Noir Detective Short Stories

A Flash of Noir is a collection of flash fiction and short, short stories, laid down old-school style by master mystery writer Christopher Pinto. Writing in the genre of gumshoe detectives and sultry dames, creepy horror and hep cat jive, Pinto has put together a series of mostly one-page, 60-second reads that will transport you to another time...a darker, more sinister time. From smokey bars in New York City to the tropical islands of the Florida keys, A Flash of Noir takes you for a spin through the seediest gin joints and darkest alleys. One minute you're speeding down I-95 in a hot rod,...

A detective finds the murderer he's looking for in an unexpected way.

This collection by crime fiction master Raymond Chandler features four long stories in which private eye Philip Marlowe is hired to protect a rich old guy from a gold digger, runs afoul of crooked politicos, gets a line on some stolen jewels with a reward attached, and stumbles across a murder victim who may have been an extortionist.

Al Getty is a dedicated private investigator on the hunt for cheating partners. Ethan Notes is an obsessive stalker fixated on a beautiful woman. After the initial consultation, Al realizes he needs to clarify online what he can lawfully do, to keep weirdos like Notes away. Doing the right thing and reporting the stalker to the police might lead to unexpected drama, but if anyone can handle setbacks, it's Al—he's had a lot of them. When a surprise date with the victim doesn't quite go as planned, it turns out that the stalker might just play a crucial role in the unfolding chaos. This ...

Humans have always been fascinated by darkness. Especially the darkness of a city at night, when the black sky is made ever more inky by the pools of illumination dropped under streetlights. Whether the mean streets be in an alternate past charmed with dark magic or the dirty alleyways of futuristic crowded space stations, the city—and its darkened streets—will always fascinate us. Here then, an anthology of all new stories of science fiction and fantasy with a hardboiled noir twist that acknowledge that the city is a living, breathing entity...and it isn’t always on our side.

Hot on the heels of Best Cases of the Continental Op comes Honest Gain: Dicey Cases of the Continental Op, another original compilation from Skyboat Media. The Continental Op is back on the case, tracking down thieves and murderers from the steep streets of San Francisco to the rough and tumble Wild West in Arizona. These six stories featuring the Continental Op show that this private eye is not afraid to get his hands dirty in order to get the job done right, or get himself hurt in the process.

In the heart of the Staffordshire Peak District, a sinister secret lurks beneath the tranquil surface… When nineteen-year-old Tilley McCleave disappears without a trace, the historic market town of Leek is in shock. Detective Jessica Ryan is assigned the case, but things take a chilling turn when she discovers a horrifying connection to five women who were abducted. Four remain lost, their fates unknown, while one survivor’s harrowing tale is etched into her traumatised soul. Haunted by her ordeal, lone escapee Heidi Dawson has spent years confined to a psychiatric hospital. Could her ...

A Noir Mystery Collection by the Mysterious Thomas Temple Step into a world where darkness whispers your name, and reality twists beyond recognition. In Whispered Crimes, Thomas Temple masterfully weaves together noir mystery, psychological horror, and grotesque fiction in a collection of short stories that will leave you haunted. Inspired by the eerie allure of crime fiction and urban mysteries, Temple invites you to embrace the bizarre, the twisted, and the unknown.Prepare for a Literary Experience Like No Other If you're a fan of dark psychological thrillers, urban noir, or the surreal ...

'A fantastic writer.' Donald Ray Pollock 'Nigel Bird is fast becoming one of the top writers in his genre.' Luca Veste DIRTY OLD TOWN is the debut collection from the prize-winning writer Nigel Bird. His brilliantly observed slices of life allow us to visit places we may not normally choose to enter and to walk a few miles in the shoes of others. Though his tales have darkness at their core, they are also full of a heart and spirit that one rarely finds in the world or ‘noir’ or ‘crime-writing’. There are 9 stories here: Drinking Wine (Spo-Dee-Oh-Dee); Dirty Old Town; Sea Minor; ...

One wrong move, and she'll be feedin' the fishes... When Bubbles Marlowe discovers a jaw-dropping bounty on a pair of stolen diamonds, she agrees to find the jewels and bring the thief to justice. But she soon realizes she’s not the only one after the infamous ice, and the competition is brutal. The case takes a turn for the depraved when she finds out the true reason the diamonds were stolen. By the time she gets wise, she’s in way over her head… **Neon Goldfish is the third stand alone mystery novella in the HoloCity Case Files series, a companion collection to the Bubbles in Space ...

