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A Killer Thriller Collection - Eight The Hard Way (Mystery Thriller Suspense) Kindle Edition

by Nick Stephenson (Author), Ryan King (Author), Kay Hadashi (Author), Format: Kindle Edition

3.6 5,606 ratings

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Eight thrilling stories from eight masters of suspense:

Paydown - by Nick Stephenson. When a high-flying Wall Street investment banker is found brutally killed, what started out as a simple fraud case turns into expert criminologist Leopold Blake's first ever murder investigation. As the glamor of Wall Street is stripped away by a series of catastrophic discoveries, Leopold will have to decide how much he is prepared to risk in order to uncover the truth - and whether it's a price he's willing to pay.

Story Length: 25,000 words, approx. 95 print pages.

Off the Leash - by D. D. Vandyke. There’s not much left that can surprise private investigator California “Cal” Corwin any more, especially since the accident. But after a brutal murder leaves the city’s best detectives stumped, Cal must step up her game and find answers before it’s too late— and the clock is ticking...

Story Length: 9,000 words, approx. 30 print pages.

Mr. Mockingbird Drive - by Robert Swartwood. Julio and Tyshawn are far from professional thieves, but they get by. After weeks spent researching the perfect mark, the boys are ready to strike - and the payout is going to be unbelievable...Mr. Mockingbird Drive is a cleverly deceptive piece of flash fiction. The story first featured in Needle: A Magazine of Noir, Winter 2012.

Story Length: 2,000 words, approx. 8 print pages.

Ladies Weekend - by Ryan King. A trip to the Gulf Shores with her three sisters-in-law was not exactly Cathy's idea of a good time. With a dark secret to protect, a weekend stuck with the meddling Biddle sisters might have been too much to bear - but, thankfully for Cathy, there's nothing a little "medicine" can't fix...This delightfully twisted story was first published in 2012.

Story Length: 6,000 words, approx. 23 print pages.

Veritas: Concubine - by R.S. Guthrie. How far would you go to find the truth? Shale Veritas is not his real name, but that's not important. What's important is why he's taken an interest in you - and what you've done to deserve it...This dark, atmospheric tale of revenge, justice, and redemption is not for the faint-hearted. You have been warned.

Story Length: 8,300 words, approx. 32 print pages.

Divide and Conquer - by Kay Hadashi. Nobody ever told June Kato that babysitting could be such hard work... As a world-class neurosurgeon, June is used to dealing with high-pressure situations. But when a trio of violent thugs invade her home while her four-year-old nieces are staying over, nap time suddenly takes on a whole new meaning. A thrill-ride from start to finish.

Story Length: 12,000 words, approx. 46 print pages.

Recidivist - by Alan McDermott. Something needs to be done about Steven Howe. Even though he's yet to see his twelfth birthday, after 97 arrests the police and social services have had enough. Forced to attend a state-sponsored retreat for troubled youths, Steven is about to find out just how far the government is prepared to go to meet their targets - starting with him.

Story Length: 5,000 words, approx. 19 print pages.

Return of the Bride - by Micheal Maxwell. Tradition has it that Al-Qurnah is the site of the Garden of Eden. But for Phillip Sear, a man who has lived with sin his entire life, it has an entirely different significance. On a journey to redeem himself for a lifetime of selfish choices, Sear will finally learn how to keep his promises - but at what cost?

Story Length: 2,000 words, approx. 8 print pages.

Print length

231 pages
Language

English
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Publication date

December 11, 2013
File size

3561 KB
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for the Authors:
"It's a thrill ride, with a great combination of clever sleuthing and ferocious action scenes... and, of course, a shocker of an ending. The writing crackles with energy" - Jacques Antoine, author of The Emily Kane Adventures
"Join the ride and you won't put this book down" - Ken Rossignol, author of The Privateer Clause
"Remarkable...Deserving of more than five stars. A hypnotic storyteller and a gifted writer with a flair for intoxicating, gripping prose" - Russell Blake, author of JET and Silver Justice.
"The action gets pumped up through the roof" - Pajiba

