An empty, rundown house. An unlocked door. Two kids with a stolen lighter and a need to watch something burn.Award-winning writer Annie Reed's deadly tale of what happens when best friends, out for a little fun, take their new game one step too far.

Every mother's nightmare hits home for private investigator Abby Maxon.Abby's hired by an old college friend to investigate the disappearance of a teenage girl. A pretty girl the exact same age as Abby's fifteen-year-old daughter.The missing girl had been playing a dangerous game of "let's pretend" over the Internet with someone she'd never met. Her disappearance shatters an innocent family and plunges Abby into a deadly scheme of payback and revenge."One of the bes...

Quiet heroes. The ones who don't call attention to themselves.The ones who make a difference. Who make life better for strangers they never met.Or who avenge the innocents society can't or won't protect.Spend time with a few of these unsung good guys in this latest edition of Annie Reed's Unexpected series."One of the best writers I've come across in years." –Kristine Kathryn Rusch, award-winning author and editor"The appearance of a new Ann...

Five days a week no-nonsense Judge Malvina Dockerty, star of the daytime TV courtroom show Dockerty's Docket, hands down decisions with her infamous judicial acumen, acerbic wit, and take-no-prisoners attitude. She cuts through to the heart of the cases brought before her, delivering justice, not to mention entertainment value.Only this year her network bosses decided to amp up the entertainment value for sweeps week. For the first time ever, Dockerty's Docket will air live and fea...

In GUARDIANS OF THE BAY, award-winning writer Annie Reed does what she does best—puts her own unique spin on the classic shapeshifter story.Elias Sandoval makes his living playing songs for tourists at The Wharf in San Francisco. He'll play whatever tunes make the tourists happy.He never expected to get a request for a classical song seemingly out of thin air.Playing that one simple song sends Elias headlong into a world that shouldn't exist. A worl...

For some people, the silver lining comes before the storm.Colton’s happy life shattered into a million pieces when a changeling kidnapped his pregnant wife. The police never caught the kidnapper—difficult to do when a changeling can shift their appearance to look like anyone—so now Colton scours the city at night, hunting for that one creature who robbed him of everything that made life worth living.But what he hunts down this night will change his life forever.

The Cutting Edge of Modern Short FictionA three-time Hugo Award nominated magazine, this issue of Pulphouse Fiction Magazine offers up eighteen fantastic stories by some of the best writers working in modern short fiction. No genre limitations, no topic limitations, just great stories. Attitude, feel, and high quality fiction equals Pulphouse."This is definitely a strong start. All the stories have a lot of life to them, and are worthwhile reading."—Tang...

A nighttime drive on a lonely desert highway turns perilous for a single mother and her rebellious teenage daughter.A near-accident in the Nevada desert strands Joleen and her daughter Casey miles from civilization.Forced to rely on each other, Joleen and her daughter must confront the secrets and overcome the anger that destroyed their once close relationship."A lovely story about a mother and a teenage daughter stranded on one of the scariest roads in America. Sen...

It seemed like a good idea at the time.Dyte, the immortal daughter of Cupid and Psyche, started her anti-Valentine’s Day business as a way to get even with her dad after he scared away her first real boyfriend. She just never expected Love Stinks, Inc., to become quite so successful.Successful enough that Zeus wants to give her an official title: Goddess of the Chronically Single. Who in their right mind would want to go through eternity with a name like that?Dyte o...

Pickpocket Lenny Masterson has two rules he never breaks: no working kids in packs, and don't mess with anybody connected. But Las Vegas is a tough town for a small-time thief, and sometimes a guy like Lenny has to do almost anything to survive.BONUS: This edition of "Strike Two" includes a free copy of Annie Reed's story "Dead Things.""I've been a fan of Annie Reed's short stories for a long time." –Marcelle Dube, author of THE SHOELESS KID"The appearance of a new ...

She tells fortunes for a living like her mother before her. She’s just another working stiff, but don’t mistake her for a con artist. Her magic is real.She’ll read your tea leaves or your aura, or predict your future from a deck of cards. Just don’t insult her, and above all else, don’t threaten her.Because remember – her magic is real, and she knows how to use it.

Award-winning writer Annie Reed likes to scare us, charm us, haunt us, and make us fall in love. She does all of that and more in this collection of stories set in her home state of Nevada.A lonely desert highway provides the backdrop for a mother and daughter facing an uncertain future in "Night Passage." A simple day at a man-made lake turns out to be anything but in "Lady of the Deep." In "For a Few Lattes More," a barista encounters a hero from her childhood, while a former par...