A collection of suspense stories, puzzle stories, whodunits and tricky whydunits involving police detectives, private eyes, talented and sometimes lucky amateurs, armchair detectives, and ethnic detectives

If you don't shudder with every twist and sudden thrust of these 16 terror tales… if you are able to turn off your bedside lamp after closing this volume and drift off to a deep, dreamless sleep… if you can drink your morning coffee without thinking there just might be a peculiarly bitter taste to it, or turn your back on your spouse or best friend without feeling a funny itching between your shoulder blades… then that lovable old master of menace, Alfred Hitchcock, apologizes and personally guarantees you your full payment in horror. All you have to do is meet him in the cemetery under the next murderer's moon…

ALFRED HITCHCOCK’S HOW-TO-DO-IT BOOK Including: • How to solve your marital problems       —(poison) • How to dress properly when admitting to first degree murder       —(black tie) • How to take off a few pounds fast       —(a knife) • How to ruin a perfect friendship       —(a homemade bomb) And many, many other helpful hints from such specialists as: EVAN HUNTER, JOHN CORTEZ, RAY BRADBURY, RICHARD STARK, RICHARD MATHESON, HELEN NIELSON, DONALD WESTLAKE, RICHARD DEMING, JACK RITCHIE, JONATHAN CRAIG, C. B. GILFORD, JAY STREET, ROBERT ARTHUR, FLETCHER FLORA, CHARLES EINSTEIN

Recipe for a backyard cookout: one guest skewered by another

A girl like Brenda and fifty grand... Who could blame Cleo Constance for trying to make a killing? Certainly not Jeff Pitt, who knew Brenda... But who did not know just what kind of a killing Cleo would make

Lisa Sheridan — a beautiful woman, alone and unfulfilled, driven by unnatural desires... Avery Lawes — only half a man because he had never loved a woman... They met, and each saw in the other a chance for escape. And so, in a frantic flight for normality, they were married. But they could not know the terrible depths into which their union would plunge them

This volume is the nineteenth annual collection of the best stories from Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine. Every year since the anthology’s inception, it has been acknowledged No. 1 in its field, and this current one is no exception. The stories here range from pure detection to suspense, horror and psychological grue. Regardless of the reader’s taste, he will find a fulfilling and diverting repast offered by these writers: John D. MacDonald, James M. Ullman, L. E. Behney, Michael Gilbert, George Sumner Albee, Helen Nielsen, Roy Vickers, Borden Deal, Fletcher Flora, Avram Davidson, William O’Farrell, Norman Daniels, Hugh Pentecost, Victor Canning, Helen McCloy, John Reese, Holly Roth, Edward D. Hoch, Gerald Kersh, Fred A. Rodewald & J. F. Peirce, Lawrence Treat, Stanley Ellin

Hell Has No Fury — like a crossed-up dame, they say, and Burr thought he could use that adage to save a pal’s life. But with those dames — he’d better try first to save himself!

Willie and Howard — man and wife Willie and Quincy — cousins (in-law) Willie, wanton Quincy, without honor Howard, quite dead Result — a light-hearted treatment of the grim details, in the new Cock Robin Mystery Award winner. Howard, alive, has been a dull lubber, with the single virtue of being able to make money without benefit of discernible brains; dead, he is a challenge and an excitement. He is even a challenge to Quincy, who is a difficult fellow to challenge to any kind of sustained effort. Fortunately, Quincy is clever and full of plans. His only fault, as far as Willie can see, is a tendency to he fanciful where simplicity would suffice. There is Howard’s body to dispose of. Quincy’s plot is a trifle thick, though not without wit. It’s not Quincy’s fault when his plot takes an unexpected turn. It is the fault, in fact, of dear, dead Howard, whose capacity for deception and tricky commitments turns out to have been as unsavory as that of the cousins. Fletcher Flora has written a winning thriller of cousins who kiss and kill

A dirty rotten trail to murder! It was a case that spelled trouble from the first come-on to the last bullet. I’m Percy Hand, not-so-private eye. You meet a lot of gals on the make in my business, but this case had too many dames. It all started on the secluded patio of a blonde who liked nude sun-bathing. Before the case was over, one dame was dead, another missing, and The Mob was getting ready to write my epitaph in hot lead!

Lysistrata paced restlessly in the garden, nervously plucking at leaves. It had been seven months since she had seen her husband, Lycon — since he had left her to go off to war. Seven months of lonely days and empty nights — of aching heart and throbbing loins. Seven months of longing. But now a strange smile played around her lips. Tonight he was coming home—

A walk on the wild side! In this series of collections of gritty Noir and Hardboiled stories, you’ll find some of the best writers of the craft writing in their prime

This anthology features some of the most famous authors writing at the peak of their careers!

