This ain’t your Mama’s anthology and these tales ain’t for the faint-hearted. These are raw, gritty stories exploring the dark abyss of men’s souls.

 

With the sound of gunfire ringing in their ears and the stench of blood on their clothes, these private eyes and tough guys face their darkest fears and most cunning adversaries.

 

Here are tales of love and hate, sex and power, crime and punishment, fear and retribution—tales that grab you by the throat, slam you against the wall, then drag you back for more.

 

Here are men and women who catch everything life throws at them, then throw it right back.

 

Here are 14 hardboiled tales guaranteed to blow your hat off!

 

Featuring hard-hitting tales from some of the most talented crime fiction writers working today, including:

 

Nick Andreychuk • Michael Bracken • Ernest B. Brown

Michael Collins • Ruthe Furie • Michael Hemmingson

Robert D. Hughes • Fredrick Obermeyer

Percy Spurlark Parker • Shelley Singer

Dan A. Sproul • Tom Sweeney

Mark Troy • Tim Wohlforth

“[Percy Spurlark] Parker’s Las Vegas private eye has an even stronger outing in another collection of new stories, Fedora: Private Eyes and Tough Guys, edited by Michael Bracken, which also includes a good case for Shelley Singer’s classic-car-dealer-sleuth April Pinck; a satisfying non-series revenge tale, ‘Reunion’ by Dan A. Sproul; and a searing piece of social commentary by a crime-fiction master, Michael Collins’ ‘The Horrible, Senseless Murders of Two Elderly Women.’ ”—Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine

 

“New anthology series makes its debut with this impressive collection of P.I. stories....”—Thrilling Detective

 

“Buy it and they won’t break your legs.”—Murder One Newsletter

 

Edgar Award Nomination

“The Horrible, Senseless Murders of Two Elderly Women”

by Michael Collins

nominated for Best Short Story

 

Derringer Award Nomination

“Cuts Like A Knife”

by Michael Bracken

nominated for Best Short Mystery

 

Bronze ADDY Award

Copywriting

Awarded to Michael Bracken

For the book’s cover copy

 

Other Distinguished Mystery Stories

as noted in

The Best American Mystery Stories 2002

“The Horrible, Senseless Murders of Two Elderly Women”

by Michael Collins

“Teed Off”

by Mark Troy

 

Honorable Mentions of 2001

as noted in

The World’s Finest Mystery and Crime Stories

Third Annual Collection

“The Horrible, Senseless Murders of Two Elderly Women”

by Michael Collins

This still ain’t your Mama’s anthology! Whether they crawl up from the gutters or stroll down from the mansions, the private eyes and tough guys in these stories make the mean streets meaner and the dark alleys darker. While some stories punch you full in the face, others sneak up from behind and place the cold steel barrel of a .38 against the back of your skull. Either way, you won’t be able to defend yourself against the raw, gritty power between these covers.

 

Featuring original crime fiction by:

 

Ann Aptaker • Michael Bracken • Gary R. Bush

Brian Evankovich • Justin Gustainis • Robert D. Hughes

O'Neil De Noux • Percy Spurlark Parker

Anthony Neil Smith • Dan Sontup

Dan A. Sproul • James Stevens-Arce

Tom Sweeney • Simon Wood

“[Y]ou won’t find a better source for traditional hardboiled entertainment.”—Bleeker Books

 

L.A. Screamfest Film Festival Best Short Screenplay

adapted from

“Souls”

by James Stevens-Arce

This ain’t never gonna be your Mama’s anthology. Like a sucker punch with a fistful of quarters, these stories will knock you off your feet.

 

From cold freezers to hot fires, the private eyes and tough guys between these covers travel through the blackness of men’s souls. Working skip traces, investigating abusive spouses, and collecting bad debts brings them face-to-face with their worst fears. They fight back the only way they know how, using every trick they’ve learned while working the mean streets.

 

Hot blood. Cold sweat. A quick glance over the shoulder. You’ll be with them every step of the way.

 

These and many more dark, hardboiled stories from some of the best crime fiction writers working today:

 

J. L. Abramo • Nick Andreychuk • Ann Aptaker

David Bart • Michael Bracken • James S. Dorr

Kevin Egan • Lee Goldberg • Michael Hemmingson

Carol Kilgore • Chelle Martin • Graham Powell

Dorothy Rellas • David Terrenoire • Tom Sweeney

Bev Vincent • George Wilhite

“Even more private eyes, even more tough guys from the best on-going P.I. short story series.”—Thrilling Detective

 

Derringer Award Nomination

“Freddie Swings In”

by David Terrenoire

 

“Bumsickle”

by Lee Goldberg

adapted for the screen

and released in 2012

 

There’s a taco truck in Chicago known among a certain segment of the population for its daily specials. Late at night and during the wee hours of the morning, it isn’t the food selection that attracts customers, it’s the illegal weapons available with the special order. Each episode of Guns + Tacos features the story of one Chicagoland resident who visits the taco truck seeking a solution to life’s problems, a solution that always comes in a to-go bag.

 

The first season features original crime novellas by:

 

Michael Bracken • Trey R. Barker

James A. Hearn • Gary Phillips

William Dylan Powell • Frank Zafiro

 

and a bonus story by

Michael Bracken

There’s a taco truck in Chicago known among a certain segment of the population for its daily specials. Late at night and during the wee hours of the morning, it isn’t the food selection that attracts customers, it’s the illegal weapons available with the special order. Each episode of Guns + Tacos features the story of one Chicagoland resident who visits the taco truck seeking a solution to life’s problems, a solution that always comes in a to-go bag.

 

The second season features original crime novellas by:

 

Ann Aptaker • Eric Beetner

Michael Bracken & Trey R. Barker

Alec Cizak • Ryan Sayles

Mark Troy

 

and a bonus story by

Trey R. Barker

There’s a taco truck in Chicago known among a certain segment of the population for its daily specials. Late at night and during the wee hours of the morning, it isn’t the food selection that attracts customers, it’s the illegal weapons available with the special order. Each episode of Guns + Tacos features the story of one Chicagoland resident who visits the taco truck seeking a solution to life’s problems, a solution that always comes in a to-go bag.

 

The third season features original crime novellas by:

 

David H. Hendrickson • Hugh Lessig

Neil Plakcy • Andrew Welsh-Huggins

Stacy Woodson • David Zeltserman

 

and a bonus story by

Michael Bracken

GUNS + TACOS

Season 4

Down & Out Books

COMING 2022

There’s a taco truck in Chicago known among a certain segment of the population for its daily specials. Late at night and during the wee hours of the morning, it isn’t the food selection that attracts customers, it’s the illegal weapons available with the special order. Each episode of Guns + Tacos features the story of one Chicagoland resident who visits the taco truck seeking a solution to life’s problems, a solution that always comes in a to-go bag.

 

The fourth season features original crime novellas by:

 

Trey R. Barker • C.W. Blackwell • Adam Meyer

Karen E. Olson • Alan Orloff • Joseph S. Walker

 

and a bonus story by

Trey R. Barker