Most Popular Books by Duane Swierczynski

General Adult. Indulging in harmless flirting with the pretty blonde he meets in a Philadelphia airport bar, a married Jack Eisley is stunned when she tells him that she has poisoned his drink and will only give him the antidote if he remains close to protect her from the relentless assassin, double-crossing spy, eccentric crime scene cleaners, and other perils threatening her life. Reprint. 17,500 first printing.

Lennon, a mute Irish getaway driver, is robbed and launches a one-man quest to find out who is responsible, matching wits with a dirty Philadelphia cop, the Russian and Italian mobs, and the mayor''s hired gun.

X''s former accomplice Leigh Ferguson is shocked to learn that her high school friend has become the latest victim of "the Skin Traders," a mysterious gang of surgically modified thugs stealing slices of flesh from their abductees. Only the resilient vigilante X can stand up to the demented plastic surgeon who leads this "patchwork" crew. Scalpels clash with swords in a bloody hospital showdown! Collecting issues #17 through #20, this latest volume of Dark Horse''s edgy superhero series is a perfect starting point for new readers, but it''s also packed with Easter-egg references for longtime fans.

The second of three high-energy thrillers arriving back-to-back from cult crime fiction sensation Duane Swierczynski. Left for dead after an epic shootout that blew the lid off a billion-dollar conspiracy, ex-cop Charlie Hardie quickly realizes that when you''re dealing with The Accident People, things can get worse. Drugged, bound and transported by strange operatives of unknown origin, Hardie awakens to find himself captive in a secret prison that houses the most dangerous criminals on earth. And then things get really bad. Because this isn''t just any prison. It''s a Kafkaesque nightmare that comes springloaded with a brutal catch-22: Hardie''s the warden. And any attempt to escape triggers a "death mechanism" that will kill everyone down here -- including a group of innocent guards. Faced with an unworkable paradox, and knowing that his wife and son could be next on the Accident People''s hit list, Hardie has only one choice: fight his way to the heart of this hell hole and make a deal with the Devil himself.

The first of three explosive pulp thrillers arriving back-to-back from cult crime fiction sensation and Marvel Comics scribe Duane Swierczynski. Charlie Hardie, an ex-cop still reeling from the revenge killing of his former partner''s entire family, fears one thing above all else: that he''ll suffer the same fate. Languishing in self-imposed exile, Hardie has become a glorified house sitter. His latest gig comes replete with an illegally squatting B-movie actress who rants about hit men who specialize in making deaths look like accidents. Unfortunately, it''s the real deal. Hardie finds himself squared off against a small army of the most lethal men in the world: The Accident People. It''s nothing personal-the girl just happens to be the next name on their list. For Hardie, though, it''s intensely personal. He''s not about to let more innocent people die. Not on his watch.

Instead of another boring martini book or the umpteenth swinging cocktail tome, here is the world''s first practical guide to booze. Simply flip to the occasion, and drinkers''ll find the perfect libation! All drinks come complete with recipes, secrets and tips.Chock-full of recipes for margaritas, eggnog, White Russians, Gin Rickeys, Harvey Wallbangers, Hot Toddys, Jungle Juice, Sex on the Beach, Monica''s Blue Dress and 175 other favourites, The Perfect Drink for Every Occasion is the only bar book that home bartenders will ever need.

Three generations torn apart -- by bullets fired fifty years ago. Philadelphia, 1965: Two street cops -- one black, one white -- are gunned down in a corner bar. One of the fallen officers, Stan Walczak, leaves behind a 12-year-old boy, Jimmy. Philadelphia, 1995: Homicide detective Jim Walczak learns that his father''s alleged killer, Terrill Lee Stanton, has been sprung from prison. Jim stalks the ex-con, hoping to finally learn the truth. Philadelphia, 2015: Jim''s daughter Audrey, a forensic science student, re-opens her grandfather''s murder for a research paper. But as Audrey digs deeper, she comes to realize that Stanton probably didn''t pull the trigger -- and her father may have made a horrible mistake...

