For the past twenty years Edgar Award nominee John M. Floyd has been one of the most widely published short-story writers in America, and is known for putting Hitchcockian twists into every story he writes. This time he gives us thirty tales that have one more thing in common: all of them fit firmly into the mystery/crime/suspense genre.
Welcome to The Barrens. Proceed with caution . . .
Welcome to The Barrens. Proceed with caution . . .
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Dreamland is the sixth collection of short fiction by Mississippi author John M. Floyd. Like the others, it contains mostly mystery stories but drifts occasionally into other genres as well. Unlike the others, this book includes several stories from Floyd’s popular “Law and Daughter” mystery series, featuring Sheriff Lucy Valentine and her crimesolving mother Fran. Also included here are his Edgar-nominated mystery “200 Feet”; two Derringer Award winners, “Dentonville” and “Driver”; “High Places” from the Bram Stoker Award-winning anthology After Death; and “Molly’s Plan,” which was selected by Otto Penzler and guest editor James Patterson for inclusion in The Best American Mystery Stories 2015.
The thirty tales in this volume feature something that’s always been a part of Floyd’s short stories: Hitchockian suspense and surprises. His mastery of plot twists has earned him the praise of bestselling authors Nevada Barr, Jan Burke, Marcus Sakey, Steve Hamilton, and others. If you’ve read any of Floyd’s previous books, or his stories in national magazines, then you already know what’s in store for you here. If you haven’t, you’re in for a pleasant surprise. These stories will sweep you away (maybe for ten minutes, maybe for an hour) from things like politics and household chores and corporate deadlines. You can escape reality altogether, and parachute into a world of enchanted settings, fascinating people, and spinetingling action. Welcome ... to a land of dreams. |
For the past thirteen years, retired schoolteacher Angela Potts and her former student, small-town sheriff Charles “Chunky” Jones, have bickered, shared rides, and solved
mysteries in their small Mayberry-like town—and in the pages of Woman’s World magazine. They are definitely an odd couple. She’s high-strung and smart and bossy and he’s a bit lazy and, shall we say, solution-challenged.
In response to countless requests from Angela followers, author John M. Floyd has finally put together a collection of fifty stories featuring his female sleuth, in a solve-it-yourself format that features the mysteries up front and the solutions in the back in the book. There are no repeats of the Angela/Chunky tales that have already appeared in Floyd’s first four mystery collections. These are new stories, some of which have appeared in Woman’s World since his last book, and some which have never been published anywhere.
For anyone who enjoys lighthearted mysteries, here are adventures galore. Fifty trips into a world of sweet tea and magnolia blossoms, where everything moves slowly except gossip—and the devious mind of Angela Potts.
mysteries in their small Mayberry-like town—and in the pages of Woman’s World magazine. They are definitely an odd couple. She’s high-strung and smart and bossy and he’s a bit lazy and, shall we say, solution-challenged.
In response to countless requests from Angela followers, author John M. Floyd has finally put together a collection of fifty stories featuring his female sleuth, in a solve-it-yourself format that features the mysteries up front and the solutions in the back in the book. There are no repeats of the Angela/Chunky tales that have already appeared in Floyd’s first four mystery collections. These are new stories, some of which have appeared in Woman’s World since his last book, and some which have never been published anywhere.
For anyone who enjoys lighthearted mysteries, here are adventures galore. Fifty trips into a world of sweet tea and magnolia blossoms, where everything moves slowly except gossip—and the devious mind of Angela Potts.
Deception isn't only the name of this book, or the title of one of the tales inside. It might be said that deception is also the central theme of the hundreds of short stories John M. Floyd has written and published over the past nineteen years. Many are mysteries and some represent other genres--fantasy, Western, romance, etc.--but all of them involve trickery and Hitchcockian plot reversals.
In many ways, this collection picks up where his most recent book, Clockwork, left off. Here are thirty more delicious stories of mystery and intrigue. And although Floyd has often said he loves twist endings, the surprises here aren't limited to the final pages: they also happen throughout the stories. If his fiction has one common denominator, it's the suspense built into each tale, that tingling feeling of uncertainty of which direction the plot is about to take.
