* Upcoming Events *

Sleuth Fest
February 28 - March 2, 2008

Malice Domestic XX
April 25 - 28, 2008

Murder In the Magic City
February 9, 2008

New England Crime Bake
November 9-11, 2007

Reviews and Interviews

Review of NINETEEN MINUTES by Jodi Picoult -- reviewed by Wil A. Emerson "If you’re looking for a Who Dun It, this is not the book to read. Jodi Picoult writes an emotionally charged ‘Why Dun It’...."

Review of THE TIN ROOF BLOWDOWN by James Lee Burke -- reviewed by Larry W. Chavis "James Lee Burke’s facility at making the people, places, and atmosphere of the bayou country live on the page shines no less brilliantly..."

Review of THREE BAGS FULL by Leonie Swann -- reviewed by Wil A. Emerson "Three Bags Full is a wooly tail, or should I say tale, where a flock of sheep corral to solve a murder mystery...."

Review of THE CASTRO GENE by Todd Buchholz -- reviewed by Charles Schaeffer "Billionaire Paul Tremont, sports entrepreneur, stock manipulator and egocentric philanthropist, storms through “The Castro Gene” like the Cuban dictator himself..."

Interview with Susan Diamond, author of WHAT GOES AROUND -- by Dorinda Ohnstad. "Susan Diamond is a veteran journalist best known as the former Los Angeles Times consumer reporter S.J. Diamond. She graduated from Radcliffe College then obtained a master’s degree from the University of Iowa as a Writers Workshop fellow. After teaching a few years at Iowa and Brandeis University, she headed to New York, where she freelanced for the Village Voice..."

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Do you write short crime fiction??

Don't forget to enter the Homecoming Writing Contest for a chance to win $125! Contest entry closes on November 15th.

And don't forget that we're always on the lookout for stories for the ezine, too. Check the Guidelines here.

Short Stories

Death, Sweet Death by Janice Alonso

Laurel wrapped her hands around the cup, absorbing the warmth of the tea, and meshed into the comfort of her surroundings as she relaxed in the chaise on the patio. Her house, a cottage really, had one bedroom, a bathroom, a living room and a tiny eat-in kitchen. What had sold her on the place was this secluded refuge. Back here she could unwind into her thoughts, alone.

The Moon In Genevieve's Eyes by D. Krause

It's October, Genevieve, October, and you know what that means. They'll be running the streets in sheets, in sheets the streets, streets, sheets, yes, yes I know, rhymes, I'm caught in them again.
But they'll be in sheets, they will. Delicious. There will be a moon, maybe not full, but a moon this year, I think, though I must check, I must check to be sure because you know, Genevieve, how the moon lights your eyes.

Rompe Almas by Christopher Ryan

Twenty-five feet from their suspect, and one muffled sound could blow everything. The dingy staircase closed in around Detective Frank Mallory. He adjusted his earpiece, then lowered the radio’s volume just a hair more.

Visions of Reality by Kevin R. Tipple

"Look, John, I just want you to shelve the product.” Mr. Phillpots, the store manager, pointed his pen at me while jabbing the air for emphasis.“A book is a book. Nothing more. No deep meanings. Just get them out there. Got it?"
“Books aren’t product like a sack of potatoes. They mean much more and all books aren’t equal. Some of that stuff we sell out there is just trash,” I said.

Yard Work by Brian Haycock

Morgan spent Saturday afternoon working in the yard. It was late May, everything going to green, the weeds starting to go wild with the spring rains. He started in the front. He cut the grass where there was grass, worked an edger along the walk, cleared the weeds out of the flowerbeds he'd planted along the front of the lawn.

A Night At the Orchard by Todd Cameron

When I e-mailed friends back in Vancouver, I joked about being stuck in re-runs of CSI Backwoods. Fresh out of training I got talked into taking a posting with a rural RCMP detachment out in Rocky Mountain country. At the time I was keen on getting out of the big city rat race and told myself it would be worth it for the skiing alone, but I had no idea what I was getting myself in for.

Dying Again by Lew Stowe

Marga came awake slowly and opened her eyes to total darkness. She lay still for a moment to get her bearings. Useless, she quickly concluded. There was nothing, no sensory input providing clues as to where she was. Only silence and smothering darkness.
Something wasn't right. At home, in her own bed, it was never this dark. Or this quiet. She put a hand up and touched what felt like cushioned fabric. She brought the hand down and out to her side. Same thing. Then the other side. Now she knew. It had finally happened.

Audio Stories

The addition of audio stories is a prime part of the "new" Crime and Suspense ezine, but no one submitted one for this inaugural issue... so that means you're stuck with one from yours truly, the Editor. The story is an audio performance of

BLUETICK (.mp3 version)

"Bluetick" is a story of the old South and supernatural vengeance. Be Warned: it contains the use of a derogatory racial epithet, more than once. But I believe once you get through the story, you'll understand that it was necessary, and I think you will forgive me.

The audio is almost exactly 32 minutes, so it's a large file (29 MB). BUT! If you are on a Macintosh computer or have RealPlayer installed on your PC, you can listen to the .m4a version, which is a much smaller download (about 15 MB.)

BLUETICK (.m4a version)

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This website, its look and feel and all its supportive text are copyright ©2005-2007, Tony Burton.
All work contained herein is copyrighted to the respective authors. These authors have been gracious enough to allow their work to be shown here. Please respect their auctorial rights.

We will pursue vigorously anyone who does not.

* Upcoming Events *

Sleuth Fest February 28 - March 2, 2008

Malice Domestic XX April 25 - 28, 2008

Murder In the Magic City February 9, 2008

New England Crime Bake November 9-11, 2007