It''s dangerous enough when an ordinary college girl turns confidential informant. Even more dangerous when she''s smarter than the killer, kingpins, and cops who think they control her. Honors student Sarie Holland is busted by the local police while doing a favor for her boyfriend. Unwilling to betray him but desperate to avoid destroying her future, Sarie has no choice but to become a "CI" -- a confidential informant. Philly narcotics cop Ben Wildey is hungry for a career-making bust. The detective thinks he''s found the key in Sarie: her boyfriend scores from a mid-level dealer with alleged ties to the major drug gangs. Sarie turns out to be the perfect CI: a quick study with a shockingly keen understanding of the criminal mind. But Wildey, desperate for results, pushes too hard and inadvertently sends the nineteen-year-old into a death trap, leaving Sarie hunted by crooked cops and killers alike with nothing to save her -- except what she''s learned during her harrowing weeks as an informant. Which is bad news for the police and the underworld. Because when it comes to payback, CI #1373 turns out to be a very quick study...

NATIONAL BESTSELLER This "fresh, exciting, and brilliantly unpredictable" thriller (James Patterson) from a "great storyteller" (Michael Connelly) follows four unlikely vigilantes who pit themselves against the villain behind California’s coldest case when they decide to take justice into their own hands. NONE OF YOU ARE SAFE “KILLER”: Jack Queen has been exonerated and freed from prison thanks to retired LAPD officer Cato Hightower. But when guilt gnaws at Jack, he admits: “I actually did it.” To which Hightower responds: “Yeah, no kidding.” You see, the ex-cop has a special job in mind for the ex-con… THE GIRL DETECTIVE: Fifteen-year-old Matilda Finnerty has been handed a potential death sentence in the form of a leukemia diagnosis. But that’s not going to stop her from tackling the most important mystery of her life: Is her father guilty of murder? GENE JEANIE: Jeanie Hightower mends family trees for a living, but the genealogist is unable to repair her own marriage. And her soon-to-be ex may have entangled her in a scheme that has drawn the bloody wrath of… THE BEAR: A prolific serial killer who disappeared forty years ago, who is only now emerging from hibernation when the conditions are just right. And this time, the California Bear is not content to hunt in the shadows… From two-time Edgar nominee Duane Swierczynski, California Bear is clever, moving, and surprising as it takes aim at the true crime industry, Hollywood, justice, and the killers inside us all.

Now on to the third volume in this hugely popular revival, Duane Swierczynski brings his formidable storytelling skills to the fore once again. A no-holds-barred action thriller, this is a swift return to the very best of the series'' issues from the classic era, given a huge boost by a new story and dozens of gory set-pieces. This is extreme anti-super-heroism like you''ve never seen before!

Fun & Games and Hell & Gone come full circle in the Hardie Series'' astonishing conclusion. Charlie Hardie finds himself in a steel box, tubes and wires attached to his body, trapped inside a satellite parked in orbit 500 miles above the Earth. He''s got a year''s supply of food, air, water, and no communication back to Earth, and must complete his 12 months'' duty or his wife and son will have an "accident." But when someone all-too-familiar docks on the satellite, informs Hardie he''s sitting in a veritable zero-G vault containing the world''s most dangerous secrets, and forces a crash-landing in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Hardie must decide whether he''s come face-to-face with the partner he needs to save his family -- or with his nemesis. After years of exile, Hardie''s arming up....and heading home.

A smart-talking supernatural noir, full of twists and turns, delivered at a whipalong pace about a dead investigative-journalist-turned-soul-collector on the trail of his nemesis – and murderer. Perfect for fans of Ben Aaranovitch and Richard Kadrey. “Secret Dead Men is the most inventive, uplifting, hilarious, moving novel since Catcher in the Rye” – Ken Bruen Del Farmer isn’t your ordinary hardboiled private eye. Instead of collecting fingerprints or clues, he collects souls of the recently dead. His latest dead guy, Brad Larsen, might just be the key to destroying Farmer’s long-time nemesis, The Association. Of course, Farmer is sadly mistaken. An FBI agent unstuck in time is toying with him. A mysterious couple keeps trying to kill him. Another job―a mundane babysitting gig that pays the bills―is threatening to steer him way off course into a violent hell of sexual deceit, fractured identities, and cheap apartment toilets. With only a head packed full of nagging ghosts, Farmer realises this case might just drive him out of his mind, literally.

