I thought I would share a few of my favorite lines from this anthology. Feel free to share your own in the comments below.
The Roseville Way by Robert Lopresti
“If Lying Lionel tells you the sun is shining, you better bring an umbrella.”
The Pact by Judy Brownsword
“Time seemed to slow down, and I became acutely aware of the roughness of the seat belt under my fingers, Katrina and the Waves singing “Walking on Sunshine” on the radio, and the sickly smell of the cardboard air freshener shaped like a pine tree hanging from the rear view mirror.”
Sweet Murder by Magdalena Jones
“The sobs of newly made widows unmanned, not to say unsheriffed him.”
The Photograph by Herschel Cozine
“Prominent” is a word greatly overused in the news, and is reserved for certain professions: lawyers, doctors, bank presidents. Have you ever heard of a prominent plumber?
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere by L.E. Schwaller
Sam was a strange man, bred of that awkward country I had once known so well, to be sure, but he was honest. I had somehow all but forgotten that code of ethics, that misguided, almost ignorant sense of honor and fairness that sometimes gets muddled and obscured by the illiteracy and racist colloquialisms of my home.
The Ferry Tail Murder by Percy Spurlark
“The long dangling curls of her costume wig played peek-a-boo with her diamond earrings.”
Male Leary Comes Home by Michael Guillebeau
“This was Mookie’s second smile of the day, and there was still an hour until closing. Maybe he’d find a third and set a new record.”
Noir is Dead by Kate McCorkle
“The brunette turned out to be a pock-marked fellow. Face made for radio.”
Bravisimo by David Himmel
“The guests started to arrive, mostly two-by-two, like Noah’s Ark for moneyed humans.”
Dead Dames Don’t Wear Diamonds A “Nameless, Texas” Noir Short Story by Bobbi A. Chukran
Her current masterpiece was a single flower, in blue. I stopped for a moment, squinted at it and said, “Is that an orchid? It sure is pretty.”
“No, Dan, it’s a dahlia, dammit,” she said.
Complete Deceit by Lynn Kinnaman
“In her buttoned-down ankle-length dress and plaid overcoat, she appeared as out of place in this seedy part of town as a tea cozy in a billiard hall.”
Little J’s Sweet Potato Pie by Wenda Morrone
“Barbados smiled a smile with no smile in it. “Then find my money. Do that, and I’ll make you Thanksgiving dinner to go with your pie.”
The Last Dinner by John Haas
“The antacid in his mouth tasted like chalk—an improvement. He grabbed a magazine, headed for the bathroom. “Chili. The meal that keeps on giving.”
This and others are available from Dark House Press and Andrew MacRae—made it possible–enjoy!