CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF HARD CASE CRIME – 20 UNFORGETTABLE STORIES BY HARD CASE CRIME FOUNDER CHARLES ARDAI “A MASTER OF THE SHORT STORY.” – STEPHEN KING
Since debuting 20 years ago, Hard Case Crime has won acclaim for publishing the best in hardboiled crime fiction – not least of all the work of founding editor Charles Ardai, which has won the Edgar, Shamus and Ellery Queen Awards, been selected for ‘Best of the Year’ anthologies, and earned praise from everyone from the Washington Post and Chicago Tribune to Megan Abbott and Stephen King.
Collected here for the first time anywhere are the author’s 20 finest stories, including his Edgar-winning “The Home Front,” about death and repentance during World War II; the Shamus Award finalist “Nobody Wins,” about a brutal gangland enforcer searching for the woman he loves; and year’s-best selections such as “A Bar Called Charley’s,” about a traveling salesman’s most grueling night on the road. From Brazil at Carnival to Times Square at midnight, from Tijuana, Mexico to history’s first gunshot in 11th-century China, Ardai will take you to some of the most dangerous places in the world – and the darkest corners of the human heart.
"Ranging from ancient China to Tijuana to L.A. and New York, these 20 stories remind readers of the gutter pleasures the classic pulps provided. Here’s to the next 20 years of Hard Case Crime." - TORONTO STAR
“Each of these twenty stories is different in character and situations but all have one thing in common: a dark look into the souls of men and women on the edge of a precipice, a decision that means life or death either for themselves or others.” - DEADLY PLEASURES
“[Ardai’s] humanist attitude and understanding of storytelling craft get filtered through his hard boiled heroes.” - THE HARD WORD
“Images of shadows and starkness of the Edward Hopper variety… Smokes, drinks, women, guns, sex, diners, cops, and violence.” - C.J. BUNCE, BORG BLOG
“There is plenty of suspense, pathos, humor and tragedy all woven together in this cornucopia of what we call life.” - RON FORTIER, PULP FICTION REVIEWS
“Just crack the first page and start reading, and the stories will take you in and the pages will turn briskly, and you’ll be rewarded with some lasting pleasure from the timeless, yet timely, form of the short story.” - BRIAN GREENE, RETREATS FROM OBLIVION
Praise for Charles Ardai
“Charles Ardai is a very smart and very cool fellow.” - STEPHEN KING
“The best thing Hard Case is publishing right now? Ardai’s own books.” - SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
‘Ardai’s best stories walk a tightrope between noir fatalism and surprising invention. Some of them boast unsettlingly original premises [and] endings bound to startle the most hard-bitten fans…Readers who limit themselves to one story a night are in for a lot of sleepless nights.’ – KIRKUS REVIEWS
“One of the finest collections of stories I have read… intelligent and well-paced… so many great tales.” – SFBOOK REVIEWS
Charles Ardai is the founder and editor of Hard Case Crime and the Edgar Award-winning author of the acclaimed novels Little Girl Lost and Songs of Innocence.
CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF HARD CASE CRIME – 20 UNFORGETTABLE STORIES BY HARD CASE CRIME FOUNDER CHARLES ARDAI “A MASTER OF THE SHORT STORY.” – STEPHEN KING
Since debuting 20 years ago, Hard Case Crime has won acclaim for publishing the best in hardboiled crime fiction – not least of all the work of founding editor Charles Ardai, which has won the Edgar, Shamus and Ellery Queen Awards, been selected for ‘Best of the Year’ anthologies, and earned praise from everyone from the Washington Post and Chicago Tribune to Megan Abbott and Stephen King.
Collected here for the first time anywhere are the author’s 20 finest stories, including his Edgar-winning “The Home Front,” about death and repentance during World War II; the Shamus Award finalist “Nobody Wins,” about a brutal gangland enforcer searching for the woman he loves; and year’s-best selections such as “A Bar Called Charley’s,” about a traveling salesman’s most grueling night on the road. From Brazil at Carnival to Times Square at midnight, from Tijuana, Mexico to history’s first gunshot in 11th-century China, Ardai will take you to some of the most dangerous places in the world – and the darkest corners of the human heart.
Reviews
"Ranging from ancient China to Tijuana to L.A. and New York, these 20 stories remind readers of the gutter pleasures the classic pulps provided. Here’s to the next 20 years of Hard Case Crime." - TORONTO STAR
“Each of these twenty stories is different in character and situations but all have one thing in common: a dark look into the souls of men and women on the edge of a precipice, a decision that means life or death either for themselves or others.” - DEADLY PLEASURES
“[Ardai’s] humanist attitude and understanding of storytelling craft get filtered through his hard boiled heroes.” - THE HARD WORD
“Images of shadows and starkness of the Edward Hopper variety… Smokes, drinks, women, guns, sex, diners, cops, and violence.” - C.J. BUNCE, BORG BLOG
“There is plenty of suspense, pathos, humor and tragedy all woven together in this cornucopia of what we call life.” - RON FORTIER, PULP FICTION REVIEWS
“Just crack the first page and start reading, and the stories will take you in and the pages will turn briskly, and you’ll be rewarded with some lasting pleasure from the timeless, yet timely, form of the short story.” - BRIAN GREENE, RETREATS FROM OBLIVION
Praise for Charles Ardai
“Charles Ardai is a very smart and very cool fellow.” - STEPHEN KING
“The best thing Hard Case is publishing right now? Ardai’s own books.” - SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
‘Ardai’s best stories walk a tightrope between noir fatalism and surprising invention. Some of them boast unsettlingly original premises [and] endings bound to startle the most hard-bitten fans…Readers who limit themselves to one story a night are in for a lot of sleepless nights.’ – KIRKUS REVIEWS
“One of the finest collections of stories I have read… intelligent and well-paced… so many great tales.” – SFBOOK REVIEWS
Author
Charles Ardai is the founder and editor of Hard Case Crime and the Edgar Award-winning author of the acclaimed novels Little Girl Lost and Songs of Innocence.
