The twists and bad decisions pile up when a thief picks the wrong target or a simple scavenger hunt takes a terrible turn. What happens when you befriend a death row inmate, or just how does writing Internet clickbait became a decidedly dangerous occupation? “How can we not hang on their outcomes?” asks Lethem. “Are we innocent ourselves, or complicit?” Read on to find out.Foreword / Otto Penzler --Introduction / Jonathan Lethem --Coach O / Robert Hinderliter --keepers of all sins / Sharon Hunt --Open house / Reed Johnson --damn fine town / Arthur Klepchukov --walk-in / Harley Jane Kozak --Top ten vacation selfies of YouTube stars / Preston Lang --Mastermind / Jared Lipof --That Donnelly crowd / Anne Therese Macdonald --clown / Mark Mayer --Interpreting American Gothic / Rebecca McKanna --Hannah-beast / Jennifer McMahon --archivist / Joyce Carol Oates --box of hope / Brian Panowich --Payback / Tonya D. Price --If you say so / Suzanne Proulx --Neighbors / Ron Rash --Faint of heart / Amanda Rea --Lush / Duane Swierczynski --Inside man / Robb T. White --Burning down the house / Ted White --Contributor's notes --Other distinguished mystery stories of 2018

    Jones, George Pelecanos, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Richard Wright, Langston Hughes, James Grady, Julian Mayfield, Marita Golden, Elizabeth Hand, Julian Mazor, Ward Just, Jean Toomer, Roach Brown, Larry Neal, and others.George Pelecanos is an independent film producer, the recipient of numerous international writing awards, a producer and an Emmy-nominated writer of the HBO series The Wire, and the author of fifteen novels set in and around Washington, DC. He is the editor of the best-selling first volume of D.C. Noir.

    A new generation of crime writers has broadened the genre of crime fiction, creating more human stories of historical realism, with a stronger emphasis on character and the psychology of crime. This superb anthology of 12 novellas encompasses over 4,000 years of our dark, criminal past, from Bronze Age Britain to the eve of the Second World War, with stories set in ancient Greece, Rome, the Byzantine Empire, medieval Venice, seventh-century Ireland and 1930s' New York. A Byzantine icon painter, suddenly out of work when icons are banned, becomes embroiled in a case of deception; Charles Babbage and the young Ada Byron try to crack a coded message and stop a master criminal; and, New York detectives are on the lookout for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. It includes: Deirdre Counihan, Tom Holt, Dorothy Lumley, Richard A. Lupoff, Maan Meyers, Ian Morson, Anne Perry, Tony Pollard, Mary Reed and Eric Mayer, Steven Saylor, Charles Todd, Peter Tremayne

    Includes works by Diane Mott Davidson, Claudia Bishop, Nick Danger, Nancy Kress, Tamar Myers, and others. Each story comes with its own recipe.

    Now, sixteen top tale-tellers offer fascinating new stories of those who commit magic crimes, those who investigate them, and those who prosecute them. From a young woman who uses out-of-body excursions to research paranormal crimes to a bookie who?s been paying for hex protection against magical interference to an artist who does divination through his sketched visions which may lead to a murderer?s undoing, here are powerful tales of magical crimes and punishments.

    Includes The Godwulf Manuscript, God Save The Child, and Mortal Stakes.

    The New York Times bestselling author of the Cat Who mysteries presents a fantastic collection of feline fiction which includes fourteen short stories about kitties who just can’t keep their whiskers out of trouble...Filled with furballs like a courageous Siamese who bags a cunning cat burglar, a country kitty who proves a stumbling block in a violent murder, and an intuitive feline whose premonition helps solve the case of the missing antiques dealer, this collection will delight cat lovers and mystery aficionados alike!This Collection Includes: Phut Phat Concentrates • Weekend of the Big Puddle • The Fluppie Phenomenon • The Hero of Drummond Street • The Mad Museum Mouser • The Dark One • East Side Story • Tipsy and the Board of Health • A Cat Named Conscience • SuSu and the 8:30 Ghost • Stanley and Spook • A Cat Too Small for His Whiskers • The Sin of Madame Phloi • Tragedy on New Year’s Eve

    MacDonald, were selected from the hundreds that originally appeared in the immensely popular pulp magazines of the late 1940s. Superb entertainment from one of crime's most famous and accomplished writers. 'The stories share MacDonald's love of a buzz ending and the biting setup' Chicago Sun-Times

