stories in and

In Excess of Dark by Red Lagoe

"A somber and deeply upsetting escalation of weirdness, Red Lagoe's 'In Excess of Dark' is a serrated examination of love, loss, and death." - Eric LaRocca, author of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke and Other Misfortunes What if every terrible thing imagined came true? Every fleeting, nightmarish thought a reality? For grief-stricken Karina, her newfound ability to turn her worst daydreams into palpable truths has sent her into a downward spiral of depression and guilt. Coupled with the appearance of an enigmatic shadow figure and visions of her dead family, she grapples to maintain her sanity while desperately attempting to harness her abilities and reunite with her loved ones.


Hollow by Mike Salt

“Propulsive, claustrophobic and genuinely creepy, Hollow reads like pure nightmare fuel. I legitimately think I’ve got a fear of all things subterranean now.” -Robert P. Ottone, author of The Vile Thing We Created and the Bram Stoker Award-winning novel The Triangle In the depths of a vast, foreboding cave, where silence whispers of unspeakable horrors, three friends embark on a treacherous journey to unravel the mysteries that lie within. HOLLOW is a gripping horror novel that will send shivers down your spine and keep you enthralled until the final, heart-pounding revelation. Driven by a desperate search for their missing friends, the trio ventures deep into the labyrinthine tunnels, unaware of the malevolent forces that await them. With each step, they unknowingly play into the hands of the spirits that dwell within the shadows, eager to manifest their darkest fears and subject them to unrelenting torment. As the friends become entangled in the never-ending maze, theñ. boundary between reality and nightmare blurs. Their quest for answers quickly transforms into a harrowing battle for survival, as they confront their own personal demons while fighting to escape the clutches of the m alicious spirits. HOLLOW is an atmospheric tale that delves into the realms of human resilience, the complexity of friendship and family, and the insidious power of fear. As the friends battle their own demons and navigate the treacherous depths of the cave, the pulse-pounding suspense will leave you breathless, and the lingering questions will haunt you long after you turn the final page.


Polyphemus by Zachary Ashford

"Ashford conjures a mean and grubby world laden with sex, drugs, rock and roll—and absolute buckets of gore." -Publishers Weekly When lead vocalist of Polyphemus Stephen Oaks’s near-fatal on-stage overdose leaves them under pressure from their label, the band’s remaining members must find a new vocalist, pick up the pieces and forge on without him. Unfortunately, he’s fresh from rehab and desperate to reunite with his old band, In fact, he’s so desperate that he’ll bargain with dark forces and sacrifice everything – and anyone! After the final encore is played and the house lights come down, there is no telling who will remain or who they’ll be in allegiance to. For Polyphemus, obsession costs far more than mere murder.


Sledge vs The Labyrinth by Nick Horvath

SLEDGE. “THE ULTIMATE ANTI-HERO.” – Horror Reads When his former lover, Kiira, finds herself the target of a mysterious dark web assassin network, modern-day gladiator, Einarr “Sledge” Laukkanen, embarks on a blood-spattered mission to uncover who lurks at its heart. But as he bludgeons his way down to its lowest depths, one thing becomes terrifyingly clear: NO ONE ESCAPES THE LABYRINTH . . . “THINK REACHER. BUT MEANER AND LEANER.” – EC Greaves, author of Daughter of the Beast “HORVATH WRITES WITH THE STACCATO PRECISION OF ‘50S NOIR.” - Coy Hall, author of The Promise of Plague Wolves “A BONE-CRUNCHING ACTION FLICK WITH ALL THE SMOOTH NUANCE AND NARRATIVE INTELLIGENCE OF A GREAT NOIR MASTERPIECE.” - K.C. Finn, Readers’ Favorite 5-star review “SHARP-WITTED, BLOOD-DRENCHED, AND MOVES WITH THE SPEED OF TRACER FIRE. THIS IS THE ONE ACTION FANS HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR." - Dave Buzan, author of In the Lair of Legends


Cheryl by Michael Parkes

A sudden tragedy. A family torn asunder. A woman disillusioned with the formerly comforting, now cloistering, confines of suburbia. Cheryl Decker's life is forever changed by the death of her eldest daughter, as are the lives of her husband, Scott, and surviving daughter, Melinda. Spiraling into a pill and wine addiction, her level-headed best friend Beverly and the chaos loving addict Matilda each comfort her in their own unique ways. Navigating blackmail, PTA meetings and her own demons, Cheryl is forced to do worse and worse things in the pursuit of appeasing crazed blackmailing divorcees, her dead daughter's mystery contact, and discovering why her daughter leapt off the balcony. A dark, though at times humorous, story that captures the grim side of living in the "perfect" suburb where not everyone is as prim and proper as they appear to be, nor are they nearly as moral. Contains possibly disturbing scenes and substance abuse.


Not Your Mary Sue by Rebecca Frost

A not so classic girl meets boy story begins when a televangelist’s adult daughter, Marcy, journeys to a secluded island resort where she awakens a captive of a handsome, charming, notorious serial killer who requests she pen his autobiography explaining all of his intentions and crimes in detail. She finds herself horrified that she is intrigued by him and maybe even...infatuated by him. He has more control than she realizes as he slowly begins to brainwash her just as the autobiography is completed. Once she is rescued and he is arrested, Marcy begins to pull her life back together only for her captor to escape and her brother becomes a new suspect in a murder.


