Book Description

Southern California. Home to sandy beaches, waving palm trees, balmy weather. Also home to the rich and famous, those barely hanging on, and everyone else. Add in murder, embezzlement, stalking, burglary, and every crime under the sun. In Crime Under the Sun, the second anthology offered by Partners in Crime, the San Diego chapter of Sisters in Crime, fifteen stories capture the hopes and dreams of characters trying to live the idyllic SoCal life. Instead, they bump up against greed, treachery, corruption, and death. These stories will thrill readers with unexpected twists and turns and surprise endings. In the words of Catriona McPherson in our foreword, “…the best mystery anthologies should embrace the whole of our beloved genre and Crime Under the Sun has nailed it.” Welcome to the seamy underbelly of Southern California. Edited by Matt Coyle, Naomi Hirahara and Tammy Kaehler with stories by Sarah Bresniker, Lynne Bronstein, Shelley Burbank, Wrona Gall, B.J. Graf, C.C. Guthrie, A.P. Jamison, Kathy Kingson, Kathy Krevat, Axel Milens, John Edward Mullen, Kathy Norris, Michelle Rodenborn, Wendall Thomas, and James Thorpe. Critical Acclaim for Crime Under the Sun: “It may be a cliché to say an anthology has something for all readers, but Crime Under the Sun delivers in full. From cozy and quirky to gimlet-eyed and hard-boiled and with more than a couple of sides of tense and chilling. Story to story, I was delighted, thrilled, amused, and amazed.” —Art Taylor, Edgar Award-winning author of The Adventure of the Castle Thief and Other Expeditions and Indiscretions “The Golden State has a dark underside in Crime Under the Sun, a lively and varied compendium of murder, mayhem, bad choices, and bad dreams. Seedy noir to whimsical cozy, and caper plot to psychological drama, the anthology offers an assortment of vengeful malcontents, ingenious professionals and hapless wannabes, plus few decent souls. Sharp characterization, smooth prose, and some echoes of old time Hollywood's tarnished glamor complete an entertaining package.” —Janice Law, author of the Francis Bacon mysteries “Whoever wrote ‘there's nothing new under the sun’ obviously hasn't read Crime Under the Sun, in which the San Diego chapter of Sisters in Crime offers up fifteen stories that are not only new but noteworthy. Readers may not be familiar with all of the contributors, some of whom are early in their writing careers—but you're sure to be seeing more of them!” —Josh Pachter, editor of the Anthony Award finalist Paranoia Blues: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Paul Simon “A lovely collection of criminous tales, delightfully diverse in style, featuring work by some of the best writers producing short fiction today.” —Tom Mead, author of Death and the Conjuror and The Murder Wheel “Crime Under the Sun features a collection of twists, jagged edges, one-two punches and crisp storytelling from sunny California. With endearing protagonists, villains you love to hate, some cool characters coming off the page and murder mysteries galore, this collection showcases great talent.” —Ryan Sayles, author of Like Whitewashed Tombs “A scorching selection of crime stories that will leave you dying for more.” —Stephen D. Rogers, author of Shot to Death