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!
The brightest stars in mystery writing take on Florida—the state where no crime is too unusual and no criminal too peculiar to be impossible—in this anthology offering 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.
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 Mystery Convention, the world’s biggest mystery/suspense 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, 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.
Florida Happens: Tales of Mystery, Mayhem, and Suspense from the Sunshine State–Bouchercon 2018 Anthology, edited by Greg Herren; 5.5″ x 8.25″ Trade Perfect Bound; color cover with b/w interior; 294 pages; ISBN 978-1-941110-74-4 (TRP-073); $15.99
Distributed by PGW/Ingram
About the 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.
Past Praise for BOUCHERCON Anthologies
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
Complete List of Contributors
Tim Dorsey (Introduction)
Lawrence Block
Holly West
Paul D. Marks
Hilary Davidson
Greg Herren (also editor)
Debra Lattanzi Shutika
Jack Bates
Barb Goffman
Craig Pittman
Susanna Calkins
John D. MacDonald
Angel Luis Colón
J. D. Allan
Eleanor Cawood Jones
Neil Plakcy
Alex Segura
Michael Wiley
John M. Floyd
Patricia Abbott
Reed Farrel Coleman