Blood Sisters by Rebecca Frost

For almost a decade now, Brent Wright has been in prison for the killing of seven women - unless the surviving twin sister of one of his victims is right and Brent didn't kill anyone at all. If the theory is true, a presumed survivor of his is more dangerous than anyone could have imagined. No one will be entirely satisfied or safe until they find out for certain.


I Found Christmas Lights Slithering Up My Street by Ben Farthing

Something festive is growing in the sewer... After last year’s tragedy, Douglas’ parents are ignoring Christmas. But when Douglas finds an eerie strand of lights slithering through the sewer, he unwittingly unleashes merry terror upon his neighborhood’s tacky lights contest. String lights spread like invasive kudzu, turning festive decorations into surreal, predatory nightmares. Determined not to lose both Christmas and his family forever, Douglas gathers his courage to confront the source of the holiday horror: deep in the concrete pipes beneath the street. I Found Christmas Lights Slithering Up My Street is a horror tale from the “darkly inventive” purveyor of uncanny places and wondrous evils, Ben Farthing.


Dojakai: The BrixCity A.C.T - Cloutless by Cordell Charles

In a world where competition is everything, and notoriety, is considered currency. Dojakai tells the story of Auraluke, a 13 year old boy, raised just outside of society’s logic. Born in seclusion with only his father’s guidance; Auraluke has been training his entire life, without the treasures of fame and glory. But this world is different. The world was also once plagued by beasts, born from the stars; known as Dojakai. Hip to the world, but forbidden from participating in society’s politics, Auraluke longs to find his place between mind, body and his own sense of will. Who is his father? Why has he been training him in seclusion? ..What the heck is Clout? Adventure awaits, in this introduction to the series. Dojakai: The BrixCity Sagas… Book 1


Devils That Prey by David Washburn

Olivia Rose and her friends have just finished their first semester and are planning to raise a little hell on their college break, but have no idea just what hell is to be raised. Hungry for a good time, they provoke a group of locals and find themselves in a nightmare that doesn’t seem to ever let up. With their lives on the line this young group of friends fight to escape this hopeless situation while the locals sink their teeth into this sick game of cat and mouse. The only chance at survival is to meet violence with violence. The terror unfolding will have you reconsidering your drive through small-town America.


To Spy a Star (Agent Renault Adventures) by Jonathan Nevair

One star can break a galaxy. Agent Renault plays cloak and dagger against her most formidable opponent yet – a ruthless and cunning expert at cards and more deadly arts besides. Her mission: retrieve a stolen asset known as the Star Eye. Aided by her eccentric agency team and armed with state-of-the-art gadgets, she races to solve a devious conspiracy and bring down her elusive foe. But a specter haunts the agency’s halls, whispering secrets from its past. Allies and enemies alike wear masks in the espionage game. Lilline must decide who to trust if she hopes to take down a sinister and vengeful mastermind before a wave of terror crashes across the stars. TO SPY A STAR: a fast, fun, and furiously entertaining standalone spy-fi adventure.


Unusual Light by J. Elizaga

Engineering student Ana Juliet (AJ) takes a summer job as a swing-shift security guard at a hospital morgue--the same morgue once investigated by the police for unusual calls received during full moons. And the calls happen only when Matt, a guard assigned to the overnight shift, is on duty. AJ scoffs at the idea of otherworldly activities. But soon after, she witnesses a mysterious orb. The orb reveals itself to be the ghost of Binni Almond, a teenager who went missing thirty years ago. Despite AJ’s shock, she befriends Binni. She vows to use her problem-solving abilities to find Binni’s family and solve the mystery of the young girl’s disappearance. But darker spirits are afoot. As AJ descends to the morgue’s basement to capture evidence of Binni’s remains, Matt’s visions worsen. Evil spirits surge around the premises. And AJ is in danger of getting caught in the middle of a paranormal showdown.


The Vampire's Mark by Rowena Aiello

Someone crouched on the ground. They clung to something—a forearm, he realized. Scott went cold and shivered. “Dad?” The crouching figure turned and Maria’s shining eyes locked with his. Her mouth was covered in something dark that matched something on his father’s arm. For a second, Scott froze, watching her like she was a wild animal twice his size. Maria stood up, her arms at her sides and her fingers splayed. A bolt of fear shot through his stomach until his bladder threatened to burst. He dropped the food. It landed with a weighty, crinkling thump that startled them both to life. “Scotty,” she whispered, in the same slippery voice that had prickled the hairs on his neck. Dry mouthed, Scott dashed for his bike. In the sleepy town of Northam, Massachusetts, not everyone is who they seem to be. Isolated by what he knows, Scott must stop Maria from draining his father's blood before she kills him, or worse: turns his father into a vampire, too.


THE FINDING MACHINE by Lucy Lyons

HER FATHER’S MYSTERIOUS INVENTION…A 1920s COLD CASE…CAN ALEX FOLLOW THE DOTS TO SOLVE IT? One winter morning in 1998, Alex Martin inherits a mysterious invention from her late father. The Finding Machine solves mysteries. But the biggest mystery of all lies deep within its wiring — the unsolved disappearance of a little girl, dating back seventy years. What happened to the girl, all those years ago? Who was she? Alex and her handsome housemate, Antony, must follow the dots to solve the mystery. But, as dark family secrets are revealed, will the Finding Machine bring them together…or push them further apart?