    Each volume's series editor selects notable works from hundreds of periodicals. A special guest editor, a leading writer in the field, then chooses the very best twenty or so pieces to publish. This unique system has made the Best American series the most respected--and most popular--of its kind. The identity club / Richard Burgin --Disaster stamps of Pluto / Louise Erdrich --Delmonico / Daniel Handler --Jack Duggan's law / George V. Higgins --Old boys, old girls / Edward P. Jones --The shooting of John Roy Worth / Stuart M. Kaminsky --Until Gwen / Dennis Lehane --The shoeshine man's regrets / Laura Lippman --When all this was Bay Ridge / Tim McLoughlin --Case closed / Lou Manfredo --Sault Ste. Marie / David Means --Public trouble / Kent Nelson --Officers weep / Daniel Orozco --The last man I killed / David Rachel --One Mississippi / Joseph Raiche --Cruisers / John Sayles --Reconstruction / Sam Shaw --The love of a strong man / Oz Spies --Loyalty / Scott Turow --Barracuda / Scott Wolven --Contributors' notes --Other distinguished mystery stories of 2004

    Chesterton, Catherine L. Pirkis, Silas K. Hocking, others.Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - The Adventure of the Copper Beeches Arthur Morrison - The Case of the Lost Foreigner Catherine L. Pirkis - The Ghost of Fountain Lane Rudyard Kipling - The Return of Imray Headon Hill - The Divination of the Zagury Capsules Baroness Orczy - The York Mystery George R. Sims - The Haverstock Hill Murder R. Austin Freeman - The Dead Hand L. T. Meade and Robert Eustace - Mr. Bovey’s Unexpected Will Silas K. Hocking - A Perverted Genius G. K. Chesterton - The Eye of Apollo Robert W. Chambers - The Purple Emperor Jacques Futrelle - The Tragedy of the Life Raft E. and H. Heron - The Story of Baelbrow

    Inside this anthology you'll find a mix of classic mystery and suspense, full-blown action, and blood-curdling suspense. There are tales of vengeance and redemption, good versus evil, and more than a few laugh-out-loud moments. The ebook edition also includes a fully hyperlinked Table of Contents, which gives you a brief synopsis and page count for each story - making it easy to choose what you want to read next. You'll also find a short bio for each author, along with a web link where you can find out more. ~~ Nick StephensonPaydown - by Nick Stephenson. When a high-flying Wall Street investment banker is found brutally killed, what started out as a simple fraud case turns into expert criminologist Leopold Blake's first ever murder investigation. As the glamor of Wall Street is stripped away by a series of catastrophic discoveries, Leopold will have to decide how much he is prepared to risk in order to uncover the truth - and whether it's a price he's willing to pay. Loose Ends - by David Vandyke. There's not much left that can surprise private investigator California "Cal" Corwin any more, especially since the accident. But after a young girl is kidnapped and feared murdered, Cal is drawn into a deadly game of cat and mouse that will stretch her skills to the ultimate limit. With danger at every turn and with more questions than answers, Corwin must scour the streets of San Francisco to track down the culprits before it's too late - and the clock is ticking... Mr. Mockingbird Drive - by Robert Swartwood. Julio and Tyshawn are far from professional thieves, but they get by. After weeks spent researching the perfect mark, the boys are ready to strike - and the payout is going to be unbelievable...Mr. Mockingbird Drive is a cleverly deceptive piece of flash fiction. The story first featured in Needle: A Magazine of Noir, Winter 2012. Ladies Weekend - by Ryan King. A trip to the Gulf Shores with her three sisters-in-law was not exactly Cathy's idea of a good time. With a dark secret to protect, a weekend stuck with the meddling Biddle sisters might have been too much to bear - but, thankfully for Cathy, there's nothing a little "medicine" can't fix...This delightfully twisted story was first published in 2012. Veritas: Concubine - by R.S. Guthrie. How far would you go to find the truth? Shale Veritas is not his real name, but that's not important. What's important is why he's taken an interest in you - and what you've done to deserve it...This dark, atmospheric tale of revenge, justice, and redemption is not for the faint-hearted. You have been warned. Divide and Conquer - by Kay Hadashi. Nobody ever told June Kato that babysitting could be such hard work ... As a world-class neurosurgeon, June is used to dealing with high-pressure situations. But when a trio of violent thugs invade her home while her four-year-old nieces are staying over, nap time suddenly takes on a whole new meaning. A thrill-ride from start to finish. Recidivist - by Alan McDermott. Something needs to be done about Steven Howe. Even though he's yet to see his twelfth birthday, after 97 arrests the police and social services have had enough. Forced to attend a state-sponsored retreat for troubled youths, Steven is about to find out just how far the government is prepared to go to meet their targets - starting with him. Return of the Bride - by Micheal Maxwell. Tradition has it that Al-Qurnah is the site of the Garden of Eden. But for Phillip Sear, a man who has lived with sin his entire life, it has an entirely different significance. On a journey to redeem himself for a lifetime of selfish choices, Sear will finally learn how to keep his promises - but at what cost?