He looked at her, at her fine grave face and too elegant gestures. He thought tiredly that this one was nearly gone, that she would go on drinking too much gin and sleeping in too many beds, that she would remember nothing between the beds and the bottles. The worst of it was that he liked her. She had a face he would remember. And for a long time he would think of her and wonder just what had become of her, whether she was alive or dead

Dashiell Hammett and William Vollmann are just two treats in this stellar sequel to the smash-hit original volume of San Francisco Noir, which captures the dark mythology of a world-class locale

TEN MILLION DOLLARS to be divided equitably among the departed Grandfather Hunter’s remaining family, with a PROVISO being, in proper legal terms, that the entire ten million dollars was to be held in trust for the exclusive use of SENORITA FOGARTY her lifetime, and for the lifetime of her pups (Senorita Fogarty being a Chihuahua of questionable breeding) and for the lifetime of her pup’s pups, etc., etc. Only upon the death of Senorita Fogarty and her pups (if any) would the inheritance go to the family. ’Tis plain to see that the life of Senorita Fogarty wasn’t worth two cents, much less ten million dollars. But to the rescue! Our senorita is to be protected by the Crumps, Grandfather Hunter’s trusted servants. And did we forget to mention that the erstwhile heirs are a rather bungling, ineffectual lot??? Will Senorita Fogarty outwit the scheming Hunter family? Will the Hunters regain the birthright that is undeniably theirs (all ten million dollars’ worth)??? Will the Crumps!!!!!

A hand reaching out of the dark past had killed Margaret Hadley, and the only way I would ever find her killer — was to be the next to die!

The slender bookshelf of outstanding works about sexual deviations must now make room for Fletcher Flora’s honest and perceptive novel, Strange Sisters. Here is the story of a lesbian, and of the devastating crime to which she was driven when she tried to disavow her body’s urgings. Here is a shattering theme, treated with rare sensitivity and power

An unconventional story of beautiful Ivy Galvin and her strange emotional involvement with two men — and a woman

Welcome to The Seventh Ghost Story MEGAPACK®! Once more we have a wide-ranging assortment of supernatural fiction, with setting across the world — Europe, the Americas, Asia — and across the centuries. You will note that we have a larger than normal number of "Anonymous" stories. No, the authors weren't embarrassed by their contributions. Victorian-era literary magazines and newspapers often ran fiction without crediting the author, or with only vague terms like "A Lady," initials, or humorous pseudonyms (as with the story by "Q.E.D." in this volume). Authors later collected their stories in books, and that's when readers discovered who had actually written what. If a story never got reprinted, its author remained a mystery. Modern scholars are still researching these anonymous stories, but many authors will never be properly identified

She was everything, and most of all she was the earth’s most tempting woman in a way that was peculiarly her own... but I could hear her rich, provocative voice saying softly that everything would be so very simple if only the man named Kirby would die... and as that summer grew, in desire and in terror, my world no longer had the familiar features of a fine and comforting thing, but the strange remnants of an ugly, threatened place...　 ...and the root of it all lay hidden in the secret of THE BRASS BED

Police Captain Bartholdi sometimes indulged himself in a harmless fantasy. His thoughts, he would imagine, were irresponsible imps that wriggled out of his head and scampered around with an abandon that was often embarrassing. A woman had been kidnapped. That woman was dead. Bartholdi was convinced that a murderer was at that moment having a grim laugh at his expense. He knew who the murderer was. He would have bet his pension and his sacred soul that he knew. But he could not, knowing, prove what he knew. He needed confirmation on one critical point. From among his antic imps he culled the three that had directed his mind to its present state: One newspaper too many. A girl who slept too soundly. And, most important of all, a ragout with too many onions

Beginning in the 1950s, Flora wrote a string of 20 great novels — mysteries, suspense, plus three pseudonymously as “Ellery Queen.” He also published more than 160 short stories in the top mystery magazines. In his day, he was among the top of his field. This volume collects 26 of his classic mystery and crime tales for your reading pleasure

She was as conniving a blonde as ever tried to steal another girl’s husband... Now she was dead, found murdered in a lonely lovers’ lane. And the police wanted to know why

Uncle Slater O’Shea was loaded. Uncle Slater was supporting the lot of them — five freeloaders. And in spite of liberal daily applications of whisky, Uncle Slater had his health. He intended to keep it, so he had made a new will. So long as he continued to enjoy life, he would continue to maintain them. But the minute he died, his estate would be cut up among them, plus seventeen additional assorted O’Sheas. Cut up into twenty-two pieces, the freeloaders wouldn’t get enough from Uncle Slater O’Shea’s estate to live in the manner to which they had become accustomed. Several weeks later, benevolently trailing a fragrant haze of good Irish whisky behind him, Uncle Slater went upstairs for a nip and a nap. He never came down. Which of them had been foolish enough to do the old boy in?

Skimmer was the hotshot — handsome, smart, arrogant... He had everything: personality, looks, women. He was ready for success — regardless of the cost... And then he met a girl and a gangster — and something went wrong... Hotshot is Skimmer’s story — a unique candid portrait, not of the knife-wielding delinquents who capture headlines, but of today’s troubled youth as they really are. The unforgettable story of a generation battling to find its way in a world it never made

Our second volume of Fletcher Flora’s crime and mystery stories collects 20 more tales by the classic author. Enjoy!