House of Bad Memories by Michael David Wilson

From the author of The Girl in the Video comes a darkly comic thriller with an edge-of-your-seat climax. Denny just wants to be the world’s best dad to his baby daughter, but things get messy when he starts hallucinating his estranged abusive stepfather, Frank. Then Frank winds up dead and Denny is held hostage by his junkie half-sister who demands he uncovers the cause of her father’s death. Will Denny defeat his demons or be perpetually tortured for refusing to answer impossible questions? House of Bad Memories is Funny Games meets This Is England with a Rosemary’s Baby under-taste. “House of Bad Memories is a haunting and equally visceral tone poem of cruelty, betrayal, and vengeance. Michael David Wilson’s writing vibrates with the all-consuming trauma and suffering of humanity. This is a novel that I certainly won’t forget.”—Eric LaRocca, author of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke "All the many ties that bind a chaotic and increasingly dysfunctional extended family together are stretched to breaking point and beyond in House of Bad Memories. The book goes in every direction except the one you expect. It’s a wild, bloody, and expletive filled riot that’s never anything less than intense. With genre shifts worthy of a Ben Wheatley movie, it’s highly recommended.”—David Moody, author of the Autumn books and Hater "House of Bad Memories hits so hard, you'll spit teeth out once you're done reading it."—Clay McLeod Chapman, author of Ghost Eaters "An established master of human frailty and misdirection, Michael David Wilson's latest offering, House of Bad Memories, kept me off kilter and turning pages as reality tilted. Compelling and deeply unsettling, House offers a mystery with endless layers. Never doubt Wilson's willingness to skillfully cross lines you never knew were there. Excellent."—Laurel Hightower, author of Crossroads and Below “If Ira Levin and Guy Ritchie had a drug-fuelled weekend binge with the Kray twins in a Kidderminster council flat, they wouldn't come close to House of Bad Memories. Darkly funny, brutally violent and strangely touching, Michael David Wilson has created something truly bonkers and I'm here for it.”—Alan Baxter, author of The Gulp and Sallow Bend “With razor-sharp dialogue and some of the most unpredictable, WTF moments you’ll find anywhere in dark fiction, House of Bad Memories is what would have happened if Quentin Tarantino had grown up in the rancid underbelly of the English Midlands.”—Kev Harrison, author of Below and The Balance


Inspector Stone Mysteries Volume 2 (Books 4-6) by Alex R Carver

Volume 1 of the Inspector Stone Mysteries, containing books 4-6 Into The Fire When the Larsson Studio and its owner suffer a series of attacks, Nathan Stone must not only figure out who is responsible, he must try to lay to rest the rumours that have led to them. Rumours that have been encouraged by the local paper. Just as he is putting that case to bed a body is discovered in a burned out car in Branton Wood, a car that is connected to Kurt Walker, the man who murdered his family. Nathan must decide whether he is the right man to investigate, and figure out how a man who has been dead for nine months can be connected to a body that is only days old. Is it a coincidence, or is there something more going on? A Stone's Throw A dead body really ruins your holiday. During a much-needed break in Devon, Inspector Nathan Stone finds himself at the centre of a murder investigation when the wife of the owner of the hotel is found killed. The last person to see her alive, he must contend with the suspicions of the local police. The arrival of a storm that isolates the small village of Donningford from the outside world changes everything, however, and Nathan must take charge of the investigation. A second murder drives home a frightening fact: Nathan, the other guests, and the hotel staff are sharing a roof with a hate-filled killer who will stop at nothing to exact revenge…and to prevent the police from discovering the truth. Under Pressure Nathan Stone hasn't long got back from a holiday, but he could already do with another one. Between a murder, an unexplained drowning, a trio of assaults, a missing teen, and an interdepartmental dispute over jurisdiction, he's under so much pressure he barely has time to sleep.


The Witness Must Die by Alex R Carver

Sofia Torres is the only witness when her employer and his entire household are massacred by a rival druglord. The Spanish police are relieved to have a witness, but they soon discover that keeping her alive to testify won't be an easy job, especially when the man responsible for the massacre is prepared to kill as many people as it takes to keep her quiet. Even with the help of Interpol, keeping Sofia Torres safe is difficult and costly, and with the eyes of the world on Barcelona as it becomes like Chicago in the 1920s they must rely on help from an unexpected source.


The Oakhurst Murders Duology by Alex R Carver

A peaceful paradise in rural England is torn apart by murder and mistrust as a serial killer stalks its daughters. Written In Blood: The Oakhurst Murders #1 A peaceful village torn apart by murder, mistrust, and a desire for revenge. When Oakhurst's daughters begin to turn up, brutally murdered and with accusatory words carved into their skin, the residents of the small, close-knit community are unwilling to believe that one of their own might be a killer. Suspicion falls on the village's newest resident, Zack Wild, attractive, charming, author of violent crime novels, and possessor of a dark history; he seems like the perfect suspect. As the investigation continues, the evidence against Wild mounts, but is prejudice against the newcomer affecting the judgment of Sergeant Mitchell, Constable Turner thinks so, and is prepared to do whatever she must to find the killer, whoever it might be. Who will be proved right, the sergeant or the constable? And will they catch the killer before he can strike again? Poetic Justice: The Oakhurst Murders #2 Caught, escaped, and now on the run. The killer has been caught, but before he can see the inside of a cell he escapes, leaving behind a trail of bodies. While Constable Melissa Turner deals with the aftermath of the murders, including the revelation of who was behind them, and a case of vandalism at the local stables, Detective Inspector Martins is given the task of hunting down the killer. As the body count mounts, and the killer becomes more and more desperate to get away, a storm builds overhead. Can Martins and the police catch him before more people die, or will the storm provide him with the cover he needs to make good his escape?