From the Author

The short story is back with a vengeance!
For me, as a reader as well as an author, there's nothing quite like getting my hands on a collection of shorter works. The ability to dip in and out when the mood hits me (or whenever I find myself with a rare few minutes of spare time) while still getting to read a complete story is priceless. I can get through one or two while I'm waiting for a train, checking in at the airport, or just killing time. These collections are perfect for anyone with a busy schedule, as well as for readers looking for something new to get their teeth into.
Inside this anthology you'll find a mix of classic mystery and suspense, full-blown action, and blood-curdling suspense. There are tales of vengeance and redemption, good versus evil, and more than a few laugh-out-loud moments. The ebook edition also includes a fully hyperlinked Table of Contents, which gives you a brief synopsis and page count for each story - making it easy to choose what you want to read next. You'll also find a short bio for each author, along with a web link where you can find out more. Easy!
I had an absolute blast putting this anthology together, and I'm honored to be featured alongside some of the best, most exciting new talents writing crime fiction today. So, without further ado, I'll leave you to get stuck in.
You'll be glad you did.
Nick Stephenson

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00H8OZW1I
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Nick Stephenson (December 11, 2013)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 11, 2013
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 3561 KB
Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 231 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #9,902 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #51 in Private Investigator Mysteries (Kindle Store)
- #155 in Crime Thrillers (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
3.6 5,606 ratings

