Most Popular Books by Brendan Dubois

When seven murder victims are found in a small town, the homicide investigation shakes a small-town sheriff to her core in James Patterson''s tense thriller. Once a luxurious southern getaway on a rustic lake, then reduced to a dilapidated crash pad, the Summer House is now the grisly scene of a nighttime mass murder. Eyewitnesses point to four Army Rangers—known as the Night Ninjas—recently returned from Afghanistan. To ensure that justice is done, the Army sends Major Jeremiah Cook, a veteran and former NYPD cop, to investigate. But the major and his elite team arrive in sweltering Georgia with no idea their grim jobs will be made exponentially more challenging by local law enforcement, who resists the Army''s intrusion and stonewall them at every turn. As Cook and his squad struggle to uncover the truth behind the condemning evidence, the pieces just won''t fit—and forces are rallying to make certain damning secrets die alongside the victims in the murder house. With his own people in the cross-hairs, Cook takes a desperate gamble to find answers—even if it means returning to a hell of his own worst nightmares . . .

From the New York Times bestselling author of The President Is Missing, America has elected its most brilliant president ever, but he’s also a psychopath—and about to start a world war with our most dangerous enemy. US President Keegan Barrett has swept into office on his success as Director of the CIA. Six months into his first term, he devises a clandestine power grab with deadly consequences. Barrett personally orders CIA agents Liam Grey and Noa Himel to execute his plan, but their loyalties are divided. The CIA serves at the pleasure of the president, yet they’ve sworn to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. When the threat comes directly from the Oval Office, that’s where the blowback begins. “Pure Patterson… Blowback asks us to imagine what would happen if a narcissistic psychopath were elected to the White House [and] to experience the terror of the world hanging in the balance at a moment when only a handful of determined patriots can save us.” –Ron Charles, Washington Post

A week is a long time in politics, but six days can destroy democracy... It should be the happiest days for former special forces agent Drew Connor. Out walking in New Hampshire''s White Mountains with his girlfriend Sheila Cass, he has butterflies in his stomach and an engagement ring in his pocket. Then a thunderstorm hits, and they take shelter in what Sheila thinks is a relay station for a state utility. But when Drew enters the building, he realizes they have stepped into something far more sinister. Bullet-proof checkpoints. Telephone hotlines. A sign by a map that reads INTERNMENT CENTERS. And on a whiteboard a large, handwritten message: CASE SHILOH: ON 9/19 WE TAKE HER BACK! Drew''s instinct is to get Sheila out as quickly as possible, and when they stop at a general store, and the police open fire without asking questions, his worst fears are confirmed. Someone wants them dead for what they have seen. And as Drew and Sheila discover, they have stumbled on a plot to kill the president and overthrow the American government, a plan that is to take place in just six days time. With the conspirators claiming they are terrorists on the run, Drew knows it is going to be hard enough just to stay alive, let alone put a stop to this most deadly of political schemes... By the award-winning author of RESURRECTION DAY and TWILIGHT, SIX DAYS is a ''what-if'' thriller of chilling credibility, a terrifying tale of what can happen when power games are mistaken for politics, and paranoia for patriotism. REVIEWS "The whole shebang is as American as apple pie and handguns in the classroom. Of course there''s an almighty conflagration at the climax, but DuBois shapes a tight sentence and the plot crackles along." -- Sunday Age newspaper "A well-paced, exciting "what-if" thriller." -- Irish Independent newspaper ..".DuBois injects such pace into his writing that the story rips breathlessly along." -- Birmingham (UK) Post

This family has a very dark secret-but even with a retired NYPD cop next door, they can''t hide from danger forever . . . The Sanderson family has been forced into hiding after one of them stumbled upon a criminal plot. Or so they think. No one will answer their questions. And the terrifying truth may come too late . . . . BookShotsLightning-fast stories by James Patterson Novels you can devour in a few hours Impossible to stop reading All original content from James Patterson