Poetic Justice (The Oakhurst Murders Book 2) by Alex R Carver

Caught, escaped, and now on the run. Kieran Wright, the teen serial killer who terrorised the village of Oakhurst in Written In Blood has been captured, but before he can see the inside of a cell he escapes, leaving behind a trail of bodies. Constable Melissa Turner is engrossed with the aftermath of the murders and the revelation of who was behind them, and a case of vandalism at the local stables. Meanwhile, Detective Inspector Martins is given the task of searching for and apprehending the killer. As the body count mounts, and Wright becomes more and more desperate to get away, a storm builds overhead. Can Martins and the police catch Wright before more people die, or will the storm provide him with the cover he needs to make good his escape?


Written In Blood (The Oakhurst Murders Book 1) by Alex R Carver

A peaceful village torn apart by murder, mistrust, and a desire for revenge. When Oakhurst's daughters begin to turn up, brutally murdered and with accusatory words carved into their skin, the residents of the small, close-knit community are unwilling to believe that one of their own might be a killer. Suspicion falls on the village's newest resident, Zack Wild, attractive, charming, author of violent crime novels, and possessor of a dark history; he seems like the perfect suspect. As the investigation continues, the evidence against Wild mounts, but is prejudice against the newcomer affecting the judgment of Sergeant Mitchell, Constable Turner thinks so, and is prepared to do whatever she must to find the killer, whoever it might be. Who will be proved right, the sergeant or the constable? And will they catch the killer before he can strike again?


Inspector Stone Mysteries Volume 1 (Books 1-3) by Alex R Carver

Volume 1 of the Inspector Stone Mysteries, containing books 1-3 Where There's a Will (Book 1) The kidnapping of a child on the way home from school is every parents worst nightmare, for the Keatings it's no nightmare, it's a reality. A reality made worse when it is suspected the Russian Mafia is behind the kidnapping to force Owen Keating to sell his business. Are the rumours true, or is there something else going on? An Eye For An Eye (Book 2) A sudden surge in murders across Branton leaves Nathan Stone wondering if the town has gone made, or if they could all be the work of one man. If so who is it, and why is he killing such a diverse group of people. A Perfect Pose (Book 3) The murder of a teen model draws Nathan Stone back to work after the tragic events of An Eye For An Eye. When rumours surface of abuse at the studio where Ellen Powers worked, Nathan must investigate whether that is why she was murdered, or if her death is connected to her pregnancy.


Under Pressure: Inspector Stone Mysteries #6 by Alex R Carver

Nathan Stone hasn't long got back from a holiday, but he could already do with another one. Between a murder, an unexplained drowning, a trio of assaults, a missing teen, and an interdepartmental dispute over jurisdiction, he's under so much pressure he barely has time to sleep. All of that would be bad enough without one of the assaults having occurred on his best friend, Louisa Orchard, leaving her in the same ITU where his wife died. He's determined to catch the people responsible, despite the strain that such a busy caseload and worry over his best friend is having on him. Can he keep himself together and awake long enough to solve the cases and hopefully see Louisa recover from her injuries?


A Stone's Throw: Inspector Stone Mysteries #5 by Alex R Carver

A dead body really ruins your holiday. During a much-needed break in Devon, Inspector Nathan Stone finds himself at the centre of a murder investigation when the wife of the owner of the hotel is found killed. The last person to see her alive, he must contend with the suspicions of the local police. The arrival of a storm that isolates the small village of Donningford from the outside world changes everything, however, and Nathan must take charge of the investigation. A second murder drives home a frightening fact: Nathan, the other guests, and the hotel staff are sharing a roof with a hate-filled killer who will stop at nothing to exact revenge…and to prevent the police from discovering the truth.


Into The Fire: Inspector Stone Mysteries #4 by Alex R Carver

The past just won't stay dead for Nathan Stone. When the Larsson Studio and its owner suffer a series of attacks, Nathan Stone must not only figure out who is responsible, he must try to lay to rest the rumours that have led to them. Rumours that have been encouraged by the local paper. Just as he is putting that case to bed a body is discovered in a burned out car in Branton Wood, a car that is connected to Kurt Walker, the man who murdered his family. Nathan must decide whether he is the right man to investigate, and figure out how a man who has been dead for nine months can be connected to a body that is only days old. Is it a coincidence, or is there something more going on?


A Perfect Pose: Inspector Stone Mysteries #3 by Alex R Carver

A dead model, a studio suspected of abuse, and a depressed detective. Three months after losing his family in a deadly blaze the discovery of a teenage girl's body on the riverbank draws Nathan Stone back to work and into a complicated case. Ellen Powers was a popular internet model with many adoring fans, so who would want to kill her? The investigation soon turns up many secrets, including the fact that Ellen was pregnant and planning an abortion. Was the studio she worked for covering up a dark secret of exploitation? Or was this a crime of passion? When Ellen's stepbrother is attacked soon after her body is discovered Nathan is sure there's a connection. The guy's not talking, though; what is he so determined to keep secret, even if it puts his life at risk? As the case deepens and they discover more about the murdered teen can Nathan Stone overcome his demons to find justice for an innocent young woman?


