Short Stories Crime Suspense

No one likes Jack. His wife is gone and his neighbors avoid him. He's a recluse and a creep, and that's just the way he wants it; he can ignore what they say behind his back if they leave him to his work and his daily walks. But when ten-year-old Emma goes missing in the nearby woods, the eyes of his neighbors turn toward him, their fear and accusations escalating as the days go by. Jack proclaims his innocence, but what the neighbors - and the listener - find out is the last thing anyone would suspect.

Praise for Alice Crowley's writing: "I LOVED THE IMAGINATION OF THIS AUTHOR!" ~Satisfied Kindle Reader "FIVE STARS!" ~ Multiple Fans "Alice Crowley is one of our best living authors!" ~ G. Taylor In this searing, scorching sexoterica title, a woman is slowly introduced to her animalistic side as she realizes, through a series of hot experiences with a criminal alpha male, that she is not what she thought she was. This 2.5K-Word title is sure to hit all the right buttons!

The Black Goat is a short story that takes on a contemporary approach of the legend of Van Hunks and the devil. Jan van Hunks is down and out, a functioning alcoholic who is battling a divorce from his wife. One wintry night, he decides to escape the clutches of his studio apartment in the heart of Cape Town and venture out to find the darkest bar he can. He meets a mysterious character along the way who advises him against his journey.

Raymond West's niece is invited by an elderly recluse to help compile her late grandfather's diaries for publication. After only two days at their sprawling home of Greenshaw's Folly, she witnesses a murder, which only Miss Marple can solve....

Recently relocated Cam Marshall has made it to the big time - New York, New York. This is his chance to make big money and have a successful career. He didn't know how difficult the city could be to those unaware of its dangers. Only six weeks into a stock broker job, Cam finds out that stocks are not the only things that are volatile on Wall Street. He will have to learn on the fly - because his life depends on it.

Parks- deep down has always known that the day would come when he had to run, taking his family with him. He thinks has prepared for everything. He is mistaken. After letting his guard down to make his wife and Erie happy, he sees his worst nightmare on the horizon. Can he escape again, or will this be the end of the road for their family. Ember- has always chosen her husband and family over what she knew was right. Her guilt is heavy yet doesn't outweigh the love she has for him and their children. As long as they are all together she can handle it. So, when Erie has a request, she grants ...

The best noir writers make us feel the heat of the sun, the touch of a lover. Setting can be gritty but can also be sublime, no longer relegated to urban locales and seedy hotel rooms but also mansions and swimming pools. Hence, Palm Springs, which may seem like an odd setting for a collection of dark short stories—it’s so sunny and bright here. The stories in this collection come on like the wicked dust storms common to the area.

Disappearing wasn’t going to be enough…they needed a plan…some answers…and a safe place where they couldn’t be found…and time to figure out what to do next….and why their pursuers are interested in Harper’s father…and are willing to do anything to draw her out. Now it appears that they have an unknown and unlikely ally…maybe two. But what does it mean when one of their allies becomes the new target… Suddenly there is another target.It’s the middle of the twenty-third century and while there have been staggering technological and environmental advances, human nature ...

In this thrilling selection of stories, a young porter is found dead in a coal tub; Colbeck devises a trap to catch a thief; and a burnt train carriage holds a gruesome secret in a small coastal village. As Colbeck and his trusty aide Sergeant Victor Leeming begin to piece together clues and motives for each crime, it becomes clear the pair must stay a step ahead of the culprits to solve the cases. With a new suspect at every turn, can the duo unearth the real villains?

This wry collection of Hanukkah noir features eleven stories by critically acclaimed authors that run the gamut from hardboiled to heartfelt, curated by New York Times bestselling author Tod Goldberg. Across eleven stories, award-winning authors spin tales of family, corruption, buried treasure and delightful yet twisted capers that will entertain listeners through all eight nights of the Festival of Lights.

After Dr. Russo’s death, Agent Spencer and Elijah get access to some of his private files and discover that Project Orthia had three stages in total: Orthia, Elijah, and Vrykolakas. They go on to discover the destructive potential of project Vrykolakas and prepare to adapt it to their needs. Will be they able to execute their plans or not?... This is Book 4 of "Project Orthia" - the first Series of the "Orthia Labs" saga.