Retired Department of Defense research analyst Lewis Cole loves his small New Hampshire town of Tyler Beach, and he shares this affection with his friend Jon Ericson, an eccentric retiree who’s convinced Vikings had once lived in their town, more than a thousand years ago. For years Ericson has searched for artifacts to prove Vikings had a settlement on the New Hampshire coastline, and when Lewis gets a phone message from Ericson that he’s finally found this evidence, Lewis races over to congratulate him. But when he reaches Ericson’s house, however, there is no celebration: there is only a crime scene. In the minutes after the excited phone call, someone has brutally murdered Lewis’ friend and stolen the artifacts. Who could have committed such a crime? Ericson’s estranged brother, a convict who deals in stolen antiques? A disgruntled town resident, jealous of Ericson’s quest? Or someone else who would easily kill to cover up such an archaeological discovery? These questions and others haunt Lewis, but Lewis is sure of one thing: he intends to avenge Ericson’s death, recover the missing Viking artifacts, and honor his friend’s memory, even if it means paying a stiff price -- exchanging his beachfront home for a prison cell.

From two-time Shamus Award winner Brendan DuBois comes the sequel to Dark Victory. A terrifying and original tale of teens who are fighting to save their lives . . . and the future of planet Earth. U.S Army Sergeant Randy Knox is sixteen, and already a seasoned veteran. He is an alien killing prodigy who has eradicated more of the invading Creepers than anyone can keep track of. But Randy is also a high school student struggling with geometry. And he is a young man whose heart is being pulled in two directions by two very different girls. One, Abby Monroe, a straightforward warrior. The other, Serena Coulson, dangerous and mysterious. Randy, with the help of Serena’s strange brother, alien interpreter Buddy Coulson, has convinced a Creeper base to surrender. After a decade of conflict, misery, and the death of millions of humans, it finally seems that the war may come to an end. But then the surrender effort turns into a bloody ambush. More disturbing, Buddy and Serena Coulson arrive, having escaped torture and interrogation at the hands of a C.I.A. operative. It begins to dawn on Randy that, as much as he doesn’t want to believe it, the powers-that-be may not want the war to be over. Now, as Randy’s hodge-podge military unit makes a desperate stand at a remote outpost, young Sergeant Randy Knox learns just how far he will go to protect those he loves—and what it takes to save humanity from total alien domination. About prequel, Dark Victory: "DuBois (Resurrection Day) has written a great series opener for a range of readers. The adolescent characters make this an especially solid choice for teens with an interest in apocalyptic and disaster fiction."—Library Journal "Ambitious . . . nail-biting suspense and satisfyingly complex characterization . . . the contrast between DuBois’s world and our own is stark and well drawn."—Publishers Weekly "A page-turner of an alien invasion novel with fine world-building and characterization. DuBois writes with a strong hand, keeping the fighting and military side of things gritty. From the weapons to the people, Dubois gets it right."—Steve Miller, cocreator of the best-selling Liaden Universe® series About Brendan Dubois: "Dubois gives the reader both exquisite suspense and deeply realized characters."—Booklist "Brendan DuBois is a fine novelist and easily the best short-story writer of his generation." --- Lee Child, New York Times best-selling author. **

The conclusion to Brendan DuBois''s Dark Victory alien-invasion trilogy. Bestselling and award-winning author Brendan DuBois proves that even in the most desperate of times, there are still men and women alive who will take up weapons to defend what is theirs. More than ten years ago, the alien Creepers arrived in Earth’s orbit and started a war that was a slaughter for humanity. Nuclear weapons detonated in the atmosphere destroyed all electronic devices, asteroids dropped into oceans and lakes swamped cities with artificial tsunamis, and the nearly invulnerable Creepers arrived on Earth, going forth from their dome bases to attack civilians and military units at will. Sixteen-year-old Randy Knox, a newly minted lieutenant in the U.S. Army, has been fighting the Creepers since he was twelve. He has seen friends, family members and fellow soldiers killed by the Creepers, and he is tired of war. At one point, it seemed the war was over when the aliens’ orbital battle station had been destroyed. But a second Creeper orbital battle station has arrived. The war no longer seems to be over, and while returning to his home unit, Randy’s convoy is ambushed. Separated from his fellow soldiers and his K-9 companion Thor, Randy faces the ultimate horror of every American serviceman: to become a prisoner of war of the aliens. At the publisher''s request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). About prequel, Red Vengeance: “Forced into a two-front war fighting both the attacking creepers and saboteurs within his own ranks, Randy learns how far he will go to protect those he loves and defeat the Creeper menace. Red Vengeance is a worthy follow-up to Dark Victory and excellent and entertaining stand-alone. If you like action science fiction you will enjoy Brendan DuBois’ latest.”—Daily News of Galveston County About prequel, Dark Victory: "DuBois (Resurrection Day) has written a great series opener for a range of readers. The adolescent characters make this an especially solid choice for teens with an interest in apocalyptic and disaster fiction."—Library Journal "Ambitious . . . nail-biting suspense and satisfyingly complex characterization . . . the contrast between DuBois’s world and our own is stark and well drawn."—Publishers Weekly "A page-turner of an alien invasion novel with fine world-building and characterization. DuBois writes with a strong hand, keeping the fighting and military side of things gritty. From the weapons to the people, Dubois gets it right."—Steve Miller, cocreator of the best-selling Liaden Universe® series About Brendan DuBois: "Dubois gives the reader both exquisite suspense and deeply realized characters."—Booklist "Brendan DuBois is a fine novelist and easily the best short-story writer of his generation."—Lee Child, New York Times best-selling author.

