Florida Happens: Tales of Mystery, Mayhem, and Suspense from the Sunshine State

by Greg Herren (Editor), Lawrence Block (Contribution by), Reed Farrel Coleman (Contribution by), Brendan DuBois (Contribution by), Susanna Calkins (Contribution by)

Overview

When it comes to Florida, no crime is too unusual and no criminal too peculiar to be impossible. Florida is the one state where fiction has to catch up to the headlines, and the contributors to FLORIDA HAPPENS: Tales of Murder, Mayhem, and Suspense from The Sunshine State do not hold back!



Edited by award-winning author/editor Greg Herren, with an introduction by New York Times bestselling author Tim Dorsey, FLORIDA HAPPENS is a riveting anthology featuring some of the brightest stars of mystery writing. Published in conjunction with Bouchercon, the world's biggest mystery convention, this new anthology offers stories of pristine white sands and palm trees, snowbirds and theme parks, mangroves and manatees, pirates and policemen—from the redneck Riviera to the southernmost point of the United States.



Jam-packed with stories from top authors, FLORIDA HAPPENS promises to surprise and thrill lovers of mystery and suspense. Included are classic tales from the legendary John D. MacDonald and Lawrence Block, plus fresh new fiction from bestselling mystery authors Susanna Calkins, Alex Segura, Brendan DuBois, Hilary Davidson, Reed Farrel Coleman, and Craig Pittman. The collection also includes thrilling new stories by top mystery writers Holly West, Paul D. Marks, Greg Herren, Debra Lattanzi Shutika, Jack Bates, Barb Goffman, Angel Luis Colon, J. D. Allan, Eleanor Cawood Jones, Neil Plakcy, Michael Wiley, John M. Floyd, and Patricia Abbott.



A portion of the proceeds from the anthology will go to support Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a program that provides free books to children from birth to school age regardless of family income. A personal mission of Dolly Parton’s, the Imagination Library fosters literacy, a love of reading, and is meant to inspire children to succeed.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781941110744
Publisher:	Three Rooms Press
Publication date:	09/04/2018
Pages:	284
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Editor Greg Herren is the award-winning author of over thirty novels, fifty short stories, and has edited over twenty anthologies. He has won two Lambda Literary Awards (out of fourteen nominations), two Moonbeam medals for excellence in young adult fiction, and an Anthony Award. He has been shortlisted for the Shirley Jackson and Macavity awards. His short stories have been published everywhere from Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine to Mystery Weekly to New Orleans noir. He lives in New Orleans.

Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction by Tim Dorsey

The Burglar Who Strove to Go Straight by Lawrence Block

The Best Laid Plans by Holly West

There’s An Alligator in My Purse by Paul D. Marks

Mr. Bones by Hilary Davidson

Cold Beer No Flies by Greg Herren

Frozen Iguana by Debra Lattanzi Shutika

The Fakahatchee Goonch by Jack Bates

The Case of the Missing Pot Roast by Barb Goffman

How to Handle a Shovel by Craig Pittman

A Postcard for the Dead by Susanna Calkins

Hangover by John D. MacDonald

Muscle Memory by Angel Luis Colón

The Unidentifieds by J. D. Allan

All Accounted for at the Hooray for Hollywood Hotel by Eleanor Cawood Jones

Southernmost Point by Neil Plakcy

Quarters for the Meter by Alex Segura

Breakdown by Brendan DuBois

Winner by Michael Wiley

Frontier Justice by John M. Floyd

When Agnes Left Her House by Patricia Abbott

The Ending by Reed Farrel Coleman

Editorial Reviews

07/30/2018
Big-name Florida crime authors such as Carl Hiassen, Randy Wayne White, and James W. Hall may be absent from this anthology of mostly current stories—a rather insipid Bernie Rhodenbarr story excerpted from a 1979 Lawrence Block novel and a strong 1956 story, “Hangover” by John D. MacDonald, being the exceptions—but Herren (Blood on the Bayou) still mines a lot of gold. In Hilary Davidson’s “Mr. Bones,” a pet owner finds poetic justice when her cat disappears. An ex-con tries to help a fellow resident of the Palm Heights Senior Assisted Living Center in Angel Luis Colón’s moving “Muscle Memory.” Eleanor Cawood Jones pulls a neat twist in “All Accounted for at the Hooray for Hollywood Hotel.” Debra Lattanzi Shutika’s “Frozen Iguana,” about a pair of amateur sleuths, offers an offbeat slice of Florida life. In Reed Farrel Coleman’s “The Ending,” old lovers part in surprising fashion, while Brendan DuBois’s heroine suffers an inconvenient flat tire in “Breakdown.” These 21 tales are testimony to the wealth of notable crime fiction rooted in the Sunshine State. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

"These 21 tales are testimony to the wealth of notable crime fiction rooted in the Sunshine State." —Publishers Weekly


"[An] eclectic collection that nails what life in Florida can be." —Mystery Scene Magazine


"A very entertaining collection of stories." Seattle Book Review


“There’s something for everyone, some private investigation, a little bit of cozy, and a lot of noir. If you like mysteries and find Florida’s penchant for exuberant ridiculousness intriguing, you will love this book.” —Tonstant Weader


"As crazy-unpredictable as a Florida vacation! These short-story gems are quirky, surprising, original and irresistible. It's a collaboration of mystery rock stars that's absolutely terrific." —Hank Phillippi Ryan Nationally best-selling author of Trust Me


“An anthology that captures the many faces of Florida—sly, crooked and beguiling. Guaranteed a hot read. Editor Greg Herren has put together another winner.” — Elaine Viets, author, Deal With the Devil and 13 Short Stories

Past Praise


Murder Under the Oaks: Bouchercon Anthology 2015

Winner of the 2016 Anthony Award for Best Anthology or Collection



Blood on the Bayou: Bouchercon Anthology 2016

Winner of the 2017 Anthony Award for Best Anthology (also edited by Greg Herren)



“[A] showcase of good writing and satisfying reading” —Kevin’s Corner



“This collection of stories is 100% solid and is as diverse as the city of New Orleans itself. I could have reviewed any of these stories as there is not a bad one in the bunch. —BOLO Books



Passport to Murder: Bouchercon Anthology 2017

Nominated for a 2018 Anthony Award for Best Anthology

“[A] rich and varied anthology…” —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

From the Publisher

09/15/2018
Published to coincide with the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention in St. Petersberg, FL, in September, this collection of mystery stories connected to the Sunshine State has a little something for mystery fans of every persuasion. Standouts include Angel Luis Colón's "Muscle Memory," a haunting tale of a ex-con in a retirement home, and Patricia Abbott's "When Agnes Left Her House," the story of a mother who impulsively flees her abusive marriage. While the introduction hammers home the tradition of every crime in Florida seeming like a Carl Hiaasen novel, and some stories, such as Barb Goffman's "The Case of the Missing Pot Roast" deliver on the "only in Florida" premise, many of the stories are actually fairly straightforward tales where the Florida setting is not key to the narrative. This makes for a solid collection of mystery stories, rather than an anthology attempting to give a sense of place, such as the Akashic "Noir" series. VERDICT For fans of mystery short stories; particularly those who enjoy a variety of styles within the genre.—Julie Elliott, Indiana Univ. Lib., South Bend

Library Journal