Some days, you could just kill your boss. Guess what? The feeling is mutual in the next thriller by the acclaimed author of The Wheelman and The Blonde. Jamie DeBroux''s boss has called a special meeting for all "key personnel" at 9:00 a.m. on a hot Saturday in August. When Jamie arrives, the conference room is stocked with cookies and champagne. His boss smiles and tells his employees, "We''re a cover for a branch of the intelligence community. And we''re being shut down." Jamie''s boss then tells everyone to drink some champagne, and in a few seconds they''ll fall asleep---for good. If they refuse, they''ll be shot in the head. Escape is not an option. Jamie''s boss has shut down the elevators and rigged the fire towers with chemical bombs. Panic sets in, chaos erupts, and no one is sure whom to trust. Jamie quickly realizes that there''s only one way he''s ever going to see his family again: the hard way. Severance Package shows author Duane Swierczynski at his thrilling best.

The Big Book o'' Beer is a lavish colour celebration of The Greatest Beverage on Earth, with numerous photographs and little-known facts. Duane Swierczynski takes readers around the world and through 10,000 years of history to answer all beer-related questions. Subjects include History (what is mead anyway?), Crafts and Gear (transform empties into dazzling arts and crafts), Science (why don''t they teach this stuff in chem class?) and Arts and Entertainment (with beloved beer spokesmodels like Spuds McKenzie). Along with a recipe for beer ice cream, there are sections on classic cheap beers, rules of drinking games, guidelines for brewing your own and all the froth on Canadian beer.

Veena Lion and Cooper Lamb are rival PIs in Philadelphia in this “fun ride…the romance between Cooper and Veena is artfully handled...endearing characters including Cooper’s two preternaturally clever kids and his Rhodesian ridgeback puppy.” –Publishers Weekly u200b“Great storytelling…a spectacular murder case.” –Kirkus, starred review The city is in a state of shock over the fate of two hometown heroes: Eagles starting quarterback Archie Hughes, and his even more famous wife, Grammy-winning singer Francine Hughes. One spouse is murdered. The other is suspect #1. Even before the case hits the courtroom, it’s the hottest ticket in town. For the defense: Cooper Lamb, private investigator to the stars. For the prosecution: Veena Lion, a sleuth so bright she’s got to wear shades. Between them, they know every secret in Philadelphia. Together, they prove how two wrongs can make a right. They are Lion & Lamb.

During an angry confrontation at a two-bit motel, mild-mannered consultant Joe Hayward is thrown headfirst into the middle of a terrifying plot to bring Philadelphia to its knees. With only two hours to thwart the attack, Joe is going to need all the help he can get… including that of his wife’s lover! From writer Duane Swierczynski (Revolver, Deadpool, Bloodshot), comes this full throttle race against time that is a pure dose of modern pulp. “If you like your pulp with plenty of steaminess, then Breakneck is for you.” – Newsarama Collects Breakneck #1-4

“The Lonely Crusade, Part 3” An unlikely ally leads the Black Hood to the Crusaders’ secret lair—and what the Hood finds inside will shock you. If you thought the shotgun blast to the face in issue #1 was brutal, steel yourself for the savage hardboiled action of this one, folks. Nobody’s going to walk away clean…

Godzilla is back... in an all-new ongoing series! Duane Swierczynski and Simon Gane launch this ultimate action-movie blockbuster, ushering in a new era of monster battles. Ex-special forces tough-guy Boxer is a man with a grudge and vows to end the terror of Godzilla, no matter what. He assembles a top notch team to take down monster-sized threats... at $7 billion a bounty. What starts as a vendetta could become a lucrative business for Boxer... if he can live past day one!