A tangled web of violence and betrayal drive this story of international intrigue After a dishonorable discharge from a top-notch covert Coast Guard position, Zach Morrow is left with almost nothing. When a Homeland Security agent asks him for his help in exchange for an honorable discharge and his full pension, Zach agrees. All he has to do is go back to his hometown and get information on an old classmate. That old classmate is Duncan Crowley, a highly successful smuggler of booze, cigarettes, and pot who''s branching out for a bigger score—a shipping container that Homeland Security thinks is a weapon of mass destruction. An action-packed novel of deception and double crosses, Night Road will have you racing to the end to find out where allegiances really lie. Praise: "Surprises keep coming until the last page, where we''re let in on a vast, circular plot reminiscent of Grisham—and worthy of him."—Booklist "[DuBois] writes a mean novel...Nothing is quite what it seems in this book, at once an adventure, a caper novel, a sting operation, and a suspenseful story of conspiracy and betrayal."—Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine "A taut, suspenseful thriller."—Library Journal "DuBois throws in a pleasing final surprise."—Kirkus Reviews

In 1972, ten years after a nuclear war decimated both the United States and Soviet Union, Carl Landry, a young reporter, searches for the killer of a veteran of the 1962 war and begins to suspect that the victim may have held the key to a terrifying conspiracy. Reprint.

ORIGINAL TRADE PAPERBACK. From two time Shamus Award winner Brendan DuBois comes a terrifying and original tale of a world populated mostly by teens, who are fighting to save their lives . . . and the future of planet Earth. A decade ago, the alien Creepers came to Earth, dropping asteroids to drown our coastal cities, detonating nuclear weapons overhead to destroy our communications, power and computer systems, and to set up their network of killer stealth satellites to kill anything on our planet that used modern technology. In a matter of days, Earth was driven back to a nineteenth century existence. Then the war really began, as the Creepers descended and set up domed bases that were impervious to everything save a nuclear bomb. For ten years then, the battered and surviving members of humanity have fought against the Creepers and their mechanized exoskeletons, until something unexpected has happenea chance for victory. Sixteen-year-old Randy Knox has the usual problems of a teenage boy: getting along with his father, dating his sweetheart, and trying not to fail his junior year of high school. But Randy also has other demands on his time, as a sergeant in the N.H. National Guard, attached to the U.S. Army, and fighting the invading Creepers. Randy has dim memories of a time of electric lights, laptop computers, television screens and above all, plenty of food at every meal. On his twelfth birthday, he enlisted in the Army to carry on the fight, since most of the worldu0090s adults have been killed off and itu0090s up to the younger generations to serve. But now, as a veteran of the Creeper war and with his K-9 partner Thor, Randy has learned to focus on the essentials: the best way to kill a Creeper, scrounge through abandoned buildings for old canned goods, and to avoid being turned into _barbecue bait.î He has earned the Bronze Star, two Purple Hearts, and the Combat Infantryman Badge. Endless war is all he knows. But now change has drastically come to his life. The current President of the United States has announced that scattered remnants of the Air Force have destroyed the Creeperu0090s Orbital Base, ensuring victory over the alien invaders. Those surviving Creepers on the Earthu0090s surface will be hunted down and exterminated, as a weary and wary population celebrates victory. Yet Randy is assigned a new mission: to escort a secret representative from the Governor of New Hampshire to the nationu0090s capital, to meet with the President. And at the last moment, a fellow teen soldierÊthe beautiful Serena Coulson and her mute younger brother BuddyÊare assigned to join Randy. This secretive mission proves to be the most dangerous assignment of his life, as Randy tries to protect his charges from rampaging Creepers and criminal humans. And as he fights to reach the capitol with a vital mission, Randy learns that all of his skills in combating aliens may not be enough to survive the dark conspiracies of his fellow humans. At the publisher''s request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). About Dark Victory: "DuBois (Resurrection Day) has written a great series opener for a range of readers. The adolescent characters make this an especially solid choice for teens with an interest in apocalyptic and disaster fiction."ÊLibrary Journal "Ambitious . . . nail-biting suspense and satisfyingly complex characterization . . . the contrast between DuBoisu0090s world and our own is stark and well drawn."ÊPublishers Weekly "A page-turner of an alien invasion novel with fine world-building and characterization. DuBois writes with a strong hand, keeping the fighting and military side of things gritty. From the weapons to the people, Dubois gets it right."ÊSteve Miller, cocreator of the best-selling Liaden Universeu0091 series