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Nick Stephenson
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Nick Stephenson is a USA Today Bestselling author of science fiction, thrillers, and the occasional witty postcard.
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Ryan King
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Ryan King is a bestselling author who has written dozens of published works in a wide variety of genres. He is also a retired military officer with multiple combat tours who has lived, worked, and traveled throughout Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Ryan King writes post-apocalyptic, dystopian, thriller, horror, action and historical short stories, short novels, and novels and his works have been featured in several bestselling anthologies. He is widely known for his acclaimed Land of Tomorrow post-apocalyptic series set in the American Southeast and his work with fellow author David Van Dyke on the Plague Wars Series.
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David VanDyke
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Click the orange button above to follow David VanDyke on Amazon!
New Space Opera/Military Sci-Fi Release: Straker's Breakers!
Check it out today!
David VanDyke is a Hugo Award and Dragon Award finalist and bestselling author of the Plague Wars, Stellar Conquest, and Galactic Liberation sci-fi adventure series, which have sold more than 500,000 copies to date. He is co-author of three of BV Larson's million-selling Star Force Series books. He's a retired U.S. military officer, veteran of two branches of the armed forces, and has served in several combat zones. He lives with his amazing wife and business partner Beth near Tucson, Arizona, USA.
Galactic Liberation Series:
- Starship Liberator
- Battleship Indomitable
- Flagship Victory
- Hive War
- Straker's Breakers
Plague Wars: Decade One
- The Eden Plague
- Reaper's Run
- Skull's Shadows
- Eden's Exodus
- Apocalypse Austin
- Nearest Night
Plague Wars: Alien Invasion
- The Demon Plagues
- The Reaper Plague
- The Orion Plague
- Cyborg Strike
- Comes the Destroyer
- Forge and Steel
Plague Wars: Stellar Conquest
- First Conquest
- Desolator: Conquest
- Tactics of Conquest
- Conquest of Earth
- Conquest and Empire
B.V. Larson's Star Force Series with David VanDyke:
- Star Force #10: Outcast
- Star Force #11: Exile
- Star Force #12: Demon Star
The Galactic Liberation Series is David VanDyke's latest, a grand saga of struggle against human tyranny and alien danger. Personal adventures, mechsuit combat, and space fleet battles mesh seamlessly in this page-turning series of epic books in the mode of Honor Harrington, Starship Troopers and Star Wars.
The Plague Wars apocalyptic thriller series begins in the world of today with a man and a woman twined together by circumstances, destined to change the world. It leads readers into an ever-darkening future of upheaval, struggle and war marked by the depths of evil and the heights of selfless sacrifice. Plagues, secret technologies and extraterrestrial meddling provide the backdrop for heroes and villains to struggle for control of the destiny of humanity.
The Stellar Conquest series carries the central cast of Plague Wars forward a century into the future, when humanity turns to the stars to find its destiny. Follow the starship Conquest as its captain and crew take the fight to Earth's enemies, finding allies and making heroic sacrifices in order to secure the future of our solar system against a hostile universe. Read it first and then its prequel series Plague Wars, or read it in order from The Eden Plague onward if you prefer.
The Star Force Series is a sweeping space opera and military sci-fi saga of alien invasion, telling the story of one ordinary man, Professor Kyle Riggs, who rises to become Earth's most implacable defender. In book 10, Outcast, his son Cody Riggs, fresh out of Star Force academy, takes over the legacy. With more than a million copies sold, this top-rated science fiction series sweeps readers into adventure.
If you would like to review one of David VanDyke's books, please contact the author at one of the places below to obtain a free review copy.
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDavidVanDyke
Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DVanDykeAuthor
Website: www.davidvandykeauthor.com
E-mail: david.vandyke(at)davidvandykeauthor.com
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Kay Hadashi
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Kay Hadashi is a retired Registered Nurse. Other than Hawaii, she has lived in Los Angeles, Seattle, Sacramento, and briefly in Taos, New Mexico. She gets inspiration for stories from the people and places she has come to know. Kay enjoys gardening, travel, exercise, reading, and of course, writing.
AVAILABLE SERIES:
June Kato Intrigue
Island Breeze
Melanie Kato Adventures
Maui Mysteries
Gina Santoro Mysteries
Maile Spencer Honolulu Tour Guide Mysteries
Travels and Travails of Maile Spencer
Hawaii Crime
Petrina Pappas Mysteries
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R.S. Guthrie
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R.S. (Rob) Guthrie is an American Mystery/Thriller writer whose bestselling Sheriff James Pruett series has created a central character that transcends old barriers and stereotypes—a hero for the twenty-first century.
The backdrop for Guthrie’s Pruett is the Wyoming town in which he was raised—a rugged, mountainous town in the northwest corner of the state, surrounded by three picturesque, majestic, remote mountain ranges; a town with a culture and residents that measure a man or woman on the temerity, integrity, and loyal honor of the individual.
The author lives in Wyoming; in the town in which he was raised and about which he writes. After over thirty years spread between Los Angeles and Denver, Guthrie knew he must return to the forever-deep and sturdy roots of his heritage.
Guthrie's "Blood Land" is the first in the Sheriff James Pruett Mystery/Thriller series and represents a project that is close to his heart. The sequel, "Money Land", hit the shelves Christmas Day, 2012. "Honor Land", the third in the bestselling James Pruett Mystery/Thriller series, was released in 2014. "Aryan Land", the fourth Sheriff James Pruett novel, releases in 2017.
When not writing, the author spends his time with his Australian Shepherds, splitting wood for the fire, ice-fishing with his friends, hiking and biking the spectacular wilderness and glacier-fed lakes, and thanking God every day for the opportunity to live in such a unique, exceptional, exquisite country.
Readers can catch up with what's new with R.S. Guthrie at his official site, http://www.rsguthrie.com , or discussions related to writing at his blog, Rob on Writing (http://robonwriting.com).
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D. D. VanDyke
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Click the orange button to follow D. D. VanDyke!
D. D. VanDyke is the bestselling author of the Cal Corwin, Private Eye series, and lives with spouse and dogs near Tucson, AZ.
The California Corwin P. I. Mystery Series:
- Loose Ends
- In A Bind
- Slipknot
- The Girl in the Morgue
- Deadly Secrets
D. D. VanDyke is the mystery-suspense genre pen name for veteran bestselling technothriller author David VanDyke. Look for more California Corwin private investigator mysteries coming soon.
Sign up for giveaways of Amazon gift cards, Audible audiobooks and more at www.davidvandykeauthor.com/#!giveaways-and-promos/c6pv
For news about upcoming books, follow the author's blog, twitter or facebook.
Blog: https://davidvandyke.wordpress.com/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDavidVanDyke
Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DVanDykeAuthor
Website: www.davidvandykeauthor.com
E-mail: david(at)davidvandykeauthor.com
David VanDyke's Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/David-VanDyke/e/B008EZHPC4/
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Customer reviews

3.6 out of 5

5,606 global ratings

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Brashboy

Good stories, not great

Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2015

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Good stories, not great, worth the price. Biggest problem is that a couple wrap up a little too neatly, and the one of the home-invasion stories made no sense to me -- how'd they get in, bad guys way too sloppy and stupid, etc. -- you know, when people in a story act in a way they wouldn't in a real situation to get the story to work.

