Detective Collection

The best mysteries have one thing in common: a memorable perpetrator. For every Sherlock Holmes or Sam Spade in noble pursuit, there's a Count Dracula, a Lester Leith, or a Jimmy Valentine. These are the rogues and villains who haunt our imaginations - and who often have more in common with their heroic counterparts than we might expect. Now, for the first time ever, Otto Penzler gathers the iconic traitors, thieves, con men, sociopaths, and killers who have crept through the mystery canon over the past 150 years, captivating and horrifying readers in equal measure.

Book #5 of the Jab Boone Murder Mystery Series Jack Spangler, aka Spangler the Strangler, escapes from a prison transport en route to a super-maximum facility. He has one goal in mind: revenge on the man who put him there 25 years ago—Jab Boone. So confident is Spangler that he tells the world how and where he will dispose of his enemy. Despite Jab’s careful machinations, he is kidnapped and lowered into Spangler’s carefully constructed dungeon, awaiting execution. It soon becomes a cat-and-mouse trail of intrigue and misinformation to who gains the upper hand—Jab or the serial ...

Disgraced ex-cop Rocket Malone makes a living collecting the memories of the rich. How does he do it? Simple. He cracks open their skulls and yanks out the implanted hardware. It pays the bills. At least, it would if he wasn't swimming in gambling debts. Called to the scene of a grisly murder, Rocket runs into a small problem. His client's head is missing, along with the memories it contains. A beautiful woman, a mysterious foreigner, and an eccentric billionaire all believe Rocket can find the missing memories, and each is willing to pay dearly for the information. Finding this dead man's ...

A detective mystery novel set in bustling Paddington, London, during the late 19th century. In the heart of Paddington, London, Andrew Hendrickson is a young writer struggling to make ends meet. The pawnshop of Daniel Multenius becomes his lifeline, but he soon finds himself entangled in a web of deception, murder, and intrigue that will keep you on the edge of your seat. When Andrew pawns his watch and later his mother’s rings to stave off financial ruin, he stumbles into a mystery as old as time. Upon discovering Multenius murdered, Andrew is thrust into a perilous situation as a prime ...

In the heart of gangland London, Reverend Digby Rolf witnesses a chilling prison execution, the condemned man's life ending with a snap. But it's not just a man's death that haunts him; it's the divine message he sees in its aftermath: "Vengeance is mine sayeth the lord." Driven by an unwavering faith and a sense of duty, Digby embarks on a perilous quest for justice, despite the dangers lurking in the shadows of the late 1950s underworld. As he delves deeper into the murky depths of London's criminal society, Digby must confront his own naivety and navigate a treacherous landscape where ...

In the bustling streets of London, Digby bids farewell to the solemn halls of the church, opting instead to venture into the thrilling world of detective work. His decision proves prosperous, yet the monotony of endless divorce cases threatens to suffocate him. But when Lady Isobel, the enigmatic widow of Lord Quentin Brewster, seeks his aid in unraveling her husband's supposed suicide, Digby finds himself thrust into a world far beyond the mundane. From the vibrant chaos of London, he embarks on a journey to the windswept moors of Bodmin, where shadows dance with whispers of ancient ...

It has taken over 80 years, but at long last, the British government’s embargo on reporting this slice of diplomatic history has been lifted. It was in November 1940 that a senior minister at the British foreign office in blacked-out London commissioned Holmes and Watson to go to Berlin to negotiate a prisoner of war swap with the German high command. And the price demanded by Nazi Propaganda Minister, Joseph Göbbels, for any prisoner's release? That the two work with the Berlin police to capture a serial killer who is stalking the city’s railway network.

An entertaining selection of Sherlock Holmes short stories narrated by renowned actors including Sir John Gielgud and Ralph Richardson.

'A fantastic writer.' Donald Ray Pollock 'Nigel Bird is fast becoming one of the top writers in his genre.' Luca Veste DIRTY OLD TOWN is the debut collection from the prize-winning writer Nigel Bird. His brilliantly observed slices of life allow us to visit places we may not normally choose to enter and to walk a few miles in the shoes of others. Though his tales have darkness at their core, they are also full of a heart and spirit that one rarely finds in the world or ‘noir’ or ‘crime-writing’. There are 9 stories here: Drinking Wine (Spo-Dee-Oh-Dee); Dirty Old Town; Sea Minor; ...

Book #3 in the Jab Boone Murder Mystery Series A car-bombing, similar to the one that killed Tiffin Boone and friends four years ago, resurfaces in the Bay Area. It turns out that the actual bomb maker, known as The Caveman, has his sights on Jab Boone! Complicating matters is the murder of Under-Sheriff Sherry Davis and the lurid press fascination between Jab and The Caveman. Jab enlists sheriffs in three separate counties as well as the FBI to stop The Caveman from wreaking further havoc!