Targeted as the top suspect in an assassination attempt on a senator, Lewis Cole seeks to clear his name and uncover the would-be assassin. He finds that everything and everyone he holds dear is threatened.

In the dark aftermath of World War III, Samuel Simpson, an idealistic journalist, volunteers to become a records-keeper for a U.N. war crimes investigation team in New York State and suddenly finds himself and others the target of an unknown enemy.

"The mysterious George has lots of clout, and the Negotiator has to make some exceptionally sharp and unexpected deals in his quest for payback. DuBois wraps up his clever tale with a few nifty twists. Readers will hope for a sequel."—Publishers Weekly For the Negotiator, calling 911 isn''t an option. The Negotiator has built a lucrative business on his talent for moving valuable merchandise with no questions asked. As a successful entrepreneur in the criminal underground, he''s learned that it''s good for business—and for his health—to keep gunplay off the table as much as possible. But when a deal that promises to deliver a massive payday leads to a bloodbath, he''s forced into a no-holds-barred mission for vengeance. And for the Negotiator, when the stakes of a deal are life and death, gunplay is definitely back on the table. Praise for Brendan DuBois: "Surprises keep coming until the last page, where we''re let in on a vast, circular plot reminiscent of Grisham—and worthy of him."—Booklist "A taut, suspenseful thriller."—Library Journal "DuBois throws in a pleasing final surprise."—Kirkus Reviews "[DuBois] writes a mean novel."—Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Alex Cross is gravely injured. Only his partner and friend John Sampson can keep him safe . . . and get justice. For the first time, John Sampson is on his own. The brilliant crime-solving duo of Washington, DC’s, Metro PD and the FBI has a proven MO: Detective Alex Cross makes his own rules. Detective John Sampson enforces them. When military-style attacks erupt, brutally sidelining Cross, Sampson is sent reeling. The patterns are too random—Sampson’s friend, his partner, his brother—have told him. Don’t trust anyone. As a shadow force advances on the nation’s capital, Sampson alone must protect the Cross family, his own young daughter, and every American, including the president.

An undercover CIA officer has seven days to save her country--and her family--from the world''s most dangerous double-agent. The CIA''s highly classified Special Activities Division is in the business of tracking people down and keeping secrets hidden. Then a botched field operation reveals some dark dealings between an officer''s superiors and an informant, dealings she''s not supposed to know about. And a plot that could kill thousands of Americans. Including her husband and daughter. Knowing that her leadership is corrupt to the core, she is forced to give up her identity and to work from the shadows. But it''s not easy staying hidden when your enemies are elite intelligence operatives. Will she get the truth out into the light before losing her identity, her history, her family? The countdown has already begun.

