“Dark Thread, Loose Strands”
“Dark Thread, Loose Strands” shuttles between three perspectives whose storylines intersect in an incident of schoolyard bullying.
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“Two For One”
Murder, Neat: A SleuthSayers Anthology features short fiction by members of the group blog SleuthSayers, whose contributors include some of the…
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“We Keep The Wall Between Us As We Go”
Warring neighbors, clashing perspectives, and a journey back to the heart of their conflict. Taking its title from a line…
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“Ordeals”
My story “Ordeals” breaks one of Monsignor Ronald Knox’s cardinal rules for writing crime fiction—but readers will have to read…
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The Adventure of the Castle Thief and Other Expeditions and Indiscretions
A man hears a melody in the night and begins a dangerous quest to locate its source. Ghosts of the…
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“The Invisible Band”
Agatha Award Finalist, Best Short Story Read here for free for a limited time! I’m pleased to have my story…
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“We Are All Strangers Here”
A woman sipping an Amaretto Sour at a hotel bar during a business convention. A man approaching the stool beside her, asking if the seat is taken. Flirtation ensues, and assessments too—head to toe . . . and in other directions as well . . .
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Lawyers, Guns, and Money
Anthony Award Finalist! Lawyers, Guns, and Money celebrates the music of Warren Zevon with a wide range of crime stories.
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“Love Me or Leave Me”
“Love Me or Leave Me” appears in the new anthology from the Crime Writers Association.
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“Little Martha”
“Little Martha” appears in the anthology Trouble No More, edited by Mark Westmoreland and featuring crime fiction inspired by Southern…
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How to Write a Mystery
Mystery Writers of America’s new handbook features my essay on writing short stories.
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“Ornamental, My Dear Watson”
A standalone Christmas story, published by Crippen & Landru in a limited edition for their subscribers.
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California Schemin’—Bouchercon Anthology 2020
The 2020 Bouchercon anthology features first-time writers as well as celebrated authors—and stories across a wide array of genres as well.
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“All Tomorrow’s Parties”
In some ways a twist on the Cinderella tale, “All Tomorrow’s Parties” looks toward a fateful midnight at a party where the stakes are literally life and death.
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The Boy Detective & The Summer of ’74 and Other Tales of Suspense
Sixteen stories highlighting nearly a quarter century of my short mystery fiction.
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“Both Sides Now”
My first collaboration with my wife Tara Laskowski—first LITERARY collaboration, that is!—was inspired by one of Joni Mitchell’s most popular songs.
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“A Close Shave”
“A Close Shave” offers more than one tip of the razor toward Ring Lardner’s classic story “Haircut.”
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“Hard Return”
“Hard Return” is part of an anthology exploring the intersection of crime fiction and time travel.
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“The Boy Detective & The Summer of ’74”
Finalist for the Agatha Award for Best Short Story and the Derringer Award for Best Novelette.
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“Des Fils Un Peu Trop Distendus”
A French translation of my story “Loose Strands,” still forthcoming in its original English publication.
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“Better Days”
Macavity Award Winner, Best Short Story.
Agatha & Anthony Award Finalist, Best Short Story.
A follow up to my Derringer Award-winning story “A Drowning at Snow’s Cut.”
“English 398: Fiction Workshop”
Edgar Award Winner, Best Short Story
Macavity Award Winner, Best Short Story
Agatha and Anthony Award Finalist, Best Short Story
“Sunday Morning, Saturday Night”
This noir tale barely tops 1000 words, but I hope it packs a wallop well beyond its word count.
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“Fairy Tales”
The debut issue of this new mystery magazine features my story “Fairy Tales”—about a generational showdown over a small bit of street (with much, much more ultimately at stake).
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“A Necessary Ingredient”
Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity Award Finalist, Best Short Story
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“The Great Detective Reflects”
My first try at Sherlockiana (does it really count?) appears in the November 2016 issue of EQMM.
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The Best American Mystery Stories 2016
Featuring ”Rearview Mirror,” the opening story in my novel in stories On the Road with Del & Louise.
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“Parallel Play”
Agatha Award Winner, Best Short Story
Macavity Award Winner, Best Short Story
Anthony Award Finalist, Best Short Story
Thriller Award Finalist, Best Short Story
“Restoration”
“Restoration” is a noir tale with a dose of speculative fiction, featured in the debut issue of Crime Syndicate: A Magazine of Crime Fiction.
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On the Road with Del & Louise: A Novel in Stories
Agatha Award Winner, Best First Novel
Anthony & Macavity Award Finalist, Best First Novel
Murder Under the Oaks: Bouchercon Anthology 2015
The 2015 Bouchercon anthology, which I edited and which features 21 stories from veterans and newcomers alike.
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“Commission”
My second story featuring Del and Louise—both a follow-up to the Derringer Award-winning story “Rearview Mirror” and a preview of On the Road with Del & Louise: A Novel in Stories.
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“The Odds Are Against Us”
Winner of the Agatha and Anthony Awards and finalist for the Macavity for Best Short Story.
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“Precision”
A safecracker who has tried to put his criminal past behind him gets pulled into one more job—possibly his last.
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Fiction Bibliography
A frequently updated list of fiction publications in magazines, journals, and anthologies.
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