Three crime lords in the decaying city of Arcadia have received photographic death sentences from the mysterious X Killer.� Their cunning defenses won''t stop Arcadia''s vigilante from making sure each one of them _suffers_. From the pages of _Dark Horse Presents._ Duane Swierczynski (_Punisher, Godzilla_) and Eric Nguyen brutally relaunch Dark Horse''s classic vigilante! * Super Violent! 

NEW ONGOING SERIES FROM DARK CIRCLE! “Bullet’s Kiss, Part 4” The Connection’s lieutenants have discovered the identity of the new Black Hood. And now Greg Hettinger has less than 24 hours to unmask their boss—the man who set Greg up! As the badly-injured Black Hood struggles to piece together the puzzle, he’s forced to put his faith in a woman who could end up saving him… or sending him straight to the slammer!

NEW SERIES FROM DARK CIRCLE! “The Bullet’s Kiss, Part 2” The acclaimed crime series continues with another dose of deadly noir by two masters of the genre. When you steal from the underworld, the underworld will come looking for you—even if you’re a cop. Greg Hettinger has unwittingly crossed the city’s most fearsome drug lord—a man only known as “The Connection,” who sends two of his most fearsome lieutenants after Greg. It’s one thing to have trouble come knocking on your front door. But it’s another when it’s already inside your house…

NEW ONGOING SERIES from the brand new DARK CIRCLE imprint! “The Bullet’s Kiss – Part 1 of 5” When Philadelphia police officer Greg Hettinger stepped into the middle of a gunfight, hot lead shredded his face—and he pulled the trigger, blind. Now Greg is waking up in a world where he’s a killer, hopelessly scarred and hooked on painkillers. What does a man do when he can no longer face the world, yet still wants to do good? He puts on a hood…

In 1949, a crime reporter looking for a way to fill a column published the nation’s ten worst criminals as classified by the FBI: two accused murderers, four escaped convicts, a bank robber, and three “confidence men.” In addition to the stark black and white photos that accompanied the article, the public was most moved by the idea that law enforcement was asking them for help. Fired up by the gesture of confidence, Americans banded together to wholeheartedly support the motion, leading to tips that helped facilitate the capture of the advertised criminals. Some of those on the list even surrendered voluntarily due to the increased publicity. The rogues’ gallery showcases fugitives such as: • William Raymond Nesbit, first on the list to be captured • James Earl Ray, assassin of Martin Luther King Jr. • Ted Bundy, ruthless serial killer • Ruth Eisemann-Schier, kidnapper and first woman to make the Top Ten • Ramzi Ahmed Yousef, 1993 World Trade Center bomber This encyclopedia includes criminals’ photographs, crime details, and “interesting fugitive facts” as well as a brief history of the list and what it has accomplished in more than fifty years.

Edited by Rick Ollerman. Alphabetical list of contributors: Scott Adlerberg, Eric Beetner, Kristi Belcamino, Michael A. Black, Michael Bracken, Don Bruns, Gary R. Bush, Austin Camacho, Dave Case, Jessie Chandler, Reed Farrel Coleman, Jen Conley, John Gaspard, Lois Greiman, Libby Fischer Hellmann, David Housewright, William Kent Krueger, Jess Lourey, Michael Allan Mallory, Terrence McCauley, Jenny Milchman, Stuart Neville, Rick Ollerman, Nick Petrie, Gary Phillips, Lissa Marie Redmond, Michael Stanley, Duane Swierczynski, Randy Wayne White, and Case Younggren. Many of today’s top writers get together to celebrate the themes of books and bookstores (and even a tuba or two!) As we celebrate the life of Mystery Writers of America Raven Award-winning Gary Shulze, long-time owner of the legendary Once Upon a Crime bookstore in Minneapolis. Gary left an indelible mark on the crime fiction community across the world before he passed away in 2016 due to complications from leukemia. Join as Duane Swierczynski, William Kent Krueger, Randy Wayne White, Jess Lourey, Stuart Neville and more come together in this tribute to a man whose legacy will not be forgotten.