Investigating a suspicious oil spill by his seacoast home, Lewis Cole stumbles upon the corpse of a murder victim and teams up with mob rep Felix Tinios in order to uncover the truth, a search that brings him up against the local underworld.

13 Tales of Betrayal The coin-toss side of honor. Where faith in others is misplaced. When the most trusted should have been the least. Betrayal, at the worst possible moment, can leave you dangling in the wind, facing the wrong end of the gun, or dead. Unless you move FAST!

Introducing Lewis Cole--life has taught him that the world is short on justice and it''s his business to fill the gap. When a female corpse, buried 40 years ago, is found, and a 17 year old girl is murdered in her own beach house, Cole is determined to make the connection--while dodging undercurrents of revenge and obsession.

Lewis Cole, a retired Department of Defense analyst, is caught up in a government investigation when a man is killed in a nature preserve near Lewis'' New Hampshire home.

In the eighth novel of the acclaimed Lewis Cole series, award-winning author Brendan DuBois returns once again to one of the most appealing heroes in mystery fiction. Former Department of Defense analyst Lewis Cole has traveled some dark roads before in his quest for justice. Days after a violent anti-nuclear demonstration puts his best friend, police detective Diane Woods, in a near-fatal coma, Cole abandons his job and his home to find the man who nearly killed his friend. From the rural towns of New Hampshire to the offices of power and influence in Washington, D.C., Cole follows his gut and the flimsiest of clues to track down the cold-blooded attacker who won’t hesitate to kill to keep his identity and background secret. Aided by Felix Tinios, a security consultant from Boston’s North End, Cole is shadowed by armed and dark men with their own agenda to stop him from learning the truth about what really happened the day his friend was attacked on the grounds of a controversial nuclear power plant. Suffering loss, heartache, and betrayal along the way, Cole is soon standing alone, facing his own ultimate test in how far he will go to avenge a friend. In the eighth novel of the acclaimed Lewis Cole series, award-winning author Brendan DuBois returns once again to one of the most appealing heroes in mystery fiction.

With echoes of Rear Window, award-winning Brendan DuBois’ new thriller finds defense analyst Lewis Cole trapped and under siege in his beachfront home. In his eleventh outing, Lewis Cole—former Department of Defense research analyst—is “hard aground” at his beachfront home, recovering from major surgery. Alone at night, he’s convinced he’s hearing someone breaking into his home, and during the day, he’s harassed by genealogy researchers. Then a local gang involved in the highly lucrative and dangerous heroin business brutally make their appearance known. The unexplained murder of a local antiques dealer and historian then kicks off a long, bloody trail of old history and feuds, bringing Lewis and his historical home right into the center of the violent opioid epidemic, where no one is safe—and no one will be spared.

In the new novel in the acclaimed Lewis Cole mystery series, award-winning author Brendan DuBois launches Lewis Cole on a quest to track down the fiancé of a close friend. A wounded and healing Lewis Cole—retired Department of Defense analyst and magazine columnist—returns to his fire-damaged home on Tyler Beach with two things on his mind: to recover from a bullet wound and to repair his nearly two hundred-year-old home before a hurricane scours his house into the unforgiving ocean. But just when his work has begun, former lover and journalist Paula Quinn comes to him with an urgent request. Her fiancé, attorney Mark Spencer, has gone missing. Phone calls, e-mails, and text messages have gone unanswered. His car is gone, and his home is empty. Lewis is Paula’s last hope to find her missing fiancé, and despite his fear for what might happen to his home, Lewis agrees to search for the missing attorney. But one puzzling aspect of Mark’s life leads to Lewis asking more questions . . . until gunfire suddenly erupts in placid downtown Tyler. And Lewis and Paula find themselves on the run from a deadly gang, who are also searching for Mark Spencer—to find him and kill him for a past betrayal. So Lewis begins a difficult quest while his own world is threatened by ruthless men and gathering storm clouds.