This is a story from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes II collection. In this collection are four of the finest cases of Mr. Sherlock Holmes, narrated by his faithful friend and admirer Dr. Watson. What was the mystery of the engineer's thumb? What was behind the disappearance of the race horse? Why did masked royalty walk up to see Holmes in Baker Street? These and other puzzles are solved in this collection by this bloodhound of a genius.

"Project Orthia is the very promising project, with so much potential..." project report from Dr. Russo, 20 years ago. “Finn Peterson, the retired police officer, comes home to visit his parents. He found that they are not living in their old house, which belongs to someone else now. In attempt to get more data about his parents, Finn discovered that there are no records at all about such people, as they never existed. He tried to resolve the mystery of the disappearance of his own parents, the people who never bought anything, never worked, newer paid taxes, and newer raised their son…...

AFTER the SUNRISE, a short story introducing Kat Martin's Maximum Security series, plus an excerpt from her new novel, THE CONSPIRACY.They Called Him the Hero of St. Andrew'sWhen an active shooter in full body armor strides down the center aisle of St. Andrew's church, Kurt Layton knows he’s the congregation’s only hope of survival. As petite, auburn-haired Erin McCallum looks into the barrel of an assault rife wielded by a ruthless gunman, she knows she is going to die.But sometimes, in the instant between life and death, a connection is forged between two strangers—as strong as ...

In the idyllic backdrop of Ballycross, County Cork, Seren once reveled in the bliss of marriage to Frenchman André while managing their quaint wine shop. A perfect world, it seemed, until an unforeseen tragedy shattered everything. Determined not to be a mere pawn in the game of fate, Seren takes charge of her destiny. In this journey, she discovers the stark difference between fate and faith—realizing that control is a powerful force. The revelation of an enigmatic email destined for her husband propels Seren into a harrowing mystery. Abandoning the comforts of Ballycross, she ventures ...

"Another Role" is a short story from the collection Indian Country Noir. Step into Indian Country. Enter the dark welter of troubled history throughout the Americas, where the heritage of violence meets the ferocity of intent.

Insanity is never far behind. Or is it? So far, the private investigation business of Wife for Hire has done nothing more than check on cheating spouses and insurance fraud. But, when handsome author, Eric Larson hires Sarah Matthews to pose as his fiancé in order to get rid of a stalker, things escalate to a whole new level. Wanting her business to be taken seriously becomes almost more than Sarah bargained for as a clever plan to catch a crazed woman takes a turn for the worse. Can Sarah and Eric stay far enough ahead of a demented stalker long enough to confess their love for each other...

Over five hours of audio provides eight original riveting and breathtaking stories of crime, betrayal, vengeance and desire, all of which are the very basis of great crime fiction. Evenly divided between male and female sleuths, this collection gives you great stories from the pens of Loren Estleman, Bill Pronzini, John Lutz, Jeremiah Healy, Carolyn G. Hart, Catherine Dane, Nancy Pickard and Christine Matthews.

Some cases get buried. Vicky Pearce digs them up. Detective Vicky Pearce has a reputation: sharp-tongued, relentless, and unafraid to walk into the shadows others avoid. When a string of missing rough sleepers is dismissed as just another tragedy of the streets, Vicky’s instincts tell her there's more beneath the surface — and she’s determined to uncover it. With a new detective sergeant by her side, still battling his own ghosts, Vicky follows the trail into the heart of a hidden world where society’s most vulnerable vanish without a trace. As the case escalates, her investigation ...

Frederick Lowell has quietly managed the estate of the revered novelist Edward Goodwin. Though the author of only one novel, that book has gone on to sell hundreds of millions of copies, keeping Lowell comfortable as well as Goodwin's ne'er-do-well and feckless children. Then word comes that a sequel to the novel may in fact exist, and Lowell becomes a detective, navigating a series of twists that take him from a Hamptons retreat to a penitentiary, from a Westchester homestead to a decaying Southern hotel.