    The graduating class includes such rising stars as Robert Gregory Browne, Toni McGee Causey, Marcus Sakey, Derek Nikitas, Marc Lecard, JT Ellison, Brett Battles, Jason Pinter, Bill Cameron, Sean Chercover, Patry Francis, Gregg Olsen, and David White. Each of the short stories displaying their talents are introduced by their Killer Year mentors, some of which include bestselling authors Lee Child, Tess Gerritsen and Jeffrey Deaver, with additional stories by Ken Bruen, Allison Brennan and Duane Swierczynski. Bestselling authors Laura Lippman and MJ Rose contribute insightful essays. Inside you'll read about a small time crook in over his head, a story told backwards with a heroine not to be messed with, a tale of boys and the trouble they will get into over a girl, and many more stories of the highest caliber in murder, mayhem, and sheer entertainment. This amazing anthology, edited by the grandmaster Lee Child, is sure to garner lots of attention and keep readers coming back for more. Includes:Introduction by by Lee ChildThe class of co-opetition by by M. J. RosePerfect gentleman by by Brett BattlesKilling justice by by Allison BrennanBottom deal by by Robert Gregory BrownTime of the green by by Ken BruenSlice of pie by by Bill CameronA failure to communicate by by Toni McGee CauseyOne serving of bad luck by by Sean ChercoverProdigal me by by J. T. EllisonThe only word I know in Spanish by by Patry FrancisTeardown by by Marc LecardRunaway by by Derek NikitasThe crime of my life by by Gregg OlsenThe point guard by by Jason PinterGravity and need by by Marcus SakeyDeath runs faster by by Duane SwierczynskiRighteous son by by Dave WhiteCoda by by Laura LippmanThe travellin' show by Douglas HutchesonEdison's dead men by Ed Turner

    In this unique collection, Sherlock co-creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss have selected their all-time favorite Sherlock Holmes adventures.Each of these nineteen tales, from Sherlock’s first appearance in A Study in Scarlet to the late classic The Dying Detective, is a potent mix of murder, suspense, cryptic clues, red herrings, and revenge—a ground-breaking combination of forensic science and bold storytelling. Sherlock Holmes established new rules for what a fictional hero could be, and provided a template for detective stories we still follow today.This beautifully designed collection is the perfect introduction to the world of Sherlock Holmes and the ultimate gift for fans of the show it inspired.

    Featured writers include Ellen Hart, Judith Guest, William Kent Krueger and Carl Brookins. This is a must-have for mystery buffs.

    For each volume, a series editor reads pieces from hundreds of periodicals, then selects between fifty and a hundred outstanding works. That selection is pared down to twenty or so very best pieces by a guest editor who is widely recognized as a leading writer in his or her field. This unique system has helped make the Best American series the most respected -- and most popular -- of its kind. This seventh installment of the premier mystery anthology boasts pulse-quickening stories from all reaches of the genre, selected by the world-renowned mystery writer Michael Connelly. His choices include a Prohibition-era tale of a scorned lover's revenge, a Sherlock Holmesinspired mystery solved by an actor playing the famous detective onstage, stories of a woman's near-fatal search for self-discovery, a bar owner's gutsy attempt to outwit the mob, and a showdown between double-crossing detectives, and a tale of murder by psychology. This year's edition features mystery favorites as well as talented up-and-comers, for a diverse colleciton sure to thrill all readers.James Crumley Pete Dexter Brendan DuBois Elmore Leonard Walter Mosley Joyce Carol Oates