Mystery Writers Of America Presents Blue Religion

Taking us from smoggy Los Angeles to the woods of Idaho, from Hawaii at the turn of the twentieth century to the post-Civil War frontier, these riveting stories trace the perils and occasional triumphs of lawmen and women who put themselves in harm's way to face down the bad guys. Some of them even walk the edge of becoming bad guys themselves. In T. Jefferson Parker's "Skinhead Central," an ex-cop and his wife find unexpected menace in the idyllic setting they have chosen for their retirement. In Alafair Burke's "Winning," a female officer who is attacked in the line of duty must protect her own husband from his worst impulses. In Michael Connelly's "Father's Day", Harry Bosch faces one of his most emotionally trying cases, investigating a young boy's death. These are hard-hitting, thrilling, and utterly unforgettable stories, from some of the best writers in the mystery world.

An anthology of nineteen tales set in various regions and historical periods includes T. Jefferson Parker's "Skinhead Central," Alafair Burke's "Winning," Michael Connelly's "Father's Day," and works by Edward D. Hoch, Laurie R. King, and other notable authors.

An anthology of nineteen tales set in various regions and historical periods includes T. Jefferson Parker's "Skinhead Central," Alafair Burke's "Winning," Michael Connelly's "Father's Day," and works by Edward D. Hoch, Laurie R. King, and other notable authors.

When a different kind of justice is needed -- swift, effective, and personal -- a new type of avenger must take action. Vengeance features new stories by bestselling crime writers including Lee Child, Michael Connelly, Dennis Lehane, and Karin Slaughter, as well as some of today's brightest rising talents. The heroes in these stories include a cop who's seen too much, a woman who has been pushed too far, or just an ordinary person doing what the law will not. Some call them vigilantes, others claim they are just another brand of criminal. Edited and with an introduction by Lee Child, these stories reveal the shocking consequences when men and women take the law into their own hands.

After the crime is over, the real drama begins. That's what this riveting collection proves as it carries us from the witch trials to Depression-era Chicago to today's highest-stakes legal dramas. These are thrilling stories of lawyers under pressure, of criminals facing the needle, and of the heartbroken families who hope for justice and who sometimes take it into their own hands. In James Grippando's Death, Cheated, a lawyer defends his ex-girlfriend against the investors who bet $1.5 million on her death. In Barbara Parker's "A Clerk's Life," a disillusioned clerk at a corporate law firm suspects the worst of his colleagues when one of the firm's employees is murdered. In Phyllis Cohen's "Designer Justice," an accused murderer thinks he's lucked out when he lands a high-priced lawyer, only to learn that there are worse fates than being found guilty. A page-turning collection -- filled with shocking twists, double-crosses, and edge-of-your-seat suspense.

Selected by Nelson DeMille, a collection of mystery/thriller short stories focused on the wealthy upper echelons from some of today's top writers. The truly wealthy live in another world. From their multi-national businesses to their palatial mansions to their exotic vacations at glamorous places all around the world, they do everything in a big way. And sometimes, that even includes crime. In this anthology, you'll read about a wealthy writer who plots murder his hopeless agent, an aging actress who clings to her past of wealth and fame, and a spoiled rich boy who steps into dangerous territory with his mean antics, among others. The Rich and the Dead features mystery and crime stories set among the upper crust of society, going behind the scenes of the lifestyles of the two percent of the world that controls sixty percent of its riches--and just how far they'll go to stay on top.

From Hawaii at the turn of the twentieth century to the post-Civil War frontier, from smoggy Los Angeles to the woods of Idaho, these gripping stories trace the perils and occasional triumphs of lawmen and -women who put themselves in harm's way to face down the bad guys. Some of them even walk the edge of becoming bad guys themselves. In T. Jefferson Parker's “Skinhead Central”, an ex-cop and his wife find unexpected menace in the idyllic setting they have chosen for their retirement. In Alafair Burke's “Winning”, a female officer who is attacked in the line of duty must protect her own husband from his worst impulses. Other authors in the collection include the acclaimed Laurie R. King; Edgar winners Edward D. Hoch and Jon L. Breen; Dagger winner and bestseller John Harvey, as well as the bestselling Peter Robinson. Most important, there's Michael Connelly himself as editor. His own contribution, an original Harry Bosch story, crowns this outstanding collection.

Nuclear brinksmanship. Psychological warfare. Spies, double agents, femme fatales, and dead drops. The Cold War--a terrifying time when nuclear war between the world's two superpowers was an ever-present threat, an all-too-real possibility that could be set off at the touch of a button--provides a chilling backdrop to this collection of all-new short stories from today's most celebrated mystery writers. Bestselling authors Jeffery Deaver and Raymond Benson--the only American writers to be commissioned to pen official James Bond novels--have joined forces to bring us twenty masterful tales of paranoia, espionage, and psychological drama. In Joseph Finder's "Police Report," the seemingly cut-and-dry case of a lunatic murderer in rural Massachusetts may have roots in Soviet-controlled Armenia. In "Miss Bianca" by Sara Paretsky, a young girl befriends a mouse in a biological warfare laboratory and finds herself unwittingly caught in an espionage drama. And Deaver's "Comrade 35" offers a unique spin on the assassination of John F. Kennedy--with a signature twist.