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Eighteen

EIGHTEEN


This collection of stories by Jan includes:
  • The Man In The Civil Suit
  • The Abbey Ghosts
  • The Haunting of Carrick Hollow
  • An Unsuspected Condition of the Heart
  • Miscalculation
  • A Man of My Stature
  • Two Bits
  • A Fine Set Of Teeth
  • Mea Culpa
  • White Trash
  • The Muse
  • Unharmed
  • Ghost Of A Chance
  • Revised Endings
  • Why Tonight?
  • The Loveseat
  • Devotion (a new story featuring Frank Harriman, Ben Sheridan, and the search dogs; nominated for an Agatha award for Best Short Story of 2002!)
  • The Mouse (a new, non-mystery story)
Eighteen was published in a limited edition hardcover by ASAP Publishing. That edition is sold out.
BUY THE BOOK:
IndieBound | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

BUY THE EBOOK:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

PRAISE

"The acclaimed author of the Irene Kelly mystery series (Goodnight, Irene, etc.) and the Edgar award-winning novel Bones delivers this superb collection of short stories, hitherto available only in a limited trade edition from A.S.A.P. Publishing. These early works, which appeared in publications like Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine and Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, display an impressive range of styles, voices and settings. Burke offers ghost stories ("Ghost of a Chance"), romantic suspense ("The Muse"), a whodunit ("A Fine Set of Teeth"), a tale of revenge ("Miscalculation") and a humorous intrigue ("The Man in the Civil Suit"), and the voices she adopts are as disparate as an abused wife and an aristocratic gentleman (and, at one point, even a non-human narrator). It would be a challenge for readers to choose their favorite, as all the stories are carefully crafted gems: "Mea Culpa" follows a crippled boy as he deduces what his stepfather has in store for his mother; "Miscalculation," which is based on the wartime service of the Queen Mary ocean liner, effectively transmutes history into mystery; and "Unharmed" tells a surprising tale of domestic strife. Several of the stories won or were nominated for awards, and virtually all of them repay the reader handsomely."
   —Publishers Weekly

"As always, Jan Burke's wide, wonderful imagination and gift for the apt phrase, the perfectly defined character, and the absolutely perfect line of dialogue are an endless delight in this fine collection. Read the stories all once, or dip into them one at a time, and enjoy.  You won't be disappointed."
   —James Crumley

"What a wonderful collection this is! Eighteen shows off not only author Burke's skills at the short-fiction form, but her astonishing versatility as well. Ranging from the gothic to the murderous to keen—and wry—observations of human nature. These stories are sure to delight."
   —Jeffery Deaver

"A great collection of great stories by one of the world's finest mystery writers. Eighteen is a gem!"
   —Stuart M. Kaminsky

"Eighteen is a delightful collection of page-turners. At turns chilling, funny, poignant—and always insightful.  With these stories, Jan Burke's at the top of her game."
   —Jonathan Kellerman

"Jan Burke is a terrific storyteller, and Eighteen showcases her work at its finest.  Whether set in series character Irene Kelly's home turf of southern California or in medieval times, these tales are sure to delight the reader."
   —Marcia Muller

"These are terrific stories. They're convincing, inviting, and seductive. Burke has a keen but gentle eye and she builds these tales with the subtle assurance of a master. I raced through them once to enjoy their velocity and came back to enjoy their breadth."
   —T. Jefferson Parker