An Eye For An Eye: Inspector Stone Mysteries #2 by Alex R Carver

Revenge comes to Branton. Inspector Stone's past catches up to him with blood and flames. A series of murders rocks the small town of Branton and leaves Inspector Stone with his toughest case, one which may see him paying a tremendous personal price if he can’t solve it quick enough. At first glance the murder of the wife and mother of an Asian shopkeeper appears racially motivated, and the local paper is quick to stir up tensions within the community. Another murder, this time the husband of a local barrister, an attack on a trio of teens, and the discovery of a previously unreported murder all lead Stone to the conclusion that something more than racism is at work. Before he can work out what connects these seemingly unrelated events he is distracted by the most tragic of events. Can Stone and his partner pull themselves together long enough to figure out who is responsible for bringing terror to the streets of Branton, or will the killer complete his fiendish plan and make good his escape?


Beginnings: The Omniscients by Kevin Marstall

BEGINNINGS – The Omniscients – Book 2 Los Angeles, CA - It’s late 1993, as Detective Jason Markham embarks on a new investigation, one that will challenge his patience, his methods, and ultimately his mind. A heinous crime, an innocent victim, and a partner with whom working together is more difficult than solving the case. Struggling to train his attention on the clues in the continuing series of burglaries, instead Jason’s heart and mind remain focused on his personal investigation into the disappearance of the woman he loves. Driven to find her and know that she is safe, Markham’s actions stretch his physical, emotional, and mental state dangerously to its limits. New and old friends alike lend their support to Jason, but the detective’s tumultuous battle rages on against his new partner, his generations of memories that seem just beyond his grasp, and worst of all his own sense of self.


Discoveries: The Omniscients by Kevin Marstall

DISCOVERIES – The Omniscients Los Angeles, CA - It’s 1993 and Detective Jason Markham faces a new case, unlike any he’s seen before. A nameless victim, no clues, and not a soul to care about the man’s unfortunate death. To make matters worse, sleepless nights, haunted by his memories, have him on the edge, and now a few chance encounters send his previously ordered life spiraling dangerously out of control. Love, friendship, betrayal, all swirling around him and threatening to consume his mind, Jason’s heart desires to trust but is thrust into conflict with generations of wisdom passed down to him from his father and grandfathers before him.


First Contact, Last Resort by Singularative Ranch

SFINCS

A team of scientists must prove their surprising discovery or surrender it to conspiracy in this breakout soft sci-fi series exploring the pitfalls and virtues of human nature. In 2033, a rogue experiment in a Berkeley astrophysics professor’s lab leads to discoveries that astound humanity—but have uncertain consequences for the planet. Those uncertainties incite a popular conspiracy theorist to spread apocalyptic doom. The discoveries also stir heretical ideas that provoke a firebrand religious crusader and her acolytes to vilify the leader of the Berkeley lab, a young professor striving to advance her career. While battling to overcome all that often violent backlash, the roller coaster lives of the professor and her colleagues careen into even more chaos when their collaborations with a gutsy biotech entrepreneur, an alt-lifestyle activist, and a divergently-developed child reshape society—in beneficial but also divisive ways. As the intimate stories of this cadre of trailblazers unfold in the face of this changing world, some will be triumphant. Others tragic. The First Contact Last Resort series dramatizes how civilization is revolutionized by a chain of new technologies, scientific discoveries, and social movements. This crisply written saga of raw human experience will make you question our destiny—and our origins.


Lira by Armanis Ar-feinial

SFINCS

Lira is an innocent little girl, struggling to survive in a cruel, heartless world. As her father dies, she is left to fend for herself. Each day is a desperate and exhausting search for food, scouring through the Abyss, the only home she knows. Acute awareness does not always protect her from the very real risk of cannibalization or worse-- being abducted. This is a horrifying reality that no child should have to face in a brutally poetic tale


The Strange Task Before Me by Sean Gibson

SFINCS

Decades before the events of The Camelot Shadow, a young William Upton is intent on ensuring that his late father’s bookstore continues to thrive, even if that means taking a commission from a mysterious client who tasks him with finding an arcane—and possibly magical—tome. With time running out and a large reward hanging in the balance, Will chases down every possible lead, braving the macabre underground laboratory of a sadistic nobleman before embarking on a daring, late-night library break-in. Told through Will’s own diary and with his characteristic wit, “The Strange Task Before Me” is an intense race against the clock that mixes action, humor, and a bit of magic—all while laying the groundwork for momentous events to come, expanding on the mythology of The Camelot Shadow, and introducing a key new character in the unpredictable Baron Frederickson.


Horrific Tales for a Horrific Year by Jack T Canis

Horrific Tales for a Horrific Year: A short story collection – ten dark tales by Jack T Canis. A collection of gruesome & deeply disturbing short stories about obsession, lust, sociopathy, murder & the darkness that lies in our souls.