In addition to all the standalone adventures, this collection features--as did the first three books--several lighthearted mini-mysteries starring retired schoolteacher Angela Potts and small-town sheriff Charles "Chunky" Jones. But whether the setting is the Deep South or deep space, the characters are touch-me real and the plots are clever and fast-moving. If you're looking for pure entertainment, these stories are for you. Prepare to be deceived...
Note: The second story in Deception, "Turnabout," was included among Other Distinguished Mystery Stories of 2011 in The Best Mystery Stories of 2012 (Mariner Books, 2012). The 2012 edition of this long-running series popularized by Otto Penzler was edited by Robert Crais.
In many ways, this collection picks up where his most recent book, Clockwork, left off. Here are thirty more delicious stories of mystery and intrigue. And although Floyd has often said he loves twist endings, the surprises here aren't limited to the final pages: they also happen throughout the stories. If his fiction has one common denominator, it's the suspense built into each tale, that tingling feeling of uncertainty of which direction the plot is about to take.
In addition to all the standalone adventures, this collection features--as did the first three books--several lighthearted mini-mysteries starring retired schoolteacher Angela Potts and small-town sheriff Charles "Chunky" Jones. But whether the setting is the Deep South or deep space, the characters are touch-me real and the plots are clever and fast-moving. If you're looking for pure entertainment, these stories are for you. Prepare to be deceived...
Note: The second story in Deception, "Turnabout," was included among Other Distinguished Mystery Stories of 2011 in The Best Mystery Stories of 2012 (Mariner Books, 2012). The 2012 edition of this long-running series popularized by Otto Penzler was edited by Robert Crais.
In his first two books, Rainbow's End and Midnight, award-winning author John M. Floyd gave us a total of sixty short stories of mystery, suspense, and deception. In this collection of forty more tales, he once again uses his talent for classic storytelling and his love of plot twists to keep us guessing and enthralled until the very last word.
As before, Floyd goes beyond the mystery/crime genre to dip occasionally into areas like westerns and romance and humor and fantasy--but each story promises (and delivers) a rollercoaster ride of delicious plot reversals and a Hitchcock-style surprise ending. And his fans will be pleased to discover several more installments in the lighthearted small-town "series" featuring retired schoolteacher Angela Potts and her former (and long-suffering) student Sheriff Chunky Jones.
So if you love mysteries, or if you enjoyed the old Alfred Hitchcock Presents or Twilight Zone TV series, or if you just like to be kept on the edge of your seat, this collection
of stories is right up your alley. But be advised: reading it might make you lose track of time. Better make sure your clock works...
Note: The first story in Clockwork, "The Powder Room," was included among Other Distinguished Mystery Stories of 2009 in The Best Mystery Stories of 2010 (Mariner Books, 2010). The 2010 edition of this long-running series popularized by Otto Penzler was edited by Lee Child.
As before, Floyd goes beyond the mystery/crime genre to dip occasionally into areas like westerns and romance and humor and fantasy--but each story promises (and delivers) a rollercoaster ride of delicious plot reversals and a Hitchcock-style surprise ending. And his fans will be pleased to discover several more installments in the lighthearted small-town "series" featuring retired schoolteacher Angela Potts and her former (and long-suffering) student Sheriff Chunky Jones.
So if you love mysteries, or if you enjoyed the old Alfred Hitchcock Presents or Twilight Zone TV series, or if you just like to be kept on the edge of your seat, this collection
of stories is right up your alley. But be advised: reading it might make you lose track of time. Better make sure your clock works...
Note: The first story in Clockwork, "The Powder Room," was included among Other Distinguished Mystery Stories of 2009 in The Best Mystery Stories of 2010 (Mariner Books, 2010). The 2010 edition of this long-running series popularized by Otto Penzler was edited by Lee Child.