In award-winning author Brendan DuBois’ new mystery novel, defense analyst Lewis Cole must try to save a close friend from a death row murder conviction. In his tenth outing, retired intelligence analyst Lewis Cole faces his most daunting challenge yet: Trying to save his friend Felix Tinios from being sent to death row after a conviction on first degree murder—but Felix refuses to accept Lewis’ assistance. Felix is being charged for the brutal murder of a local businessman—witnesses place him at the location; the recovered murder weapon belonged to Felix; and his fingerprints are all over the crime scene. It seems to be the proverbial open-and-shut case, but Lewis refuses to believe his friend—even though Felix is a former enforcer for the Boston mob—was responsible. As he engages in his one-man attempt to free his friend, two FBI agents come to him with disturbing news: they have word that unless Felix is freed from prison in just three days, he will be murdered while in custody. With time running out, the FBI nipping at his heels, and with Felix’s own lawyer refusing to help, Lewis is on his own as he desperately tries to clear his friend’s name before Felix departs prison . . . as a dead man.

Issue No14 features: A curated collection of short fiction including stories by Lori Roy, Brendan DuBois, Reed Farrel Coleman, Brian Silverman, Charles Salzberg, Chris Knopf, Duncan Birmingham, David Berger, Robert Kostanczuk, and Emily Ruth Verona. Interviews, Essay and Reviews by Tobias Carroll, Scott Adlerberg, Dana Robbins, William Ryan, and MJ McGrath. Art and Photography by Vyacheslav Ivanov and more. This issue also features a preview of the new graphic novel Rivers of London Volume 8: The Fey and the Furious by Ben Aaronovitch, Andrew Cartmel, and Lee Sullivan. NY Times Bestselling author Reed Farrel Coleman has called Mystery Tribune “a cut above” and mystery grand masters Lawrence Block and Max Allan Collins have praised it for its “solid fiction” and “the most elegant design”. An elegantly crafted quarterly issue, printed on uncoated paper and with a beautiful layout designed for optimal reading experience, our Issue No14 will make a perfect companion or gift for avid mystery readers and fans of literary crime fiction.

Tales of honor and betrayal, of amazing women and unexpected partners. Conquer villains, cheer for thieves, battle espionage, and question everything you think you know about keeping alive. Hang onto your seat and take the plunge!

In Deadly Cove, the seventh novel in the Lewis Cole mystery series, magazine columnist and former Department of Defense research analyst Lewis Cole is covering an anti-nuclear protest when gunfire breaks out, injuring his journalist friend and killing a charismatic activist. Not content to let the professionals investigate this shooting, Cole begins to dig into the background of the murdered activist, as well as the anti-nuclear protesters who are gathering by the thousands on the New Hampshire seacoast, promising violent action in order to take over a nuclear power plant and halt its power production. But someone is also gunning after Cole, obstructing his investigation and making attempts on his life, as his inquiries bring him to question construction union members who favor nuclear power and the protesters who oppose it. In a time of economic uncertainty, when Cole''s own future is threatened, he presses ahead to solve this murder while also trying to protect the women who are closest to him. Award-winning author Brendan DuBois delivers another fascinating and adventurous mystery, starring a hero mystery fans will love.

Issue No16 features: A curated collection of short fiction including stories by Brendan DuBois, Albert Tucher, John M. Floyd, N. W. Barcus, Am Machnik, Vincent L. Scarsella, Eli Cranor, Mark Stevens, and Gregory Farnum Interviews, Essay and Reviews by J.B. Stevens, Tobias Carroll and Curtis Ippolito, Art and Photography by Neuer Ordner and more. This issue also features a preview of the new graphic novel Smart Girl by Fernando Dagnino (Author). NY Times Bestselling author Reed Farrel Coleman has called Mystery Tribune “a cut above” and mystery grand masters Lawrence Block and Max Allan Collins have praised it for its “solid fiction” and “the most elegant design”. An elegantly crafted quarterly issue, printed on uncoated paper and with a beautiful layout designed for optimal reading experience, our Issue No16 will make a perfect companion or gift for avid mystery readers and fans of literary crime fiction.