In Sekhmet's Shadow by JD Rhodes

SPSFC 2023

The year is 2061, and the world has ended. In the city of Asclepion, Sabra Kasembe dreams of a superheroic future yet wakes to the taste of blood and ash. When her father is shot six times in a heist gone wrong, she resolves to bring those responsible to justice—no matter where the trail might lead. To do this, she'll need to team up with a washed-up superhero, a brooding robotic woman, and the very man who shot her father. Because he is her only link to a conspiracy that threatens to shake the Functioning World to its core. But it may be impossible to save a world on the brink of apocalypse without pushing it over the edge. As her reckoning approaches, Sabra realizes that her future may not be filled not with the cries of those she's saved, but the screams of her victims. IN SEKHMET'S SHADOW is a complete anticapitalist "post-superhero" sci-fi thriller, and first of a trilogy (IN SEKHMET'S WAKE, IN SEKHMET'S HANDS.) It is intended for mature audiences and features violence, swearing, and ideas that may be considered traumatic or provocative. But remember this: everyone finds love in the end.


Siren's Call by T.J.J. Klamvik

SPSFC 2023

In the Doomsday Cycle there are no heroes. The future could have looked different, but the path has been corrupted and only the inevitable awaits. Something lurks in the darkness of space, and it cares little for humanity’s petty squabbles. The apocalypse is here, but will anyone hear its call? Councilor Justynia Freid – an ambitious politician of Earth’s most prominent colony – never saw it coming. A scheme by her own Chancellor to restart a war that they themselves had a hand in ending? All without her knowledge? Tossed into a harsh world of intrigue and backstabbing, Justynia has to discover what led to the drastic decision that is going to send humanity into chaos. Only with all the answers can she decide whether to listen to her own conscience or follow the path to power. Detective Adelia Duarte does not care for politics – it only ever made her job harder. Tasked with investigating a series of murders that plague Capital City, Adelia has to confront her own past in order to understand the methods and motivations of the serial killer that seems impervious to the security systems that track each citizen down to the centimeter. As the bodies keep piling up, it is difficult to maintain faith. Would someone with a less troubled history be a better fit for the investigation? For now, all the city has is Adelia, and the bodies keep coming. Sergeant Jones is also haunted by his past – decisions taken in a war he never truly understood. His only refuge is more fighting. Recruited to join Special Operations, and reunited with old comrades to escort a scientist to an abandoned colony, he quickly learns all is not what it seems. Surrounded by mystery and an unknown enemy, he needs to warn mankind of what is coming. But will they truly listen? Siren’s Call is the first novel in the Doomsday Cycle. It weaves complex interpersonal journeys with a backdrop of an overarching threat. It is never about the destination – only the journey to get there.


Hot Ash and the Oasis Defect (Ashley Westgard, #1) by Philip Wyeth

SPSFC 2023

“Robots and exowombs and hemp, oh my!” Welcome to 2045. Automation has freed humanity from the drudgery and limitations of blue-collar labor. For twenty years, a remarkable group of female bureaucrats has overseen an ambitious construction program that is spreading equity, prosperity, and peace worldwide. But Detective Ashley Westgard of the Jacksonville Police Corps senses that beneath all the glimmer and shine, a new malaise has taken root in society. From brazen acts of criminality and rampant party pill abuse, to her own insatiable desires... All is not well on the road to paradise. Ash is beautiful, vain, headstrong, and erratic. A symbol of her time as she careens from impulsive shopping sprees to drunken fights to escapades of sin. But now that a methodical killer is on the loose, she must rise above apathy and doubt in order to forge her raging inner fire into a fearsome weapon of justice. Philip Wyeth’s crazy fifth novel is imaginative, hilarious, sexy, and poignant. It will dazzle fans of Rich Larson, Neal Stephenson's “Snow Crash,” “The Tomorrow File” by Lawrence Sanders, and women who kick ass! Note to Readers: This book contains adult language and sexual themes. (45,500 words) “Once you get that nano crawling through you... You feel alive!”


Replacement (The Lost Clone, #1) by Jordan Rivet

SPSFC 2023

Jane is a leftover clone. Created for an unknown purpose, then abandoned at a rundown facility outside Grid City, she has a knack for trouble and a burning desire to find out why she was made. When a powerful tycoon hires her to replace his son Isaac’s best friend, a girl from the same clone batch as her, Jane jumps at the chance to finally get some answers. All she has to do is convince the charming Isaac that his friend is still alive, without getting too close to him. Stepping into someone else’s life isn’t easy, though, even when you have the same genes. As Jane struggles to survive at Isaac’s elite private school, she discovers the other clone’s death was no accident—and she might be next. She must solve her batchmate’s murder and unravel the mystery of their origins before the killer comes for her too.


Dial G for Gravity (Brent Bolster Space Detective, #1) by Michael Campling

SPSFC 2023

Brent Bolster has a particular set of skills. Unfortunately, most of them have no practical application whatsoever. Now, he's met his worst nightmare: an alien with a clipboard. So begins the adventures of Brent Bolster and his ragtag coalition of associates. With a client in the shapely form of a gorgeous dame, a musclebound assistant, an alien with an attitude, and fish called Algernon, Brent uncovers a galactic conspiracy. Meanwhile, a mighty warship is on its way. Affectionately known as The Skull by its crew of warlike Andelians, the ship causes all who see her to tremble. And in command is the notorious Admiral Norph, a warrior who makes Genghis Khan look neighborly. The scene is set for a galactic confrontation. Can Brent handle it? Probably not. But it will be fun to watch him try. You’ll get a kick out of this comedy because all sci-fi fans love a tongue-in-cheek reference. Dial G for Gravity takes the world of an old-fashioned gumshoe and propels it into the future. But like all good sci-fi, it has something to say about the way we live now and where we’re headed.