Colleen was the mistress of the house, beautiful, rich and romantic, with the lush, pliant body of an overly passionate woman, and a husband who didn’t appreciate her obvious charms. Onofre was the newly hired handyman, sullen, opportunistic and blatantly virile — like a stud bull that accepts all comers. Pansy, the maid, got the message at once and offered herself without reservations. Vesta, the housekeeper, fought her attraction for him and continued making passes at Colleen. Colleen, torn between pressure from Vesta, loyalty to her husband and her desperate need for Onofre, resisted, wavered, then fell like a ripe plum into Onofre’s bed

How can you all sit there, Deming’s nerves screamed, playing poker as if you cared? Any minute, any hour, a man will walk into a trap — a man that we must kill!

There are three men in Donna Buchanan’s life... ENOS SIMON — a moody and emotional young teacher AARON BURNS — the considerate and shy husband of a cold and calculating wife WILLIAM WALTER TYLER — a middle-aged millionaire who always gets what he wants ...Three lovers woo the ambitious young dress designer who’s determined to sell her talent and her love to the highest bidder in order to crash the world of fashion

Сборник представляет творчество видных мастеров детективно-приключенческого жанра — таких, как Уильям Сэмброт, Уильян Нолан, Джек Ричи, Генри Слезар и др. Оригинальное сочетание детективной интриги и атрибутов литературы «ужасов», другие достоинства предлагаемых произведений, надеемся, будут оценены читателями

Читайте в этом выпуске: Жерар де Вилье. РЕКВИЕМ ДЛЯ ТОНТОН-МАКУТОВ Жакмель сидел на корточках у открытого гроба. Мари-Дениз видела, как поднимается и опускается его мачете. Когда Жакмель достал из гроба большой черноватый зловонный шар и осторожно засунул его в пластиковый пакет, ее сотряс приступ тошноты. Теперь Жакмель мощными ударами вскрывал грудную клетку трупа — ему хотелось заполучить и сердце. — Когда мы уйдем, ты всем расскажешь, что видела, как я унес голову Франсуа Дювалье. Питер Устинов. ИГРА В ОСВЕДОМИТЕЛЯ Как его звали? Его имя? Так ли уж важно, если за всю жизнь он сменил столько имен. И все же, как свойственно многим, ему хотелось выделить из них одно, главное, — ведь человеку нужны корни, а то без корней в жизни, как без якоря. Он написал мемуары. Но даже не представил рукопись на заключение компетентным властям, утверждая, что нет властей достаточно компетентных, чтобы выносить суждение о его книге или хотя бы подвергнуть ее цензуре. Флетчер Флора. ЗА ТЕ ЖЕ ДЕНЬГИ Я направился в библиотеку и стал ждать. Примерно минут через пять туда вошла Дульчи Кун. — Мистер Хэнд, — сказала она, — по-моему, я вполне ясно дала вам понять, что наши с вами дела закончены. Зачем вы снова пожаловали? — Я пришел к вам сообщить, что нашел Мирну. На мгновение в комнате воцарилась тишина, никто не двигался и не дышал…

Книга продолжает серию, открывшуюся сборником «Истории, рассказанные шепотом». Включенные в нее новеллы, принадлежащие к разным жанрам, объединяет одно: в основе фабулы каждой из них лежит загадка, которую необходимо разгадать. Попробуйте сделать это, не дожидаясь разъяснений автора

Знаменитый английский режиссер сэр Альфред Джозеф Хичкок (1899–1980), нареченный на Западе «Шекспиром кинематографии», любил говорить: «Моя цель — забавлять публику». И достигал он этого не только посредством своих детективных, мистических и фантастических фильмов ужасов, но и составлением антологий на ту же тематику. Примером является сборник рассказов «Исчезновение», предназначенный, как с коварной улыбкой замечал Хичкок, для «чтения на ночь». Хичкок не любитель смаковать собственно кровавые подробности преступления. Сфера его интересов — показ человеческой психологии и создание атмосферы «подвешенности», постоянного ожидания чего-то кошмарного. Насколько это «забавно», глядя на ночь, судите сами

Коллекция детективных рассказов, опубликованных в газете «Совершенно СЕКРЕТНО» в 2014 году

Коллекция детективных рассказов, опубликованных в газете «Совершенно СЕКРЕТНО» с декабря 1997 года по декабрь 2012 года включительно

Убийство ила самоубийство? Каким образом совершено это па первый взгляд простое и понятное преступление? Кто убийца? Подобные вопросы мучают инспектора Мастерса на протяжении всей повести «Рука сатира», и только определенная цепь событий помогает ему найти необходимый ключ к тайне гибели Лилы и Ларри Конноров

В третьем выпуске сборника «Таящийся ужас» представлены повести писателя Владимира Гринькова, а также рассказы английских и американских писателей. Все произведения написаны в жанре, соединяющем в себе элементы «страшного» рассказа и психологического триллера. Публикуется впервые. Для широкого круга читателей