the beat.” —Art Taylor, award-winning author of On the Road with Del & Louise : A Novel in Stories “Each masterful tale is distinctive, but this collection is so much more than the sum of its parts, infused with all the talent and skill of some of the best short story writers working in crime fiction today.” —Jennifer Hillier, author of Jar of Hearts

Say their names: Sandra Bland. Philando Castile. Daniel Shaver. George Floyd. And too many others. They died, the victims of a justice system which, for many people in our country and around the world, is seldom just. In this anthology, our authors explore the darker side of the badge, where a traffic stop can go one of two ways—bad or worse. Where evidence can and will be forged. Where the Blue Wall of Silence closes ranks, and accountability becomes a four-letter word. At the end, you’ll wonder—is the system broken? Or more chillingly, is it operating just the way it was always intended, and are we meant to live our lives Under the Thumb? Guest-edited by New York Times Bestseller S.A. Cosby, with stories by: Travis Wade Beaty Andrew Case Hilary Davidson Hector Duarte Jr. Michael Downing Jeffrey Eaton Michael A. Gonzales James D.F. Hannah Zakariah Johnson Preston Lang Bobby Mathews Mike McHone Richie Narvaez Oluseyi Onabanjo James Queally Keith Rosson Jeff Soloway Joseph S. Walker and Tim P. Walker

For those who find revenge sweet, this quirky collection will satisfy your predilections — Steve Steinbeck / The Jury Box in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Jan/Feb 2023 (****) 15 all-new stories From both new and established , award-winning and best-selling authors Kenzie complains about cats to the wrong neighbor Mitch chooses the wrong couple to spy on next door But does Sheila target the right man to scam? Prepare for murder in many guises... Visit a world where the intolerable few, who create hell for the rest, get their comeuppance. Short stories of murder, mystery, and revenge from Hilary Davidson , Steve Hockensmith , L. C. Tyler , Marilyn Todd , Dave Zeltserman , Warren Moore , Robert Lopresti , Nick Manzolillo , Kevin Quigley , Eve Elliot , Eve Morton , Kay Hanifen , Wendy Harrison , Shiny Nyquist , and F. D. Trenton . with titles such as: ONE OF US IS DYING Ellen is to all intents and purposes housebound when she is forcibly deprived of the only joy she has in life, and decides to act. VENGEANCE TAKES A HOLIDAY Sheila is always scrounging for food, but it's not just because she's pregnant. WOOPS! Mitch knows the new couple next door are bad news and he's going to do something about them. But when they knock on his door first, what have they got in store for him? LAMBS AND WOLVES When Garmo observes his next door neighbor being stalked, he is part right but dangerously wrong. Read also about "The Woman Who Cried Cat," "King of the Castle," "A little Power," "Murder, She Chiselled," and more... Find your own personal crime hit in a great anthology!

Long time grifters Sam and Rachel love two things: each other and the grift. On the run from the mob, the two lovers move from one con to the next, winning some and losing others, but always finding a way to survive. Episodes 26-28 of Season Four begin with Ghost Image by Kat Richardson. In an eerie lodge in the Pacific Northwest, Rachel poses as a medium with Sam as her technician, as the pair target the wealthy Axel Strauss. Strauss has some deep secrets of his own that are dangerously close to spilling over and the “supernatural” events that Rachel and Sam must manage for him only heightens the tension. Old and new betrayals, longstanding alliances, and unspoken agendas all come to a head as the snow flies, trapping everyone at the lodge. Can Rachel and Sam manage to con an angry skeptic and escape with the money? Or will their efforts fall short, adding their ghosts to the ones supposedly haunting this ancient location? Paul J. Garth penned Episode 27, The Low White Plain . Terrified and on the run after a disastrous con in Dallas, grifters Sam and Rachel find themselves trapped by a blizzard in Nebraska. Low on cash and nerve, they find a local job that seems easy enough: orchestrate the fake kidnapping of a down-and-out academic, then split the ransom with the "victim." But underneath all that open space, malice and hate breed quickly. Sam and Rachel soon discover everyone is lying, and that this simple job is a lot more complicated—and dangerous—than either of them expected. The duo can only rely on their skills, and each other, or see their own blood spread atop the constantly falling snow. Episode 28, Dangerous to Know , closes out Season Four in spectacular fashion. Hilary Davidson takes us into the world of fake artifacts and their collectors. Rachel poses as a museum curator while Sam takes on the role of rogue archaeologist, targeting Robert and Evie Malvern, a wealthy couple who are known to quietly collect ancient artifacts via illicit means. But the grift hits a snag immediately when Robert Malvern turns the tables on them at gunpoint. The threat of death or prison is very real but he offers them a way out: if Rachel will pose as his missing wife for the next few days, he will call it even. This seemingly easy task turns out to be a most dangerous one, leaving the grifters to wonder if this is the end of line.

5/5 Stars from Indie Reader. "As each tale contains a compelling feature that makes it shine on its own, THE DARK WAVES OF WINTER is a first-rate anthology for literary short story fans with consistently excellent writing throughout." The Dark Waves of Winter is a follow up to the critically acclaimed anthology, The Silver Waves of Summer (Kelp Books, 2021). In this installment, the beach again takes center stage in stories from some of the biggest names in literary and noir fiction. From Edgar and Shamus award winners, to a Mystery Writers of America Grand Master, the sun-bleached noir in these pages features old school legends, alongside the brightest emerging writers in the game. Our contributors include Lawrence Block, Hilary Davidson, Gar Anthony Haywood, JoAnn Chaney, Michael Scott Moore, Jenny Bhatt, Lindsay Jamieson, Brian Asman, Nik Xandir Wolf, David Zimmerle, Billy Minshall, John Palisano, Vinnie Hansen, Ewan A. Dougall, Shannon Hollinger, and Gary Grace.