With this collection of thirty additional tales—short and long, lighthearted and gritty—master short story author John M. Floyd invites us once more to strap ourselves into a ride that entertains as well as enlightens. And, as his readers have come to expect,
almost every story features two ingredients that Floyd admits he loves: nonstop suspense and a Hitchcock-like surprise ending.
But the best thing about these stories is their variety. They dish up something to satisfy devotees of every genre—mystery, adventure, humor, western, fantasy, romance, even science fiction. The settings take us from Alaska to England to Hawaii to the American
West, and the characters include bank robbers, housemaids, time-travelers, stuntmen, police snipers, sorcerers, convenience-store clerks, gunfighters, young lovers, mad scientists, serial killers, bungling angels, and kindly monsters. There is even a continuation of the mystery “series” introduced in Rainbow’s End—eight more stories featuring bossy schoolteacher Angela Potts and her long-suffering former student Sheriff Chunky Jones.
So kick off your shoes, settle back into that easy chair, and prepare to be transported into a
world of suspense and deception. These bite-sized stories are sure to thrill you
and delight you—and keep you up long past midnight . . .
almost every story features two ingredients that Floyd admits he loves: nonstop suspense and a Hitchcock-like surprise ending.
But the best thing about these stories is their variety. They dish up something to satisfy devotees of every genre—mystery, adventure, humor, western, fantasy, romance, even science fiction. The settings take us from Alaska to England to Hawaii to the American
West, and the characters include bank robbers, housemaids, time-travelers, stuntmen, police snipers, sorcerers, convenience-store clerks, gunfighters, young lovers, mad scientists, serial killers, bungling angels, and kindly monsters. There is even a continuation of the mystery “series” introduced in Rainbow’s End—eight more stories featuring bossy schoolteacher Angela Potts and her long-suffering former student Sheriff Chunky Jones.
So kick off your shoes, settle back into that easy chair, and prepare to be transported into a
world of suspense and deception. These bite-sized stories are sure to thrill you
and delight you—and keep you up long past midnight . . .
In this collection of short mystery / suspense fiction, Mississippi author John M. Floyd showcases the classic story-telling and surprise endings that have made him one of the most widely-published short story writers in the South. These thirty tales run the gamut from contemporary Tokyo to the Old West to the swamps of Georgia, and compelling
characters fill their pages - a Texas oilman who makes a bizarre deal to avoid blackmail, a young boy who meets a legendary outlaw, a visitor sent from another world to dispense justice, a willing but terrified cop on the trail of a serial bomber.
The plots are equally varied: From Africa to the South Pacific, from the rural countryside to urban skyscrapers, Floyd keeps his readers guessing every step of the way. In "Teamwork," thieves on the run find their biggest problem is each other; in "Survival," castaways plan their escape from a remote island; "One Less Thing" pits a young woman with gambling debts against a ruthless loan shark; and in the title story, a bank robber accompanies his partner's girlfriend into the Alaskan wilderness in search of stolen loot. There's something here for everyone--- adventure, romance, mystery, comedy, even a "series" of six tales featuring a retired schoolteacher and a small-town sheriff. So if your idea of the end of the rainbow is a potful of fiction with endless twists and turns...you've come to the right place.
characters fill their pages - a Texas oilman who makes a bizarre deal to avoid blackmail, a young boy who meets a legendary outlaw, a visitor sent from another world to dispense justice, a willing but terrified cop on the trail of a serial bomber.
The plots are equally varied: From Africa to the South Pacific, from the rural countryside to urban skyscrapers, Floyd keeps his readers guessing every step of the way. In "Teamwork," thieves on the run find their biggest problem is each other; in "Survival," castaways plan their escape from a remote island; "One Less Thing" pits a young woman with gambling debts against a ruthless loan shark; and in the title story, a bank robber accompanies his partner's girlfriend into the Alaskan wilderness in search of stolen loot. There's something here for everyone--- adventure, romance, mystery, comedy, even a "series" of six tales featuring a retired schoolteacher and a small-town sheriff. So if your idea of the end of the rainbow is a potful of fiction with endless twists and turns...you've come to the right place.