Will there never be an end of wise-cracking PIs and world-weary cops who act in ways and allow the PIs lattitude that a real cop never would? Real cops do not like threatening their pensions, especially in a state like Florida where law enforcement officers get 3% annually in the state pension system (a little over 30 years and they retire at full pay based on the average of the three highest-earning years). Would you let an out-there PI do things that could get you fired? You get my point. Worth a couple of bucks, though. Actually more like 3.5 stars but I rounded up this time.

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Placeholder

Super collection don't miss it

Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2015

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EIGHT THE HARD WAY:

******SPOILERS*****

PAYDOWN. Nick Stephenson

I received an arc for an honest review. A detective named Mary is working with a skilled seasoned investigator, they are doing surveillance on a Mr Gordon. Well as they are waiting for him to come to the bar of the hotel he is registered at, the dialogue between them is very much what I like. Well after some time of, Mr Gordon being late, they decide to go up and pretend they have the wrong room, to check out where he is and you know investigate or snoop so to speak, no matter same thing right. Well they get up there and end up having to get hotel staff to open the room. Yep they find Mr Gordon's body in the bed, having been brutally murdered. And that is where the story really begins, evidence, investigation, and all sorts of things. I'm not done that just a taste, but I can't wait to find out what happens. This is a great story, with lots of good stuff to come. Give it a read.

******SPOILERS*****

LADIES' WEEKEND. BY: Ryan King

Every year the girls go on a ladies only vacation, to the golf shores of Alabama. This trip is quite interesting. This particular year includes, the mother, her two daughters, and a daughter in law. The daughter in law doesn't seem too pleased to have been included. The ladies names are, in no particular order, Cathy, Dolores, Martha, Trish, and Ruby. One of the ladies is also dealing with cancer, won't reveal which one. But so far this is quite a good story. Can't wait to find out what happens. They just arrived at the hotel and are getting settled, let me get back to it. Give it a read, you will love it.

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Gail Christian

Will be a lot more enjoyable if you skip the last story.

Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2018

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PAYDOWN: Finance and investments are not my area of expertise, but they play a big role in this story. What I prefer are mysteries - with or without murder(s). Fortunately the story also includes murder, the police, and a rich police consultant (think Castle, but throw in a hunky body guard).

I prefer Castle to the story, but I still found this kept a nice pace without a large amount of tedium. The story has a satisfactory conclusion that does not leave us wondering.

LOOSE ENDS: Took too long to get started, but still worth reading.

When 10yo Talley is kidnapped, her mother, Mira, is told not to involve the police so she hires Cal (ex cop turned PI) to get her back safely. Cal gets the feeling that something isn't right, but she is determined to rescue Talley; and she had better hurry.

MR. MOCKINGBIRD DRIVE: When a couple of men approach their victim as he leaves the ATM, they think they have found the perfect mark. They've been watching him for two weeks now, and they know his routine well. However, sometimes what you know isn't nearly as important as what you DON'T know.

Very short but interesting story. Worth the few minutes it will take to read it.

LADIES WEEKEND: The three Biddle sisters (along with a daughter and two daughters-in-law) were off to the beach for a "ladies weekend". Cathy hated these women, but she had a plan: "The image of Ruby's face when she finally discovered what her daughter-in-law had done made Cathy smile despite her agony." Surely she could manage a couple of days with them. Yes indeed. This weekend was definitely going to be a surprise. The kind that changes lives forever.

Fine little story with a twist in the end. This takes only minutes to read. Even though I figured out what the twist was going to be it was still worth the time I spent with the Biddle ladies. Check it out.

VERITAS: CONCUBINE: Inside most (if not all) of us lives the belief that the hard core actions of evil (wo)men should be punished - and NOT just a slap on the wrist with some weak attempt to dole out justice. For instance: someone who kidnaps, rapes, tortures, and mutilates a child should be put to death - NOT given a (let's say) 15 year sentence which is even further diluted by being reduced to 6 years with the prisoner's parole. Weak justice is not justice. Criminals know that. Why don't the courts?