New Yesterday by Frasier Armitage

SPSFC 2023

Find your past. Save your future. What if you could change everything in your life you wish you'd done differently? Fix regret? Unlock the potential of your past? That's what Adam Swann did in New Yesterday , a city where events in the present can alter history. He's living the life of his dreams, yet he can't shake a name from his mind -- the memory of a woman from a past he left behind. Who is she? And despite the dangers that remembering his former life would pose, why can't he bring himself to forget her? Adam will unearth long-buried secrets as he searches the city for clues to the woman woven through his memory, haunting his every thought. As the truth of his past drags him into a conspiracy that threatens everything he knows, he'll be forced to choose between the life of his dreams or facing the man he used to be.


Project Valhalla by Michele Amitrani

SPSFC 2023

Some secrets must remain buried. In an unknown location north of the Barents Sea, a research center as tall as the Eiffel Tower hides the greatest scientific discoveries of the 21st century. The few who know of its existence call it Valhalla, but none suspect why it was built. When Dr. Selene Sato accepts a job at Valhalla for eccentric billionaire Wei Wang, she discovers more about human ingenuity than she ever thought possible. But there is a secret buried in this outpost of progress hiding a catastrophic scenario: destruction on a planetary scale never before seen in human history. Wei prepares for war as Valhalla holds the only defense capable of repelling the coming apocalypse.


Three Grams of Elsewhere by Andy Giesler

SPSFC 2023

Fifty years ago, a new civil war fractured the United States into a mosaic of polarized nations. Ever since, Harmony “Bibi” Cain has isolated himself: from society, from technology, from family. A powerful empath weary from the constant intrusion of others’ emotions, he’s finally cloistered in his rural Wisconsin retirement community. He hopes to find, if not peace, then at least a little quiet. But when four impossible-seeming killings shake North America, Bibi is drawn into an investigation he wants nothing to do with. The victims were killed by motes—unstoppable drones only an empath can control—and decades ago, Bibi was an unwitting subject in the wartime program that created them: the program that weaponized empathy. With his few remaining friends at risk, and tensions between countries of the former United States reawakening, everything may depend on Bibi's lifelong struggle with his own extraordinary ability.


Thrill Switch by Tim Hawken

SPSFC 2023

Would you work with your dad's killer to solve another murder? Detective Ada Byron is pumped to finally be assigned her first murder case - until she sees the crime scene. Someone has been killed exactly the same way as her father was seven years earlier. But the psycho who did that is in jail, isn’t she? To see if this is a copycat, or something more sinister, Ada must work with her personal nightmare Jazlin Switch, who knows much more that she’s letting on. What follows is a mind-bending, heart-stopping ride through the dark side of reality and the virtual world. A gripping, techno noir thriller that will have you questioning what is real and what is even possible.


Yesterday Pill by Iain Benson

SPSFC 2023

Hunted.Disavowed.Wade will risk the world to save Cassandra.Anya knows Wade’s past and Cassandra’s future.Paladin wants Cassandra dead and will go to any length to ensure that happens.Cassandra has an uncanny ability to stay one step ahead.And so does Wade. If only he can remember.Anya abducts Wade and Cassandra at gunpoint from a restaurant, beginning a race around the Mediterranean and beyond. Realising Anya might hold the truth of his past before a seizure wiped his memory, Wade quickly learns more than he ever thought possible. Including a past he had with Anya.Finding why Paladin wants Cassandra dead, and how they keep finding them, will uncover a world-shattering secret.


Secrets of PEACE by T.A. Hernandez

SPSFC 2023

Nearly 30 years ago, the PEACE Project rose from the ruins of a global war to take power over a new America. Providing stability in exchange for absolute authority, the Project controls every aspect of citizens' lives through each of its five units: Protect Enforce Advance Control Eliminate Raised in the Project since infancy, eighteen-year-old Zira has been trained as an assassin under the stern guidance of unit E-2's Chairman Ryku. After she makes a careless mistake on an assignment, the chairman partners her with Jared, the best operative in her unit. Their partnership transforms into friendship as they work together and learn to rely on each other. But when misinformation causes a solo mission to backfire, Zira's deepest loyalties and strongest relationships are tested in a place where even a hint of doubt can be perceived as treason. The life she knows is falling apart, and nothing will ever look the same again.


The Dreams That Bind Us: Echoes of Etherium Volume One by Maximilian Lopez

SPSFC 2023

This sci-fi thriller explores the possibility that when we dream, we're merely glimpsing into an alternate reality. Three strangers bound together by a shared dream fight against the current of fate. Can they come to terms with the truth? Are we the only versions of ourselves? Are you the best version of you to exist? They must find each other without losing themselves. Two universes hang in the balance as external forces vie for control of their ability to peer into an alternate reality.