A detective mystery crime thriller set in London during the early 20th century. On a fateful morning in June 1912, the quiet, ominous streets of London reveal a sinister secret to Mullins, a hardworking sub-editor for the Watchman newspaper. As he finishes a late shift, an encounter with Policeman Etheridge drags him into a chilling murder investigation. The victim is an unidentified man, discovered with a clue that leads Mullins into the depths of a mystery brimming with deceit, scandal, and peril. Determined to uncover the truth, Mullins partners with the named individual on the cryptic ...

All Rita wants is to abandon dreary Blackpool and start over somewhere new. But when she triggers a magical hex that renders her invisible and traps her in her hometown, escape seems impossible. Rita soon finds that Blackpool has some hidden secrets: a fallen angel buried beneath the sea in a glass prison, bloodthirsty werewolves, and living nightmares dressed in fine suits and animal masks that can turn your mind to soup.

Do you want to ignite your child's imagination with robotic companions and dimensional doorways? Step into a mind-bending universe of mystery! Transport your young listener (ages 8 - 12) into futuristic adventures where nothing is quite what it seems. These action-packed stories blend sci-fi wonder with clever detective work, perfect for capturing active imaginations. Each thrilling tale takes 10 - 15 minutes to finish. Blast Off into Adventure with "The Backward Clock.”

Retirement is bliss—or is it? Newly retired music teacher Susan Wiles puts her natural nosiness to work and discovers a talent for solving murders. In Murder is Collegiate, Susan and hubby Mike visit their old friends, Emily and Henry Fox. They no sooner hit the Vermont border when they are greeted with a dead body, stolen jewelry, and a barn full of secrets. In Murder is Chartered, Susan Wiles is driving home on a winding mountain road, late at night when she runs over the assistant principal at a school where she volunteers. About to admit guilt, Susan wonders if this was accident or a ...

From the depths of the Big Thicket, emerge five authors, drawn together by their passion for storytelling and their unique abilities to frighten innocent children and old women. Their Redneck Voodoo style of storytelling will carry you on journey through twelve tales, each written beneath the pines of East Texas. Inside this delightfully creepy collection of tales, readers will find the following twelve tales: Scarecrow Sheriff, Dog Murderer, and Blackbirds, by Tim Bryant. In the Forest, by Dawna Bowman Flowers. Flowers, by Blake Heath. A Teller of Quietus, and Wife in a Box, by David ...

It's the season of joy, happiness, and everything! This Christmas, treat yourself with fun adventures set not just in Manhattan but a whole new dimension! This set features five Christmas paranormal cozy mysteries including: Wicked of the Christmas Past Wicked as a Christmas Fruitcake I'm Dreaming of a Wicked Christmas All I Want for Christmas is Wicked Merry, Bright, and Spirited Away Enjoy four Christmas stories featuring Mandy, her ghostly pal Jackie, and the super-hot FBI agent turned into the COO of the world's leading security company Rick Rowling! And... Meet Peridot "Riddy" ...

It’s summer, and as a special treat after the horrors of last term, Mrs Knight announces a school trip to Shady Pines Hotel on the shores of Lake Seren. Scarlet and Ivy are thrilled to get away from Rookwood for a break! But the old hotel and the waters of the lake reservoir are covering up secrets. And when mysterious things start happening to hotel guests, it seems that a malicious new threat is haunting the girls. Locals say that at night you can hear the ringing of the church bells and see lights under the lake, that troubled souls buried in the flooded graveyard no longer rest.

Whispers in the Hydrangeas: Some Gardens Hide More Than Beauty Eleanor Wilson's beloved blue hydrangeas aren't just beautiful—they're the perfect cover for watching her quiet suburban street. When the Chos move in across the way, Eleanor's keen eye notices something off about the couple and their elaborate greenhouse. Behind Vivian Cho's polished exterior and her mysterious midnight gardening sessions lies a dangerous secret. When Eleanor discovers exotic plants with deadly properties and George Cho's unexplained injuries, she realizes her new neighbor's "botanical research" may be far ...

Few characters have the loyal readership of Bill Pronzini's "Nameless Detective." The 14 stories in this collection span his entire 35-year life on the printed page. They include "It's a Lousy World," where Nameless proves that a friend did not commit the crime he was accused of; "Dead Man's Slough" and "The Ghosts of Ragged-Ass Gulch," which take him out of San Francisco into the hinterlands; and "Souls Burning," where he tries to help an old friend make one last try at setting things right.

Books four, five and six in the Skulduggery Pleasant series - known collectively as the Death Bringer Trilogy, Derek Landy's fantastically imaginative series about our favourite dead detective.