English Detective Noir

Humans have always been fascinated by darkness. Especially the darkness of a city at night, when the black sky is made ever more inky by the pools of illumination dropped under streetlights. Whether the mean streets be in an alternate past charmed with dark magic or the dirty alleyways of futuristic crowded space stations, the city—and its darkened streets—will always fascinate us. Here then, an anthology of all new stories of science fiction and fantasy with a hardboiled noir twist that acknowledge that the city is a living, breathing entity...and it isn’t always on our side.

In the rugged gorges of the Kimberley, where blackened spinifex and red earth tell stories to those who can read them, Special Investigator Odysseus "Odie" Kalaris is called to investigate a body staged to resemble an animal attack. A wildlife photographer's death in a remote country quickly reveals darker motives. What begins as a suspicious death evolves into something far more sinister, revealing connections between rare goanna breeding grounds, vandalised rock art sites, and powerful interests opposing a new sanctuary. When Odie discovers hidden SD cards documenting systematic wildlife ...

Detective Kjeld Nygaard wants nothing more than to forget his family and Varsund, the small mining town he once called home, even exist. But while on suspension after his last case went disastrously wrong, his estranged father, Stenar, leaves a message on Kjeld’s phone claiming he’s seen a murder. But with no evidence and Stenar suffering from Alzheimer’s, the local police think he must have imagined it.

Private Investigator James Benoit Heatley, "Heat" to those few he calls friends, has a reputation for being a bit rough around the edges. Heat's reputation for doing what he believes is just is well deserved, even if his brand of justice happens to be illegal. His reputation for not taking women as clients is equally well deserved. Some say there is a woman to blame and they would be right to do so. It is with great reluctance that Heat takes the case of a wife desperate to find her kidnapped husband, a case that forces Heat to confront his bitter past. Murder, kidnapping, and broken hearts...

Book 1 in the Romantic Paranormal Mystery Trilogy: Celestial Blues Half a century ago, Griffin Shaw was a PI, but that was back when gumshoes hoofed the streets . . . and he was still alive. Now he’s a Centurion, a celestial helper to the recently—violently--deceased. But just because he’s an angel doesn’t make him a saint. A vital mistake lands him back on the mortal mudflat with the directive to collect Katherine “Kit” Craig, a journalist whose latest investigation is about to get her clipped. Defying heavenly orders, Grif refuses to allow this sable-haired siren to come to ...

It’s a case unlike anything detective Mina Dabiri has seen before. A woman trapped inside a magician’s box, with swords pierced through. But this time, it’s not a magic trick. It’s murder. Knowing she has a terrifying killer on her hands, Mina enlists the help of celebrity mentalist, Vincent Walder. Only he can give her an insight into the secret world of magic and illusions. Mina and Vincent soon discover that the murder victim has the roman numeral III engraved on her leg. The killer is counting down.

Left to her own devices, Detective Sergeant Charlie West struggles with the responsibility of a full-blown murder investigation when a man is pushed off a cliff. Not ready to have her apron strings severed so soon, West finds Munro who reluctantly agrees to shed light on the Ayrshire detectives' most challenging case yet. Once the police have discovered the identity of the dead man, and established his demise was the result of foul play, the race is on to hunt down the murderer.

A MISSING BIOLOGIST. A CHILLING CONSPIRACY. A COP THAT WON’T BACK DOWN. When Lachlan Harvey, a leading mind in synthetic biology, is drugged in the heart of the city, he wakes in a secret facility in the harsh Australian outback. Kidnapped for his unique skill set, he learns quickly that escape is impossible. His only chance of survival is compliance. Detective Cameron Cole and his partner Rachael Blake are tasked with solving the sudden disappearance of Lachlan Harvey. The case throws them into a dark world of conspiracy, corruption, and cutting edge science. Just as the pair begins to ...

Ash Rashid is a former homicide detective who can't stand the thought of handling another death investigation. In another year, he'll be out of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department completely. That's the plan, at least, until his niece's body is found in the guest home of one of his city's most wealthy citizens. The coroner calls it an overdose, but the case doesn't add up. Against orders, Ash launches an investigation to find his niece's murderer.

LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan is struggling to move forward after the death of her brother in Afghanistan and taking a life in the line of duty. Her stoic parents offer little support – they refuse to address anything difficult, and she’s afraid their relationship is eroding beyond the point of recovery.