Quantum Reaction by Marc Wayne

SPSFC 2023

Life-altering tech is on the horizon, and someone wants it stopped—permanently. Can a murder witness escape paying the ultimate price? Near future. Angela Kapp struggles with her past. Working remotely from an isolated cabin in a dead-end customer support job, she drinks too much and spends her days avoiding the world. But while on shift using a visual-interpretation headset to assist a blind person, the cynical loner is horrified when she virtually experiences the other woman’s gruesome slaying. Shocked the next day when she recognizes the killer closing in on a second sightless client, Angela shouts for the software engineer to run. And after learning that he and the first victim are connected by a soon-to-be-released teleportation innovation, she convinces him to go to ground in her secluded home … only to become a target herself. Can her paranoia and his unexpected skills thwart a sinister plot? Quantum Reaction is a gripping science fiction mystery. If you like resilient heroines, unique blind heroes, and high-adrenaline action interwoven with humor, then you’ll love Marc Wayne’s flash forward to adventure. Buy Quantum Reaction to take a leap into tomorrow today!


Replika: Sky's Mission by Hugo Bernard

SPSFC 2023

Reality is an illusion worth fighting for... Earth’s ecological collapse is avoided when most of the world population agrees to permanently upload into Replika, a simulated reality maintained by the AI. But the stability of this world is threatened when a group of neuroscientists hack their own brains to interact with Replika in unforeseen and dangerous ways. Sky devotes her life to rebuilding the real world left dysfunctional from the massive exodus into Replika. But when she learns her brother, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances, is in danger, she must choose which world needs her most. All she wants is to find the brother she loves, but she will unwittingly get entangled in an attempt to redefine the reality of humanity’s future. With a strong cast of characters, REPLIKA is a wildly inventive and fast-paced sci-fi adventure that raises profound existential questions about the role of simulated reality in our foreseeable future.


Rise of Polaris by Michele Amitrani

SPSFC 2023

Can a catastrophe ensure humankind’s survival? At an orphanage in Los Angeles, an astrophysicist meets a young savant who will forever change the fate of humanity. In Florida, the Space Shuttle Atlantis departure marks the end of the 30-year space program. In Pasadena, a journalist makes an incredible discovery that will revolutionize how we consume content online. But these seemingly unconnected episodes aren’t what they seem. They will ignite an all-out war fought on two different fronts—one for the control of planetary resources, and the other for the dominance of cyberspace. One man. One mission. Failure is not an option. The future of humankind rests on the most audacious project in history, one capable of ensuring the survival of our civilization—or beginning the downward spiral of its extinction.


Epivision: Volume 1 by Matthew Thompson

SPSFC 2023

Bright Olsson saved his young brother from drowning in 1964. He could not, however, save himself from the icy waters of Lake Runn, Sweden. But his life, as it would turn out, continues within a technologically advanced world, 3 billion light years from Earth. For his selfless act, he becomes an Epi-Guardian, gifted with the ability to see the future perils of others and be their saviour. Except for a life-altering accident, his future visions are severely hampered, and he fails to protect the love of his life. To save himself from self-destruction and to start over, Bright exploits his guardianship by illegally blessing clients in need of protection. It takes him to Sector HK-909, a replica of Earth’s Hong Kong, to work for a man known as Hawker. Kaye Riley, an agent for the Investigation of Criminality on Angelo, will go above and beyond to arrest an Epi-Guardian after what happened to her best friend. Partnered with agent Katsuhiro Miike, a man labelled a snitch and potentially a hindrance to her unorthodox methods, she arrives in HK-909 on a crusade to bring Olsson to justice. Her career and personal vendetta rest on the assignment, though she never expected how life-changing it would be.


Bitcoin Hurricane by Kate Baucherel

SPSFC 2023

She’s a hacker at the top of her game. They are cybercriminals who won’t stop until they bring her down. Can she crack the code before they strike? Welcome to London, 2045 - where financial systems have crashed, and the world's economies are on the brink of collapse. The only hope of salvation lies with Cameron Silvera, the legendary hacker known as the SimCavalier. The SimCavalier is feared by black hat hackers across the world and trusted by corporations and governments to get their systems back online fast. Her identity is a closely guarded secret, but a message hidden deep in the very ransomware she’s cracking tells her that cybercriminals are on her tail. With the clock ticking and lives hanging in the balance, Cameron clings to the last vestiges of anonymity, but a tenacious journalist blows her cover and she finds herself hunted by the very criminals she’s been trying to stop. They infiltrate her team, laying a false trail while the real threat looms ever closer. As the world teeters on the brink of disaster, Cameron and the team must race against time to take down the cybercrime syndicate and prevent a global wave of cyberattacks from unleashing chaos and destruction on an unprecedented scale. Will they prevail, or will the world fall victim to the greatest hack in history? The fate of humanity rests in their hands.


Cloudthinker by Andrew McGlinchey

SPSFC 2023

Numbers don’t lie. But people do. Seasoned journalist Parham Nasiri is convinced there’s something sinister behind tech giant Magenta’s new product, Cloudthinker. The AI service can do anyone's job and is decimating the workforce, sending shockwaves through an already fragile economy and tightening Magenta’s grip on society. After his employers subscribe to the service and put him out of a job, Parham becomes determined to uncover the truth. His digging into Cloudthinker's origins leads him to Boogie Wu – an enigmatic math genius who died in a corporate jet accident – and he’s ensnared in a web of mystery and deception. Tangled up with a corporate whistle-blower, a human-like autonomous hacker, AI-powered robots, and the increasingly blurry line separating humans from software, Parham confronts the world-shaking consequences of Magenta’s real intentions. He’ll be forced to make impossible choices to stop the world from tipping into crisis...

Set in the very near future, Cloudthinker is a propulsive new thriller that confronts big tech, memory and consciousness, and what it means to be human.


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