I stepped off the bus in Racherton to deliver a briefcase for Joey Vin. I didn’t know what was in it and I didn’t ask. I needed the dough, so, I took the job. What I hoped would be a routine drop-off wasn’t nearly so easy, and that’s when things went to straight to hell...

Three friends go on a foodie road trip to the Scottish Highlands and Islands to celebrate their pending retirement, expecting stunning scenery, great food, fine wines, and a chance to reminisce about the good old days. When they somehow secure a reservation at a remote and extremely exclusive restaurant set on a private island in Loch Broom, they know they’re in for a once-in-a-lifetime dining experience.

Grace had never been more terrified...the pain was relentless. Nothing in her life prepared her for this. She desperately needed somewhere safe...someplace she could hide. Someone she could trust with her life. It was dark...and getting darker. Ronan Hendricks didn’t recognize her voice. Not family...not friends. Probably not an enemy. But he didn’t need the years he’d spent as a detective to recognize what he did hear... Fear. In a desperate moment of hope, a single number saved her life. Then a complete stranger opened his home offering safety yet Grace knew danger surrounded them.....

With two Derringer Award wins and two Pushcart Prize nominations for her short mystery fiction, Kris Neri really knows the short mystery form. And this collection contains some of her best, including her two Derringer Award winners, the light and hilarious, “L.A. Justice,” which gave birth to her novel series sleuth, Tracy Eaton and her daffy movie star mother, and the darkly original “Capital Justice.” We've included a variety of tones and outcomes, from the breezy froth of “No Star Murder,” to the magic of “Showtime on the Winter Solstice,” to the over-the-top humor of “...

In a world of criminals, thugs, con artists, cheats, and swindlers, there must be a man to stand against the powers of darkness and corruption. A man not afraid to walk the mean streets—whether they be those of 1930s Los Angeles, an ancient fantasy realm, or some far-flung planet of a future star empire. He is a man who knows that a “good man” is not always a “nice guy”. But when the chips are down, he understands that a hero does the right thing, even if it means losing everything.

Detective Frank "Giddy" Geddy usually gets his man, and sometimes the girl, too. This isn't one of those times. Ybor City is where the cool people of Tampa go to cut loose and have fun. Getting in to the party is never the problem. Getting out of it sometimes is. In Ybor, you never know what or who you will run into. Between the seedy clubs and bars, in shady back alleys, and at the cigar and tattoo shops - something is for sale on every corner, and there is always trouble within stumbling distance.

Detective Rhys Vance was still active, still running leads the old way - intuitive, instinctive, human... when the system made a decision. A synthetic officer, built for precision, paused for 0.67 seconds. And his partner, Owen, died in 0.61. The report called it an unfortunate delay. Rhys knew better. Digging into the logic networks behind Saint Liora Medical, Rhys uncovers something worse than a glitch: a hidden bias deep in the city’s AI architecture. Life support systems are evolving preferences. Morgue systems are reinforcing them. And human unpredictability? It's being flagged as a ...

From its launch in 1920 until its demise in 1951, the magazine Black Mask published pulp crime fiction. The first hard-boiled detective stories appeared on its pages. Never before in audio, these vintage stories are the darkest of the dark, and the best of the best.

Crime fiction fans old and new will delight in rediscovering these taut, character-rich, heart-stopping tales, now on audio for the first time.

The house always wins. Unless it falls down… When Bubbles acts as a witness in a high-profile murder case she’s warned to stay low. Taking on a gambling gangster and his henchmen wasn’t in the cards. But then he went and made it personal… HoloCity Hard Boys is the second stand alone mystery novella in the HoloCity Case Files series, a companion collection to the Bubbles in Space series. Blade Runner meets The Fifth Element in this eccentric cyber-noir thriller series about a bleak world ravaged by corrupt leaders, mega-corporations, and crime lords… and the washed-up detective who...

In sultry Bellemare, Louisiana, where gas-lit streets hold centuries of secrets and Spanish moss drips like honey from ancient oaks, jazz singer Camille Dupont rules the night. Her voice can break hearts and bend wills, and she uses both to keep the ghosts of her past at bay. Until the night brooding private investigator Jack Sinclair walks into her club, bringing danger with his whiskey-warm eyes and a reputation for uncovering truths better left buried. He’s been hired to investigate her, but one smoldering look across the smoky club changes everything. Their chemistry is electric, ...