A body was found in a Trunk at Kings Cross Station. Nothing unusual, except Chief Inspector, Lord Ralph McGinnis is sent down from Scotland Yard to investigate. Recognized as retired Police officer Casper Fellen, Ralph suspects he stumbled into gang warfare, and what is the Royal connection with horseracing at Epsom? Professor Claire Lane senses the truth. Will she side with Ralph, or take another view, agree to disappear undercover with renowned Gang boss Alexander Carrington. Is this the end, or does this spell disaster for not only Claire’s reputation, but to Ralph’s heraldic ...

In the seedy depths of Angel City a new kind of scum is taking root. Working girls are going missing and when they show back up again it's bad news. The pervs and freaks seem to be winning but the deal is they never counted on Mel Thompson. Not just any shamus or private dick, Mel has a certain, shall we say, connection to another place down under but it's not Australia. The clock is ticking for Mel to solve the case because the deeper he gets into it, the better the odds that he's going to get his block knocked off, and then it's not just curtains, but a one-way ticket back to Hell for the...

ORIGINAL STORY, WRITTEN BY A HUMAN Get ready for the thrilling conclusion to P.G. Robertson's Saltwater Crimes Trilogy and the return of the captivating Detective Ange Watson. After the messy Gold Coast affair, Ange is certain that the syndicate has eyes and ears everywhere, thwarting her every move. Forced south to Sydney, Ange soon picks up the trail of her deadly nemesis. It seems that drug trafficking isn’t the only game in town… With the help of her colleagues and an unlikely ally, Ange dives into the murky world of cryptocurrency and NFTs, exploring the dangerous waters where ...

When five-year-old Ava Sawyer goes missing from a birthday party at a local garden center, the police are bewildered by the lack of leads. That is, until two years later, when Ava’s body is found and another little girl, Audrey Briggs, goes missing. Audrey also attended that party. Leading the investigation is Detective Natalie Ward. A mother of two teenagers, this case chills her to the bone and is a disturbing reminder of the last job she worked on. One that still keeps her awake at night.

Detective Superintendent Topias Torikka is brought in to investigate when a man is found dead in suspicious circumstances. However, with no apparent motive, the murder investigation team in Helsinki soon find themselves at a standstill—until a similar case arises, and then another. Topias must determine why the seemingly unconnected victims have been chosen before another person dies. His investigation takes an unexpected turn when a similar crime is reported from overseas, and the deaths show no sign of stopping. Is this the work of a cold and calculated serial killer, and can they be ...

When a frozen corpse is discovered amid a Helsinki winter, Detective Superintendent Topias Torikka is brought in to investigate. The dead man is the husband of a beautiful and beguiling young woman, whom Topias suspects knows more than she reveals. However, before long, she also finds herself in peril, and as the case progresses, so too does the body count. Intriguing connections arise, and motives appear, including the usual suspects: love, betrayal and money. Can Topias identify and bring a criminal conspiracy to justice before someone else dies?

Their new life together seems on track: she is happily involved with LA's higher echelon art community while he has returned to hosting his TV interviews of leading artists. However, Nicole's worst fears are confirmed when her ex-husband goes missing in China, as a mysterious disease is killing thousands, when she and lover James are being stalked by a series of mysterious Ninja's. Girlfriend Merra joins in to unraveling the reasons behind the quirky attacks as the trio has no choice but to throw caution to the wind, follow their instincts and go rogue as everything goes off kilter. In this...

Rita Conway, a young movie starlet, claims she is being blackmailed and has been receiving threatening phone calls every night at midnight. She believes the calls are coming from her ex-husband. The only problem is, Harry Conway has been dead for two years.

Summer has come to Atlantic City but the boardwalk is empty of tourists, the casino lights have dimmed, and two Jane Does are laid out in the marshland behind the Sunset Motel, just west of town. Only one person even knows they’re there. Meanwhile, Clara, a young boardwalk psychic, struggles to attract clients for the tarot readings that pay her rent. When she begins to experience very real and disturbing visions, she suspects they could be related to the recent cases of women gone missing in town.

Three friends go on a foodie road trip to the Scottish Highlands and Islands to celebrate their pending retirement, expecting stunning scenery, great food, fine wines, and a chance to reminisce about the good old days. When they somehow secure a reservation at a remote and extremely exclusive restaurant set on a private island in Loch Broom, they know they’re in for a once-in-a-lifetime dining experience.