Eddie, age fourteen, and Jack, age seventeen, find a skeleton weighted down in Muir Lake, and Jack thinks it just might be his father who's been missing for nine years.

Across five studio albums with Art Garfunkel (1964-1970) and fourteen solo albums (1965-2018), Paul Simon’s music and lyrics have inspired generations of listeners. For Paranoia Blues, nineteen masters of contemporary short crime fiction wrote new stories, each inspired by one of Simon’s songs: one from each of the five Simon and Garfunkel studio albums (plus a bonus second story inspired by a song from Bridge Over Troubled Water) and one from each of the fourteen solo studio albums. The contributors include award-winners E.A. Aymar, Martin Edwards, Cheryl A. Head, Edwin Hill, Tom Mead, Raquel V. Reyes, Gabriel Valjan, and a dozen more—plus the first new story by Robert Edward Eckels in more than forty years! This is the fifth “inspired by” anthology edited by Josh Pachter, a recent winner of the Short Mystery Fiction Society’s Golden Derringer Award for Lifetime Achievement; the previous books drew on the music of Jimmy Buffett, Billy Joel, and Joni Mitchell—and the films of the Marx Brothers.

DOCKSIDE IS A CRAZY PLACE The drug and booze-filled streets of New Boston’s spaceport district are no place for the uninitiated. Take a walk down these dirty thoroughfares and slip into their darkened alleys with eight new stories centering on what goes on when the most famous fixer in space is not there to hold things down. Featuring: The Bruise-Giver – Every face in Dockside has a story. Some of those stories are legends if you know who to ask… The Switch – The nicest enforcer in town has to solve a series of robberies before the rent is due to save his neighborhood. No Good Deed – Dockside’s police department is legendarily corrupt, but sometimes even the bad cops have to deal with worse ones. Dangerously Unlucky – Clearing up old mistakes is a very different thing when Dockside gangs are involved. Mad Engineer – Big Woo’s creepiest android engineer takes matters into his own hands when the new neighbors become a problem. Age Before Beauty – Three grizzled old men embark on a secret mission to help a young woman escape a bad situation… while drunk. Getting Square – Two of Dockside’s most bedraggled characters embark on a quest for their next good time. Chekhov’s Guns – Some bartenders sling beer all night. Others sling guns. Guess which one this story is about?

Series covers individuals ranging from established award winners to authors and illustrators who are just beginning their careers. Entries cover: personal life, career, writings and works in progress, adaptations, additional sources, and photographs.

New York Times bestselling author Diana Palmer continues her beloved Long, Tall Texans series by delving deep into the heart of San Antonio and one of its top detectives, Rick Marquez. He never met a case he couldn't solve or a woman he couldn't charm. But this smooth-talking Texan is about to meet the one woman who'll lasso him—body and soul! Don't miss the classic tale by Diana Palmer Carrera's Bride included in this book! Notorious Marcus Carrera instills fear in friends and foes alike—but one woman can see beyond the formidable veneer to his gruffly tender heart. When she needs his help, can he risk it all to make her his beloved bride?

One of San Antonio's top detectives, Rick Marquez has never met a case he couldn't solve or a woman he couldn't charm--until now.