Well, this is the story (literally being told to a journalist) of Shale Veritas - a man who also believes in true justice. What has shaped him into the man he has become? What does the journalist think about him and his attempt to correct the "failure" of the courts? What ties these two people together?

Unlike the story Return of the Bride, I am very well pleased with this story. In real life I could not in good conscience support the actions of Shale Veritas. However, in fantasy (make believe) I can fully support him. That is why I watch TV or movies and especially why I read fiction: to escape the limitations of our civilization. I am not confined to ineffective sentences that let evil people more or less "get away with it". I can expect - nay, DEMAND - justice be accurately meted out to fit the crime. I find (and applaud) that in this story which is why I can most definitely recommend it to you.

DIVIDE AND CONQUER: What would you do if 3 masked gunmen were standing in your living room when your 4yo nieces were there so you could babysit them? Oh - did I mention the fact that your hands were zip-tied together as were your feet? Well if you were June Kato, you certainly wouldn't waste a lot of time crying. You would be thinking about how to outwit the leader of the pack. Read this great little story to find out whether or not she was successful.

If this is the only story you read in this collection, you will not be disappointed with the purchase. Nor will you have wasted your time. What a marvelous little story!

RECIDIVIST: This was a strange little story to say the least. In America there was a program called Scared Straight. The idea was to take young criminals and scare them into changing their behavior by giving them a taste of what they could expect if they continued on their current paths. While there is a similarity to that cause and effect relationship in this story, there are also significant differences. The question is whether or not these children can see any reason to change.

RETURN OF THE BRIDE: First of all, let me say that this is a terrible story! Sear's brother had been killed, and his sister-in-law, Mahvash , had been taken. Sear was on a mission to bring her home. The story ends with two words: "Promise kept."

I can tell you without reservation that I would never send Sear to get anyone I know! His idea of keeping a promise is certainly not what I would consider to be a promise kept.

This is only 8 pages long (as per the description given of the story at the beginning of the book), but even so it was not worth the time it took to read. My suggestion: skip this one!

2 people found this helpful

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J. F. Juzwik

Hardly Thrillers

Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2014

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If you are looking for a collection of thrillers, I would recommend looking elsewhere. There are a couple of stories that are very good and are quite disturbing, which I feel thrillers should be. But the majority of the stories are quite bland and tedious. I cannot really recommend this collection.

7 people found this helpful

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whitehorse

Eight good reasons (plus or minus)

Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2015

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First of all the book contained eight stories from different authors. Each one had a different approach and subject matter. They all were well told and kept my interest, some more than others. I enjoy the change of tempo each author brings. I also am constantly fascinated that within the same genre so many different paths exist.
In one story, what seems to be a get-away weekend at the shore for ladies turns into a get-even party for the family. In another story, an obviously sexist detective gets taught some humility by an female ex-cop. Each story had its unique twists and reveals, but taken as a whole, the compilation is uniformly high quality. Certainly worth the time to read.

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Top reviews from other countries

Aadil

Thanks

Reviewed in India on March 29, 2023

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Thanks mare jaan 🥰😘

Katielou

mystery

Reviewed in Australia on August 5, 2018

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A collection of 8 stories - some good, some OK

KEN B. CHAMBERLIN, Vancouver, BC

A great short story mystery/suspence book for transit riders to read.

Reviewed in Canada on April 19, 2015

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The Killer Thriller Collection- Eight the Hard Way-Nick Stephenson and 7 others authors.
This is an anthology of 8 short mystery stories by eight of the better, current authors of the day. Likened to a Readers Digest format, packed full of suspense, intrigue, mayhem and murder. All are presented in small portions that are digestible without greatly taxing the reader’s time. This would be a great book for transit riders to read during their daily commute. I also recommend these short stories to readers seeking to expand their connection and knowledge of new authors.

Cindy

Middling good.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 1, 2015

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Some of the stories were good and some mediocre. On the whole an average book, readable but not very exciting.

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A Killer Thriller Collection - Eight The Hard Way (Mystery Thriller Suspense) Kindle Edition

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