For our 106th issue, we seem to have developed a television theme, with a pair of great speculative fiction stories about TV: Norman Spinrad’s “Prime Time” and Henry Slesar’s “The Show Must Go On.” Spinrad’s tale is a look at a future where people can retire to relive television. And Slesar’s is a darkly cynical look behind the curtain of television production. Jack Vance, H.B. Fyfe, and Joseph Payne Brennan round out our SF and fantasy contributors this issue. “Prime Time,” incidentally, is Norman Spinrad’s fiction debut in Black Cat Weekly, and it won’t be his last story for us. He kindly went through his short fiction and selected 10 favorite stories for us to reprint in coming issues, so you’re in for a real treat. And speaking of treats, our editors are already working on some special Halloween surprises for October. I know you’ll be thoroughly spooked by some of them. Something to look forward to, as we approach my favorite holiday season. (There’s a reason we have a black cat for a mascot.) Our novel this issue is a mystery: Scarhaven Keep, by Golden Age British author J.S. Fletcher. Also in mysteries, we have an original from Nikki Knight (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Barb Goffman) and a terrific crime story by Brendan DuBois, who remains a mainstay of short mystery fiction. Of course, no issue is complete without a solve-it-yourself short from Hal Charles. Great stuff indeed. Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “The New York Goodbye,” by Nikki Knight [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “Last Shot,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “The Road’s End,” by Brendan DuBois [Barb Goffman Presents short story] Scarhaven Keep, by J.S. Fletcher [novel] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “Prime Time,” by Norman Spinrad [short story] “The Show Must Go On,” by Henry Slesar [short story] “The Visitor in the Vault,” by Joseph Payne Brennan [short story] “The Night of No Moon,” by H.B. Fyfe [short story] “The Men Return,” by Jack Vance [short story]

It doesn’t have to be the dark of a rainy night for it to be noir. It doesn’t have to be shadowy rooms of Venetian blinds. It doesn’t even have to be a femme fatale. Noir is somebody tripping over their own faults, somebody who has an Achilles heel, some kind of greed, or want or desire that leads them down a dark path, from which there is sometimes no return. No one is safe. There’s no place to hide in this collection of twelve stories from the dark side of the American Dream. Stories of noir from Coast to Coast. Contributors: Colleen Collins—Denver, Colorado Brendan DuBois—rural Massachusetts Alison Gaylin—Hudson Valley, New York Tom MacDonald—Nashua, New Hampshire Andrew McAleer—Boston, Massachusetts Michael Mallory—Springfield, Missouri Paul D. Marks—Venice Beach/Los Angeles, California Dennis Palumbo—Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Stephen D. Rogers—Providence, Rhode Island John Shepphird—Los Alamos, New Mexico Jaden Terrell—Nashville, Tennessee Dave Zeltserman—small town Kansas Praise for the COAST TO COAST series: Murder from Sea to Shining Sea “A sterling collection of coast-to-coast crime stories dripping with local color—all of it blood red.” —Chuck Hogan, Hammett Prize winner and international bestselling author of The Strain “Envelope-pushers! A truly WOW collection by the best mystery writers out there—full of surprises only they can pull off.” —Thomas B. Sawyer, bestselling author of Cross Purposes and Head-Writer of Murder, She Wrote “An engaging collection from a stellar cast of award-winning mystery authors guaranteed to keep you awake all night.” —Hannah Dennison, author of the IMBA bestselling Vicky Hill Mysteries “This intriguing collection of stories from these masters of suspense will keep you guessing from cover to cover and coast to coast.” —Raffi Yessayan, author of 8 in the Box and 2 in the Hat Private Eyes from Sea to Shining Sea “A tantalizing array of stories guaranteed to please fans of PI fiction. High fives all around!” —MWA Grand Master Bill Pronzini “Tough, taut and terrific. This cross-country collection of sleuthing stories—from the best writers in the private eye biz—is wonderfully written, always surprising, and completely entertaining.” —Hank Phillippi Ryan, Anthony, Agatha and Mary Higgins Clark Award-winning author “A bang-up read of PI fiction from a gallery of impressive authors. Compelling, fun, and full of clever surprises. A treat.” —Shamus Award-winning author John Shepphird Awards and Nominations Coast to Coast: Private Eyes from Sea to Shining Sea nominated for a 2018 Anthony Award for Best Anthology “Out of Business” by Eric Beetner, nominated for a 2018 Shamus Award “The #2 Pencil” by Matt Coyle, nominated for a 2018 Macavity Award and a 2018 Derringer Award “Gun Work” by John Floyd, selected for the Best American Mysteries of 2018 by Louise Penny and Otto Penzler “The Dead Detective” by Bob Levinson, nominated for a 2016 Shamus Award “King’s Quarter” by Andrew McAleer, nominated for a 2018 Derringer Award “Windward” by Paul D. Marks, winner of the 2018 Macavity Award for Best Short Story; nominated for a 2018 Shamus Award and 2018 Derringer Award, and selected for the Best American Mysteries of 2018 by Louise Penny and Otto Penzler “Kill My Wife, Please” by Robert J. Randisi, nominated for a 2018 Derringer Award “A Necessary Ingredient” by Art Taylor, nominated for a 2018 Macavity Award, a 2018 Malice Domestic Award, and a 2018 Anthony Award