The enigmatic vigilante X has shattered Arcadia''s criminal triumvirate, the Three Pigs, and fixed his eye on an even tougher target. But with the police department AND the crime establishment teamed up against him, muckraking blogger Leigh Ferguson may be X''s only ally! The brutal story of Dark Horse''s bloodiest hero begins anew! * Swierczynski and Nguyen relaunch the classic Dark Horse vigilante! * X is the letter of the law! 

CONCLUDING THE FIRST, NOIR ARC OF THE FLAGSHIP DARK CIRCLE COMICS SERIES! “Bullet’s Kiss, Part 5”:The Black Hood finally corners the mysterious “Connection” on the abandoned seventh floor of City Hall. No cops, no witness—just the two of them, ready to throw down. But when the Connection finally reveals his identity, Greg realizes the game was rigged from the beginning. And it’s going to take all of the Black Hood’s strength to walk out of this building alive…

Collects Black Widow (2010) #6-8 and material from Iron Man: Kiss and Kill. A senator is seduced and assassinated, and his journalist son follows the trail to a fatally sexy Soviet agent. This deadly "woman in black" moonlights as a high-class escort to lure powerful men into her web of blackmail and death. But Nick Crane believes he''s finally found his father''s murderer, and he''s about to expose...the Black Widow! Plus: Tony Stark gets his spy on, and the Black Widow proves she''s an Iron Man''s best friend, when the Armored Avenger goes undercover to take down a foe using his own decommissioned tech!

THE ACCLAIMED DARK CIRCLE SERIES RETURNS! “Flor de Muerto” After the soul-crushing events of “Bullet’s Kiss,” disfigured cop Greg Hettinger leaves Philly and checks into a Southern California rehab clinic. But a plane ride can’t separate Greg from his troubles. A fellow patient believes her former drug dealer (and lover) has sent someone to kill her, and it’s up to Greg to figure out which member of their circle is preparing to pull the trigger... New to the dark, twisted world of The Black Hood? Then check yourself in for this thrilling one-shot from novelist Duane Swierczynski and superstar artist Howard Chaykin.

Never tried a Valiant comic?! Start reading here ? with more than 100 pages of Valiant Comics greatness for just $5.99! Find out why VALIANT is the MUST READ superhero publisher in comics today with a greatest hits collection of can?t-miss moments from across the Valiant Universe! Re-presenting X-O MANOWAR #5, QUANTUM AND WOODY #1, HARBINGER #1, HARBINGER WARS #2, and SHADOWMAN #0, MUST READ VALIANT: GREATEST HITS #1 is the perfect place to find out why IGN is declaring: ?Nobody is making superhero books like this, which is exactly why you should be paying attention to Valiant Comics.?

NEW ONGOING SERIES FROM DARK CIRCLE! “The Bullet’s Kiss, Part 3” The Black Hood is supposed to be dead. Shot, de-masked, autopsied, buried. So who’s running around town in a ratty black hood, declaring war on the underworld? The City of Philadelphia is electrified by the fleeting glimpses they see on social media—but both the cops and the drug gangs want him stopped at all costs. However, the new Black Hood may not have to be stopped. He’s coming unglued all on his own…

