Short Stories Crime Suspense

Some art is worth dying for. After Niki Dupre buys a painting at a Starving Artist sale, she learns that the artwork is priceless, and that there are others who also want it in their possession. The church wants it back. Two mobsters want it back. And all of them are willing to kill to get it.

Grieving over a past tragedy, troubled ex-con Zack Taylor has spent a lifetime in the shadows. He has finally found a measure of peace in Maine, helping others as a way of dealing with his grief, guilt, and rage. But he finds even simple problems have unintended consequences, and danger lurks in the most unlikely places. In these three tales, Zack encounters murderous individuals who hide below a surface of normality. He uncovers more than he bargained for at every turn, and must deal with the fallout of taking on deadly people willing to kill.

The Wentworth Asylum, once used to house thousands of people, now lies abandoned. People insist it is inhabited by an ex-inmate who now chops down those who enter with her ax. After two teenagers turn up dead in the asylum, a television crew head to the asylum in the hopes of catching footage of the haunting. And to ensure their safety, Jack Nightingale is sent with them. But is it merely an ax-wielding murderer which awaits them?

Irish crime-fiction sensation Ken Bruen and cohorts shine a light on the dark streets of Dublin. Dublin Noir features an awe-inspiring cast of writers who between them have won all major mystery and crime-fiction awards. This collection introduces secret corners of a fascinating city and surprise assaults on the "Celtic Tiger" of modern Irish prosperity.

Alex McLeod paid dearly during the war for independence from Earth. It left the detective disfigured, jaded and alone. In the aftermath of victory, Alex seethes as criminal factions and cold-blooded killers clash over control of the newly-liberated confederation. In his crusade for justice in the free states, he's willing to break more than a few rules along the way...

The only home Alex knows is the slums of Slab, an orbiting city teeming with lowlifes, back-stabbers and gene-spliced monstrosities. From the grimy streets of his city to the lawless Asteroid Belt, Alex goes toe-to-toe with a sharp-clawed vigilante, a mythical serial killer, and a gorgeous vampire with an ominous message. His quest won't end until his homeland earns the freedom it was promised…

But even Alex may not be able to stop the impending Reckoning and a voyage to the one place he swore he'd never return: Earth...

Brand-new stories by: Tom Abrahams, Robert Boswell, Sarah Cortez, Anton DiSclafani, Stephanie Jaye Evans, Wanjiku Wa Ngugi, Adrienne Perry, Pia Pico, Reyes Ramirez, Icess Fernandez Rojas, Sehba Sarwar, Leslie Contreras Schwartz, Larry Watts, and Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton.

Some people take fishing too seriously. Retired Admiral Bobby Burns did, and it cost him his life. There is no shortage of suspects. His wife, Pattie Grace, is also accused of the murder. Niki Dupre, the most famous private investigator in Louisiana, doesn't believe her former Sunday School teacher could kill her husband. Soon, the case turns from fishy to dangerous. But who killed the admiral?

Theft doesn't pay. Unless you take a roll of lottery tickets and one of them hits the jackpot. John David Netterville found said tickets on the ground outside a gas station. Unfortunately, they had been stolen. When the cashier identifies him as the thief, trouble ensues. Niki Dupre must prove Netterville's innocence, despite the evidence stacked against him. But did he really do it?

When a self-driving car goes crazy and kills two people, the designer turns to Niki for help. He thinks something else than technology is responsible; his design was beyond fault. Weaving through the falsehoods and misdirections, Niki soon finds herself in danger. On this perilous road, there is a dangerous curve at the end. But is the killer closer than she had thought?

C. J. Box, #1 New York Times best-selling author of the hugely popular Joe Pickett series, selects the best short mystery and crime fiction of the year in this annual “treat for crime-fiction fans” (Library Journal).

Alex is looking forward to the next chapter of his life as a special agent with Homeland Security. In his last week with the Glynn County Police Department, he volunteers to return to the bike patrol on Saint Simons Island to help out during the Fourth of July festival. He's once again paired with Steve Albright, his one-time best friend and now estranged brother-in-law. When a shooting on the island pulls them into a manhunt, the two must work together to find the suspect before anyone else is hurt.

From the silly and cute, to the horrific and sad. Each short story was made up on one day in Fountain Park, as the author began wondering who all was passing him by...where were they going and where did they come from? Listen for more.

Red O’Brien and Billy Don Craddock are finishing a construction project for one of their regular customers when he makes an unexpected request - help him regain custody of his beloved beagle, Teddy. The way they go about it is a howl.

"The Castle Orphans": "How often does he visit you?" added Watson, producing his pipe from his pocket. He searched the same pocket for a match then lit the device. "He visits every week and every few nights. He likes to sneak in the window and take things back to his castle!" The small girl played with the little tiger upon her knee.

When a young man with Down syndrome witnesses a bank robbery, Jessica Ramirez discovers that the detectives investigating the case are underestimating the most observant eyes in the room. As she gleans information from Cody Harris, the two perps begin to figure out that Jessica is working with the one witness who could send them to jail.

Zoe Doyle is a police constable doing her best to keep things calm in a locked-down London. When a vicious killer begins dismembering bodies in Brixton, there are inevitable comparisons to "Jack the Ripper". While working her beat, Zoe receives a voice message, learning, to her horror, that "The Corona Ripper" has selected his next victim: her mother.

A collection of five short stories. This collection includes: "A Pussy Did Him In", "Touche", "The End", "Mr. Wonderful", and "Bag of Bones".

Thirty-two short stories compiled by Bill Bernico....

A compilation of five of my latest short stories.

Susie has a humdrum life working in an airport coffee shop, but it doesn’t stop her from having big dreams. When the planes are grounded, life changes for her after she accepts a new job and a deal that puts her face to face with a serial killer. Who killed Shawn Davis? That’s the question Susie has to answer if she wants a better paycheck.