In this issue, pioneering TV writer and producer April Kelly opens with a wicked story that may remind you to pay attention to what you eat. Brendan DuBois appears with the story of an assassination and its aftermath—from the killer’s point of view. Ray Daniel & Kellye Garrett team up with a story that brings together characters from their own series. Our feature is by Walter Satterthwait, who comes at us with his first new story in a while. The lead character, Fallon, helps—in his own way—solve a murder at a monastery. Edgar Award-winning author Sylvia Maultash Warsh brings us a piece about deception in the world of art, and we welcome Benjamin Boulden back with his second story for us. Robb T. White returns following his Best Mystery Stories of 2019 entry in our pages, and Dane F. Baylis, Richard Prosch and Richard Risemberg debut in our magazine with some of the most entertaining crime fiction you’ll find.

Issue No18 features: A curated collection of short fiction including stories by Brendan DuBois, Dennis McFadden, Robert Pope, Charles Cline, Davin Ireland, Andrew Riconda, Kevin Egan, and Steve Loiaconi. Essays, Interviews and Reviews by Matthew Mercier, Erica Wright, Alex Segura, Christopher McGinley, and Scott Adlerberg, Art and Photography by Nicolas Bruno. This issue also features a preview of the new graphic novel Mamo by Sas Milledge. NY Times Bestselling author Reed Farrel Coleman has called Mystery Tribune “a cut above” and mystery grand masters Lawrence Block and Max Allan Collins have praised it for its “solid fiction” and “the most elegant design”. An elegantly crafted quarterly issue, printed on uncoated paper and with a beautiful layout designed for optimal reading experience, our Issue No18 issue will make a perfect companion or gift for avid mystery readers and fans of literary crime fiction.

In a career spanning nearly four decades, Bill Crider published more than sixty crime fiction, westerns, horror, men’s adventure and YA novels. In this collection 20 of today’s best and brightest, all friends and fans of Bill’s, come together with original stories to pay tribute to his memory. Authors include: William Kent Krueger, Bill Pronzini, Joe R. Lansdale, Patricia Abbott, Ben Boulden, Michael Bracken, Jen Conley, Brendan DuBois, Charlaine Harris, David Housewright, Kasey Lansdale, Angela Crider Neary, James Reasoner, James Sallis, Terry Shames, S. A. Solomon, Sara Paretsky, Robert J. Randisi, SJ Rozan, and Eryk Pruitt. William Kent Krueger (Ordinary Grace, the Cork O’Connor series) brings us a story of romance and grift. Bill Pronzini (the Nameless Detective and Carpenter & Quincannon series) offers a taut episode of a midnight raid. Joe R. Lansdale (The Bottoms, the Hap and Leonard series) tells a tale of two hit men working through their differences. James Sallis (Drive, the Lew Griffin series) shows us how a deadly figure once helped out a man called Bill. Charlaine Harris (the Sookie Stackhouse and Midnight, Texas series) reminds us to be careful of what we wish for. Sara Paretsky (the V.I. Warshawski series) shows how truly deadly a terrible storm can be. These and fourteen more stories are offered here in the appreciation of our friend and colleague, Bill Crider. These stories were written for him.

What if the American economy collapsed, they had caused nuclear war by interfering between India and Pakistan, and a group of patriots determined that the only way back to greatness was to stage a military coup? In the very-near future, ex-Special Forces operative Drew is amidst the chaos.