An out-of-work reporter travels back to the 1970s where he has a chance to stop a murder in this hard-boiled science fiction mystery. “Fashioning an unholy mash-up of Back to the Future, The Time Machine, and Twelve Monkeys, Swierczynski shows once again that when it comes to pulp velocity, pop culture savoir-faire, and storyteller bravado, he’s settling all the standards.” —Megan Abbott, author of The Song Is You and Bury Me Deep Winner, 2011 Anthony Award Mickey Wade is out of work, out of time, and quite possible out of his mind. Mickey Wade is a recently-unemployed journalist who lucked into a rent-free apartment—his sick grandfather’s place. The only problem: it’s in a lousy neighborhood—the one where Mickey grew up, in fact. The one he was so desperate to escape. But now he’s back. Dead broke. And just when he thinks he’s reached rock bottom, Mickey wakes up in the past. Literally. At first he thinks it’s a dream. All of the stores he remembered from his childhood, the cars, the rumble of the elevated train. But as he digs deeper into the past, searching for answers about the grandfather he hardly knows, Mickey meets the twelve-year-old kid who lives in the apartment below. The kid who will grow up to someday murder Mickey’s father . . . “Swierczynski cleverly melds the thriller and fantasy elements (especially the notion of nonlinear time), producing a thoroughly readable, suspenseful romp that evokes John D. MacDonald’s pulp classic The Girl, the Gold Watch & Everything.” —Booklist “Duane Swierczynski is one of the best thriller writers in America, and probably my favorite. I blazed through Expiration Date in one sitting and I loved it.” —James Frey, New York Times–bestselling author of Bright Shiny Morning and A Million Little Pieces

THE BLACK HOOD VOL. 3 is the return of the biggest Dark Circle title, featuring a dark, revenge-driven crime story. The acclaimed crime comic continues! "The Nobody Murders": The Black Hood is no more. Sure, there are rumors that the former cop known as Greg Hettinger is still out there, blending in with the homeless population -- and emerging only to stop a violent attack before vanishing again. But the ruthless assassin known as The Nobody considers the Black Hood a loose end, and he''s willing to slaughter dozens to flush him out. How high must the body count rise before Greg steps forward to face an opponent he can''t possibly beat?

Cody Pomeray had a gift for looking inside a person''s soul with just a glance. This ability served him well, as the crook blew through the early 1980s, finding marks and picking them clean. But one fateful night, he targeted the wrong man... and was sentenced to the most savage prison in California. Pomeray would have been beaten to death on his first day if not for the intervention of Barnaby Creed, the most powerful crime lord in the Southland. Now five years later, Pomeray''s out on parole, robbed of his special ability, and tasked with doing Creed "a little favor." He has no idea he''s just stepped into a long con, and this time... he''s the mark. Includes Duane Swierczynski''s first issue script as a bonus feature!

Law enforcement personnel categorize murderers on a scale of twenty-five levels of evil-from the naïve opportunists starting out at Level 1 to the organized, premeditated torture murderers who inhabit Level 25. But to an elite unnamed investigations group assigned to hunt down the world''s most dangerous killers, headed by Steve Dark, a new category of killer is being defined....

Assault on Project Rising Spirit! Bloodshot is finally free of the memories that have haunted him since his awakening ? but now even greater mysteries remain. Who was he before he was transformed into a walking weapon of mass destruction? And does he have a real family out there somewhere? Unfortunately, the only man with the answers is the former mastermind of Project Rising Spirit, the quasi-governmental science division that created him ? and he?s just struck a devil?s bargain with Bloodshot. ?Destroy your creators and I?ll reveal everything.? Well, almost everything? Collecting BLOODSHOT #5-9 by acclaimed writer Duane Swierczynski (Birds of Prey) and artists Manuel Garcia (Black Widow), Arturo Lozzi (Immortal Weapons), and Matthew Clark (Avenging Spider-Man), Bloodshot?s brutal, bullet-riddled tour of duty through the Valiant Universe continues right here in the second shock-inducing volume of the series that Complex calls ?hard and heavy with each issue.?

One is wanted for a murder she didn''t commit. The other is on the run because she knows too much. They are Dinah Laurel Lance and Ev Crawford - a.k.a. Black Canary and Starling - and joining them are the villainous Poison Ivy and the heroic Batgirl and together, as Gotham City''s covert ops team, they''re taking down the villains other heroes can''t touch. They are the Birds of Prey. Collects issues #1-7.